tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63773861900888604552024-03-28T22:29:18.636-05:00Ink on PaperSunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.comBlogger807125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-53638403870650238972024-03-23T16:39:00.001-05:002024-03-23T16:39:53.180-05:00The Unicorn Quest by Kamilla Benko<div><br /></div><div>and </div><div><br /></div><div><u>A Dandelion Wish</u> by Kiki Thorpe<br /><div><br /></div><div>This was a week of pre-reading (which I am really, really behind on) and I was delighted by these two cute reads.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I did find <u>Unicorn Quest</u> a bit melancholy in parts, but the adventure that the two sisters (Sophie and Claire) embark on, thankfully overshadows the sad parts.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>A Dandelion Wish</u> was super cute. This is the third book in the Never Girls series and although not my favorite, was still super cute. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a crazy week - so I almost forgot the review altogether. This year has not been an easy reading year like the past two - this year I am finding it way more difficult to find time to read, let alone record what I read. Hoping things calm down soon - have a good week.</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-39481363606241337512024-03-16T11:53:00.005-05:002024-03-16T11:53:38.754-05:00Murder in an Irish Cottage by Carlene O'Connor<div><br /></div><div>Since the action (murder) takes place on summer solstice and summer is mentioned several times...I am logging this as one of my June mystery picks.</div><div><br /></div><div>I LOVE the Irish cozy mystery series by Carlene O'Connor, I especially love to read during the day <i>and</i> listen to it as I fall asleep at night. The narrator does a FABULOUS job. With that said, this one took me forever to get in to. In fact I started to read it three separate times before I was able to stick it out.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am so glad that I kept trying.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you reach chapter ten or so, the story really takes off and the mystery draws you in. There are little clues dropped throughout the entire book, so in one chapter I thought it was one person and a few chapters later I was asking myself, 'why in the world did I think it was ____, because clearly it is _________?!? Only to once again bounce back to the original suspect π.</div><div><br /></div><div>This week I also needed a spot of comfort and familiarity (rough week!) in my reading, so I re-listened to <u>Snow Queen</u> by K.M. Shea. </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy St. Patrick's Day (tomorrow)! π</div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-18882992805105860392024-03-09T06:19:00.004-06:002024-03-09T06:27:23.860-06:00What I have learned so far Judges - 1 Kings 16Judges : in chapter two when God asks this after reminding Israel that He brought them out of Egypt with the promise never to break covenant with them and the command not to make a covenant with the people and to tear down the altars : "Yet you have disobeyed Me. Why have you done this?" (chpt. 2 vs 1-3) I feel like this sums up the entire book - they are told to do one thing and in the end (after the Godly leader they have at the moment dies) they do the opposite. The book of Judges ends with 21:25 : "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." And God specifically warned them <i><u><b>NOT</b></u></i> to do this! Deuteronomy 12:8.<div><br /></div><div>Since I am reading the Bible chronologically, I am using an app and it placed the book of Ruth after Judges chapter 9. I realize other plans and Bibles do not necessarily place Ruth here...but I went ahead and read Ruth between chapters 9 and 10. We LOVE the book of Ruth in our family. One year, one of my girls was obsessed with this book of the Bible. We have read it so many times, I have lost count. Still, this time through I saw things I had not noticed before and made new connections. Like in chapter 2 - verse 2 - this connects to the command/promises of Leviticus 19:9 and Deuteronomy 24:19. And chapter 3 verse 9 connects with Leviticus 25:25. </div><div><br /></div><div>1 & 2 Samuel: Samuel is one of my favorite, favorite people in the Bible. This time through I reveled in Hannah's prayer noting what she notes about God : There is NO one holy like the LORD, there is NO One besides Him, NO Rock like God. The LORD is a God who knows, by HIM deeds are weighed, He brings death and makes alive, He brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth - He humbles and exalts, He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. FOR THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH ARE THE LORD'S AND ON THEM HE HAS SET THE WORLD. (read it in its entirety chapter 2:1 - 10)</div><div> </div><div>Realizing how wicked Eli's sons were by connecting 2:12 - 17 to Exodus 29:27 and Leviticus 7:22 and Leviticus 21). Then in chapter 8 how Samuel warned Israel what asking for a human king really meant, then connecting it to Ecclesiastes 5:9.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then comes 1 Samuel 13 and 15 and all the far reaching effects of Saul's sin here. see Deuteronomy 25:17-19, Exodus 17, and then Esther noting Mordecai and Haman's ancestry (chpt. 2, 3 respectively)</div><div><br /></div><div>King David - it was REALLY amazing to read about King David in 1 and 2 Samuel and then read the Psalms he composed during that time of his life. Especially as he clung to God while evading Saul's crazy anger (one example : 1 Samuel 15-16 - Psalm 8 and 23) and then when David grieves his sin with Uriah and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 & 12 and then Psalms 6, 20, 21, 32, 38-40, and of course Psalm 51).</div><div><br /></div><div>1 Kings - It was AMAZING to read 1 Kings 1 - 4 and then immediately dive into the book of Proverbs. I wrote this verse at the top of the book of Proverbs : 1 Kings 4:29 "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore."</div><div><br /></div><div>After the book of Proverbs came the Song of Solomon before the plan resumed in 1 Kings 5.</div><div><br /></div><div>But after reading Proverbs and every word of Solomon's beautiful prayers in 1 Kings 8...I was blown away by Solomon's story and what all he forfeited by loving many foreign wives. The most heartbreaking verse in 1 Kings 11 is : "Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. See Exodus 34:15&16, 2 Samuel 7, and Ecclesiastes 7:26. </div><div><br /></div><div>What drove home the depth and consequence of his sin was in reading Ecclesiastes in its entirety between 1 Kings 11 and 12. Wow. I LOVE how Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes though - 12:13&14 : "Now all has been heard; here in the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." </div><div><br /></div><div>Chapter 13 in 1 Kings has long confounded me. This story blows my mind every single time I read it and leaves me asking : WHY?!?! Why did the Man of God go back and eat, why did the prophet lie and trick him????