2022 Top Young Adult Fiction

We’re all a little young at heart, so it’s not surprise that we still enjoy YA Fiction! Check out our top picks for the year!

Top Pick: Court by Tracy Wolff

I must give Tracy Wolff a hand, it is hard to write a book over 700 pages and keep the reader interested and even aching for more after turning the last page. Plus, the woman must write like a fiend with the next two coming out later this year also, insert happy dance! This series came to my attention last year and I have been hooked since. If you are fan of teen fantasy, especially books such as Twilight, Hunger Games and even Harry Potter, you will love these.

Read the full review here.

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Runner-Up: Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

Kelcie Murphy starts out fast and doesn’t let up; this is the exact right kind of book I look forward to recommending to young readers looking for fantasy, magic, adventure and a great story. I loved the way Kelcie used all the hardships she went through to bring out the strength she needed to prove to herself and others she belonged.

Read the full review here.

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Runner-Up: Nine Liars by Marueen Johnson

So many great aspects of this story that kept the pages turning quickly and hard to put down. Stevie Bell is the new age Nancy Drew and the cases she keeps coming across call to her and with the help of her friends she can help solve cases that no one else has been able to solve. My favorite thing about this series is the way they are so different from many of the other books I have read. So many books these days are a formula and the same old thing, these books are very different and entertaining.

Read the full review here.

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2022 Top Time Slip Reads

We didn’t see as many time slip novels this year, but of those we did, three really stood out!

Top Pick: The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

Jaime Jo Wright is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I was slow to pick up her books because she writes part of her stories in the past and historical fiction has not been one of my top go to genres. But when you write in the way Jamie Jo Wright does, it doesn’t really matter if it is past, present, or future; the story is so good it takes time out of the equation and puts the reader deep within the story. I am finding with each of her books that I read it is better than the last and The Souls of Lost Lake is no exception. Both the past and the present timelines are so intriguing with characters readers will have no choice but to fall in love with and want to desperately find out how their story turns out.

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year! Not only was the historical fiction portion of the story super interesting, but the present-day mystery and treasure hunting aspect took the whole book to another level. I couldn’t decide which of the two stories that I wanted to read more and they pretty well blended altogether. Such a great story for anytime of the year.

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

Each new book always proves me wrong in thinking she can’t top the last one; somehow, they get better and better. The feel of this one hit me hard, Molly was such a fantastic character and once she was at the farmhouse, the story enveloped me in such a tight hold there was no way I was getting out of it. I sat down and devoured this book in a weekend, had I not had responsibilities like taking care of my two children, it probably would have been read in a single sitting.

Read the full review here.

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2022 Top Romantic Suspense

Our next genre has no shortage of picks to choose from, but only a few can make the cut. Any of these your favorites?

Top Picks: Stone & Willow by Ronie Kendig

I love the way Ronie Kendig writes, but some of the military thrillers I have read are very detailed and deep. This one was a little more laid back but also filled with tension at all the right places to keep the story moving. I read this one very quickly and enjoyed all aspects of it. This was one of those rare books I was able to see play out as a movie in my mind while I was reading it.

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: Life Flight by Lynette Eason

With each new book, Lynette Eason has shown that she is a powerhouse when it comes to romantic suspense and is leaving others far behind. I keep saying each new book is her best, but it is true, and Life Flight is leaps and bounds ahead of her others. Some books have the ability to make a movie play out in my mind while I read, but those are few and far between. Life Flight was a great movie in my mind that I hated to see it end.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: Malicious Intent Lynn H. Blackburn

The tension was high from the very beginning and kept the pace throughout which made for a great and fun read. It will be hard for the next book to top this one, but I am not going to say impossible, I have learned not to underestimate Blackburn and her ability to surprise me with a story.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: The Epic Story of RJ and York by Susan May Warren

If you have been a fan of Susan May Warren’s Montana Marshall series, you are familiar with RJ and York and their relationship. This series is going to make readers very happy seeing this fun couple go through all kinds of obstacles just to be together. These books have non-stop action with tension in all the right places and the right amount of humor between the characters to keep the story moving along. Fans of the Marshalls will not want to miss out on this one.

Read the full review here.

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2022 Top Contemporary Fiction

We hope that everyone had a great Christmas and were gifted all the new books you wanted! If you still hunger for more, check out our top picks for Contemporary Fiction!

Top Pick: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

The Extraordinary Death of Mrs. Kip is just that, an extraordinary book, especially when you realize this is a debut book. Sara Brunsvold has written a delightful new story that is going to be in the running for one of my favorite books of the year. This book hit me in all the right places and even had me wiping away a tear or two towards the end, not something that happens often when reading.

