In my opinion, every day is a good day to read. But I must admit that a warm and sunny spring day might be the best day of all to grab a good book and read.
Granted, stubborn ol’ Mr. Winter is doing his best to hang on for as long as possible, but even the few springlike days we’ve had so far make me want to sit in the sunshine on my back porch with a brand new novel.
If you are also ready for some springtime reading, I have a few stories written by some of my favorite Christian authors that I would love to share with you.
The Last Way Home
First of all, what’s springtime without a little romance?
And New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson has written the perfect little love story in her latest book, The Last Way Home. It’s actually the third stand-alone novel in her Prince Edward Island Shores series.
Like the other two stories in this series, the beautiful shorelines of Canada’s Prince Edward Island make the perfect setting for The Last Way Home. But in this tale, Johnson throws together an unlikely pair of characters, a disgraced NHL player and a local artist whose pottery studio just burned to the ground.
After 11 years spent chasing his dreams of playing professional hockey, Eli Ross comes home to Prince Edward broke and beaten by his own mistakes. He does not know Violet Donaghy even though the beautiful young potter has become an unofficial member of Eli’s family in his absence.
Eli and Violet eventually work together to rebuild Violet’s studio as well as Eli’s relationship with his family. But secrets from the past threaten to destroy everything they are working to rebuild. For both characters, it all comes down to whether they are willing to learn a valuable lesson about God’s unconditional forgiveness and love.
The Sound of Light
Ok, ok, if love stories aren’t your thing, then why not settle in with a suspenseful historic drama?
To be honest, historical fiction is my all-time favorite genre, and author Sarah Sundin is an expert at weaving an extraordinary fictional plot inside a factually flawless setting.
In her latest work, The Sound of Light, Sundin combines the real-life events of World War II Denmark in the fictional lives of Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt and an American physicist, Dr. Else Jensen.
Sundin bases the baron’s character on a heroic Danish Olympian rower, Knud Christiansen, while Jensen’s character is built around Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr. In World War II, both Christiansen and Bohr played a large role in Denmark’s Resistance to the Nazis.
Like their real-life models, these two fictional characters also find themselves in the midst of danger and intrigue. In order to do his part for the Danish Resistance, the baron assumes the identity of Hemming Anderson, a common shipyard worker who barely speaks. The baron’s silence and anonymity allow him the chance to row secret messages over to Sweden.
Jensen, on the other hand, is conducting cutting-edge research, and she refuses to give it up and head back home to America. And when she discovers Anderson’s true identity and mission, she decides to offer her help.
The danger of their mission grows with each passing day of the war as the Nazis increase their pressure on the Danish Resistance movement. How can Jensen and Anderson continue their espionage under the noses of their enemies without getting caught? And will their resistance cost them their lives – and their newfound love?
Oops, I slid that love story genre in there on you again, didn’t I? I would apologize, but The Sound of Light is simply too good a story to pass up.
Anything but Plain
Another book that is just too good to miss out on is Anything but Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher.
Let me say from the get-go, Fisher is my absolute favorite author when it comes to historical fiction. And whatever period of history she delves into, she is the master at telling historic tales.
Anything but Plain is no exception to that, even though it is very different from most of Fisher’s novels. But like her other works, it is superbly written and makes the Amish world come to life so realistically.
Now, let me be honest and say that usually, I am NOT a fan of Amish fiction. The entire genre has been way overdone, to the point that it has almost become cliché.
Please pardon the pun, but Fisher’s latest novel really is anything but plain.
In fact, this story of an Amish bishop’s daughter, Lydie Stoltzfus somehow becomes the story of many young women raised in good Christian homes.
Beloved by her family and friends, Lydie just can’t seem to get anything right. In fact, most people describe her as an accident waiting to happen. Her heart is in the right place, but somehow, her actions always get her in trouble. Everything Lydie tries ends up being a disaster, so she honestly believes that the only thing she does well is disappointing those she loves the most.
As Lydie struggles to find her place in the world, things only grow worse. She even contemplates giving up and leaving her family and her church. She wonders if it might be better for everyone involved. But Lydie’s grandmother is determined not to let that happen.
In a last-ditch effort, Lydie takes a job working for the local doctor as a receptionist. Amazingly, Dok discovers that Lydie may have a physical disorder that is rare among the Amish – severe ADHD.
Now, this is the point at which Lydie’s story hit home for me.
As a lifelong English/Creative Writing teacher, I saw Lydie in so many of my past students. But I could not imagine if my precious, creative, brilliant students had never found help with their ADHD (or any biological learning disorder, for that matter).
So, for me, Lydie’s tale became a reminder of the hope and determination witnessed in countless students I taught over the years. She reminded me that God does not make mistakes. And though they might be hidden or undeveloped, God gives each of us gifts and talents that the rest of His children desperately need. Each of us truly is a masterpiece from the Master of creation.
A final word
So, these are three of my best picks for your springtime reading pleasure. Each of these novels can be purchased online at christianbook.com.
I hope that sometime soon you will be able to find a nice sunny spot outside to relax and enjoy one of these Christ-centered books. But if springtime is late in coming to your part of the world, then find a nice warm spot inside to snuggle up with one of these gems.
Because it’s a fact – any day is a great day to read!
