The Best of ‘07
January 2, 2008
Happy New Year, everyone. It’s always fun to look back on the year that was and remember the events that happened. Amazing all that goes on in 365 days, isn’t it?
Today I decided to look back at the books I read in 2007 and pick my top five favorites to share with you. These weren’t all new in 2007, but they were the books I read that stuck with me the most.
#5 — Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren.
This book had an ensemble cast that will be featured in the two books to follow, the second coming out this month, I think. If you’ve ever wanted a taste of life on a ranch, this is it. The characters were all so rich, their stories all intertwined, the struggles all real. It was such a fun book to read, and I’ll be reading the next one ASAP.
#4 — When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall
I reviewed this book a few weeks ago, and you can follow this link to see the details again. I’m not one for Amish books, but When the Heart Cries was fantastic, a far cry from what is the usual Amish novel.
#3 — Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin
I read this one back in March, partly because it dealt with the kings of Judah during the time of Isaiah, and my Sunday School class was studying Isaiah. The intensity of the first chapter caught me off guard, but the story gripped me and I had to read on. If you’ve ever thought the stories of the kings to be rather boring, think again. One of the great things about this book is that Lynn Austin gives Bible references for you to read. And almost the entire book is covered in those Bible passages. It brings to life how evil Israel had become and how wicked their leadership was. Again, here’s the link on the review I posted in March.
#2 — Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves by Sharon Dunn
What I loved about this mystery was that Sharon wrote real characters who’d messed up and were struggling with the consequences of their behavior. Even though one character had become a Christian, his life still bore the effects of the way he used to live, and I found that so refreshing. And from there, Sharon had the characters growing as people — facing their past, learning and growing in the present, and trusting in God for their future.The story, the characters were so authentic. The whole Ruby Taylor series (this is book one) is one of my favorites and I highly recommend it.
#1 — Nobody by Creston Mapes
I read this book a couple months ago, but I have thought about it so much since then that it was a shoe-in for my number one pick of the year. Really, if you can only read one book this year, read Nobody. You can see the review I wrote here, and yes, there’s a bit of a disclaimer where the author and I don’t see eye to eye, but the story was fantastic. The plot was fast and interesting, the characters were gripping, and the whole story made you think even as it entertained. I’m not sure what Creston has coming out next, but I’ll be reading it for sure.
I have to say that was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to the books I’ll be reading in 2008. How about you? I’d love to hear your top five of ‘07.
Comments
3 Responses to “The Best of ‘07”
I really enjoyed Abomination by Colleen Coble, and Demon by Tosca Lee. There were tons of other books I enjoyed as well, but these are the ones that stuck with me long after I set them down. I look forward to some great reading in ‘08 too
Welcome back, Sally. Happy New Year! Sounds like some good choices.
ooo, a hard question…I’d have to say:
Dead Heat by Dick Francis
Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Book of Old Houses by Sarah Graves
Sushi for One? by Camy Tang
Try Dying by James Scott Bell