I'm guessing that most readers of my blog have been voracious readers for much of their lives. Right? And I'm guessing that our To Be Read shelves/piles are all pretty good sized.
Almost five years ago, I moved, downsizing my home considerably. In my big house, I had a library with shelves on all four walls, plus bookcases in almost every other room. Downsizing meant I had to give away hundreds upon hundreds of books: Bibles, novels, biographies, Christian living, research books, etc. No longer do I have bookshelves in every room, and those I do have are full.
For a book lover with limited storage space, the ebook reader is a marvelous invention. No longer do I have to worry about my To Be Read pile toppling over and breaking something. Nor do I have to get rid of an old book to make room for a new book. And I don't have to search from room to room for the book I want.
Currently, I have 385 books on my Kindle and another 483 are archived (because my Kindle got replaced and I haven't moved all my books I own onto the new reader yet). I put every book I buy into a Collection which helps me find what I want to read, depending upon my mood. Categories include Fiction, Christian Living, Historical Research, Biographies/Memoirs, Bibles & Devotionals, Writing Books, etc.
Amazing, isn't it? Did you see this coming a decade ago? I didn't. Sure, there was talk about ereaders back then, but it was hard to imagine that they would ever become small enough and the print good enough for anyone to want to use them on a regular basis.
So, assuming we are all fiction readers and all have our own TBR shelf/pile (whether physical or digital), let's share (1) what was the last novel we read; (2) what novel we're reading now; and (3) what novel's at the top of our pile to read next. And for a bonus, let us know what non-fiction book you're reading right now, if you are reading one (not counting the Bible which I hope we are all reading every day).
1) The last book I read was an advance copy of Angela Hunt's upcoming release, Five Miles South of Peculiar. Oh my goodness gracious! It is SO good!!!!! Releases in June. Don't miss it.
2) I'm currently reading The Centurion's Wife by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn. Loving it. Especially since it opens just before Christ's crucifixion, so it seems extra meaningful as Easter approaches.
3) I will probably read the next two books in the series by Oke and Bunn (The Hidden Flame and The Damascus Way) just because I'm enjoying reading Biblical fiction right now.
BONUS: non-fiction book in progress is Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Okay, how about you?
~robin
Hi, Robin! My husband and I both bought ereaders recently. So very different than holding a book in my hands! I’m getting used to it, though.
1) Just read the short story “A Bride for Pastor Dan” by Katie Crabapple
2) Reading another short story “A Country Kitchen Christmas” by Leanne Tyler
3) The next selection? Maybe “Texas Weddings” by Janice Thompson or “Always the Baker, Never the Bride” by Sandra Bricker
Bonus — Non-fiction: Haven’t read much lately, but the last one I spent any time in was “Weight Loss for Wimps” by Kevin Myers 🙂
(1) Just finished an Advance Reader Copy of my friend Jan Watson’s “Skip Rock Shallows,” her best work yet! Releases in June–don’t miss it!
(2) Currently not reading a novel (lots on my TBR shelf) but reading “If My Body is a Temple, Then I Was a Megachurch” by Christian comedian Scott Davis. Alternately hilarious and thoughtful, it chronicles his pat to weight loss.
(3) Next up: “Dangerous Imposter” by my pal Virginia Smith.
I just finished Davis Bunn’s Book of Dreams, am reading The Hunger Games, False Witness by Randy Singer, and Expecting to See Jesus by Ann Graham Lotz…I’ve been resisting buying a Kindle…resistence running lower as my bookshelves are way overloaded…the library you left sounds heavenly. Downsizing would be so hard!
Crazy Love is a great book- I read it last year!
I am currently reading “The cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer which is a non-fiction. I was inspired to read this after reading the biography of him by Eric Metaxas “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy”
The last fiction I read was “One Second After” by William Forstchen
Next I will be reading two books by Kimanzi Constable plus “The Founders Key” by Larry Arnn
Hi Robin,
1. The last novel I read was “Seaside Reunion” by Irene Hannon. I love Irene Hannon’s books!
2. I am currently reading a book by Grace Livingstone Hill (got it free on my Kindle) It is very dated but a kick to read. Your genre has come a long way! The title is Cloudy Jewel. Reading it quickly just for fun.
