A Really Late Spring Reading Thing Wrap Up

Well there is a first time for everything and apparently this is my time for totally being late with my Spring Reading Thing wrap up post.  As in more than a week late.  I was just too caught up in watching all the flood news from around here and just couldn't bring myself to leave the tv.  So here we are a week late and mostly for my own record here is the wrap up.

My original list for this spring's reads is here.   Out of the 13 books listed that I wanted to read for the challenge I was able to finish 8.  They were:

• Jesus the Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll (Awesome read for anytime but especially meaningfull at Easter.  Very much enjoyed it)
• False Pretenses, Dangerous Mercy and Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman (A great series by this mystery author.  Again, thumbs up for these)
• Iscariot, A Novel by Tosca Lee (Found this book exploring where Judas may have come from and why he might have given himself over to forever be known as the person who betrayed Jesus to be quite interesting even though I had reservations when I started it.  But an interesting read especially from the historical perspective of Jewish/Roman politics).
• Shades of Mercy by Marla Schalesky (It was okay for me.  Mixed feelings on this one).
• The Invitation by Anne Cherian (Found this exploration into attitudes and hopes and dreams of Indian immigrants to the U.S. very interesting.  Found the ending hanging a bit but enjoyed the story overall).
• House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson (sort of cheating on this one because I just finished it this weekend.  An exploration into a family's secrets of having a mother with paranoid schizophrenia and the effects on them of these secrets into their adult lives.  Interesting and heartbreaking with heavy Christian content.)

For more indepth reviews of what I thought of each book you can go here and scroll to #10-13, 15-16, and 18.

Truth Stained Lies by Terri Blackstock was a review book that never showed so no comment on that one.

House of Prayer No.2 A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard had looked really interesting but for reasons undefined I just couldn't get into it so I set it aside and then never did go back to it.

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas, My Life with George by Judith Summers and The Edge of the World by Phil Callaway were three that I just did not get to before the end of the challenge but I have full intention to read them sometime this year.  And the reason I didn't get to them was these books caught my attention and a review book that came in and interferred with my list:

• Joni and Ken-An Untold Love Story by Joni and Ken Eareckson Tada with Larry Libby (An interesting  peek into the marriage of internationally famous Joni Eareckson who was paralyzed as a young teen and now has an international ministry)
• Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke (Great read about Irish immigrant sisters and their life as immigrants in New York and the white slave trade of the times)
• The Other Side of Darkness by Melody Carlson  (Not an easy read but one that was hard to put down nevertheless.  An exploration into the topic of OCD sufferers to be at a greater risk for spiritual deception).
• the Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart  (Another addition to her set of stories involving the Shakers)
• Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore (A great read and  study about the life of Jesus according to the book of Luke)

Full reviews are here at #14, 17, 19, 20 and 21.

So that is how it all shook out.  Some not finished but others added.  Started with 13 and ended up reading 13, albiet not all from the original list.   And I was in the midst of a very intense bible study to boot that had a TON of reading.  Not too shabby, I would say.  Thanks to Sandra for hosting this time around!