1. On Wings of Devotion
Author: Roseanna White
Publisher: Bethany House, January 2020
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction/WWI
Pages: 390
Rating: 9
Roseanna White--the author who set me on my WWI kick with A Name Unknown (2018, #68)--delivers again. Deep characters, my new favorite time period, and enough questions to keep the pages turning. I love her writing.
2. Maisie Dobbs
Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Publisher: Soho Crime, June 2014 (10th Anniversary Edition)
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 320
Rating: 8.5
Delightful mystery set in post-Great War London. Similar feel to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith.
3. The Bridge to Belle Island
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House, December 2019
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Pages: 400
Rating: 8
Can a beautiful recluse accused of murder and the humiliated lawyer sent to investigate come to trust one another enough to solve the mystery of her uncle's death?
4. Winter World (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 1)
Author: A.G. Riddle
Publisher: Legion Books, February 2019
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 474
Rating: 8.5
Planet Earth in the grip of a new ice age, astronauts and scientists scrambling to find the cause--and reverse it if possible.
5. The Nightingale
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint April 2017
Genre: WWII Historical Fiction
Pages: 608
Rating: 9
***Language, content warning. Several bombs, adult themes and abuse situations, but not explicit.***
Whew. Such a beautiful, terrible, poignant story of two very different sisters and the lives they led in WWII. "In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are." Inspired by the story of Andrée de Jongh and other real women of the French Resistance.
6. The Moment of Lift (audiobook, read by author)
Author: Melinda Gates
Publisher: Macmillan Audio, April 2019
Genre: Human Rights
Length: 7 hours 56 minutes (288 pages in hardcover)
Rating: 9
An eye-opening look at how empowering the world's women lifts all humankind. So many stories of change and progress. **There is frank and disturbing discussion of women's cutting in developing nations, but it is not sensationalized. Also discussion of contraceptives and family planning.**
7. Wild Bird
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Publisher: Knopf, September 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 307
Rating: 8.5
Really interesting fictional look at Wilderness Therapy, teen alcohol/drug use, teen mental health issues, and the hope of communication and change. I'm a great believer in wilderness therapy for our over-screened youth, and though this fictional program had some differences from the program I'm familiar with (and there are many different programs out there), I found it to be a realistic representation.
8. Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII (Audiobook by David Colacci)
Author: Chester Nez, with Judish Schiess Avila
Publisher: Penguin Audio, December 2019
Genre: WWII History, Native Americans, Biography
Length: 9 hours 36 minutes (320 pages, hardcover)
Rating: 8.5
Fascinating, in-depth look at the early life and WWII experiences of Chester Nez, one of the original twenty-nine Navajo Code Talkers, and the Code Talkers' role in winning the war in the Pacific.
9. The Land Beneath Us (Sunrise at Normandy Book #3)
Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell, February 2020
Genre: Historical Christian Romance, WWII, D-Day
Pages: 384
Rating: 8.5
Sundin delivers again, wrapping up the stories of the three Paxton brothers in this conclusion to her Normandy series. This one follows youngest brother, Clay, as a US Army Ranger.
10. Call of the Wild (audiobook by Pablo Schreiber)
Author: Jack London
Publisher: Audible Studios, July 2018
Genre: Classic Literature
Length: 3 hours 22 minutes
Rating: 9
Loved this reading by Schreiber. I wanted to read this before I went to the movie. Of course, now I can't go anywhere... haha
11. The Orchard
Author: Krista Lynne Jensen
Publisher: Covenant Communications, April 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 223
Rating: 8
Entertaining modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion.
12. Lost and Found
Author: Orson Scott Card
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing, September 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Pages: 288
Rating: 8.5
Loved this page-turning, coming-of-age mystery/fantasy about Ezekiel Blast, finder of things--and their owners.
13. Have You Seen Luis Velez?
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing, May 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary / African American Literary Fiction
Pages: 315
Rating: 9.5
Loved this poignant story of a seventeen-year-old African American who befriends a ninety-two-year-old blind woman in his New York City apartment building in an attempt to help her find her missing friend and helper, Luis Velez. So much to talk about in this one!
