Best Books of 2016: Top Ten (Plus Two!)

So ... I'm a little embarrassed to even post this now. It's March 1. I have never been so late with my "best of" list before. I don't even have an excuse; I just kept procrastinating!

"looking for lovely" by annie f. downs

I have long been convinced that if Annie F. Downs and I met, we would be friends. After reading her new book, Looking for Lovely, I'm sure of it. If you read the book, you'll probably feel the same way. Annie has this way of writing that makes you feel like she's sharing her heart with you over a cup of coffee.

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"I want you to take every step of your life with excitement for where you are headed. And I want you to feel beautiful and confident as you do."

But how? When the enemy whispers lies that we are not smart enough, pretty enough, or rich enough? Or are you too dumb, too loud, too quiet, too thin, too fat, too much or not enough? What if you don't have what it takes to be who you really want to be?"

In Looking for Lovely, Annie F. Downs shares personal stories, biblical truth, and examples of how others have courageously walked the path God paved for their lives by remembering all God had done, loving what was right in front of them, and seeing God in the everyday—whether that be nature, friends, or the face they see in the mirror.

Intensely personal, yet incredibly powerful, Looking for Lovely will spark transformative conversations and life changing patterns. No matter who you are and what path God has you on, we all need to remember the lovely, fight to finish, and find beautiful in our every day!

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I absolutely love the message of Looking for Lovely, which is outlined in the subtitle: Collecting the Moments that Matter. Annie challenges readers to look for the beautiful, the moving, the spectacular in the simple, in the mundane, in the hard. To look for lovely when things are going great and when your world feels like it's falling apart. These lovelies can be anything—a beautiful sunrise, a song that moves you, a roll of sushi (though for me, I'd have a hard time calling sushi "lovely!"). These are signs of God's presence.

I've become hooked on looking for lovely! Though I admit some days are harder to find lovely in than others, I think it's in the hard times that it's so important to look for these glimpses of God. Won't you join me in looking for lovely? 5 stars.

Because I loved the book so much, I'm giving away a copy! Enter through the Rafflecopter below. (Rules: Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. Contest is open in the US only. Winner will be selected at random using Rafflecopter.com and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification, or another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Buy the book.
Read my review of Downs' Let's All Be Brave (5 stars).

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Annie F. Downs is an author and speaker based in Nashville, Tennessee. Flawed but funny, she uses her writing to highlight the everyday goodness of a real and present God. By weaving together personal stories, humor, and Scripture, she invites those reading to experience fulfilled lives with a God who made them on purpose and loves them deeply. While she loves writing—books, blogs, articles, thank-you notes—Annie also enjoys traveling around the world speaking to young women, college students, and adults. Annie is a huge fan of bands with banjos, glitter, her community of friends, boiled peanuts, and football games.

Disclosure of Material Connection: As a member of Annie F. Downs' book launch team, I received a free copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"let's all be brave" by annie f. downs

About the book (from Goodreads): Annie F. Downs admits she's not exactly the bravest girl in the world. She still cries sometimes when she leaves her parents' home in Georgia, she's never jumped out of a plane, and she only rides roller coasters to impress boys. But Annie knows that courage resides inside each and every one of us, and she's on a mission to triumph over her own fears while encouraging the reader to do the same. As a single young woman, writer, speaker, and blogger, Annie Downs shares her journey toward bravery with honesty and humor. Using wonderful stories from her own life, contemporary real-life examples, and fascinating historical and biblical references, Annie encourages readers to grab hold of the brave life that they desperately desire. How often does fear hold us back from the very things we most want to taste, touch, and experience? The call to be brave isn't just for one person—it's for everyone. Let's All Be Brave is more than a book, it's a battle cry. Annie challenges us to live boldly, she calls us to step into those places that require courage, and she gives us the help to take the next step forward—even when it's scary. This non-fiction, essay-driven book opens the door to many different views of courage—nudging, encouraging, and inspiring readers to be brave whenever given the chance.

My take: I don't know Annie Downs, but I'm convinced that if we ever met, we'd be friends. I've been following her blog for a few years, and I watched with interest as her first few books were published. When I heard about Let's All Be Brave, I knew I needed to stop watching and start reading—because one thing I need in my life is more bravery!

In Let's All Be Brave, Annie challenges the reader to be brave—whatever that may mean. Maybe it's saying "yes" to something. Maybe it's saying "no." Maybe it's going after that long-buried dream. Maybe it's trying something and failing. Annie's message is applicable to anyone, whether young or old, single or married, healthy or sick. We all need to be brave.

Annie's writing style is incredibly warm and conversational—you almost feel like she's pouring out her heart over a cup of coffee. She's not afraid to talk about the bad times along with the good, all while encouraging you to be brave in the large and the small things.

Read this book—slowly, taking time to digest it. It's one that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it, and it will hopefully spur you on to do at least one of those things you've been too afraid to do before.

My rating: 5 stars

Buy the book.
Download the first two chapters free.
Watch the book trailer.

About the author: 

Annie F. Downs is an author and speaker based in Nashville, Tennessee. Flawed but funny, she uses her writing to highlight the everyday goodness of a real and present God.

Annie is the author of Let’s All Be Brave, a book for men and women about the power we each have to make a difference on this planet. She also has two books for teens: Perfectly Unique, a spiritual growth book for high school and college girls, and Speak Love, a challenge to women on how to use their words to make a difference in the world.

By weaving together personal stories, humor, and Scripture, she invites those reading to experience fulfilled lives with a God who made them on purpose and loves them deeply. You can learn more about her books here.

While she loves writing- books, blogs, articles, thank-you notes- Annie also enjoys traveling around the world speaking to young women, college students, and adults.You can learn more about her speaking events here.

Annie is a huge fan of bands with banjos, glitter, her community of friends, boiled peanuts, and football games.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product free for review from Amazon.com through its Vine reviewer program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."