Oh, my this gets harder every year! I have had to be ruthless to narrow my favourite books of 2008 to only 10.
Here they are in no particular order (click on the links for my reviews):~
Havah by Tosca Lee
Fossil Hunter by John B Olson
The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer
Forsaken by James David Jordan
Healing Promises by Amy Wallace 
Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren
The Restorer’s Journey by Sharon Hinck
Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck
A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell
And because I couldn’t bear not to mention them (and it is my list after all!) the following are also must reads from 2008:~
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart
Orchid House by Cindy Martinusen Coloma
Home Another Way by Christa Parrish 
Matchpoint by Erynn Mangum
The Duchess and the Dragon by Jamie Carie
And do you know what the best thing is? Most, if not all, of these writers have books releasing in 2009 ๐ Don’t know about you but I can’t wait.
I’ll be posting a list of 09 releases I am highly anticipating soon.
Please comment and let me know your top 10 (or less!) of 2008. I’d love to see what we have in common…or not!
December 31, 2008 at 12:28 am
Great List! I enjoyed Love Starts with Elle too…I have A Convenient Groom and A Constant Heart on my TBR pile. ANd I loved both of Julie Lessman’s books.
December 31, 2008 at 12:34 am
Fossil Hunter and The Shape of Mercy are on my list, too! Course mine ended up only being three books because I only started reviewing 2008 books late 2008. The Host was also great!I think I need to read Havah, it’s on a lot of people’s top 2008 lists!
December 31, 2008 at 1:53 am
Great list, Rel. I’m honored to be among them. Elle thanks you, too!Denise Hunter, Susan Meissner, and Siri Mitchell are some of my favorite authors.Happy New Year.Rachel
December 31, 2008 at 2:53 am
What a super end of the year blessing to have made your awesome top 10 list! I’m sooooo excited and honored!Hope your New Year is filled with peace, joy and tons of heart-warming stories.
December 31, 2008 at 3:25 am
I’m honored to be in such wonderful company. Thanks, Rel. This year I really enjoyed Love Begins with Elle by Rachel Hauck and Susan Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy. I’ll have to check out some of the other books on your list.
December 31, 2008 at 5:04 am
I’m adding Sweetwater Gap to my list of top fiction for 2008! Hurry up and read it so you can add it to your list before the first of January!
December 31, 2008 at 5:04 am
Our lists don’t have much in common, but mine is up at Best Books of 2008–and I haven’t even worked my way through the piles to some of the titles you chose:-)Variety is the spice of life–and book blogs:-)
December 31, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Thanks, Rel. Your choice of Forsaken means a lot to me. Best wishes for a great 2009.Jim Jordan
December 31, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Aw Rel, thanks for including Taming Rafe! What a fun surprise! I’m honored to be among so many of MY favorite authors/books. (And Thanks for the reading list for new faves!) Blessings on your new year!
December 31, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Hi “jane” (hee hee!)What a blessing to be included in your top ten. You have been such a huge encouragement to me.Thanks for all you do for Christian authors.Blessings and happy reading in 2009!
December 31, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Well, I haven’t gotten to Havah or The Shape of Mercy yet, so keep that in mind. Naming just 10 is ridiculous, isn’t it? Phew! In no particular order:Demon . . . a memoir by Tosca LeeThe Rook by Steven Jamesless than DEad by Tim DownsDogwood by Chris FabryAdam by Ted DekkerBlack Sea Affair by Donald BrownTry Dying; Try Darkness by James Scott BellPerfect by Harry Kraus, MDThe Heir by Paul RobertsonZora and Nicky; Wounded by Claudia Mair BurneyYes, I cheated.
December 31, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Thanks to you all for dropping by ๐ Happy New Year!
December 31, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Thank you, Rel, for including Havah on this list–it’s an honor to be listed next to these authors and friends. And thank you for the work that goes into your site and reviews–what a great service to readers!
January 1, 2009 at 7:59 am
Definitely agree with you on Love Starts With Elle. Forsaken and Healing Promises both had potential but for hopefully-temporary-fragility reasons, I didn’t finish them.I would definitely put Match Point on the top 10. I just finished it a day or so ago and I love EM’s books!! They are laugh-out-loud funny.I do like Randy Singer and Denise Hunter but don’t have either of those books…will keep it in mind!The only other book I’ve read on your other list is Home Another Way which was definitely good (and from you!).
January 2, 2009 at 1:29 am
I love, love, loved The Convenient Groom! One of my top books for the year as well.
January 2, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Rel,What an honor to make “the list.” Those are some of my favorites that I get to rub elbows with. Have a blessed 2009!