The Christys are almost here!
The 13th annual Christy Awards for excellence in Christian fiction will be presented at a dinner to be held at 7:00 p.m., Monday, July 16, 2012, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando. The delightful Liz Curtis Higgs is emcee and the lovely Rachel Hauck is the guest commentator on the live blog – be sure to register for the live blog so you don’t miss any of the action! The live blog is a great way to participate if you can’t be at the dinner in person.
I’ve read and enjoyed many of the books that received a nod this year so I’ve compiled a list of links below so you can check out my thoughts and any Character Spotlights I’ve posted. The ones without links I either haven’t read or just haven’t got around to posting about! Some of the books are terrific buys at the moment so do click on the title links for more.
Enjoy!
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
[amazon_link id=”1414334826″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]My Foolish Heart[/amazon_link] by Susan May Warren
(Tyndale House Publishers)
Character Spotlight ~ Caleb Knight
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[amazon_link id=”B004HKIIDK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Larkspur Cove[/amazon_link] by Lisa Wingate
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”1602607842″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Wolfsbane[/amazon_link] by Ronie Kendig
(Barbour Publishing)
Character Spotlight ~ Canyon & Dani
Character Interview with Canyon
Character Interview with Dani
My pick: Wolfsbane
CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
[amazon_link id=”0736937986″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Amish Midwife[/amazon_link] by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould (Harvest House Publishers)
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[amazon_link id=”0805464301″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Dancing on Glass[/amazon_link] by Pamela Binnings Ewen
(B&H Publishing Group)
Character Spotlight ~ Amalise & Jude
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[amazon_link id=”1610452992″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Touch[/amazon_link] by Randall Wallace
(Tyndale House Publishers)
My pick: Dancing on Glass
CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
[amazon_link id=”1414333064″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Dry as Rain[/amazon_link] by Gina Holmes
(Tyndale House Publishers)
Character Spotlight ~ Eric Yoshida
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[amazon_link id=”B005EP2BTE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Promises to Keep[/amazon_link] by Ann Tatlock
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”B005K5FOKQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Words[/amazon_link] by Ginny Yttrup
(B&H Publishing Group)
My pick: Dry as Rain
FIRST NOVEL
[amazon_link id=”B005HKQ4TO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]An Eye for Glory[/amazon_link] by Karl Bacon
(Zondervan)
Character Spotlight ~ Michael & Jessie Palmer
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[amazon_link id=”1616263644″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Southern Fried Sushi[/amazon_link] by Jennifer Rogers Spinola (Barbour Publishing)
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[amazon_link id=”B005K5FOKQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Words[/amazon_link] by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)
My pick: Words
HISTORICAL
[amazon_link id=”1414335970″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Forsaking All Others[/amazon_link] by Allison Pittman
(Tyndale House Publishers)
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[amazon_link id=”1400070023″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Mine is the Night[/amazon_link] by Liz Curtis Higgs
(WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”076420498X” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Wonderland Creek[/amazon_link] by Lynn Austin
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
My pick: Mine is the Night
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
[amazon_link id=”0764206222″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]A Lasting Impression[/amazon_link] by Tamera Alexander
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Character Spotlight ~ Claire & Sutton
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[amazon_link id=”0764207091″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Maid of Fairbourne Hall[/amazon_link] by Julie Klassen
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Character Spotlight ~ Margaret & Nathaniel
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[amazon_link id=”1439183112″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]To Die For[/amazon_link] by Sandra Byrd
(Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)
My pick: A Lasting Impression
SUSPENSE
[amazon_link id=”143367162X” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Over the Edge[/amazon_link] by Brandilyn Collins
(B&H Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”0764206389″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Pattern of Wounds[/amazon_link] by Mark Bertrand
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”0800733037″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Queen[/amazon_link] by Steven James
(Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
My pick: The Queen
VISIONARY
[amazon_link id=”1433671522″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Chair[/amazon_link] by Jim Rubart
(B&H Publishing Group)
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[amazon_link id=”1599953552″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Forbidden[/amazon_link] by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
(Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group USA)
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[amazon_link id=”0764207822″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Veiled Rose[/amazon_link] by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
(Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)
My pick: The Chair
YOUNG ADULT
[amazon_link id=”082543310X” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]How Huge the Night[/amazon_link] by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn
(Kregel Publications)
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[amazon_link id=”0310727618″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Merchant’s Daughter[/amazon_link] by Melanie Dickerson
(Zondervan)
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[amazon_link id=”1434764338″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Waterfall[/amazon_link] by Lisa T. Bergren
(David C Cook)
Character Spotlight ~ Gabi, Lia, Marcello & Luca
Character interview with Gabi
Character interview with Marcello
Character interview with Lia
Character interview with Luca
My pick: Waterfall
Some of my choices were easy, others were a lot harder to choose as all the books were excellent! So, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these books.
Which books do you hope will win a Christy Award for 2012?
Wow, what a list! I am so excited for the Christy awards. So great that you compiled this list for us and extra fun to see your top pics 🙂
Joanne Bischof » Love it when you drop by, Joanne 🙂 Care to share any of your favourites?!
Mine is the Night is one of my favorites. I have an Eye for Glory and The Merchants Daughter on my bookshelf waiting for me right now. All the more reason to get to them. 🙂
Joanne Bischof » Mine is the Night is a beautiful story 🙂
Susie May Warren’s book definitely! Hands down, I hope that one wins in it’s category. Have you read all the nominations? There were some I hadn’t read…
Casey » Hey Casey – I’ve read over half the nominations. All the ones that I’ve posted links to on this post and a few more. I know you are keen for Susie to win just like you know my vote is for Ronie! Who knows – Lisa Wingate could surprise us both 🙂
Hi Rel – great overview. Amazing how many of these I haven’t read. In fact I’ve only read 2: The Chair & Forbidden. I agree with your pick: The Chair. One aspect of Jim’s writing I really appreciate is the way he describes how a man’s mind works and how we feel. It makes his characters very relatable and therefore, easy to become intimately involved in each of his stories.
Ian » I’m in total agreement with you, Ian 🙂
Great post, Rel. Thank you! I’m hoping Liz Curtis Higgs wins for Mine is the Night. Great story! (Loved Here Burns my Candle, too!)
Yes, just loved Liz’s book – terrific characters and a beautiful setting.
How fun!!! Can’t wait to find out the winners.
How ridiculous is it that of ALL those books, I’ve only read Dry as Rain??
Katie Ganshert » you have some reading to catch up on, Katie ;-D xo
Great post! I love how you linked everything to past posts about the book. I see we have similar tastes about many books — Wolfsbane, Waterfall, The Queen, Mine is the Night, and Words. All are great books that completely enraptured me while reading them! 🙂
Katie McCurdy » We absolutely do, Katie!