Favorite Books of 2017

This is always such a fun (and difficult) post to write. I read so many books (at my last count it was 80 books this year) and that means I enjoyed so many books! But, there were some that I loved more than others so I thought I'd share them here. I stuck with the theme most bloggers are and did my top 17 favorite picks! They aren't in any particular order but go from early in 2017 to the end.

Top 13 Books of 2016

As of right now, I've read 65 books in 2016! Surpassing my goal of 55 but a whole 10 books and I'm hopeful that I'll finish The Lady and the Lionheart tonight before 12 so I'm including it here because, even though I'm not finished it with it yet, I can just tell it's going to be a favorite.

I've been blessed to live the lives of a hundred+ characters this year through the pages of these incredible books. I cannot even begin to say how they have all impacted me and my imagination but I can tell you it has been a glorious ride and I am already looking forward to so many more books in 2017.

What is a book that you've loved from this year? Comment below!

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 

2. Morning Star by Pierce Brown 

3. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

4. Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig 

5. Accelerant by Ronie Kendig 

6. Keep Holding On by Melissa Tagg

7. The Ringmasters Wife by Kristy Cambron 

8. One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg

9. The Progeny by Tosca Lee

10. Siren's Song by Mary Weber

11. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

12. If I Run by Terri Blackstock 

13. The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Biscof

Final Favorites | February 2015

I've been pretty busy this month! Lots of blogging and some amazing guests have been featured and I was so excited to do another "Final Favorites" video for you all. There's just something fun about getting the chance to reflect back on the month.

A few posts of note this month: 

•  "A Flawed Perspective and a Missed Opportunity: Rob Bell on Oprah" | Me sharing my thoughts on Rob Bell's talk with Oprah and why I think he's wrong in his views about the Bible. 
• My introduction of The Grove for New Novel News (p.s. check them out!)
• "True Love in a 50 Shades World" | My post talking about true love in the midst of the release of Fifty Shades of Grey.

 And, while I'm sharing, stop by Putting On The New for my monthly contribution, "A Page From My Journal on Trust". I think you'll like it!

Without further ado...

This month's book Recommendations: 
Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

Final Favorites | January 2015 *New*

Hello there, Thinking Thoughts friends. I've decided to do something even more new (um, I don't think that's grammatically OK) than New Novel News. I've decided to...*gasp*....*choke*...show my FACE on the blog.

Um... [crickets chirping]

I realize that's not so new. I mean, you see pictures of me all the time, right? But no...I'm not just talking about sharing a picture of me, I'm talking about sharing a video! That's right. I'm doing a vlog. But is it really a vlog if I'm still blogging about the vlog? Hum, I'm not sure.

Either way, today is the first installment of a new, once-a-month, post I'm affectionately calling, Final Favorites.

The idea for this actually started when I was skyping my dear friend Corrine the other day. I kept showing her the cover of a book (curious which one? you'll have to watch the vlog to find out >insert evil laughter<). And it hit me - I could literally talk about my favorite books all day. I mean, really. So why not do that? Talk about them, that is - not all day.

Well, after all of that introduction I may have ruined it for you all, but if I haven't, I'm excited to introduce the January edition of Final Favorites.

Ok, so what did you think? Was it totally annoying or fun? Should I do more posts like this in the future? 

*P.S. I'd love for you all to join the discussion on my favorite post from last week: "The Right to Write, Right?" 

Flash Back To Childhood

I happened across a Facebook post from author Rachel Hauck asking about favorite book characters from childhood. It got me reminiscing about my childhood and all of books I read (or my parents read to me).

I though it would be fun to share some of my favorites here and then to see what you readers loved when you were young.

Enid Blyton | The Adventure Series

Dating back to 1944, this amazing series by British author Enid Blyton had more than enough to satisfy my adventurous, reading spirit. I remember my mom reading these to me and wondering... Why is there food in tins? What are biscuits? And then dreaming night and day about being on and adventure like Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann and Jack got to be. 

Purchase: Enid Blyton Adventure Series Set Collection




Nancy Drew

In keeping with the adventure, mystery theme, I loved the Nancy Drew books. And yes, you caught me, I still do :D I was given an almost complete set of them and can't wait to someday have the shelf space to display them (haha).

Purchase: Nancy Drew Complete Series Set, Books 1-64


The Hardy Boys

The Hardy Boys may have been boys, but that didn't stop me from enjoying their adventures. These were books my dad would read to me and I loved them just as much as Nancy Drew.

Also, did you know that they made a really fun (though slightly cheesey) TV series about Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys?

Check it out here: The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries - Season One
Purchase: The Hardy Boy Books

The Boxcar Children

Imagine this: a long road trip, the front cab of a truck (we're talking no back seats here), and a small child. What do you do? Well, you read of course?

