Week in Review #46

Bible reading

NASB 95

• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• Isaiah 1-6

NASB 77

• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra 
• Nehemiah
• Esther

KJV 

• Psalms 44-79
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings 1-16

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

74. The Christmas Book Flood

74. The Christmas Book Flood. Roseanna M. White. 2025. 175 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical romance, holiday romance, Christian fiction]

First sentence: The ringing of the phone quite possibly kept Tatiana Eliasdottir from getting sacked. Its shrill cry brought her jumping to her feet, and a startled look at the clock on the wall showed her that had the phone not pulled her from the sentence half written on the paper in the typewriter, she would no doubt have been late to her job.

Premise/plot: The Christmas Book Flood is set in Iceland during the Second World War, 1944, I believe.

Tatiana Eliasdottir, our heroine, is secretly a published author writing under a false name. Her editor does not know her real name or gender. But she knows him a bit better because of their correspondence AND the fact that she works in the same office. Anders Johannsson, our hero, is an editor and an artist. He fears that his family does not accept his life choices--he's not in the family business, after all. 

When Tatiana's niece comes to spend the holidays AND this visit comes at a particularly busy time--a CHRISTMAS BOOK FLOOD, there are several in the office that help 'babysit' her while she's in the office...including Anders. As they begin to spend time together outside of the office it becomes clear that love is in the air....

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. It is a novella. I prefer full-length novels because it allows for more character development and more romance development. But it was an enjoyable Christmas-y read. 

Quotes:

But nothing she saw in the sparsely shops looked right for Anders. Nothing said, I know you and want to know you more. Nothing said, I want this to be the beginning of forever.

She'd been falling in love with him step by step, letter by letter this past year, after admiring him for years before that but deeming him unknowable.

She was, without question, the only woman ever to touch his heart in a way that made him dream of forever by her side. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review #45

Bible reading

NASB 95 (Bible in 90 Days plan, YouVersion, audio)

• 2 Kings 16-25
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther
• Job

HCSB 

• John 
• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

KJV

• Numbers 9-36
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Psalms 9-43

NASB 77

• Joshua 9-24
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

14. HCSB The Minister's Bible

The Minister's Bible. Holman Christian Standard Bible. (HCSB). 2010. 1806 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, Bible review]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Start date: August 27, 2025

End date: November 4, 2025

The Holman Christian Standard Bible is no longer in print. It has been replaced with the Christian Standard Bible. Unfortunately. I found this one at a thrift shop at a great price. It is single column, black letter. It is genuine leather. 

I appreciated the quality of this one--particularly for the price I thrifted it. While single column is not my favorite or best, this one was for the most readable--I speak in personal terms for my vision. 

It had been YEARS since I read in the HCSB. I remembered why I enjoyed it. I do wish it had never been "updated" and replaced with the CSB. 

Since this is a translation readers may not be familiar with, I thought I'd share some passages.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.

Psalm 100

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Acknowledge that Yahweh is God.
He made us, and we are His —
His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal;
His faithfulness endures through all generations.

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
All things were created through Him,
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
Life was in Him,
and that life was the light of men.
That light shines in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome it.

John 3:16-21

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.

“This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

John 14:1-6

“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.”

“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review #44

Bible reading

NASB 95 (Bible in 90 Days Plan, YouVersion, Audio)

• Judges 6-21
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings 1-15

HCSB

• Jeremiah 32-52
• Lamentations
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Ezekiel
• Zechariah
• Malachi
• Daniel
• Hosea
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

KJV

• Genesis 12-50
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers 1-8
• Psalms 1-8

NASB 77

• Numbers 
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua 1-8

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

73. On a Midnight Clear

73. On a Midnight Clear. Karen Witemeyer. Tracie Peterson. Misty M. Beller. 2025. 304 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, novella, Christmas novellas, christian fiction, christian romance]

There are three novellas in ON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. All are historical fiction, historical romances. Tracie Peterson's novella is The Shepherd's Heart. Misty M. Beller's novella is No Room at the Inn. Karen Witemeyer's novella is A Star in the West.

A Star in the West is set in Waco, Texas, circa 1890. 

First sentence: THREE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST TO ARRIVE TOMORROW. The headline caught Stella Barrington's eye as she cleaned up her father's breakfast dishes.

I'll start by reviewing my stand-out favorite, favorite of the three. I adored Karen Witemeyer's A Star in the West despite it being about math and/or science. Professor Ignatius Barrington, has invited the three professors to Baylor University for a conference of sorts. Stella Barrington, our heroine, has been corresponding with a young man, a professor, Frank N. Stentz. The two have become friendly-friends. Neither is absolutely certain how the other feels. She has all the feels for him; he has all the feels for her. But they've not had that conversation, that vulnerable I like-like you, do you like-like me conversation. Now the two will be meeting in person for the first time. Will he want to pursue a relationship? Will he not? And conversely, he is thinking will she want a relationship with me...what if she rejects me...etc. Over a short span of time, these two make a connection...but will it be enough for a proposal. 

