Category Archives: New Releases

Christian Fiction Audiobooks, New for Summer 2017

I love Christian fiction! But you knew that, right?

And I love audiobooks. Big surprise? 😉

So with “June is Audiobook Month” rapidly coming to a close, I want to take a moment to feature some of the fabulous new Christian fiction audiobooks scheduled to release this summer. Without further ado, here are the twelve titles I’m most excited about listening to, chosen from among dozens of upcoming new titles.

June Releases

High as the Heavens by Kate Breslin
Read by Renee Ertl
Historical Romance from Oasis Audio
Also available in print from Bethany House

God Bless the Broken Road by Jennifer Dornbrush
Read by Lauren Ezzo
A novelization of the upcoming movie by the same name
Also available in print from Howard Books

Love Story by Karen Kingsbury
Read by January LaVoy and Kirby Heyborne
The Baxter Family, Book 1
Romance from Simon and Schuster Audio
Also available in print from Howard Books

July Releases

The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck
Read by Windy Lanzl
Romance from Brilliance Audio
Also available in print from Zondervan

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh
Read by Matilda Novak
Romance from Blackstone Audio
Also available in print from Tyndale House

August Releases

Bread of Angels by Tessa Afshar
Read by Rendah Heywood
Biblical Fiction / Historical Romance from Recorded Books
Also available in print from Tyndale House

Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason
Read by Rachel Dulude
Elite Guardians, Book 4
Romantic Suspense from Tantor Media
Also available in print from Revell

Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon
Read by Therese Plummer
Hope Harbor, Book 3
Romance from Recorded Books
Also available in print from Revell

Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson
Read by Johanna Parker
Evie Blackwell Cold Case, Book 2
Suspense / Thriller from Recorded Books
Also available in print from Bethany House

True to You by Becky Wade
Read by Stephanie Cozart
Bradford Sisters Romance, Book 1
Contemporary Romance from Recorded Books
Also available in print from Bethany House

Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren
Read by Cynthia Farrell
Montana Rescue, Book 1
Contemporary Romance from Recorded Books
Also available in print from Revell

Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall
Read by Stina Nielsen
Amish of Summer Grove, Book 3
Amish Fiction from Recorded Books
Also available in print from WaterBrook


So those are my top picks for summer listening. Which books and audiobooks are you most looking forward to?

Celebrate an Inspirational Christmas… Category Romance Style (2014)

Looking for a quick and entertaining read this Christmas season?  Craving a little holiday inspired romance?  I’ve put together a list highlighting this year’s Christmas themed inspirational romances from Harlequin’s Love Inspired, Love Inspired Historical, Love Inspired Suspense, and Heartsong Presents lines.  Without further ado, check out these gorgeous covers!

Love Inspired : Contemporary Christian Romances

Love Inspired Historical : Historical Christian Romances

Love Inspired Suspense : Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Heartsong Presents : A Mix of Contemporary & Historical Romance

Want some more bookish Christmas fun?  Don’t miss my earlier post, featuring Christmas themed novels and novellas from a variety of Christian fiction publishers.

Christmas Themed Reading for 2014

Ready for some Christmas themed reading to help get you into the Christmas spirit? I’ve compiled a list of this year’s new Christian fiction novels, novellas, and collections that focus on Christmas. I hope you enjoy the gorgeous covers and maybe even find something you’ll want to dive right into reading. Merry Christmas!

Oh, and if you enjoy inspirational category romance, watch out! I’m working on a similar Christmas themed list featuring Harlequin’s Love Inspired, Love Inspired Suspense, Love Inspired Historical, and Heartsong Presents titles. Stay tuned.

General Fiction

Contemporary Romance

Historical Romance

Romantic Suspense

Amish Fiction

Autumn’s Audiobook Options

autumn_audiobooks

So, yeah, I’m a big fan of Christian fiction and of audiobooks.  Combine that with my librarian-ish tendencies to try to pair books and people, and you get a post kind of like this one….

