The Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Series by Louise Penny

(Mystery)

Inspector Gamache’s journey began in 2005 when Penny released her first book, Still Life. The 17th book in the series was released Fall 2021, but the characters and mysteries are as fresh as ever. Penny is a master at understanding the human condition. Each book contains its own mystery that the Canadian Inspector Gamache and his team must solve, but the books also track(s) a larger back story that makes the main characters real and relatable. While each book could be read on its own, I recommend beginning with Still Life and journeying in order.

 The Gilead

Series by Marilynne Robinson

(Literary Fiction)

I call Marilynne Robinson a modern day C.S. Lewis because she is a prolific writer and deep thinker. She has many non-fiction books, but her most well-known work is the novel, Gilead. Gilead is the story of a dying pastor writing to his young son. He knows that his son will be journeying through life without his father, so he takes time almost daily to write down advice, family histories, and Biblical insight to leave with his son as he grows. It’s a book I’m always sad to finish, but Robinson also wrote novels about various characters that feature in the pages of Gilead. For this journey, start with Gilead, then read Home, Lila, and Jack.

Half Sick of Shadows  

 by Laura Sebastian

(YA Fantasy Fiction)

Half Sick of Shadows is a new take on an old favorite: the Arthur legend. Sebastian takes the beginnings of the Arthurian epic and combines them with Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem, The Lady of Shalott, to create this novel. I found Half Sick of Shadows to be a unique perspective of ancient characters like Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. You’ll meet Elaine of Shalott, a Seer with ominous glimpses of the future, but her devotion to Arthur and a united Camelot remains unshakeable. Because of the weight of her Vision, Elaine struggles to reconcile what she sees of the future and what she knows—or thinks she knows—of her friends.

November 2021

This Tender Land  

by William Kent Krueger

(YA Fantasy Fiction)

Krueger’s latest novel follows four orphaned children as they escape an abusive school and travel down Minnesota’s Gilead River in the midst of the Great Depression. The main character, Odie, narrates his adventure as a 12-year-old with captivating detail. The trials the children face will test your imagination, wondering if magic is somehow working through their struggles to help them arrive safely at their destination. This is a large book, but the pages fly by and you’ll wish the story would continue once you reach the end.

November 2021

Spinning Silver

by Naomi Novik

(YA Fantasy Fiction)

I love myth retellings! Spinning Silver is an exciting retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, but with exciting new dimensions that will keep you guessing about what comes next. The book follows the lives of three young women who are all trapped in the world of greedy men. Novik keeps her readers enchanted with her magical world, the complexity of every character, and well-developed themes from beginning to end.

The Wisdom Pyramid   

 by Brett McCracken

(Christian Living)

What does it mean to be truly wise? How can we find and distinguish truth in this world? Our lives are constantly connected to the digital world, and we are inundated with polarizing opinions and hot takes. Brett McCracken’s new book The Wisdom Pyramid offers a helpful guide to becoming truly wise in an unwise age. Based on the familiar food pyramid, he presents a healthy diet that prioritizes God’s Word. Church, outdoors, literature, and entertainment follow, and he encourages his readers to view social media as a dessert to be indulged in only occasionally. This book is timely and will give its readers a new perspective that what we meditate on shapes us at our core.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis  

 by Patti Callahan

(Historical Fiction)

C.S. Lewis is considered to have possessed one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. He has captivated audiences across ages and genres with his works of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy. But Lewis’s greatest story is the love story he wrote later in life with his wife Joy Davidman. Author Patti Callahan enters Joy’s history and, from her perspective, imagines the unfolding of their lovely yet heartbreaking romance. You’ll find yourself as surprised by Joy as Lewis himself was when they met!

The Survivors  

 by Jane Harper

(Mystery)

When Kieran and Mia return to their small, sleepy beach hometown, they didn’t anticipate finding themselves in the midst of a murder investigation. To add suspense to the tense situation, the crime dredges up a traumatic past that Kieran is forced to confront. The plot takes its time unfolding, but the characters are complex, and the storyline is compelling. No summer vacation is complete without a page-turner like this one!

The Four Winds 

 by Kristin Hannah

(Historical fiction)

The Four Winds is the story of a family’s struggle during the 1930’s Dust Bowl. Elsa Martinelli battles the agricultural and economic hardships that drive her family to the Californian Promise Land—which turns out to be anything but promising. The story is told from Elsa’s perspective as a destitute mother trying to give her children not only food, but a solid foundation in the midst of turmoil. This is the drama of the search for the American Dream with nothing but grit and love. As always, Kristin Hannah will leave you in tears, so keep the tissue box nearby.

Radical Integrity:

The Story of Dietrich Bonhoeffe  

 by Michael Van Dyke

(Biography)

Meet the man whose commitment to his Lord brought him face to face with the Nazis. In this biography, Van Dyke presents Bonhoeffer to his readers through a cursory, but engaging, overview of Bonhoeffer’s life as a pastor and theologian in Germany during World War II. The book covers the extraordinary events and the clear-headed convictions that led to his imprisonment and death. You’ll be encouraged by Bonhoeffer’s simple devotion to Bible study and prayer!

Gentle and Lowly  

 by Dane C. Ortlund

(Christian Living)

This book is taking the evangelical world by storm, and it is no surprise why. The introduction welcomes readers who are “running on fumes” to look into the heart of Christ. It is based off of the comforting words of Jesus in Matthew 11:29 when He says that He is “gentle and lowly in heart.” Ortlund carefully explores Scripture show the reader that our God is naturally a God of mercy who has a heart for sinners and sufferers. Do your weary soul a favor: read this book and rest in God’s steadfast love for you.