Most Anticipated books for 2023!

 Happy New Year!!  I was looking at the books coming out in 2023 and I am so excited!  I'm also excited because I've decided to do something a little different this year.  I'm hoping to catch up on some of my Kindle books that have been languishing as they await my attention, as well as reading (and rereading) some books I own in paper that keep coming to mind.  So for this list, the new books will in at the top, in release date order and then the books already available will be in some sort of order below.

Critical Threat by Lynette Eason - 1/3/2023

So this one I have mixed emotions about this one. I didn't finish the first book in the series,

but I so enjoyed the second one.  So I'm very curious about this one! 

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden - 1/17/2023

The Final book in the series!  I'm excited for Liam's story!

Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White - 1/23/2023

I'm excited for a new dual-time novel from one of my favorite authors! 

Brooke by Ronie Kendig - 2/6/2023

I've been waiting for Brooke's story and have already pre-ordered it!

A Match in the Making by Jen Turano - 2/21/2023

A new series!!!!! 

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin - 2/23/2023

I'm always up for Sarah Sundin's books!

Love Makes Way by Hallee Bridgeman - 3/7/2023

I so enjoyed the other books in this series and am looking forward to this one!

A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White - 8/22/2023

As previously mentioned, I always love Roseanna's books, so her books 

are always on the list!

The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar 

I missed this one in 2022 and I'm hoping to acquire it sometime this year. 

When The Day Comes  by Gabrielle Meyer

I had the pleasure of receiving this book for Christmas and

am excited to have a moment to dive in!  Also, dual-timeline. :)

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano 

I found this one at my library!  I've so enjoyed all of Joanna's books so far

and am hoping to borrow it whenever it becomes available again.

The Book of Wars Series by Ronie Kendig

I confess, I read the first book when it released and my sweet husband

bought me the second and I haven't ever finished the series.  Hopefully that will 

change in 2023! 

Abiassa's Fire series by Ronie Kendig

This is another of those, I read the first and by the time the second one came out, I forgot

about it.  But we bought this box set, so I can finally know how it ends!

Prophet by R. J. Larson

I read this one shortly after it came out and I remember it was 

so good and it's been on my mind to read the series again. 

So what about you?  What books are on your list? 

Favorite books of 2022!

 It's that time of the year again!  The day, or maybe a week or two, that we spend remembering the past year and considering the future we expect to have (hopefully).  This is also when all the book nerds remember our favorite books that we've read this year and eagerly think about the list we're compiling for next year.  So these are my top 10 books of 2022!  Not all of these were published in 2022, I just happened to read them this year.  Also, one of them isn't actually a favorite (though it was very good!), but it surprised me so much, that it has to be here for an honorable mention.  So I suppose it's actually my top 9 books of the year?  Eh, close enough.  :)   (also, these are just in order by author's last name)

Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar - I originally read this book several years ago, 

shortly after it first came out.  I remembered it fairly recently and something about

 it kept prodding me to read it again.  And I'm so glad that I did!  

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar - I bought this book several months 

before actually reading it.  I love how God uses Ms. Afshar's books to remind me of

truths, something I particularly needed after the miscarriage. 

Range by Ronie Kendig - Honestly, this book was a difficult read.

Ms. Kendig seldom pulls punches in her writing, but this series in particular is 

explosive and abrasive to the conscious, as it attempts to very authentically portray human trafficking.

 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin - I always love Ms. Sundin's books and this

 one is no exception!  I also want to note that it's currently on sale on the Kindle for

 $1.59  if you haven't read it yet! 

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano - This has to be one of my 

very favorite books by Ms. Turano!  I can't even give a specific reason, just that

it was so good!  If you haven't read it yet, it needs to be on your list for next year!

Turn To Me by Becky Wade - I think Ms. Wade's newest book is always 

on my list.  I'm really hoping that doesn't change. 

Sunburst by Susan May Warren - This is another book that surprised me!

I hadn't read anything from Ms. Warren in at least a couple years and this one just

 drew me right in!  And best of all, I adored the characters!

Sundown by Susan May Warren - See above comments.  Also, I just really

enjoyed how she finished this series.  It was beautifully done.  

Worthy of Legend by Roseanna M. White - Again, I think at least of

Ms. White's books is on my list every year.  And this is not a complaint!  This series

 conclusion was very satisfying. 

The Gifting by K.E. Ganshert - This is the one that surprised me.

I've honestly been looking at this book for several years and I just wasn't picking it

 up. Does anyone else have that one book that just keeps staring at you? (In the

 case of this cover, literally) I finally started it and just got sucked in!  And then

 dumped back out, as I haven't been able to get the other 3, yet.  Maybe next year.

So that's my list for the year!  What's on yours?  Anything I should be adding to my list for the new year?

Favorite Reads of 2021!

 I'm typing this post one-handed while cuddling our sweet 3 week-old baby girl with the other.  So please ignore any typos and chalk it up to my being a new-mom-of-two.  :-)

Happy New Year!  I know many people are looking forward to saying "farewell" (or maybe "good riddance!") to 2021.  Looking back, for our family, there were hard and beautiful moments alike, just as with every year.  Our daughter turned 1 in March!  My dad passed away in April.  I got a new tiny niece in August, amidst some severe health issues for her mom.  Thank God, they're both doing well now!  At the end of November I worked my last shift at the job I've had for almost 6.5 years.  It was a bittersweet day.  I'm blessed to get to be a stay-at-home-mom, but I'm definitely missing my work family a bit.  And our second sweet daughter made her arrival the beginning of December!

In the midst of all of that, I actually got to do a bit of reading!  So this is some of my favorite books that I read (or reread) this year, though for a change, not all of these were published in 2021.  And a couple of them are rereads that I still just really enjoyed.  So in no particular order, here's my list!  Oh, and if you click on the titles, it should send you to Amazon to read more about the books.  