Whenever we would take road trips I was insistent that we had enough books to make it to our destination. I'm so glad my mom never got car sick, though there were a few times we're pretty sure she fell asleep while reading to my dad and I.

Purchase: The Boxcar Children Bookshelf (The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Books 1-12)

Frank Peretti | The Cooper Kids Adventure Series

Hum, are you sensing a theme here? Yes, adventure was definitely what I wanted to read when I was a kid. Makes sense why I like it now as well, and why I write Romantic Suspense ;)

Purchase:
Cooper Adventure Series




Robin Jones Gunn | Christy Miller Series

I got into the Christy Miller Series in my early high school years - introduced by my dear friend Steffani. I picked up the first book and was hooked. I love that they took you through to the college years and now I hear there's a married years series too! Definitely going to check that out.

Purchase:
Christy Miller Sereis

J.K. Rowling | Harry Potter

What childhood reading experience could be complete without Harry Potter? I recognize there is a lot of debate around the books in Christian circles, but one of the things I appreciated about my parents was how they handled things like that. My mom is a various reader who loves Fantasy and Sci-Fi. I took my cues from her and she read Harry Potter as well. For me as a child it was never about anything more than letting my imagination go.  The world Rowling created is simply amazing and fostered a lot of creative thinking on my part while also pointing out the very real fight between good and evil.

Purchase: Harry Potter Series


So, what about you? What books did you read as a child? Did you have a favorite series? Did you parents ever read to you?

What I look for in a good book...

As a writer I asked myself recently, "Emilie, what is it that makes you say - 'that was a good book'?". 

Ok, so maybe I didn't say it to myself quite like that but I have asked why I liked some books and not others.  When you take out the obvious factors - well written, solid plot, relevant conflict - there are just some books I have enjoyed more than others.  Seeing as today is a holiday for me, I've decided to briefly tackle this idea.  I've come up with three books and three reasons (one per book) of why I liked these books.  It isn't a scientific study I'm doing here, just something a little more interesting than blogging about the fact that I cleaned my room this morning, did a lot of reading, and am thinking of eating leftover homemade pizza for lunch...

Reason #1{Happy Ending}

I'll admit right here and now that I am a sucker for happy endings. Very few times have I read a book that doesn't end happily and thought - yes, I'd like to read this again.  It doesn't mean the whole book is bad if it doesn't end happily, but to me reading is a journey and I will allow (haha yes... "allow") the author to take me through a lot of heartache and trouble as long as I know that it's "worth it" in the end.  "Worth it" to me means a happy ending.

"Kissing Adrien" by Siri L. Mitchell has been one of my top favorite books for a long time now (almost 8 years!) and, though the cover isn't my favorite (it's a little bright for me) I love how Siri composed this story.  The main character, Claire, isn't perfect but she is honest!  I read this when I was much younger after having read many Christian romance novels where the protagonist always seemed to be so perfect and I thought to myself, this author has captured something about Christianity and being a girl that is real.  All that to say, I love the ending of this book but I wont ruin it for you.  I'd suggest you pick up a copy for yourself! 

Reason #2 {The Right Lesson}

I cheated on this one... I used a series but it makes my point, so I hope you'll forgive me?  When I read, there are several things that go through my mind when both choosing and enjoying the book I'm in.  I often pick Christian romance books because I enjoy them and because that's the genre I typically write in as well.  I have come across many that have treated the gospel like a vegetable - it's not the favorite part but it's good for you so you just need to get past it an on to the better stuff (like dessert or something).  Not all books are this way, but I have found the best weave an accurate and believable story of redemption into the lines of plot and character that is not forced or unnatural.

Francine Rivers has the gift of writing that is real and filled with history without being dull with the details.  The Mark of the Lion Series has long since been a favorite series of mine.  Francine is the type of author that makes the story about Christ in the lives of her characters with believability.  The emotions and story are so real that you not only become attached to the broken slave girl, Hadassah, because of her life of hardship and forbidden love, but because of her unyielding faith.  In a small way, her faith encourages yours - even if she is a fictional character.  To me, this makes putting any of these books down very difficult.

Reason #3 {Outside the Box}

Lastly, there is nothing better than a book that is original.  I know it's said that there are "no original ideas" under the sun (a bad paraphrase, I know) but there are ideas that are better than others.  These are the ones that take your breath away, hold you riveted to the page, and don't release you until you until the last chapter.

"Thr3e" by Ted Dekker was one of those books for me.  I remember getting to the end and thinking...how is this possible?  Reading for a second, then third time, still didn't lesson the suspense or surprise (even after I knew the ending).  This book was not only well crafted, but it was an idea that isn't typical.  I find those types of ideas, whether for a suspense novel or a romance, to be the best kind. 

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So what do you think?  What makes a book "good" to you?  What don't you like when you're reading a book?  I'd love to hear more opinions on this! Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day :)