Wrap up Fall Reading Challenge - see how I did!

Wrap up time for the 2007 Fall Reading List Challenge... I'm pretty proud of myself, I started with 40 books on my list and ended with 34 read and finished, 3 started and only 3 untouched!
Considering in this same span of time I:
Took care of my 5 children
Found out we are having a 6th
Got my Christian dance studio through the Fall session
Had our Christmas Dance shows Dec 10th and 11th
Helped with the Christmas Musical at our church that all 5 kids were in My MIL (who lives with us) had a heart attack the Saturday after Thanksgiving and she is now recovering

So things were pretty hectic around here and even though I would've loved to have said I finished - I may have been a bit optimistic in what I thought I could get done :-) The best thing about this challenge for me is that it kept me on track with the books I initially wanted to get read - normally as I received a new book all of the others would have gotten pushed to the back and I would've read the new one. But even though I have a huge stack ready for me to dive into now that this is finished, I stayed on the straight and narrow!

Read my thoughts about the books I did finish below and then check back Dec 26-Jan 1 to see if any of these books made it on my Top 7 of 2007 lists - thanks!

It's fall and time for another reading challenge from Callapidder Days. So far there are over 250 (I'm #320!) people participating in the challenge. Click on the link to go to a list. There are some great reads on there.


Reading Challenge! I love the word challenge and I have seen different bloggers with their Callapidder Days Fall Into Reading 2007 challenge lists... so I figured it was time to post mine. I'll divide it into different categories so its easier to follow. I'm starting a little late, so I'll keep it updated and we'll see how many I have left at the end of December =)

1. What A Girl Wants by Kristin Billerbeck ****
   
2. Split Ends by Kristin Billerbeck**** Fun and enjoyable
   
3. Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson ***** Totally loved it!
   
4. One Shenandoah Winter by T. Davis Bunn ***** Made me cry!
   
5. Autumn Encore by Jane Peart*** This was a good book that I read in 1 sitting!
   
6. The Redemption by M.L. Tyndall**** Loved this one and can't wait to read the next ones!
   
7. Sushi For One by Camy Tang**** This was such a fun book can't wait for Uni
   
8. As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana***** It is not very often that you read a book that makes you want to turn over a new leaf and be a better person to those around you. I highly recommend this book!
   
9. Promises Broken, Promises Kept by Janet Q. Bedley**** Great book based on an actual Civil War soldier's diaries - really good!
   
10. The Veritas Conflict by Shaunti Feldhahn***** Excellent! An updated "This Present Darkness" - absolutely LOVED it!
    
11. The Lights of Tenth Street by Shaunti Feldhahn**** Great follow-up to The Veritas Conflict
    
12. The Waiting by Mark A. Rempel**** Great spin on the prodigal son!
    
13. The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers**** Very good!
    
14. And The Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers**** This book was excellent!
    
15. Unveiled (Tamar) by Francine Rivers****
16. Unashamed (Rahab) by Francine Rivers****
    
17. Dawn of Liberty (4th in the Secret of the Rose Series) by Michael Phillips*** Great end to the series but I think books 2 & 3 were my favorites :-)
    
18. The Minor Protection Act by Jodi Cowles***** One of the best reads of the year for me!
    
19. The Power of Love by Margaret Daley****
20. Sadie's Hero by Margaret Daley****
21. Light in the Storm by Margaret Daley**** I love Margaret's writings!
    
22. Under Cover of Darkness by Elizabeth White**** So good I'm ordering her others in the Texas Gatekeeper Series
    
23. Lambert's Code by Rachel Hauck**** Phenomenal book that every married person should read!
    
24. Pirate's Prize by Lena Nelson Dooley****Very good - loved the setting and situations!
    
25. Gerda's Lawman by Lena Nelson Dooley**** Beautiful story and characters
    
26. The Parting by Beverly Lewis**** Was good - looking forward to book #2
    
27. Canteen Dreams by Cara Putman****This was such a good book - took place 5 blocks from where I live too!
    

Non-Christian-

1. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
2. The Amber Photograph by Penelope J. Stokes - I stand corrected - this should be listed under Christian Fiction - oops!****Really touching story I ordered more of her books after reading this one!
   
3. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold*** This was a really unique book - written from the viewpoint of a 14 year girl that had just been murdered and finds herself in heaven and her watching what happens on earth in the following years. Good, but it had lots of non-Christian elements that I could have done without.
   

Christian Non-Fiction

1. Romancing Your Child's Heart by Monte Swan
2. Eat & Stay Thin by Joyce Meyers *** Good info on the emotional reasons we struggle with weight.
   
3. The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
4. Then Sings My Soul (150 of the world's greatest hymn stories) by Robert J. Morgan
5. My Heart's Cry by Anne Graham Lotz
6. Becoming A Woman of Excellence by Cynthia Heald
7. Christian Unschooling by Teri J. Brown**** Great information
   
8. What's A Girl To Do? by Janet L. Folger*** Good book for single ladies
   
9. Soaring On Eagle's Wings by Regina Hanson**** True story of her faith through trials and getting her leg amputated - very good
   
10. The Dream Giver for Couples by Bruce Wilkinson****

That puts my list at 40, but the list will grow weekly as the mail comes. Some of the books will be reviewed, some won't but I thought I'd use a star system to rate them after I read them. So I'll do a 5 star rating with 5 being the best. We'll just see how far I get =)