Favorite Authors of 2017

This past year, I tended to stay with authors I knew well.  I discovered a few new ones, but my favorites remain the same as in past years!

Authors I read the most in 2017 include:

1.  Emilie Loring:  I acquired 46 of her 50 books in fall of 2016.  I bought 2 more in 2017, so I have only 2 left to find and read! 

2.  Clare Darcy:  Darcy is one of my favorite Regency-era authors, and I am trying to complete my collection.  I managed to find 8 this year and read the ones I hadn't read yet.  I believe I still have a few to find.

3.  Grace Livingston Hill:  I read 3 of these to my 13-year-old daughter this year, and I read another on my own.  So far, these are my favorite mother-daughter read-alouds.

4.  Melanie Dickerson:  She had 3 new releases this past year, and I ordered and read all 3!  Dickerson is my current favorite author and has been for the past few years.

5.  Georgette Heyer:  Heyer is my favorite Regency-era author, but this year I read 3 of her mysteries.  Fun!  My favorite was Why Shoot a Butler?

I also read new releases from some of my favorite authors:  Julie Klassen, Karen Witemeyer, Tamara Leigh, Elizabeth Camden (that one wasn't a new release but new to me), and Anthony Horowitz.

I read only a few children/young adult books (Kate DiCamillo and Anthony Horowitz), but I will be starting 2018 off with one I haven't read since I was little!

I tried a few new authors.  One is Catherine Tinley, a new author whose inspiration is Georgette Heyer.  Her book was one I read an excerpt from years ago and had anticipated for a while!  I was not disappointed.

A few other new authors I tried out were in genres of fiction that I rarely read, and I wanted to challenge myself to read something different.  Three of these were contemporary Christian romances, and while I liked them, I wouldn't say they are favorites.  I also tried a short Gothic novel and found it surprisingly enjoyable.

Finally, my husband challenged me to read more Christian nonfiction.  I managed 3, which is good for me.  All three were excellent, and I have a nonfiction reading list for 2018!

2018 Book Log

I have just finished my 7th year doing the 100-book reading challenge! I haven't always made it to 100, but I love trying. In 2017, I beat my 2016 record by only 1 book!  Here are my books lists for the past 7 years:

2011 Book Log
2012 Book Log
2013 Book Log
2014 Book Log
2015 Book Log
2016 Book Log
2017 Book Log

My rules are simple:

1. The books must be chapter books (or at least long, such as a Shakespeare play or book of poetry--no children's picture books will count).
2. The books must not include any I read last year (though re-reads from previous years are fine).

2018 Book Log

1.  Brentwood (Grace Livingston Hill)
2.  The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster)
3.  Monster (Frank Peretti)
4.  A Gamble with Hearts (Barbara Cartland)
5.  The White Lady (Grace Livingston Hill)
6.  The Awakening (Tamara Leigh)
7.  The Goose Girl (Shannon Hale)
8.  Kissing Adrien (Siri L. Mitchell)
9.  Miranda (Grace Livingston Hill)
10. Lady of Milkweed Manor (Julie Klassen)
11. With This Ring? (Witemeyer, Connealy, Jennings, Jagears)
12. The Lady of Bolton Hill (Elizabeth Camden)
13. Against the Tide (Elizabeth Camden)
14. Behold, Here's Poison (Georgette Heyer)

15. They Found Him Dead (Georgette Heyer)
16. Ordeal by Innocence (Agatha Christie)
17. Head of the House (Grace Livingston Hill)
18. The Mystery of Mar Saba (James H. Hunter)
19. From This Moment (Elizabeth Camden)
20. For Love & Honor (Jody Hedlund)
21. The Fire of Delayed Answers (Bob Sorge)
22. Stray Affections (Charlene Ann Baumbich)
23. Regency Brides (Kimberley Comeaux)
24. Consider Lily (Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt)
25. The Innkeeper's Daughter (Michelle Griep)
26. Homing (Grace Livingston Hill)
27. A Dangerous Legacy (Elizabeth Camden)
28. The Isaac Project (Sarah Monzon)
29. Coming Through the Rye (Grace Livingston Hill)
30. The Best Man (Grace Livingston Hill)
31. The Raveling (Tamara Leigh)
32. Iron Cast (Destiny Soria)
33. Duskin (Grace Livingston Hill)
34. White Orchids (Grace Livingston Hill)
35. The Orphan's Wish (Melanie Dickerson)
36. Not Under the Law (Grace Livingston Hill)
37. Sweet's Folly (Fiona Hill)
38. Grace Livingston Hill (Robert Munce)
39. April Gold (Grace Livingston Hill)
40. The Ladies of Ivy Cottage (Julie Klassen)
41. The Strange Proposal (Grace Livingston Hill)
42. Job's Niece (Grace Livingston Hill)
43. The Painter's Daughter (Julie Klassen)
44. Rose Galbraith (Grace Livingston Hill)
45. The Secret of Chimneys (Agatha Christie)
46. The Seven Dials Mystery (Agatha Christie)
47. The Secret to Happiness (Billy Graham)
48. The Talisman Ring (Georgette Heyer)
49. The Curiosity Keeper (Sarah E. Ladd)
50. Kerry (Grace Livingston Hill)
51. More Than Meets the Eye (Karen Witemeyer)
52. A Match Made in Texas (K. Witemeyer, M. Connealy, R. Jennings, C. Cox)
53. Caught By Surprise (Jen Turano)
54. Happiness Hill (Grace Livingston Hill)
55. Magnolia Summer (Melanie Dickerson)
56. Montana Rose (Mary Connealy)
57. To Win Her Favor (Tamera Alexander)
58. A Proper Pursuit (Lynn Austin)
59. The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Elizabeth George Speare)
60. Crooked House (Agatha Christie)
61. The Husband Tree (Mary Connealy)
62. Wildflower Bride (Mary Connealy)
63. Hidden Places (Lynn Austin)
64. Out of the Storm (Grace Livingston Hill)
65. Death in the Stocks (Georgette Heyer)
66. Boundaries (Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend)
67. At Love's Bidding (Regina Jennings)
68. After a Fashion (Jen Turano)
69. Lady Pamela (Clare Darcy)
70. How Can the Heart Forget? (Emilie Loring)
71. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie)
72. The Substitute Guest (Grace Livingston Hill)
73. Patricia (Grace Livingston Hill)
74. The Christmas Heirloom (K. Witermeyer, K.A. Hunter, S.L. Thomas, B. Wade)
75. Playing the Part (Jen Turano)