</div><div><br /></div><div>Another moment where I wanted to just stand up and shout WHY was with Jeroboam. Here is this guy who God sends His prophet to & God makes this guy an AMAZING promise. The promise is this : God will take him and make him ruler over all his heart desires <i><u>and</u></i> God will give him the people of Israel to be king over. All Jeroboam has to do is walk in obedience to God. God would build this guy a dynasty as enduring as the one He built for David. (1 Kings 11:29-39)</div><div><br /></div><div>BUT then Jeroboam chooses fear instead of faith. 1 Kings 12:26-33. The irony of all of this is that in building the two idols in Dan and Bethel (because Jerusalem was "too far" to travel) they went further to reach the idols than they would have if they had simply obeyed God.</div><div> </div><div>Over and over and over again God mentions the obedience of David. It is amazing to see how far into the future the blessings stretched because David followed God. And yet, He also mentions Jeroboam. And how the sin of Jeroboam continually plagues Israel as king after king after king follows in his footsteps (until you get to Ahab and the Word actually points out that Ahab considered it trivial to commit the sins of the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 16:29-33).</div><div><br /></div><div>This time through I did something my mom mentioned that helped her, I marked the kings that followed God with green and the kings that did evil the sight of the LORD with red. I also wrote out beside the chapters the name of the king and whether he was king of Israel or Judah. This has been VERY helpful.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next post will be about Ahab, Jezebel, Elijah, and Elisha and the faithfulness of God through it all.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-47715554306733658822024-03-07T14:19:00.001-06:002024-03-07T14:19:27.304-06:00This week...This has been SUCH a hard week. Like all I want to do is crawl in bed, eat a bucket of chocolate, and pretend like someone else is in charge and can make the decisions...<div><br /></div><div>I did read two books. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, sort of.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went ahead and gave another book of Irene Hannon a chance (it is the second book of hers that I read, but the third in this series. So I read book two first and book three second and skipped book one completely. If you are confused, that's ok, so am I π)</div><div><br /></div><div>I liked it better than the first book I tried, but I think I am ok not reading anymore of hers.</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess I better include the title, since it is supposed to count for a book challenge π:</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Tangled Webs</u> by Irene Hannon. </div><div><br /></div><div>What I liked about this book: It really made me stop and think about right and wrong, even when it is brutally hard. And how choosing one wrong choice, even for a strong reason...you still cannot foresee the fallout. You have no idea how your sin will spill over into other people's lives and consequences often stretch so, so much further than you can ever anticipate or prepare for.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second book is <u>31 Verses to Write Upon Your Heart</u> by Liz Curtis Higgs. I am not quite done with this one yet, but I do plan to finish it by Saturday. I really, really like this book. It came at the perfect time - with a very sick husband, sick teens, (& the fallout that means), and a pet that heads to the vet tomorrow - it feels like life has imploded this week. I am SO ready for the weekend and (hopefully) healthier days. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hope you guys had a great week π</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-80588485608432824272024-03-02T11:38:00.007-06:002024-03-02T11:46:00.390-06:00What I have learned so far...Genesis through JoshuaAs 2023 drew to a close, I tried to squeeze in a quick B90 - what happened was a slow, deep dive into the books in Chronological order. What is so, so awesome about reading the Bible each time, is that it proves that it is indeed alive and active and God-breathed. (Hebrews 4:12 & 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17)<div><br /></div><div>Each time through I learn something new, something I never noticed and make connections I did not notice before. Each time the Holy Spirit reveals more and more of who God is and how I need to reorient my thoughts, words, and actions as a result.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amazing!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a list - book by book - of what I have noted this time through (some are questions - things I do not understand, some are mind-blowing - drawing praise from the tips of your toes). This isn't everything, I wouldn't have enough room to type everything, so I am just going to choose a few things from each book:</div><div><br /></div><div>Genesis - this also has been pointed out in both the fall and spring session of our Bible study but this promise God made to Abram - it continues to unfold/be upheld to this very day:</div><div>God promised Abram :</div><div>I will</div><div>- make you a great nation</div><div>- bless you</div><div>- make your name great</div><div>- make you a blessing</div><div>- bless those who bless you</div><div>- curse those who curse you</div><div>- bless all people on earth through him</div><div><br /></div><div>26:24 - "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you;..." The reason we need not fear is because God is with us. This is repeated over and over and over throughout the entire Bible.</div><div><br /></div><div>Job - This is SO reassuring to me : Job 12:10 "In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."</div><div><br /></div><div>Exodus - THIS : Exodus 3:16 - when God sends Moses to assemble the elders of Israel - I have NEVER stopped to ponder this before - "I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt." That realization that He meant what He said (& says over and over throughout His Word) - He NEVER leaves you. Ever.