3. Next I will read “Along Wooded Paths” by Tricia Goyer. I have a “huge” stack of books to read!
Bonus: I am reading “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard J. Foster with my small group. An awesome book and very challenging.
Susan, I read Celebration of Discipline three or four years ago. It is an excellent book.
TC, I have the Bonhoeffer bio on my Kindle and hope to read it soon.
Hi Robin,
I just finished reading “Heart of Gold”. Loved it. Will there be a sequel? I would love to know what happens to Shannon’s friend Katie.
I am currently reading “Hiding in Plain Sight” by Amy Wallace.
Next up will probably be “Downfall” by Terri Blackstock.
The only non-fiction on the horizon is “The CLIA Guide to the Cruise Industry” by Marc Mancini.
Hi Robin,
What a great question:
Just finished reading “Something Old” by Dianne Christner. Enjoyed it and will get around to reading “Something New” soon.
Am now reading “Shattered Identity” by Sandra Robbins.
Next on the pile is “Heart of Gold” by Robin Lee Hatcher. (The library finally got theirs and my copy will be ready for me to pick up tomorrow). Once in a while I let a favorite author cut in my TBR line. 🙂
On the nonfiction side of life I am getting ready to read “One Month to Live, Thirty days to a no-regrets life” by Kerry and Chris Shook. It sounds interesting.
Just a note for those thinking about Kindle, you don’t have to buy the Kindle to get started. There is a free app that you can put on your desktop, laptop, cell phone. I have it on all 3 and it doesn’t matter where I am, I have a book because I always have my phone with me. They sync between each other, and if the day comes I get a Kindle, it won’t be that hard to transfer stuff to it. I love the way you can put things in Collections. And a lot of books have samples so you can see if you would like a book.
I still have a HUGE HUGE pile of physical books waiting to be read. And a much bigger pile on my Kindle App. I can’t afford to buy every book out there, so I use the Amazon Wishlist sort of as my TBR list. I check at the library to see if they have it. If not, I can buy it.
Happy Reading!
i do have an ereader (actually more than one if you count the ones on my computer), but there are still some i won’t download even for free – because i want the paperback. And pay for an ebook? i don’t think so, if i am paying, i want an actual paperback!
i just finished False Money by Veronica Heley (library book) and have Sarah’s Key waiting for pick-up there.
Grave Mercy by Robin Lafever is open on my Adobe Digital reader and Her Dear and Loving Husband is waiting for me.
Second Chance by Eileen Hinckle Rife is the last novel i received in the mail. i won’t go on…
mitzi underscore wanham at yahoo dot com
Hi, Linda. So glad you loved Heart of Gold. There aren't any plans at present for a sequel to it. I'm in the midst of one series and have another one waiting in the wings to begin writing in the summer. But I never say never. <g>
Thanks, June. Like you, I have the Kindle app on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. Love that feature. I think I have more than 50 samples on my Kindle now. Whenever I read a review that interests me but not so much I'm ready to spend the money right at that moment, I send a sample to my Kindle.
Certainly got me thinking … about a lot of stuff. It’s good to know others have a TBR pile. When we moved to this new home two years ago I sorted through and gave away ten containers of books. Agonizing. I just read “Lone Wolf” by Jodi Picoult. Her books always address a life situation. A memoir that was intriguing is “The Holy Ghost Girl”. I’ve loaned it to my daughter so can’t say the author, but it describes in many ways how I grew up. I’m also reading “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller. Awesome. And then I am enthralled by Chuck Swindoll’s new book “Saying It Well”.
Presently reading Love on the Line by D. Gist. Just recently read Julie Lessman – A Heart Revealed; Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie, and some of Robin’s older books I had overlooked…. Legacy Lane #1 (Kindle); Ribbon of Years, The Shepherd’s Voice, Beyond the Shadows…loved them! I have Heart of Gold in my “cart” and hope to order it soon.
I enjoy posts like this where others tell their favorite reads!
Thanks, Robin
Thanks, Jackie. I've enjoyed seeing what others are reading. And so glad you've enjoyed those older releases of mine.