Christian Fiction Devourers discussion

Hello fellow lovers of challenges!

This thread is for anyone who wants to share how they're doing so far with the challenges you are participating in.

Any surprises? Favorites?

I've been surprised that I love Through the Decades and Bingo the most! I'm also enjoying Grab Bag but am late getting started and will have some catching up to do in February.

Crystal wrote: "I've been surprised that I love Through the Decades and Bingo the most! I'm also enjoying Grab Bag but am late getting started and will have some catching up to do in February."

I'm enjoying Through the Decades too! I'm finding a number of options on bookshelves or Kindle so far. :-)

really enjoying the Bingo and the Let's Bake challenge!

I'm enjoying the monthly challenge, monthly author challenge, and cover hunt challenge. I was surprised on the new authors I found in January. And also see how these can fit into my complete the series challenge. I enjoy checking out all the other challenges for ideas and future TBR additions. Also the Numbered, Singularity, and Keeping it Proper sounded interesting so I'm in for them too.

I'm enjoying aligning my book selections for our monthly challenges with the other challenges I'm working on (several annual ones, Find a New Author, CFD Bingo, Most Anticipated Lists, Interactive Rainbow Covers & Grab Bag). I've been surprised by how many books I've found already for Singularity, Keeping it Proper, Going Colonial, European Tour and 50 states.

My favorites are New Authors, Completed Series and 50 states. As of today I have 12 new authors, 1 completed series, and I've already read books set in 17 states and DC.

I'm also looking forward to Make a STATEment. I've been surprised at how many books I've discovered that are set in Arkansas to include finding one set in the small town where we've looked at property.

I really like the genre match and how we switched the author match to the same format. I also enjoy the Grab Bag challenge a lot. I read quite a few books in January and hope that I can keep going with the momentum I have. It's been fun. I can also proudly say that my preference has indeed changed from mostly audio to mostly ebook and print.

I like all the challenges I signed up for: Let’s Bake, Genre Match, Monthly, and complete series.

I really enjoy watching the interactive rainbow, but not enough bandwidth to actually join in.

Missy, if you ever feel like trying the interactive rainbow during the course of the game, please don't hesitate to jump right on in. :)

Hannah Beth wrote: "really enjoying the Bingo and the Let's Bake challenge!"

Awesome Hannah!

Sherri wrote: "I'm enjoying the monthly challenge, monthly author challenge, and cover hunt challenge. I was surprised on the new authors I found in January. And also see how these can fit into my complete the se..."

Glad you've been pleasantly surprised with the number of new to you authors. We are only a month into the year and good things already.

Karen wrote: "I'm enjoying aligning my book selections for our monthly challenges with the other challenges I'm working on (several annual ones, Find a New Author, CFD Bingo, Most Anticipated Lists, Interactive ..."

Oh wow...17 states already. That's amazing. And finding reads in your possible future home town. Score!

Simone wrote: "I really like the genre match and how we switched the author match to the same format. I also enjoy the Grab Bag challenge a lot. I read quite a few books in January and hope that I can keep going ..."

Fun is what it should be, right?! I love the change with author of the month as well.

MissyTexas wrote: "I like all the challenges I signed up for: Let’s Bake, Genre Match, Monthly, and complete series.

I really enjoy watching the interactive rainbow, but not enough bandwidth to actually join in."

I hear you on bandwidth. Glad you are enjoying the challenges you selected.

My biggest takeaway so far is that I LOVE the 50 states challenge as an annual challenge. I was the annual challenge year after year but never participated until it was broken up by month, quarter or semi-annual. Now that I like the annual approach so much more. No more holding on to the DE or CT book until it's the right month. LOL.

Staci wrote: "My biggest takeaway so far is that I LOVE the 50 states challenge as an annual challenge. I was the annual challenge year after year but never participated until it was broken up by month, quarter ..."

Yes! It’s so much easier to be able to read regularly and discover the states as you go instead of being stuck at end of year with 24 states still unread!

I already have 24 states found and should be in good shape to finish earlier this year.

