October reads

Hold on tight! We have a lot of books to talk about this month! 

Let’s start with those that are Christy Award finalists. (The winners will be announced on November 14th—and my sister and I will be there!)

Indigo Isle by T.I. Lowe

This is my first book to read by this author—but it won’t be my last! I loved it. It’s a contemporary romance that deals with heavier themes. So, so well done. I definitely cried at the end of this one! And I loved the low country island setting. Can’t wait to read more!

Of Love and Treason by Jaimie Ogle

Oh my. Such a good book! This story is based on the few facts we know about St. Valentine’s life and death. Great historical romance—yet so much more than a romance—set in the 3rd century in Rome. I will never look at Valentine’s Day the same way!

Estuary by Lisa T. Bergren

For all you time travel aficionados, here’s another good one. The historical setting—medieval Italy—was fascinating. And if you’ve read Lisa’s older River of Time series, these sets of characters (contemporary and historical!) are related to those, so that’s fun, too. 

The Foxhole Victory Tour by Amy Lynn Green

I listened to this funny, sweet, and poignant work of historical fiction. It was so enjoyable. It follows a ragtag group of USO performers who tour in North Africa during World War II. Not only were the characters a delight, but I learned so many interesting things about those USO tours and the war in that area. 

All of these Christy finalists were stellar stories! I’m still trying to get through a few more that I haven’t read yet before winners are announced, and of course, some I’ve already read and reported on. 🙂 

Here are the others that occupied my time this month—including three—yes, three!—audiobooks. And I wasn’t even traveling! 

In Feast and Famine by Mesu Andrews

I listened to this one, and I loved it so much! I, too, have often wondered about Joesph’s wife—the daughter of the priest of On. Mesu dug into the history and spun a wonderful tale, staying faithful to the things we know but imagining the details in between. What I especially loved was how it made me see Joseph as a real person during this stage of his life—as the vizir in Egypt—and caused me to wonder about so many more things. Biblical fiction at its best. 

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

My final audiobook of the month. I read this book around fifteen years ago, and I remember it touching me deep in my soul. As I began to listen to it this month, I started to wonder why it had been such an emotional book for me. It was fine, but I didn’t remember where it was going. Until I got to the end. Oh. My. Such a beautiful picture, through the reworking and retelling of the myth of Psyche and her sisters, of who we are and who God is, all told in that amazing C.S. Lewis way. 

Summerlin Groves by Elizabeth Camden

I adore Elizabeth Camden’s historical romances, but this is her first contemporary. And it did not disappoint. Per usual, I learned several interesting things I didn’t know about growing oranges and about Faberge Eggs. (You’ll have to read it to find the connection!) Like her historicals, her contemporaries will be on my “buy on release” list. 

Trick of Fate by Rebecca Connolly

I nearly screamed with excitement when I found out another book in the Agents of the Convent series was coming! I mean, does it get any better than Regency spy romance???? I usually devour the books in this series—and their companion series The London League—and this time was no different. If only I didn’t have to wait for another one! Sigh. 

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

We always buy the newest Ruta Sepetys release. While all of her books are technically YA, they don’t usually read like YA. This one is much more in the YA category, but it was wonderful. It had more humor than her usual books, mostly due to the highly intelligent but quirky teenage characters. History and mystery abound in this quick read. 

Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp

Set in the jungles of Burma during World War II, this novel started slow for me. But when it picked up the pace it was nonstop. A missionary’s daughter turned warrior and a missionary turned soldier struggle with their faith as they witness and experience the atrocities of war. It’s a hard read, as these often are, but I’m glad I read it. 

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

My husband heard about this book and read it. He loved it. I confess I wasn’t such a fan. The story structure and head-hopping drove me insane. But lots of people have loved it, so maybe not being a writer makes it a more enjoyable story. Jeff recommends it. 

Have you read any of these? What did you think?