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: No More Lies by Kerry Lonsdale

If you enjoyed No More Words, then you will love this book even more. I was initially expecting a continuation, but this is a retelling of the same time period from Jenna and Josh’s perspective. So, readers know the elements of what happened to Lily, but now get to read about it firsthand and understand how the characters became who they are today. Needless to say, Lonsdale placed plenty of intrigue throughout the pages to keep her readers hooked through the full story. There are references to events in the first book that readers may need to go back and enjoy again to get the full effect.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: The Local by Joey Hartstone

As a fellow Texan, I have friends who are patent lawyers in Marshall, so it was fun to pick their brain while I read this story to get an idea of what goes on. The book centers more on the criminal case of the murdered judge instead of patent law, which probably makes the book move faster and get readers more engaged. Hartstone did a great job of setting up the scene quickly and bringing characters in to connect with readers.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

Normally a book on Amish fiction would not be one I eagerly pick up to read, but I’m happy to say Among the Innocent was so much better than I expected. Mary Alford crafted a story set within the Amish community that was engaging, suspenseful, delightful, and more.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: Shaped by the Waves by Christina Suzann Nelson

Christina Suzann Nelson always manages to craft characters who are hurting, yet strong willed, and make them become a reader’s best friend while trying to help them work out their problems. I have been a fan of many of her books and this is an excellent addition to the collection. The main character within the pages is my favorite character from any book this year!

Read the full review here.

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2022 Top Speculative Fiction

Merry Christmas Eve and what better to speculate about than some of the best fiction of the year! Of course we are talking about our top picks for speculative fiction. If you love futuristic or dystopian fiction, this is your category!

Top Pick: Upgrade by Blake Crouch

If you pick up a Blake Crouch book, you know that you are going to be in for a wild ride that will likely result in sleepless nights while reading the book and after reading the book because you keep thinking about it for months. Upgrade was no exception to his formula. However, he changed tactics a bit and strayed from his usual focus on quantum entanglement to human gene modification. He has also moved from being more current day to a time of a dystopian world after disasters.

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: Fairy Tale by Stephen King

This book is like a book within a book in certain ways. I read the first few hundred pages, which could have been a book on its own, and then the story took off in another direction that was creative and had a way of bringing fantasy into reality in way I haven’t read in a really long time. It has been an incredibly long time since I have read anything by Stephen King, and I had this one recommended to me by a friend. I’m glad he did because it was so different from anything I have read this year that it made it that much more enjoyable.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: Clean Air by Sarah Blake

This has unexpectedly become one of my favorite books for the year. I’ve always enjoyed the dystopian genre, but it has become quite predictable over the years. I’m glad to see such a unique take with Clean Air. From the premise of the book to the characters, I loved it all. I was hooked from the beginning and just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: 48 States by Evette Davis

Davis brings a fresh look with 48 States. Named so because two of the states are evacuated for energy production, this book dives into some of the darker areas of what could potentially happen to our country.

Read the full review here.

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2022 Top Historical Fiction

It’s that time of year again! Everyone is getting ready for Christmas. Temperatures have dropped below freezing and everyone needs a good book to read or give as a gift. So we kick off our top selections of the year with Historical Fiction!

Top Pick: Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

There is no doubt that this is Sarah Sundin’s best book! I have been reading her WWII fiction for years and this book had me captured from the beginning through the end. Just when I thought that the story was about to let up, she threw in a twist that I didn’t see coming and kept me glued to the page. Thank goodness I had a couple of days where all I had to do was read!

Read the full review here.

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Runner Up: Fires of Edo by Susan Spann

After almost three years, Hiro Hattori and Father Mateo have returned for another mystery! What makes these stories so great is the banter between the two main characters. It’s just comical and makes the story move along so well, but the mysteries are always intriguing to keep the reader trying to guess at what the truth is.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: The Blue Diamond by Leonard Goldberg

This is one of those series that I can’t wait for the next installment every year! It always winds up on my “best of” list and the “looking forward to” list! The mysteries are always so intertwined that my brain keeps turning throughout the whole book trying to keep with Joanna and figure out who is the culprit. Just when I think I have it figured out, Goldberg throws in a curveball to keep me guessing right up till the end with Joanna reveals it all.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham

I’ve always thought one of the best aspects of a historical fiction novel is when you get to learn something you knew little to nothing about. Such was the case with The Resistance Girl.

Read the full review here.

