It’s another month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away. Since this year is based on your TBR pile, I will not have a recommendations page, but I’m leaving the link here so it’s easier for me to set up NEXT year’s blog posts.

Find recommendations at Reading Challenge Recommendations, Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, or Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.

Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*

Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile

If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.

This Month: July – Book outside your normal genre

Next Month: August – Book published before 2020

Surge

by Voni Harris

Review by: Crystal Caudill

This military romance was certainly outside of my normal reads and genre. With all the mega-long names–ranks, call signs, and real names–and military jargon and acronyms, it was a little harder to follow than I’m used to. However, it was fun to get to know Delany, Garrett “Bear”, and, of course, the MWD (military working dog) Surge. From what I gather from normal military books, this was pretty standard in that there was a group of terrorists threatening to do massive damage (through poison) to the US population. A group of four with the MWD are pulled in to save the US, all while trying to overcome past personal hurdles and a distinct distrust and dislike of the two main characters. I can say military fiction probably isn’t something I’ll be reading much of, but I enjoyed reading my friend’s debut novel.

Genre: Military Romance

Plot Overview:

Love and Betrayal in a Race Against Time

Delaney Thompson isn’t just a dog trainer—she’s the key to preventing a disaster. With loyal Military Working Dog, Surge, by her side, she’s ready to prove herself on her first mission…even without military training. Her goal? Help the intense Belgian Malinois track down a specific chemical linked to a dangerous terrorist group before it reaches American soil. But to succeed, she must navigate unfamiliar terrain and an even more unpredictable partner.

Garrett Walker is a seasoned military operator, driven by duty and haunted by tragic losses. Reluctantly, he teams up with Delaney, whose lack of tactical experience makes her a liability as he leads them across Southeast Asia. Yet Garrett knows that mission success and the safety of countless lives back home hinge on his leadership, the Malinois’s special scent training, and Delaney’s unique skills.

The stakes couldn’t be higher: if Delaney and Garrett fail to locate and secure the toxic chemical, hundreds of thousands of Americans could die. As they hunt down the terrorists, their objectives are clear—find the stash, neutralize the threat, and try not to get killed. But with mutual distrust simmering between them, their greatest challenge may be learning to rely on each other.

A gripping tale of suspense, betrayal, and unexpected romance. Dive into this high-stakes adventure where every moment counts…and falling in love might just be the most perilous move of all.

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Giveaway

For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget.  *Giveaway Policies can be found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?