5 Favorite Christian Fiction books

I plan to continue to review many books, but today I thought I would give you my top 5 favorites.  It is hard to narrow it down, but I chose the books that really made an impression.

Sophie’s Heart by Lori Wick – I have read this one several times.  The main character, Sophie, is so appealing and it was easy to connect with her and cheer for everything to work out for her.

Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn – I love all the sisterchick books, but this was is the one I remember best.  Jenna is invited to cook for a group of missionaries in a restored palace in Venice.  She invites her sister-in-law, Sue, to come along as a helper.  Jenna and Sue have a great time and grow closer as they discuss God and the struggles in their lives.

Just Beyond the Clouds by Karen Kingsbury – The first book A Thousand Tomorrows was excellent, but sad, read.  This book continues Cody’s story and he finds love.  It also tell more about Carl Joseph and his friend Daisy.  My favorite character was Elle, and I loved her patience as she works with Carl Joseph and Daisy.

Evidence of Mercy by Terri Blackstock – This is the first book in the Suncoast Chronicles series, and one I’ve read several times.  The story starts with a plane accident and the suspense continues throughout the rest of this fast paced story.  Lynda is a spunky attorney and a very likeable Christian woman.

A Penny for Your Thoughts by Mindy Starns Clark – I’ve reviewed this one on the blog, and it’s the first book in a great series.  Callie’s job is to investigate nonprofit organizations that have applied for grant money & she stumbles accross a murder mystery.  This series is very fast paced and easy to read.

Please post your favorite Christian fiction books, and we’ll all have a great list to refer to when looking for a book to read!

Million Dollar Mystery Series

All five books in Mindy Starns Clark’s Million Dollar Mysteries are well written. This series main character, Callie, investigates nonprofit organizations to verify that the grant application reflects the truth. The grant money comes from her rich boss, Tom, whom Callie has never met. In each book Callie stumbles across a mystery while fulfilling her assignment.

The characters are easy to love. Learning about Tom only by his phone conversations with Callie keeps the story interesting (though they do meet in person before the series ends). Callie struggles with grief over her husband’s death are realistic and her courage in handling her emotions connects readers to her immediately. Tom helps Callie solve the mysteries and supports her in her activities.

The fast-paced plots of each book entertain. It’s refreshing to read a suspenseful book that tells the events from a Christian point of view. Callie approaches all of her assignments with integrity and honestly reports her findings. These books can be read numerous times, so don’t hesitate to purchase them.

Audiobooks:

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels

A Dime a Dozen

A Quarter for a Kiss

The Buck Stops Here

Whispers of the Bayou

Whispers of the Bayou is Mindy Starns Clark’s first standalone mystery. Her other series are worth reading, too. They are the Million Dollar Mysteries and The Smart Chick Mysteries.

Miranda Miller is raised by her aunt. She thinks that her family in Louisiana is not interested in her. Miranda doesn’t have that many memories of her childhood before living with her aunt. The past comes alive for her when she returns to Louisiana at the request of the caretaker of her grandparent’s estate, Willy Pedreaux. Miranda’s career in art restoration works its way nicely into the story. She is able to preserve most of the artwork her grandmother painted on walls in the family home. Miranda does find out about her family and the reason behind decisions that were made for her when she was a child.

I enjoyed this book. It had many twists and surprises. I didn’t want to write too much about the story and give away the ending. The characters are vivid and the conversations between characters are interesting. The author does list the parts of the story that are based on fact on her website, www.mindystarnsclark.com. If you haven’t read any books by this author, you should give this one a read. In my opinion, she writes as well as other Christian fiction authors like Melody Carlson, Robin Jones Gunn, Dee Henderson, Susan May Warren, and Terri Blackstock.

Audiobook:

Whispers of the Bayou