14. The Giver of Stars: A Novel
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Genre: Women's Historical Fiction
Pages: 399
Rating: 9
Englishwoman Alice Wright--not finding the escape she was expecting in her American husband's small town--joins the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. Alice's journey, along with her fellow librarians, makes for an amazing story, but there is quite a bit of language and discussion of sexuality.
15. The Solar War (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 2)
Author: A.G. Riddle
Publisher: Legion Books, June 2019
Genre: SciFi/Dystopian
Pages: 498
Rating: 8
Great second installment! If you enjoyed Winter World, read on.
16. The lost colony (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 3)
Author: A.G. Riddle
Publisher: Legion Books, November 2019
Genre: SciFi/Dystopian
Pages: 384
Rating: 9
Surprising twists and turns! I enjoyed this one most of the three.
17. All You Can Ever Know
Author: Nicole Chung
Publisher: Catapult, October 2018
Genre: Memoir/Adoption
Pages: 221
Rating: 8
Born to Korean parents, this is Chung's memoir on being adopted into a white family in a nearly all-white community and her search for belonging. Very enlightening.
18. Lakeshire Park
Author: Megan Walker
Publisher: Shadow Mountain, April 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 256
Rating: 8.5
Amelia and Peter cross swords as they each seek to marry off their younger sisters--to the same man.
19. Promised
Author: Leah Garriot
Publisher: Shadow Mountain, February 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 368
Rating: 8.5
After having her heart broken, Margaret promises she'll never allow herself to be vulnerable again.
20. The Duke's Refuge (The Leeward Island Series Book 1)
Author: Lorri Dudley
Publisher: Wild Heart Books, January 2020
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Pages: 368
Rating: 8.5
Tomboy-turned-socialite meets duke-turned-schoolmaster.
21. The Name of the Wind (audiobook, read by Nick Podehl)
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, May 2009
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 27 hours 55 minutes (722 pages in paperback)
Rating: 8.5
Epic fantasy told in the hero's voice. Rothfuss's writing is lovely, and Podehl does a nice job on the audio. Beware some bawdy language and a bit of profanity. Also, don't look for any kind of resolution to the inciting incident in this book or the next. Book three is yet to be published. ***Update. Started book 2 but won't finish. Big escalation of intimate content, also more language than the first. Won't be reading 3 (if it's ever published) unless I hear from a reliable source that it's clean first.
22. Rakes and Roses
Author: Jose Kilpack
Publisher: Shadow Mountain, May 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 320
Rating: 9
"Kilpack flips the typical Regency romance script, with the heroine rescuing the hero. Kilpack's strong, upright heroine who finds a way to claim her power in Regency society sets this love story apart." --Publishers Weekly
23. A Proper Charade
Author: Esther Hatch
Publisher: Covenant Communications, May 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 240
Rating: 8.5
Lady Patience abandons the London Season to prove her mettle to her brother--by becoming a maid.
24. Solving Sophronia (Blue Orchid Society #1)
Author: Jennifer Moore
Publisher: Covenant Communications, May 2020
Genre: Historical Romance/Victorian
Pages: 224
Rating: 8.5
Lady Sophronia longs to become an investigative reporter. A murder in a London rookery provides the opportunity she's been waiting for, but will Detective Jonathan Graham stand for a noblewoman infiltrating his investigation?
25. Keeper of the Lost Cities
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Aladdin, October 2012
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Pages: 597
Rating: 8.5
Sophie Foster always knew she was different from the other kids. She never imagined she was a different species. Messenger draws the reader into the unseen society of elves and otherworldly creatures in this exciting first book of the series.
26. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra (A Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation Book 1)
Author: Vaseem Khan
Publisher: Redhook, September 2015
Genre: Mystery/Satire
Pages: 305
Rating: 8.5
"On the day he retired, Inspector Ashwin Chopra inherits two unexpected mysteries. The first is the case of a drowned boy...and the second is a baby elephant." With a flavor similar to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, this was a delightful read.
