My Top 15 Books of 2021

Although I haven’t appeared very often on my blog this year, I do still regularly read and write. And so I couldn’t ignore the tug that every December exerts on me to make my top 15 list of books read throughout the year. I read more individual titles in 2021 than the past several years: 65. But according to Goodreads, the number of pages was virtually the same as last year, which apparently means I read a slew of shorter books. That makes sense because I didn’t read as many classics this time around. If you’re curious about my whole list, you can find my year in books HERE.

And now, on to the list … which, as usual, was very hard to rank!

#15

The Heir of Redclyffe

by Charlotte Mary Yonge

This was the longest book I read in 2021. My friend Sarah and I read it as part of our monthly classic buddy read. Published in 1853, it’s a fairly normal sentimental Victorian novel, but with an extra layer of depth because several of the characters were heartfelt Christians who openly discussed their faith, and there was a beautiful redemption arc. Read my full review HERE.

#14

Mercy Undeserved

by Kristina Hall

Book 2 of the Moretti Trilogy, this tense historical novel set in the 1920s kept me flipping ebook pages. I really appreciated the message and how the main characters were depicted; they were new believers, and the way they learned to trust God while still struggling with their old nature was impactful as it wove into the suspenseful plot: running for their lives from gangsters. Read my full review HERE.

#13

Hannah Coulter

by Wendell Berry

I’ve heard a lot about Wendell Berry and determined that this year I would read one of his Port William novels. Hannah Coulter is a lovely contemplative novel about an elderly woman in rural Kentucky looking back over her life, spanning most of the twentieth century. Read my full review HERE.

#12

Irena’s Children

by Tilar J. Mazzeo

For the past few months, I’ve been on a research kick about World War Two and the Holocaust. Irena Sendler, a social worker active in the Polish resistance against the Nazis, has fascinated me ever since I heard of her. She is one of the “Righteous Among the Nations,” named by Yad VaShem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial. She and her allies within the resistance rescued 2,500 Jewish children in Warsaw. This information-dense biography not only gave me a deeper appreciation for Sendler; it set me on a sobering train of thought: What would I have done? Read my full review HERE.

#11

Educated

by Tara Westover

I didn’t expect to like this modern-day memoir as much as I did. Westover’s story is intriguing; raised in a survivalist family in rural Idaho, she educated herself, went to college, and excelled despite her lack of formal schooling and family support. I was drawn in by her masterful writing and her classic underdog story. Read my full review HERE.

#10

Three Men in a Boat

by Jerome K. Jerome

Three men and a dog take a boating expedition on the Thames, and everything hilariously goes wrong from there. This 1889 British novel is nothing profound, but it’s one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, and at that point in my year, I really needed to laugh. It will always hold a fond place in my heart for that gift. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#9

Before We Were Yours

by Lisa Wingate

Wingate’s powerful novel is a dual timeline narrative, telling the story of five siblings in the 1930s taken from their parents by the Tennessee Children’s Home and adopted out to separate families. Decades later, a successful career woman and daughter of a South Carolina senator discovers this terrible history and its repercussions in the present day. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#8

The Rosemary Tree

by Elizabeth Goudge

All of Goudge’s books are beautiful, but this one seemed exceptionally so. There’s much that this mid-twentieth-century English story encompasses; mostly it’s about a minister and his family and the various troubles and sorrows that they encounter and overcome. Goudge always leaves me feeling uplifted. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#7

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Anyone who is an ardent fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder will enjoy this beautifully printed early version of her beloved series. Not only does it contain the Pioneer Girl manuscript that she tried to get published before fictionalizing and expanding it into the stories we know today; it also gives extensive commentary in the margins and other explanatory notes. Since I published a Little House–inspired novella last summer, this book meant a lot to me. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#6

Dr. Thorne

by Anthony Trollope

I enjoy almost every thick Victorian novel I read, but not every one becomes a cherished favorite. However, Dr. Thorne did! The love story, the twists and turns, the characters, the satisfying plot, and the humor all combined to make a lovely read that was hard to put down and left me with a book hangover. See my full review HERE.

#5

The Meaning of Marriage

by Timothy Keller

As the title suggests, this book provides meaningful and realistic insights into marriage. Besides the practical advice, it also gives a beautiful picture of what marriage means in God’s economy. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#4

North and South

by Elizabeth Gaskell

I reread North and South this year and loved it just as much as before. This is another classic that my friend Sarah and I read together. Published in 1854, this novel shows Gaskell’s writing at its finest—her deep characters, her development of tension, and her sympathetic grasp of all sides of an issue. The story deals with the clash between mill owners and their workers in northern England, through the eyes of a mill owner and a young woman from the south with a tempestuous relationship that develops into something more. Read my full review HERE.

