January TBR

I decided to start off the new year by taking the month to read more books by authors I have already read (and liked). I will also be applying my new goals to the months TBR (books I own & reread, etc.).  

Christian Non-fiction :

In His Image by Jen Wilkin (own)

Surprised by Joy by C S Lewis (own)

Christian Fiction :

Where We Belong by Lynn Austen

Classic :

Shirley by Charlotte Bronte

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (own)

Fantasy :

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley (own)

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (reread)

Poetry :

Bronte Sisters: Poetry by: Charlotte, Anne and Emily Bronte (own) – this one is a bit of a stretch for

the theme because I have only read works by Charlotte, but I’m okay with that.

The Heart of Christmas Review

The Heart of Christmas by Hank Hanegraaff is a Christian non-fiction devotional that goes from Decemeber 1 through December 25. 

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. This devotional was interesting, but not really what I was looking for as a seasonal devotion. I feel that this is half a devotional just about Christ himself and the other half has more of the seasonal focus. It was also heavy on theology, not necessarily a bad thing but unexpected and not really including much on the applicable side.

As for the “seasonal things” that he included in the first half, they often felt forced in or just felt out of place. I got the same confused feeling (of why is this in here or placed here specifically) with the carols at the end of each days devotional, they sometimes had nothing to do with what that days devotion was about and other times weren’t Christmas carols at all (just old hymns).

The second half that really did apply more connecting to the season was better, but still quite heavy in theology and lacking in the application.

I didn’t hate or even necessarily dislike this devotional, it just wasn’t what I was looking for in a devotional leading up to Christmas. I never remembered what I read by the end of the day, they just weren’t messages or thoughts that stuck with me or they were facts that I already knew.

What Light Review

What Light by Jay Asher is a young adult contemporary novel set over Christmas time. It is about Sierra who’s family runs a tree farm in Oregon and every Thanksgiving to Christmas the three of them drive out to California to run their tree lot. Times being hard, this could be their last year, so new relationships are definitely not in her plans, but then Caleb walks onto the lot.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a deep and bittersweet story. There was more depth to the plot and events of the story than I was expecting. If you are looking for a heartwarming Christmasy fluff novel, this isn’t it. This is a very thought provoking story. It is still pretty fast paced, but I slowed down a bit to really think through some of the issues he was dealing with.

The characters were well developed, interesting and flawed. They evoked a large variety of emotions from me. I was quite invested in Sierra and her story. Everyone in the story felt like they could be real and responded pretty realistically to every situation.

My only disappointment is that I wasn’t really in the mood for something of this style when I read it. I was looking for a fluffier and happier story. But that is a reflection of my expectations / hopes put on the book, not an accurate reflection of the quality of the book (which was excellent), and I would probably have liked it even more if I had been in the right mood.

Max Lucado Christmas Collection Review

The Max Lucado Christmas Collection is a set of three of Max Lucado’s Christmas themed Christian short stories. An Angel’s Story, The Christmas Candle, and The Christmas Child.

An Angel’s Story was a very interesting imagining of the birth of Christ from the angelic perspective pulling from scripture both in the Gospels and Revelation. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. It was kind of nice, but I felt there were some historical inaccuracies that were distracting. Lucado also used some modern words and turns of phrase in the thoughts and/ or speech of some of the characters, which pulled me from the story too. However, this was a very clever piece and I really appreciated being made to think about Christ’s birth from the heavenly perspective.

The Christmas Candle was a wonderful and touching story about a small town in the English countryside and the glorious power of God revealed in our time of need. I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really liked this one. It was beautiful and heartwarming and is just the kind of reminder of the hope and joy God brings this time of year that I love to read about. My only complaint is that the ending was very abrupt and I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more.

The Christmas Child was a sweet and heartbreaking story about a man, his carved nativity set, and the connection of two lost men. I gave this story 4 out of 5 stars. It was sad and lovely to read. My only complaint is that it was far too short. I would love to have had the chance to build more depth and to stay with them longer, especially as certain parts felt rushed (primarily the ending).