</div><div><br /></div><div>connecting Exodus 4:11 & 12 to Proverbs 20:12</div><div><br /></div><div>Leviticus and Hebrews - for the first time ever I read through Leviticus and then the book of Hebrews. This time as I went through Leviticus I noted the offerings and sacrifices God asked of Israel, but I also noted how often He said : Be holy, for I am holy. And when He said "I am the LORD, who makes him holy." (21 vs 15) and the NEATEST connection I made this time is in Leviticus 23 - where God teaches about The Festival of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, and The Festival of Tabernacles and then in 1 Kings 8:2 where Solomon offers the sacrifices after the temple is completed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Numbers - there is SO much here about Who God is. The story that inevitably sticks with me and confounds me each time is the story of Balak and Balaam. This time through, I am citing each instance of where Balaam is mentioned later in the Bible :</div><div>Numbers 22</div><div>Numbers 31:8, 15-16</div><div>2 Peter 2:15</div><div>Jude 1:11</div><div>Revelations 2:14</div><div>Deuteronomy 23:3-6</div><div>Joshua 24:8-10</div><div>Micah 6:5</div><div>Joshua 13:22</div><div><br /></div><div>Deuteronomy - I noticed how many times "remember" is mentioned. Pay attention, remember, observe, walk, and revere - all of these words caught my attention. The neatest connection this time through has been from my Bible study = Deuteronomy 25:17-19 where God says = REMEMBER what the Amalekites did to you. The original story is is Exodus 17:8-16, then God's admonition to blot out the name of Amalek comes to fruition in 1 Samuel 15 - but the fallout from Saul's disobedience is seen all the way in Esther (note Mordecai and Haman's lineage)</div><div><br /></div><div>Also the reminder that it is God's job to repay - Deuteronomy 32:35 (Romans 12:19, Proverbs 20:22, and Proverbs 24:29)</div><div><br /></div><div>Joshua - this time through I noticed these connections :</div><div><br /></div><div>Joshua 1 and Numbers 27:18-23</div><div>Joshua 3:3 & 4 and Numbers 4:15 and 2 Samuel 6:6 & 7</div><div>Joshua 9 and 2 Samuel 21 and Exodus 34:15</div><div><br /></div><div>I also paid close attention to the boundaries given to Israel. God was VERY specific about the land boundaries that He gave Israel. I also love how the book ends. Joshua 24:32 connects to Genesis 50:25 and Exodus 14:19.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am currently in 1 Kings, so next post will be Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Kings (1 - 11), Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. π</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-90783964027085381342024-03-02T05:50:00.007-06:002024-03-02T05:53:25.116-06:00The Book of Lost Namesby Kristin Harmel<div><br /></div><div>This is a beautiful, beautiful book.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been on a waiting list for a long time at our library for this book β¦ BUT β¦ it was so, so worth the wait! I love the main character Eva! It is hard to read this book in light of present day developments, it feels like history is repeating itself. But I guess that is exactly why we <i><u><b>should</b></u></i> read books about WWII: to remember. And to not turn a blind eye as evil tries once again to rear its ugly head.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eva's love of books and the opening paragraph of this book are what drew me to the story, the author's way with words and ease of flipping from past to present tense are what kept me reading. </div><div><br /></div><div>So often when I try to read a book that either flips perspectives (those books that were so popular a few years ago told between his and hers point of view - UGH. Those books really frustrated me because just as I found myself getting a good grasp on what one character was thinking, feeling, or motivated by...here came the next one changing it once again and by like chapter six I had no idea who I was reading about). I also normally do not like the books that flip between past and present tense because I so often get so confused that I find myself flipping back to the chapter to double check what decade/century it is in, and this is so much harder with the kindle version. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not this time. </div><div><br /></div><div>She so flawlessly wove in the transition and so beautifully unpacked the narrative that it really adds a great layer to the story. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have so many quotes highlighted, but after completing the book I do not want to chance giving anything away, so I decided not to post them here. But I will say - GO READ THE BOOK!!! π</div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-5223178720157532722024-02-23T14:12:00.005-06:002024-02-23T14:13:21.910-06:00Controlling the Tongueby R.T. Kendall<div><br /></div><div>Oh my.</div><div><br /></div><div>This book is amazing.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is convicting, encouraging, and full of practical Godly counsel on how to conquer one of (if not <u><i><b>the</b></i></u> most destructive) body parts that we have : the tongue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mastering what you say <b>and</b> how you say it <b>and</b> when you say it is hard enough, <i>but also</i> having the wisdom and self-control to just be quiet - HARD but so, so good!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>The chapters where he addresses these two topics hit me the hardest:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Dignifying the Trials of Life" with words of submission and praise (instead of complaint and doubt/unbelief) and "The Proof of Self-Control" with the fact that you have to come face to face with the fact that this will be a life-long battle. These are sobering, jarring chapters that really jolt you awake and force you to face the reality that you will be held accountable and your tongue (the words you speak) really can build someone up or tear them down in an instant.</div><div><br /></div><div>I HIGHLY recommend this book. In fact, if I could recommend two books to read this year, I would recommend this book and <u>Still and Quiet Mind</u> by Esther Smith. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if I could be so bold as to recommend the order you read them in, I would suggest that you read <u>Still and Quiet Mind</u> first, then immediately follow with this one. π</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-43945634340142652862024-02-14T16:28:00.000-06:002024-02-14T16:28:01.048-06:00Thin Iceby Irene Hannon<div><br /></div><div>I left a review on Goodreads, but although this was a good book (no major red flags with it) - I just didn't connect with the story. So, while I liked it, I didn't love it. </div><div><br /></div><div>The pace was slow in places and the story failed to capture my attention. I knew I was reading a book the entire time, instead of being so captivated that I forget that detail.</div><div><br /></div><div>Christy was an Olympic hopeful who fell short of her goals and called it quits after a bad fall. Six months after their parents passed away she is horrified to lose her sister through a horrific house fire. A few months later she connects with an FBI agent to try to figure out what in the world is going on. Was that really her sister in the fire? And if so why is some pyscho contacting her, trying to convince her that he sister is still alive? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-31248244078655872832024-02-10T19:26:00.002-06:002024-02-10T19:26:22.139-06:00The Son of Hamasby Mosab Hassan Yousef<div><br /></div><div>This book is incredible.</div><div><br />Everything I thought I understood about the Israel-Palestine conflict was turned on its head.</div><div><br /></div><div>I HIGHLY recommend reading this book. </div><div><br /></div><div>As soon as you can.</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-83838673489627532762024-02-09T13:38:00.002-06:002024-02-09T13:39:17.380-06:00Still and Quiet Mindby Esther Smith<div><br /></div><div>Well, I dropped out of the Brighter Winter challenge. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>The good thing is that it encourages me to stay off of Inst*gr*m <i>and</i> it takes another thing off of my plate, which in this season is a must.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it is also a bummer because I LOVE the Brighter Winter challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before I decided I just couldn't keep up with it, I started three books, two of which I was determined to finish : <u>Anne of Green Gables</u> and <u>Still and Quiet Mind</u> this week.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Still and Quiet Mind</u> has been on my TBR list since I first read about it on the "Best Books of 2022 List" posted on Tim Challies' blog. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am SO glad I read it.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the BEST book. </div><div><br /></div><div>It balances Biblical <i>and</i> medical <i>and</i> practical responses to mental health struggles, specifically OCD and intrusive thinking. But it also touches on anxiety, depression, and trauma.</div><div><br /></div><div>I HIGHLY recommend this book. It is packed full of guided Biblical meditation and that is SO very helpful. (I LOVE books that walk you through their ideas so that you have a framework to reference)</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are the chapter titles :</div><div>Know Your Thoughts</div><div>Pray Your Thoughts</div><div>Rest Your Thoughts</div><div>Disentangle Your Thoughts</div><div>Focus Your Thoughts</div><div>Capture Your Thoughts</div><div>Calm Your Thoughts</div><div>Repair Your Thoughts</div><div>Set Aside Your Thoughts</div><div>Dismiss Your Thoughts</div><div>Medicate Your Thoughts</div><div>and </div><div>Sit With Your Thoughts</div><div><br /></div><div>While it is always tempting to skip to the "what can I do about _____" portion of books like this one (especially if you, or someone you love struggles with the topic being covered), it is SO beneficial to take the time to start on page one and read through to the end - taking the time to complete the exercises along the way.</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-78262126060219091282024-02-04T08:57:00.006-06:002024-02-04T08:57:57.432-06:00January seemed to go on and on and on...like on the 31st I felt like celebrating that all 476 days of January were <i>finally</i> over. <div><br /></div><div>Life has been so wonky recently. </div><div><br /></div><div>It seems like every time I turn around something else goes wrong...with the house, the car, health struggles...it feels overwhelming. But instead of recounting all of that - let me recount all the things going right recently:</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been studying Psalm 37 and thinking a lot about it and in doing so came across <a href="https://bestirrednotshaken.com/christian-living/meaning-on-psalm-37-message-part-1/" target="_blank">this post</a>. The title of the blog (Be Stirred, Not Shaken) caught my attention first...isn't that the BEST name with such a GREAT reminder? But after reading the first post (in a series of six) I was <i>really</i> intrigued. I am including the link (hope all are as good as the first one, but haven't read past the first one yet and have not read anything else posted on their blog).</div><div><br /></div><div>Bible study resumed! YAY!!! We are studying the book of Esther this semester and it looks like it will be fantastic. I absolutely love the lady who teaches the first half of the class.</div><div><br /></div><div>We got some snow. I LOVE LOVE LOVE snow. I love winter time and cold mornings and hot coffee and comfy robe and slippers. </div><div><br /></div><div>My husband has been working from home quite a bit this month and let me tell you - it is the BEST. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since we have been gone so much for so many appointments this past month, our little Chihuahua has been extra cuddly and he is THE cutest furry guy around. I just love Buddy so very much.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have read and listened to some really good books so far in 2024 and right now am reading <u>Anne of Green Gables</u> for Brighter Winter. Any time I get to read Anne is a great time. (I originally started reading Anne in January, but when I realized one of the challenges was to read a book about orphan/foster care...I decided to stop and pick it up in February, so really I have gotten a double dose of the first part of the book and really, could anything be better?!?!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I got an iced latte the other day from my favorite bagel shop when we had to travel for another day of appointments and YUM - those are <i>the</i> best!</div><div><br /></div><div>My husband and I are still working our way through Naruto (this is my first anime series) and my favorite character is Kakashi Sensei. We usually watch together at lunch on the weekends, but today we won't get to because he is taking his dad out to lunch. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, after writing this post I feel <i><b><u>so</u></b></i> much better. God has been so faithful through all of the bumpy and unexpected twists and turns that have unfolded. π</div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-21963026976332731122024-02-04T07:43:00.004-06:002024-02-04T07:44:09.173-06:00Murder in Irish Pubby Carlene O'Connor<div><br /></div><div>This was published originally February 2019, so I am logging it as the February Calendar of Crime book.</div><div><br /></div><div>This has to be my favorite so far. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorite parts of Carlene O'Connor's writing is how she develops Siobhan's theories and showcases her thought process. I absolutely LOVE the way Siobhan thinks.</div><div><br /></div><div>The poker tournament has come to Kilbane and when the great "octopus" is found swinging from the rafters, Siobhan and Macdara race to find out what happened. What appears to some as a run-of-the-mill suicide (if there is such a thing), has too many peculiarities to simply rest on appearances. The deeper Siobhan digs, the more questions surface. Top that with Macdara acting odd and Siobhan has a lot to think through.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-20723273211121517542024-02-01T13:51:00.002-06:002024-02-01T13:51:27.453-06:00Murder in an Irish Churchyardby Carlene O'Connor<div><br /></div><div>I was SO taken aback by how this book began. Quite a few things have changed and minus spoiling the entire book I can't really talk about that...so...I will say what I liked and what I didn't like about book three.</div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, the book takes place in January and the talk of cold and snow was utterly delightful. I mostly listened to this book, but I also own the kindle version so I read to fill in the blanks of when I fell asleep listening to it the night before π. </div><div><br /></div><div>I absolutely love the O'Sullivan six. This quote gives the PERFECT snapshot showing how much Siobhan loves them:</div><div>