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Honorable Mention: The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies

When you read a trilogy, the middle book is really more of the bridge from beginning to end and doesn’t always hold the interest of the reader. Jefferies does a grab job transitioning the story to only one of the characters from the first book and changing it to more of a crossover time slip. Plus shining light on little known history is always a plus!

Read the full review here.

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What’s in store for 2022?

Today is one of our favorite days because we get to give a shout out for books that we are looking forward to and show some cool cover art! Are any of these in your reading list?

Life Flight by Lynette Eason

Set to release January 4th. This new series will attract new fans to Eason’s writing while keeping her current fans begging for more! Find out more here!

Sunrise by Susan May Warren

Set to release January 4th. Another new series by Susan May Warren is in the works and multiple books are set to release throughout the year. Contemporary romance fans will want to make sure this in on their list! Find out more here!

Stone by Ronie Kendig

Set to release January 6th. This series strays a bit from Kendig’s typical military thrillers into a straight up romantic suspense, but don’t worry, it will be just as good! Find out more here!

Court by Tracy Wolff

Set to release February 1st. This has been our new vampire guilty pleasure series. While similar to other series, it is just unique enough to make us love it. Both the 4th and 5th books release in 2022. Find out more here!

Fires of Edo by Susan Spann

Set to release February 15th. It has been a long time since Spann released a new Hiro Hattori novel! This series following a Portuguese Jesuit priest and Samurai assassin has some of the best friendly banter found within its pages, but enough mystery and intrigue to keep readers pull in! Find out more here!

Malicious Intent by Lynn H. Blackburn

Set to release March 1st. A master of romantic suspense, Blackburn’s next installment in the Defend and Protect series is guaranteed to keep readers glued to the pages! Find out more here!

The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

Set to release April 5th. The balance between darkness and light in Wright’s books is unique. This new book will likely garner several new readers! Find out more here!

Dark Angel by Andrews & Wilson

Set to release April 5th. We just stumbled upon this author duo last year and can’t believe we haven’t run across them before. We made sure to get them in our to read pile from now on! Find out more here!

No More Lies by Kerry Lonsdale

Set to release May 10th. No More Words was left wide open to explore more about what happened to these characters and Lonsdale’s follow up in this series will do just that! Find out more here!

Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal

Set to release June 7th. Hannibal is a master at stories filled with mystery, twists, and turns. Sometimes there is a hint of romance, but don’t be fooled into thinking that is the key theme! Find out more here!

The Blue Diamond by Leonard Goldberg

Set to release June 14th. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes series has become one of our absolute favorites every year. Readers will race against the characters to see if they can solver the mystery first! Find out more here!

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

Set to release July 19th. We haven’t found anyone who can write mind blowing stories quite like Crouch. Even if your not an expert in quantum physics (like most if not all of us) these stories will grab a hold of readers and take them for a ride without slowing down in the least! Find out more here!

What She Found by Robert Dugoni

Set to release August 23rd. What year could be complete without a new Tracy Crosswhite novel? This is likely our favorite series of all time! If you haven’t read any of this series, we suggest to start today! Find out more here!

2021 Top Books of the Year

Happy New Years Eve to all our readers! And with the last day of the year comes our compiled list of our top reads. This is a bloggers biggest challenge of the year given the number of books that we go through, but we still managed to narrow it down. Hope you enjoyed these as much as we did!

Top Pick – After She Falls by Carmen Schober

We can’t say enough good this about this book. Suspense, romance, drama, and MMA fighting all wrapped up into one little package!

Runner Up – All That We Carried by Erin Bartels

Another fantastic read that was just shy of taking the top spot! The tension in this story is so tight that readers may become high strung by the end, but it is so worth it!

Runner Up – Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Every year needs a good sci/fi selection and Andy Weir is back at the top of his game. This is quite the lengthy story, but most readers will have it finished in a just a few days.

Runner Up – On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright

A master of the time slip formula, Wright gives readers exactly what they expect from her and keep coming back for more!

Runner Up – The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni

A master storyteller lacks nothing regardless of the genre he writes in. Fans of Dugoni will love this book as much as any other he has put out there.

Honorable Mention – No More Words by Kerry Lonsdale

Lonsdale’s writing on family drama might just make you forget yours is so bad for a little while. Peek into another messed up family’s life to take the edge off!

Honorable Mention – Rembrandt Stone Series by David James Warren

This entire series of six installments was released over 2021 and each book was better than the previous. Such a fantastic series that we can’t recommend it enough.

