2016 was a great year for books and we had a hard time narrowing down all the genres to only 10 total.  So we decided we didn’t have to.  Instead we are doing our top 10% books for the year.  Happy Reading!

 

Top Pick

The Progeny by Tosca Lee

This was by far our favorite book of the year.  Read it and you will find out why.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Runner-Up

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Fast paced and mind bending, this will keep you thinking.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart

Another book that will keep you thinking.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Alliance by Jolina Petersheim

Amish fiction with a dystopian twist?  Did she just create a new genre?

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will be Stars by Billy Coffey

We haven’t found a Billy Coffey book that we haven’t loved, but this one dives even deeper.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

We love this book, series, and author.  You’ll see why it was our top YA pick.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ninja’s Daughter by Susan Spann

Who doesn’t love a great police procedural set in Samurai Japan?  If you find you love this book, check out the entire series.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

Remnants: Season of Glory

The only thing that made us sad about this book was that it closes the trilogy.  I once heard someone say the best trilogies have four books.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything we Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

Probably our favorite debut novel of the year.  Great contemporary with a little supernatural mix.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ringmaster’s Wife by Kristy Cambron

Cambron has never let us down and throwing in the Ringling Brothers made it that much more exciting.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curse by Steven James

Need a good YA thriller?  Steven James will make sure you are beyond satisfied.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Clearing by Robert Dugoni

The Tracy Crosswhite series is one of the best detective series out there.  Dugoni is a master storyteller in this series.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel

This book was a surprise to us, but it was a very good surprise.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

In the market for a good military thriller?  Look no further.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

Child of the River by Irma Joubert

Great historical fiction that makes it feel personal.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

Panacea by F. Paul Wilson

Medical thriller?  This is the cure!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren

Western romance craving?  Here’s your fix.

Read the full review.

 

Our second thriller category is based on suspense.  Love a good read that will keep you up all night?  Check out any of these titles.

 

1st Place

The Progeny by Tosca Lee

The first book in this new series will keep you on your toes.  Lee’s use of twist and turns will keep surprising you until the last page.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Place

Panacea by F. Paul Wilson

Twists, turns, and secret societies will keep you wanting more.  A medical thriller searching for a cure and those trying to keep it contained make for a sure winner.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

Operation Zulu by Ronie Kendig

A fast paced, military thriller with so many twists and turns you might not see them all till the very end!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

4th Place

Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

An unleashed plague, kidnapping, and a disgraced federal agent called back into action to save the world.  What more could you ask for?

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

5th Place

Code 13 by Don Brown

The second book in the JAG series keeps us reminiscing about the TV series.  But the suspense is even greater!

Read the full review.

 

We’ve grouped our thrillers into two different categories.  The first is supernatural thrillers that have a bit of the paranormal tied to them.  All are very worthy of your time!

 

1st Place

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Ever heard of string theory?  Like most people, it may only be from a certain comedy TV show, but after reading this mind blowing novel, you’ll be questioning all of your decisions for the rest of your life.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

2nd Place

The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston

The second novel of this series is just a good as the first.  Set in ancient Rome and Egypt, the exploration of the shards and ark of the covenant keep us wanting more!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

There Will be Stars by Billy Coffey

This book puts one of the most known citizens of Mattingly into a type of Purgatory disguised as Heaven.  Unfortunately, it is anything but for the people stuck there.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

4th Place

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart

Another book that gives you an illusion of heaven if you are only looking skin deep for your heart’s true desire.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

5th Place

The Domino Effect by Davis Bunn

This financial thriller could easily occur today with the tumultuous stock market.  Just reminder, once the first domino falls, the others won’t be far behind.

Read the full review.

 

 

Moving on to our top picks for historical fiction.  These awesome pieces of work have a wide range of genres and settings, but we sure are glad we had the chance to read them.

 

1st Place

Child of the River by Irma Joubert

Joubert returns to South Africa with a tantalizing story about a young woman with ambitions of becoming more during the 1930s and 1940s.  Lovers of civil rights readings will enjoy this book.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

2nd Place

The Buried Book by D.M. Pulley

Set in 1952 Detroit, the entire book is seen from a nine year old boy’s perspective.  This read may make you cringe at times, but it is worth it.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel

Prohibition and rum running.  Need I say more to get you hooked into this story?

