My Favorite Reads of 2011

It’s time for “My Favorite Reads of 2011”. I can just feel your excitement oozing through the computer screen even now. Ha! I’ve read a lot of books this year and most were really good but there is a handful that I just loved. Some were from authors I’ve read before while others were by new novelists. 

So, in no particular order, here are some of my favorite novels for this past year…

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

The yearly release by Julie Klassen has become a part of my New Year’s celebrations right along with Dick Clark, the Times Square ball drop, and black eyed peas. I love that Julie’s books release late in December so I can have a brand new book to read over the holidays. She continues to grow as a writer and crafts such lovely stories and characters. The Girl in the Gatehouse is an intriguing story of Mariah Aubrey who was banished from her house and sent to live in the gatehouse on the estate of a distant relative. Needless to say, there are family issues! Throw in a handsome captain who leases the estate, the mysterious details of why Mariah was sent away, and a bushel of other secrets and you’ve got the perfect elements of an intriguing romantic tale.

If you are a fan of regency lit then you must pick up one of Julie’s novels. You can also join me in ringing in 2012 with her latest novel that just hit our shelves, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. Hazzah!  

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

As the book buyer for LifeWay Christian Stores, I know I probably shouldn’t have favorites. It wouldn’t be fair to love one publisher’s books more than another one. Alas… I don’t care. My favorite debut novel for this year was hands down Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews. It’s a powerful retelling of the story of Job with fictional elements added in. After her grandfather Isaac dies, Dinah is left to obey the final command he had for her: to marry one of Job’s sons. Those of us who know Job’s story from the Bible will recall how his world came crashing down with the death of his family, the loss of his wealth, and the abandonment of his friends. Dinah is one of the few people who has compassion on Job and will stop at nothing to fight for him. Mesu’s novel brought Job’s suffering and faithfulness to God to life and will point you back to Scripture to read his full story. There is much we can learn from him even today.

The Ambition by Lee Strobel

I’m willing to admit that straight up suspense novels aren’t what I normally gravitate to. Especially one that’s written by someone who is only known for their nonfiction works! However, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed Lee Strobel’s first fiction book, The Ambition. You know when a guy gets killed in the first three pages of the book without a hint as to why he was targeted that it’s going to be a suspenseful read. Every time I thought I had the bad guy figured out, I would turn the page and find out I was wrong. Gotta love that! If you enjoy fast-paced thrillers, definitely check out The Ambition.

Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon

Irene is a best-selling author that I read this year for the first time (after having several people tell me I should). She totally lived up to all the hype! Deadly Pursuit is a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that will have you wanting to warn social worker Alison Taylor about the stalker who is hunting her down. It will also have you swooning over the guy who is trying to protect her (in this case ex-Navy SEAL Mitch Morgan).  If you’re a fan of Dee Henderson or other romantic suspense authors then you should really spend some time with one of Irene’s novels. You’ll be hooked!

The River of Time Series by Lisa Bergren

In my attempts to be a well-rounded book buyer, I ventured into the world of Young Adult (YA) fiction this year. What I found was the series that I’ve recommended to more people than any other book or series for 2011. Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent comprise the River of Time Series and they are novels that readers of all ages would enjoy. American sisters Gabi and Lia are in Italy with their mother as she excavates some old ruins. Through a series of events, the girls find themselves in 16^th century Italy surrounded by castles, horses, sword fights, and dashing knights (of course!). The series follows the girls on their quest to adapt to 16^th century living (how are they going to live without their cell phones and indoor plumbing?!) while they search for their way home.

Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott

I enjoy historical novels that are based on real events that I might not know a lot about. Rosslyn Elliott’s debut novel, Fairer Than Morning provided just that for me. While accompanying her father to Pittsburg on business, Ann Miller begins to wonder if he is hiding something that could endanger her family. In Pittsburg, she meets Will Hanby, who has indentured himself to a saddle maker who turns out to be a cold-hearted tyrant. Ann and Will’s paths continue to cross as these two very intriguing characters try to find God’s will for their lives. Rosslyn Elliot writes a well-developed story line that gives a fascinating look into the history of indentured servants, slavery, and the people who worked to free others from their desperate situations.

The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz

Thanks to the loving pestering of my co-worker Ruth, I read my first novel by Laura Frantz this year. You were right, Ruth… it was stinkin’ amazing! In The Colonel's Lady, Laura gives us the story of young, genteel Roxanna Rowan who has come to the rugged wilderness of Kentucky to meet up with her father who has been stationed at a fort for several months. After learning her beloved father was killed on a recent campaign, Roxanna is forced to endure the winter at the army post. In order to pass the time she works as a scribe for the man in command at the post, the fiery Colonel McLinn. What she doesn’t know is that McLinn is holding a secret about her father’s death. Cue the drama and sparks! 

I really enjoyed the setting of this story which is so different from most of our historical novels. The rugged and underdeveloped Kentucky frontier in 1779 was an interesting backdrop to this Roxanna’s tale. Laura’s descriptions of the harshness of the area, the crude surroundings of a military fort, and the isolation they both provided were very vivid. You could almost feel the mud caked to your boots as you trudged through the fort. 

Those are just a few of the novels that topped my reading list this year.  How about you? What were some of your favorite novels?  Share your favorite stories for the year and give the rest of us some new books to add to our reading list for the new year.