Category: Book Club

Book, Book Club, faith, reading, Review

February Book Club Pick: The Crown Conspiracy Review

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Our February Book Club pick was The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann and oh my goodness… I absolutely loved this book.

If you enjoy stories that feel like Mission Impossible meets James Bond, but woven with threads of faith and purpose, this one will grab you from the start. It was action packed, fast paced, and nearly impossible to put down.

In fact, I started by reading just a few chapters at a time… but once I reached about a quarter of the way through, I ended up devouring the entire book in one sitting. It was that good.

What I Loved

One of my favorite elements was the Speranza women’s team. The strength, loyalty, and sisterhood between these women was powerful and inspiring. It makes you reflect on the beauty of strong, faith filled friendships and honestly, it made me want to start a secret sisterhood like that in real life…Anyone else?

I also appreciated how the storylines wove together. There were moments when plot lines crossed in surprising ways, keeping the suspense high and the tension building. The pacing was strong, and the stakes felt real.

And I especially loved how faith was woven throughout the story. It wasn’t heavy handed but it was present. God’s guidance, trust in uncertain moments, and leaning into courage during danger added a deeper layer to the action.

A Few Things I Would Have Loved to See

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were a couple of areas where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity.

I would have loved if the author had circled back more clearly to the first chapter bridging that opening moment with the events that followed in a stronger way.

And when the big reveal came at the end, I personally felt like a few threads weren’t fully tied up. I finished the book thinking:

  • Wait… what happened there?
  • What was the final story with that character?
  • More than one culprit?

Some of those details felt a little unclear to me, and I’m very curious to hear what the rest of our Book Club thinks when we meet to discuss it. It’s always interesting how different readers catch different things.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Crown Conspiracy was an exciting, faith threaded suspense novel that kept me turning pages late into the night. If you enjoy:

  • Strong female characters
  • International intrigue
  • Fast pace
  • Faith woven into action
  • Sisterhood themes

… this one is definitely worth adding to your reading list

More Book Reviews You Might Enjoy

If you loved this review, you might also enjoy these other books we’ve read in our book club:

These are all books that sparked meaningful conversations and encouraged our faith in different ways.

Book, Book Club, faith, reading, Review

Once A Queen ~ Book Review

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Our March Book Club pick was Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur.
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Once a Queen is a fairytale fantasy that weaves real life family dynamics with magic portals , secret gatherings and magic woven tapestries. You meet 14 year Evie as she travels to England to meet a grandmother she has never met before who lives in a beautiful estate that has an intriguing staff. The staff is one we would all want if we were as privileged.
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It starts off slow but then quickly starts to wrap you into the story as it unfolds. As the characters unfold , and the story is weaved ,and you get glimpses of the white stag, you can’t help but to start to step into the magic of the story . Definate Narnia vibes throughout that awakened my childlike faith in reading this.
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Our bookclub enjoyed reading this and several of us are adding the other books to our list!

Book, Book Club, Review

A Fifth of the Story ~ Book Review

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A Fifth of the Story was our February Bookclub pick .It is a CIA thriller that tackles current social ideology and terriosm on the home front. I really loved how the author intertwined how it can affect more then one side of the battle and how our enemies are often not who we think they are .

Brock, one of the main characters, sees the bonds of brotherhood, friendships and loyalty tested .He quickly realizes the war he has fought is now on his home front. The book is filled with action and our whole book club agreed this could be made for tv .

It is a debut novel by Katherine Hutchison-Hayes that was nominated and a finalist in the First Novel category of the 2024 Christy Awards.

A huge thank you to the author for doing a zoom with our bookclub ❤️This was such an amazing gift and gave us a behind the scenes glimpse into the writing as well as the characters. Katherine was so authentic and real in our conversation of how the characters of the book came to be that it gave the whole story an incredible amount of depth that weaved it all together in a beautiful testimony of grace, perseverance and love.

Pick up your copy of the book here ⬇️

https://afifthofthestory.com/

Questions for your Book Club ⬇️

1. Character Dynamics: How does Brock O’Reilly’s relationship with Andrew Pang and Matthew Shuggs evolve throughout the novel? What key events influence these changes?

2. Themes of Betrayal: The revelation of Matthew Shuggs’ true allegiance is pivotal. Were there subtle hints leading up to this twist? How did this betrayal impact your perception of the story?

3. Moral Dilemmas: Brock faces numerous ethical challenges in his quest to uncover the mole. How do his decisions reflect the broader moral questions posed by the novel?

4. Role of Patti Pang: Patti Pang’s strained marriage with Andrew adds depth to the narrative. How does their relationship influence the story’s progression and the decisions of the main characters?

