friday favorites #23: week of april 29, 2016

These last two weeks have been unusual. For whatever reason, I didn't have many pressing things at work (aside from the normal craziness that seems to spring up at this time of the year), so I spent most of my time fully immersed in yearbook--which is a good thing, seeing that speech brain (January through March) and Hashimoto's brain (a constant struggle) don't mix well! I'm not kidding you--I've found so many things on pages that I supposedly signed off on, that I gave my students good grades on, that are all kinds of wrong. Sigh. Suffice it to say, I'm glad it's the weekend. Here are a few things that I've been enjoying recently.

1. Planning a road trip
It's been three years since my sisters and I went away together. Sure, we've been together since then, but always with other people. Well, we're going to remedy that this year: We're spending a weekend in Nashville! We're not going until July, but this is a favorite because I just bought our tickets! We're going to Annie F. Downs' Looking for Lovely weekend. I'm super excited--and I love that it's going to be in Nashville, a city I've long wanted to visit! If you have any tips about places we should go or things we should see, let me know!

In Winona Lake on our last girls' weekend, which I sort of, kind of, not really wrote about here.

2. The Grinder
Rob Lowe. William Devane. Fred Savage. Boise, Idaho. Somehow, these four things combine to create the most consistently funny comedy I've seen in a long time. The premise is that Mitch Sanderson (Lowe), following the end of his successful law drama The Grinder, moves home to Boise and decides that playing a lawyer on TV has made him qualified to be a lawyer in real life, much to the chagrin of his lawyer brother Stewart (Savage).

Lowe may be the "big name," but Savage is the highlight of the show. He's really the stand-in for the audience--all this ridiculousness is going on around him, and he's the voice of reason ... who sometimes gets swept up into the chaos.

The Grinder still hasn't been picked up for a second season, and if it gets canceled, it will be a tragedy. If you have Hulu Plus, you can watch the whole season. And you should because it's hilarious.

Good afternoon with my mom! After Lone Tree Singers practice (the concert is tomorrow at 2!), we did some Christmas decorating, began our Christmas puzzle, and I introduced her to the hilarity that is #TheGrinder.

A photo posted by Becky Ritta (@beckyritta) on Dec 5, 2015 at 4:10pm PST

I tried to introduce my mom to The Grinder in December. As far as I know, she hasn't watched another episode. Don't be my mom! Watch The Grinder.

3. Being an INSPY judge ... again!
Last year, I was able to judge the Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense category of the INSPY Awards (awards for inspirational fiction selected by a group of bloggers). I recently found out that I've been chosen as a judge again! I had such a great experience judging last year, and I'm thrilled to be doing it again! You can read about all of the judges here.

4. Hanging out with the speech team
The end of the school year gets really crazy. So many things are hapening: music concerts (that sometimes get rescheduled multiple times due to weather), track meets, awards nights, and on and on. In the midst of that, we always try to have an end-of-year speech party. So last night, we went bowling. Only four of the team members could make it, thanks to the aforementioned crazy schedules, but those of us who were there had a blast! And, to top it off, I got what could be my best non-wii bowling score of all time. I really should go bowling more often. (My score is the middle one: 122. Yes, I still placed last among the other adults I was playing with, but I beat all of the speech kids!)

5. The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter

We're going clear back to late March for this recommendation. Denise Hunter is one of my favorite romance writers, and her latest, The Goodbye Bride, did not disappoint ... and it earned a place on my keeper shelf, which is becoming harder and harder to do now that I'm only keeping the books that "spark joy." The Goodbye Bride is about an amnesiac who can't remember the past six months, so she assumes she still belongs with the fiance she abandoned. Anyway, here's a snippet from my review:

Lucy is such an incredibly likable character that I couldn't help but pull for her happily ever after. Hunter did a magnificent job of portraying Lucy's confusion, fear, and determination, and, due to Hunter's choice to let the audience in on Lucy's past only when Lucy learns about it herself, there's a sense of mystery and suspense that runs throughout the novel, adding another layer to the story.

 If you're a fan of clean romance, you'll definitely want to check this one out!

As always, thanks for stopping by, and feel free to let me know your own favorites! I'm linking up with the usuals: Erika, Christina, and Karli.

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top ten tuesday: authors i own the most books from

The blog has been silent lately, mainly because I just got back from a week in Indiana, where my sister married the love of her life. (Trust me, a post is forthcoming.) While on said "vacation," I read a total of 1-1/2 books. That's it! It was nice to have a break, and now I'm ready to jump back into my normal insane reading schedule :-) I'll have a slew of reviews in the next several weeks, but for now, I thought it would be fun to do something different.

