It’s been a long time since I allowed myself a good book gush, but I decided it was long past due for me to share some of my favorite reads. So, I’ve got a few mini gushes to talk about. From a series I can’t stop begging people to read (and have threatened to withhold my book from my launch team if one gal won’t start it) to a few others that I loved (even with a few minor issues!)
From spec-fic, to historical romantic suspense-ish, to contemporary romance with a women’s fiction twist, to WWII, and finally contemporary romantic suspense, we’ve got quite a variety for you!
These 5 (or is that 7?) Books Are Some of My Favorite Reads of 2022 (So Far)
Well, we’re almost done with the first quarter of 2022, and have I read some GREAT books! Now I started one series in 2021, but since I finished in 2022, I’m counting it. So, other than to say that 2022 looks to be a GREAT year for books (have you SEEN what’s coming out this year???) I’m just going to dive in without a lot of chit-chat (you know, like I did in the episode!).
First up: The No Less Days Series
I thought this was a trilogy, but nope! By the end of the third book, I got the news that there’s a fourth coming! YAY! Seriously. YAY!
This contemporary spec-fic has it all. Great plots, excellent writing, wonderful characters, and rich faith elements… what more could you ask for? Well, I asked for another book… and I got it. I totally believe Amanda G. Stevens planned to write that fourth book because she received a vision of me begging… yeah. I can’t do it. Even in fiction. But you get my drift. BOOK FOUR, folks! EEEP!
Amanda G. Stevens’ website is HERE.
Next up: Rose Among Thornes by Terrie Todd
Oh wow. If you missed my REVIEW of this book, you want to check it out HERE. Meanwhile, I’ll just say that this book has a host of great things to recommend it including:
- WWII from a Canadian perspective
- Canadian internment camps for citizens of Japanese ancestry
- The Pacific rather than European theater
- a HUGE forgiveness theme
Terrie has also released a new book this fall, The Last Piece, (I thought it was coming fall 2022!). I think we all know what I’ll be reading soon! (It’s on Kindle Unlimited!!!)
Terrie Todd’s website is HERE.
Then, the next of my favorite reads so far… Postcards by Elizabeth Maddrey
You know, I said it’s not the most “amazing book ever,” and I think that might come off as disparaging. I did NOT mean it to be. I enjoyed the book save for the one thing I mentioned. It had the potential (although it would have been crazy hard for even the best author to pull it off) to be the best book of the year bar none, but it’s still right up there in my favorites so far. After all, I put it in this episode! I really liked what Maddrey did with the story, and it made me eager to read more of her work. Win/win in my book!
Can anyone suggest a good next book for this one? Oh, and be sure to check out that synopsis. Seriously, guys… good stuff.
Visit her website HERE.
After that, I read: The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano.
Seriously, as I said in the episode, this book has so many unexpected layers.
If you want romance. You get it.
But that love note is NOT just about romance. It’s a LOVE note that spreads love among a house in ways you would never expect. It has lots of family secrets, dysfunctional relationships, a mystery to unearth, yes… romance, and a crazy unexpected ending that is not what you’d request but you’re so glad you got! CRAZY well done, Joanna!
Visit her website HERE.
Finally, I wanted to share one of my most recent favorite reads, Every Star in the Sky by Sara Davison.
I just reviewed it HERE, so I won’t go too far into that, but I am serious when I say that the more I think about the book, the better it is. Only one tiny thing kept it from being a five-star read for me, and most people wouldn’t care. We all know I have highly traditional and conservative opinions on how to apply Paul’s requirements for pastors, so… yeah. That was my only real objection. (I still might change that, too. Praying about it).
That’s it… those are just a few of the great books I’ve read in this first quarter of 2022. I could talk for hours about them all, but I’ve got deadlines, and I’m sure you don’t want to hear me yapping about it. #becausereasons
Visit Sara Davison’s website HERE.
I’ve included a link to each author’s website above and I highly recommend you stop by and see what they have to offer! So… have you read any of my favorite reads of the year so far?
Don’t forget Book Club Capers!
There’s a new clue up to the next month’s book, so get your guesses in now! HERE is the link to the first chapter.
For Chantel Reads All Day’s “Hello Reader” site where the challenge is (and my list for 2022), go HERE.
For Hello Reader and to make your own up, go HERE.
For Chantel’s Blog Post about the challenge, the giveaway, and for access to her other fun videos, go HERE.
I had not heard of Amanda Stevens, but I also don’t read Spec-fic. I read Rose Among the Thorns last year, I was on the launch team, and loved it. Was also on the launch team for The Last Piece and it was amazing! You will enjoy it when you get to it. I plan to read The Love Note but haven’t gotten to it yet. I have not read Elizabeth Maddrey or Sara Davison…will look into them. My top gushing books so far this year (5-stars) are They Buy-In by Emma St. Clair, The Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti, The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel, and In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh.