2010 Chick Lit Challenge

The Chick Lit Challenge 2010 runs from January 1 - December 31st. The goal is to read at least 8 chick lit books during the year. Books can be listed ahead of time or as you go along. Books can also be used for multiple challenges.

To participate, please sign up by commenting on this post. There will be a separate post for you to comment with your book review links.

Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

Our long weekend began on Wednesday evening when we went to see the movie 2012. I like disaster movies, mostly for the special effects. Armageddon is one of my favorite movies. I also liked The Day After Tomorrow. This movie reminded me a lot of The Day After Tomorrow. It was pretty good overall, some really great special effects. I enjoyed it.
Then the adventure began. Wednesday night/Thursday morning I was up in the middle of the night coughing (this cough started with a bad cold about 3 weeks ago and has continued to linger). The coughing fit was so bad that I ended up throwing up a few times. I haven't thrown up in years! For Thanksgiving day I took it easy and we went to some friends of ours for dinner in the late afternoon. I felt okay, not really sick, but not 100% either. Then I had another coughing fit in the middle of the night with some throwing up. I didn't want to go to the ER but knew I needed to go to a doctor. I decided to wait and call my doctor's office on Friday to see if they were open and if they weren't, I would go to urgent care. Fortunately, they were open and got me in by 10 am. The doctor prescribed me antibiotics and a chest x-ray, thinking it was probably bronchitis or pneumonia (or something similar). So we went to our local hospital to get an x-ray. The results of the x-ray won't be back until later this week.
The way I was coughing, I'm guessing that I probably have bronchitis. I spent the rest of Friday sleeping and relaxing. I was feeling better and had a scrapbook crop to go to at our church that I was in charge of. I didn't know if anyone would show up, but since I was in charge I had to be there. One of my friends came with some sewing to keep me company. After about an hour and a half and no one else showing up, I decided with my being sick and having just had an overnight scrapbook event last weekend that I would pack up and go home. Spent the rest of Saturday sleeping and relaxing.
I'm very glad we had a long weekend for me to get lots of rest and time for the antibiotics to kick in. They seem to be helping and I am improving for sure, though still coughing some. I will be interested to find out from the x-ray if I really did have bronchitis or not. Thus was my Thanksgiving weekend! How was yours? :-)

Potential Biblical Fiction Challenge List

Biblical Fiction - potential list. 6 are needed, 30 are in this list. :-)

Abigail's Story by Ann Burton
The Beginning by Gene Edwards
The Book of Samson by David Maine
Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett
Fallen by David Maine
The Garden of Ruth by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg
Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee
John, Son of Thunder by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Jonah by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Joseph: Dreamer of Dreams by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Esther: The Story of a Woman Who Saved a Nation by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Jerusalem, City of God by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Joshua - God's Warrier by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Mark: Eyewitness by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Melchizedek - King of Jerusalem by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
My Son, the Savior by Melody Carlson
Moses - the Deliverer by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Mary of Nazareth by Marek Halter
Michal by Jill Eileen Smith
Noah by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
The Preservationist by David Maine
Rahab's Story by Ann Burton
The Rain by Dan Tankersley
Rebekah (Women of Genesis) by Orson Scott Card
Samson by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Song of Abraham by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
The Timothy Diary by Gene Edwards
To Follow Yahweh's Plan by Nancy Sanders
The Woman at the Well by Patty Froese

Potential List for Christian Non-Fiction Challenge

Subject to change as the year progresses. 10 required, list contains 13.

Breaking Everyday Addictions by David Hawkins - Finished April
unChristian by David Kinnamen - Finished May
Why We Love the Church by Ted Kluck - Finished June
No Other Gods by Kelly Minter - Finished October
Thrilled to Death by Archibald Hart - Finished January
The Heartache No One Sees by Sheila Walsh - Finished September
Being Christian by Stephen Arterburn
Soul Repair by Jeff VanVonderen - Finished March
Authentic Faith by Gary Thomas - Finished February
What Bothers Me Most About Christianity by Ed Gungor - Finished April
The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge - Finished November
The Friends We Keep by Sarah Zacharias Davis - Finished March
Uncompromised Faith by S. Michael Craven - Finished January

