7 of My Favorite Fiction Books

One of the changes I’m most excited about this year is that I’ve fallen in love with reading novels again. Below are the best fiction books on my bookshelf that I highly recommend.

Those of you who have been following me for a long time may remember that I read novels regularly. Getting lost in a fun story is one of my favorite ways to relax and recharge. However, this habit gradually disappeared along the way.

Looking back, I think part of it was the grief I experienced after saying goodbye to C, whom I raised for 8 and a half months after bringing home from the NICU in 2020. Life has since become so much more fulfilling as I raise and adopt David, become pregnant with Micah, and navigate all the beautiful and demanding responsibilities that come with those seasons.

At the same time, I gradually replaced reading with other habits, especially scrolling through my phone at night and checking political information. (Although I rarely talk about politics in public, many of you know that I’m a bit of a political fanatic.)

Little by little, fiction disappeared from my life. I still read nonfiction almost every day, but I missed the joy of immersing myself in a great story.

My sister started gently encouraging me to pick up fiction again, and last year I finally decided to make a change. I promised myself that I would only read for 5 minutes before going to bed. opal app Block distracting apps after 8pm

The results totally surprised me. Most of us have at least 30 minutes to read throughout the day (sometimes in smaller chunks). Additionally, by regularly reading fiction before bed, I was able to sleep better, look forward to going to bed, and wake up feeling more rested.

Today I wanted to share 7 fiction books that I loved the most in case you need some good ideas for what to read next.

My favorite fiction books:

1. salt to the sea

I really loved this book. Well written, very engaging, and I learned a lot about historical events (which took place during World War II) that I had never heard of before. I also liked how the same story was told from multiple perspectives. That was really appealing.

Although it is a sad story, the author handled it in a way that is also appropriate for young readers. Our teens read this book with me over the summer and they all really enjoyed it.

One thing is, it’s told from multiple points of view, so it might take a while to figure out who’s who and what’s what…but if you keep reading for the first 30-40 pages, you’ll never want to stop reading!

I also liked it so much that I went on to listen to all three of the author’s other YA books.

2. Dear Mr. Knightly

This book starts out slow, but once I got to around page 40, I couldn’t stop reading. It delves into the deeper questions of how past hurts and rejections can hurt people so deeply that they hide their true selves for fear of further pain and rejection. This is a beautiful story about healing and redemption and how to love and reach out to those who are hurting.

Have you ever read a book that you didn’t want to finish, but when you finished, you wanted to meet the characters in real life? That’s what this book was for me.

3. nightingale

I cried many times reading this book. Especially the part where she says goodbye to the boy who has become like her son (if you’ve read it, you’ll understand!).

I was reliving many of the emotions I felt when I said goodbye to C. I sat him in his car seat, told him how much I loved him, and sobbed wondering if I would ever see him again. I knew it was best for him to be reunited with his mother, but I also didn’t know if I could handle the hole in my heart with him no longer at home. It was a beautiful and moving book that made my heart tighten, but there were also many parts that helped me.

4. Mrs. Kip’s unusual death

This book was slow in some ways, but honestly there was beauty in that slowness. I fell in love with Mrs. Kip and learned so much from her. And in fact, everything I learned from her fictional life made me emotional near the end.

(I think the mark of reading great fiction is whether it stays with you, opens your eyes, teaches you something, makes you wish it would never end, or makes you cry because you empathize with the characters or text so much.)

If you’re looking for unique, touching, and clean fiction, I recommend this. Although it felt a little choppy and I felt like the writing could have been tightened up a bit, this book moved me and I still highly recommend it.

5. frozen river

This book was the first one I picked up when I started reading novels regularly again. This is a very interesting historical novel based on a true story. It was heartbreaking to hear that women had no voice in this era. If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend this book.

6. only beautiful things

This is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story about lives that others consider unworthy of being treated with compassion and worth. There is one rape scene that I felt went a little further than necessary, but overall it was refreshing and opened my eyes to a part of history I didn’t know about. I definitely recommend it if you want to read a good novel.

(Interesting tidbit: I actually finished reading this book a few years ago while I was in the hospital with Mika, as he was pretty sick with a stomach bug.)

7. Amazingly bright creatures

I mean, I didn’t expect this book to make my top 7 list. But I was totally surprised by how much I loved it and the quirky characters, including the octopus.

In fact, I started listening to it on audio (I got it for free from the library through Libby) and liked it so much that I actually bought a copy to finish reading rather than listening. You can tell I loved this book because that rarely happens to me.

This is a book with multiple unique characters telling the story from their own perspectives, and the way they all weave together in the end is beautiful and endearing. If you enjoy good fiction stories told from a variety of perspectives, spanning a wide range of ages and interests, you should definitely check this book out.

Note: This is not a Christian book, and it does contain some vulgar language, but it’s a well-written and engaging story…and because it was fascinating and I learned so much just from the part about octopuses in the book, I wanted to learn more about octopuses.

Want to find more time to read?

Want to read more but don’t seem to have the time? You’re not alone, and it’s more doable than you think. Check out my post on how to increase your reading time even when you’re busy.

My Favorite Trick?Audiobook. Whether folding laundry, waiting in the carpool line, or washing the dishes, audiobooks turn everything into reading time and one of the easiest ways to sneak in more reading without rearranging your day. Browse your favorite audiobooks here and find what you want to listen to next.

More links you may like:

What are your favorite fiction books? I would love to hear some recommendations!