1.The Wright Brothers (audiobook narrated by the author)
Author: David McCullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, May 2015
Genre: History/Biography
Length: 10 hours 2 minutes (336 pages in paperback)
Rating: 9
Fascinating look at the history of manned flying machines and the brothers who made it happen first
2. Outliers: The Story of Success (audiobook narrated by the author)
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Genre: Anthropology/Social Psychology
Length: 7 hours 18 minutes
Rating: 9
"In this stunning audiobook, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of 'outliers' - the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: What makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like and too little attention to where they are from..."
3. Educating Elizabeth (Blue Orchid Society 4)
Author: Jennifer Moore
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Genre: Victorian Historical Romance
Pages: 270
Rating: 9
"A headmistress and a wealthy rogue join up for a philanthropic cause in Jennifer Moore's enthralling Victorian romance novel..."
4. Windsong Manor
Author: Julie Wright
Publisher: Shadow Mountain, October 2023
Genre: Regency
Pages: 280
Rating: 9
"A young widow. A gentle stable master. A secret that could change everything."
5. Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Publisher: Ballantine Books, August 2011
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 386
Rating: 8.5
Loved this book, other than some crudeness that could easily have been omitted. Didn't love the movie, but I imagine if you loved the movie, you would love the book more. *language, violence, innuendo and sexual references.
6. Sadie and the Bad Boy Billionaire (Oakley Island 3)
Author: Jenny Proctor, Emma St. Clair
Publisher: Independent, January 2024
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 300
Rating: 8
Deeper than the title would lead you to believe, Proctor and St. Clair have another winner here.
7. Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder (Happily Ever Homicide 1)
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Independent, March 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Mystery
Pages: 376
Rating: 8
"Love, laughter, and a dead body..."
8. Embers in the London Sky
Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell, February 2024
Genre: WWII Christian Historical Fiction
Pages: 394
Rating: 9
I was still thinking about this one days later. "As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside."
9. Dune (Audiobook by Scott Brick et al)
Author: Frank Herbert
Publisher: Macmillan Audio, December 2006
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 21 hours 2 minutes (896 pages paperback)
Rating: 8.5
Frank Herbert's classic masterpiece. Glad I saw the movie (part 1) first and now I actually understand what was going on, just in time for part 2.
10. A Waltz With Traitors
Author: A. L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications, March 2023
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction WWI
Pages: 417
Rating: 8
Fascinating look at the Czechoslovak Legion and their trek through Russia at the end of WWI.
11. Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs
Author: Dana Lechaminant
Publisher: Independent, December 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 357
Rating: 8
"Jordan knows better than to flirt with his best friend's sister."
12. All My Secrets
Author: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, February 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Gilded Age
Pages: 383
Rating: 8
"A luminous work of historical fiction set amid the opulence of Gilded Age New York, where three generations of women in one family must reckon with the choices they have made and their hopes for the future."
13. The Unassuming Curator (Georgian Gentlemen Book 5)
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications, April 2023
Genre: Georgian Romance
Pages: 274
Rating: 8
I loved these characters and their shared interest in natural history. Also an interesting look at color blindness in the 18th century.
14. Rocky Road (Sons of Scandal 2)
Author: Becky Wade
Publisher: Becky Wade, February 2024
Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspence Romance
Pages: 387
Rating: 7.5
"A talented and creative perfumer, fixed on protecting her family's masterpiece. A noble and desciplined FBI agent, determined to pull off a flawless operation."
15. Buffalo Flats
Author: Martine Leavitt
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books, April 2023
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Pages: 240
Rating: 9
"Based on true-life histories, Buffalo Flats shares the epic, coming of age story of Rebecca Leavitt as she searches for her identity in the Northwest Territories of Canada during the late 1800s." Beautiful prose.
16. The Hero and the Crown (Damar #1)
Author: Robin McKinley
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 244
Rating: 8.5
"An outcast princess must earn her birthright as a hero of the realm—in this “utterly engrossing” Newbery Medal–winning fantasy (The New York Times)."
17. Trespassers
Author: Stephanie Black
Publisher: Covenant Communications, September 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 377
Rating: 8.5
"Rayna Kirkpatrick has lived her entire life with a secret: she possesses dangerous paranormal abilities. But she’s carefully kept her powers hidden from the world?or so she thinks."
