2013 A-Z Reading Challenge

[Diane U]

Is anyone interested is trying the A-Z challenge again this year?

Here's how it works:

You want to try to use each letter of the alphabet for a book you read. It could be the title or author's first or last name. We're pretty flexible so don't sweat it! It does not have to be only Amish fiction, it can be fiction or non-fiction also. Whatever you read in 2013 will qualify!

[Diane U]

I'll begin:


A - An Amish Kitchen by Beth Wiseman - 3/1/13
B - Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington - 8/5/13
C - Henry's Sisters by Cathy Lamb - 6/12/13
D - BoneMan's Daughters by Ted Dekker - 10/24/13
E - Susanna's Christmas Wish by Jerry S. Eicher - 12/10/13
F - KIDNAPPED by Suzanne Ferrell -5/1/13
G - Through the Fire by Shawn Grady - 3/27/13
H - Hannah Grace by Sharlene MacLaren - 4/22/13
I - Identity by Ted Dekker - 3/7/13
J
K - Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury - 1/8/13
L - Looking for Alaska by John Green - 3/5/13
M - Mirrors by Ted Dekker - 3/9/13
N - No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay - 1/29/13
O - Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke - 7/22/13
P - Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman - 2/14/13
Q
R - Return by Karen Kingsbury - 1/1/13
S - Seer by Ted Dekker - 3/14/13
T - A Time for Peace by Barbara Cameron - 2/24/13
U - Unseen by Ted Dekker - 3/10/12
V - Divergent by Veronica Roth - 11/7/13
W - To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer - 7/10/13
X
Y
Z

[Lorelei]

Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport is the A- story. Just finished it!
B
C
D
E
Farmer Next Door, The - by Patricia Davids - excellent! Just finished
Gone Country by Lorelei James - to read soon, on my kindle.
Hanna's Joy by Marta Perry - reading it now.

Love Travels Forever by Jaye Francise - is on my kindle to read soon.

Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry - to read soon.

Patchword Dreams by Laura Hilton - to read later.

Twin Targets by Marta Perry - to read this year.
Don't have the rest of the list yet...

[Cindi]

I'm in Ü

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S - The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes - currently reading
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

[Kate]

Diane U wrote: "Is anyone interested is trying the A-Z challenge again this year?

I did the A~Z challenge last year, and, believe me, it was a challenge! Not taking it up again this year, but I DEFINITELY want to wish everyone who DOES attempt it good luck! I'll be cheering y'all on! :)

[Lorie]

I completed it last year and really want to do it again, it was definately a challenge!


A Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport Jan 15
B Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brunstetter March 26
C The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne April 13
D Dear Girls by Rachel K Larsen Feb 9
E Easter Bunny Murder by Leslie Meier April 2
F Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke May 18
G One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf Jan 17
H Hart's Truth by Kelly Long March 25
I In Plain View by Olivia Newport July 4
J Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I Mean It! by Barbara Park Aug 30
K Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney- Jan 12
L Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder Feb 26
M Montana Rose by Mary Connealy Feb18
N No Place for a Lady by Maggie Brendan May 9
O Over the Edgeby Mary Connealy- Jan 4
P The Pieces of Summer: Part 4 by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Q A Quilt for Jenna by Patrick E. Craig Sept 29
R The Rancher's Secret Wife by Brenda Minton- Jan 6
S Swept Away by Mary Connealy Jan 29
T Treausure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson April 14
U Upon A Winter's Night by Karen Harper Dec 27
V A Vow for Always by Wanda E. Brunstetter April 18
W When Hope Blossoms by Kim Vogel Sawyer Feb 23
X The X'ed-out X-ray by Ron Roy Nov 8
Y A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans December 30
ZBeyond the Storm by Carolyn Zane Oct 31

[Barbara]

Diane U wrote: "Is anyone interested is trying the A-Z challenge again this year?"

I'm tempted... I did complete my A-Z but I didn't quite complete my 50 book goal -- I was at 79% of #50. So close and yet so far.

