Christian Fiction Devourers discussion

I just finished reading The Mayflower Bride
I felt like it was true to history, a clean love story, and continually pointed back to God. Overall, a good read.

Andrea wrote: "Read:




How did you like Love on the Mend?!

Tiffany, I really enjoyed it. Ms. Witemeyer always makes me laugh, but every time I'm amazed at how deep she dives too. Why it still surprises me, I have no clue. I really should expect that by now. :)

Here's my review if you'd like a more in-depth assessment of my thoughts on this charming novella: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tiffany wrote: "I just finished reading The Mayflower Bride
I felt like it was true to history, a clean love story, and continually pointed back to God. Overall, a good read."

Glad to hear you enjoyed that one! It's one I'm definitely interested in reading!

Andrea wrote: "Tiffany, I really enjoyed it. Ms. Witemeyer always makes me laugh, but every time I'm amazed at how deep she dives too. Why it still surprises me, I have no clue. I really should expect that by now..."

I like when a novella still has some depth to it! Definitely not always the case. :)

I agree, Beth. I've recently read several that had surprising depth.

Read:


Did Not Finish:


Currently Reading:

My January reading has almost all been on the theme of African-American History, slavery, the Underground Railroad, and Reconstruction.

3 non-fiction:

William Still: His Life and Work to This Time (biography of "The Father of the Underground Railroad" that was written from personal interviews)

Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent: How Daring Slaves and Free Blacks Spied for the Union During the Civil War (easy-to-read non-fiction good for children and above)

Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave (retelling of the famous trial over the capture of a fugitive slave in Boston, but I felt the backstory was overly fictionalized, while the trial was tediously accurate)

5 fiction:

Ruth's Redemption (very good "hidden gem," a Christian fiction book full of redemption and hope in the midst of harshness; I would like to read more by the author, Marlene Banks )

Kindred (caution: not CF, language & violence, but otherwise a very interesting and thought-provoking book about a modern woman transported to the era of slavery)

The Price of a Child (caution: not CF, language & sexuality. I really wanted to love this book once I realized it was a retelling of the real-life story of a woman William Still actually helped escape from slavery, and I did enjoy the historical parts, but I really didn't like the immorality of the fictionalized back story)

Never Too Late & Miss Katie's Rosewood (the conclusion to the Carolina Cousins series and the Shenandoah Sisters series, which were good stories, Christian, and clean except for language)

Funny how those themes come out so suddenly, isn't it? I found my reading list to feature a lot of WWII books, though I haven't yet gotten to all of them.

Rebekah wrote: "Mia wrote: "I've read: (ARC)(ARC)

Hey Rebekah! Just saw this, sorry for the delay...
I loooooooooved it!! It's definitely my favorite from Kara Isaac so far!! I can't think/talk about it without a goofy smile on my face (and, obviously, without gushing) <3



I read [bookcove..."

Read:


Did Not Finish:


Currently Reading:

Just finished Mere Christianity and am now on to Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.

Read 8 books so far, including Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon, Always Watching by Lynette Eason and A Song Unheard by Roseanna White. Just starting The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma.

Great job, Paula! I just began The Melody of the Soul today. I was hooked in from the first line and hope I have lots of time to soar through it this weekend, because I don't want to stop reading at all till I'm done. It's so good already!

Andrea wrote: "Read:
[bookcover:The Promise of Breeze Hill|3..."

I noticed you mentioned that you didn't finish a book, Andrea. I'm wondering how you mark that on GoodReads. Do you mark it as 'read'? I have a DNF that I'm currently stumped as to what to do with. Parenthetically, I wish GR would allow us to have a 'DNF' option.

GR does allow it. All you have to do is create a DNF shelf (or whatever else you want to call it...a favorite name is one of my friends here who calls it "the book dump"!), then go into shelf settings and set it as "exclusive."

Hannah wrote: "GR does allow it. All you have to do is create a DNF shelf (or whatever else you want to call it...a favorite name is one of my friends here who calls it "the book dump"!), then go into shelf setti..."
Oh, I know you can shelve it as such, but I wish there was an additional option . . . you know like how they have 'want to read', 'currently reading', 'read' . . . I'd love a 'did not finish' option, because I always hate marking a book 'read' when I actually didn't read it all the way through. :)

Kate, there is a way to create a "did not finish" shelf.
1. Click "my books" at the top of any GR page.
2. Click the "edit" button to the right of "bookshelves."
3. In the task bar that says "add a shelf," type in the name of your did-not-finish shelf (examples: dnf, did-not-finish, book-dump), then click "add."
4. Once it shows up in the list of your shelves, check the box beside it that says "exclusive" at the top of the column.

That's all there is to it. Now any book you add to that shelf will not be in the "read," "currently reading," or "to read" shelves, though you may still add it to any of your additional shelves (such as ones for challenges and such), if you so desire.

When I tuck books into my did-not-finish shelf, I go ahead and add the dates I "read" it. That adds it to your official Goodreads reading challenge (if you signed up for that one). I don't count DNF books toward any other challenge, since I didn't read the whole thing, but that's a personal choice on my part.

If you're still having trouble figuring out how to create that DNF shelf, please let me know. By the way, it might have to be done on a desktop or laptop rather than by the mobile app.

Thanks for the tips and the one about creating a shelf for 2018 reads in case goodreads goofs up. I made myself a book dump shelf!

Glad to help!