18. Defiant (Audiobook read by Suzy Jackson)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Dragonsteel
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 13 hours 45 minutes (432 pages in hardcover)
Rating: 8
"The final book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction."
19. Skye Fall
Author: Paige Edwards
Publisher: Covenant Communications, October 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 352
Rating: 8
"On the run for two years, Isla’s life is far from assured as her would-be murderer doggedly tracks her across the UK, intent on silencing her forever."
20. A Noble Scheme (The Imposters Book 2)
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House, March 2024
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Pages: 349
Rating: 8
"In the opulent and perilous world of high society's most elite--and most dangerous--families, two investigators must set aside their broken hearts to uncover the truth."
21. The Blue Sword (Damar #2)
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers; Newberry Honor Roll Edition October 2000
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 272
Rating: 7.5
“This is a zesty, romantic heroic fantasy with an appealingly stalwart heroine, a finely realized mythical kingdom, and a grounding in reality that enhances the tale’s verve as a fantasy.”—Booklist (starred review)
22. Mind Wide Open
Author: Steven Johnson
Publisher: Tantor Audio, July 2004
Genre: Nonfiction / Neurology / Neuropsychology
Length: 8 hours 7 minutes
Rating: 7.5
"Brilliantly exploring today's cutting edge brain research, Mind Wide Open allows readers to understand themselves and the people in their lives as never before."
23. Time or Tide
Author: Ali Benson Moulton
Publisher: Mountain Treehouse Press, April 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 271
Rating: 9.5
"Based on a true story, Time or Tide follows passtionate Deborah from Ireland to Scotland, where loyalty and love collide."
24. Only the Beautiful
Author: Susan Meissner
Publisher: Berkley, April 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 396
Rating: 9.5
"A heartrending story about a young mother's fight to keep her daughter and the terrible injustice that tears them apart." Trigger warning: abuse, WWII horrors, language. I had a hard time starting this book because events made me so angry, but I loved how everything wrapped up in the end.
25. No Matter What
Author: K. M. Frost
Publisher: Independent, May 2023
Genre: Teen/YA Fiction
Pages: 444
Rating: 9
Definitely not a light read. Gang violence and plenty of heavy topics. But I loved the character growth and the depth of emotion.
26. Running With Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero (audiobook read by author)
Author: Christopher McDougall
Publisher: Random House Audio, October 2019
Genre: Memoir/Animals/Running
Length: 12 hours 13 minutes (352 pages hardcover)
Rating: 8.5
Loved this meandering tale that weaves all kinds of things--from Amish lore to mental health issues--into Sherman's journey from neglected and abused pet to quirky burrow racer.
27. Romancing the Grump
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: JPC Publishing, April 2024
Genre: Sports Romance Fiction
Pages: 358
Rating: 8.5
"He’s a grump and happy to stay that way. But can her sunshine melt the ice around his heart?"
28. A Novel Disguise: Lady Librarian Mysteries, Book 1
Author: Samantha Larsen
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (May 2023)
Genre: Historical Mystery
Pages: 295
Rating: 8.5
"When Miss Tiffany Woodall assumes the identity of her half-brother after his death, she realizes she isn’t the only one with a secret to hide."
29. Reputation at Risk
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Paradigm Press, April 2024
Genre: Regency
Pages: 352
Rating: 8.5
"Their choice? Scandal or mutual salvation."
30. The Paris Agent: A Gripping Tale of Family Secrets
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Publisher: Graydon House, July 2023
Genre: WWII Historical Fiction
Pages: 368
Rating: 8
"Kelly Rimmer’s dramatic new novel follows two female SOE operatives whose lives will be determined by a double agent in their midst."
31. Love Songs Suck: A Pop Star Romantic Comedy
Author: Becky Monson
Publisher: Independent, April 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 317
Rating: 8
"After growing up in Nashville with two musician parents, I promised myself one thing—I would never, ever fall in love with anyone who had anything to do with the music scene."
32. One Kiss Alone
Author: Nicole Van
Publisher: Fiorenza Publishing, July 2023
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 409
Rating: 8
That's a heck of a meet-cute!
