Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A Baker's Dozen (of sorts) ... My Top Picks for 2012



It's hard to believe that 2012 has come and gone, but I have great expectations for 2013. I set a goal for myself at the beginning of 2012 to read 10 books a month and I'm happy to say I met that goal...barely!

I have compiled my "Baker's Dozen" of favorite books for the year and if you feel so inclined, I'd love to know some of your favorites. I have listed the books in no particular order. A couple of authors were fortunate to get two books on my list, but I only included them under a single number in the count.

1. Cottage by the Sea by Robin Jones Gunn

A heart-wrenching tale that gripped my emotions, especially as I see my parents aging.

2. The Key on the Quilt by Stephanie Grace Whitson

I enjoyed how this story mingles the lives of women with starkly different circumstances who in many ways aren't that different at all.

3. Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman

The whole Secrets of Roux River Bayou series was excellent and is one of the best series I've read for quite some time. I fell in love with these characters and hated to see the series end.

4. His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons

I love to read books from the Civil War era and found this book compelling from the very first page.

5. Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

Who can resist a story with "Prince Charming" in it? A serious story with a nice touch of humor in just the right places.

6. The Yellow Packard by Ace Collins

Boy, oh boy, does this car have a story to tell! Put your key in the ignition and let this book take you for a ride. I loved it from start to finish.

7. Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport

A bit of an out-of-the-box Amish story with story lines set in both historical and contemporary times. I especially enjoyed the historical aspect as my ancestors embarked for America from Rotterdam in the 1700s, just as the Beiler's did.

8. Ashton Park by Murray Pura

I loved the saga of the Danforths of Lancashire as they faced love and war. I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series.

9. A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman

I LOVE Christmas books, and I read several over the season. I loved the chemistry between Charlie and Franny, especially at their first meeting.

10. Her Restless Heart and The Heart's Journey by Barbara Cameron

I love the cousins in this series. Each one has her own personality and I enjoy the camaraderie between them. Book 3, Heart in Hand, can't get here fast enough!

11. Gone to Ground and Double Blind by Brandilyn Collins

Both were so compelling that I finished each of them in one day. That's almost unheard of for me.


12. By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer/Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

I couldn't let the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking go by without reading a few books on the subject. I found both books to be both delightful and heart-wrenching at the same time.


And last but not least, 13 is Teardrop by Travis Thrasher. This short story is part of the 7 Hours series published by Tyndale House. Teardrop was a "keep you on the edge of your seat and confound you with an unexpected ending" kind of story. Loved it!

Have a blessed 2013 everyone...
and HAPPY READING!

2 comments:

Rel said...

I'm not doing much better than you ~ I've only read 2 and a half of your list - LOL! Looking forward to ferreting out some of these from my TBR based on your recommendations.

Hope 2013 is a wonderful year for you and your gorgeous family, my friend xo

Jenny said...

Looks like between us we've got a lot of goodies to catch up on. So many books, so little time... ;)

Blessings backatcha, friend. *hugs*