My first read/finish this year was I have enjoyed several books by this author & she has become an autobuy for me now.
My current read is the Arcadia Valley Romance Collective? Not sure what to call it, since I've never seen anything like it before. 6 authors each writing a quartet of novels, but all of them set in the same town & interconnected, with characters appearing in each other's books. I read the first book (first novel in each quartet was published in a 6-book anthology, which incidentally is currently free both at amazon and kobo) I'm currently binge-reading on all the others that have come out so far, although the last few have not been released yet.

Andrea wrote: "Kate, there is a way to create a "did not finish" shelf.
1. Click "my books" at the top of any GR page.
2. Click the "edit" button to the right of "bookshelves."
3. In the task bar that says "add a..."

Okay . . . I guess I didn't understand what marking the shelf 'exclusive' would mean . . . thank you to you and Hannah for your kindness in explaining things to me! :)

Kate, we're always happy to help explain what we've learned around here. I'm glad you found it helpful.

LOL it's the middle of the month but I'm going to post anyway! I haven't been on CFD for a while... I missed y'all!!

Read:


Currently Reading:


Up Next/Hopefuls:

Andrea wrote: "Kate, there is a way to create a "did not finish" shelf.
1. Click "my books" at the top of any GR page.
2. Click the "edit" button to the right of "bookshelves."
3. In the task bar that says "add a..."

Thanks Andrea! I did not know anything about this. Your steps were easy to follow. I don't add them to any of my shelves since I didn't read the entire book. I don't even want it counted on my Goodreads yearly count.

I don’t know why Goodreads won’t add a did-not-finish shelf. It has been requested, but anytime anyone asks for it, a moderator gives instructions on how to create one. Nobody would have to ask for it if it already existed. Nobody would have to go months or perhaps years not knowing that it was possible to create an exclusive shelf for unfinished books.

Chantel is back! Hey, girl. I've missed you too! Happy reading!

Alegna, considering that each time they try to "fix" something around here, more things break, I'd fancy that it would be more trouble than it's worth to get one. The website hasn't worked right for me since two months before the redo in 2016.

Chantel wrote: "LOL it's the middle of the month but I'm going to post anyway! I haven't been on CFD for a while... I missed y'all!!

Read:


Currently Reading:
[bookcover:Tru..."

Hooray, Chantel!! Missed you!

Andrea wrote: "Funny how those themes come out so suddenly, isn't it? I found my reading list to feature a lot of WWII books, though I haven't yet gotten to all of them."

I love reading with themes! It is one of my favorite ways to read. Especially as a way to cross over my fiction and nonfiction reads!

Chantel wrote: "LOL it's the middle of the month but I'm going to post anyway! I haven't been on CFD for a while... I missed y'all!!

Read:


Currently Reading:
[bookcover:Tru..."

Chantel, virtual hugs, girl! :) I've been enjoying your updates on Becky Wade's latest. So eager for the next book!

So glad you are back Chantel!! Like Beth, I've enjoyed your updates about the Becky Wade buddy read.

Chantel so glad you have returned. I have been wondering if you were all right. At least you now know how much we miss you when you are not popping in.

Aw! Thank you ladies! Y'all have blessed me with all the love you show! Your friendship is really what makes this website so fun to come on to! **virtual hugs** :-) ♥ ♥

Virtual hugs right back atcha, friend. :)

So far, I have read these books:


I am currently reading:


I am hoping to get a few more in, but between my school work and homeschooling and I am falling behind.
These are the ones I hope to get in:

Whoa! Courtney, I am impressed. Well done!

Just finished Melody if the Soul by Liz Tolsma
A hard story but uplifting as well. Review in a day or so.

Andrea wrote: "Whoa! Courtney, I am impressed. Well done!"

I actually feel like this month has been sluggish. It's hard to get through a book with everyday life getting in the way.

Paula wrote: "Just finished Melody if the Soul by Liz Tolsma
A hard story but uplifting as well. Review in a day or so."

You beat me, Paula. :) I passed the halfway mark today, so it shouldn't be much longer till I'm finished with that book too.

Courtney, I know what you mean! I set a goal of fourteen books this month, and I really thought I'd get more than that. But I've been so unsettled on which book I want to read, so I keep jumping back and forth. I'm trying to get several novellas fit in this week to maybe hit my goal.

Keep after it, girl! I know you can do it. And enjoy those life moments too. They're precious.

Andrea wrote: "Courtney, I know what you mean! I set a goal of fourteen books this month, and I really thought I'd get more than that. But I've been so unsettled on which book I want to read, so I keep jumping ba..."

I completely agree with you! I hope that you are able to reach your goal, enjoy your novellas! :)

Thanks!

Andrea wrote: "Kate, there is a way to create a "did not finish" shelf.
1. Click "my books" at the top of any GR page.
2. Click the "edit" button to the right of "bookshelves."
3. In the task bar that says "add a..."

:) Thanks for the step-by-step Andrea! I now have an exclusive "Gave-up-on" shelf!

You're welcome, Wendy.

Finish listening to on Friday. mMy revbiew is up. I think my mom and I might listen to either or next.

Go Courtney! Your on a roll girl! #goals :-)

Chantel wrote: "Go Courtney! Your on a roll girl! #goals :-)"

Thank you! I have a number of books in mind for this year and I am hoping to reach it! :)

I only finished two books in January but they were both great reads!

Ok my January looks like this- as usual- I took a little bit of a book detour with a few of them :)

( General Market- language :( ) and will finish up listening to for a neighborhood bookclub.

Just started .