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4th Place

Reliance, Illinois by Mary Volmer

This story is chock full of romance, adventure, murder, deception, mystery, and secrets. Plus tons of twist and turns with a great historical setting.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

5th Place

Three Wishes by Lisa T. Bergen

If you loved Bergen’s River of Time series, you will enjoy the new spinoff.  If you’ve not read them, this is a great place to start.

Read the full review.

 

 

As the holiday season continues, we’ve decided to release our remaining Top 5 lists.  Even though we are primarily dedicated to fiction, we also like to mix it up with a little nonfiction every now and then.  2016 brought some great reads in this category.  Here are our selections:

 

1st Place

5 Things Every Parent Needs to Know about Their Kids and Sex by Anne Marie Miller

A hard topic to tackle, but done so with the best information possible to adequately prepare parents and children for this difficult issue.  If you are struggling to have this conversation with you kids, this is a great place to start.

Read the full review.

 

 

2nd Place

Shaken by Tim Tebow

A football fan I am not, but a fan of Tim Tebow I am.  This book really shows how to handle unexpected situations that life throws your way.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

Troubleshooting Your Novel by Steven James

Need some help getting that novel polished up for publishing?  Join master storyteller Steven James as he dives deep into making complex topics seem simple.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

4th Place

Made Well by Jenny Simmons

Simmons explores a topic that many will find refreshing.  If we are willing, the spirit is ready to make us well.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5th Place

The Pug List by Alison Hodgson

Find out how one family found happiness after a tragedy through the adoption of a pug.  Laugh and cry throughout the whole book.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good story!  For a special Christmas treat, we are releasing our top 5 picks for contemporary fiction.  Grab any one of these (or all of them) for a great year ending read!

 

1st Place

Everything we Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

This fantastic read kept us guessing what was going to happen the whole way through.  Just when we thought we had it all figured out, Lonsdale through us a curve that blew everything out of the water.  Meet us at Aimee’s when you done!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

2nd Place

Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

This was an amazing back and forth read about faith, music, and love.  Truly a beautiful story.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

All the Breaking Waves by Kerry Lonsdale

Just as incredible as her debut novel, Lonsdale continues to breach the surface with her sophomore novel.  With a little supernatural and a great romance, this one easily made the list.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

4th Place

The Promise of Jesse Woods

Fabry spins an amazing tale set around a young boy’s summer spent in a new place with some new friends that aren’t all too popular.  His love for the girl Jesse and the Pittsburg Pirates makes this a fun, but sometimes emotional, read.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

5th Place

Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Small towns and the wrong kind of relationships are the perfect mix for the right kind of story.

Read the full review.

Now moving on to our top 5 picks for romance reads of 2016.  Another tough category with lots of contenders.  Hope these make it into you reading list for next year!

1st Place

Finding Libbie by Deanna Lynn Sletten

No matter how much I wanted the pain of this story to end, I just couldn’t put it down.  And I’m glad I didn’t!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

2nd Place

The Ringmaster’s Wife by Kristy Cambron

Not just one romance, but two for the reader’s of this great historical work.  This book is yet another of Cambron’s masterpieces!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

3rd Place

Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren

With romance, broken hearts, and a cowboy on a mission, Wild Montana Skies reads better than a country western song sounds.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

4th Place

June by Miranda Beverly-Whitemore

Another double romance set in two different times.  Lovers of contemporary and historical fiction will love this read!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

5th Place

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

A cozy inn, scenic Prince Edward Island, and no lack of trouble makes this a fantastic romance read.  Be sure to check out the first in the series too.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

Near Miss

Sea Rose Lane by Irene Hannon

A master writer of Romance, Hannon puts out another even paced theme at Hope Harbor.

Read the full review.

 

Up next we have our top 5 picks for young adult fiction for 2016.  With such great work out there, it was really hard to narrow it down.

1st Place

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Tahir’s sophomore novel shines just a bright as the first.  The new viewpoint that is introduced really brings more of the story to the characters we are already dying to know more about!

Read the full review.

 

 

 

2nd Place

Remnants: Season of Glory by Lisa T. Bergen

The Remnants series is not well known, but it should be.  It is quite possibly one of the best YA series that has been released.  We hope that there is more to come.

