Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Loved But Never Reviewed

Today’s Topic: Books I Loved But Never Reviewed

Hosted by: That Artsy Reader Girl

Oh wow! This week’s post kind of shames me. I’ve only reviewed a very small percentage of the books I’ve read, so this list could be very, very long if I named them all.

And while favorites implies a very limited number, I’m overly generous with the term.

I’m going to break this down into more recently discovered favorites as well as ones I’ve loved for many years. And while it’s impossible to keep it to ten, this is a very small list of my favorites.

NEW(ER) FAVORITES

You Deserve Each Other – I was happily surprised by the charming humor and repartee in this book. But what made it an instant favorite with me is the unexpected depth and sincerity in what could have been just another standard rom-com. I loved the ultimate message about learning to love again and staying committed when emotions change.

Beautiful in His Sight -I’m a huge fan of this author and her books, all of which could be named as favorites. However, there was just something really touching about this tale of two broken souls who learn to look past appearances to see each the truth of each other.

Shadow Among Sheaves – This one crept up on me. It became a favorite the more I pondered the story after finishing it. I really appreciated the author’s take on the traditional biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. And placing it in a more “modern” setting also revealed the relevancy of some of the story’s themes.

Whose Waves These Are – I defy anyone to read a story by Amanda Dykes and not fall in love with her story-telling style. I always feel immersed in the beauty of words and imagery. Plus, this one is set in my dream summer home location – Maine!

Beauty and the Mustache – I have yet to meet a Penny Reid book that I don’t love, but this is my absolute favorite and one I’ve re-read more times than I can count. I love the characterization of the hero and heroine so much. Particularly, that that she is a reader and he is a writer and poet. I love a good love story and this is a great one.

The Progeny – I rarely read this type of story – slightly dystopian, edge of your seat thriller full of suspense. But from page one, I was hooked on this tale of a descendant of the Blood Countess inadvertently locked in a battle with an ancient group sworn to destroy her. The vicarious globe-trotting and introduction to sub-culture was so fun.

OLD FAVORITES

One Night with a Rock Star – This updated re-telling of the Biblical story of Esther surprised me. It’s very well written and I found the main characters so engaging. I loved how the author incorporated spiritual realities into what could have been a cliched plot.

Sway – This debut from Amy Matayo is still my favorite of all her books. The plot felt so original and surprising. It served as a great introduction to one of my favorite authors who is always writes with passion and insight about real-life, messy issues.

The Covered Deep – Oh, how I adore this historical romance which takes readers from Appalachia to London to Jerusalem. And all seen through the eyes of a naive, but lovable young lady who is way out of her depth.

The Passion of Mary-Margaret – What happens when a young woman yearning to be a nun meets a wild tortured young man? Many authors have written the bad-boy trope well, but never has anyone written it quite like this. Mainly because the romance is second place to the redemption story of two people just trying to survive.

A Light in the Dark – Rarely has female character charmed me more than Tish Ransome, who curses in pirate language, is the only female among her brothers and her rock band, and is charmingly irrepressible. But then Sebastian shows up and we see what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object. I love watching their relationship develop.

The Gilded Lily – Ya’ll, I’m absolutely obsessed with that short period of American history called the Gilded Age. It is difficult to find good fiction featuring this time setting and this story is very well written. The heroine is admirable, strong and full of personal integrity. I love how she refuses to be dictated to by the men in her life, all of whom are of lesser character than she.

Bookends – Raise your hand if you love a quirky, awkward heroine! And this one is such a repressed, strange mess of a woman I can’t help but like. It’s so much fun to see her forced outside of her comfort zone, by the man who is opposing her plan for an historical building in town. The early morning bird-watching expedition he tricks her into is one of my favorite parts of the book.

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