Top 3 Reads of 2022
My Favorite Books of the Year
It’s that time of year again. You know what I’m talking about. No, not making a list of resolutions that you know you’re not going to keep. What’s the fun in that? I’ve got something way better for you to jot down on a list…my top 3 reads of the year. So, without further ado, let’s have at it, shall we?
The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano
When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.
The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?
Fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women's independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era--and now.
Mary by Shannon McNear
Immerse yourself in the "what if" questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. What if an English boy and a native girl met in the wilderness? The push-and-pull between two very different worlds begins as one seeks simple friendship and the other struggles to trust. And can it--dare they--allow it to be more?
Sparks fly between Mushaniq, free-spirited daughter of Manteo, and Georgie Howe, whose father was brutally murdered by undiscovered native warriors before they'd been on Roanoac Island a full week. As Georgie struggles to make sense of his life and to accept that not all they call "savage" are guilty of his father's death, Mushaniq grapples with her own questions about who Manteo has become. As tentative friendship becomes more, forged in the fire of calamity and attack upon their community, both must decide whether the One True God is indeed who He claims to be and whether He is worthy of their trust.
Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.
The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah Ladd
In Regency England, one letter will alter a young woman’s fate when it summons her to Briarton Park—an ancient estate that holds the secrets of her past and the keys to her future.
Cassandra Hale grew up knowing little about her parentage, and she had made peace with the fact that she never would. But her world shifts when a shocking deathbed confession reveals a two-year-old letter from Mr. Clark, the master of Briarton Park, with hints to her family’s identity. Stung by betrayal, Cassandra travels to the village of Anston only to learn Mr. Clark has since passed away.
James Warrington is a widower and the new master of Briarton Park, where he lives with his two young daughters, his sister, and his mother-in-law. When Cassandra appears at his doorstep with a letter from the previous owner and then proceeds to assist his family in an unexpected way, he is honor bound to help uncover the answers she seeks.
The more time Cassandra spends in Anston, the more she begins to suspect not everything—or everyone—is as they seem. As details emerge, the danger surrounding her intensifies. Using wit and intuition, she must navigate the treacherous landscapes between truth and rumor and between loyalty and deception if she is to uncover the realities of her past and find the place her heart can finally call home.
Sarah Ladd’s latest Regency romance, first in the new Houses of Yorkshire series, combines mystery and intrigue with the best of historical storytelling.
BONUS BOOK
For my non-fiction book of the year, the win is hands-down for Waymaker by Ann Voskamp.
Are you facing repeated roadblocks or feeling life shift in ways you never expected? Bestselling author Ann Voskamp offers the hope-giving message that God always makes a path through the impossible—no matter the obstacle. Encounter the WayMaker in surprising places and watch him pen poetry out of pain.
It’s true: heartache, grief, suffering, and obstacles—they all come in waves. There is no controlling life’s storms; there is only learning the way to walk through the waves.
In WayMaker, bestselling author Ann Voskamp hands us a map that makes meaning of life and shows the way through to the places we’ve only dreamed of reaching. In the face of suffering through seemingly unbearable situations, we can rest in the fact that we are not alone. In her signature captivating poetic style, Ann reveals how God is present in the totality of our lives, making a way for the:
· Marriage that seems impossible
· Woman who longs for a child of her own
· Parents who ache for the return of their prodigal
· Sojourner caught between a rock and a hard place
· Wayfarer who feels as though there is no way through to her dreams
Deeply personal, Ann shares the moments of her life where the WayMaker transformed brokenness into beauty. Learn to encounter the WayMaker in surprising ways in your own life and begin to see Him working in every miraculous detail. Even now, the Way is making the way to walk through waves and into a life more deeply fulfilling than your wildest dreams.
There you have it! Happy reading, friends, and a very happy New Year!
