Kav's Best Reads

2025 Carol Award Finalists – Romance + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2025 finalists are books published in 2024. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.

Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 6 2025 at the ACFW Gala in Springfield, Missouri (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2025 —Romance Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.

A Healing Touch by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Revell – Editor: Andrea Doering – Giveaway options: US: choice of paperback or ebook, Canada: choice of ebook or audible edition, International: ebook with a US Kindle account.

Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus is the kind of doctor who still believes in house calls, addressing not just her patients’ physical needs but their emotional ones too. When newly widowed Bee faces a breast cancer diagnosis, Dok connects her with Fern Lapp for support. When her painfully shy assistant Annie finds herself drawn to a new calling, Dok goes to great lengths to help her achieve her dream. And when an abandoned newborn mysteriously appears at her office one frosty morning, Dok’s world takes an unexpected turn as ripples of change touch several lives.

A Healing Touch is a captivating tale of compassion, resilience, and the bonds that form in surprising places. Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you into a new story that’s like medicine for the weary soul. Join Dok, Annie, and the tight-knit Stoney Ridge community as they navigate the twists of fate, discovering that sometimes the greatest healing comes from the heart.

My Review: https://kavsbestreads.ca/2025/02/28/a-healing-touch/

The Heart of Sugarcreek by Serena B. Miller – Indie – Editor: Brenda Kallner – Giveaway options: US: ebook Canada: choice of paperback or ebook. International: ebook with a US Kindle account.

In the heart of Sugarcreek, Ohio, as an icy blizzard bears down on the rural community, four unlikely strangers seek refuge at Lydia Troyer’s Amish Inn on Christmas Eve.

As they spend a makeshift Christmas together, secrets unravel, hearts are laid bare, and the unyielding power of love begins to work its magic, weaving a tapestry of redemption and renewal that will forever alter their lives.

“The Heart of Sugarcreek” is a tale of loss and longing, forgiveness and faith, where the unlikeliest of companions find themselves on a journey of self-discovery and second chances in the enchanting embrace of Sugarcreek’s winter wonderland.

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner – Thomas Nelson Fiction (HarperCollins) – Editors: Leslie Peterson and Laura Wheeler – Giveaway options: US: paperback or ebook, Canada: paperback or ebook or audible, International: ebook with a US Kindle account.

Cole and Laila have been inseparable since they could crawl. And they’ve never thought about each other that way. Except for when they have. Rarely. Once in a while, sure. But seriously . . . hardly ever.

Cole Kimball and Laila Olivet have been best friends their entire lives. Cole is the only person (apart from blood relatives) who’s seen Laila in her oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses. Laila is always the first person to taste test any new dish Cole creates in his family’s restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener. Most importantly, Cole and Laila are always talking. About everything.

When Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather that shatters his world, staying in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, is suddenly unfathomable. But Laila loves her life in their small mountain town and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else. She loves serving customers who tip her with a dozen fresh eggs. She loves living within walking distance of all her favorite people. And she’s very much not okay with the idea of not being able to walk to her very favorite person.

Still, when Cole toys with moving across the country to New York City, she decides to support her best friend–even as she secretly hopes she can convince him to stay home. And not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. Because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Right?

They make a deal: Laila won’t beg him to stay, and Cole won’t try to convince her to come with him. They have one week in New York before their lives change forever, and all they have to do is enjoy their time together and pretend none of this is happening. But it’s tough to ignore the very inconvenient feelings blooming out of nowhere. In both of them. And these potentially friendship-destroying feelings, once out in the open, have absolutely no take-backs.

If When Harry Met Sally had a quippy literary love child with Gilmore Girls’ Luke and Lorelai, you’d get Cole and Laila. Just . . . don’t tell them that.

My Review: https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/06/04/cole-and-laila-are-just-friends-giveaway/

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 12 2025. REMEMBER TO CHECK EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH BOOK.