I'm glad everyone's enjoying the year-long U.S. States challenge. I loved finding different ways of grouping the states, but it seems like the novelty ran its course.

I have really been enjoying the Through the Decades, Bingo, and Cover challenges. I also have enjoyed hunting for the Baking words, though it has distracted me from the plot sometimes, so I'm glad it's not all year long. I have made decent progress on Going Colonial, Make a STATEment, and 50 States. I always have plenty of audiobooks, childrens, and nonfiction, and I'm almost halfway done A-Z Titles. Of three new challenges that I'm trying out, I have already found plenty for Keeping it Proper, but none yet for Singularity or Numbered. It's been fun so far!

We're nearing the end of February. If anyone wants to post about how challenges are going, here's the thread for it.

I chose a book in February that was 544 pages, and fell behind in some of the challenges, because I haven't had as much time to read as I'd hoped. It was a 5 star read and deeply impacted me, so I'm so glad I read it even though it put me a bit behind!
Hoping to finish a few more books in Janette Okes Love Comes Softly series, since shes my author for Find A New Author. Also hoping to be able to call a few more BINGO's in March, complete the last book I'll do for Interactive Rainbow, and catch up on Grab Bag (really loving participating in that). Would really love to see BINGO make it's way back for some type of holiday edition in the last quarter this year! :)

How'd you do in the first quarter? Any specific plans for the next several months?

I haven't made as much of a dent in the Finish the Series challenge as I'd like, but I'm trying to focus on that a bit more in the next quarter. Really enjoying Through the Decades, Cover Search, the States and Grab Bag. Feeling like I need to get more intentional early on about the annual challenges. And have really enjoyed BINGO as well as the New Author Challenge. Happy with how the first quarter of reading has gone. I've read some really great books this year so far!

Of the 4 annual challenges I'm working on for 2025, I'm definitely doing better in some than in others. I've only got 3 series completed thus far, and no new releases finished. However, I've read 8 for 'keeping it proper', and have 17 states 'found' for that challenge!

I love the random-pick format of the author match! It was a great idea to change it to match the genre match format! I'm having fun with both of those. I also appreciate that you share the numbers for those picks a bit early each month, so we can plan our reading for the month and check the libraries for availability.
The Grab Bag is another challenge I enjoy. I like the prompts. It helps me choose books I might not pick up otherwise (yet).

thanks for the feedback, Simone!

I'm also enjoying the random author match and releasing the picks early enough to get library reads. It's neat you set out at the beginning of the year those you want to read but have a little surprise each month. I always enjoy the Cover Search. My struggle is the Singularity and not because of finding selections, it's just other reads seem to have taken precedence.

I'm doing great with the ABC/123 challenge. This is my first year for it, and I'm surprised at how quickly I filled in the letters. I only have Z left for titles and 6 letters left for authors.

I'm doing well on the state challenge. I have over 20 states and I have a good idea which books I will use for the remaining ones.

For the European Tour, the majority of my books so far take place in the UK, which is not much of a surprise to me. I mainly joined the challenge to see which other countries I read about. I'll do good to have over 5 countries.

I haven't done too much in the Going Colonial and Make A STATEment challenges. I plan to focus more on them later in the year.

Overall, I'm enjoying all the challenges, and I like the variety.

Crystal wrote: "I haven't made as much of a dent in the Finish the Series challenge as I'd like, but I'm trying to focus on that a bit more in the next quarter. Really enjoying Through the Decades, Cover Search, t..."

Love it Crystal! And I'm with you on the Finish the Series challenge. I'm better at starting them than finishing them.

Kate wrote: "Of the 4 annual challenges I'm working on for 2025, I'm definitely doing better in some than in others. I've only got 3 series completed thus far, and no new releases finished. However, I've read 8..."

Score on Keeping it Proper and States Challenges!

Simone wrote: "I love the random-pick format of the author match! It was a great idea to change it to match the genre match format! I'm having fun with both of those. I also appreciate that you share the numbers ..."