I've never done one of these weekly memes before, but several bloggers I follow have started doing Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke & The Bookish, and I thought it looked like fun! I'm sure I won't be doing these all the time, but if a Top Ten Tuesday catches my eye, then I'll jump in.

This week's topic is Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From. Since I didn't really feel like going through my bookshelves and Kindle to count everything, this is just an estimate. I'm very confident in the top five, but the rest are guesses :-) I thought it might be fun to give you a glimpse at my bookshelves as we go along. (If the pictures are too small, click on them, and they'll get bigger.)

This is just the 1st shelf—the shelf below
is about half full of Kingsbury books!

1. Karen Kingsbury—There was a time when I bought each and every Kingsbury book as soon as it released. That all ended with Loving, the last book in the Bailey Flanigan series. I began reading, then I flipped to the end to find out who Bailey chose in the end: Cody or Brandon. The result was what I feared. I put the book down and haven't read another Kingsbury book since. I know it's ridiculous, but I spent so much time (and money) invested in Bailey's journey, and I just can't get over the way it ended. (Full disclosure: At one point in the series, I wanted Kingsbury to end it exactly as she did, but then things changed, and I felt betrayed as a reader.) I do have two Kingsbury books that I haven't read yet, including Coming Home, which wraps up the Baxter series. I should really read them ... someday.

I just counted, and I have 44 Karen Kingsbury books. Goodness!

Lori Wick & Dee Henderson. For
a while, I kept all my Wick books.
Recently, though, I decided to just
keep my favorites and try to sell
the rest. So if you're in the market for
cheap Lori Wick books, check out
my half.com shop!

2. Lori Wick—From 7th grade until I discovered Karen Kingsbury in college, Lori Wick was my favorite author. I loaned out Sophie's Heart so many times that it's practically falling apart, and I've still read it more times than any other book. Fun fact: Wick is the only author on this list that I've seen in person. Her son attended the same college as I did, and one Sunday morning I turned around in church and saw her about six rows back!

3. Susan May Warren—I liked the first few Warren books I read, but I didn't love them. Then I read Sons of Thunder. I was hooked, and now I read everything she writes. I just finished When I Fall in Love, and I absolutely could not put it down. (Review coming next week.) I can't wait for the next in the series!

It doesn't look like many books, but
The Chronicles of Narnia and The
Essential C.S. Lewis both contain
several books.

4. C.S. Lewis—Lewis is the only author on the list whose fiction and non-fiction I own. Of course The Chronicles of Narnia is a favorite; I also love Mere Christianity and Till We Have Faces.

I've loaned out several Dekker books. They go
(of course) where the gaps are. If you're interested
in the book flowers, you can see how I
made them here.

5. Ted Dekker—My friend Jodi gave me Green, my first Ted Dekker novel, about 10 years ago. After devouring the Circle trilogy (now a quartet), I moved on to his other novels. Some I loved (Skin, Immanuel's Veins), some I loathed (Boneman's Daughters). I haven't read any of his newer novels ... or even all of the novels that are on this shelf!

The end of Susan May Warren &
most of my Robin Jones Gunn.

6. Robin Jones Gunn—What Christian teenage girl in the 90's didn't love the Christy Miller series? I got into the game a bit late—Book 8, Starry Night, is the first book I read in the series. Then in high school, I started reading the Glenbrooke series, and I own all eight books. Most recently, I read the Katie Weldon series and was surprised at how much I liked Katie, as I didn't really enjoy her in the Christy Miller series. I also have a couple Robin Jones Gunn books on my to be read shelf.

I have two types of bookshelves:
those that hold books I want to
display, and those that hold books
I keep for sentimental reasons. This
shelf holds the latter.

7. Lisa T. Bergren—I first came across Lisa T. Bergren in high school. My high school library had the Full Circle series, and reading Refuge made me really, really want to visit Montana! I didn't read any more of her books for a long time, but I recently reviewed the Grand Tour series and loved it. I also have a few books from her River of Time series on my Kindle ... must make time to read them! (Hello, it's YA and time travel. Of course I'm going to love it!)

The end of Karen Kingsbury, a few Denise Hunter,
and the beginning of Susan May Warren. I've
loaned out a ton of my Hunter and Warren books.

8. Denise Hunter—Hunter is, hands down, my favorite romance writer. I got started with her Nantucket series, and I've read practically everything she's written since. The Convenient Groom is one of my all-time favorite books, but I haven't reviewed it. I should probably read it again and remedy that!

The Austen shrine.

9. Jane Austen—Is it OK to admit that the only Jane Austen book I've ever read is Pride & Prejudice, and even then, I skipped some in the middle? But I display the books prominently, right beside the film adaptations of her novels. (My favorite? The BBC production of Emma.)