Added:
Making Your Emotions Work for You by Harold Sala - Finished August

Finished Medical Mystery Madness challenge

I finished a challenge! Woo hoo! Wasn't sure if I was going to actually finish one this year. Finished Plague War by Jeff Carlson. This is a sequel to Plague Year and definitely needs to be read in order. This book builds on Plague Year and makes more sense having already read the first book. A machine plague has decimated the human population, making it impossible to live below 10,000 feet. A vaccine has been developed but the powers that be are fighting for control of it. War has broken out. The scientist who developed the vaccine tries to spread it to as many people as possible in order to allow civilization to move back below the barrier of 10,000 feet.
Interesting read and makes you think about all the things that this type of plague would affect (animals and plants - the whole ecology system becomes out of whack).
For those who are interested/wondering, there will be a 2010 Medical Mystery Madness Challenge - details to come in December.

Biblical Fiction Challenge 2010

I have found that reading a fiction book that is based on a story from the Bible has often made the Bible story come more alive for me. It helps me to put myself into the story and what things were like during those times. There seems to be a plethora of books out there that take a character from the Bible and turn it into a fictional story. I have a whole list of books that fall into this type of genre. The challenge I'm putting out is to read at least 6 of these books during 2010. Some examples of this type of book are:
The Garden of Ruth by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee
Song of Abraham by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Rebekah (Women of Genesis) by Orson Scott Card
The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg
The Beginning by Gene Edwards

WHAT: 6 fiction books based on stories or characters from the Bible
WHEN: January 1 - December 31, 2010

As usual with my challenges, you can change your list at any time and books can be used for multiple challenges. Please use this post to sign up.

Turning the Paige by Laura Jensen Walker

Turning the Paige by Laura Jensen Walker


My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Laura Jensen Walker is one of my favorite authors. I have really liked every book of hers that I have read so far. I read a good chunk of this book all in 1 day. Very easy, light read. This is the 2nd book in the Getaway Girls series about a group of women who are part of a book club together. In this club they go on adventures related to the books they are reading. This book focuses on Paige, in her mid-30's and divorced, who spends much of her time taking care of her aging mother. Her friends try to gently tell her that she needs to set better boundaries and not let her mother control her and guilt her. But Paige feels responsible for her mother as the only sibling left near home and with her father gone, she is all that her mother has.
I loved that Phoebe from the Dreaming in Black & White books had a small "cameo" in this book. It gave an answer to what happened with her after the end of Dreaming in Technicolor. Fun!

This book is the 6th book I've completed for the Chick Lit Challenge this year. I don't think I'm going to make the full 10 by the end of December but we shall see. I do plan to host the Chick Lit Challenge again in 2010 - details to be posted at the end of November.

Flashback Challenge 2010

Aarti and Kristen M. are hosting this challenge for next year.

The Flashback Challenge will run from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010. If you're super-excited and want to reread a book before that, feel free, and let me know. If many people do so, then I'll do a December challenge linky post and you can all link to it here. Otherwise, we can hold them over to January.

You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm - Up to three books
Scholar - Four to six books
Literati - Over six books

Within these levels, we have mini-challenges! These are:

1. Re-read a favorite book from your childhood

2. Re-read a book assigned to you in high school

3. Re-read a book you loved as an adult

I'm actually already doing this challenge as a perpetual challenge -Read It Again. So I'm going to join this and attempt to do the 4-6 books (Scholar) level. My main list of books that I want to try re-reading is found here. However, for the Flashback Challenge, these are the re-reads I'm going to attempt for 2010. I may substitute other books - depending on what grabs my attention at the time.

-Biblioholism by Tom Raabe
-Lightposts for Living by Thomas Kinkade
-Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
-Yearning by M. Craig Barnes
-Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb
-The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers

The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture by Shane Hipps

The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel, and Church by Shane Hipps


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In some ways, this book was almost more of a "how the emerging church is trying new ways to communicate in this postmodern culture". It was interesting though, particularly in how different media have shaped our culture throughout the years. Even the invention of printing and telegraph were revolutionary in changing how we perceive things. Printing caused us to become more linear in our thinking, while images (TV) use our right brain and make us view things in a more holistic way.

God Between the Covers by Marcia Ford

God Between the Covers: Finding Faith Through Reading by Marcia Ford


My rating: 4 of 5 stars





The author takes us through her personal spiritual journey and the books that impacted and affected her throughout her life. Books that brought her back to God, books that helped her along the way. She gives a brief synopsis of each book along with how it impacted her personally. The books are also listed in the back of the book for reference.
One problem with reading a book like this is that it makes my To-Be-Read list grow even more as the books she describes make me want to read them too!

