Top 10 books for 2013

I have read 364 books this year. That number does not count the tons of children's books that I read over and over again to my kids before bed. It doesn't not include the books that I re-read because I enjoy them so much. It does not include the books that I've read online that are not in publication yet. These are just books that I've read once, for the first time this year, and are in publication.

Several years ago my friends starting listing their top 10 favorite books for the year. Since I read a massive amount of books I figured this would be super easy to do. But it isn't! It's so hard that I have been working on this list for almost a week and still am not sure if I have it right. I know that as soon as I hit publish I'll find another one that should have been added to the list.

Here is my list in no particular order.

 Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay

This book will probably get a separate review here on this blog. I loved it for a lot of different reasons. It was fun, creative and spoke to me.

Closer by Jim & Kathy Burns

The authors clearly approached their couple devotional time the way Jon and I do. It was a great book that I can't wait to re-read with my husband.

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

This book inspired me to care more. It opened my eyes again to how selfish I live my life.
Very inspiring book!

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Wow! I can't say enough good about this book. 

It totally changed my world. The author took thankfulness to a whole new level.

I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Experiencing God at Home by Richard & Tom Blackaby

Practical, useful advice for bringing God into your home and heart.
It's a book that every family should read.

Wishing On Willows by Katie Ganshert

There are some books that you walk away from feeling like you know the characters. You felt their emotions and experienced their life. Very few authors are able to write well enough to put the reader so completely into the story. But Katie Ganshert has this gift. I've really enjoyed her books and am thankful she has more coming out soon.

Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade

I walked away from this book in love. I loved the characters, the story, and the author. The book was romantic (as you all know, I'm a sucker for romance), and so much fun! I rushed through the book because I was enjoying myself so much and then was so disappointed to realize I was done. Now I'm rather impatiently waiting on her next book to come out.

Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe by Sharon Jaynes 

The subject matter alone would have made this a good book for me, but the author was able to take practical advice and make it interesting to read. She inspires the reader to think beyond themselves and shoot for unselfish love.


The 25,000 Love Story by Serge Roetheli

I know that this book resonated with me because I'm a runner. But it wasn't just that. I could not put this book down. It's inspiring and heart wrenching. The author clearly has a way with words that will wrap themselves around you and not let go.

Ever After by Vicky Courtney

 I not only enjoyed reading this book, I connected with it. She had me laughing, but also inspired to be better, do better. It's a great book for women at any stage in life.

I've re-read several books this year and wanted to point out several authors that I like.

 

Dee Henderson

I've enjoyed most of the books by this author. While I admit that her latest book wasn't my favorite, I'm still a huge fan. I re-read The O'Malley series this year and enjoyed them again.

 

Torey Hayden
Her real and gritty books are at times hard to take. They put the reader directly into the harsh reality of child abuse and foster care. But she has a light-hearted touch to her writing that really connects the reader with the child and inspires us as humans to keep trying and keep caring. I re-read several of her books this year.

Linda Dillow
What I've read of her has been mostly Bible study guides for women. I re-read Calm My Anxious Heart this year for a Bible study group I'm in. She has a serene calm about her that translates into her writing. She's practical and her books inspired me to be a better Christian.

This was an incredibly hard list to write. I had to delete so many from the list to keep it at 10. And I was surprised to see so many non-fiction since my favorite is fiction. I'm also going to write a post about my favorite children's books and post it on my book review blog if anyone is interested.