Favorite Reads So Far This Year
meet 10 books I've loved this year
So far I’ve read 42 books this year. Since my goal was fifty, I am pretty thrilled to be so close to my goal, with half a year left! Here’s a look at my favorite reads of the year … so far! But we are only halfway!
The Women by Kristin Hannah
This book gutted me in all the best ways. Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a young nurse in the United States Army Nurse Corp during the Vietnam War. She withstands bombings and a repeatedly broken heart … only to return home to discover America has turned its back on the soldiers … and forgotten the women entirely.
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
I’m not really a romance reader … but this book was just what I needed! City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reunite with her ailing father only to become entangled in a reluctant relationship with an Alaskan bush pilot. I tend to love romances when they are plot and character focused, more than romance focused. In other words, I’m not a spice reader! This book had me laughing and crying!
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
A sweeping Irish fantasy loosely based on the “Six Swans” fairytale. The spirited young Sorcha is the seventh child and only daugher of the Lord of Sevenwaters. But when her father is bewitched by an evil enchantress, disaster strikes the family. The new Lady of Sevenwaters curses the lord’s sons to live as swans. Only Sorcha can break the spell — but staying silent and weaving nettles into silken shirts. When she’s kidnapped by her father’s enemies, she is torn between saving her brothers and a love that comes only once.
This book is epic, beautiful, and perfect for fans of Outlander.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer.
A nonfiction offering! This book was a balm to a busy mom like me. The entire book centers around the statement: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” A growing body of evidence suggests that hurry — toxic hustle culture and constant distraction — cause tremendous harm to our emotional and spiritual health. This is a short read (or listen!) and I highly recommend for exhausted, overworked, overtired, and overstimulated Christian readers.
What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon
Netflix, I beg of you, please pick up the rights to this STUNNING historical fiction. This book is another must-read for Outlander fans. Amy Harmon never misses. Ever. But this book may be my favorite of hers! New Yorker Anne Gallagher grew up listening to her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. When she returns to her native homeland to spread his ashes, she decides to revisit his old village … only to be sucked into another. As she navigates 1920s Ireland, she joins the Irish fight for independence … and loses her heart in the process. 10/10!!!
Suspended in the Stars by E.A. Hendryx
A beautifully written young-adult sci-fi I’ve been recommending to everyone I know with kids! A circus in space. A princess in disguise. A wise-cracking Han Solo-coded soldier with a tendancy for trouble. What more could you ask for?? I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a no-spice adventurous read for your pre-teen or young adult reader.
What Happened to theMcCrays by Tracey Lange
This book had me CRYING while I cooked dinner, head phones on to drown out the sizzle of stir fry. I blame the onions (it wasn’t the onions). Kyle and Casey are childhood sweethearts whose marriage of 16 years ends after tragedy. As they each try to piece together the shattered porcelain of their lives… they realize how much they’ve let each other down. Is redemption possible? Can they come to any kind of understanding or peace?
Ugh… what a fantastic story about love, loss, and family!
The Will of the Many by James Islington
Holy smokes. This epic is sure-to-be-a-classic. This may be one of the best books I’ve read in the last five years! When I finished this book, I immediately passed it to Mark and said “you need to start this today.”
Vis Telimus, an orphaned fugitive, finds himself at the elite Catenan Academy, a brutal school that hammers elite leaders from talented youth, while enforcing a rigid hierachy based on Will. Vis has been sent to find answers to a former student’s untimely death… Instead, he uncovers a labyrinth of lies and secrets. If he blows his cover, he will die. If he reveals his true name, he will die. And if he learns the truth of the Academy and the society it upholds … he will die.
The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
A French-inspired vampire romantasy that’s utterly atmospheric and transportive. With a murder mystery, a vicious vampire male lead, and a world of masquerades and secrets… this book checked all my boxes. There’s a murder mystery, forbidden romance, and an abundance of gothic elements. Imagine if Anne Rice and S.J. Maas had a book baby.
Thrawn by Timothy Zahn
If you follow me on Instagram, you KNOW I’ve been knee-deep in the Star Wars Thrawn saga. From Hugo Award winning author Timothy Zahn, these books are Star Wars for grown-ups. Instead of space wizards and light-saber-wielding knights … you have morally grey masterminds and impossible choices between bad and worse.
In 1991, Zahn introduced the franchise to one of its greatest villains: Thrawn, a Sherlockian antihero who nearly crushed the New Republic in its infancy. Zahn’s original Thrawn novel, Heir to the Empire, was a bestselling hit that revitalized Star Wars, leading to development of the prequel films. After Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the beloved Expanded Universe novels were “decanonized,” including the fan-favorite blue-skinned Thrawn. But director Dave Filoni reintroduced fans to Thrawn in his animated series Rebels and streaming live action Ahsoka… opening the door for new Thrawn content, including two trilogies: the Thrawn trilogy and the Ascendancy trilogy.
I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS AUDIOBOOKS ENOUGH. Even if you aren’t a big Star Wars fan… these audiobooks are fantastic. I’ve never been a Star Wars geek … but dang, these books are solid sci-fi. The audiobooks are totally immersive with a stellar narrator, sound effects, and music. Both trilogies are solid five star reads for me!