10. Dee Henderson—Henderson's O'Malley series remains is one of my all-time favorites. I also read some of her True Devotion series and enjoyed them. I haven't read any of her recent novels—I've read some negative reviews, and I don't want to spend money on books I may not like.

So there's my list. What about you? Leave your top ten in the comments, or leave a link to your own top ten post.

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best books of 2013: top 10

It's that time again: time to pick my favorite books of the year. (And this year, I'm actually posting before the new year—if only by two hours. That's quite the improvement over my 2011 and 2012 lists!) If my Pinterest board is to be believed, then I read 87 books in 2013 (and I'm not sure that I remembered to pin each book I read). Out of those 87, I enjoyed the vast majority, so narrowing my list of favorites down to 10 was quite difficult—so difficult that I'll be publishing a list of honorable mention books later this week. Below are the books that I settled on as my favorite 10 reads of 2013.

10. Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter (my review)

Barefoot Summer is a fantastic opening to Hunter's Chapel Springs series. Madison and Beckett's chemistry practically leaps off the page, and the conclusion is heartwarming and satisfying. I can't wait for book two's release this spring!

9. Anomaly by Krista McGee (my review)

Anomaly stunned me. I expected to enjoy it (it's YA/sci-fi, so how could I not?), but I didn't anticipate the way McGee would so completely suck me into her world. The book ends with a delightful twist, and I can't wait to read the second book in the trilogy!

8. Duchess by Susan May Warren (my review)

The final book in Warren's Daughters of Fortune trilogy, Duchess is also the best. For whatever reason, it really resonated with me—and I especially connected with main character Rosie. Here's a snippet of my review: "Really, Rosie could be any of us. No, we don't all have bombshell looks or the attitude to go with it, but we do all have regrets and hurts that motivate our actions, and without surrendering to Christ and trusting that He loves us, we could gain the whole world and still be searching for meaning and wholeness. The spiritual lessons found in this book (and the rest of the series) are profound, yet not at all 'preachy.'"

7. Shattered by Dani Pettrey (my review)

Shattered is the second book in Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series. It focuses on Piper and Landon, two of my favorite characters from the first book in the series. Packed with mystery and romance, Shattered was easily my favorite romantic suspense novel of the year.

6. Moon Over Edisto by Beth Webb Hart (my review)

Of all the books on this list, Moon Over Edisto is the least overtly "Christian" and the most literary. (It is put out by a Christian publisher, but the faith aspect takes a backseat. And I think that's totally fine.) It's the only novel that I read this year that I thought my sister, who tends toward literary snobbery, would enjoy—and so I promptly bought her a copy as soon as I finished reading mine. Moon Over Edisto is a beautifully-written novel about family, and it ended far too soon for my liking.

5. The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen (my review)

If you love Jane Austen, you'll love Julie Klassen. I've read several of her books so far, and each one is better than the last. The Tutor's Daughter is pure delight. Here's a bit of what I had to say in my review: "As I read, I couldn't help but feel that I was reading a Jane Austen novel. Or, more accurately, that I was watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, as Klassen has a way with words that put a very clear picture into my head as I read. The plot evokes memories of Northanger Abbey, Emma,Pride & Prejudice, and even Jane Eyre while still remaining unique." Klassen's next book, The Dancing Master, is currently sitting on my to be read shelf—I can't wait to pick it up!

4. A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund (my review)

I loved everything about A Noble Groom...especially the hero, Carl. In my review, I said that "Carl gives Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy a run for his money. While Carl is by no means perfect, he is wonderful (and a lot less uppity than that Darcy fellow)." And that cover? It may be my favorite book cover of the year!

3. On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin (my review)

Fun fact: Sarah Sundin is the only author to have a book appear on my "best of" list each year that I've made one: With Every Letter was number four on my 2012 list, and Blue Skies Tomorrow was my pick for my favorite book of 2011.

On Distant Shores continues Sundin's streak of excellent World War II fiction. I love that while her books are full of romance, they contain so much more. On Distant Shores highlights the struggles pharmacists faced in the Army, and Sundin wrote about it so realistically that I wanted to call my senator to demand fair treatment for them! I'm eagerly awaiting Sundin's next novel.

2. Invisible by Ginny Yttrup (my review)

Ginny Yttrup was a new-to-me author, and she totally blew me away with this novel. Invisible focuses on three women, each of whom is hiding in some way. As they connect with each other, they work through emotional and physical trauma and learn about the God who loves them infinitely. Invisible is completely captivating, and when I finished reading it, I just had to sit there and let it sink in. I loved it.

1. Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay (my review)

Dear Mr. Knightley, Katherine Reay's debut novel, is so unique and fun! I don't think I can say it better than I did in my review: "Honestly, I picked up Dear Mr. Knightley expecting a simple romance, but this book turned out to be so much more—throughout the course of the novel, Sam found her voice, her place in the world. And, yes, she found love—in many forms. One of the most touching aspects of the novel was not the romance (though it was sweet) but the love Sam found in family.

Dear Mr. Knightley is a novel that will grab you at the first page and not let go until you've finished the last. Run to your nearest bookstore (or, more realistically, click on over to the website of your favorite bookseller) and get your hands on a copy of this book. You won't regret it!"

I almost wish I hadn't read Dear Mr. Knightley yet—because that would mean I could experience it again for the first time! For a limited time, it's only $2.99 for Kindle (check the price before you buy)—you really need to read this book!

There you have it: my top 10 reads of 2013. Check back at the end of the week for my honorable mention books. Happy New Year!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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new and upcoming fiction

Believe it or not, I do occasionally read books I haven't agreed to review, and I have an extensive list of books I want to read when I'm not facing a review deadline. Here are a few books that either recently released or will soon release that I'm anticipating reading—whether I get to read them for "free" or not.

Longing by Karen Kingsbury. (Releases 11-22-11.) Longing continues the story of Bailey, Brandon, and Cody. (If you don't know who these people are, go back to the book that started it all—Redemption—and enjoy the ride!) I still haven't read Learning, the previous book in the Bailey Flanigan series, but my goal is to have it read before Longing arrives on my doorstep—which will be Nov. 22, thanks to Amazon's release-day delivery service. My friend Holly at The Bookshelf was able to read an advance copy, and you can see her review here. On a fun note—the people who play Bailey and Brandon in the book trailers recently got engaged in real life! If the pretend Bailey and Brandon can get married, can't the "real" ones? (Alas, I'm afraid Kingsbury isn't going to bend to my wishes on this one!)

Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii by Robin Jones Gunn. (Released 10-1-11.) This is for all the Christy Miller/Sierra Jensen fans out there—and I count myself among them! I never actually read all of the Sierra Jensen books, but I did skim the last one ... I wanted to know if Sierra ended up with Paul, the "Todd" of her series. (If you're lost, it's okay, just indulge me!) I don't remember how the book ended, but I do remember being disappointed. Well, now Gunn is giving all of the Sierra fans the resolution they wanted way back when, as Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii is all about love finding Sierra! Here's hoping some characters from Gunn's other books make cameo appearances ... and even if they don't, I'm sure it will be a satisfying read.

The Accidental Brideby Denise Hunter. (Releases 1-3-12.) I am a big fan of Denise Hunter's books—I've reviewed one, and several others made my list of recommended books. The Accidental Bride is book two in Hunter's Big Sky series. It appears to be a twist on the "marriage of convenience" plot device, which is a favorite of mine. I'm hoping to get it free from Booksneeze, but if I don't, I'll definitely be buying it. 

Turnabout's Fair Playby Kaye Dacus. (Releases 11-1-11.) I have to give a big shout-out to Peter at christian-fantasy.com on this one. Had he not blogged about meeting Dacus, I wouldn't have known she existed—and I would have been missing out. I found The Art of Romance, book two in her Matchmakers series, for review on NetGalley, and I read it in just a few hours; I currently have book one, Love Remains, waiting on my shelf of "read when I don't have a deadline" books, and Turnabout's Fair Play is on my Kindle awaiting my attention. I love that Dacus's heroines—at least the ones in the Matchmakers series—aren't the normal young, thin, gorgeous women with multiple suitors found in so many modern romances. (Sometimes I feel like if I read about one more 22-year-old falling in love, I'm going to throw up.) I know these characters are fictional, but they give me hope—hope that someday, some man will see me for who I am and will love me for me. (I feel like I should instruct my mother to stop crying now. Mom, stop it.)

Beyond Hope's Valleyby Tricia Goyer. (Releases 4-1-12.) This release is a bit farther out than the rest, but I'm eagerly anticipating it, so I wanted to mention it. Beyond Hope's Valley is book three in Goyer's Big Sky series. I sometimes read Amish fiction because it's offered to me for review, but I wouldn't normally seek it out. This series, however, is worth looking—and paying—for. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Goyer doesn't idealize the Amish lifestyle. She clearly shows its positive and negative sides—and I think that's because some of the characters in this book are based on friends of hers. Their journey to a real, living faith took them out of the Amish church. She interviewed these friends on her radio show a few months ago, and I just listened to the podcast.  If you're interested, you can listen here (scroll down to Thursday, 14th of April, 2011).

So there you have it: my top five "can't wait to read them" books. What books are you looking forward to?

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