2019 Read Through Time Challenge

[A.L.]

For 2019, we’re going to have two medium-sized challenges. For the first half of the year, we’ll be doing a Read Through Time challenge.

Scoring will be based on a point system. 2 points for each book you read that fulfills the category, 1 bonus point if it’s a novel, and 1 bonus point if the author is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Here are the six different categories. Each category can be filled with a book set in the time period OR with a speculative fiction subgenre.

1) Ancient history (anything prior to about 500 ad) or Horror/Paranormal

2) Medieval (500 to 1500) or Epic Fantasy

3) Age of Exploration (1500-1800) or a Fairy Tale Retelling

4) 1800s or Steampunk

5) 1900s or Sci-fi

6) Contemporary or Dystopian

The challenge runs from January 1 to June 30, 2019.

Audiobooks are fine, you can check off the categories in any order, and you can mix and match with historical and speculative choices. (That should cover the most obvious questions, but if you have more, please ask!)

[Katrina]

Great! I am in for this challenge. I think for Ancient History I will look for a biblical fiction book. We will be taking one of our sons to BYU Idaho at the end of this week and will be able to stop at a Deseret book store. I have been waiting to get my Christmas present to myself at this time. :) Any recommendations?

[A.L.]

Katrina wrote: "Great! I am in for this challenge. I think for Ancient History I will look for a biblical fiction book. We will be taking one of our sons to BYU Idaho at the end of this week and will be able to st..."

H.B. Moore has written a lot of fictionalized scriptures stories. You could also try Misty Moncur or Renae Weight Mackley. I liked Keepers of the Sword by Guy Morgan Galli.

Have a safe drive!

[Katrina]

Thanks, I will let you know what I end up getting for Ancient History. I am currently reading Rumors of War, so plan to continue with that and finish the 1900s first.

[A.L.]

Katrina wrote: "Thanks, I will let you know what I end up getting for Ancient History. I am currently reading Rumors of War, so plan to continue with that and finish the 1900s first."

I liked that series!

[Audrey]

Katrina wrote: “Great! I am in for this challenge. I think for Ancient History I will look for a biblical fiction book. We will be taking one of our sons to BYU Idaho at the end of this week and will be able to st…”

Orson Scott Card’s Women of Genesis series is really good (though unfinished): Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel & Leah

[Cathy]

I'm in! Currently reading Saving Susannah Jones set in the 1800s.

[A.L.]

Cathy wrote: "I'm in! Currently reading Saving Susannah Jones set in the 1800s."

Yay! Glad you're joining, Cathy!

[A.L.]

Audrey wrote: "Orson Scott Card’s Women of Genesis series is really good (though unfinished): Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel & Leah"

Great recommendation, Audrey!

[Shannon]

I’m totally in!! Currently reading volume 9 of the Tennis Shoes Adventure Series...I’ll count it for Ancient!

[A.L.]

Shannon wrote: "I’m totally in!! Currently reading volume 9 of the Tennis Shoes Adventure Series...I’ll count it for Ancient!"

That's a great choice for ancient! Glad you're in, Shannon!

[Angela]

I’m in! (Had to finish my book club book first.) Starting off with 1900s reading Agent Bishop by Mike McPheters who was an FBI Agent and a Bishop - four times!

[A.L.]

Sounds like a good choice, Angela. His daughter was in my ward growing up :-)

[Katrina]

I picked up Anna the Prophetess by H.B. Moore when I was in Idaho at Deseret Book last week. That will be my Ancient choice. Thanks everyone for all the recommendations.

[A.L.]

Katrina wrote: "I picked up Anna the Prophetess by H.B. Moore when I was in Idaho at Deseret Book last week. That will be my Ancient choice. Thanks everyone for all the recommendations."

Glad you found one, Katrina!

[A.L.]

I've read my age of exploration book,

Before He Was Commodore by J.B. Killan.

I'd never heard of the author before, but I was pleasantly surprised by the book. There isn't a whole lot of historical fiction for young readers, but historical fiction for juveniles is one of the things that sparked my love of history, so I'm happy to see new books coming out in this genre. This one tells the story of how Joshua Barney became captain of a merchant ship at age fifteen. It's based on a true story. Later Barney would serve in the Continental Navy during the American Revolution.

[Katrina]

I have just earned my first 4 points! Today I finished Rumors of War by Dean Hughes as my choice for the 1900s.


Next I am reading Loving Lucianna by Joyce DiPastena for a Medieval choice. It is set in the 1100s AD.

This one shouldn't take a long to read as it is 300 pages shorter than my first choice!

[A.L.]

That's great, Katrina!

[Katrina]

I finished Loving Lucianna by Joyce DiPastena for my Medieval Choice. My points total is now 8pts.

I am next reading Anna the Prophetess.

[A.L.]

Katrina wrote: "I finished Loving Lucianna by Joyce DiPastena for my Medieval Choice. My points total is now 8pts.

I am next reading Anna the Prophetess. "

Awesome, Katrina! I think I'm going to count Anna the Prophetess for my challenge too. I'm about half-way through with it now.

[A.L.]

I looked through the books I've read so far this year and realized I finished my challenge. (In some categories, there were several options I could have picked.)

As you can see, it included a wide variety of books, some for middle-grade readers, some for adults, and one for young adults. I mixed the categories--some are historical and some are speculative. They're all novels and they're all by authors who are members of the church, so it's worth the full 24 points.

1) Ancient history: Anna the Prophetess by H.B. Moore

2) Medieval/Historical Fantasy: Heart of Red, Blood of Blue by Rebecca Belliston

3) Age of Exploration: Before He Was Commodore by J.B. Killan

4) Steampunk: Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage

5) Sci-fi: Chaser: An Interplanetary Tale of a Boy And His Dog by Scott William Taylor

6) Contemporary: As Wide as the Sky by Jessica Pack

[Katrina]

I finished my Ancient selection today - I really liked this one and enjoyed imagining how her life might have been.

I had previously finished my 1900s and Medieval choices.

I guess technically the challenge is supposed to be finished, but I am only half way through. I have 12 points.

I have chosen the other books for this challenge so I am just going to continue reading them.

They are:

1800s: I have started this one.

Fairy-tale Retelling

Contemporary:

[A.L.]

Katrina wrote: "I finished my Ancient selection today - I really liked this one and enjoyed imagining how her life might have been.

I had previously finished my 1900s [boo..."

That's great, Katrina!

And yes, keep reading the challenge as long as you like!