Read the full review

 

 

 

.

3rd Place

Curse by Steven James

Steven James is one of the best authors on the market, mostly known for his Patrick Bowers FBI series.  But don’t let his YA fool you, it will draw you in just a quickly and give you a thrill ride like you can’t imagine.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

4th Place

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

A juvie convict, a forbidden love, and an axe to grind with the past.  Sounds like high school.  Don’t miss this the deeper mystery hidden in the hipster town of Gilt Hollow, Ohio.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

 

5th Place

Lock and Key: The Initiation by Ridley Pearson

You can never go wrong with a YA novel written by Ridley Pearson.  He gave us the Kingdom Keepers and Steele Trapp.  Now he has brought a new version of Sherlock Holmes.  Elementary you say?

Read the full review.

As we wind down the year, we are going to be counting off our top five picks in several categories for the year.  To start with, we are kicking off with the Crime Fiction/Legal Thriller category.

1st Place

The Ninja’s Daughter by Susan Spann

With a quick pace and quirky characters, this book dives deep into Japanese Samurai culture.  If you haven’t started this series yet, you better get going.  The next one comes out summer 2017.

Read the full review.

Check out the author interview.

 

2nd Place

Night Work by David C. Taylor

Michael Cassidy is back at it and stuck in Cuba during the revolution.  Adding even more to the pot is that Dylan has surfaced in Cuba bringing back the romance from the first book.  Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

Read the full review.

 

 

3rd Place

Dressed for Death by Julianna Deering

After a two year absence, Drew Farthering has again graced our bookshelf with a new mystery.  Can he and Madeline survive their first mystery as a married couple?  Find out inside.

Read the full review.

 

 

4th Place

In the Clearing by Robert Dugoni

Detective Tracey Crosswhite is back in action with a new mystery.  As one of our favorite detectives, it is easy to see why Dugoni makes the list every year.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

5th Place

Murder Comes by Mail by A. H. Gabhart

Do you love fun, cozy mysteries?  So do we.  This series has keep us entertained the whole way through.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

Near Miss

Fifth Column by Mike Hollow

With plenty of British detective humor and banter, this book will satisfy both mystery lovers and WWII history enthusiasts.

Read the full review.

 

 

 

Near Miss

Who Let the Dog Out? by David Rosenfelt

Pet lovers, this is the series for you.  Andy Carpenter will warm your heart and keep you hooked on the reading.

Read the full review.

Author: Tim Tebow

Publisher: WaterBrook

Release Date: October 25, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A look at a man that has become famous for many reasons and how he feels about many of the things he has been a part of so far in his life.

What do you do when life is going great? How about when nothing is going your way?  We have all been through the ups and downs life has to offer.  In his new book, Tim Tebow gives a glimpse into his journey and how he has been able to stay grounded through the highs and not let himself get lost in the lows life has brought his way.  He talks about his outstanding college football career and how things seemed to only get better from there, only to have them all come crashing down.  Tebow shows the ways he has dealt with the highs and lows and hopes his insight will help others.

I am not a football fan. AT ALL.  But I wanted to read this book because I knew it would be about so much more than the game.  Tim Tebow is a man of faith, and that is not something he will apologize for.  He has had some amazing accomplishments in his life, and he has also had some major disappointments.  It would be easy to blame God for the bad stuff and turn his back when things don’t go his way.  But that has never been his style and it is something he can be proud of, even more so than his sports awards and accomplishments.  I didn’t realize some of the hardships he went through before reading this book.  It is nice to see that someone like him has remained strong in his face through some very trying times.  He makes some very good points about no matter what is happening in your life there is always someone worse off and we need to remember to be grateful for good and the bad.  Without experiencing the negative in our lives, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the good.  That is something that many forget all too often.  At one point he talks about looking around us every day and finding the opportunities to be an everyday hero.  Even if that is something as small as helping someone cross a busy street, to them that might be everything.

I feel it would be beneficial for many to read this book, young athletes and teens in particular. There are many life lessons they can take away from his stories.  I don’t know what all Tim Tebow has planned for the next stage of his life but I am sure whatever it is he will conquer it with steadfast faith as he has with everything he has faced thus far.  I recommend this book to anyone looking to be inspired and maybe learn a thing or two about how to handle the storms that will inevitably come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.