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!

"I'll Be Yours" by Jenny B. Jones

You know how sometimes you start a book and then absolutely cannot get it off your mind? That's what happened to me with I'll Be Yours. I downloaded the Kindle sample several months ago and loved it, but I had so many other books that I "had" to read that I didn't let myself buy it ... because I knew the instant I did, I would set aside everything else in order to read it.

A few weeks ago, when I was packing for a work trip, I thought, "This is the time." So I went to Amazon and paid full price for the novel. (I never pay full price for Kindle books. Ever.) I ended up being really busy on the trip, and I was already reading another book (Serena Chase's excellent Intermission), so I didn't get to I'll Be Yours until I was almost home. I was right—once I started reading, I really couldn't stop! I stayed up way too late finishing it, and I don't regret a thing!

"just one summer" by nicole deese, tammy l. gray, amy matayo, & jenny b. jones

A few months ago, I was flipping through my Kindle book collection, looking for something to read, and I came across Just One Summer. I bought it last year, but I didn't have time to read it, and then I forgot all about it. (Doesn't that tend to happen to Kindle books?) I decided to give it a try, and it proved to be the perfect light vacation read.

top ten tuesday: books i'd give to readers who have never read christian ya fiction

It's another Top Ten Tuesday courtesy of The Broke & The Bookish! Last week was my first time to participate, and I had so much fun that I decided to do it again. (See last week's here.) This week's topic is Top Ten Books I'd Give To Readers Who Have Never Read __________. I decided to fill in the blank with Christian YA Fiction.

Young Adult (YA) fiction is all the rage with The Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight, and The Fault in Our Stars all topping bestseller lists and spawning successful movies. But what about Christian YA? I work at a Christian school, and while I've often seen students (mainly girls) grasping the aforementioned books in the hallway, very rarely do I see a student with a Christian YA novel. I have nothing against the novels I mentioned (save Twilight. I hate Twilight.), but I wish the girls at my school would give some Christian YA a chance. Here are the books that I'd recommend:

Anomaly, Luminary, and Revolutionary by Krista McGee
Fans of The Hunger Games will love this trilogy, which takes place decades following a nuclear war in what used to be the United States. The plot twists and turns its way through one adventure after another, and Thalli is a heroine readers will cheer for. I also love the focus on the Designer, who Thalli first learns of while she's waiting to die. Sometimes, the faith element in Christian novels can seem forced, but here it perfectly weaves into the plot. I can't recommend these books highly enough! (See my reviews: Anomaly, Luminary, and Revolutionary.)

Angel Eyes, Broken Wings, and Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore
When I read Angel Eyes, I called it a cross between Twilight and Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness. This series expertly combines teen romance and the supernatural to create a thoroughly captivating Young Adult series. I've recommended this series to numerous girls at my school who are Twilight fans. (See my reviews: Angel Eyes, Broken Wings, Dark Halo.)

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
The only novel on this list that doesn't involve sci-fi, the supernatural, or anything else "weird," There You'll Find Me is a love story firmly grounded in reality. While the book is about finding yourself, finding love, and finding God, it also deals with bullying and eating disorders. It's a fantastic book for girls who are looking for a serious, romantic read. Plus, there's that cover. Isn't it spectacular? (See my review. Also check out Jones' Save the Date—it's not YA, but it's so, so good!) 

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
I suppose this is somewhat of a cheat, as I haven't exactly finished reading Waterfall yet. I actually started reading it last week, and then I had to put it down to read some books that I need to review soon. But so far, I'm loving this time travel novel, and I know Bergren's books are always excellent, so I guess I can recommend it without having finished it :-)

Crazy Dangerous and Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan
So far, all of these have been books geared more toward girls. (Not that boys couldn't or wouldn't read them, but they seem more female oriented.) Teen boys—and some girls—will love these books by Andrew Klavan. Both feature male protagonists, and they are thrill rides from beginning to end. I loved them! (See my reviews: Crazy Dangerous, Nightmare City.)

Now it's your turn! Do you have any books to add to my list? What 10 books would you recommend to readers haven't tried _____? Tell me in the comments, or publish your own list and link up here.

best books of 2011

I intended to post this before the new year ... obviously, I didn't quite make it!

