books that greatly impacted my life and that I never stopped thinking about

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I thought I'd share some authors and books (and the series they belong in) that I have loved for years. Some of you have been reading here for a long time, but I've noticed some newer people lately—and this post is written with you in mind. Some of these authors are people I love and whose books I invest in for no other reason than because I love a good book. Some of these authors are people I've corresponded with over the years and who have sent me material to review and share about on my blog. That being said, that was years ago and is no longer the case—and with spring break coming up, I thought you could use some great book recommendations that I have loved and that I'm loving right now.

I'll jump in with my very favorite author of all time, Robin Jones  Gunn (click her name to see her website and books). I've been reading her books since I was a teenager, starting with her Christy Miller series. I never finished reading that series because I grew up as she was writing them, but I did go back as an adult and buy them to read in order. I still have all of these and they're in the collection of books that I own and will never part with. I have read every book she's ever written, but my all time favorite series of books ever are the books that make up the Sisterchicks series. They don't have to be read in order, but if you're like me and need to do that just in case, you should check out her website. These books are very meaningful and thought provoking books about the ups and downs of life, and how life with friends by your side is so much sweeter. 

Some books that the Lord used to minister to me in life are the books written by Karen Kingsbury. The first two books I ever read by her and that were truly life-changing fiction books™, were One Tuesday Morning and Beyond Tuesday Morning, so they'll always be my favorite. But her series of books about the Baxter family are what she is known for. That series is being made into a series, and there are many books in it, so pay attention to order. I would start with the Redemption series if I were you. 

Another favorite series of books are the ones that make up the Yada Yada Prayer Group series by Neta Jackson. Prayer is something I am passionate about, and these books were instrumental in teaching me how to pray. They made me think about my faith, or sometimes how I lack it, and they inspired me in my prayer life and in my friendships. If you check out Neta's website, pay attention to the order, because this series leads to another series, which leads to another series. They're all excellent and I highly recommend them!

If Christian fiction isn't your thing, a series of books I've recently read and loved are the Beach Plum Cove series by Pamela Kelley. These were the books that partly inspired a trip to the Cape Cod for me and two of my sisters back in late September of 2022, and the author of the book helped me plan the trip. Granted, our plans changed and we did other things, but the places she mentioned that she loved to eat were ones we made sure to visit. I love it when an author responds to me over email or social media. It means the world that they care enough about their readers to want to engage them, even if she never replied to my question of meeting her while we were there. I greatly appreciate that she asks for ideas and thoughts for upcoming books that she writes. I'm in a Facebook group that she posts in often, and it's one of my favorite places on the internet. I've read every books she's written in the two years it's been since I found her, and I don't regret one minute of spending that time in her books.

Some other trusted and favorite authors that will rarely disappoint are Katherine Center, Rebecca Serle, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Freida McFadden, Olivia Lara and Nancy Thayer. Those are just a few, but there are so many more. If you have any that you've read all of their books, I'd love to hear from you! I am always looking for authors that are new to me and am willing to try just about anything. Have I made you want to read yet? I hope so! It's my favorite pastime. Come back next week when I share about the books I read this month! I plan on posting that on February 28th. 

Thanks for reading, friends! Love to all!