Some quotes:
"Yet I cannot stay away from bookstores any more than I can give up my 3 mugs of coffee each morning. That's what addiction is, after all: a need, not simply a preference."
"Telling a person about God is far less important than showing who God is by the way we live."
"Everything Eldredge writes...is aimed at getting us un-used to the loss of everything that makes life worth living." - interesting that I recently read A Sacred Romance and this is one of the books that she highlights.

Christian Non-Fiction Challenge 2010

I have been reading a lot of nonfiction, particularly Christian nonfiction and have quite a few on my TBR list. So I thought maybe I would do a Christian Nonfiction Challenge during the year 2010. The goal is to read at least 10 Nonfiction books in the Christian genre - Christian Living, Inspiration, or Christian biography/autobiography. I plan to list the books ahead of time, but may end up changing the list as I go along. If anyone would like to join me for this challenge, please sign up in the comments.

WHEN: January 1-December 31, 2010
WHAT: 10 or more Christian Non-Fiction books

Books can be changed at any time and can be used for multiple challenges.

The Restless Heart by Ronald Rolheiser

The Restless Heart: Finding Our Spiritual Home in Times of Loneliness by Ronald Rolheiser


My rating: 3 of 5 stars




First time I read this book I couldn't get into it. This time I was able to finish it. The writing is very philosophical and is a good summary of the different types of loneliness, the causes and the cures. Ultimately, the author concludes, that we will always struggle a bit with loneliness in this life as we are made for another world and a relationship with God for eternity.

Quotes:
"...why we work and love badly; our restless hearts push us in so many directions that often we end up going nowhere."

from Gregory of Nyssa - "If [the human mind:] spreads itself out in all directions, constantly flowing out and dispersing to whatever pleases the senses, it will never have any notable force in its progress towards the true Good."

"We bounce from one thing to the next as we try to quench our thirsty unrest." - this statement really rang true for me!

"Mostly, though, the pain is tolerable, but nagging; a dissatisfaction with the quality of our life an dour relationships to people, a frustration without an object, a yearning without a particular reference, a nostalgia for past moments and friends, a restlessness that prevents us from relaxing and from being present to the moment, a feeling of alienation, a paranoia, a sense of missing out on something, an inexplicable emptiness."

"...whenever we enter relationships expecting not a friend or a marriage partner but a messiah, we do violence to the other and to the quality of the friendship and love that is there because we are constantly measuring what we have against an ideal that is not fully realistic in our present human condition."

"...whenever we choose 1 thing, we necessarily exclude certain other things."

Green by Ted Dekker

If you've read the Circle trilogy - Black, Red, and White, then you will definitely want to read this book! If you haven't read any, you can begin with Green or with Black. The books come full circle.
They don't necessarily fit into a particular genre, maybe a bit of fantasy and suspense, but are fascinating reads that also are a metaphor of the spiritual battle that we face in this life. I read the Circle trilogy a while ago, so was quite excited when Green came out. It was definitely worth the read! I think having read the other books already, Green made more sense than if it was the first one I read. I think it also referenced some of Dekker's other books - Showdown, Saint and Sinner. I haven't read those but have them in my TBR.

For more on Green - check out the official site.

Master TBR List

**UPDATE as of 2/9/10** - This post has been moved to Page Status - see page for progress on this list.

My Master To-Be-Read List: I may only peruse some of them rather than actually reading them, but for now, they are on the master list. The problem with a list like this is that it is constantly changing. As books are read or books are discovered, the list grows and shrinks, but mostly grows. :-) I wanted a list that I could cross off as I complete so I'd feel a sense of accomplishment. Thus the Master TBR List:

