Hidden Gems | May

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Welcome to this month's Hidden Gems challenge!

Hidden Gems is a fantastic way to plow through those mountains of books claiming space in your house or e-reader. This challenge produces some fun group interaction as well, because someone else chooses which book you’ll read next.

If you sign up, you'll be matched up with a Hidden Gems partner. You will choose a book from the list your partner designates which you have already read and cannot believe your partner hasn’t read yet. Your partner will do the same for you with the list you designate. The point is to find that “Hidden Gem” that you think they’ll love… because you adored it when you read it!

Let us know which books you choose for each other. When you finish reading your gem, let us know what you thought about it. Perhaps your Hidden Gem might find its way to someone else’s wish list!

Match-ups will be created on the 10th of the month. Please choose books for each other by the 13th.

Sign up by telling us which list you’d like your partner to choose from.

Happy reading, friends!

[Bridget]

Please choose several books from my hidden gems shelf:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Kate, Challenge Fun Distributor]

I'm in! Please give me 2-3 options from my hidden-gems shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Brittany]

I'm in! Please choose 3 or 4 options from my temp read soon list:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Karen]

I'm in! Please choose 3-4 titles from my challenge books up next shelf:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Sarita]

Please select 3-4 from any of these shelves:

To Read
To buy or borrow
To read kindle free
Reading next

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

I need to read April's HG, but I'm in.

Please choose 3-4 from my tbr-physical-books and/or series-in -progress shelves.

[Loraine]

Please pick 3 or 4 from my hidden gems shelf:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Michelle]

Please select at least two from my read next shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Missy]

I’m in. Please choose 2-3 from my hidden gems folder.

[Katrina]

I'm in. Still catching up from other months, but happy to keep participating. Please choose 2 - 3 from my 2024 Hidden Gems shelf:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Reagan]

I'm in! Please choose 3-4 from my Hidden Gems list.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Annette]

So many fun sounding challenges in this group. Thought I’d get my feet wet on this one. Please select 2-3 books from my Hidden Gems list.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Annette wrote: "So many fun sounding challenges in this group. Thought I’d get my feet wet on this one. Please select 2-3 books from my Hidden Gems list.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list......"

Glad you're hopping in!

[Maria]

I am in !

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Maria wrote: "I am in !"

Maria, please provide the name or link to one of your Goodreads bookshelves for your assigned partner to choose from. Thank you!

[Charlene]

I’m in! Please pick 3-4 from the following shelf’s

My Hidden Gems Shelf

My 2024 TBR Shelf

[Lisa]

I'm in. Choose 1 from:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...#

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Sign-ups are now closed. Matchups are being created.

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Here are May's matchups. Please choose books for each other by May 13, and let us know how you like your read(s) once you finish. Happy reading!

Lisa (18) - Reagan (12)
Staci (7) - Maria (15)
Michelle (9) - Bridget (2)
Sarita (6) - Charlene (17)
Missy (10) - Loraine (8)
Karen (5) - Kate (3)
Brittany (4) - Katrina (11)
Annette (13) - Andrea (21)

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Annette, please choose a few from my Hidden Gems 2024 shelf. Thank you!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Brittany]

Hi Katrina! You have quite a few books on your list that are ones I have really enjoyed. Here are my choices for you. I tried to select a variety of genres.

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Annette, here are my choices for you. I hope at least one is a winner.

Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God's Joy - because it breaks my heart that Mandisa recently died


The Great Divorce - because I've enjoyed several of C.S. Lewis's books (though I have not yet read this one)


Texas Cooking - because I've enjoyed several of Lisa Wingate's books (though I haven't read this one)


Happy reading!

[Lisa]

Reagan, my choices:

1. - Just finished in January
2. - Loved series
3. - Excellent series
4. - Reading now myself.

[Annette]

Andrea wrote: "Annette, I'm going to check which list I want you to pick from and then will update this comment."

Sounds good. Thank you.

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Got the comment updated, Annette.

[Michelle]

Bridget, you have quite a selection to choose from! Many of the ones on your list I have enjoyed reading. I have narrowed it down to five.

The 3rd in the series. This is also my favorite in the series. Funny.
One of my favorites.
Another one of my favorites.
I read this earlier this year. It has multiple view points and is about a group of ladies who end up homesteading together in a sod house.
I read this one several years ago and enjoyed it.