Conversations with Kav – Indie Summer Releases + Giveaway

I got to thinking that in all the Reader Choice Week flurry we don’t spend a lot of time looking at indie books. A few were mentioned last week, most by hybrid authors like Laura Frantz and Jody Hedlund, but I knew there must be more out there so I went on the hunt and came up with a few that caught my fancy. I’ve shared them below and I thought it would fun if today’s conversation could be about Indie Summer Releases – books releasing in July or August. Mention as many as you like, but highlight one that you would like to win in the giveaway. If your name is drawn, that will be the book you will receive.

The Start of my Indie Summer Reading List

Riding By Faith (Iron Grace Brotherhood #1) by Susan Lyda – motorcycle club of redeemed men who have a ministry to help people. Strong found family vibes. Sounds really different. Has anyone read this author before? Release Date: July 4

It’s been an age since I’ve read anything by Myra Johnson so this one caught my eye. A rancher and a widow with a young son, looks like the meet-cute is a rescue situation which always draws me in and leaves me in a puddle of swoons! Some complicated family dynamics too. Release Date: July 7

Jo Grafford’s name has come up a number of times in Bingo entries (looking at you, Tracey!) so this one caught my eye. Plus, the tagline says: “A cowboy allows a friend to arm-twist him into serving as a bodyguard to a princess in hiding.” Count me intrigued!

I have heard of Amy R. Anguish but I have never read any of her books…yet. This one is a Cinderella retelling, first in a new series and it has some clever twists. The heroine is an aspiring artist, her stepsister steals one of her drawings and passes it off as her own. The ball is replaced by a contest at an art gallery and the hero is the owner of the gallery and his last name is Prince. Right now it’s only listed as ebook but I’m hoping it will release in paperback as well. Release Date: July 22

The summer is the perfect time for a rom/com and this one looks fun. I’ve read Nicole Lam’s Love Inspired novel but haven’t tried any of her indie books. This one is a best friends to more trope which I love. The heroine makes a perfect boyfriend list and then sets about looking for The One while her best friend eggs her on with a dare. If she doesn’t find the guy in two month, she has to be his date to his sister’s wedding. Release Date: August 8

I got really excited when I found this one because I’ve read the first two books in this series and somehow lost track of it. And it’s set In Prince Edward Island! This one features a fake dating trope which is always fun. Can’t wait to see what the author does with it. Release Date: August 25

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Your turn! Are you anticipating an Indie Releases in July or August – Christian Fiction or Closed Door only please! Share some titles in a comment and indicate which one you would like to win if your name is drawn.

Giveaway Options: Canada and US: Paperback or ebook, International: ebook with a US Amazon kindle account.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 12 2005

July Giveaway – Week One

Winners will be contacted if they left their email address, otherwise it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca (please note it’s ca as in Canada, not com.) From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven’t been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so please, DON’T BE SHY — CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN’T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN’T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Sunday

Conversations with Kav – a place for us to chat about bookish topics if anyone is so inclined. Sometimes there will be giveaways, sometimes there won’t. It will just depend on the topic of the day. Hope to see you there! Otherwise my inner book nerd and I will carry on by ourselves. Bwahaha!

monday

2025 Carol Award Finalists – (Romance) I can’t believe it’s that time already but the finalists were just announced this week and the winners in each category will be announced on September 6 at the ACFW Conference Gala. Soooo exciting. This year especially because 40% of the finalists are indie authors! And most of the rest are from small publishing houses. Tons of new-to-me authors listed and books I’ve never even heard of.

So, while all that is exciting, I’ve discovered it can be a little be tricky when it comes to sourcing all editions of the books. I’ve noticed that small press books seem to carry hefty price tags in print format for a while now, but some of these were crazy! One 300 page book is $80 in Canada! And a $10 US book is $32 in Canada while another book was $7 here and $40 in the US. All kinds of crazy — so, all this to say pay particular attention to the giveaway options for each Carol Award Finalists title in the coming weeks. They will be listed in bold after the title/author/publishing info statement and will be divided by US, Canada and International.