I also love the random selection option for authors and genre this year.

Sherri wrote: "I'm also enjoying the random author match and releasing the picks early enough to get library reads. It's neat you set out at the beginning of the year those you want to read but have a little surp..."

It is a nice bit of surprise each month, isn't it?!

Michelle wrote: "I'm doing great with the ABC/123 challenge. This is my first year for it, and I'm surprised at how quickly I filled in the letters. I only have Z left for titles and 6 letters left for authors.

I'..."

You are off to an amazing start Michelle! Best wishes throughout the rest of the year.

I've enjoyed "visiting" 10 European countries (The United Kingdom several times), spent quite awhile going back in time through the 1910's - 1930's, and also enjoyed traveling to 16 states! I am really enoying ALL of my travels.

I also love the random selection for authors and genres this year. I'm doing better with Through the Decades this year.

I really enjoyed the Bingo and Find a New Author quarterly challenges. I completed 8 Bingo cards and found 35 NTM authors already this year. I've also read books set in 30 states and DC already.

I'm really enjoying the Most Anticipated Lists challenge. My choices for it are helping with many other challenges.

Many thanks to Staci, Andrea and Kate for a great selection of challenges this year.

Sounds like BINGO is a fan favorite. I'm making notes in my challenges file. Thanks for the feedback!

I'm doing alright with must of my challenges. Though I haven't been doing so great on the decade challenge.

I've really enjoyed the Bingo and the author match. I have been in a slump for the past few months so it has been hard, but I seriously do appreciate all the work you all put into these challenges. it makes it so fun!

Loving the Let’s Bake! 28 books, 28 items found.

I need to update.

Love hearing this, gals! Glad you're enjoying the challenges.

Now's the time to check in on challenges if you'd like.

The only challenge starting to surface to the forefront for me is the state challenge. I thought I was doing pretty good until I looked at how many states I have remaining: 24

Seven months to read books set in the following:
AR, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, ND, NE, NV, NH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI

Staci wrote: "Now's the time to check in on challenges if you'd like."

I have quite a few on the States Challenge as well! Trying to focus on catching up on that one, as well as Grab Bag and Numbered. For numbered I'd really like to find books at least 1-12 and then whatever others I've found. We'll see how it goes! Cant believe we're almost mid-year. I've not knocked out nearly as much as I thought I'd have by this point.

Completed one. Updated list.

Seven months to read books set in the following:
AR, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, ND, NE, NV, NH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, WA, WV, WI

The challenge on the forefront for me the last few months is the Most Anticipated Lists challenge. Between it and our monthly challenges I have already gotten 32 in the States Challenge and 46 New Authors.

Since that challenge ends at the end of the month, I plan to focus on the Completed Series, ABC/123, Numbered, Singularity, and Make a STATEment. I need to update all of those, so not sure where I stand.

I'm also really enjoying the Grab Bag challenge. I'm about to finish my 6th tower for Tower of Publication. I need to update the Fruit of the Vine challenge, not sure how I did. I'm also wrapping up the Cover Search challenge - looks like I'm going to get them all for the first time. I really liked the idea of the Build a House challenge but most of my reads lately don't have objects for a house on the cover (mostly people & landscapes).

Staci wrote: "Completed one. Updated list.

Seven months to read books set in the following:
AR, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, ND, NE, NV, NH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, WA, WV, WI"

Staci - let me know if you want recommendations for any of the states. I only have 18 left but have books identified for each of them.

Ooh awesome Karen! I will definitely do that as we get closer to the end of the year. Still hoping for some states to organically work out, but we'll see. :-)

One more completed. :-)

Remaining:
AR, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, ND, NE, NV, NH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, WA, WV

Great job!

Staci wrote: "One more completed. :-)

Remaining:
AR, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, ND, NE, NV, NH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, WA, WV"

Staci, if you needed any ideas...
I finished in the Dakota Territory which is essentially ND and currently reading the final of Regina Jennings series Fort Reno which takes place at Fort Reno, OK