27. Letters for Phoebe (Promise of Forever After Book 1)
Author: Sally Britton
Publisher: Sally Britton, July 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 142
Rating: 8
"When Phoebe starts receiving anonymous letters, she never once thinks the most irresponsible man in London is her correspondent. Or that she will fall in love with him."
28. A Foolish Heart (Regency Shakespeare Book 1)
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Independently published, February 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 248
Rating: 8.5
Regency retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
29. My Wild Heart (Regency Shakespeare Book 2)
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Independently published, June 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 246
Rating: 9
Regency retelling of Much Ado About Nothing.
30. Always, 'Twas You
Author: Jennifer Moore
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc, October 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Pages: 182
Rating: 8
Kaitlyn returns to Ireland to help her aunt after her uncle's death and reconnects with old flame Connor, only to find herself entangled in a treasure hunt that centers on her antique pendant.
31. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Author: Lori Gottlieb
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2019
Genre: Psychology/Memoir
Pages: 433
Rating: 9
It's so much easier to see how other people could solve their problems than how to solve our own. I laughed, I cried, I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir of therapy through a therapist's eyes. That said, it did have quite a bit of language scattered throughout, including the bomb. Also, some discussion of sex as it would come up in a therapy setting.
32. A Gilded Lady (Hope and Glory Book #2)
Author: Elizabeth Cambden
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers, June 2020
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Pages: 361
Rating: 8.5
Set during President William McKinley's administration. Caroline Delacroix, secretary to the First Lady, butts heads with Secret Service leader Nathaniel Trask. After all my Theodore Roosevelt reading, I found this fictional account of his predecessor's administration and family especially interesting.
33. The Inventive Bride (Cobble Creek Romance Book 1)
Author: Maria Hoagland
Publisher: Red Leaves Press, February 2019
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance
Pages: 182
Rating: 8.5
"Frankie understands the inner workings of clocks and pianos, but not dating. Well, that's a bit more complicated."
34. Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story
Author: Douglas Preston
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, reprint September 2017
Genre: Honduras History/Archaeology
Pages: 336
Rating: 8.5
Fascinating account of the hunt for the lost Ciudad Blanca in one of the most remote regions left on earth. ***Quite a bit of profanity, especially the f-bomb in quotes from the fixer.*** I wouldn't want to listen to this one--my eyes are better at skimming than my ears--but I did enjoy the story line, the history of Honduras, the use of new technology, and hearing about the crazy dangerous terrain and wildlife. Maybe I don't want to be a jungle explorer, though.
35. Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History
Author: S.C. Gwynne
Publisher: Scribner, May 2011
Genre: Native American History
Pages: 371
Rating: 9
"A stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, centering on Quanah, the greatest Comanche chief of them all."
I wish I could have seen the plains, oceanic and burgeoning with bison. But I probably wouldn't have survived it. The tales of hide and seek on the plains are thrilling. Brace yourself for the many frank accounts of atrocities committed by both sides.
36. As You Are (The Jonquil Brothers #3)
Author: Sarah Eden
Publisher: Covenant Communications, January 2014
Genre: Regency
Pages: 208
Rating: 9
Always nice to follow up those hard reads with some Sarah Eden. I'd forgotten how much I love Corbin's story. Eden always manages to transport me away from my worries for a couple of hours. :)
37. Just Mercy (audiobook, read by author)
Author: Bryan Stevenson
Publisher: Random House Audio, October 2014
Genre: Biography/Criminal Justice
Length: 11 hours 11 minutes (368 pages paperback)
Rating: 9.5
Compelling true story about lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his work in our critically flawed criminal justice system. Some language, no bombs.
38. The Dutch House (audiobook, read by Tom Hanks)
Author: Ann Patchett
Publisher: HarperAudio, September 2019
Genre: Literary Fiction/Family Life
Length: 9 hours 53 minutes
Rating: 9
Told over fifty years, a brother and sister hold tight to each other and the house where they grew up as they deal with the fallout from their troubled childhood. ***Strong language, including a handful of bombs***
39. True of Heart (Regency Shakespeare Book 3)
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Independently published, August 2020
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction / Regency
Pages: 334
Rating: 8.5
Really enjoyed these Shakespeare retellings by Keyes, this one of Twelfth Night.
