Hello, bookish friends!

Maybe it’s pandemic isolation giving folks more time to read, but lately I’ve had so many requests for my best book recommendations that I decided to help us all out and put them into a post.

A couple of caveats. This list is by no means exhaustive. I have plenty of other favorites, especially those dating back years. And I am limiting this list to Women’s Fiction, because those asking have been most interested in these. (The few other genres mentioned here have enough of a Women’s Fiction feel that they warrant including.) Which leaves out a whole host of romance, histfic, and mystery titles, as well as memoir and non-fiction. We’ll save those for another day.

You’ll see I’ve broken these fiction titles into three main categories — Christian, Crossover, and Mainstream — and given a brief explanation as to what each of these means. If I’ve previously reviewed a book on this blog, I’ve included a link to my original post, which will give you a more thorough explanation as to my favoritism. They all capture what I’m looking for in books that celebrate beauty amidst brokenness.

So, without further ado, here’s my rundown on recent Women’s Fiction faves.

Happy reading!

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Christian:

Written by Christian authors for the Christian market. Content reflects biblical values.

• Christy by Catherine Marshall. If you’ve never read Christy, put this at the top of your list. It is perhaps my all-time favorite novel. I read it first when I was 17 and several times since then; it’s never lost its impact. Christy is the book that began the whole genre of what we know today as Christian fiction. (One of the highest honors in Christian fiction, the Christy award, is named after this book.) To many, myself included, Christy remains the high-water mark of Christian fiction. It’s a bit intimidating as it’s several hundred pages long, and it takes a chapter or two to really get off the ground. But it’s so, so good, its themes timeless.
• The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim. While this looks like “Amish Fiction,” it is not. As a genre, Amish fiction does not appeal to me, but I wholly enjoyed this story, which was inspired by real-life events in the Mennonite community. (Side note: I have not yet read Jolina’s most recent book, How the Light Gets In, but it’s on my list. I suspect it will be good.)
• The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell. This one tackles some seriously heavy topics (trigger topics abound), but I loved how Julie resolved and redeemed the heartbreak. She’s also written a couple of histfics; I’ve read one of them and enjoyed it moderately, but not as much as The Feathered Bone.
• Still Life by Christa Parrish. Her earthy style somehow appeals to me. I like how she doesn’t sugar-coat life and embraces relational complexity with beautiful nuance. This was my favorite of hers, but I also really liked Stones for Bread.

Crossover:

Written by Christian authors for the mainstream market, giving them more flexibility in themes they can explore. (Thankfully, the Christian publishing industry is gradually opening up in this regard.) Though the language and content may or may not be as chaste you will find in the Christian market, readers can count on relative wholesomeness and redemptive endings.  

• Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. By now, almost every reader of Women’s Fiction, HistFic, and Romance has at least heard of this title. It topped the bestseller lists for months, and for good reason. I believe it to be her best to date — and that’s saying something. I probably have more Lisa Wingate novels on my forever shelf than any other author. She continues to exert major influence on my own writing.
• A Long Time Gone by Karen White. As with almost all of her novels, this one is set in the sultry South, which makes for prime summertime reading. Hers usually include a good bit of mystery and a thread of romance. I also liked The Sound of Glass, and I cannot not mention The Memory of Water from her backlist. This is the novel that inspired me to become a writer of Women’s Fiction.
• The Beautiful Daughters, Little Broken Things, and You Were Always Mine by Nicole Baart. I love Nicole’s elegant style and the grit of her stories. Of these, Beautiful Daughters might be my fave.
• Only Ever Her, When We Were Worthy, and The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen. There’s something about Marybeth’s straightforward style that I love. She writes with compassion and grace, and her understanding of human frailty and strength never fails to draw me into a story and keep me there.  
• Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt. More lighthearted than any of the above, this one is perfect if you’re in the mood for charming Women’s Fiction with a heavy dose of romance set on the rugged English coast.

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Mainstream Fiction

Written for the general market. Generally edgier in tone and may or may not include sexual content and profanity.

• Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais. This novel swept me away with its  vibrant dual narrative. While unabashed in its descriptions of the stark brutality of the time and place, Hum is also bold in its celebration of the resiliency of the human spirit and the triumphant power of love. Particularly recommended for book clubs and fans of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help.
• The Salt House by Lisa Duffy. My most highly recommended book for the summer of 2017. Poignant and expressive, I loved it from its first gripping line to the last. Everything about it — from tone, to setting, to unforgettable characters — pitch perfect.
• Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright. This is the novel I very nearly didn’t read. Graceland? Elvis? Nothing for me here…or so I thought. So glad I gave it a chance because I found it an absolute gem. Whimsical, yet possessing a certain gravitas, it explores the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship as it plumbs the depths of the human heart and celebrates the rebounding nature of the human spirit.
• Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon. Ariel is a gifted histfic novelist who writes with grace and wit, tackling complex historic mysteries with incredible intelligence and imagination. Of her novels that I’ve read, this is my favorite. I also liked The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress and am eager to read her latest, Code Name Helene.
• The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo. WWII histfic. From its gripping first pages, this novel delivers the unexpected. It gives an unflinching look at the horrors of war while focusing on the selfless sacrifice of two women. Dual narratives offer compelling pictures of beauty in the midst of terrible brokenness. A captivating story.
• I Let You Go by Claire Mackintosh. One of the knockout hits of 2016, I find myself recommending this thriller more than any other, both for its wow factor and broad audience appeal. Eerily atmospheric and terrifically suspenseful, it’s nearly unputdownable.

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P.S. Coming soon–recommended reading for fall, and recent audiobook faves.