[Lorie]

O was the last one I finished last year so I got it out of the way first this year. No really I just had to finish the whole series after I finished my O book last year.

[Jennifer]

Ok..the book addict within can't resist any longer...I'm trying it. I've already 3 letters down (L,N,P) and 2 (C,S) on the way! :)

[Karen]

I will try this also, sounds fun.

[Krystaleve]

I will play.

B- The Betrayal (Abram's Daughters #2) Feb. 7,2013
C- The Covenant (Abram's Daughters #1)Feb. 2, 2013

[Kelly]

Sounds so fun, I already have b,c,d,e,g,i,l,m,o,r,s,t,w done its going to be fun trying to find q,v,x,y,z :)

[Barbara]

Kelly wrote: "Sounds so fun, I already have b,c,d,e,g,i,l,m,o,r,s,t,w done its going to be fun trying to find q,v,x,y,z :)"

I'm impressed -- you're quite the reader. For the 5 letters you thought would be fun, you might want to look at what folks read last year for the challenge. We all listed what we read.

[Kelly]

Yes I read a lot, many people tell me I have to much time on my hands but I just don't spend time watching that much tv or doing other things I enjoy reading. Thank You for the tip I will defiantly look at that :)

[Natalie]

I'm in. Can we have multiple books for each letter? Here's my draft:
A- Abound in Love- 7/6/13
B The Storekeeper's Daughter- Wanda E Brunstetter
C Courting Cate- Leslie Gould- 3/26/13
D Daybreak- Shelley Shepard Gray- 4/9/13
E Execution- (The Rose of Lancaster County #9), Murray Pura- 3/8/13
F Lemon Meringue Pie Murder- Joanne Fluke- 6/29/13
G A Gift of Grace- Amy Clipston , 1/13/13
H- Hannah's Joy- Marta Perry
I Indiana Cousins Trilogy- Wanda E. Brunstetter- 1/1/13

J- Jenna's Cowboy- Sharon Gillenwater- 2/17/13
K Katie Opens Her Heart- Jerry S Eicher
L - Letters to Katie- 5/25/13
M The Memory Jar- Tricia Goyer
N- Naomi's Christmas- Marta Perry
O One Bible's Journey Across the Oregon Trail, (Aaron And Elizabeth's Storyu) Helen Keating, 3/6/13

P - Plain Perfect- Beth Wiseman- 7/4/13
Q

R Ruth's Dilemma- June Bryan Belfie- 2/7/13
S Sarah's Garden- Kelly Long- 1/12/13

T Though Mountains Fall- Dale Cramer- 3/31/12

U The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah- Donald Parker- 6/3/13

V

W Widow of Gettysburg- Jocelyn Green- 7/7/13

X
Y
Z


It will updated as I add more.

[Melissa]

Okay, I'll try. I'm doing this for cozy mysteries with another group and it's going really well, so I'm trying to do it all cozies. I will try to do this with all Amish or Christian fiction.

[Melissa]

2013 Amish/Christian A-Z Challenge
26/26 Completed - Done!

A - Annalisa Daughety - Love Finds You in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - 6/28/13
B - Beverly Lewis - The Secret - 8/24/13
C - Castillo, Linda - Breaking Silence* - 8/22/13
D - DiAnn Mills - The Chase - 5/7/13
E - Ellis, Mary - Love Comes to Paradise - 5/22/13
F - Flower, Amanda - A Plain Death - 5/16/13
G - Gone Missing* - Linda Castillo - 8/27/13
H - Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, The - Wanda Brunstetter - 4/29/13
I - Indiana Cousins Trilogy - Wanda Brunstetter - 6/6/13
J - Jacob's Daughter - Samantha Jillian Bayarr - 11/8/13
K - Karen Harper - Upon A Winter's Night - 10/16/13
L - Leah's Choice - Marta Perry - 7/11/13
M - Mary Ellis - Living in Harmony - 5/3/13
N - Nelson Dooley, Lena - Christmas Love at Lake Tahoe: Ski into Romance Adventures - 4/30/13
O - Oke, Janette - The Matchmakers - 12/29/13
P - Plain Scandal, A - Amanda Flower - 5/17/13
Q - Quakers of New Garden, The - Claire Sanders - 10/27/13
R - Robin Jones Gunn - Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii - 6/15/13
S - Submerged - Dani Pettrey - 5/31/13
T - The Telling - Beverly Lewis - 10/29/13
U -Under The Mulberry Tree -Samantha Jillian Bayarr - 12/25/13
V - Vannetta Chapman - A Simple Amish Christmas - 11/8/13
W - Wild Horses - Linda Byler - 6/7/13
X - HeX Marks the Spot* - Madelyn Alt - 7/24/13
Y - Yvonne Lehman - Aloha Brides - 6/26/13
Z - Love Finds You in NaZareth, Pennsylvania - Melanie Dobson - 9/1/13

* Denotes Amish Mystery or Thriller - Not Christian

[Melissa]

For X, it just has to be a letter X anywhere in the title or name, correct? That's how they are doing it in my cozy mystery group, since hardly anything starts with X.

[Jennifer]

Melissa wrote: "For X, it just has to be a letter X anywhere in the title or name, correct? That's how they are doing it in my cozy mystery group, since hardly anything starts with X."

Hmm...
X-Men (graphic novels)
X by Cory Doctorow
Jeneration X by Jennifer Lancaster
The Guardians of Island X by Rachel Delaney
The Joy of X: A guided tour of math from one to infinity
The Seduction of Lady X

There are more. ;)

[Lorie]

I think any creative way you can get the "hard" letters is okay. It's all up to you.

[Lorie]

I'm having a hard time with X too.

[Darlene]

Can I still join

[Lorie]

sure...although it might be harder since you only have about 4 months left. I think it is fun though to see how many books you are already reading fit in this challenge.

[Kelly]

I only have 3 or 4 books left and Lorie have you figured out X yet..I haven't :)

[Lorie]

I think I am reading a kids book I found on my library's e-books, it's calledThe X'ed-out X-ray. I'm going to read it with my son.

[Darlene]

ok so I hope I have this right

a
b
c
d Stranded by Dani Pettrey
e
f
g
h
I
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s The hunger games Suszanne Collins
t
u
v
w
x Sohpie,s heart by Lori Wick
y
z

Is this the way it goes

[Teala]

Just joined this group but I started this challenge a couple of months ago. :)

A
Beverly Lewis. The Shunning
Confession. The confession. Beverly Lewis
D
E
F
G
Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins
I
J.k Rowlings. Harry Potter
K
Lewis. Beverly Lewis. The Postcard. *
Mocking Jay. Suzzanne Collins
N
I
Priscilla Shrier. Resolution for women. *
Q
Reckoning. The reckoning. Beverly Lewis
Suzanne Collins. Catching Fire
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

* currently reading

Not including the hundreds of children's books I read.

[Melissa]

How's it going for everyone with the challenge? I only have 5 books left, but it's getting a little tight now with two months left. If I add cozy mysteries I would have it, but I'm still trying to do it all with Amish or Christian fiction. We shall see!

[Kelly]

Only 2 left! :) I think mine are all christian though :)

[AlegnaB †]

A – America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great 4/14
B – Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation 7/19
C – Courted by a Cowboy 7/25
D – Defiant Heart 8/7
E – Evangelism Is…: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence 8/13
F – Fancy Pants 8/4
G – Growing Deeper in our Church Communities: 50 ideas for Connection… 2/11
H – The History of England 4/30
I – In Freedom’s Cause: A Story of Wallace & Bruce 7/28
J – Jane Austen for Dummies 5/5
K – Know What You Believe 7/3
L – Loren Cunningham: Into All The World 3/11
M – Miss Marple: Christian Sleuth 8/13
N – Nate Saint: On a Wing and a Prayer 2/17
O – Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion and the Army of Tennessee in the Civil War 6/18
P – Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits 2/25
Q – The Queen of Clean Conquers Clutter 10/2
R – Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food with Live Cultures… 8/3
S – The Secret 8/9
T – The Talisman Ring 8/4
U – Under the SS Shadow 6/2
V – Vida o muerte en el Cusco 2/7
W – What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved 7/14
X – X-treme X-ray: See the World Inside Out! 7/17
Y – The Yellow Sock: An Adoption Story 7/17
Z – Zapped 7/28

[Barbara]

Alegnab wrote: "A – America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great 4/14
B – Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation 7/19
C – Courted by a Cowboy 7/25
D – Defia..."