[Staci, Book Awards Specialist]

Maria chose for me:


I chose for her:


Happy reading all!

[Annette]

Andrea, I haven’t yet read any on your list…chose these for you.

~ I love a good Christmas book year round even if a bit frightening

~ Haven’t read this one but have enjoyed others by this author

~ I read the first book in this series some time ago.

~ on my tbr list

Enjoy~~~~~

[Annette]

Andrea, thanks much for your choices. I’m going with these two.

5/19/24 ✅
and . 5/21/24 ✅

[Maria]

Staci is my partner !
She choose from Hidden Gems May folder Chasing Shadows

[Kate, Challenge Fun Distributor]

Karen, you've got a good list there, but I've only read 2 out of them! Luckily, I liked them both, so I'll choose Before I Wake , Naomi's Gift , as well as 2 I've not yet read, but by authors whose work I trust implicitly: Just the Way You Are , and Room at the Inn for Christmas .
Happy Reading and I look forward to the selections you have for me!🙂

[Karen]

Kate, you have an interesting list. Unfortunately I have not read any of them but found the following choices for you:
- I have really enjoyed all the Maple Valley books I've read by her
- looked like an interesting collection and I trust collections w/ Mary Connealy
- this is also on my TBR list and an author I've wanted to try

Happy Reading.

From your choices for me, I will definitely go with and hope to read one or two others.

[Kate, Challenge Fun Distributor]

Karen wrote: "Kate, you have an interesting list. Unfortunately I have not read any of them but found the following choices for you:
- I have really enjoyed all the Maple ..."

Thank you for your selections, Karen! I'm feeling a need for a little jaunt into Maple Valley, so I'll go with Three Little Words .

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Annette wrote: "Andrea, I haven’t yet read any on your list…chose these for you."

Thanks, Annette! After I get caught up on work from a bad weather day, I'll choose one of these books to read.

[Katrina]

Brittany wrote: "Hi Katrina! You have quite a few books on your list that are ones I have really enjoyed. Here are my choices for you. I tried to select a variety of genres.

Hi Brittany,

Thanks for the choices. Hard to pick, but I am going to go with

For you, I have only read one on your list.

Here are 3 choices:



Hope one of those will work!

[Bridget]

Thanks Michelle,
I am going to go with


I choose for you
I've read and enjoyed
and
one I've not read yet, but looks good

[Missy]

Hi Loraine -

For you I have chosen, and hope you enjoy:

- I read this one and enjoyed it.

and - I haven't read these, but they are on my list

[Michelle]

Thank you Bridget. I will read .

[Loraine]

Missy wrote: "Hi Loraine -

For you I have chosen, and hope you enjoy:

My choice is:

The choices for you are: and

These were all 5 star reads for me!

[Karen]

Kate - just finished and really enjoyed it. Thanks for a great pick.

I stll plan to read too.

[Kate, Challenge Fun Distributor]

You're speedy, Karen! Glad you enjoyed Naomi's Gift. 🙂

[Missy]

Loraine wrote: "Missy wrote: "Hi Loraine -

The choices for you are: [bookcove..."

I am going to go with [bookcover:A Promise Engraved|59826061]. We just went to San Antonio in March.

[Reagan]

Lisa wrote: "Reagan, my choices:

1. - Just finished in January
2. - Loved series
3. - Ex..."

Hi Lisa!

I will read .

I pick for you . I haven't read it, but it has been in my TBR list for a while.

[Charlene]

I chose for sarita:
and

Sarita chose for me:
and

Happy reading everybody :)

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Great job getting those picks in, friends!

[Michelle]

I finished reading To Steal a Heart . This was a fun book, and I enjoyed reading it. Thank you Bridget for the recommendation.

Later this month I plan to also read .

[Andrea, Hospitality Coordinator]

Great job, Michelle!

[Brittany]

I ended up reading . It was cute and I especially enjoyed the last third of the book. The middle dragged a bit for me. But I am happy to have read it because it is one that has been on my TBR for the past year. Thanks Katrina!

[Kate, Challenge Fun Distributor]

Karen, I finished Three Little Words and liked it. Thanks for choosing it for me!