Category: Karen Kingsbury

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!

Someday

I read Someday (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 3). This is a series that is best read in order and focuses on the Baxter family. There are 3 sets of books about the Baxters. The first set is called the Redemption Series. Karen Kingsbury co-wrote it with Gary Smalley. The next set is the Firstborn Series, and Karen wrote these on her own. Then, she wrote the Sunrise Series. The book I’m reading now is the 3rd book in the Sunrise Series. It’s unusual to have so many books about the same family (14 books).

I find this family is easy to love, and I feel compelled to read to the last book to find out what happens to them. Some of the story lines throughout the series took a little while to grow on me especially in the Firstborn Series. The story line with Dayne and Katy is the only one that seems to drag at times. I think Karen is an extremely talented writer. When I worked at the library, we couldn’t keep her books on the shelf. This is one of the few authors that writes books that make me cry. Her stories are so realistic that it’s easy to transport yourself to her world. All the books in this series are hard to put down after you start reading.

Karen Kingsbury does something unique. She raises funds for charity by including characters in her book based on real people. The winner of the bid at the charity gives Karen the name and details about a person they want to honor. She creates a character in her book to honor the person. In Someday (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 3), Karen creates 3 characters based on the life of three people. To read more about it go to Karen’s website and click on the ‘Forever in Fiction and Karen’s Trademark’ link.

The current book, Someday (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 3), follows Ashley, John, Brooke, Luke, Katy, and Dayne. I am enjoying it so far. I can’t give too many details as I don’t want to spoil it for those of you who haven’t read it yet and possibly not read any of this series. Usually when a book has too many story lines in one book, I don’t like it. It doesn’t bother me in this book, probably partially because I know the characters from the other books and partially because of Karen’s gifted writing. I like the fact that Ashley takes the lead in keeping the family connected. She has a big heart and a strong faith in God. She has her flaws, but she cares deeply about her family. Ashley is my favorite character in the whole series.

If you have read some of this series, please comment on if you are hooked or not in reading this series.

Baxter Series:

Redemption (Redemption Series-Baxter 1, Book 1)
Remember (Redemption Series-Baxter 1, Book 2)
Return (Redemption Series-Baxter 1, Book 3)
Rejoice (Redemption Series-Baxter 1, Book 4)
Reunion (Redemption Series-Baxter 1, Book 5)
Fame (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 1)
Forgiven (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 2)
Found (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 3)
Family (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 4)
Forever (Firstborn Series-Baxter 2, Book 5)
Sunrise (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 1)
Summer (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 2)
Someday (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 3)
Sunset (Sunrise Series-Baxter 3, Book 4)