Overall, this was a nice little collection of stories and I had a wonderful time reading them. I give the collection as a whole 4 out of 5 stars. They were just right to read leading up to Christmas to get into the right spirit.

Good Tidings of Great Joy Review

Good Tidings of Great Joy: A Collection of Christmas Sermons by Charles Spurgeon is (as the title says) a gathering of 8 sermons by Spurgeon on the topic of Christmas.

I meant to read this over the Tis the Seasonathon, but would have had to start the first day (to read one a day and finish on time). That didn’t happen, so I finished up a few days after. However, I am really pleased with the speed at which I read them, giving myself the time to fully dwell on what was said and let it soak in. They are just the right length, short enough to comfortably read one a day, but never feel stretched out or like they dragged on too long.

This is the first collection of sermons that I have ever read and I really enjoyed them. I found them interesting and thought provoking. It really is the perfect time of the year to be reading them (leading up to Christmas itself). Each one had a different perspective to give with new information and calls to the heart to hear and respond. I didn't necessarily agree with everything he said, but still learned and grew and enjoyed them. Reading these has encouraged me to try reading other sermons by both Spurgeon and others.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Review

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L Frank Baum is a children’s Christmas classic. It tells the story of the life of Santa Claus from a baby to the present.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I loved this book. It was cute and sweet and the perfect fluffy Christmas read. This book is easily enjoyable for both children and adults, it has definitely become a classic for a reason.  The writing style is beautiful and lyrical and a pleasure to read. The characters were interesting and heartwarming and lovely. We didn’t get too in-depth with any but Claus, but it never felt like the rest were underdeveloped.

The story itself was fascinating. Not Christian in any way, but still beautiful. Some of the important topics of Christmas like giving, bringing joy to others, treating all people equally and making the world a better place are shown and discussed in a very child friendly way. This version is not at all “realistic” and holds many mythical and mystical elements, but that may be why I enjoyed it so much (that it wasn’t trying to sell us a “true story”).

I think this would be a wonderful story to read one chapter a day leading up to Christmas and discuss with kids these messages of Christmas and how important they are in relation to Christ (and how without Christ it is ineffective and never lasting). It may also be interesting to do a comparative analysis of this Santa Claus and Christ.

I am so glad that I came across this book and will definitely be rereading it in years to come.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wish List

Today I am sharing some of the books that I would really like to get (preferably as a hard copy - instead of an e-book). These are the books that are on the top of my wish list. Hopefully some of them will be Christmas presents.

1.       Knowing God by J I Packer

2.       The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

3.       Practical Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock

4.       Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More by Karen Swallow Prior

5.       The Great Divorce by C S Lewis

6.       Becoming the Talbot Sisters by Rachel Linden

7.       Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

8.       Wires and Nerve Vol. 1 by Marissa Meyer

9.       Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

10.   P S I Like You by Kasie West (this is the only one that I have already read, but I originally got it from the Library)

When Christmas Comes Review

When Christmas Comes by Debbie Macomber (retitled Trading Christmas) is an adult holiday contemporary. Emily from Leavenworth, Washington switches houses with Charles from Boston for the holidays. She goes to be with her daughter for Christmas and he goes to escape Christmas altogether. When Charles’s brother shows up at his house and Emily’s friend Faith shows up at her house the fun (and romance?) ensues.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a cute, funny, heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it. This book has everything you want from a lighthearted and sweet Christmas read, no surprise that it was made into a hallmark movie. The plot was predictable, but loveable too.  

The characters were funny, cute and interesting. They had hinted depth, but that was sort of glossed over to rush the romances and the expected changes. I would have preferred it be a bit slower and take the time for them to realistically work through their issues and be drawn together. Otherwise, they were pretty well done and I did enjoy seeing what they went through and the changes that did take place (the lessons learned and growth made).

The sexual content is okay for the majority of the book (sticking to kissing, holding hands, etc.). There was only one scene when things got a little steamier than I am really comfortable with, but thankfully it was interrupted.

For some reason I thought this was a Christian fiction going into the book and was kind of disappointed to discover that it isn’t. I know that the let down took away from my enjoyment of the book and I probably would have thought a bit more of it had I known going in that it wasn’t Christian fiction.