12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (like me) by John Fischer
The 2 Degree Difference by John Trent
50 People Every Christian Should Know by Warren Wiersbe
Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
Abigail’s Story: A Novel by Ann Burton
Above All Things by Deborah Raney
According to Their Deeds by Paul Robertson
Adam by Ted Dekker
Addiction and Grace by Gerald May
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Edward Welch
After Anne by Roxanne Henke
After the Rains by Deborah Raney
Against the Tide by Nancy Missler
Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it by Ken Ham
Always Grace by Tim LaHaye
Angel’s Choice by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Anger & Stress Management God’s Way by Wayne Mack
The Art of Helping by Lauren Briggs
As Young As We Feel by Melody Carlson
B Is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
Baby, Baby by Karen Wiesner
Back to the Moon by Homer Hickam, Jr.
Becca by the Book by Laura Jensen Walker
Becoming Real by Steven James
Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb
Bed Rest by Sarah Bilston
The Beginning by Gene Edwards
Behind the Scenes by Matt Abbott
Being Christian by Stephen Arterburn
The Best Idea in the World: How Putting Relationships First Transforms Everything by Mark Greene
A Better Freedom by Michael Card
Better Than My Dreams by Paula Rinehart
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky
The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey
The Bishop by Steven James
Blackout by Jason Elam
Blink by Ted Dekker
Blood Sisters by Melody Carlson
Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner
The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton
The Book of Samson by David Maine
Branding Sacred Cows: How to Sacrifice Church Traditions for Truth by Jameso Fuzzell
Breaking Everyday Addictions by David Hawkins
Breaking the Idols of Your Heart by David Allender
Breakthrough for a Broken Heart: Overcome Your Disappointments and Blossom into Your Dreams! by Paul Davis
Bundle of Joy by Robin Lee Hatcher
By Design or Default? Creating a Church Culture that Works by Kevin Gerald
C.I.A. Church in Atrophy by Gary Ninneman
Can-Do! Christianity by Deborah Derrick
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John Eldredge
The Case for Life by Scott Klusendorf
Cast of Characters by Max Lucado
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
Cease Fire, the War Is Over! by Eric Bumpus
The Centurion's Wife by T. Davis Bunn
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
Certain Peace in Uncertain Times by Shirley Dobson
Changing for Good by Raymond Causey
Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin
Choosing Rest by Sally Breedlove
Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett
Christianish by Mark Steele
Christless Christianity by Michael Horton
Claire Knows Best by Tracey Bateman
Clutter-Free Christianity by Robert Jeffress
Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll
Coping Strategies by Dr. Sam Whittemore Fowler
Coping With... by Jimmie Ellis III
Could I Have This Dance? by Harry Lee Kraus
Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller
Crossing Your Jordan by Richard Giovannetti
Deadly Emotions by Don Colbert
Deadly Intent by Camy Tang
Dealing with the CrazyMakers in Your Life by David Hawkins
Deep Church by Jim Belcher
Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter
Desperate Pastors' Wives by Ginger Kolbaba
Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey
The Disciple's Joy: Six Practices for Spiritual Growth by Michael Foss
Discipline: The Glad Surrender by Elisabeth Elliot
Discover Your Destiny by Charles Stanley
Discovering Your Destiny by Bob Gass
Doctrinal Self-Defense: ANT Control in the Information Age by Pam Dewey
The Doors of the Church Are Closed by Dana Carson
Double Minds by Terri Blackstock
Edge of Eternity by Randy Alcorn
Embracing Our True Self by Paul Ferrini
Emotional Transformation by Anne Dew
The Emotionally Destructive Relationship by Leslie Vernick
Emotions: Can You Trust Them by James Dobson
The Enclave by Karen Hancock
The End by Stephen Kaltenbach
Ends of the Earth by Tim Downs
Essentials for Life: Your Back-to-Basics Guide to What Matters Most by Marcia Ford
Essie In Progress by M. Presten
Eternity Falls by Kirk Outerbridge
The Ever-Loving Truth: Can Faith Thrive in a Post-Christian Culture? by Voddie Baucham
Every Good and Perfect Gift by Sharon Souza
Evidence Based Medicine by Donald Denby Jr.
Exposing Darwinism’s Weakest Link by Kenneth Poppe
Faith that Pleases God by Bob George
A Fall Together by Jennifer O’Neill
Fallen by David Maine
The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry
Families Where Grace Is In Place by Jeff VanVonderen
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Fast-Food Churchianity: A Critical Assessment of Church Ministry in America by Ronald Gann