For readers of Christian fiction who love audiobooks, or simply want to give them a try, here’s an overview of Christian fiction titles coming to audiobook this fall.  I’ve organized the discussion by subgenre, to hopefully help you find some titles to suit your taste.  And if you do find something you like in this post, please take a moment at the end to leave a comment and let me know.  Oh, and I’ve got a question for you at the end, on your feelings regarding audiobooks.  I hope you’ll stick around and share your thoughts!

Amish / Mennonite

For fans of Amish and Mennonite fiction, there are quite a few options this season, including releases by a number of popular authors, and a few titles featuring Christmas themes in preparation for the holidays.  Beverly Lewis’s The River and Cindy Woodsmall’s A Love Undone are sure to be popular choices.  If you’ve been following Leslie Gould’s The Courtships of Lancaster County series, you’ll be happy to know that the fourth book, Becoming Bea is available this fall.  Looking to start a new series?  Check out Kim Vogel Sawyer’s When Mercy Rains, Book 1 in The Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy.  And when you’re ready to get into the Christmas spirit, look for Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher or An Amish Second Christmas, a collection featuring four romances by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer.

Biblical

Those readers/listeners wanting to immerse themselves in stories set during Biblical time periods have some great options to choose from.  Keepers of the Covenant continues the Restoration Chronicles series Lynn Austin began with Return to Me, exploring the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  Oasis Audio is releasing audio editions of popular and award-winning Biblical fiction titles from Tessa Afshar including Harvest of Rubies and Harvest of Gold, both set during the time of the prophet Nehemiah.  And if you’re looking for a story set during New Testament times, look no further than A.D. 30, the start of a new series from bestselling author Ted Dekker.

Christmas

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with some seasonally inspired holiday audiobooks!  I already mentioned a couple of Amish Christmas themed titles with the other Amish titles, but for fans of romantic suspense and/or short story collections there’s more Christmas loveliness to be had right here.  Fans of romantic suspense will want to start their holiday season with Colleen Coble’s new releases, All is Calm: a Lonestar Christmas novella and Silent Night, Holy Night, a collection featuring characters from two of the author’s series.  Can’t get enough Christmas themed stories?  Check out Robert J Morgan’s, 12 Stories of Christmas.

Contemporary Romance

Readers (listeners?) of contemporary romance will find a lot of options from Zondervan and Brilliance Audio this season, thanks in large part to the Year of Weddings Novella series.  Titles releasing this fall include A September Bride by Kathryn Springer, An October Bride by Katie Ganshert, A November Bride by Beth Vogt, Love at Mistletoe Inn: A December Wedding Story by Cindy Kirk, and Winter Brides, a collection featuring novellas by Deborah Raney, Betsy St. Amant, and Denise Hunter.

Contemporary Fiction

Want more contemporary novels?  The Promise by Beth Wiseman is a real discussion starter, taking place partly in Pakistan.  And fans of Jan Karon’s Mitford series, will find the tenth installment available this fall, entitled Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good.

Fantasy

I could only find one speculative fiction title releasing in audiobook this fall, but it sounds like an interesting one.  Fans of Stephen R Lawhead’s Bright Empires fantasy series can get the audio edition of book five, The Fatal Tree, beginning in November.

Historical Romance

If you like Western-themed historical romances with humor, there’s not one but TWO new series starting out with audio editions to look into.  Mary Connealy’s Tried and True starts out her Wild at Heart series, and Trails & Targets serves as book one in Kelly Eileen Hake’s new Dangerous Darlyns series.  For fans of Regency romance and those following Sarah E Ladd’s Whispers on the Moors series, Book 3, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall is among those releasing this fall.  Rounding out the historical romance category, To Everything a Season starts off a new series by Lauraine Snelling, set in Red River Valley.

Suspense & Romantic Suspense

For romantic suspense, check out Irene Hannon’s Deceived, the third book in her Private Justice series, or one of the titles by Colleen Coble listed under the Christmas category, above.  For more suspenseful reads (listens?) consider Motherless by Erin Healy, In the Heart of the Dark Wood by Billy Coffey, or, for a story set on a Greek island with a secret, try The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn.

So tell me, do you consider yourself an audiobook listener?  Or more a fan of ebooks or print books?  Does it depend on the book, availability, the narrator, price, your schedule, or other factors?

