Genre Starter List: Christian Fiction

Throughout the year, we have done various Genre Starter Lists. Today, I bring you our next installment, and we will be discussing Christian Fiction. This is a genre that I read a lot while growing up. While many of mine also involved romance, I appreciated this type of writing because it often focused on positive things like hope and forgiveness, while also giving the reader something to think about. There are some that may be too “fluffy” or “light” for me, but it does help me to stay focused on better things.

Here is a small sampling of Christian Fiction books within the Logos…

*Book descriptions provided by the publishers via the library catalog, unless noted otherwise.

Behind the Stories: Christian Novelists Reveal the Heart in the Art of their Writing by Diane Eble

A rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the personal lives of dozens of your favorite storytellers, revealing their hopes and dreams, their successes and failures, and providing fascinating insights about what it means to craft stories from a Christian worldview.

A Lineage of Grace: Five Stories of Unlikely Women Who Changed Eternity by Francine Rivers

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary, five women—all chosen by God. In this compilation of the five books in the best-selling Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers, we meet the five women whom God chose. Each was faced with extraordinary—even scandalous—challenges. Each took great personal risk to fulfill her calling. Each was destined to play a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.

The Broken Road by Richard Paul Evans

A broken man. A twist of fate. A second chance.  Chicago celebrity Charles James can’t shake the nightmare that wakes him each night: He sees himself walking down a long, broken highway, the sides of which are lit in flames. Where is he going? Why is he walking? What is the wailing he hears around him? By day, he wonders why he’s so haunted and unhappy when he has all he ever wanted—fame, fans, and fortune and the lavish lifestyle it affords him. Coming from a childhood of poverty and pain, Charles finally has the life he’s dreamed of. But now, at the pinnacle of his career, he’s started to wonder if he wanted the wrong things. His wealth has come legally but questionably, from the power of his personality and his ability to seduce people out of their hard-earned money. When he learns that one of his customers has committed suicide because of financial ruin, Charles is shaken. The cracks in his façade widen, spurring him to question everything: his choices, his relationships, his future, and the type of man he’s become. Then a twist of fate changes everything. Charles is granted something remarkable: a second chance. The question is, what will he do with it?

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

After an unwanted past, Claire strives to create something that will last as an artist among Nashville’s elite society in the 1860s.

Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin

Modern cowboy Tyler Steele must raise his son, Brodie, save his ranch, and rebuild his life after his wife leaves him for being emotionally distant. Samantha and her daughter, Hope, are on the run from an abusive ex who has the resources and the determination to hunt them down. Tyler knows he can help—but letting them into his life may cost more than he’s willing to pay as he learns that being a man means confronting your true weaknesses.

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

One dress. Four women. An amazing destiny. Charlotte Malone is getting married. Yet all is not settled in the heart of Birmingham’s chic bridal boutique owner. Charlotte can dress any bride to perfection—except herself. When she discovers a vintage mint-condition wedding gown in a battered old trunk, Charlotte embarks on a passionate journey to discover the women who wore the gown before her. Emily in 1912. Mary in 1939. And Hillary in 1968. Each woman teaches Charlotte something about love in her own unique way. Woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of faith, and the beauty of finding true love.

The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn

A traveler encounters a man known only as “the teacher.” They begin an odyssey through desert mountains, valleys, and plains; encounter nomads, ancient ruins, and chambers of scrolls. Over the year the traveler writes down each of the mysteries given to him by the teacher, one for each day of the year. The result is a daily devotional unlike any other, full of revelations from heaven, secrets of the ages, and the hidden keys that can transform your life to joy, success, and blessing.

Freedom’s Light by Colleen Coble

Hannah Thomas left the South and all that was familiar to marry her beloved John. But the fact that she’s never been quite accepted by his mother and sister and that she doesn’t quite fit the strict Massachusetts Puritan community only becomes more difficult when John is killed in one of the first battles in the war for freedom. Hannah is allowed to continue to serve as lightkeeper for the twin tower lighthouses on the lonely coastline, but it is grueling work for a woman alone. One of the first shipwrecks washes ashore a handsome captain she thinks is a Tory, but she soon finds out he’s working as a spy for Washington. Much stands in the way of their happiness including the need to protect his secret, pressure from John’s family to marry another, near-constant disapproval from the townspeople, and the appearance of Hannah’s wayward sister. Coupled with the strain of war, Hannah isn’t sure she’ll ever see the light of freedom.

