Totally Awesome Reads This Year

This year has been a year of totally awesome reads. I wanted to give a few shout outs to just a couple of these books along with a list of the books I got the pleasure to read. I totally recommend them all.
First up: Mustaches for Maddie, by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown Morris. Oh, my goodness, I don’t know where to start. I felt so many things while reading this book. I got chocked up several times and found myself laughing out loud other times. This is one of those books that will become a family favorite—and I can’t wait to start reading it to my girls. The voice throughout was incredible. Maddie’s character is funny, imaginative, and heart-stealing-good. I loved the themes, the trials, the triumphs, and the overall story. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! My favorite moments are when we get to leave our everyday world and enter the imaginary world that only Maddie can see, from pretending to be a super ninja with alien powers to battling an even bigger monster (a brain tumor). This book had one of the strongest, emotional endings I have ever read. I loved it!
Second: Mysteries of Cove: Embers of Destruction, by J. Scott Savage. Kids fighting for freedom atop mechanical dragons—count me in! This was the third and final book of the Mysteries of Cove series and it was amazing! What I liked most about this book was how everything tied right back into the first book, creating the perfectly rounded story. My mind was blown by the imagery and imagination, the themes and conflicts—overall an awesome experience for any reader of any age. This series is now a family favorite we’ll read again and again!
I’ve had the pleasure to read so many more amazing books this year. My favorites always tend to be the ones geared toward middle-grade readers. I think it’s because I love clean fiction that reminds me of how awesome it is to be a kid. I also love clean suspenseful books. Below is a list of most of the books I had the opportunity to read (some of them I’ve read before but decided I needed to read again—they are that good). I hope you can at least pick up one of these books to start your new year of with.
The W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza, by Mikey Brooks (I’ve read this one 3 times to my daughter since it came out in April. I am so happy she loves my book)
Mustaches for Maddie, by Chad and Shelly Morris
Mysteries of Cove: Embers of Destruction, by J. Scott Savage
Fablehaven Series, by Brandon Mull
Dragonwatch, by Brandon Mull
Wrath of the Storm, by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Adventurers Wanted: The Axe of Sundering, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Sands of Nezza, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Albrek’s Tomb, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: The Horn of Moran, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Siathbog’s Gold, by ML Forman
One by One, by David A. Bednar
The 13th Reality Series, by James Dashner
Remake, by lima Todd
Resist, by Ilima Todd
Dark Memories, by Jeffery S. Savage
The Culinary Mysteries (12 books), by Josi Kilpack
Shadowed, by Stephanie Black
Sadie, by Rebecca Belliston
House of Secrets, by Jeffery S. Savage
Dead on Arrival, by Jeffery S. Savage
A Time to Die, by Jeffery S. Savage
12 Steps to Becoming Closer to Christ, by Toni Sorenson
Fool Me Twice, by Stephanie Black
Played for-a-fool, by Stephanie Black
The Scourge, by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Felicity and the Scary Bear, by Loralee Evans
Nature of the Gods: The Awakening, by Torres, D.J.