Not sure how you feel about audiobooks or wondering how I feel about them?  Or just not sure where you can find a copy of one that interests you?  Check out my earlier post, “The Joy of Audiobooks.”

September 2014: New Releases in Christian Fiction and Upcoming Book Discussions

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September means back to school, right?  In my case, my firstborn just started Kindergarten (Where did the time go?).  Oh, and there are tons of great books being released this month too.  I think I have my reading cut out for me!

Want to participate in an online book discussion?  Keep scrolling past the latest releases to see what Christian fiction titles are being discussed this month.  Know of an online book group that discusses Christian fiction that’s not on this list?  Please let me know!

So, what do you think?  Do you see some titles here that you really want to read?  I’d love it if you’d take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments section at the end of this post.

New Releases in Christian Fiction

Amish / Mennonite / Quaker

Apocalyptic

Contemporary Romance

Historical

Historical Romance

Holiday Fiction

Men’s Fiction

Mystery

Romantic Suspense

Women’s Fiction

Young Adult

Category Romance: Heartsong Presents

  • Campaigning for Love by KD Fleming
  • Ozark Wedding by Helen Gray
  • Arizona Cowboy by Jennifer Johnson
  • The Marshal’s Pursuit by Gina Welborn

Category Romance: Love Inspired

  • Her Montana Twins by Carolyne Aarsen
  • Small-Town Billionaire by Renee Andrews
  • Her Hometown Hero by Margaret Daley
  • The Deputy’s New Family by Jenna Mindel
  • Rescuing the Texan’s Heart by Mindy Obenhaus
  • Stranded with the Rancher by Tina Radcliffe

Category Romance: Love Inspired Historical

  • The Gift of a Child by Laura Abbot
  • A Home for Her Heart by Janet Lee Barton
  • Cowboy to the Rescue by Louise M. Gouge
  • His Most Suitable Bride by Renee Ryan

Category Romance: Love Inspired Suspense

  • Desperate Measures by Christy Barritt
  • Wilderness Target by Sharon Dunn
  • Sunken Treasure by Katy Lee
  • Rancher Under Fire byVickie McDonough
  • Star Witness by Lisa Phillips
  • Danger at the Border by Terri Reed

Upcoming Christian Fiction Discussions

ACFW Book Club

Inklings Discussion Series on Books and Beverages

Christian Fiction Devourers (GoodReads Group)

  • Hidden (Sisters of the Heart, Book 1) by Shelley Shephard Gray
  • Just Jane (Ladies of History, Book 2) by Nancy Moser.

Fans of Christian Romance (GoodReads Group)

Christian Fiction Book Club on Facebook

August 2014: New Releases in Christian Fiction and Upcoming Book Discussions

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New Releases in Christian Fiction

Amish / Mennonite

Contemporary Romance

Historical Fiction

Historical Romance

Romantic Suspense

Suspense / Thriller

Women’s Fiction

Young Adult

  • Storm Siren (Storm Siren, Book 1) by Mary Weber
  • Rebels (The Safe Lands, Book 3) by Jill Williamson

Upcoming Book Discussions

ACFW Book Club

Inklings Discussion Series on Books and Beverages

Christian Fiction Devourers (GoodReads Group)

  • Fear Has a Name (Crittendon Files, Book 1) by Creston Mapes
  • Burning Sky by Lori Benton.  2014 Christy Award Winner for Historical, First Novel, and Book of the Year.

Fans of Christian Romance (GoodReads Group)

Christian Fiction Book Club on Facebook

  • To Be Announced

July 2014: New Releases and Book Discussions

There are lots of new releases in Christian Fiction this month, across a variety of sub-genres.  I’ve assembled a list organized by sub-genre below.  Something for everyone!

Are you interested in participating in an online book discussion this month?  At the bottom of the page I’ve listed some discussions set to take place in the near future.  Check out the books to choose from.  Maybe you’ll see one you’d be interested in reading and discussing.