Overall, this was a very satisfying Christmas read and I look forward to trying out some other books by her.

The World's Last Night Review

The World’s Last Night by C S Lewis is a collection of Christian articles. They are predominantly Christian non-fiction with one Christian fiction satirical short story. The topics of the articles vary greatly: effectiveness of prayer, definition of belief, good works vs work, faith in relation to scientific discoveries, the second coming of Christ and “Screwtape Proposes a Toast”. It really is just a gathering of a handful of unrelated works into one book.

I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. As with all of Lewis’s works, these are so well written. He has such a way with words. I also love how he lays everything out in such a logical and clear way. They were interesting pieces, but didn’t really speak into any area of my life. Nothing particularly touched me or gave me one of those “oh” or “aha” moments. Like I said, they were really thought provoking and interesting to read, just not the heart touchers that I am used to from Lewis. My favorite piece was the fiction short story. It was everything you expect from Lewis in fiction.

Let it Snow Review

Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle is a collection of 3 connected young adult Christmas short stories. The first story is “The Jubilee Express” (M J), then “A Cheertastic Christmas” (J G) and the last one is “The Patron Saint of Pigs” (L M).

The first story was so funny and entertaining. I gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The characters were a variety of interesting and I very quickly felt invested in Jubilee and what she was going through. I really liked the style of writing, it was smooth and gripped me from the very beginning. This is a cute and sweet short Christmas romance that takes you through a vast array of emotions ending of course with a satisfied laugh.

The second story didn’t start off so good. I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. It took me three chapters to get the characters straight (who is who, who is a boy and who is a girl, etc.). But once I figured it all out, it was a kinda cute story, a bit cheesy but not too bad. However, I wasn’t all that impressed with the characters, or at least didn’t feel very invested in them. I think it just had a hard time living up to my enjoyment of the first one.

The last story was my least favorite. I gave it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It was too much teen drama and angst.  The main character made some bad choices and then wanted a “Christmas miracle” to get her out of the consequences of them. And I must say the expected large shift in her by the end didn’t feel very realistic or substantial.

For the book as a whole, I really enjoyed how the stories were all interconnected. It was so fun to hear about previous characters, or to run into them, etc. I was sad to see how it started off so strong and just went down hill from there. As an overall book I give it 3.5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish New Year Resolutions

I don’t really have much of an intro today, but these are my bookish goals for 2019.

1.       Read my Bible all the way through at least once.

2.       Read at least 2 books that I own before reading library books every month.

3.       Read 3 Dickens books through the year (breaks down to one every 4 months).

4.       Reread 1 book a month (the chance to go back to old favorites and ones I have been wanting to read again).

5.       Read 12 classics (not including the Dickens books) through the year.

6.       Read all the rest of Kasie West’s works.

7.       Have one month focusing on books by author’s I have already read before and one month focusing on new to me authors (with the exception of my one reread).

8.       Participate in at least two readathons (at different times of the year).

9.       Read The Fellowship of the Ring by J R R Tolkien together with my husband.

10.   Make Top Ten Tuesday part of my weekly post Schedule.

The Cricket on the Hearth Review

The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens is one of his 5 shorter Christmas works. It follows Carrier John Peerybingle and his much younger wife Dot and the cricket that lives in their hearth.

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The writing style was typical lyrical Dickens (which I quite enjoy). As is also typical for me when reading Dickens, it took a little while for me to get caught up in the story, but once I did it was really interesting. The story had that familiar quality of unexpected twists and turns that I love about Dickens writing.

The characters were fascinating and complex. I adored John in his simple and honest nature and Caleb the sweet but misguided father. The sort of “villain” of the story was reliably grim and dark. Even though it is a shorter story, there are all the qualities I would expect from one of his full works and I might have enjoyed this even more because of the limited number of characters and ramblings that a longer story would have contained.

The only thing that really took me by surprise (and disappointed me a little) with this book is that it is labeled a Christmas writing, but there was nothing in the story to make it especially pertinent to the winter season. I’m not even sure what season the story itself takes place in except that it is said to be fairly cold out, but it is never directly stated. I am really curious to know why this has been classified as one of his “Christmas” books.