33-38. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (Volumes 2-7)
Author: Beth Brower
Publisher: Rhysdon Press, November 2019-
Genre: Humorous Fiction / Historical Fiction
Pages: 162-313 depending on the volume
Rating: 9ish (some more favorite than others but all so good :)
I enjoyed book 1, but I can say I'm genuinely addicted now. I love Brower's writing style and all the colorful characters. Now I need Volume 8!
39. Betting on the Brainiac (Betting on Love #3)
Author: Melanie Jacobsen
Publisher: Independent, May 2024
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 344
Rating: 9
Another hit from Jacobsen. I didn't read the blurb and I'm glad I didn't, so I'm not putting anything more here haha.
40. A Groom of One's Own
Author: Emma St. Clair
Publisher: Create If Writing LLC, March 2024
Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance
Pages: 368
Rating: 9
"He always dreamed of getting married--but for love, not to avoid deportation."
41. Enemies Don't (Fall In Love Series Book 2)
Author: Leah Dobrinska
Publisher: Leah Dobrinska, February 2024
Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance
Pages: 295
Rating: 8
"A heartfelt romantic comedy, loosely inspired by The Proposal."
42. Disconnect
Author: Tracy Abramson
Publisher: Covenant Communications (June 2024)
Genre: Clean Suspense
Pages: 288
Rating: 8
The penultimate Saint Squad novel did not disappoint! (other than that cliff hanger haha but the last installment is slated for March 2025!)
43. The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club #3) (Audiobook narrated by Fiona Shaw)
Author: Richard Osman
Publisher: Penguin Audio, September 2022
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 11 hours 16 minutes (368 pages in paperback)
Rating: 8.5
Love these characters. And the narrator is great. Some innuendo and swearing.
44. Island of the Mad: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (#15)
Author: Laurie R. King
Publisher: Bantam (June 2018)
Genre: Historical Mystery
Pages: 309
Rating: 8
Another solid in the series. If you haven't read Beekeeper's Apprentice go read it now! (if you like a good mystery) Some swearing and quite a bit of talk about homosexuality and how it was seen/not seen/reacted to in the 1920s. Also some abuse mentioned, but nothing graphic on the page.
45. The Fantastic Laboratory of Dr. Weigl: How two Brave Scientists Battled Typhus and Sabotaged the Nazis (Audiobook by Dennis Holland)
Author: Arthur Allen
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: History/Science
Length: 10 hours 27 minutes (400 pages in hardcover)
Rating: 8
Trigger warning for WWII atrocities and content, but a very interesting read.
46. West With Giraffes
Author: Lynda Rutledge
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing, February 2021
Genre: Historical Literary Fiction
Pages: 346
Rating: 8.5
"An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America." Some swearing and violence.
47. Glucose Revolution
Author: Jessie Inchauspe
Publisher: S&S/Simon Element, April 2022
Genre: Self Help/Nutrition
Pages: 295
Rating: 9
A fascinating look at how blood glucose affects all areas of your health, including "simple and accessible science-based hacks" to help manage blood sugar levels without giving up everything you love to eat.
48. While the City Sleeps (Women of Midtown 1)
Author: Elizabeth Camden
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers, February 2024
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Pages: 352
Rating: 8
"Katherine Schneider's life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar."
49. A Shadow in Moscow
Author: Katherine Reay
Publisher: Harper Muse, June 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction/Cold War
Pages: 382
Rating: 9
In the thick of the Cold War, a betrayal at the highest level risks the lives of two courageous female spies: MI6's best Soviet agent and the CIA's newest Moscow recruit.
50. Riviera Gold (Mary Russell #16) (audiobook narrated by Jenny Sterlin)
Author: Laurie R. King
Publisher: Recorded Books, September 2020
Genre: Mystery
Length: 12 hours 11 minutes (368 pages)
Rating: 8
"It’s summertime on the Riviera, and the Jazz Age has come to France’s once-sleepy beaches. From their music-filled terraces, American expatriates gaze along the coastline at the lights of Monte Carlo, where fortunes are won, lost, stolen, and sometimes hidden away."
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