Way to go -- congratulations!

[Melissa]

Barbara Ann wrote: "Alegnab wrote: "A – America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great 4/14
B – Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation 7/19
C – Courted by a Cowboy..."

Congrats!

[Lorie]

I've got three more I am working on. J,U,Y

How's everyone else doing with a little over a month to go?

[Kelly]

I just have y and z.... :)

[Melissa]

Lorie wrote: "I've got three more I am working on. J,U,Y

How's everyone else doing with a little over a month to go?"

I also have three: K, O, U. I have a couple of things drafted, but that might change. The December read that I nominated won, Upon A Winter's Night by Karen Harper, so that could actually work for U or K.

I still don't know what I will do for O . . .

[Lorie]

@ Melissa have you read Out of Control by Mary Connealy?

It's still free on Kindle and I LOVED the whole series.

I am also glad for the U for next month's read!

[Melissa]

That's a good idea Lorie, thanks. I did grab that one for free but haven't read it yet. :-)

[Brittany]

A - Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport
B - Boundless by Cynthia Hand
C - Cinder by Marissa Meyer
D - Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire
E - Everbound by Brodi Ashton
F - Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
G - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
H - Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
I - Into Great Silence by Eva Saulitis
J - A Wedding Quilt for Ella by Jerry Eicher
K - Katie Opens Her Heart by Jerry Eicher
L - Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger
M - Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
N - Natural Born Angel by Scott Speer
O - Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
P - Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman
Q - Cora, the Unwilling Queen by Amy Hutchison
R - Requiem by Lauren Oliver
S - Seek Me with All Your Heart by Beth Wiseman
T - The Winnowing Season by Cindy Woodsmall
U - Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
V - Falling to Pieces by Vanetta Chapman
W - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
X -
Y - Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Z - The Book Thief by Markus Zusac

I only need X. Go figure...

[Kelly]

A: The Applause of Heaven 5/5
B: Beyond Tuesday Morning 3/20
C: Coming Home: A Story of Undying Hope 4/20
D: Divine 1/28
E: Even Now
F: Full Disclosure 7/9
G: God's Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours 1/16
H: How My Soul Yearns: How God Brought Me Through Infertility and Beyond 3/14
I: Indescribable: Encountering the Glory of God in the Beauty of the Universe 1/30
J: Just Beyond the Clouds 3/6
K: The Keeper by Ted Dekker 4/23
L: Like Dandelion Dust 1/18
M: The Missing 1/31
N: Now You're Speaking My Language: Honest Communication and Deeper Intimacy for a Stronger Marriage 6/12
O: One Tuesday Morning 1/11
P: Perfectly Invisible 5/20
Q: The Quilter's Daughter 8/6
R: The Redemption of Sarah Cain 1/1
S: Secretly Smitten 4/13
T: The Telling 2/6
U: The Unveiling 8/9
V: The Victory Club
W: Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working 1/12
X: Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help
Y: Goodbye to Yesterday 12/11
Z: Zapped 12/11

YAY FINISHED!!!

[Barbara]

Kelly wrote: "YAY FINISHED!!!"

Way to go Kelly!

[Melissa]

Congrats Kelly!

I just have O left and I will be done. :)

[Lorie]

I'm on my last one a Y book hopefully I can finish in the next 3 days!

[Lorie]

Finally Finished!!!!

Lorie wrote: "I completed it last year and really want to do it again, it was definately a challenge!


A Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport Jan 15
B [book:Goodbye to Yesterday..."

[Melissa]

Congrats Lorie!

[Melissa]

Finished up on Sunday, all Amish and/or Christian fiction books!

Happy New Year!