Happy Tuesday! Spring has definitely arrived in central Georgia. All the pollen! I am not sure how there can be so much! LOL! But the blooming trees and shrubs, the green grass, and the warmer temps are surely welcome. Today I am sharing my Spring TBR. It’s a rather short list since I am trying to read on a whim. But I have my eye on a few to add to the list later. This list is a mix of book club, review, and just because books. I hope you can find one to add to your TBR.
Today’s post is a look back at the best books I read in 2022. I read a lot of great books, so this post was hard to write. How do you distill down to just 10 books out of 80+? I gave it a go, using my rating system to search for those that could be included on my list. The genres vary, but all are outstanding. I hope you find one to love too.
This week bloggers are talking about the books on their Christmas Wishlists. This year I would love for Santa to load me up with pre-orders. Sort of like a fruit of the month club, but way better! A brand new book arriving in my mailbox or on my Kindle over the next few months would warm my bookish heart! My list includes my favorite authors across genres. I hope there’s one you’d like to include in your letter to Santa.
Welcome to the Blog Blitz for The Christy Award Finalists organized by ECPA and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! We extend our sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to The Christy Award 2022 Finalists!
The Christy Award Finalists 2022
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong (Kregel Publications)
FIRST NOVEL
All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon (Tyndale House Publishers) Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media) Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom (She Writes Press)
GENERAL FICTION
The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson Publishers) The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group) Under the Magnolias by T. I. Lowe (Tyndale House Publishers)
HISTORICAL
Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) Drawn by The Current by Jocelyn Green (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan (Love Inspired) Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham (Barbour Publishing) Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)
MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/THRILLER
Aftermath by Terri Blackstock (Thomas Nelson Publishers) The Barrister and the Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group)
SHORT FORM
A Texas Christmas Carol (in Under the Texas Mistletoe) by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House/ Baker Publishing Group) Mr. Nicholas: A Magical Christmas Tale by Christopher de Vinck (Paraclete Press) False Pretense by Heather Day Gilbert (WoodHaven Press)
SPECULATIVE
A Time to Seek by Tracy Higley (Stonewater Books LLC) Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson (Tyndale House Publishers) Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media) Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)
YOUNG ADULT
A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban (Wander, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers) Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media) Shadow by Kara Swanson (Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media)
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive print copies of The Christy Award finalist titles from one category of their choice!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight November 3, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on November 10, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Art of Writing on November 17, 12:30-5 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville $99 A conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators.
The Christy Award Gala on November 17, 7-9 pm at Lipscomb University in Nashville $89 Celebrate this year’s finalists and winners with authors, editors, publishers, and readers!
Bundle the Art of Writing Conference & The Christy Award Gala $139
The Christy Award® is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) and is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999. For more information about ECPA, visit ECPA.org. For more information about the Christy Awards and Art of Writing conferences, visit ChristyAwards.com or email TheChristyAward@ecpa.org
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is a Halloween Freebie. I’ve chosen “Ghost” Stories. Please note that ghost is in quotations — things are not always as they seem 😉 . The books chosen are all great and cover a variety of genres. Hope you find one to love.
Jaime Jo Wright‘s latest suspense novel, The Premonition at Withers Farm, delivers at so many levels. This is a complex novel in its characterization and plotting. I absolutely loved it! In my opinion it is her best novel to date. Find out more below.
The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.
In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn’t help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.
In the present day, Molly Wasziak’s life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband’s purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.
Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
My Impressions:
I have long been a fan of Jaime Jo Wright’s novels. She always delivers intriguing plots with characters that touch the heart. She outdid herself with ThePremonition at Withers Farm. The dual timeline plots are shivery good! I was immediately swept into both stories wondering where the twisting paths were going to end up. Both main characters, Perliett from the early 1900s and Molly in the present day, are struggling with making sense of the world around them. Both are grieving, but they demonstrate that grief in very different ways. I loved that Wright showed that grief comes in many forms and that the process of loss and healing takes many different directions. There is an emphasis on the afterlife in this book, and there were times I wondered where Wright was taking the characters. Be assured that God is honored and that each character comes to acknowledge His supremacy over life. But boy, this book sure kept me on my reading toes with all the twists and turns and gasps and goose bumps! Wonderful storytelling is backed up with a great sense of place. The Withers farm and its environs added its own unique flavor and again, creepiness. One aspect I really loved was that Molly is married. Often suspense novels hinge on a romantic thread with two characters thrown together in tense situations. Molly and Trent’s was truly a love story, just 10 years of married life in the making!
The Premonition at Withers Farm was just what I needed — a tale to keep me turning the pages, characters to love and relate to, and just enough creep-factor to make me look over my shoulder. 😉 It is definitely a very highly recommended read!
Very Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Congratulations to all the fabulous authors who are 2022 Christy Award Finalists. I’ve read several of these books, including 4 that were my book club’s choices. All look so good! You are welcome for the additions to your TBR pile! 😉
Romance
All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese
Bookshop by The Sea by Denise Hunter
Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong
First Novel
All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon
Recorderby Cathy McCrumb
Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom
General Fiction
The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox
Under the Magnolias by T. I. Lowe
Historical
Between The Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette
Drawn by The Current by Jocelyn Green
The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan
Yours Is The Night by Amanda Dykes
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Aftermath by Terri Blackstock
The Barrister And The Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson
On The Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright
Speculative
A Time to Seek by Tracy Higley
Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson
Recorder by Cathy McCrumb
Windward Shore by Sharon Hinck
Historical Romance
As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin
Hope Between The Pages by Pepper Basham
Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen
Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin
Short Form
A Texas Christmas Carol by Karen Witemeyer (in Under The Texas Mistletoe collection)
Happy release day to Jaime Jo Wright! Her latest shiver-y good suspense novel, The Premonition at Withers Farm, is now available! If you are a fan of spooky books in October, put this one on your TBR list pronto! See the details below.
The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.
In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn’t help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.
In the present day, Molly Wasziak’s life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband’s purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.
Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
Happy Friday! I have a great book to share today to kickstart any spooky reading you have planned for October. The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright looks to be a shiver-y good read! I started it yesterday (I was able to snag an early copy from NetGalley), but it’s not available for sale until next week. Can you say pre-order?! Get your copy as quick as you can!
Here’s the first line:
When death came to visit, no one ever prepared tea and cookies.
The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.
In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn’t help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.
In the present day, Molly Wasziak’s life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband’s purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.
Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
Jaime Jo Wright is the queen of spooky, and The Souls of Lost Lake is no exception! The dual timeline features a young woman who everyone suspects of murdering her family, yet there’s no evidence and plenty of skepticism that a child could carry out such a heinous crime. Years later Ava Coons has become a campfire story to scare the daylights out of kids! Wren grew up with the stories, but now suspects that a missing child is somehow tied to the legend. I loved both stories as told by Wright. To get the scoop on what really happened decades before, and have a modern mystery to solve, was a treat for this reader. And when I say spooky, I mean it! Especially a creepy porcelain doll that shows up in unexpected places — shiver-y goodness. The title is appropriate as people can be lost in so many ways. While throughout their lives, Wren and Ava feel disconnected from others, they find a sense of place and acceptance. Wright kept me guessing until the very end of the book. I didn’t see either ending coming!
The Souls of Lost Lake is perhaps my favorite of all of Wright’s books, and that is saying a lot. It definitely is a highly recommended read. Just make sure you keep the light on. 😉
Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.
Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses’ cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.
In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger’s ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter’s Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava’s secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.
Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
Many of the books I review are provided to me free of charge from publishers, authors, or other groups in return for a review. The opinions expressed in the reviews are mine and mine alone. No monetary consideration is given. This disclaimer is in accordance with FTC rules.
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