Follower of the Word Trilogy by Morgan L. Busse

This series totally sucked me in!  I read the first one (I think I got it 

on a Kindle deal or something) and immediately had to get the other two!

Definitely one of my favorite series of the year!  Though I will say that reading

them all in a row, the second one felt super short to me, and the third one seemed 

to drag just a little, but still.  So. Good.

A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano

This one also sucked me in!  All of Joanna's books that I've 

gotten to read have.  She's become an auto-read for me.  :-)

Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg

I'm not normally big on rom-coms, but I have to make

an exception for Melissa's books!  I couldn't help but love Sydney and Neil.

Also, one of the very best meet-cutes ever, in my opinion. 

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

This is one of my rereads for the year.  Dee Henderson

has long been one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed 

getting to revisit Ann and Paul's story.

Let It Be Me by Becky Wade 

The second book in the Misty River series!  It's late, I'm 

a little sleep deprived, and I read this book 7 months ago, so I'm honestly

not entirely sure what to say about it.  Haha!  But I remember really enjoying it!

Taken by Dee Henderson

Another reread!  And yes, another by Dee Henderson.

I love several of the conversations Matthew and Shannon

have throughout the course of the novel and their relationship in general.

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

This book probably gets "longest book title of the year" haha!

I loved the honesty and dry humor in this story!  And it also gave me some 

food for thought, which I almost always enjoy.

To Write a Wrong Jen Turano

I'd like to talk with anyone who reads Jen's books and doesn't laugh

out loud at least once.  Seriously.  My toddler just looked at me a couple times,

when I actually took a minute to read while she was awake.

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

This book was an interesting - and at times heart-breaking - 

look at Germany before the US joined WWII.  I always love 

the characters in Sarah's novels and it holds true for this one!

Jewel of the Nile by Tessa Afshar

This one is another "I know I read it, but my brain

isn't working at full capacity right now" kind of comments.

I know it was a delightful read, with suspense, intrigue (and I was right!),

romance, and a cantankerous cook.

If For Any Reason by Courtney Walsh

I haven't read all of Courtney's books, yet, but this one is 

definitely one of my favorites!

So those are my favorites for the year!  What does your list look like?  I'm always up for recommendations, though my reading time is indubitably more limited than it was - for a very good reason.  :) 

  

Bookish Thoughts: Jewel of the Nile

"In my experience, God starts to tell us something, and before the sentence is out of his mouth, we finish it off the way we prefer.  We assume.  We presume.  And we jump to false conclusions." - Hermione   

Description:

Whispered secrets about her parents’ past take on new urgency for Chariline as she pays one last visit to the land of her forefathers, the ancient kingdom of Cush.

Raised as an orphan by her aunt, Chariline has only been told a few pieces of her parents’ tragic love story. Her beautiful dark skin is proof that her father was Cushite, but she knows nothing else. While visiting her grandfather before his retirement as the Roman official in the queen’s court, Chariline overhears that her father is still alive, and discovering his identity becomes her obsession. Both her grandfather and the queen have reasons for keeping this secret, however, and forbid her quest. So when her only clues lead to Rome, Chariline sneaks on the ship of a merchant trusted by friends.

Theo is shocked to discover a stowaway on board his vessel and determines to be rid of her as soon as possible. But drawn in by Chariline’s story, he feels honor-bound to see her safely to shore, especially when it appears someone may be willing to kill for the truth she seeks.

In this transformative tale of historical fiction, bestselling author Tessa Afshar brings to life the kingdom of Cush and the Roman Empire, introducing readers to a fascinating world filled with gripping adventure, touching romance, and a host of lovable characters—including some they may recognize from the biblical book of Acts.

About the Author:

Tessa Afshar is the Publishers Weekly best-selling author of biblical and inspirational historical fiction, including Harvest of Gold which won a Christy Award and Land of Silence, which won an INSPY. The Way Home: God's Invitation to New Beginnings is Afshar's critically acclaimed Bible study based on the book of Ruth, which won the ECPA Christian Book of the Year Award, 2021 in the Bible Study Category. Born in the Middle East, Tessa spent her teen years in England and later moved to the United States. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life. She holds a Master of Divinity from Yale, where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship for a year. Having served in women and prayer ministry for twenty years, Tessa became a full-time writer several years ago. Contact Tessa at tessaafshar.com or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTessaAfshar/

My Thoughts:

I’ve been a fan of Tessa Afshar’s books since first discovering her very first novel at a library and diving in.  Since then I’ve eagerly anticipated her next release, only missing last year’s due to all the fun of 2020.  That being said, getting to start this new book was like stepping back in time and greeting dear friends, though I hadn’t met them, yet.

Ms. Afshar’s books are the only Biblical Fiction I’ve read and I think it’s because I enjoy them so much, I’m concerned I’ll be disappointed or unfairly compare another author’s work.  There is so much depth of character and history in Ms. Afshar’s writing, and I loathe having to put down one of her books, once I’ve started it.  I love the beauty of her descriptions, how she brings the ancient past to life in a way that makes it seem maybe not quite so distant.  Though I know her works are fiction, I so enjoy how she uses Biblical teachings and accounts, bringing life to scripture that I’ve read most of my life.  

I confess, Chariline wasn't my favorite character, at first.  She is impetuous and listens little to the advice of others. At first. But as the story progressed, I found myself liking her more and more. She is more than she first seems and I couldn't fault her for some of her actions, especially as she quickly sought to learn from her mistakes.  I also couldn't help but love Theo and his motley crew. 

Overall, this is a book that I'm hoping to read again very soon and it definitely makes me long to revisit friends from previous novels.

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