Overall, it is a sweet and heartwarming love story with all the wonderful qualities of a Dickens work, just nothing to do with Christmastime.

Growing in Gratitude Review

Growing in Gratitude by Mary K Mohler is a Christian non-fiction book on the topic (of course) of gratitude.

This is the exact book that I have been praying to find. It is 5 out of 5 stars and of course I loved it. I really liked her breakdown of what gratitude is and what that means. It was very helpful for her to then address those things that may block our thankfulness and how we might go about changing that. She was concise, clear and helpful in her definitions, examples and practical recommendations. I found her book convicting in a gentle, encouraging, and helpful way. Perhaps it is better to say I found it inspiring.

One thing I was really happy with was her constant reference to Scripture as the foundation of the topic and support for her recommendations. And next to that she made reference to a number of other resources (people and what they have written) that spoke into what she was addressing. The clear evidence of the time, energy and effort she put into the research and writing of this book strengthens my view of what she is saying.

Overall, it was exactly what I have been looking for and a book I think everyone should read.

November Overview

This has been a busy month for me, getting back on track after so much sickness. And hurray, I think I have kept off the slump and am moving back into my regular reading habits. So here are the books I read in November.

Christian Non-Fiction :

Cheers to the Diaper Years by Erin Brown Hollis*

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp*

The World’s Last Night by C S Lewis>

Grateful by Diana Butler Bass*

Growing in Gratitude by Mary Mohler>

Christian Fiction :

The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson (middle grade fantasy)*

Fantasy :

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (young adult)>

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart (children)>

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (children)>

Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins (middle grade)>

Gregor and the Code of Claw by Suzanne Collins (middle grade)>

Historical :

Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (young adult)>

Contemporary :

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West (young adult)>

Picture Books:

ABC Bible Verses for Little Ones by Rebecca Lutzer

Mijn Kleine Eekhoorn by Britta Teckentrup (Dutch)

De Sneeuwbal by Giuliano Ferri (Dutch)

De Mooiste Vis Van de Zee by Marcus Pfister & translated by Nannie Kuiper (Dutch)

Put me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire

November by Cynthia Rylant and Jill Kastner

Andre Het Astronautje by Andre Kuipers (Dutch)

Ik Wil De Zon by Isabel Arques & Angela Pelaez-Vargas (Dutch)

In Mijn Kleine Hart by Jo Witek & Christine Roussey (Dutch)

Luuk en Lotje: Het is Carnaval by Ruth Wielockx (Dutch)

Top Ten Tuesday: Cozy Winter Reads

This one was really hard for me. I’m not sure I really think of books as generally cozy reads or in a seasonal classification (unless you are going really specific like Christmastime or summertime). I only ended up with 9 recommendations instead of 10, but I did really enjoy the challenge. All books with a review up on my blog will have a *.

1.       A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – How could I talk about favorite winter reads without including this one. It is a classic and for very good reason. This is one I think everybody should read at least once in their lifetime. 

2.       By Your Side by Kasie West – This young adult contemporary was a cozy read for me, sweet and emotional and a book I just wanted to curl up on the couch with and read all the way through. The plot also has the main character accidentally locked in the library over the weekend during a snow storm, and what says winter better than that. *

3.       Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marilier – This is one of my go to cozy day books. When it is bad weather out and you just want to cuddle up with some hot tea or hot chocolate and read a book that fits the general mood of the day, this is it. It is a fantastic retelling of the Dancing Princesses fairytale. 

4.       Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George – This is also a go to cozy read for darker days, and funny enough also a retelling of the Dancing Princesses fairytale. 

5.       Entwined by Heather Dixon Woodwall – This is another fantastic cozy winter day read that is also, have you guessed, a retelling of the Dancing Princesses fairytale.

6.       Beauty by Robin McKinley – For some reason when I think of Beauty and the Beast retellings (are you sensing a theme here?), I almost always think wintertime. I’m not really sure why that is, but this is one of my favorites. You could also check out McKinley’s other Beauty and the Beast retelling: Rose Daughter.