July 2014 New Releases in Christian Fiction

Spotlight on…

Firewall by DiAnn Mills

Description (From Publisher, Tyndale House):

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

See more: Publisher’s Site (with author video clips) ~ Author DiAnn Mills’ Site (with discussion questions) ~ Review from Mocha With Linda

Amish / Mennonite

The Revealing (Book 3, The Inn at Eagle Hill series) by Suzanne Woods Fisher
A Plain Love Song (Book 3, New Hope Amish series) by Kelly Irvin

Biblical Fiction

Far From Home by Joseph M Stowell

Contemporary Romance

Colorado Melodies: Three Modern Couples Seek Love that Will Endure Hardships by Darlene Franklin
The Amish Nanny (Book 2, Amish of Lancaster County series) by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould
Between Us Girls (Book 1, Family of the Heart series) by Sally John
Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling
6 New Titles from Harlequin Love Inspired
4 New Titles from Heartsong Presents

Historical Fiction

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Historical Romance

Kelly’s Chance (Book 1, Brides of Lehigh Canal series) by Wanda Brunstetter
Secrets of Sloane House by Shelley Gray
The Backwoods Brides Trilogy: Three Stories of Redemption and Romance in the Old South by Marcia Gruver
Captured by Love (Book 3, Michigan Brides series) by Jody Hedlund
The Treasured Brides Collection: Three Timeless Romances from a Beloved Author by Grace Livingston Hill
A Match of Wits (Book 4, Ladies of Distinction series) by Jen Turano
4 New Titles from Harlequin Love Inspired Historical

Mystery

Murder at the Mikado (Book 3, A Drew Farthing Mystery) by Julianna Deering
Death Takes a Ride (Book 3, Cate Kinkaid Files) by Lorena McCourtney

Romantic Suspense

Seagrass Pier by Colleen Coble
Firewall by DiAnn Mills
6 New Titles from Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense

Women’s Fiction

Veil of Secrets by Shannon Ethride and Kathryn Mackel

Young Adult

Mindwar (Book 1, Mindwar Trilogy) by Andrew Klavan
Revolutionary (Book 3, Anomaly series) by Krista McGee
Snap Decision by Nathan Whitaker

Upcoming Online Book Discussions

The ACFW Book Club lists All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti as their next title for discussion.  This group’s discussion takes place by email, so you’ll want to join the mailing list early so as not to miss out on announcements or discussion.

The Books and Beverages blog is hosting a monthly Inklings discussion series on titles by and about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkein. This month’s book is Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis and the discussion is scheduled for July 16.

The Christian Fiction Book Club hosted by Melissa Norris and Amanda Dykes will be having a “Summer Free Read” for the Month of July. Join them on Facebook to discuss a title of your choice.

The GoodReads group, Christian Fiction Devourers, will be discussing the following titles in the next few months:
The Breath of Dawn (A Rush of Wings, #3) by Kristen Heitzmann (July 1-31)
Making Waves (Lake Manawa Summers, #1) by Lorna Seilstad (July 1-31)
A Distant Melody (Wings of Glory, #1) by Sarah Sundin (July 1-31)
Fear Has a Name (The Crittendon Files, #1) by Creston Mapes (August 1-31)
Burning Sky by Lori Benton (August 1-31)

The Fans of Christian Romance group on GoodReads will be discussing Chances Are by Traci Hunter Abramson throughout July.

Know of any other online Christian fiction discussions open to new participants?  Please share in the comments!  Or maybe you saw a title or two in these lists you’re looking forward to reading.  Which ones caught your attention?

New This Week in Christian Fiction (May 13)

If you missed last week’s new titles, be sure to check them out.  The first Tuesday of the month ushered in a wealth of new books.  And this week brings four more exciting new inspirational titles to check out in the contemporary romance, historical romance, and young adult categories.

Spotlight on…

Somebody Like You by Beth K Vogt

Description (From Publisher, Howard Books):

Can a young widow find love again with her husband’s reflection?

Haley’s three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he’s killed in Afghanistan. Her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening—and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her Sam was killed?

Too late to make things right with his estranged twin brother, Stephen discovers Sam never told Haley about him. As Haley and Stephen navigate their fragile relation­ship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. How can they honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together—and whose ghost could drive them apart?