For Duck’s Sake

Donna Andrews returns with her latest charming addition to the bestselling Meg Langslow mystery series.

Meg is in the backyard of the house her brother Rob, Delaney, and their new baby have moved into, supervising some workmen who are using a bulldozer to start digging out a duck pond. She wants to get away from her own house, which has become the staging site for Caerphilly’s first Mutt March, which will be held the next day. Meg thinks it will be more peaceful at Rob’s house–and it is until the bulldozers uncover a skeleton whose skull has a hole and a bullet rattling around inside.

Meanwhile, Chief Burke begins searching the police records to see if he can identify any missing persons who would fit the bill. He doesn’t turn down Meg’s offer to help with his identification efforts, and she begins looking in the library and talking to old-timers. She’s all the more eager to help because Iris Rafferty, who sold the house to Rob and Delaney and still lives in the mother-in-law suite, disappears the morning after the finding of the body… does her disappearance have anything to do with finding the body? Was it voluntary? Or was she kidnapped–possibly by the prowlers who are spotted lurking around the half-finished duck pond at night? Or do the prowlers have sinister designs on one or more of the dogs who will be marching in the parade?

Written with her classic cozy and investigative style, Donna Andrews is sure to delight in the latest in her Meg Langslow mystery series.

My Review:

Classic Donna Andrews brilliance! Full to brimming with characters who are charming and humorous and even exasperating! All backed by the cozy small town ambiance that has made Caerphilly my absolute favourite fictional setting ever! In fact, I reread (well, re-listen) to the whole series every year and each book is just as memorable and captivating as the first time I read it. This 37th Meg Langslow instalment is a perfect example of why.

Madcap mayhem and town hijinks, in this case the altruistic Mutt March’s bid to rehome countless numbers of dogs…who all need costumes for the parade. Of course. It’s absolute chaos at Meg’s house so she sets off on the relatively blissful pursuit of a cold case murder. What could go wrong? If Donna Andrews is writing the story, plenty! Bwahahaha!

I’m still giddy and grinning over all the shenanigans and plot twists galore. Still thrilling over getting to spend time with characters who have become as dear to me as my own family. I love watching the twins grow up while key older characters remain eternally ageless because they are so integral to the series – a bit of fictional magic that makes me so, so happy!

And the ultimate thrill is listening to Bernadette Dunne’s narration. Her performances highlight these characters perfectly and I get the feeling that she is relishing the story just as much as I am. Love the connection that brings to my listening experience. Highly recommend the audio editions for the entire series!

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Snowed in at Silver Lake + Giveaway

random retro read

Getting snowed in with a stranger is dangerous—especially for her heart.

Gracie Turner just broke up with her fiancé before Christmas, so after a severe snowstorm causes her car to skid off the road into the deadly waters of Silver Lake, she can’t help falling for her rugged, handsome rescuer. There’s only one problem. He’s a fugitive running from the law.

Barron Hart has a plan to bring his brother’s killers to justice, and it does not involve Gracie. But when the snowy winds batter the backwoods cabin he’s using as his hideout, he has no choice but to wait out the storm with the Sheriff’s daughter. Against her will. Although, if he’s being honest with himself, she’s the one holding his heart captive.

After their first explosive encounter, nothing will warm Gracie up… or stop the sparks flying between them. There are too many secrets keeping them apart. Barron is further dismayed when Gracie uncovers his tragic past. She has the faith to help him heal, but he’s not ready to give up his revenge. Will the mysteries that brought them together, now have the power to tear them apart?

My Review:

published in 2020

True confession: One of my bookish weaknesses is a heroine in peril rescued by a brooding, gruff hero. And once the cold weather hits, for some inexplicable reason, I crave a stranded in a snowstorm scenario. And, mercy, but does this novel ever deliver! Plus there’s a kinda bad boy vibe going on with our hero which brings an extra thrill.

