Stop me if you’ve heard this before…Last year, my mother set each of us a goal to read fifty books within the year. So, I started scheming for titles to scratch off.

As these things happen, though, I hadn’t gotten to everything on the list before I reached my goal – and the year ended. For Top Ten Tuesday, here are some of them:

The Crown and Covenant series, Douglas Bond

This is a favorite of my brother’s, and I figured it’d be a good way to fill up my list of books read.

As it turns out, I did sample Mr. Bond’s work for the first time last year — but with Hand of Vengeance, which is a cool, stand-alone Saxon/Viking-themed mystery/romance.

Never Leave Me, Priscilla J. Krahn

This is one of several stories I received for participating in the Indie Author e-Convention (May 2018). I figured they’d be a good way to sample fellow authors’ work, while racking up some short reads for my list.

I’ve currently read about three out of five, I want to say — but this is one that I didn’t get to.

Monster Hunter Legion, Larry Correia

This is Book 4 in the Monster Hunter series (y’know, the series my brother chewed through like a machine gun chews through zombies).

I intended to read it, after reading some shorter, fluffier things to clear my head and palate…but the long and the short is I never bothered to load it onto my phone before I had hit my book goal, and December was over.

Next time.

October, J. Grace Pennington

I’ve consistently enjoyed Mrs. J. Grace’s work, and appreciated the spiritual themes she weaves into them.

From the description of October, I wasn’t so sure about it, but hey! she was giving it away for free!

As with so many other things, though, this one didn’t make it onto the list before December had run out.

(It is currently available free through Kindle Unlimited.)

Prize of War, Carole Towriss

This one I actually paid money for (during an indie author sale). It sounds like a cool story about Caleb’s daughter and nephew/son-in-law during the conquering of Canaan — but I didn’t get to it before the year ran out.

(It is currently available to read free through Kindle Unlimited.)

Time and Again, Richard E. Elkins, PhD, and Agnes Lawless Elkins

My grandparents gave me this book. It’s some kind of missionary book. It’s really skinny. I should really read it one day.

Jesus On Trial, David Limbaugh

My grandpa gave me this one, too (actually, he gave every family member one. That’s what he does when he likes a new book).

It sounds really cool (a lawyer’s analysis of the four gospel accounts and his journey to saving faith in Jesus) but once again, I didn’t make the time to get through it.

I did start reading the intro, but got bogged down with all the quotes I wanted to Tweet. Oh, well.

The Shattered Helmet, Franklin W. Dixon

I borrowed two Hardy boys mysteries from my grandma (as well as a boatload of Robert Ludlum, Alistair MacLean, etc.). I only read one of them: The Sinister Signpost.

As a long-standing Nancy Drew aficionado, it was interesting to see the masculine side of things. (Nancy never got in that many fisticuffs.)

That’s what YA used to be like, kids 😉

The Nine Tailors, Dorothy Sayers

Wow, a Sayers book I haven’t read yet!

I started reading this one…it must have been 2017, because I would have had to start over to make it count for the reading challenge.

I faded out a few chapters after Peter fell asleep reading about bell-ringing sequences. I’ll try again one day – depend on it.

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen

I should read this. I really should. I have it in a big, thick, hardback three-novel collection.

It’s a New Year

This year, I’ve set myself the goal to read thirty books; because fifty was so stressful, that I didn’t like committing to reading long books.

Also I have other things to do…like bake cookies, write novels, play video games, and talk theology with my family.

Perhaps I can pick up some of the books I missed last year!

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Kimia Wood currently lives somewhere in the American midwest, bracing for the collapse of society by knitting, baking, writing, hobby-farming, and reading as much Twitter as possible before the web goes dark.

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