Posted on by Jacquie Biggar

#BookReview- Week 1 #GoodReads #ReadingChallenge @AHarmon_Author and Janet Dailey


Goodreads 2021 Reading Challenge Begins!

I decided to go with a conservative number for this year’s Goodreads Reading Challenge, and if I do well, I can always up my pledge 🙂

Do you participate in the reading challenge? Do you aim high, or lean toward safe instead of sorry?

Instead of posting reviews for each book, I’m going to change over to the once a week format and see how it goes. Click the book cover to go to Amazon for more information on the titles.

First is The Song of David by Amy Harmon

Second in The Law of Moses series, The Song of David is the story of MMA fighter, David (Tag) Taggert, an adrenaline junkie who lives for his time in the ring.

That is until he meets Millie.

Millie Anderson wasn’t born blind, but it’s all she remembers. After her father walked away from the family and her mother passed away, Millie is left to raise her younger brother, Henry, a sensitive young teen on the autism spectrum. Millie takes a job as a pole dancer in a local bar owned by Tag, and so their relationship begins.

The story opens with the disappearance of Tag. Frightened, Millie calls his best friend, Moses (from The Law of Moses) and they find a box of cassettes Tag created for Millie- a journal of their relationship and his growing love for the Anderson Siblings.

I’d never met anyone like her, yet I felt like I’d known her forever. And since the moment I’d looked down into her face and felt that jolt of ode-to-joy-and-holy-shit, I’d been falling, falling, falling…

The Song of David- Amy Harmon

Just when Tag is about to declare his feelings, a crisis occurs that turns his world upside down. Knowing Millie’s caring nature, he decides it’s best if he disappears from her life before he hurts her.

Talking to God felt a little like having a conversation with myself, the inner me. I’d always believed God created that inner me, so talking to him was a bit like having a heart to heart with myself. No, I don’t have a God complex. I just think most people make too big a deal about God, fighting wars to defend him or staging protests to deny him. He just seems like a good guy to me. I like talking to him.

The Song of David- Amy Harmon

There are so many magical moments in this book; such as when David takes Millie to listen to the Tabernacle Choir and the simple joy of flying kites. She teaches him to slow down and listen, really listen.

You can’t see a song. You feel a song, you hear a song, you move to it. Just like I can’t see you, but I feel you, and I move toward you. When you’re with me, I feel like I glimpse a David nobody else knows is there. It’s the Song of David, and nobody else can hear it but me.”

The Song of David- Amy Harmon

The POV told through the cassette tapes is both intimate and heart-wrenching. There’s moments when I couldn’t go on because it was just too hard. Yes, this book is that good.

Amy Harmon is truly a must-read author. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

It’s a Christmas Thing by Janet Dailey

When veterinarian Rush Rushford gets a call to Judge Tracy’s house to care for a stray cat she found, who turns out to be pregnant, he is captivated by the beautiful woman.

Tracy is recovering from the death of her husband and isn’t looking for a relationship, but has to admit the vet is a handsome man.

Rush is carrying heavy burdens of his own. His wife divorced him and to add salt to the wound, informed him his daughter is actually another man’s offspring. When he’s given the chance to care for Clara over the holidays, he jumps at the chance.

Soon, the three become inseparable, but the dark cloud of Clare’s mother’s return and Tracy’s loss hang over the happy group.

Will a holiday miracle occur?

I’m a long-time fan of Janet Dailey. Her Calder series are some of my most-read books and hold a place of honor on my library shelf.

This is a sweet holiday story that will make you believe in HEA’s and features a beautiful old dog, Bucket, that will melt your heart.

Two wonderful reads to start out the year. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

24 Replies to “#BookReview- Week 1 #GoodReads #ReadingChallenge @AHarmon_Author and Janet Dailey”

  5. Oh, I remember the Calder series fondly!
    These were great reviews, Jacquie. I stick with a once a week schedule for book reviews too. I think it works out well.

    I’ve been doing the GR challenge every year since 2012. I’ve met my goals about half of the time. This past year I missed it by five books (reading 65 instead of the 70 I’d planned). I bumped it back to 60 books for 2021, so I guess I’m going for a safety net, LOL!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ooh, another Calder series fan, yay! I pushed those books on all my friends and family I loved them so much, lol.
      Yes, I missed out on my challenge a couple of years ago and it bothered me, so I go conservatively now 🙂

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  6. Hi, Jacquie – I am a Goodreads Fan, but I don’t personally take part in GR Reading Challenges or set a number of books for myself to read. I love to linger with a good book and read and reread passages, and whole chapters over and over! I also love to spend time looking up questions that books have posed for me, fun facts and trivia. I am currently doing this with Wuthering Heights.
    I am also in 5 Book Clubs – so I guess that’s my challenge. 😀
    Thank you for this review — I look forward to reading more!
    I’m very glad that I found your blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love that you totally immerse yourself in the stories you choose to read! Kindle allows me to highlight favorite passages and it’s one of the best features. That way I can easily go back and reread sections that resonated with me.
      I’m not in any book clubs, I’d find THAT a challenge, lol.
      Enjoy your reading!

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  8. Nice reviews Jacquie!
    I don’t take Goodreads book challenge, which sounds an unnecessary pressure but last year I have read 128 books, may be because of ‘shelter at home!’ 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Jacquie, you’ve sold me on Amy Harmon and off ot check out this book! 😀 Enjoy your reading challenge this year … I’ve been hooked for a few years and enjoy my report card at the end of every December!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Both of these books sounds really lovely, Jacquie. I have gone with 40 books on Roberta Writes and 50 on Robbie’s Inspiration for this year’s Goodreads challenge. I read 100 last year but I am planning to read more literary fiction and classic books on RW this year.

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