I read a ton of books in 2011. I reviewed 59 of them, and I probably read at least 10 that I didn't review. If you figure an average of 5 hours per book, that comes to a whopping 345 hours—or just more than 14 days! When you read as much as I do, it's hard to remember which books you liked the most. So I've compiled a list of my favorite reads of 2011 in several different categories (some are a bit contrived so that I can include more books). If I reviewed the book, I've included a link. Note that these are books that I read in 2011—they may have been published earlier.

Historical Fiction
Heiress by Susan May Warren (review)—This is my favorite of all of Susan May Warren's books, which is saying something, since I've enjoyed most of her work. I love how real the characters seem, and it's a great mix of high society and the Wild West. (Sounds strange, I know, but Warren makes it work!)

Contemporary (non-Romance) Fiction
The Fine Art of Insincerity by Angela Hunt (review)—This is the story of three sisters who gather to go through their deceased grandmother's things. The Fine Art of Insincerity certainly isn't "fluff"—and the book caused me to think about the way I relate to my sisters.

Romance
The Art of Romance by Kaye Dacus (review)—Anyone who's tired of reading about 22-year-old heroines should check out Kaye Dacus's books. She writes about real women. Women who wear a size 14. Women who didn't get married straight out of college. Women who live their lives, rather than waiting around for the "perfect" man. The Art of Romance is the first Dacus book I read, but it won't be the last!

Science Fiction/Fantasy
Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee (review)—Ted Dekker is a masterful fantasy writer. (His crime novels? I could do without those.) The Circle series (and all the other connected books), Immanuel's Veins, and now The Books of Mortals feature well-constructed worlds that sweep the reader into them. Forbidden, the first in The Books of Mortals, is my favorite Dekker book since Black—it's that good! 

Romantic Comedy
Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones (review)—The time I spent reading Save the Date was probably the most fun I had reading all year! One of those implausible yet hilarious stories, Save the Date is pure fluff and pure enjoyment.

YA Fiction

Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (review)—It's Pride & Prejudice set in an elite boarding school. Such fun!

Anthology
Jane Austen Made Me Do It edited by Laurel Ann Nattress—This is the only book on the list I haven't reviewed (though I may still get around to it). It's a series of short stories inspired by Jane Austen's books. Not all of the stories are winners—"Waiting," a continuation of Persuasion, just about put me to sleep—but most are lighthearted and fun.

Nonfiction
Growing up Amish by Ira Wagler (review)—Ira Wagler's memoir chronicling his life in and journey out of the Amish church is an incredibly fascinating look at the Amish faith.

Amish Fiction
Beside Still Waters (review) and Along Wooded Paths (review) by Tricia Goyer—In a sea of Amish fiction, Goyer's Big Sky series stands out. First of all, it doesn't idealize the Amish lifestyle. Instead, it features real characters grappling with issues of faith. I can't wait to read the third book this spring!

Suspense
Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann (review)—A character-driven mystery featuring a protagonist with an eidetic memory. Very interesting and quite suspenseful.

Book I Talked about Most
Longing by Karen Kingsbury (review)—I talked about this book so much because it made me so mad! And now I'm scared to read the final book in this series, Loving, because I just know I'll be really upset if Bailey & Cody don't end up together. Never before have I had such strong feelings for book characters!

Literature
The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson (review)—I'm not even sure how to describe this book, other than to say that it is art in words. It is well worth your time.

Self-Published
Forsaken Kingdom: City of Prophecy by Peter Dudek (review)—In my time as a book blogger, I have read some absolute drek that is self-published. City of Prophecy is not one of those books. If you just picked it up and started reading, you would have no idea it hadn't come out of a traditional publishing house. I really enjoyed this story, and I hope to be able to read the second book in the series soon!

Favorite Book of 2011
Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin (review)—A World War II story with a timely subplot, Blue Skies Tomorrow is absolutely captivating. I completely devoured the book, and I look forward to reading more books by Sundin!

Any thoughts on my picks? What were your favorite books of 2011?

"there you'll find me" by jenny b. jones

In the two years since her brother Will's death, Finley Sinclair has been reeling. When she gets accepted into a study abroad program in Ireland—the same program Will participated in—Finley hopes to use Will's journal to find peace. On the flight to Ireland, she meets teen heartthrob Beckett Rush. After dismissing him as a wild playboy—just the kind of guy she doesn't need—Finley discovers that Beckett is staying at her host family's bed-and-breakfast while he films his latest movie. Though she'd rather avoid him, he can help her find all the places in her brother's journal—and maybe in the process of connecting with her brother, she'll also connect with God.

There You'll Find Me is a great teen novel that you don't need to be a teen to enjoy. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Finley is the little sister of Alex Sinclair, whose story author Jenny B. Jones told in Save the Date (a book I absolutely loved). Though this book stands alone, I gasped in surprised delight when I made the connection between the books. While There You'll Find Me is about finding love and finding God, it's also about bullying and eating disorders—two themes prevalent in today's high schools. Jones handled both with aplomb, especially the eating disorder thread. I'm sure many girls will be able to see at least a fraction of themselves—or their friends—in Finley, and I hope that reading about her journey will cause them to recognize when they need help.

There You'll Find Me is a solid, entertaining read, and I give it 4-1/2 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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."

"spring for susannah" by catherine richmond

Following the death of her parents, city girl Susannah agrees to become a mail order bride in North Dakota. Though she is worried her husband will be disappointed in her--after all, at age 30, she's considered an old maid in Detroit--Jesse seems to appreciate the qualities that made her unmarriable in polite society. As Jesse's love begins to pull Susannah out of her shell, she starts to understand what it means to trust in another person, and ultimately to trust in God.

Spring for Susannah is Nebraska writer Catherine Richmond's debut novel.  Honestly, I signed up to review this book not because of the subject (I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, though I do enjoy a good "marriage of convenience" plot line) but because I felt a kinship with the author as we are both Nebraskans. (Go Huskers!)

I find myself struggling to accurately describe my feelings towards this book. It was a quick, engaging read, and I did enjoy it. However, at times it seemed to both drag on and pack in way too many plot twists. (I know that doesn't make a lot of sense!) Spring for Susannah reminded me of Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series (but with characters that strangely seemed more modern), and I think it would have been better split into a series of books. So many things happened to Susannah in the course of the year or two the novel covers, and I felt that some events were not really developed. It also featured some discussions of marital relations that seemed out of place (I wasn't expecting discussions about birth control, for example); it's not explicit by any means, but it definitely has a more sensual feel to parts of it than many Christian novels do.

In summary, while I enjoyed Spring for Susannah and would be inclined to read any sequels Richmond writes, I have reservations about endorsing it.

See what other reviewers (including my friend Holly) are saying here.

To celebrate her debut novel, Catherine and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away a Spring For Susannah Prize Package worth over $150!

One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond (for KINDLE)

To enter just click one of the icons below and then tell your friends! But hurry, giveaway ends on June 27th. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 28th at 5 PM (6PM MST, 7PM CST, 8PM EST) during Catherine's Spring for Susannah Book Club Party on Facebook! Catherine is rustling up some fun for the party - she'll be chatting about the story behind her novel, hosting a book club chat, testing your mail-order bride trivia skills, and giving away some GREAT prizes! Don't miss the fun and tell your friends!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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."

"save the date" by jenny b. jones

Very rarely do I stay up reading until the wee hours of the morning. With Save the Date, I did just that. I simply couldn't put it down, and I can't wait to read another book by Jenny B. Jones!

Lucy runs a non-profit home for girls who have aged out of the foster care system. Alex is a former pro football player running for Congress. Lucy needs funding for her home; Alex needs a girlfriend to help the voters see he's not the playboy he once was. When they enter into an agreement--Lucy will pose as Alex's fiancée in exchange for the cash necessary to keep her non-profit's doors open--sparks fly, and they begin to wonder if there's some truth in the lie.

While completely implausible (as is just about every romantic comedy ever filmed and every romance novel ever written), Save the Date is witty, endearing, and humorous. Yes, some lines are incredibly cheesy ("He conquered her lips, just as he had conquered her heart."), but I could skim by that cheese because the story had so completely sucked me in. The Parks & Rec fan in me also enjoyed that one of the minor characters was the literary version of Tom Haverford. And yes, the premise does seem eerily similar to ABC Family's My Fake Fiancé, but that just added to my enjoyment of the book.

In summary, Save the Date fits perfectly within the Christian chick lit genre, and I highly recommend it!

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.