#3

The Zion Covenant series

by Bodie Thoene

I’ve read four of this six-book series so far, and though some parts are tough to get through, they tell the harrowing, disturbing, yet important story of the lead-up to World War Two in Europe. I relish Thoene’s blend of tension, character development, and descriptive details that bring history to life. Find the first book on Goodreads HERE.

#2

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat

by John Ortberg

With humility and humor, Ortberg encourages readers to put their faith into practice, trust God, and follow His calling for their lives. He addresses fear and other hindrances people encounter when they seek to draw closer to God and His plan. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#1

The Life You’ve Always Wanted

by John Ortberg

This eye-opening book explores “spiritual disciplines” and how they can help you live a more fulfilling and dedicated Christian life. I’ve really enjoyed reading Ortberg because he offers deep, meaningful truths in an easygoing style that makes me sit up and take notice, even when I feel convicted. Read my full review HERE.

What were some of your favorite books that you read in 2021?

My Top 15 Books of 2020

This year turned out to be an excellent year for reading. According to Goodreads, I read 56 books, which is higher than normal for me. (But that still doesn’t count the books I edited this year.) I also set a goal of reading two pre-1920 classics a month, which I’m very glad to say I accomplished. Of those 56 books, here are the top 15 that will stay with me the longest:

#15

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

I was actually surprised at how much I liked this play. Knowing the story before I read it, I hadn’t taken it seriously because of how young Romeo and Juliet were. Their youth still bothers me (as do certain characters—ahem, Juliet’s nurse and Mercurio), but the surprising depth in Juliet’s character really captured me. There are many beautiful lines, and, somehow, being a tragedy it entrenches itself more firmly in my mind as I think wistfully of what might have been. (Interesting side note: While I buddy-read this with my mom in April 2020, we experienced a “plague” with lockdowns like the plague that figured significantly in Romeo and Juliet.)

#14

Towers in the Mist

by Elizabeth Goudge

Although this novel may not have been as deeply affecting to me as other Goudge novels I’ve read, it drips with her beautifully characteristic style: rich description and symbolism, well-crafted characters, and a setting vividly brought to life. The genuine historical characters, like Walter Raleigh and Philip Sidney, add zest and a feeling of reality. I truly felt I had visited late sixteenth-century Oxford. Time-traveling is one of my favorite hobbies! Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#13

A Holy Passion

by Alicia G. Ruggieri

This was a hard book to read. But so good. Ruggieri weaves a heartbreaking story around real events in the lives of David Brainerd and Jerusha Edwards. David Brainerd was a missionary to the Native Americans in the mid-1700s, and when he got sick and stayed with the Edwards family, Jerusha helped care for him. A Holy Passion beautifully depicted the reality of loving and desiring God above everything else, inspiring me to reevaluate my life and actively delight in the Lord. Read my full review HERE.

#12

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

Dickens is one of my favorite authors. Although Great Expectations may not have reached as high in my affections as two of his other novels (Little Dorrit and Bleak House), it showcases Dickens’s masterful writing, plot weaving, and character creating and explores what it means to be a truly successful human being. Pip, the main character and narrator, takes us on his twisting, turning journey of discovery when he mysteriously inherits a lot of money that promises to make him into a “gentleman” in Victorian society. But there is far more to his journey than he ever imagined. Read my full review HERE.

 

#11

The Woman in White

by Wilkie Collins

This was a very fun read. A mystery that begins with the identity of a young woman dressed in white becomes more and more layered and suspenseful as the story rolls forward. This Victorian novel contains a bevy of compelling characters, chief among them Walter Hargrave, Marian Halcombe, Laura Fairlie, and Count Fosco, whose lives intertwine in a plot that kept me breathlessly guessing until the very end. Read my full review HERE.

#10

Deerbrook

by Harriet Martineau

This early Victorian novel (published the first year of Victoria’s reign, 1838) was a fascinating read. Standing as a bridge between early nineteenth-century fiction and what would become a hallmark of Victorian literary style—the multilayered domestic novel—Deerbrook contains many details of daily life within various lifestyles. The characters and their story were also endearing, especially primary characters Edward Hope and Hester and Margaret Ibbotson. Find the book on Goodreads HERE.

#9

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Written by Himself

This fascinating and affecting autobiography was published by an incredible African man to help the efforts of the British abolitionists in the eighteenth century. Slave narratives were vital in showing Europeans that Africans were people created in God’s image, too, and should therefore be treated equally. It’s a valuable resource into the horrifying history that we must face and acknowledge in order to move forward in the ongoing struggle for complete racial reconciliation. Find it on Goodreads HERE.

