We will use this thread to discuss possible books to be used for any of the categories for the 2012 Christian Reading Challenge. 

Each month will have its own topic.

Feel free to post any questions or comments about Christian books, authors, etc.

Recommendations of good books always appreciated.

Peace to all who enter.

Copying and pasting this from the last thread, since I finished it in November:

Yesterday, I finished A Violent Grace by Michael Card. I like how the author takes the reader step-by-step through the event of Jesus's crucifixion, from the prayer in the garden to his final rising. A sepia-toned illustration starts the chapter, while a prayer end is. Overall, I like the content, but I was troubled that Card mistakes verses in Psalms as prophecies. Psalms are collected poetic works by many authors, including King David, who were talking about their own experiences.

Pagan Christianity by Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling is an amazing expose on our many Christmas traditions and where they originated from.  Highly recommended!

Yesterday I finished reading Julian of Norwich by Grace Jantzen.  Julian was an Anchoress and Christian mystic who lived from 1342-1416.  She wrote about God's love, compassion, and (hu)man's sin.  This book is a great work that is partially a biography and partially a commentary on Julian's work that uses quotations from both the "short text" and the "long text".  Julian's work "Revelations on Divine Love" or "Showing of Love" can be found online for free for download as text, audio, or simply viewing online on archive.org.

If you are interested in female Christian mystics, I also suggest Hildegard of/von Bingen and Hadewijch of Brabant.

If you like to read Sci-fi or fantasy type books, I finished two that I really enjoyed.  Both are the 2nd in the series.  Also read the first in both and really liked them also.

Guardian (Halflings Novel Bk 2)  by Heather Burch   4 Stars

Halflings is the first in the series in case you would like to know.  The story line revolves around Nikki and three halflings who are sent to protect her.  There ends up being a love triangle between Nikki and two of the halflings.  This book really doesn't move on a whole lot from where the first left off.  The love triangle is maybe resolved but I'm not so sure about it.  There is a twist thrown in at the end that surprised me.  To me, if the love triangle had been cut way down it would have benefitted the book much more but that is just my opinion.

Prophetess  by Keven Newsome    4.5 STars

The first book in the series is called Winter.  Winter is also the name of the main character who happens to be a Christian Goth.  She is also called by God to be a prophetess.  As in the first book, the story alternates between current time and scenes from Winter's past before she becomes a Christian.  Most of the time I don't enjoy this but this one flows pretty well and didn't bother me.  Except I did wish it would get there faster.    I think that this book had a lot more filler to it and not enough going on but it didn't stop me from reading right through it.  The third in the series will come out next year some time.

For those participating in the new 2013 Christian Reading Challenge, both of these would qualify for the Speculative Fiction category.

If you have a Kindle, I can loan Prophetess but not Guardian.