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Philip Yancey
Feeding Your Soul: A Quiet Time Handbook by Jean Fleming
Fiddlesticks & Compaste with Pirates & Pistachios! by Rachel Hale
Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily
Fighting for Dear Life: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo and What It Means for All of Us by David Gibbs
Final Orbit by S.V. Date
The Final Victim by I.J. Sarfeh
Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate with Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can by Tim Downs
Finding God When Life's Not Fair by Lee Ezell
Finding Peace in Life, Work, and Love by Chandra Goforth Irvin
Finding Peace in the Midst of Chaos by Terri Cruze
Finding Purpose Beyond the Pain by Paul Meier
Firefly Blue by Jake Thoene
First Comes Love by Whitney Lyles
The Flames of Rome by Paul Maier
Flashpoint by Frank Creed
Fool’s Gold?: Discerning Truth in an Age of Error by John MacArthur
Forgetting Your Past: Turn Your Pain into Purpose by Bob Gass
The Forsaken by Stephen Arterburn
The Four Seasons of Marriage by Gary Chapman
Free at Last by Tony Evans
Freedom from Your Past: A Christian Guide to Personal Healing and Restoration by Jimmy Evans
Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster
Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson
Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala
The Friends We Keep by Sarah Zacharias Davis
Friendship Cake by J. Lynne Hinton
The Friendship Test by Elizabeth Noble
The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges
The Garden of Ruth by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
Getting Your Feet Dirty: A Down-to-Earth Look at Following Jesus by Don Everts
The Gift of Pain by Paul Brand
Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type by Isabel Briggs Myers
God Has a Plan for Your Life by Charles Stanley
God Is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business by Ken Eldred
God Is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg
A God-Centered Church by Henry Blackaby
God's Gentle Whisper by Denise George
The Good Nearby by Nancy Moser
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
Growing in Grace by Bob George
The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg
Happiness Is a Lifestyle by Frank Minirth
Hardball by Sara Paretsky
Havah: the Story of Eve by Tosca Lee
Healing Is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn
Healing Life’s Hurts: Make Your Anger Work for You by Graham Bretherick
Healing Stones by Nancy Rue
Heart Cry: Searching for Answers in a World Without Meaning by Jill Briscoe
The Heartache No One Sees by Sheila Walsh
Hearts Awakening by Delia Parr
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Heaven Help Me, I'm Human by Craig Dahler
Helper By Design: God's Perfect Plan for Women in Marriage by Elyse Fitzpatrick
The Hidden Face of God by Michael Card
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Secret of More by Mark Buchanan
High Definition Life by Luis Palau
The Holy Wild: Trusting in the Character of God by Mark Buchanan
Hooked on the Net by Andrew Careaga
How to De-Stress Your Life by Gregory Jantz
How to Get Along at Church by Dennis Wright
How to Handle Your Emotions by June Hunt
How to Keep Your Faith in an Upside-Down World by Sara Bowling
How to Keep Your Inner Mess from Trashing Your Outer World by Bill Giovanetti
How to Really Change Your Life by Norman Barlow
How to Solve Your People Problems by Dr. Alan Godwin
I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt by Vince Antonucci
I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson
The Idecis by Robin Hardy
Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone by Elyse Fitzpatrick
If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn
If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor
If Tomorrow Never Comes by Marlo Schalesky
I’m Not Crazy, I’m Just Not You: The Real Meaning of the Sixteen Personality Types by Roger Pearman
The Immortality Factor by Ben Bova
In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
In His Image by Paul Brand
Inside Out by Larry Crabb
Insight by Deborah Raney
Intervention by Terri Blackstock
Intervention by Robin Cook
Intimate Friendship with God by Joy Dawson
The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
It is Written... by Kevin Darland
It’s Not About Me by Michelle Sutton
It’s Not About Me by Max Lucado
It’s Not My Fault by Henry Cloud
The Jesus of Suburbia: Have We Tamed the Son of God to Fit Our Lifestyle? by Mike Erre
The Jesus Sensitive Church: Would Jesus Worship Here? by Ron Auch
John 3:16 by Nancy Moser
John's Story by Tim LaHaye
Joseph: The Journey Home by Janice Parker
The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge
The Judas Personality by Lily Corsello