#8

Virgil Wander

by Leif Enger

The newest novel from one of my favorite contemporary authors, Virgil Wander did not disappoint. I love Enger’s rich, unconventional prose, the way he breathes life into every detail and character, and the nostalgic atmosphere of the plot. Set in a dying town in modern-day northern Minnesota, this novel still has a classic feel that sinks deep and makes you appreciate life. Read my full review HERE.

#7

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

If I’ve read a Jane Austen novel during the year, it’s going on my top reads. This was only my second time reading Pride and Prejudice, and honestly I’d forgotten how good it is, not to mention funny, profound, and relatively fast-paced. Austen’s ability to sketch an iconic character with a few quick lines always amazes and delights me.

 

#6

The Song of the Lark

by Willa Cather

I usually only love a book if I love the main character. This is one exception. Cather’s writing is beautiful as she captures characters’ emotions and interactions or describes the stirring landscapes of the West. The Song of the Lark depicts the journey of a singer, Thea Kronberg, from her humble origins in Colorado through all the heartache and hard work of building an artistic career. It also explores art and the true cost and meaning of success in the pursuit of it. Read my full review HERE.

#5

The Little House Series

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This year I reread most of this beloved series for the first time since I was a kid. I’d forgotten how charming and absorbing it is. It seems I was always aware of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her books. My mom and I read them while I was homeschooled as the basis of a unit study, and I felt unsure if they’d stand up to my childhood fondness for them. Well, if anything, I love them even more now. Wilder’s descriptions of life in the olden days and the warm family relationships never lose their appeal. The books are even more important to me now because I’m writing a story that is inspired by them.

 

#4

Anna Karenina

by Leo Tolstoy

I’d been meaning to read this epic novel for years, but it daunted me. I finally took the plunge and thought it was incredible! Leo Tolstoy is the first Russian writer I’ve encountered, and now he’s one of my favorite writers. The stories of the numerous characters in Anna Karenina are deeply moving, from the gradual downfall of Anna to the arduous upward climb of Konstantin Levin, a man Tolstoy patterned after himself. It’s a book to really make you think about your moral choices and goals in life. Read my full review HERE.

#3

The Other Bennet Sister

by Janice Hadlow

This became my favorite Regency novel by a non-Regency author. I’d always felt a little sorry for marginalized Mary, the middle Bennet sister in Pride and Prejudice. Bookish and awkward, she needed to grow. The Other Bennet Sister recounts some of the events in Pride and Prejudice from Mary’s perspective and then goes on to trace her path afterward. It’s a deep coming-of-age story that I could relate to, told in an authentic yet completely readable historical voice that immersed me in the Regency period. Read my full review HERE.

#2

Sir Gibbie

by George MacDonald

This book awed me. I grew up thinking MacDonald’s Scottish novels in their original form were inaccessible ... but that is certainly not the case, especially now with David Jack’s side-by-side translation of the Doric dialect into English. MacDonald’s works are profound and beautiful, his language flowing and poetic, and I’m so glad they are being republished like this. All this novel’s characters are memorable and meaningful, but none more so than Sir Gibbie himself, a mute boy with a heart full of love for mankind. The Christian values encased in his inspiring story weave their way into your heart. Check it out on Goodreads HERE.

#1

Why Care about Israel?

by Sandra Teplinsky

From the back cover: “No one can read the Bible and deny that God has specific plans for the Jewish nation. From the moment he created Israel, he loved her and set a plan in motion that is yet to be fulfilled. What is that plan? What does it mean for Arab peoples? How are Christians to respond?”

This book helped me reaffirm my commitment to care about Israel, pray for her, and support her now more than ever in these stormy times when the tide of world opinion is more against her, and God, than ever. A must-read for every Christian. Find it on Goodreads HERE. (The updated version is HERE.)

 

What were your favorite reads of 2020?

Top 15 Books of 2019

Happy New Year! Once again it’s time for my list of most impacting reads of the year. I always enjoy making this list and sharing the books that have made a deep impression on me. In both subtle and apparent ways, books influence our thinking and change our lives, and that’s why it’s so satisfying to look back on them.

#15

Far from the Madding Crowd

by Thomas Hardy

I actually gave this book only 3.5 stars, but let me explain: Hardy is a powerful writer, but his stories tend to be depressing. And when one reads powerful but depressing stories, one is conflicted about one’s feelings for them. Far from the Madding Crowd was published in 1874 and is one of Hardy’s most popular works. Bathsheba Everdene is a fascinating heroine who inherits a farm and runs it herself, against all typical customs in Victorian England. In the course of the novel, three men fall in love with her, the most decent one being steady, loyal Gabriel Oak. One never can tell how a Hardy novel will conclude since he’s not committed to happy endings, so I was apprehensive. I can definitely say that this book’s ending is one of the most unforgettable I’ve ever read, and it helped land Far from the Madding Crowd on this list. Read my full review HERE.