Somebody Like You is a beautifully rendered, affecting novel, reminding us that while we can’t change the past, we have the choice to change the future and start anew.

See More: Reading Group GuideHeroine Interview ~ Author Interview

More New Titles This Week

Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

The Heart’s Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher

So Not Okay by Nancy Rue

New this Week in Christian Fiction (May 6, 2014)

It’s the first Tuesday of the month.  Know what that means?  A huge selection of new releases to choose from.  The biggest categories this month are Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, and Romantic Suspense.  Or in other words, if you love romance, you’re in luck.  But there’s also a smattering of books in other categories too, including one with a movie coming out soon.  See if you can guess which one.  (Hint: There’s a link to more info about the movie right next to the title.)

Spotlight on…

One Perfect Spring by Irene Hannon

Description (from Publisher, Revell):

Independent single mom Claire Summers is doing her best to make lemonade out of the lemons life has handed her. Workaholic Keith Watson is interested only in the bottom line–until a letter from Claire’s eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk and changes everything.

As the executive assistant to a philanthropic businessman, Keith is used to fielding requests for donations. But the girl isn’t asking for money. She wants help finding the long-lost son of a neighbor. As Keith reluctantly digs into this assignment in his usual results-oriented style, he has no idea how involved he and Claire will become–nor how unusual the results will actually be. Who could have guessed that a child’s kindhearted request would bring love and hope to so many lives . . . including his own?

Through compelling characters and surprising plot twists, fan favorite Irene Hannon offers this tenderhearted story that demonstrates how life is like lilacs–the biggest blooms come only after the harshest winters.

Amish / Mennonite

First Impressions by Sarah Price
Rumspringa’s Hope (The Spirit of the Amish #1) by Beth Shriver

Apocalyptic

Godless by Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner

Contemporary Romance

One More Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong
Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin
One Perfect Spring by Irene Hannon
Dixie Belle by Debby Mayne
Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg
Meant To Be Mine (Porter Family #2) by Becky Wade

Historical Romance

Out of the Ruins (Golden Gate Chronicles) by Karen Barnett
Falling for the Rancher Father (Love Inspired Historical) by Linda Ford
The Horseman’s Frontier Family (Love Inspired Historical) by Karen Kirst
The Baron’s Honourable Daughter by Lynn Morris
Through the Deep Waters by Kim Vogel Sawyer
While Love Stirs by Lorna Seilstad
Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

Romantic Suspense

Bodyguard Reunion (Love Inspired Suspense) by Margaret Daley
Family in Hiding (Love Inspired Suspense) by Valerie Hansen
Fatal Exchange by Lisa Harris
Grave Danger (Love Inspired Suspense) by Katy Lee
Gathering Shadows (Finding Sanctuary #1) by Nancy Mehl
Silenced (Alaskan Courage #4) by Dani Pettrey
Double Agent (Love Inspired Suspense) by Lisa Phillips
Trail of Secrets (Love Inspired Suspense) by Sandra Robbins
Treasure Point Secrets (Love Inspired Suspense) by Sarah Varland

Suspense / Thriller

Persecuted: I Will Not Be Silent by Robin Parrish – Movie coming soon.

Women’s Fiction

All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti

Young Adult

Marvelous (Books of Marvella #1) by Travis Thrasher

New this Week in Christian Fiction (April 22, 2014)

I’ve been really busy lately with writing to a deadline, and so I’ve had less time than I normally do for reading and writing reviews, but some of the titles releasing this week look outstanding.  I can’t wait to catch up on my reading!

Spotlight on…

Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers

Description (From Publisher Tyndale House):

To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she’s paid to finally feel like she’s somebody.

To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven. Zeke and his son, Joshua—Abra’s closest friend—watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown. Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what’s expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home.

Want to learn more?  Check out the review from RT Book Reviews.

And More Good Choices…

A Lady’s Honor (Cliffs of Cornwall #1) by Laurie Alice Eakes

Moms’ Night Out by Tricia Goyer

A May Bride by Meg Moseley