The Shunning by Beverly Lewis

On the eve of her wedding, Katie Lapp discovers she is not the birth daughter of her Amish parents but their adopted daughter. After finding out the truth, she knows she must find her birth mother no matter what the cost.

The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Vowing to meet eleven years after sealing letters they wrote to each other in an old metal box, best friends Ellie and Nolan both have reservations about seeing each other again as loneliness, personal tragedies, and a lack of faith haunt both of them.

Which of these will you add to your TBR list? Happy reading!

Rachel Bloomingburg’s reviews reflect her personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university.

Genre Starter List: Historical Romance

If you ask me (Sara) what my favorite genre of books is I will always say, “romance.” While not for everyone, romance is the most popular genre of books. Many enjoy reading about the blossoming love between two characters. Romance is a broad category, so for this genre starter list I will provide a list of some of the best historical romance books. I love recommending romance books to people, so buckle up! Here we go.

Most people, especially on Union’s campus, are familiar with Francine Rivers as an author. While she specializes in Christian romance, she started out as a secular romance author. Her expertise as a romance author shows most clearly in some of her historical Christian romance novels. You may be familiar with some of her Western romance novels, which take place during the gold rush era. Examples include Redeeming Love and The Lady’s Mine. As someone who has read both novels, I highly recommend both.

What you may not know is that Francine Rivers also wrote a romance novel that takes place during the 1950s in Hollywood. Bridge to Haven is about Abra Matthews who is running away from her past and is quicky becoming Hollywood’s biggest rising star using the name Lena Scott. As she realizes Hollywood is not as great as she thought it would be, she falls in love while also making her way back to God.

Another popular author among the Union community is C.S. Lewis. He had a short, but captivating, romance with his wife Joy. While they were only married for four years before her death, her influence stayed with him. You can read a novel about their romance in Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry. While based on true events, this novel is considered historical fiction.

If you prefer action with your romance, you might enjoy reading The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson. This is a loose re-imagining of the story of Mulan (which also happens to be my favorite Disney movie). If you are not familiar with the story of Mulan, it takes place sometime between the 4^th to 6^th Century in China. Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her aging father’s place in the army to fight a war. In this novel, when a handsome soldier –who happens to be the son of a duke– discovers that Mulan is a woman, he is determined to protect her.

If you enjoy stories about star-crossed lovers, you might enjoy reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Set in 1932 in the circus world, Jacob cares for the circus animals, including Rosie the elephant. When Jacob meets Marlena, the beautiful star of the equestrian act, he is determined to save her from her abusive husband who trains the animals. 

Some other historical romance novels you might want to read include The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys, My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

You can find all the books listed above in our library. Which one will you check out first? Let us know in the comments!

Sara Hand’s reviews reflect her personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university.

Genre Starter List: Historical Fiction

I (Amber) have loved historical fiction since my 3^rd grade teacher read books from The American Girl series and Little House on the Prairie. However, those are probably the extent of my deep interest in American history, as I like World War II and medieval history better, at least in fictional novel form. So, if you already love the genre or are looking to dip your toes in the water, here is a brief list of historical fiction books to get you started.

*Book descriptions provided by the publishers via the library catalog, unless noted otherwise.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman’s only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa–like so many of her neighbors–must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family. The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it–the harsh realities that divided a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Windsis an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Valjean, an ex-convict, rises against all odds from galley slave to mayor. Javert, a fanatical police inspector, dedicates his life to recapturing Valjean.

Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham

Ross Poldark faces the darkest hour of his life in this third novel of the Poldark series. Reeling from the tragic death of a loved one, Captain Poldark vents his grief by inciting impoverished locals to salvage the contents of a ship run aground in a storm-an act for which British law proscribes death by hanging. Ross is brought to trial for his involvement, and despite their stormy marriage, Demelza tries to rally support for her husband, to save him and their family. But there are enemies in plenty who would be happy to see Ross convicted, not the least of which is George Warleggan, the powerful banker whose personal rivalry with Ross grows ever more intense and threatens to destroy the Poldarks. And into this setting, Jeremy Poldark, Ross and Demelza’s first son, is born … The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham’s life work, evoking the period and people like only he can and creating a work of rich and poor, loss and love, that you will not soon forget.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a ‘strong man’ of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society. The second story, which is as modern as the first is ancient … concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo’s world through the arrival of aggressive, proselytizing European missionaries.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

In Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, there are lines that are not crossed. With the civil rights movement exploding all around them, three women start a movement of their own, forever changing a town and the way women–black and white, mothers and daughters–view one another.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Lina is a fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. She’s just like any other girl. Until one night in 1941, when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they’ve known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother are taken slowly north to a Siberian work camp, where they are forced to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the harshest of conditions. Stalin has deported them and is claiming their home as his own. Suffering abuse both physical and emotional, Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously — and at a great personal risk — documenting events by drawing. She imbeds clues in her art of their location and secretly passes them along, attempting to contact her father, hoping the drawings will eventually make their way to his prison camp. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years, covering 6,500 miles. Many lives were lost, but it was their incredible strength, love, and hope that allowed Lina and her brother to endure and ultimately survive. Based on the author’s family, includes a historical note.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Memphis, Tennessee, 1936. The five Foss children find their lives changed forever when their parents leave them alone on the family shantyboat one stormy night. Rill Foss, just twelve years old, must protect her four younger siblings as they are wrenched from their home on the Mississippi and thrown into the care of the infamous Georgia Tann, director of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. South Carolina, Present Day. Avery Stafford has lived a charmed life. Loving daughter to her father, a U.S. Senator, she has a promising career as an assistant D.A. in Baltimore and is engaged to her best friend. But when Avery comes home to help her father weather a health crisis and a political attack, a chance encounter with a stranger leaves her deeply shaken. Avery’s decision to learn more about the woman’s life will take her on a journey through her family’s long-hidden history.

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers

The holy city of Jerusalem has fallen. By the mercy of God, Hadassah, a young Christian girl survives famine, the deaths of her entire family, and unspeakable atrocities. And in Germania, a heroic young chieftain named Atretes battles the Romans with unmatched fury. It is prophesied that Atretes will drive the Romans from his lands, and someday meet a dark-complexioned woman from an exotic land whom he will come to love.

A Library Spotify Wrapped

Spotify released its annual Wrapped in late November—personalized listening data from the year compiled into a sharable, dynamic format. Getting to see social media stories of friends’ eclectic listening habits and going through my own “Top Songs of 2023” playlist made me (Sarah) think about how one’s reading habits can be just as wide-ranging as one’s taste in music. So, why not link the two? I’ve asked the social media team to join in and pair a song, album, or artist they’ve had “on repeat” this year with a book they also enjoy.

Amber Owrey, Instruction Librarian: “Long Haul” by Ian Munsick was our first dance song at our wedding, which is why I chose it. The song talks about staying with someone for the long haul, not just for the short infatuation/romance at the beginning of the relationship.

The idea of the long haul and the nature descriptions in the song made me think of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Although I wouldn’t necessarily say I approved of all the relationships in the book, Kya is very into nature, biology, and ecology. The book takes place in the marshes, and Owens describes the scenery well. Tate and Kya have a long relationship, with Tate teaching her to learn to read and eventually falling in love. (Again, not condoning the actions throughout the book of either character, but Tate is in it for the long haul with Kya).

Darius Mullin, Evening Circulation Supervisor: My most listened-to album of 2023 was With Love From Rob & Jay by Rob & Jay, a duo from right here in Jackson, Tennessee. Another writer from Jackson whose work I’ve enjoyed recently is Union University’s very own Bobby C. Rogers, whose excellent collection of poems, Shift Work, was published last year.

Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager: The main time I’m listening to music is when I’m in my car, and I will often have K-Love playing. Listening to this can help to put me in a better mindset and to think of ways to actively live my faith. When I think of putting faith into action, I can’t help but think of Love Does by Bob Goff. Taking the time to listen to others and being there for them can make a big impact. While music is not a major part of my daily routine, my mom will have a song to sing no matter what situation we’re in.  The songs “You are My Sunshine” and “Skidamarink A Dink A Dink” are ones that are special to me because they’re ones that my mom would sing to me. Having a strong mother daughter relationship is something I cherish, and it makes me think of books like Ramona and Her Mother, Her Mother’s Hope, and Little Women.

Sarah Blevins, Circulation Associate: Like many, my top artist this year was Taylor Swift. With so many songs in her ever-growing repertoire, it’s hard to pick just one or two to pair with a book. However, I think that “The Archer” from Swift’s 2019 album, Lover, fits the twist on a fairytale romance found in Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber. Staying in the vein of pairing Swift’s music and Garber’s books, “Wonderland (Taylor’s Version)” from the recently released 1989 (Taylor’s Version) encapsulates the fanciful, yet dangerous feeling of the game of Caraval.

Reading List: What are We Reading over Christmas Break?

Christmas break is right around the corner for everyone at Union. Amid the Christmas festivities and traditions, you might have time to read or maybe watch some Christmas movies. We asked the library staff and student workers what they are planning to read or watch this Christmas break. If you need a recommendation, try one of these.

Shelby Stuart said: Over Thanksgiving break, I found some 25 cent Babysitter’s Club books to add to my collection! I’m hoping to read them (and re-read the ones I already have) over Christmas break. They’re so fun and nostalgic even though they came out before I was born, and all the characters feel like they could be real preteens.

Emma Coykendall plans to read The Three Musketeers over Christmas break.

Meagan Jaeger has big plans: My goal is to finish several books that I’ve started reading/re-reading, plus finding a couple of new things I haven’t read yet, so I don’t fully know all my reading plans but here’s some of the titles I’m currently working on and hoping to finish before I get back in January:

Reckless: The Petrified Flesh by Cornelia Funke

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Shattered Realm of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I probably won’t finish half of these, but dream ambitiously, am I right?

Makayla Baker plans to read In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson.

Meghan Littrell says: I’m planning on finally getting to my re-reading of Harry Potter for the 3rd time! I started it halfway through the semester and only have read 5 chapters of the first book. My goal is to read the entire series over break.

Wyatt Spahn wrote: I plan on reading Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio. It’s part of a series, and it’s an interesting space opera.

Rachel Bloomingburg said: I’m technically trying to read this before break, but…I have Beartown by Fredrik Backman on my list.

Sara Hand wrote: I tend to choose books to read without much forethought behind it, but I have been wanting to read Verity by Colleen Hoover. I’m also interested in reading From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Maybe I’ll get around to reading those two books over Christmas.

I also love watching Meet Me in St. Louis at Christmas time. I plan to introduce my 2-year-old to the movie this year. She may only want to watch the first 30 minutes though! And I may have to watch Little Women as well, both the new version and the 1990’s movie.

Melissa Moore has lots on her TBR list: Books I hope to read over break: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-lyimide, The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase, and Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

We ALWAYS watch White Christmas, Polar Express, The Man Who Invented Christmas, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), and A Christmas Carol (with Alister Sim). I am sure there will be others but those are essential!

Amber Wessies says: I plan to watch White Christmas and The Santa Clause movies. I will also probably be reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and maybe The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers.

Jeannie Byrd says: I plan on watching the new Christmas movie, Spirited, starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds.

 Beth Lynn writes: I plan to read the new John Grisham book, The Boys from Biloxi: A Legal Thriller. It’s been number one or two on the New York Times Bestseller’s List since October.

 Micah Rhodes says: I’ll be watching White Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve, and I hope to finish The Great Hunt, the second book in Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” epic fantasy series.

Darius Mullin told us: I haven’t decided on anything yet, but I’ll probably watch The Polar Express! I’m also currently reading Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry and want to read Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid by Thor Hanson soon.

Sarah Blevins said she plans to watch any Christmas movie her family will watch with her.

You can find many of these items in the Union library or request the books through Interlibrary Loan. Don’t forget about your local public library while you are home. Public libraries often have many popular books and movies available for checkout.