Loved the tense opening scene, with Gracie trying to navigate her way along treacherous roads. Through a phone conversation with her sheriff father, we learn that not only are the roads practically impassable, but there’s a dangerous fugitive on the loose. Eeeepppp….cue a dramatic drumroll as Gracie’s car slides off the road and….well, then the fun really begins.

Great action scenes, multiple rescues and not only being snowed in for Christmas, but for a couple of weeks! Lots of time for Barron and Gracie to work through their uncertainties, gradually easing their relationship from wary strangers to something much more meaningful.

The author blends in some lovely inspirational themes as well, especially through Barron’s point of view as he struggles to make sense of a troubled past and his deep grief. The redemption of his brokenness brought extra depth to the story.

My first Stephanie Fowers novel, but it won’t be my last.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway! This is a holdover from last Christmas when we had a postal strike. I ended up just buying the book for the winner and this little beauty has been patiently waiting to find a new home. 🙂

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Snowed in at Silver Lake, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025.

These Blue Mountains + Giveaway

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel’s world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz’s name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz’s body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he’d left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer’s coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz’s fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she’ll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.

My Review:

Exquisite storytelling. Compelling plot. Unexpected twists. A fascinating bit of unknown (to me anyway) history. Add in a little bit of a mystery and a whole lot of emotion and the result is the kind of story that keeps a reader’s attention right to the very last word.

There are so many intricate nuances in Hedda and Garland’s individual personal histories that bring depth and even intrigue into their story. It’s a slow burn romance that highlights the resiliency and courage of the human heart.

And I love the way the author built on the regional history, even incorporating real life people into the plot. This is the kind of read that piqued my curiosity and led to many online forays which turned ‘These Blue Mountains’ into a truly immersive read for me. I even uncovered a documentary at my library that added so much to my ‘reading’ experience. (I kept looking for Hedda in the old photographs though!)

This was another audio book for me and I loved Pilar Witherspoon’s superb narration. Her capacity to create distinctive voices for a multitude of characters as well as delivering a myriad of emotions enriches the author’s storytelling and makes for an exceptionally satisfying ‘read’.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of These Blue Mountains, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025

July New Releases + Giveaway

Not only is it time to say ‘Hello July’ , it’s Canada’s birthday too! Woohoo! So, HAPPY CANADA DAY! Now onto the business of the day. 🙂

It’s a new Best Reads blog tradition! Celebrating the month’s new releases the first week of each month.

WHY?

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

HOW?

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the July 2025 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that July release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO:

ebook for anyone anywhere who has an Amazon.com kindle account

US – paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice

Canada -paperback or ebook (in form of an Amazon gift card) or audible.ca audio book (if available) – winner’s choice

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025.

2025 Carol Award Finalists – Novella + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 6 20245at the ACFW Gala in Springfield, Missouri (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2025 —Novella Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Downfall (from the Cornered novella collection) by Lynn H. Blackburn – Revell – Editors: Kelsey Bowen and Jessica English – Giveaway options: US: choice of paperback or ebook copy of the Cornered Novella Collection (Eason, Blackburn, Walters), Canada: ebook copy of Downfall only OR audible edition of the Cornered Novella Collection. International: ebook of the Cornered Novella Collection for US Kindle account.

When their lives hang in the balance, they’ll have to rethink the meaning of following their dreams.

All Cassie Quinn has ever wanted is to run her own restaurant. She left home to pursue her dream, but circumstances beyond her control destroyed it, and she returned to Gossamer Falls to regroup. When she’s given an offer she can’t refuse–to fill in as chef at a fine dining restaurant for the social elite–she jumps at the chance to restore her reputation.

But when the kitchen is destroyed, it becomes clear that Cassie is in danger. She’s forced to accept the help of her ex-boyfriend, Officer Donovan Bledsoe, to find the culprit and secure her safety. Donovan’s primary mission is to keep her safe. His secondary mission is to win her back.