#14

Journey to the Center of the Earth

by Jules Verne

This had been on my to-read list for years because the 1959 film with James Mason and Pat Boone was one of mine and my brother’s favorites growing up. When my friend Sarah and I read it as part of our monthly classic buddy reads, I enjoyed it a lot! Admittedly, I like the movie more, but it’s hard to compare them because the stories are quite different. In its own right, however, Jules Verne’s pioneering science fiction novel, published in 1864, is an imaginative, page-turning adventure. German professor Otto Liedenbrock, his nephew Axel (also the narrator), and their guide Hans make a great team as they penetrate an Icelandic volcano in search of the earth’s core. Read my full review HERE.

#13

The Enchanted April

by Elizabeth von Arnim

This lovely little book from 1922 is an atmospheric delight. Four British women desperate for a change in their tedious lives rent a castle in Italy for the month of April. Wonderful things begin to happen, but is it enough to transform their lives beyond their Italian respite? I enjoyed getting to know each of the ladies and watching their thoughts as revelations unfold while the castle works its magic on them. Read my full review HERE.

#12

Island Magic

by Elizabeth Goudge

I’m almost positive any Elizabeth Goudge novel that I read is going to end up on a list of reading highlights. Island Magic was Goudge’s first novel, published in 1934. It features her beautiful, descriptive writing and a heart-warming story of a family on one of the Channel Islands (between England and France) going through hard times. When they take in a stranger, will he help them pull together or fall further apart? Two of the many things I love about Goudge’s novels are that every character is important and equally well-developed, and every detail of life, even small things, has rich meaning. Island Magic is no exception. Read my full review HERE.

#11

The Treasure of the City of Ladies

by Christine de Pizan

This book was a complete surprise to me. I didn’t know it existed until I saw it in a used bookstore (yay for brick-and-mortar bookstores!). I’m interested in pretty much anything that women in the far past have written, and being published in 1405, Treasure is probably the oldest complete book I’ve read by a female author. Christine de Pizan earned a living with her books of advice for women. It was inspiring to see how she emphasized love and devotion for God and tangible kindness to the poor. Even though this book is primarily a valuable snapshot of history, I gleaned a few timeless life lessons from it. Read my full review HERE.

  #10

Kidnapped

by Robert Louis Stevenson

I really like Stevenson’s writing, and Kidnapped is my favorite novel of his. This was a reread (one of several this year; I’m doing better at rereading favorites!), but I’d forgotten so much of it that it was almost like experiencing it for the first time. Sarah and I enjoyed it a lot! Published in 1886, this is a story set during the 1750s, when Scotland (at least parts of it) was fighting for independence from England. I love the interplay between David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart, and how they become best friends despite being total opposites in personality and political allegiance. I love the journey across Scotland. And I love how this isn’t just an adventure novel but explores difficult questions of right and wrong. Stevenson at his best!

  #9

Walden

by Henry David Thoreau

I’m not entirely sure how to classify Walden. A book of philosophical essays, perhaps? But philosophical essays inspired by the author’s year of roughing it in the Massachusetts woods, in close communion with nature. He built his house, raised and gathered his food, and tried to live the simple life and leave behind the hectic world of 1854. Thoreau encouraged his readers to ponder what’s truly important in our short lifetimes and to live with intent. I also came away with an enhanced appreciation for God’s creation and how spending time in the natural world can be transforming. See my full review HERE.

#8

Agnes Grey

by Anne Brontë

Two years ago, Brontë’s second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, was on my top 15 list, and this year, her first novel is as well. How sad that she wrote only two. Although Agnes Grey (published 1847) is short (way shorter than your average Victorian novel), it packs an emotional punch. It’s a pretty simple storyline about a new governess, Agnes Grey, who starts out on her path with bright hopes, but instead has to fight the slow crushing of her spirits that her employment produces. Anne Brontë was a governess herself, so she was able to depict a realistic and haunting portrait of the lonely life of a governess. Yet this novel was not depressing because Agnes places her faith and hope in God. See my full review HERE.

  #7

Least of All Saints

by Grace Irwin

Another reread on my list, and one I read with Sarah, this book, published in 1955, is one of my top favorite novels. It begins with a unique premise: What if an atheist becomes a minister of the most prestigious church in Toronto? I love how this book examines the nature of belief and unbelief and how knowing the facts of the Bible and the Christian life is no substitute for actually loving and knowing God. Irwin is a skilled author and weaves an engaging, powerful story with a variety of well-drawn characters, most important of whom is scholarly yet quietly charismatic Andrew Connington. Although set in the 1920s, the issues that Least of All Saints deals with are relevant for any decade. See my full review HERE.

  #6

Mansfield Park

by Jane Austen

Like Goudge, if I read a Jane Austen during the year, it’s going on this list. Mansfield Park (published 1814) may be Austen’s deepest emotional and psychological work. Sarah and I enjoyed it immensely. Fanny Price has been raised by her wealthy aunt, uncle, and cousins from the age of 11, and now she is 18. She possesses unrequited love for her cousin Edmund Bertram, but when the vivacious Crawford siblings come to the neighborhood, everything becomes even more complicated and troubling. This was my third time to read Mansfield Park, and with each reading, I uncover more depth and view characters and situations slightly differently. Jane Austen is such a satisfying author!

 

#5 

Middlemarch

by George Eliot

Middlemarch, published 1871-72, is the longest book I read this year. Wow, there are about two or three novels within this work! Deep characterization, philosophical ponderings, and detailed depictions of 1830s England make this a heavy-hitter. Dorothea Brooke is the star of the book, however. She’s an intelligent young woman who longs to devote her life to a meaningful, world-changing cause. She marries Mr. Casaubon, a minister and scholar, so she can help him with his life’s work, which she believes to be groundbreaking. But her marriage doesn’t turn out the way she expected. There is so much more to this novel that a synopsis would take up a page, so I’ll end by saying it was powerful and moving and a work that I’ll definitely be rereading. See my full review HERE.

  #4

Peace Like a River

by Leif Enger

Admittedly, many of my most favorite authors are long gone from this earth. But I’m always happy to find a contemporary author whose writing I can savor. That’s Leif Enger. He’s written only three novels so far, and I’ve now read two. Peace Like a River is his first. It’s a coming-of-age novel about a boy, Reuben Land, whose older brother is wanted for murder. Reuben and his dad and sister try to follow him after he flees. As I said, Enger’s writing is beautiful, even poetic. You can experience the setting of this novel, rural Minnesota and North Dakota in the 1960s. Every character is memorable. Jeremiah Land, Reuben’s dad, is one of my favorite fathers in literature. This novel drew my tears and laughter, and it explores the question of how God moves in our lives. See my full review HERE.

  #3

Jane Eyre

by Charlotte Brontë

Published in 1847 around the same time as Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey, this is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I was thrilled to reread it this year. The story is narrated by Jane Eyre herself. I love Jane—she’s quiet and thoughtful and possesses a deep well of principle and conviction that she will not abandon. She’s whimsical yet practical. She’s a loner and learns to stand on her own, but her desire for love and family is something we can all relate to. Her Christian character growth is inspiring. Charlotte Brontë’s vivid writing brings Jane Eyre’s world on the moors of northern England to life. Other incredible characters populate this novel—most important of whom is the conflicted Edward Rochester, Jane’s love interest. The air of mystery around him and his house, where Jane is a governess, adds even more brilliance to this deep work. But most impacting of all is the way we get to know Jane herself as she reveals every bit of her heart. It was unparalleled back then for literary protagonists, and it’s rare even today.

  #2

Confessions

by Saint Augustine of Hippo

This is the oldest book I’ve read this year (aside from the Bible), published in 397 CE. It took Sarah and me some time to finish, but it’s best read slowly and savored, almost like a devotional. In essence, Confessions is Augustine’s autobiography. He was a North African Christian, nominal before he had a spiritual encounter with God that turned his life around. What makes it so beautiful as an autobiography is that Augustine wrote as if he were talking to God, pouring out praise and love for his Lord. It’s also a poignant theological work; many of the passages are reflections on God’s love, the nature of God and of man, how we can have a relationship with Him, and the errors of certain heresies. It’s powerful and influential even today. See my full review HERE.

  #1

Calm My Anxious Heart

by Linda Dillow

I read most of this book on Yom Kippur, a day I set aside to fast, pray, and focus on what God is teaching me. This book provided a profound and refreshing perspective on worry, anxiety, fear, and discontentment, presented exactly the way I needed to hear it. It helped me deal with the roots of what causes me to worry. I haven’t stopped worrying by any means, and unfortunately I will worry in the future because I’m human, but now I have an arsenal of encouraging examples and practical advice that have already helped me to worry less. I long for the day when my faith is so strong that anxiety is impossible, and Calm My Anxious Heart has proved to be a significantly helpful step!

What impacting books did you read in 2019?