Honorable Mention – The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

Another time slip makes it on the top list this year! With family secrets on the line, it’s easy to see why it ranks so high!

Honorable Mention – Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

Romantic suspense at its best and a debut novel to boot! Koslin is making our watch list for 2022!

Honorable Mention – Dark Intercept by Andrews & Wilson

Got to love suspense thrillers and we can’t believe we haven’t picked up on this duo before!

2021 Top Comtemporary

Every year we have a genre with so many good books that we simply can’t narrow it down to just five. And why should we? Each of these authors brings a unique voice to their craft that makes us simply blend into the story and forget about reality for a little while! Enjoy our top picks for 2021!

After She Falls by Carmen Schober

Our top pick follows a young mixed martial artist who trades love for her passion only to find herself trapped in an abusive marriage. Readers will see not only fighting in the octagon but fighting internal battles as well!

Read the full review.

All That We Carried by Erin Bartels

If you want a story with tension and conflict, this is the book for you! Two sisters with years of hurt and anger between them finally have a confrontation in the middle of the Michigan wilderness. The raw emotion as well as beautiful scenery will draw readers in for the long haul.

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No More Words by Kerry Lonsdale

This start of this new trilogy begins with what Lonsdale does best, bringing family drama out front and center. Readers will be jumping to the wrong conclusions throughout the pages only to be shocked by the revelation at the end!

Read the full review!

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni

Dugoni is no stranger is our suspense/thriller list, but every once in a while he brings out a book in a different genre that is just as good. He has a way of writing a story that goes deeper than most and characters that will pull you by the heartstrings.

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A Piece of the Moon by Chris Fabry

Fabry has a way of making readers feel a part of the story and this is no exception. The first chapter will have readers hooked and then tag along with the different groups hunting for treasure.

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Provenance by Carla Laureano

Who doesn’t love an unlikely romance discovered in a small town nestled in the Colorado Rockies? With loveable characters and some references to past novels, this is one of her best!

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Seven Perfect Things by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Every time we pick up a Catherine Ryan Hyde novel, I am reminded why she is one of out favorites. The way Hyde writes these stories pulls me in and has us turning the pages as if we’re reading a thriller. Seven Perfect Things is by far our favorite of her novels, it didn’t take more than two pages to pull us into the story and kept us hooked the whole way through.

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The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin

Martin’s writing is like none other. All his stories are just feel good type stores, but the Murphy Shepherd series has such action and suspense packed in, it’s almost difficult to keep it tied to one genre. This is his best series so far and we can’t wait to see what comes next!

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Mona Passage by Thomas Bardenwerper

Another story laced with internal conflict. Plus it’s set in Puerto Rico, which is a past roaming ground, so it was fun to see the accuracy of the island throughout the pages!

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Facing the Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti

A story full of heart, faith, strength, and a longing to survive even during the hardest of circumstances.

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2021 Top Romantic Suspense

The New Year can bring romance, but it can also bring suspense. So why not celebrate with our top choices for the Romantic Suspense genre! Several repeat authors are appearing on this list because they are just so good at what they do!

Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

An absolutely fantastic debut novel! So much suspense, action and truly believable moments. Can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.

Read the full review!

Active Defense & Hostile Intent by Lynette Eason

Two more fantastic installments in the Danger Never Sleeps series! Lynette Eason has done it again; her writing puts her on a whole new level with this series. No better time for readers to discover one of the very best in romantic suspense!

Read the full review of Active Defense!

Read the full review of Hostile Intent!

Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon

We’ve read a lot of Irene Hannon books over the years, but we must say this is going to take the top spot out of all her books. The premise hooked us right away! The idea of a female detective that is always mistaken for someone much younger than they are and able to use that to their advantage to go undercover brought her writing to a whole new level!

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Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn

The start of this new series by Lynn Blackburn is her best work yet!! So much action, drama, suspense, tension, with just a little bit of romance at all the right spots. We absolutely loved the way this story started with a bang and didn’t let up.

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Breach of Honor by Janice Cantore

A fantastic police procedural that had us hooked from page one with fantastic character connections and an adrenaline laced story!

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Obsession by Patricia Bradley

A fantastic suspense read with tension at all the right spots! Fans of Patricia Bradley will not want to miss this one. Patricia Bradley is a fantastic Romantic Suspense author and her Natchez Trace series is continuing to be one of our favorites.

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Aftermath by Terri Blackstock

It has been a long wait for a new Terri Blackstock book, and we have to say she did not disappoint with Aftermath. The writing was very well done and kept the suspense throughout all while writing a clean and engaging story.

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