Keep Growing: Turn the Ho-Hum into a Life-Changing Spiritual Journey by Poppy Smith
Keeping a Princess Heart: In a Not-So-Fairy-Tale World by Nicole Johnson
Keeping Your Cool...When Your Anger Is Hot! by June Hunt
Killing Giants: Pulling Thorns by Charles Swindoll
Kingdoms in Conflict by Charles Colson
Kiss by Ted Dekker
Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen
Landmines in the Path of the Believer by Charles Stanley
The Last Christian on Earth by Os Guinness
The Last Woman Standing by Tia McCollors
Laughing Matters by Phil Callaway
Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh
Leaving Chaos to Open Doors of Peace by Peggy Davis
Leaving November by Deborah Raney
Let Go by Francois De Salignac De Fenelon
Let It Go!: Breaking Free from Fear and Anxiety by Tony Evans
Letters to a Devastated Christian by Gene Edwards
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Greg Laurie
Lies, Lies, and More Lies! by Norman De Jong
Life Is Simple: Eliminate Complexity from Your Life and Reclaim Stolen Time by Joe Gartrell
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Life's Not a Rehearsal by David Ellis
A Life's Pursuit by Brian Farrar
Limelight by Melody Carlson
Little Face by Sophie Hannah
Live the Perfect Life by Jr. George C. Evans
Living a Milk-and-Honey Life: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back by Sharon Elliott
Living the Extraordinary Life: Nine Principles to Discover It by Charles Stanley
Lord, I Just Want to Be Happy by Leslie Vernick
Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire by Lauralee Bliss
Love Finds You in Hershey, Pennsylvania by Cerella Sechrist
Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska by Loree Lough
Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon by Melody Carlson
Love Jesus, Hate Church: How to Survive in Church - or Die Trying by Steve Mccranie
Love Off-Limits by Whitney Lyles
Love the Sinner by Lynn Bulock
Love This!: Learning to Make It a Way of Life, Not Just a Word by Andy Braner
Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness: Equipping the Church to Be Truly Christian in a Non-Christian World by Jerry Cook
A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church by Warren Cole Smith
Loving People: How to Love and Be Loved by John Townsend
Luke's Story by Tim LaHaye
Lying on Sunday by Sharon Souza
Magnificent Meekness: Practicing His Presence in a Secular Society by Morton Bustard
Making Your Emotions Work for You by Harold Sala
Malchus by Mary McAdams
Mark's Story by Tim LaHaye
Mars Life by Ben Bova
Mary of Nazareth by Marek Halter
Mastering Your Moods by Melvyn Kinder
Match Point by Erynn Mangum
A Matter of Wife & Death by Ginger Kolbaba
Melchizedek – King of Jerusalem by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus
Meraris Hope by Jennifer Eubanks
Mercury by Ben Bova
Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli
Michal by Jill Eileen Smith
Mid-Course Correction by Gordon MacDonald
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
A Mile from Sunday by Jo Kadlecek
A Mile in My Flip-Flops by Melody Carlson
Mixed Bags by Melody Carlson
The Monday Connection: On Being an Authentic Christian in a Monday-Friday World by William Diehl
Moon Over Tokyo by Siri Mitchell
More Than Forgiveness: What Jesus Wants You to Know About the Holy Life by Steve Deneff
More Than Spectators: Fulfilling Your Role in the Local Church by Paul Downey
A Morning Like This by Deborah Bedford
My Beautiful Disaster by Michelle Buckman
My Life as a Doormat (in Three Acts) by Rene Gutteridge
My Name Is Russell Fink by Michael Snyder
My Son, the Savior by Melody Carlson
The Naked Christian: Taking Off Religion to Find True Relationship by Craig Borlase
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
A Nest of Sparrows by Deborah Raney
Net Trigger by Mark Gregory
Never Good Enough: How to Use Perfectionism to Your Advantage without Letting It Ruin Your Life by Monica Ramirez Basco
The New Personality Self-Portrait by John Oldham
No Idea: Entrusting Your Journey to a God Who Knows by Greg Garrett
No Other Gods by Kelly Minter
Noise: How Our Media-Saturated Culture Dominates Lives by Teresa Tomeo
O2: Breathing New Life into Faith by Richard Dahlstrom
Obsessed by Ted Dekker
The Offings by Charley Scholl
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
On a Someday by Roxanne Henke
On Reading the Bible: Thoughts and Reflections of Over 500 Men and Women, from St. Augustine to Oprah Winfrey by Bill Bradfield
Once in a Blue Moon by Leanna Ellis
Operation Jonah by Elisabeth Miller
The Other Daughter by Miralee Ferrell
Our Unmet Needs by Charles Stanley
Outriders by Kathryn Mackel
Overcoming Depression by Neil Anderson
Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Overcoming Overload: Seven Ways to Find Rest in Your Chaotic World by Steve Farrar