5. Leadership and Trust: Dr. Harper, as the CIA Director, plays a crucial role in the unfolding events. How does her leadership style affect the team’s dynamics and the story’s outcome?

6. Race Against Time: The novel’s pacing intensifies as Brock races to identify the intelligence breach. How does the author build suspense, and what techniques are used to convey the urgency of Brock’s mission?

7. Exploration of Extremism: Matthew Shuggs’ involvement in a white supremacy organization introduces complex themes. How does the novel address the issue of extremism, and what commentary does it offer on such ideologies?

8. Setting as a Character: The various locations in the novel, from CIA headquarters to clandestine meeting spots, play significant roles. How do these settings enhance the story’s atmosphere and tension?

9. Title Significance: Reflect on the title, A Fifth of the Story. In what ways does it encapsulate the novel’s central themes or plot twists?

10. Personal Reflections: Considering the novel’s exploration of trust, loyalty, and deception, how did it resonate with your own experiences or beliefs? Were there moments that challenged your perspectives? These questions aim to foster a deep and engaging discussion about the intricate layers of A Fifth of the Story.

Bonus questions: Food plays a vital role in A Fifth of the Story. What were your favorite meals? Which ones would you want to get a recipe for to try for yourself?

Book, Book Club, Review

2024 Book Club Recap

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2024 Book Club Reads ❤️

Wow! What a year we had! As you can tell we read all genres this past year . I definitely came through these with some of my new favorite authors ❤️ So many of them gave such different perspectives into my faith.

Each book was unique and I love that! Just an FYI on how we decide as a book club what to read – Our curator gathers 3 books for our whole club to vote on when we gather once a month to discuss the current book we have read. We then announce the next months book once we have taken a paper vote. Some months , there is a clear winner and others we need a tiebreaker .

Below you will find a few highlights of things I loved about each book or that I found challenging . Think of it as a quick review of each book. ⬇️

⭐️ The Prophetess -Loved how the author brought a full story to Deborah which gave me something to ponder. It was fictional but made me see her in a whole new light.

⭐️ The Italian Ballerina -One of my favorite reads! It gave me a glimpse into WW2 that I had never explored with the Syndrome K sickness and the London ballet stage. Loved all the historical references throughout and the beauty from such heartache.

Check out my full review here ⬇️

Italian Ballerina ~ Book Review

⭐️ Yesterday’s Tides – Another one of my favorite picks from 2024. I discovered something I had never heard of , Okracoke Island . I loved how the author combined WW1 to WW2 in such a beautiful way. We also had the opportunity to zoom with the author during our book club which was a fun treat!

Check out my full review here ⬇️

Yesterdays Tides ~Book Review

⭐️ The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip – Wow! I want to be a Mrs.Kip! Such a great read and left me feeling that it is never to late to share Gods love❤️

⭐️ The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon – This one started out slow but I was so thankful that I stuck with it. We all need a neighbor like Mabel . I may just one day step into a funeral to celebrate the life of someone I have never met because of her .

⭐️ Drawn in Ash– This one was out of my comfort zone but I’m so glad I read it. It took a bit to understand all that was happening, but gave a glimpse of how things can change when we spend time talking to others instead of going with preconceived ideas. It is based on the story of Esther.

⭐️ The Number of Love – A beautiful story of the secretive Room 40 during WW2 and the power of prayer.

⭐️ Blink of an Eye– Thrilling but left me wanting a better ending . We discovered in book club that there are two editions of this and the first was better in our opinion

⭐️ Daughter of Eden – This fictional story of Adam and Eve gave me so much to ponder ! It gave me lots to think of with how pride and selfishness separated the relationship with God and left me yearning to have what Adam and Eve had before the fall.

⭐️ The Screwtape Letters – This is such a deep book . I have read it several times and each time get something different from it. It really highlights the spiritual warfare that is all around us and from the enemy’s perspective.

⭐️ The Last Exchange -This is such a beautiful unexpected love story . It is thrilling and just when you think it is all predictable. Watch out the turn you never saw coming is right around the corner. One of my favorite quotes of the book is “A life laid down is better than one picked up.

⭐️ We Three Kings -This Christmas Novella follows three generations of the Weise Family as they seek Jesus throughout each one. This was the perfect Christmas Book.

I hope our Book Club list from 2024 helps encourage you to start your own Book Club or gives you some new books to read ❤️ I would love to hear if you already do a Book Club and how yours works or if you would like to hear more about how we do ours send me a message .

And yes our 2025 Book Club has already started! Looking forward to a New Year and some new reads!