<p>"SiobhΓ‘n was grateful to be back in her kitchen. Sheβd missed it. She loved investigating, but the stress of it made her appreciate home and family more than ever. She felt as if she hadnβt seen her siblings in a long time. They were such a part of her, like breathing. Even if it was labored breath at times, and holding your breath other times." (page 208)</p><p>One thing that was a bit confusing: all of a sudden Siobhan is worried about Ciaran (her youngest brother) being exposed to murder and how worried she was about that. Did the author just forget the first two books? This is not Ciaran's first exposure to murder or his sister's absolute obsession with solving the mystery.</p><p>I did NOT like how the book began, but was very happy with how it ended. You must read at least the first one to understand this one (but preferably both of the first two). </p><p>As always, I recommend this with a caveat, there is quite a bit of language (although this book was better than the first two) and I highly recommend listening to it if you can because the narrator is FABULOUS.</p>
</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-1927795672275177962024-01-27T06:04:00.001-06:002024-01-27T06:04:39.117-06:00Week FourWhat I read this week :<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://myinkonpaper.blogspot.com/2024/01/wish.html" target="_blank">Wish</a> by Barbara O'Connor</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://myinkonpaper.blogspot.com/2024/01/murder-at-irish-wedding.html" target="_blank">Murder at an Irish Wedding</a> by Carlene O'Connor (just realized both authors have the same last name! As far as I know they are not related)</div><div><br /></div><div>Finished up <u>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</u> by Mark Twain. Funny how a book will lodge one way in your memory and then you re-read it years later and it turns out to be VERY different than you remembered it. </div><div><br /></div><div>πIf you want to read the first two reviews - click on the titles</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-84751570196781190242024-01-27T05:55:00.003-06:002024-01-27T05:55:54.532-06:00Murder at an Irish Weddingby Carlene O'Connor<div><br /></div><div>First of all, this book makes me dream of what summers must be like in Ireland. I am logging it for the June mystery challenge because of the wedding theme and the vast availability of flowers and gentle (well mostly gentle) thunderstorms.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second of all, I love how Carlene O'Connor develops her characters and her mysteries. She is SO SO good at this. I love Soibhan and Macdara and the village of Kilbane. The family and friendships draw the neighbors together and weave such a beautiful picture of belonging.</div><div><br /></div><div>The one aspect of her writing that gives me pause is the overuse of language. Thankfully the curse words uttered are mostly written in Irish (well Irish transliterated into English) so it is easy to gloss over them (and the narrator does a SPECTACULAR job narrating the book)..</div><div><br /></div><div>But still. </div><div><br /></div><div>She is a strong enough writer to be able to tell a story without those utterances. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-19159862380367519842024-01-22T19:31:00.001-06:002024-01-22T19:31:04.046-06:00Wish<div style="text-align: left;">by Barbara O'Connor</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Originally I had planned to just skim this book as a pre-read. What I was not prepared for was to be swept up in the story and to LOVE it so very much. This is THE BEST book I have read in a long, long time. HIGHLY recommend!!!!! </div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-72455579181662081642024-01-21T06:07:00.007-06:002024-01-21T06:10:53.292-06:00Thankful forThere are so many things I let slip by me each and every day.<div><br /></div><div>Things like beautiful sunrises.</div><div><br /></div><div>And a sweet hug from my husband after a long, hard day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moments spent in His Word that are SO incredibly touching.</div><div><br /></div><div>This morning when I woke up, I made my coffee and set up my table spot...and then it hit me. How very much I love these early mornings, but how rarely I give thanks for them.</div><div><br /></div><div>My favorites are the cold, dark, winter mornings. When I trudge down the hallway and put on my robe and slippers and brew my first cup of hot coffee. Lighting my cinnamon candle and plugging in my lighted tree (my husband surprised me with this about five or ten years ago for my birthday and I LOVE it), is just <i>the</i> best.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pulling my Bible study cart to the table comes next. This is a simple four basket cart - SUPER cheap - (I think it is actually supposed to be a cleaning cart), but I wound fairy lights around it and piled it with my Bible study material. The top two baskets holds my most recently completed bullet journals (especially since our school year ends up being split between two of them), the Bibles I am currently working from (right now it is a journal Bible and a Chronological study Bible), my prayer journals, and my pooh bear pen bag which holds my pens and book light. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JL56EBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">These are THE best Bible pens</a> I have found. I think Eva Kubasiak first posted about these and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B74QHS3V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">this SUPER neat book light</a> - the BEST part is that it is rechargeable so I am not eating through batteries like candy. </div><div><br /></div><div>The third basket holds our box of eye glass wipes, my label maker, book darts, and index cards. I have had to put our trash bag roll on the bottom because my chihuahua kept getting into mischief and eating or chewing whatever he found on the bottom basket. The only thing he won't bother is the roll of trash bags...so its spot is now the bottom basket of my Bible cart π.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I sip my cinnamon coffee, I crack open my Bible to where I last left off and dig in. I love noting Who God is, seeing His faithfulness weave its way endlessly through decades and centuries. I love praying over and through His Word. </div><div><br /></div><div>Most mornings I am up an hour (at least) before anyone else. I LOVE the quiet and stillness. I am SO SO thankful for that. When it is time to wake up my youngest to do school, we (usually) get about an hour of her school knocked out while everyone else is sleeping, I pull out all of our school books for the day. I treasure this time with her. Over the years of homeschooling, we have pretty much stuck to a one-on-one tutoring style method. We do some things all together and we have attended a few classes (online and in-person) - but the style that works best for us is one-on-one. This morning, it hit me how incredibly grateful I am for all of the years we have homeschooled. I have LOVED this journey. It has been hard and long and messy!! But so incredibly beautiful. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, as we begin a new week, I have a heart full of gratitude. I see God's faithfulness wrapped around us like a fluffy blanket and my joy spills over. π</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-49615604681073179322024-01-19T10:08:00.002-06:002024-01-19T10:08:48.713-06:00Week ThreeWhat I read this week :<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://myinkonpaper.blogspot.com/2024/01/murder-in-irish-village.html" target="_blank">Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor</a> (listened to it - if you want to read my review, click on the title)</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Long Walk to Water</u> by Linda Sue Park (fulfills Brighter Winter challenge to read a book set on the continent of Africa). This is a re-read for me and I HIGHLY recommend this book. It is short, but don't let that fool you. This book will stay with you long after you turn the final page.</div><div><br /></div><div>I finished <u>The Book of God</u> by April Oursler Armstrong. I mentioned why I chose this book when I reviewed the first half of it. Overall, I liked it. She does (of course) flesh out parts of the Bible stories to make it applicable to children. With that said, if I was reading this aloud to children there are some chapters I would skip all together because some portions crossed a line. I still think there is benefit in reading this book and really like how the author writes. The book takes stories from the Old Testament from Adam and Eve to Nehemiah (and a brief last chapter about Malachi). Overall, I am glad I read it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two picture books round out my reading that I completed this week:</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Finding Winnie</u> (to fulfill a Caldecott Winner picture book) by Lindsay Mattick. I have wanted to read this from the first moment I spied it on a bookshelf at Barnes and Noble several years ago. LOVED it. Such a sweet, sweet read aloud with gorgeous illustrations!</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Last Stop on Market Street</u> (to fulfill a Coretta Scott King award picture book) by Matt De La Pena. I LOVE this book. The message of learning to see things in a way that is deeply grateful for what you have is such a timely and important reminder that I all too quickly forget. The beautiful illustrations - oh my do I love a beautiful picture book!! I am SO glad I finally took the time to grab this book and will be pulling it out over and over again. </div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-26146921248926432502024-01-19T09:43:00.002-06:002024-01-19T09:43:33.343-06:00Murder in an Irish Villageby Carlene O'Connor<div><br /></div><div>If you are going to read this book, I HIGHLY recommend listening to it. The narrator does an AMAZING job. Last year I chose this for my March read for Calendar of Crime and ended up reading part of it and listening to part of it. This year I listened to it in its entirety and LOVE LOVE LOVE the narrator. One caveat - there is <u><i><b>quite</b></i></u> a bit of language in this book. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had originally planned to read a January theme cozy mystery to fulfill January's challenge in January...but then life happened and I ended up needing an audio book instead of a physical book...so <u>Murder in an Irish Village</u> was just the ticket!</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, I am using this to fill March's requirement - it is Irish to its core. I LOVE the O'Sullivan six and Sibhoan is a brilliant sister. I love the pace of the story, the way Sibhoan thinks, the friendships that withstand suspicion and the unveiling of the murderer. You know it is a great book when it begs the question, 'when will I make time to read this again?'!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-5362688407990249932024-01-13T06:54:00.006-06:002024-01-13T06:58:05.891-06:00The Book of Godby April Oursler Armstrong<div><br /></div><div>Brighter Winter challenges readers through a calendar lay-out of prompts for the months of January and February. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some of them are easy: 'tell someone what you are reading for Brighter Winter'. π But some are harder. Like 'read a book that intimidates you'. πΆ</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the books I choose are easy breezy to read through, being just over a hundred pages or just under two hundred. The fact that they are so short coupled with a good story line, and zip! I am through it. </div><div><br /></div><div>But some...some take me all month. I combined two of the prompts for this choice: 'read a book with an author that has three names' and 'read a book that intimidates you'. Initially I had chosen a different book for each prompt, but as I was digging through my books looking for a copy of Shakespeare I needed for our homeschool schedule, I came across this and pulled it out. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a book that apparently my grandparents gave my mom, aunts, and uncles when they were children one year for Christmas. It was published in 1951 from excerpts of stories from the Old Testament - and apparently some of them are included in another series by the author. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have never read anything by April Oursler Armstrong. She passed away in 2006, and I believe all of her books are out of print. </div><div><br /></div><div>In this book, I found her to be a delightful, unpretentious author. </div><div><br /></div><div>This book didn't intimidate me because it is particularly challenging to read (like Martyn Lloyd-Jones) and although it is just under 450 pages, it doesn't feel like it is a long book that is going to take me forever to make my way through like <u>The Father's Tale</u> by Michael O'Brien did. It intimidates me because I get caught up in a good story very easily. I love to read. I bring a book to appointments and if I am tempted to stay up late or forget a load of laundry or a batch of tater tots in the oven, it is almost always due to a book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since it is so easy for me to get caught up in a story, I was afraid I wouldn't realize when the author crossed the line and changed the Word of God to say or imply something that it was never meant to do. But, I am currently reading through the Bible and am in the Old Testament almost the entire time right now, so I felt like it was a good time to give this one a try. </div><div><br /></div><div>This <i>is</i> written for children. And admittedly, I <u><i><b>LOVE</b></i></u> children's literature! I whole heartedly agree with C.S. Lewis who said something to the effect of : Children's books that are only enjoyed by children are not great books. (that is not an exact quote...to get his exact quote you can feel free to google it!) But even so, I have <i>really</i> enjoyed this book. (In fact I suspect this is going to be my favorite read for January) I have found it hard to put down so that I could read other books - even favorite books - like <u>Anne of Green Gables</u> (which I am reading to complete one of the challenges π)</div><div><br /></div><div>I have marked several passages that I would like to share here:</div><div><br /></div><div>This is an imagined conversation, not included in the Word of God, but I marked it because of the beautiful example of sacrifice that it fleshes out:</div><div><br /></div><div>"He stirred the fire with a long stick, and, looking at Abel, he said, "Your idea is a good one. We shall make a special fire for the Lord, a fire of sacrifice, of giving up the things most valuable to us, as a sign that we remember that nothing is truly ours, except as a gift from God..." " quoted from page 27 of <u>The Book of God</u>.</div><div><br /></div><div> I love this explanation of God's name:</div><div><br /></div><div>"So it was that the Lord God came to be called Yahweh - I Am Who Am - which means that God is the One Who was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, and Who make everything else that is." quoted from page 113 of <u>The Book of God</u>.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this - this tells of how quickly the nation of Israel was to doubt God after He brought them out of Egypt and it left me asking...'do I do this?':</div><div><br /></div><div>"He had freed them, even led them with fire and cloud. Yet in each new danger they forgot how powerful the Lord was!" quoted from page 129 <u>The Book of God</u>.</div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, as the author lays out the Ten Commandments, she italicizes The Words of God and then includes an explanation below of each one and this one is my favorite:</div><div><br /></div><div>"This was the first commandment, the great truth on which the whole world is built, that there is only one God, Who is the Lord. We must obey Him, and honor Him. We must believe in Him, and trust in Him, and love Him above all things. And we must never think that any other power is greater than God, Who made all things." quoted from page 143 <u>The Book of God</u>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am so glad I took a chance on this book, I will write another post when I finish it (probably more towards the very end of the month).</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-78292074707790388552024-01-10T16:29:00.002-06:002024-01-10T16:32:54.593-06:00Week Two This week has been busy...<div><br /></div><div>We have had appointments, are back to school after being sick (& the holidays), and have slowly dug ourselves out from under the piles of backed up chores...but in the midst of all of that here is what I read:</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</u> (actually listened to this one). This week's bingo challenge was "Fire" and one of the choices was a Phoenix...so of course I chose Harry Potter. I think I have read/listened to this series probably a hundred times, if not more. My favorite are the first five books. I enjoyed this time through just as much as all the other times.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>A Heart Once Broken</u> by Jerry S. Eicher. This was to fulfill a Brighter Winter Challenge : read a book by an Anabaptist author. I have read Amish fiction before and am always amazed by how vastly different their lives are from ours. With that said, I got swept up into the lives of the three women it featured : Lydia, Sondra, and Rosemary. All-in-all I enjoyed it. </div><div><br /></div><div><u>A Year Down Yonder</u> by Richard Peck. Oh my goodness - Richard Peck is an UTTERLY delightful author. He can weave together sentences in such a masterful, effortless way making you either laugh out loud or cringe in embarrassment or simply feel any feeling that the character was experiencing. This was to fulfill the Brighter Winter Challenge : read a John Newberry Award/Medal/Honor book.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>A Christmas Carol</u> by Charles Dickens. This is a re-read and to fulfill the challenge of reading a novella for Brighter Winter. I honestly prefer to watch "The Man Who Invented Christmas", but this was an easy challenge to check-off. (I finished this this week, but began reading it last week)</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-14449282789479983332024-01-04T16:04:00.003-06:002024-01-05T13:38:40.524-06:00Week One We spent from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day in bed. <div><br /></div><div>Sick.</div><div><br /></div><div>And miserable.