Escape the web of deceptive criminals in this fast-paced romantic suspense novella with themes of cooking and culinary expertise, hometown reunion, and second chance romance.

My Review: https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/11/25/cornered-giveaway/

Jingle Bell Matchmakers (from ‘A Match Made at Christmas’) by Lori DeJong – Scrivenings Press – Editors: Linda Fulkerson and Elena Hill – Giveaway options: US: ebook only, Canada: choice of paperback or ebook, International: ebook with a US Kindle account.

When country music star Aubrey Mayfield is lured home after years away, she’s bewildered when she and ex-fiance-now-widowed-dad Cody Lansdale keep finding themselves in the same place at the same time. As they become reacquainted, however, old feelings stir. Aubrey’s at a crossroads in her career and is contemplating a change. But when a chance at headlining her own tour takes her back to Nashville, Cody realizes her dreams may once again come between them. Unless God, with a little help from the Jingle Bell Committee, has a better plan.

Sleigh Bells and Stalkers (from the ‘Christmas in Nutfield’ Collection) by Robin Patchen – Indie – Editors: Ray Rhamey and Pegg Thomas. – Giveaway options: US and Canada: choice of paperback or ebook. International: ebook with a US Amazon Kindle account.

Threats lurk in the shadows this Christmas season.

It was strange enough when a woman Daniel Nolan had taken on one date suddenly showed up everywhere he went, but when he discovered her in his college apartment, he knew he had to go to the police—who did little but snicker when he made his report. Headed home to Nutfield for Christmas break, Daniel decides not to tell his police-detective father. The last thing he wants is for Dad to think he’s scared of a girl. Which he’s not, of course. He just wants her to leave him alone. He’s looking forward to a fun, relaxing, and stalker-free holiday at home with his family.

After Mom abandoned the family—and with Dad away so often on business—Star Brightwell stepped into the role of cook, cleaner, and babysitter to five younger siblings. On top of that, she’s stuck with organizing the live nativity—which used to be Mom’s job—at the annual Christmas festival. Star can’t let the program be canceled. It would devastate her siblings to lose this tradition, especially after Mom’s betrayal. Between her ornery brothers and sisters, her job, and now the nativity, she’s alone and overwhelmed and can’t wait for the season to be over. That is until her older brother’s handsome best friend, Daniel, offers to help. She’s gotten over her longtime crush. Now, she’s just happy for the extra set of hands.

But Daniel’s stalker has followed him to Nutfield, and she doesn’t take kindly to the pretty girl who’s caught his eye. Determined to reclaim Daniel’s attention, the stalker sets her sights on the woman who stands in her way.

A best-friend’s-sister romance and a stalker suspense wrapped up with a sparkly Christmas bow.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH BOOK.

Reader’s Choice Week Summer 2025 Winners

This week was sooooo much fun! Thanks to everyone for contributing to my drastically overgrown wishlist…I think 🙂 We have a lot of reading ahead of us! Woohoo!

Time to indulge my inner stats nerd (who knew she was lurking inside of me for all these years?!) I tallied all the books mentioned on the 3 specific genre days and came up with the popular pick for each one and here they are:

HISTORICAL POPULAR PICK

WON BY DIANE F.

CONTEMPORARY POPULAR PICK

WON BY JOLENE

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE POPULAR PICK

WON BY CINDY DAVIS

And now for the rest of this Reader’s Week winners!

But wait, it’s not over yet. The Vanity category has become a blog tradition. It’s where a book is actually judged by its cover and I choose my favourite cover art per genre and then draw from a pool of readers who requested that title. Here are COVER LOVE winners!

HISTORICAL COVER LOVE

WON BY KAY GARRETT

I think this is such a pretty Christmassy cover! The pop of read in her clothes, the stars in the background and the light from the lantern leading the way. Perfect anticipatory ambiance.

CONTEMPORARY COVER LOVE

WON BY SYLVIA MILLER

I might be biased because of the world ‘Irish’ on the cover but there’s also a castle! And a moody sky. And Celtic knots. And the lure of an Irish setting. Cannot resist!

MYSTERY/SUSPENSE COVER LOVE

WON BY KCRHOADES

I’m surprised I like this cover so much. It’s stark, plain even, but the way the words pop out against the atmospheric background totally captivates me.

WAIT! Don’t go away ’cause we’re not through yet. We have another Reader’s Choice tradition of picking a random number which becomes a ‘just because giveaway’ on the genre specific days. If that doesn’t make sense, all you need to know is that it means more book giveaways. Woohoo! This time the number is 75.

And let’s not forget our Conversations with Kav Winner!

WON BY ELIZABETH LITTON

That’s another RC wrap up. I’ll send winners an email stating their book win, publication date and requesting contact info so that I’ll have everything ready for release day. Then I’ll email you once again once the book has been ordered. Oh — and if you didn’t include your email in your comment it’s up to you to contact me.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

I’m computer cross-eyed after this week plus it’s Canada Day weekend (official day is Tuesday but some of us are getting festive early!) so there won’t be any conversationing tomorrow but the rest of the week looks like this (without the graphics because eyes are soooo tired.)

Monday June 30 – Carol Awards – novellas

Tuesday July 1 – Happy Canada Day and Hello July – time to check your updated lists for a July release to enter in the giveaway!

Wednesday July 2 – These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Thursday July 3 – the official start to Christmas in July at Best Reads. At least one Christmas book will be featured every week and one every day between July 21 – 25. This week it’s Snowed in at Silver Lake by Stephanie Fowers.

Friday July 4 – Happy Fourth of July! – For Duke’s Sake by Donna Andrews – 37th Meg Langslow mystery!!!!!

Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Summer 2025 Edition – Goal Reviews

Quarterly reading goal reviews have become a Best Reads Blog tradition. I’ll share my progress (or not!) here just for some fun, book nerdy stats and, if you’re so inclined, you can share a goal or two in the comments. But no pressure – a goal can be as simple as ‘read a book.’

So, to enter this giveaway, just share anything goal related in the comments. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal. So it looks like this:

“I want to catch up on some suspense series. Night Prey by Susan Sleeman.”

NOTE: BOOKS MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION

You can enter up to three times in three separate comments — and you can use the same goal or a different one each time, but a different title for each entry.

Books can be published any time up through to September 2025. Currently published books will be ordered this coming week for winners, otherwise it will be an IOU for a title releasing later.

See? Easy Peasy. But if you’re still not clear, don’t be shy about asking questions.

So, half way through the year and this is how my goals are shaping up.

Overall not too bad. I’m on track to reach my Good Reads number goal and I managed to increase the number of indie books by a wee bit, still aiming for more though. Here’s what I’m going to concentrate on during the third quarter:

Even more Indie Books!
Look for Diversity in authors, characters, settings
Concentrate on my 3 Read to Zero authors and hopefully catch up with two of them – Hannah Linder and Irene Hannon. Sarah M. Eden is going to take a ten year plan. 🙂
Get more strategic with the series I want to complete. I’ve been doing this haphazardly and some of the series I really want to finish are getting overlooked.

Okay, that’s enough nerdy stats stuff. Let’s get on with the giveaway!

Share below and remember to include a book title that will help you achieve any kind of reading goal. You can enter three times in three separate comments using the same goal or different ones. What ever strikes your fancy. Just make sure each entry is for a different title.

DRAW WILL BE HELD AND WINNER ANNOUNCED ON

Saturday June 28 2025

OFFER OPEN TO ANY READER WHO HAS A US KINDLE .COM ACCOUNT FOR EBOOKS. OTHERWISE IT’S WINNER’S CHOICE OF PAPERBACK OR EBOOK FOR US AND CANADIAN ENTRIES.