Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The Best of 2011 - Favorite Fiction

It's always fun looking back over the year at the books I've read. Out of 110 completed, I marked ten as favorites, ten that have found permanent residence on my bookshelves, ten I would recommend to others. It's even a fairly diverse grouping. Three of the novels are contemporary, three are speculative, two suspense, and two historical.

If you're a picky reader looking for quality fiction, here are my favorites in no particular order:

Words by Ginny Yttrup
B&H Books 2011

The Resurrection by Mike Duran
Realms 2011

Nick of Time by Tim Downs
Thomas Nelson 2011
Darkness Follows by Mike Dellosso
Realms 2011

Desert Gift by Sally John
Tyndale House 2011
Vigilante by Robin Parrish
Bethany House 2011
The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz
Revell 2011
The First Gardener
by Denise Hildreth Jones
Tyndale House 2011
The Queen by Steven James
Revell 2011
City of Tranquil Light
by Bo Caldwell
Henry Hold & Company 2010

10 comments:

  1. Brenda, I always consider it high praise when I merit mention by you given your reading preferences and the fact that you read so prolifically!! A million thanks for this. Praying I keep writing "those" kind of books. I so appreciate you.

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  2. Laura, I'm always glad to include you as you've earned your way onto my lists.

    You, like the other authors & books I've listed above, write with the perfect blend of plot, character, & prose. Your voices all differ, but when those three elements of story are excellent, the result is a spectacular sound.

    I know I'll always enjoy reading your works, Laura. I can't wait until Love's Reckoning comes out.

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  3. I've got to get to Nick of Time! Good list, Bren. I read five of them and enjoyed them.

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  4. Yes, you do need to get Nick of Time, Nicole! It was my favorite of Downs' bug man series--I loved watching Nick Polchak's character develop in ways I never expected. I just hope Downs comes out with another book soon.

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  5. Sigh -- I can't pick favourites. It would be like pointing out a favourite child! LOL. How did you come to making your decision?????

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  6. Good question, Kav. I keep track of the books I read throughout the year & rate them as I go along. Every once in a great while I'll read a novel that really makes an impact on me, one that'll have me thinking about it for days. Those I mark with Favorite. Now, that doesn't mean I don't care for the others I read, it's just that these WoW me.

    Of 110 books read this year, 10 made Favorite--odds-wise, that's 1 out of every 11 reads. Some critics would claim those odds are too high. ;)

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  7. Interesting list, Brenda, with a few names I don't recognize. I'll have to check them out.

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  8. Sandra, the book that surprised me was City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell. I hadn't heard of the author or the book until it was nominated for an INSPY. What an amazing novel! It earned its win in the INSPYs General Category.

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  9. The First Gardner was a wonderful story! It made my 2011 top reads list too :)

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  10. Anne, that's one I can't wait to read again.

    Thanks for stopping by. :)

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