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was late getting the reading week started...but I kicked it off with two :</div><div><br /><u>SuperFudge</u> by Judy Blume </div><div><br /></div><div>and </div><div><br /></div><div><u>Notebook Know-How</u> by Aimee Buckner</div><div><br /></div><div>to check off two boxes for the Brighter Winter reading challenge. </div><div><br /></div><div><u>SuperFudge</u> was a book that was first read aloud to me in the second grade. I had THE BEST second and third grade teachers, they prized books and passed on a love of reading to their students by taking the time to read each and every single day to their students. Those are still (so very many years later) my very favorite memories of school. (this fulfills the challenge to read a book you first heard as a read-aloud)</div><div><br /></div><div>My mom was a teacher (she is retired now), but this book : <u>Notebook Know-How</u> is one that she passed down to me and it is fantastic. (this fulfills the challenge to read a book that features a teacher or education)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that we are on the mend, every single thing needs my attention. Laundry, dishes, messy house, appointments to be rescheduled... </div><div><br /></div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-44662821011655376152023-12-28T06:38:00.005-06:002024-02-04T07:48:14.850-06:00Calendar of Crime 2024<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz3i6ePpTG4l-ljfgBwj1_IDp1vidHtTgXLScotlo7S2WUvrTfY9ZYgKqc5B6r2cJ972YQWD8ja_LW6jfLIwYWqXHgeCbs6jbxKHpXadXp6ApU8tqVQTIY5i4UE0iwr7Bv4op8xrAL4X3GIzu2ik0cJL6mILQknspSHHSWS_8tyjTaMD3T4h9r6JIZjw/s646/Calendar%20of%20Crime%20Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="449" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz3i6ePpTG4l-ljfgBwj1_IDp1vidHtTgXLScotlo7S2WUvrTfY9ZYgKqc5B6r2cJ972YQWD8ja_LW6jfLIwYWqXHgeCbs6jbxKHpXadXp6ApU8tqVQTIY5i4UE0iwr7Bv4op8xrAL4X3GIzu2ik0cJL6mILQknspSHHSWS_8tyjTaMD3T4h9r6JIZjw/w139-h200/Calendar%20of%20Crime%20Challenge.jpg" width="139" /></a></p><p>Details, rules, and sign up can be found <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2023/10/calendar-of-crime-2024-sign-up.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></p><p>January: <u>Murder in an Irish Churchyard</u> by Carlene O'Connor</p><p><br /></p><p>February:<u> Murder in an Irish Pub</u> by Carlene O'Connor</p><p><br /></p><p>March: <u>Murder in an Irish Village</u> by Carlene O'Connor</p><p><br /></p><p>April:</p><p><br /></p><p>May:</p><p><br /></p><p>June: <u>Murder at an Irish Wedding</u> by Carlene O'Connor</p><p><br /></p><p>July:</p><p><br /></p><p>August:</p><p><br /></p><p>September:</p><p><br /></p><p>October:</p><p><br /></p><p>November:</p><p><br /></p><p>December:</p><p><br /></p><p>Wrap-upπ:</p>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-17109142832541705902023-12-28T06:37:00.018-06:002024-03-16T12:01:53.564-05:00Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks 2024 Challenge<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-awwsoYhgCsPZ6RkbAYRXb45egGc5JuW5soWT1XNg0qJe3c31HfGV9fzaxky0rbRN1hEa8B7vTLgN9l1y3LZhP_1d2P_pW_4B-HuisUcLZGPfWQD1ICMSu3hwuzQDK33IwJOLOIBQ1xnJAi4hK3YOYhYCPfzmLAvY1wFYwVh1ra59KNK6yQC97Ln58c/s563/52%20books%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="563" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-awwsoYhgCsPZ6RkbAYRXb45egGc5JuW5soWT1XNg0qJe3c31HfGV9fzaxky0rbRN1hEa8B7vTLgN9l1y3LZhP_1d2P_pW_4B-HuisUcLZGPfWQD1ICMSu3hwuzQDK33IwJOLOIBQ1xnJAi4hK3YOYhYCPfzmLAvY1wFYwVh1ra59KNK6yQC97Ln58c/w200-h169/52%20books%202024.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Details, rules, and sign up information can be found<span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/2023/12/please-join-us-for-another-round-of.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></p><div><br /></div><div>Come, join me as I read through 2024! This is one of my very favorite parts of the year!!</div><div><br /></div><div>1) <u>SuperFudge</u> by Judy Blume and <u>Notebook Know-How</u> by Aimee Buckner</div><div>2) <u>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</u> by J.K. Rowling and <u>A Christmas Carol</u> by Charles Dickens and <u>A Year Down Yonder</u> by Richard Peck and <u>A Heart Once Broken</u> by Jerry Eicher</div><div>3) <u>Finding Winnie</u> by Lindsay Mattick and <u>The Last Stop on Market Street</u> by Matt De La Pena and <u>The Book of God</u> by April Oursler Armstrong (read over three weeks) and <u>Long Walk to Water</u> by Linda Sue Park and <u>Murder in an Irish Village</u> by Carlene O'Connor (audio book)</div><div>4) <u>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</u> by Mark Twain and <u>Murder at an Irish Wedding</u> by Carlene O'Connor and <u>Wish</u> by Barbara O'Connor</div><div>5) <u>Murder in an Irish Churchyard</u> by Carlene O'Connor and <u>101 Ways to Clean Out Clutter</u> by Emilie Barnes</div><div>6) <u>Murder in an Irish Pub</u> by Carlene O'Connor and <u>Still and Quiet Mind</u> by Esther Smith and <u>The Son of Hamas</u> by Mosab Hassan Yousef</div><div>7) <u>Thin Ice</u> by Irene Hannon</div><div>8) <u>Controlling the Tongue</u> by R.T. Kendall and re-listened to <u>The Perfect Christmas</u> by Debbie Macomber</div><div>9) <u>The Book of Lost Names</u> by Kristin Harmel and <u>Sleeping Beauty</u> by K.M. Shea</div><div>10) <u>Tangled Webs</u> by Irene Hannon and <u>31 Verses to Write On Your Heart</u> by Liz Curtis Higgs</div><div>11) <u>Murder in an Irish Cottage</u> by Carlene O'Connor and <u>Snow Queen</u> by K.M. Shea</div><div>12)</div><div>13)</div><div>14)</div><div>15)</div><div>16)</div><div>17)</div><div>18)</div><div>19)</div><div>20)</div><div>21)</div><div>22)</div><div>23)</div><div>24)</div><div>25)</div><div>26)</div><div>27)</div><div>28)</div><div>29)</div><div>30)</div><div>31)</div><div>32)</div><div>33)</div><div>34)</div><div>35)</div><div>36)</div><div>37)</div><div>38)</div><div>39)</div><div>40)</div><div>41)</div><div>42)</div><div>43)</div><div>44)</div><div>45)</div><div>46)</div><div>47)</div><div>48)</div><div>49)</div><div>50)</div><div>51)</div><div>52)</div><div>Wrap Up Post π:</div>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377386190088860455.post-1099459445588756002023-12-28T06:36:00.007-06:002024-02-04T07:49:44.609-06:00Classics Reading Challenge 2024<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dcZRHYrcoH-pSkrY7iOFJyiyTx3M_IkUcGyIIsNBtAGkTDsNiTfPhrni8ovq4AKxXu_QJCZjrSET4jgjhQdO-EbevEtsECh5So1sWecL0L4e8Fnavm3KcvUTGxMp6rIrrbT1vfjjaljqAWqeYSXLtwswu9RZbyfzRAmuQSkZyI7rNhGb5yJckwAaVQQ/s750/2024%20Classics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dcZRHYrcoH-pSkrY7iOFJyiyTx3M_IkUcGyIIsNBtAGkTDsNiTfPhrni8ovq4AKxXu_QJCZjrSET4jgjhQdO-EbevEtsECh5So1sWecL0L4e8Fnavm3KcvUTGxMp6rIrrbT1vfjjaljqAWqeYSXLtwswu9RZbyfzRAmuQSkZyI7rNhGb5yJckwAaVQQ/w133-h200/2024%20Classics.jpg" width="133" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>Details, rules, and sign up can be found<span style="color: red;"> <a href="https://teaandinksociety.com/2024-classics-reading-challenge/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></p><p>January: A classic you have read before: <u>Tom Sawyer</u> by Mark Twain</p><p>February: A Nordic or Scandinavian classic:</p><p>March: A novel with a place or house name in the title:</p><p>April: An epistolary novel:</p><p>May: An L.M. Montgomery novel or short story collection:</p><p>June: A novel or short story collection from the American South: </p><p>July: A utopian or dystopian novel:</p><p>August: A children's classic:</p><p>September: A pastoral novel:</p><p>October: A spooky classic or short story collection:</p><p>November: A classic recommended by a friend:</p><p>December: A Shakespeare play:</p><p>Wrap Up Post π:</p>Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11698291094595913599noreply@blogger.com0