It’s the most fun time and the hardest time of the year – time to select ten books as my favorites of the year. I read 339 books this year, 120 of those as audiobooks. After careful consideration, here are ten I absolutely loved. These are in order of the date I read them. 

James by Percival Everett

Wow. Just wow. This retelling/reimagining of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was brilliant. I finished listening to this several days ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it. It’s the kind of book that will stay with me for a long time. It takes everything I’ve thought about the story of Huckleberry Finn and turns it around, allowing me to see it in a new way. This would make an excellent book club discussion.

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

Two couples (Charles and Lily, James and Nan) meet in Greenwich Village in 1963 when Charles and James are jointly hired to steward the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times. This beautifully written, character driven novel follows these couples through decades of love and friendship, jealousy and understanding, forgiveness and commitment. I loved this book so much. It was a beautiful story of friendship, faith, grief and forgiveness.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

I encourage all historical fiction readers and book lovers to get their hands on a copy of this five star read. I’m jealous of everyone who gets to read it for the first time. For readers who love found family stories, you will fall in love with each character and who they connect with and what they overcome. The writing is magnificent – I felt transported back to WWII London and could easily imagine the library in the Underground. And the way Ryan writes about the power of books, stories and libraries was simply beautiful and made me so proud of my librarian past and of all librarians. I found the author’s note fascinating as well. Jennifer Ryan is definitely an auto-buy author for me. This is a hugging book for sure.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

This was 17ish hours of absolute delight. I could not stop listening. It is the perfect combination of adventure (pirates! treasure!), mystery (a missing granddaughter), fantasy (magic) and found family. I had picked it up in print and struggled for a min to get into it. Decided to give it a try on audio and I was off and sailing. I just loved this so much. Can’t wait to read more.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The buzz around this title was well deserved! What a strong mystery, perfect for summer. I usually avoid books with missing kids but something about the reviews drew me to this book and I am so glad I picked it up. I read it quickly, needing to have resolution to both the mysteries from the past and present stories. The language is beautiful and the setting of the woods in summer time made this the perfect read. It’s a bit creepy as there are some very awful people, but others are wonderful and watching how first impressions can change and true character unfold was fascinating. I loved this.

The Library Girls of the East End by Patricia McBride

A heartwarming work of historical fiction. If you loved The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan or The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley, this is a work of historical fiction you must pick up. This is the first in the series — I accidentally started with the newest one so I’m happy to be catching up. The story features such strong characters even in the face of the hardships of war–you can’t help but admire them. And while they face those hardships, they also make the best of what they have. They are creative and thoughtful and there for each other in the face of the ups and downs of life. It’s a gentle, character driven story that I could not put down. Excellent as an audiobook.

All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection by Leslie Budewitz (The full text of this review first appeared in KRL News & Reviews)

I loved everything about this––it’s clear Leslie completed a great deal of research into this courageous, independent, and loving woman, and wrote about her with great care and empathy. While the anthology includes separate stories and a novella, they all tied together beautifully, and I felt my admiration for Mary growing as the years and pages went by. Her quiet search for truth and quest for justice is clear in all the stories as she helped neighbors, especially women and children. In her steady way, Mary helped those around her solve mysteries and problems to live a better life. The stories are quick reads and a lovely mixture of the details of Mary’s life and the mysteries that happen every day. 

I could not put this collection down, and was totally immersed thanks to the details and storytelling. I would look up and find myself surprised to be sitting in the car pick-up line at school and not out on the frontier of Montana. The ending is beautiful and satisfying, and while I closed the book a while ago, Mary will stay with me for a long time.

Where the Light Shines Through by Kathleen Bailey

Little hooks in a book’s “about” blurb get me every time, and when I saw that Where the Light Shines Through (book one in the Olivia Penn Mysteries) by Kathleen Bailey was recommended for fans of Clue and Nancy Drew, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. 

Olivia Penn is looking forward to a relaxing week visiting her cozy hometown of Apple Station, Virginia before she heads off to NYC for a new publishing career. She’s especially excited to spend time with her dad and his absolutely adorable dog, Buddy the beagle. (If I could reach through the pages and toss the ball for Buddy, I would do so happily). 

Not long after her arrival in town, a dead body is found under mysterious circumstances and the police suspect Olivia’s childhood friend. Olivia just cannot believe her friend is guilty and dives head first into an investigation. The secrets and surprises she uncovers are big and will keep readers turning the page until the very end. I had a guess of the truly guilty party, but had to keep turning the pages to understand the how and why. 

The small-town setting is so vivid and cozy that it’s a place I’d love to visit. The author does an excellent job of introducing us to all the characters without being overwhelming. There’s also just the perfect balance of humor with the seriousness of the mystery. I enjoyed every page and cannot wait to read more.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

I absolutely adored this locked room, enemies to lovers rom-com. This is just what I needed in my ears to remind me that this season can be fun. It’s a wonderful escape and I rooted for both main characters so much. I swooned and laughed and just loved every page so much.

Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America’s Suburbs by Benjamin Harold

Through the stories of five American families, an exploration of how hope, history, and racial denial collide in the suburbs and their schools. This was a fascinating, page-turning read. A lot of the historical information I knew from prior reading, but hearing the information told alongside the story of five families was incredibly powerful. Herold’s journalistic research and storytelling were masterful.