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3 Christian Novels You’ll Want to Read

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3 Christian Novels You'll Want to Read #chc #summerbookclub   Intelligent folk have long debated the merits and drawbacks of novels. I’ve already thrown my hat into that ring with my ode to reading, so I’ll just stick to this for now: a well-written novel can effectively reach you and teach you on a deeper level than any other kind of book could. When that book is written from a Christian worldview and remains true to Biblical truth, even more so. I’ve chosen for this blog post a few Christian novels that have spoken to me in such a way, books that challenged my thinking, brought me closer to Jesus Christ, and drew me deeper into God’s Word to understand His truth for myself. Not very many novels accomplish this, at least not at the level of the books I’ve chosen. The few books I will mention here are worth every minute of time, and every dime, you might invest in them. You will not feel in the least bit guilty when you’re finished with them!

1. Christy


I’ll start with a classic Christian novel, and really one of the earliest of its genre; it bridges the gap between an era when a large majority of novels were written from a Christian worldview because that’s just what the worldview was in general, and the era we live in now with a sharp divide between Christian and secular fiction. For many years in a row, I read Christy by Catherine Marshall over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday just to get my year off to a good start. I haven’t done that in some time, but this is one of a handful of books I do pick up and read again on occasion. Christy tells the inspiring story – based on a true story – of a young lady who answers the sudden call of God on her heart to go and love the unlovable. Her idealistic beginning is quickly tempered by reality, but her love for the people of God’s calling grew in its sincerity and intensity. So many scenes from the book run through my mind – the young girl who follows her around just begging for attention, the young man who lived in squalor and filth and the parents who saw no way out of that, the family driven by hate and fear that wanted her to stay away, and the young mother who passed away from a dreaded disease that ravished the community. There are parts of the book where I laugh out loud, and there are parts where I ugly cry with big fat sobs. And there are even parts that I underline and write down in my quote book, like this one:

What do you do when strength is called for and you have no strength? You evoke a power beyond your own and use stamina you didn’t know you had. You open your eyes in the morning grateful that you can see the sunlight of yet another day. You draw yourself to the edge of the bed and then put one foot in front of the other and keep going. ~Catherine Marshall

A beautiful love story is woven throughout the book, but it’s not the main focus of the story. And I can’t give away the ending because… well, you’ll just have to read it.

2. The Last Sin-Eater


The last …what? Yeah, I know… weird, right? It sounds more like a fantasy novel or something than a Christian novel, but that’s really what it’s called. And it really was a thing, back in the day among the hill people who emigrated to this country from Scotland. Most people are familiar with Francine River’s other more popular novel, Redeeming Love, but this one is my favorite of hers. The Last Sin-Eater starts out as if it’s just a story about a little girl who feels alone and lost, rejected by her family and her little world. But God sees her and sees the pain of her heart, and He uses her in a remarkable way to trigger change and healing in her, her family, and her entire community; in the end, the story is really about the deepest needs of our hearts and how they can only be met in the sacrifice made on our behalf by Jesus Christ. This book has many elements that work together to create a mesmerizing, spell-binding tale of guilt and tragedy, and the healing redemptive power of forgiveness and love: mystery, drama, secrecy, heavy burdens, mysterious visitors, and love from surprising sources. In fact, I believe this book is an excellent evangelistic tool for book-loving friends because it tells the Gospel beautifully within its pages.

3. The Price of Privilege


This is a recent addition to my Top 3 List of Favorite Christian Novels EVER, since I discovered it just a few months ago. In fact, this is the book that spurned my renewed interest in and dedication to reading because it was just. that. good. It’s actually a huge novel that’s been split into 3 books for easier reading: Born of Persuasion, Mark of Distinction, and Price of Privilege. This serial book by Jessica Dotta is the most well-written contemporary novel I’ve ever read, period. It mimics the Gothic novel style of the early 1800′s, drawing the best out of that genre without succumbing to its maudlin sensationalism, balancing it with elements of Victorian style a la the Brontes and even a bit of Austen-like Regency. The intricacies of the plot line and the characters and the story they tell you are masterful. But the excellent writing technique is not the main reason I love this book. I’m going to be 100% honest and say the biggest reason I love this book is because I love the hero of the story, Lord Isaac Dalry. Seriously, you just need to read the book because of him. And honestly? I think the author intended for you to feel just that way because in my opinion Lord Isaac Dalry in this story is a type of Christ, illustrating Christ’s redemptive and sacrificial love for each one of us. After reading the entire series twice in a row, I decided that in addition to being a Gothic-Victorian-Regency novel, this book contains incredible symbolism worthy of C.S. Lewis. You can read my entire theory about this on my review at Goodreads. 

Want to see what I’m reading? I’d love to see what YOU’RE reading! Join me at Goodreads, where I keep track of books I enjoy (and even books I don’t)! I’d love a sneak peek onto your bookshelf, too.

Summer Book Club #christianhomemakingcommunityJoin Our Summer Book Club!

Some blogging friends and I are going to spend the next six weeks talking all about reading… and sharing our favorite books with you! Follow our blogs to join in the discussion and find some new favorite books to love. We’ll also be chatting about our blog posts – and the books we love – in our Facebook community for women, Christian  Homemaking Community. 


BundleoftheWeek.com, 5 eBooks for $7.40!

The post 3 Christian Novels You’ll Want to Read appeared first on Authentic Simplicity.


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