7.       Race Against Time by Gilbert Morris – This is a children time travel story. What makes this such a wintery read is that the main kids in the story travel back to the American Revolutionary War (specifically the winter season of the war). This is actually one of my favorite rereads, even as an adult. 

8.       The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis – The land cursed to always be in winter and the children who stubble into it. A classis Christian children story that I think everyone should read. 

9.       The Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick – This isn’t a specifically “winter” read, but it is one of those books that I think of during the winter season. It is one of my favorite Christian historical romances to curl up with and reread. It is a sweet and heartwarming story that gets me every time.

December TBR

This is the perfect month to go by theme, that being of course “Christmas” or “winter”. How could I focus on anything else for December. So I will still be branching many genres, just pulling from books set during the season or about the season. Since I have only ever read (I think) 2 books with this theme before, I am super excited. I am also doing the “tis the seasonathon” from Dec. 3 – Dec. 9 held by booktuber “Bookables” and will include my TBR for that.

Tis the Seasonathon TBR :

Good Tidings of Great Joy by Charles Spurgeon (Christian Non-fiction) – book with red or green on the cover

When Christmas Comes by Debbie Macomber (Christian Fiction) – a warm & fuzzy read

Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens (Classic) – a short book

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle (Young Adult Contemporary) – holiday themed book

Rest of the month :

Christian Non-fiction :

Devotions for Christmas by Zondervan

Christian Fiction :

The Max Lucado Christmas Collection

Non-fiction :

Stories Behind the Best Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins

Classic :

The Chimes by Charles Dickens

Contemporary :

What Light by Jay Asher (Young Adult)

Retelling :

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand (A Christmas Carol)

Poetry :

Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou

Grateful Review

Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass is a Christian non-fiction book on the topic of gratitude. Bass claims it to be intended for all people, not just Christians, but her use of Christian faith and scripture is so heavily present and used to define gratitude as well as a common element in the stories and examples presented that it really can't be classified as anything else.

I only gave this book 2 out of 5 stars. I was very disappointed with it and downright didn’t like it. I did like how in-depth she defined gratitude. Sharing many aspect of what it looks like as well as the benefits of it. Her four part model of gratitude (me/we and emotions/ethics) was very fascinating, but I didn’t feel that she elaborated enough on it.

The first half of the book was interesting and I could see so much potential for it being a really profound, helpful and practical book. However, it just went down-hill from there. My first issue is that she uses the “we” portion of the book to push her political platform. She seems to be using the book to emotionally deal with the results of the 2016 US election. I didn’t feel like she was still talking about gratitude, I didn’t see the connection and it didn’t even appear that she was practicing gratitude amidst what were trying times for her.

Secondly, she seems to have a habit of impressing her view and ideas onto what she reads, making them say what she wants them too. One example is her use of the book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She has impressed her view of gratitude over the story to make it say and teach what she wanted us to learn. I’m not saying that her ideas about the book are necessarily wrong (there may be some truth to them), but she puts it forward as obviously the case no doubt about it when I have never heard anything like it in an analysis of the book. Furthermore she does make at least one completely incorrect statement about the book.

What was even worse is that she treated scripture the same way. She took the story of Zacchaeus and put her own spin on it to say and teach what she wanted in complete disregard for all past exegesis on the passage. Again, there may be some historical truth to her interpretation, but not in disregard to what is being directly said. It is always dangerous to look at a piece of scripture with our own views in mind first (looking to prove our theory correct instead of looking to see what God is saying). We need to first look and see what it says, who it is speaking to and in what context it is speaking, etc. and then we can extrapolate from that basis. But that is very clearly not what she did.

Furthermore, she would randomly pull individual scripture verses out of context to use as support for a point she was making in other parts of the book. But she never addressed any scriptures that very clearly say the opposite of the idea she was putting forward. All this was just too much for me. With it I felt she lost all credibility and reliability, let alone any authority to speak into the topic. This was just a bad book. I don’t hate it, but nor would I ever recommend it.

