I thought it would be fun to do a post on some of my favorite books from the past year. While I don't have time to do in-depth reviews of each book, I am linking to them all on Amazon so you can read reviews that others have written. :)
Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic
I thoroughly enjoyed this little book from a young mom "in the trenches" with littles. I gained some good insights and ideas to use with my own little ones, and was reminded that I need to consider the state of my heart as a mom. Highly recommended!
Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst
This was hands-down the best book I've ever read about weight loss and how to relate it to us spiritually. We need to crave God much more than we crave physical food!
The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
I bought this book back in 2007, started it at least 3 times and kept getting distracted. I determined to finish it in 2012, and guess what? I did! It is not in the least boring (Sally's a fantastic writer), I just kept setting it aside for other things. I'm so glad I read it and I hope to go through it again in the future.
What Do I Know About My God? by Mardi Collier
This was a helpful little book about starting a notebook about the attributes of God. I heard the author speak at a ladies' retreat and she is such a sweet lady with a true heart for God. Although I've not yet started my own notebook, I hope to eventually, and this book is an excellent resource to point our hearts right to Scripture.
Implosion by Joel Rosenberg (read my review here)
A great (although somewhat frightening) read about where America has been and where we're headed. Definitely recommend this one if you are interested in current events/politics/prophecy, etc.
A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin
This was one of the most fun fiction books I've read, ever. Just loved it! If you enjoy sweet historical romances, I highly recommend this one. Violet goes off to the World's Fair and finally finds her true love after many hilarious twists and turns.
The Swiss Courier and Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
This two-novel series set in Switzerland and Paris during the end of WW2 and just after, was excellent. I read these aloud to Jim and we both really enjoyed them. (By the way, both of these are currently selling for $6 or less on Amazon, if anyone's interested! :))
The Past Forward serial novel series by Chautona Havig
I discovered new-to-me Christian author Chautona Havig this summer when she started releasing the Past Forward serial novel episodes free on Kindle every Wednesday. Although the writing is a bit different than what I normally read (not as polished or completely well-edited), I fell in love with the characters and how "real" the story felt, and I appreciate how her plots are fresh and original. I looked forward to downloading a new episode every Wednesday for several months, and the story is still going . . . yay!
Manuscript for Murder by Chautona Havig
Mrs. Havig generously makes many of her books available free for Kindle (usually a different one every week or every few weeks), and after getting hooked on Past Forward, I was eager to try out more of her stories. I've read a lot of them over the past 9 months or so, but Manuscript for Murder just might be my favorite. This is a "cozy" mystery--not super scary or fingernail-biting--which is just my speed. Can't wait for the next book in this series to come out--I think it is supposed to be available soon.
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (read my review here)
Elizabeth Camden has become one of my favorite authors over the past year or so. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel set in Boston.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I somehow managed to read 46 books in 2012. That is a BIG deal for me. :) Even though I love to read, I don't usually get nearly that many books read in a year. I think it was thanks in large part to my Kindle, although I read more "real" books than Kindle books. My goal for last year was to read at least 24 books, and it was fun to see that I ended up with almost double that amount. This year I am once again setting a goal of 24 books, but I'd like to read more than that. Here is my projected reading list so far, but it's definitely subject to change. :) I know for sure it will include more fiction than it currently does, as I plan to continue reviewing books for Christian publishers, and many of those are fiction. Plus, I am always downloading new freebies for my Kindle, so it'll be neat to see what I end up with by the end of the year! Note: some of the ones in this year's list are re-reads, or books that I've started in the past but not finished for some reason (aka: got distracted :)).
Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson
Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma
Written Together by Shanna Mallon
Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst
Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa Terkeurst
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noel Piper
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World by Rebecca Manley Pippert
Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
Grace-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel
Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Fiction:
Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin
Fire by Night by Lynn Austin
A Light to My Path by Lynn Austin
The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer
The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander
The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Stolen Woman by Kimberly Rae
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