The Owner's Manual for Christians by Charles Swindoll
The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman
The Pastor's Wife by Jennifer AlLee
Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton
Perfect by Harry Lee Kraus
The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher
The Personifid Project by R. E. Bartlett
Picket Fence Promises by Kathryn Springer
Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Piece of Mind by Robert Bartlett
A Piece of the Sky by Michelle Buckman
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Plague Zone by Jeff Carlson
Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge
Plugging into God's Story by Kevin Goodrich
Pontius Pilate by Paul Maier
Pop Goes the Church by Tim Stevens
The Post-Christian Mind by Harry Blamires
The Power of Emotional Decision Making by David Hawkins
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? By Philip Yancey
The Pre-Nup by Beth Kendrick
The Preservationist by David Maine
The Prince Charming List by Kathryn Springer
Quit 'Going' to Church by Steven Rogers
Quitting Church by Julie Duin
Rahab's Story by Ann Burton
Rain Song by Alice Wisler
The Rain by Dan Tankersley
Reaching for the Invisible God by Philip Yancey
Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind by Tremper Longman
The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble
Rebekah (Women of Genesis) by Orson Scott Card
Reclaiming Science from Darwinism by Kenneth Poppe
Recursion from James Cavell
Red Letters: Living a Faith That Bleeds by Tom Davis
Redemption: 'In the Beginning' by Anne Angell
Reimagining Church by Frank Viola
Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Francis Beckwith
Rematch by Erynn Mangum
Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney
Renewing Your Mind in a Mindless World by James Montgomery Boice
Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice by Dallas Willard
Rescued by John Bevere
Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan
Restoring Joy by Gordon MacDonald
Ripple Effect by Paul McCusker
The Road to Mars by Eric Idle
Roommates by Whitney Lyles
S.A.M. by Ozy Alvarado
S.H.A.P.E.: Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life by Erik Rees
Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest by Lynne Baab
Sailing Between the Stars: Musings on the Mysteries of Faith by Steven James
Salty Like Blood by Harry Lee Kraus
Sandpaper People: Dealing with the Ones Who Rub You the Wrong Way by Mary Southerland
Saturn by Ben Bova
Saving Grace by Greg Cochran
Say Goodbye to Stubborn Sin by Clark Gerhart
A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown
A Scarlet Cord by Deborah Raney
The Scrapbook of Friendship & Love by Peggy Baker
Screen Play by Chris Coppernoll
Scribbling in the Sand by Michael Card
Searching for Heaven on Earth by David Jeremiah
Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria
Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter
Second Chance, Second Act: Turning Your Messes into Successes by Robert Jeffress
The Secret Family by Michael Campbell
The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck
The Secret Place: Passionately Pursuing His Presence by Dale Fife
Seeking the Face of God by Gary Thomas
The Shadow Children by Margaret Haddix
Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark
Shaiton’s Fire by Jake Thoene
SimChurch by Douglas Estes
Simplify by Rod Brace
Sins of the Father by Angela Benson
The Sister Circle by Nancy Moser
Skid by Rene Gutteridge
Skidmarks on the Road of Life by Ann Downing
Sky Blue by Travis Thrasher
Slaying the Giants in Your Life by David Jeremiah
Small Changes, Big Results by Jerry Foster
The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire Scovell LaZebnik
Solemnly Swear by Nancy Moser
Sometimes a Light Surprises by Jamie Langston Turner
Soon to be a Major Motion Picture by Donna Partow
Soul Cravings by Erwin Raphael McManus
Soul on Fire by Stephen Arterburn
Soul Repair by Jeff VanVonderen
Soul Talk by Larry Crabb
Speaking My Mind by Tony Campolo
The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
Spiritual Disciplines 101: Pathway to God by Beacon Hill Press
The Spiritual, Moral, & Civil Decay of America by Brian Cooper
Standing Firm in a Time of Shaking by Dan De Kock
Stones of Remembrance: A Rock-Hard Faith from Rock-Hard Places by Lois Evans
Stray Affections by Charlene Baumbich
Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster
Stress by Gaius Davies
Stretch Marks by Kimberly Stuart
Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith
Success God’s Way by Charles Stanley
The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguie
Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter
The Surrogate by Kathryn Mackel
The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Patillo
The Syndrome by John Case