Nevermoor Review

Nevermoor : The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend is a middle grade fantasy book, first in the Nevermoor duology (with possible future books to come?). It is about Morrigan, a young girl who was one of the “cursed children” who were to die at the end of the age, which happened to be on their 11^th birthday. However, a mysterious man arrives on the eve of her “death” to whisk her away to the magical land of Nevermoor and sets her on a path of trials to join the lands most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was such a fun and fascinating read. The writing style flowed well and was enjoyable. I found the characters delightful and cleverly done. They fairly jumped off the page and made the journey a pleasant one. Even the bad characters were a pleasure to read (made you dislike them or cringe, etc. in just the right way). Morrigan was a wonderful person to live the story with, she was very “real” and “honest” and relatable as a person. There were so many characters with such differing personalities, that I liked for different reasons, that I couldn’t possible mention them all here.

The plot was wonderfully done and interesting. I was eager to continue reading and see what would happen next, or what mystery would be resolved. The “big reveal” came as no surprise, but that made it no less enjoyable. There is only one hole in the story that I wish she had cleared up before the end (or at least at the end of this book).

Overall this was a lovely read and I look forward to the next book. The only hitch being that the next book doesn’t come out until later this month and I won’t be able to dive right in to see what happens next now.

Top Ten Tuesday: Platonic Relationships

I thought it might be fun to try the top ten Tuesday weekly post. I don’t know if I will do this every week, but I might just throw one out there now and then. All of the books that I am including in this list (and of course any future lists) got at least 4 stars. So todays topic is some of my favorite platonic relationships in books. 

1.       Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austen – The main character, Caroline, has a pseudo-paternal relationship with an older black servant, Eli, that is so beautiful read. Their relationship influences her in so many ways and affects the decisions that she makes as we move through the story. (Christian historical fiction)

2.       Unshaken: Ruth by Francine Rivers – This was such a beautiful retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth. I love how she fleshed out the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, her mother-in-law.  (Christian Biblical retelling)

3.       Nightmare Academy by Frank Peretti – This book follows teenage twin brother and sister, Elijah and Elisha, who end up in a dangerous situation with no one else to help them. The way they rely on each other and stick by each other to make it out is very fun to read. (Christian young adult thriller)

4.       The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson – Here the main character, Avelina, a servant sent to masquerade as a nobleman’s daughter forms an unlikely friendship with Lady Magdalen. How they connect and become so dear to each other (as well as what they do for each other) is so sweet. (Christian fairytale retelling)

5.       Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay – In this book is a lovely relationship between the main character, Samantha, and a young boy, Kevin. They form this unique friendship based on mutual experience where they are able to help each other deal with the traumas of their respective pasts and move forward into better things. (Christian contemporary)

6.       The Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick – I love the relationship between Sunny and her niece Holly and nephew Miles. Because they are all around the same age, they are able to form a type of relationship that is closer than just friends, but  not quite siblings. How they relate to each other and interact with each other is fascinating and fun. I also really liked looking at the brother / sister relationship she had as her brother was old enough to be her father, but of course he isn’t. (Christian historical romance)

7.       Entwined by Heather Dixon – The main character, Azalea, is part of a large family of girls who have a distant and slightly dysfunctional relationship with their father. I love seeing how they learn to understand each other and relate to each other in a loving and health way. Of course we also get to see the sibling dynamic with sisters both close in age and where there is a large age gap. (Young adult fairytale retelling)

8.       Winter by Marissa Meyer – This is the final book in the Lunar Chronicles and has a fantastic group of friends dynamic. These people are all very different, in personality and background, but they bond together to accomplish their goal and become truly wonderful friends. They complement each other in the best way and it is because of their uniting together that they succeed. (Young adult sci-fi)

9.       The Host by Stephanie Meyer – I love the relationship of the main character, the parasitic alien Wanderer, and the human host, Melanie. This is such a unique relationship to look at and I found it fascinating and cleverly done. (Young adult fantasy/ sci-fi)

10.   P. S. I Like You by Kasie West – Lily, the main character, and her best friend have such a strong relationship. I loved seeing how they grew closer to each other and learned the value of their friendship. It was also really nice to see them go through something that could have torn them apart, but to rise above it and stick together. (Young adult contemporary)