40. Romancing Her Rival
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Independent, August 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 156
Rating: 8.5
Daphne Windham must convince her ailing great-aunt that she is a more worthy heir than her rival, Cole Everard.
41. Her Unexpected Courtship
Author: Megan Walker
Publisher: Love Letter Press, August 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 120
Rating: 9
In order to prevent her brother from selling her beloved horse, Isabel Reed agrees to entertain his friend, Lucas Ashcroft, but she might lose her heart in the bargain.
42. Love Redesigned
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Four Petal Press, June 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 295
Rating: 8.5
Designer Dani breaks from the New York designing world and must face down her ex as she returns to hometown Charleston. I loved the variety of supporting characters, their interactions with the mains and each other, and how they come to value their differences.
43. A Portrait of Loyalty (Codebreakers Book #3)
Author: Roseanna White
Publisher: Bethany House, September 2020
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction/WWI
Pages: 377
Rating: 9
Russian cryptographer Zivon Marin escapes to England and offers his expertise to the British. A promising friendship with photographer Lily Blackwell threatens to test his loyalties and unearth the secrets they both keep.
44. Forget Me Not (The Gents Book #1)
Author: Sarah Eden
Publisher: Covenant Communications, September 2020
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 251
Rating: 9
Promising start to a new series, this book showcases the arranged marriage of Julia Cummings and Lucas Jonquil, parents of the Jonquil Brothers (six book series).
45. Just Look Up (Harbor Pointe)
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, July 2017
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Pages: 375
Rating: 9
Chicago interior designer Lane Kelley reluctantly returns to her small hometown when her brother is in a terrible motorcycle accident. Aiming to keep her distance from her family and all the bad memories she left behind by focusing on her work gets complicated when old friend Ryan Brooks shows up.
46. Just Let Go (Harbor Pointe)
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, June 2018
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Pages: 381
Rating: 8.5
Brawling lands Olympic skier Grady Benson a community service sentence with polar opposite Quinn Collins.
47. Miracle Creek Christmas
Author: Krista Jensen
Publisher: Shadow Mountain, September 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 368
Rating: 9.5
Artist Riley Madigan takes a job as art teacher in a rural school, hoping for some peace and quiet to mend her broken heart. When burn survivor and former firefighter Mark Rivers commissions a special Christmas project, Riley has to face her dislike of the holiday and a growing attraction to the small-town hero.
48. Oathbringer (Stormlight Book 3)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books, November 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Pages:1248
Rating: 9
Revising my rating from 2017 after rereading it this year. I must have been in a bad mood, or distracted, or something. This time around, I loved it. Especially the ending (which had some things I have absolutely no recollection of from the first go), but even the parts I found slow the first time were enjoyable on this read.
49. The Things We Cannot Say (Audiobook read by Ann Marie Gideon and Nancy Peterson)
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Publisher: Graydon House, March 2019 (Harlequin Audio)
Genre: Historical Fiction/WWII
Length: 13 hours 42 min (432 pages in paperback)
Rating: 9
**language, adult topics** Poignant, compelling, tragic, beautiful. Dual storylines of modern day U.S and WWII Poland. I love how Rimmer weaved the stories together, kept me guessing, and taught about living on the autism spectrum. The characters were deep and flawed and lovely.
50. Dawnshard (Stormlight Novella, between Books 3 and 4)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Dragonsteel Entertainment, November 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 208
Rating: 9
Exciting story of Rysn's voyage to Aimia. Definite must-read before Rhythm of War.
51. Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs Book 2)
Author: Jacqueline Winspear
Publisher: Soho Crime, June 2004
Genre: Historical Mystery
Pages: 321
Rating: 8
Maisie Dobbs' investigation of a missing woman connects several mysterious deaths.
52. Insights From a Prophet's Life - Russell M. Nelson
Author: Sheri Dew
Publisher: Deseret Book, April 2019
Genre: Biography
Pages: 452
Rating: 9
Thoroughly enjoyed reading about this marvelous man. I've admired him since I was a child--he is the first Apostle whose sustaining I remember--and loved getting to know him better through this collection of experiences.