Taking Time to Change by Jim Berg
Thank God I'm Not a Pharisee by John Elzinga
That’s (Not Exactly) Amore by Tracey Bateman
Thicker Than Blood by C.J. Darlington
Thinking Against the Grain by N. Allan Moseley
Thinking for a Change by John Maxwell
This Isn’t the Life I Signed Up For by Donna Partow
The Time of Your Life: Finding God's Rest in Your Busy Schedule by Susan Davis
The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life by Philip Zimbardo
A Time to Grieve by Carol Fitzpatrick
The Timothy Diary by Gene Edwards
Tired of Do-List Christianity? By Scott Morton
Titan by Ben Bova
To Follow Yahweh’s Plan: A Story Based on the Book of Ruth by Nancy Sanders
Too Much Stuff: De-cluttering Your Heart and Home by Kathyn Porter
The Transformation: A Project Restoration Novel by Terri Kraus
Transparent by Sarah Zacharias Davis
The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes
True for You, But Not for Me by Paul Copan
True North by Gary Inrig
The Truth War by John MacArthur
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas
Turning Toward Joy by David Jeremiah
Twelve Reasons Christian's Don't Grow by Tony Green
Twilight Conspiracy by Pegge Hoffman
Two Is Enough by Laura Scott
unchristian by David Kinnamen
Unconventional by J. J. Hebert
Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark
Understanding How Others Misunderstand You by K. Voges & R. Braund
Understanding Who You Are by Larry Crabb
Unhappy Secrets of the Christian Life by Philip Yancey
Unlocking the Secrets of Your Childhood Memories by Kevin Leman
Until Summer's End by Kara Russell
Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus
Valiant Bride by Jane Peart
Vanish by Tom Pawlik
Vanished by Kathryn Mackel
Violet Dawn by Brandilyn Collins
Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X by Tom Beaudoin
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
Wanting All the Right Things: Finding a Spiritual, Balanced, & Fulfilled Life by Shrin Taber
Watch Over me by Christa Parrish
The Wedding Machine by Beth Webb Hart
What Are Spiritual Gifts? by Kenneth Berding
What Bothers Me Most About Christianity by Ed Gungor
What Have You Got to Lose? By Stephen Arterburn
What Is Your Spiritual Quotient? by Mark Brewer
What the Cat Dragged In by Gilbert Morris
What Women Want: The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies by Lisa Tawn Bergren
What You Do Best in the Body of Christ by Bruce Bugbee
What’s My Excuse for Not Being a Christian? By Brad Crouser
What's Right with the Church? by Elmer Towns
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
When God Doesn't Make Sense by James Dobson
When God Takes Too Long by Joseph Bentz
When God Waits: Making Sense of Divine Delays by Jerome Daley
When People Are Big and God Is Small by Edward Welch
When There’s No Burning Bush by Gary Morsch
When Your Past Is Hurting Your Present by Sue Augustine
The White Plague by Frank Herbert
Why Do I Always Feel Guilty? By Mary Whelchel
Why the Bible Matters by Mike Erre
Why We Love the Church by Ted Kluck
Why Worry - God Is in Control by Samuel Daniel
Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton
The Winning Attitude by John Maxwell
Winning Over Weaknesses by Jesse Dillinger
With a Vengeance by Eileen Dreyer
The Woman at the Well by Patty Froese
The Woman Behind the Mask by Jan Coleman
The Woman I Am Becoming by T. Suzanne Eller
Woman of Influence by Pam Farrel
Worry-Free Living by Frank Minirth
Wrecked: What God Can Do When Things Crash and Burn by Ryan Dobson
Yesterday's Embers by Deborah Raney
You Can Experience an Authentic Life by James Emery White
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman
You Matter More Than You Think by Leslie Parrott
Your God Is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan
Your Spiritual Personality by Marita Littauer

The Knight by Steven James

One of the books I started reading during the Read-a-thon was The Knight by Steven James. This is the 3rd book in a series which I've already read the first 2 (The Pawn and The Rook). There were a few nights this week that I had a hard time putting this book down to get to sleep at a decent hour (for me anyway).



I was able to finish it today and could not recommend this series more. I really enjoyed the first 2 books and this book was just fantastic! The main character is an FBI agent who tracks serial killers using geoprofiling or analyzing where the crimes occur and the relation of location of where the victims lived and worked in a way to narrow down the field of suspects. It is very difficult if not impossible to figure out who the killer is before the book reveals it. Love the suspense of it. The books are a bit graphic, not overly so, but might not appeal to the squeamish. When there are severed heads, I'd say that is a bit graphic. The next book in the series comes out next summer (The Bishop).