I underlined (this was a digital library read) so many places in this one!!!! SUCH a great, sweet story. I loved it. 

I would rate this story easily a five stars.

Quotes from A Star In The West

Writing a man who lived a thousand miles away had seemed safe enough. The two of them would never meet. He worked at Harvard, for pity's sake. She had nothing to fear in striking up a friendship. And when the letters had become more personal? Well, it was like living in her very own novel. A place where she could pretend to be beautiful and clever, the type of woman to engage the interest of a scholarly gentleman. A gentleman she'd come to respect and esteem. Perhaps even love. 

Besides, God had arranged her features the way he'd seen fit, and she'd not argue with the Creator over his artistic inclinations. He hadn't given her beauty, but he'd given her other blessings--ones she wouldn't trade even if offered the choice. A loving home, a supportive faith community, a passion for learning, and an empathy for others struggling to find their way. Things that carried lasting value. 

Her insinuation made his jaw clench. He looked her straight in the eye and refused to let his nervousness divert his gaze again. "You're right. There is a reason you haven't yet had a suitor. Because until today, I was in Massachusetts. I apologize for my tardiness." Now it was her turn to blink. Once. Twice. Three times. "You're in earnest?" He nodded. Then, just to ensure there was no misunderstanding, he added words. "I am." 

"Don't let fear steal your chance for happiness, Miss Barrington," Annabelle whispered. "If God can make a path through the Red Sea, he can clear a way through whatever obstacles stand in front of you, too. So don't go running back to Egypt just yet."

It reminded me that holding tight to something just because it's familiar isn't always as safe or good as one might think. Sometimes we have to try something new to discover blessings only God can see.

No Room At The Inn is set in Nebraska territory (Wyoming) circa 1861. 

First sentence: Hope Palmer slid her knife through the last of the dried apple pieces, letting them drop the bowl on the table in front of her. 

Hope Palmer and her brother run an inn for the stage coach. A storm brings them unexpected guests for the holidays. One of whom is Noah Bentwood. The other is a young lady he is accompanying--having been hired by her father. She falls for him. He knows he's about to leave with little reason to return. But he does find her charming, etc. During their few days together will love develop. 

This was my least favorite of the story. I felt that while there was some character development, it was a minimum of character development. Most of the story is about a 'missing' heirloom--a knife--that she plans to gift her brother. The plot is so thin and uninteresting. I also found myself doing a lot of overthinking. She is a baker--in the west, not really close to civilization as such. I'm fairly certain railroads had not gotten through that far yet. Though I could be wrong. Things come by stage coach. Hence the stage coach inn. Yet she is reckless with her baking--sugar, chocolate, spices, etc., In my opinion. Perhaps I've just read other pioneer stories where sugar is almost hoarded for extremely special occasions. It was an okay read. I liked the romance well enough. 

I would rate this one three stars.

The Shepherd's Heart is set in Nebraska circa 1875.

First sentence: For a moment that dawn, everything seemed completely perfect.

Angellyn Lewis (aka Angel) was jilted on her wedding day, or perhaps the night before her wedding. One or the other. Yet she feels like she's heard a voice from above telling her she'll have a husband by Christmas. It's September. Visiting with a close family friend, she learns of a former childhood friend, recently widowed, who's looking for a woman to marry to help him raise his children. She has very fond feelings of their friendship, and so she agrees. He lives in Wyoming so off she goes to be his bride. Will these two who marry for convenience fall truly in love with each other? 

I tend to love marriage of convenience stories. This one was fun. I DO personally wish it had been a full length novel. I do feel it was a bit rushed. I think with a bit more time--and less rushing--it would have easily been a five stars. I really found myself liking both Angel and Vincent (Duran). I just felt that they went from being awkward friends to not being able to keep their hands off each other. One page it was, she'd get the bedroom and he'd sleep in the barn. And then the next chapter they're in bed together. I kept looking for what I'd missed. Maybe I did truly miss something. But I thought it was good. 

I enjoyed two out of the three stories very much. I would definitely reread The Shepherd's Heart and A Star in the West. I was not as fond of No Room at the Inn. But I didn't dislike it enough to regret my time. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review #43

Bible reading

NASB 95 Bible in 90 Days Plan

• Genesis 29-50
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers 
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges 1-5

HCSB

• Proverbs 4-31
• Ecclesiastes
• Isaiah 32-66
• Jeremiah 1-31
• Acts

NIV 84 (this will be the last week, I'm stopping this read through)

• 2 Samuel 22-24
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• John 7-21
• Acts 1-11

KJV New Scofield Study Bible

• Psalms 46-150
• Proverbs
• Mark 
• Hebrews
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• 1 Peter 
• 2 Peter
• John
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

NASB 77 (Inductive Study Bible)

• Genesis 
• Exodus
• Leviticus

KJV 435E1B Paragraph Bible

• Genesis 1-11
• Job

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible