One of the most surprising books I ended up loving was Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon.

Another book that surprised me with how deeply it affected me was Confessions by Augustine.

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While one of the Wilkester Mysteries, I stumbled upon a reference to the works of Charlotte Yonge. I told Kesley about it and we both decided we wanted to read her most popular book The Heir of Redclyffe.

Not only was this book well-written, I also found the Christian virtues displayed and valued, especially humility, to be encouraging. I am slowly making my way through her other works and I hope to one day release my own annotated version. 

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Sometimes, it takes reading something during the right time in your life to really appreciate it. When Kelsey and I started wading into reading classics together we started with Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, a book I had often said I didn't like. But my opinion changed. 

Because of some events that had happened in my life, the book was cathartic read and helped me process some things that had happened in my own life. I came away with a deeper appreciation for this work, even though it is still not my favorite Austen book. You can watch the video Kelsey and I did about it HERE.

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Strong in Battle by Susie Larson is not a classic, nor did I read it with Kelsey. This was a book I read with my Mom. This book is on dealing with spiritual battles we face every day. It was just what I needed and so did my Mom. I was so blessed to work through this with her. 

This book reminded me of where my focus should be during the stroms of life.

I absolutely love thrift stores and bargain bins. And I am very happy to report that I have found some amazing books and authors by snagging a book on at a thrift store. Oh, and if you are ever in Georgetown Texas, check out The Caring Place. I have found so many awesome things there. Here are my top five

I love when you hear about an author and are able to find a copy of one of their books to try at the thrift store. Just Jane by Nancy Moser was one such book

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Sometimes, God prompts you to pick up a book for a later time. That was what happened with Stumbling Into Grace by Lisa Harper.

I got it deeply discounted, knowing nothing about the author. But it encouraged me at a time when I needed it. This author has such a love for God even with some of the horrible things she has been through. 

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Joseph is my favorite Old Testament character, so when I found a fictional book about his life at the thrift store, I grabbed it.

Dreamers by Angela Elwell Hunt might not be my favorite book ever, but I loved all the research and got a fun glimpse into what might have happened. 

I found a couple of books by indie authors at a thrift store a few years back and snagged What Dreams May Come by Alana Terry right away because I had heard some good things about her. I loved this book so much! I devoted it in one afternoon.

I really do need to read more by her. Don't you think?

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I was excited to find I Don't Wait Anymore by Grace Thornton as I was on a quest to find good books for singles. But what I found in the pages was a message both singles and married need. This book was about finding a satisfying relationship in God. 

Welcome to Five Fall Favorites! I'm so excited to be doing this again. Make sure to check out our hostess' post and all the other great blogs taking place.

Today, we are talking about library finds and I love it! Libraries have been such a wonderful part of my life since childhood.

I read the back of Back Home Again by Melody Carlson and thought it looked sweet. I started reading and felt like I had slipped into the perfect temperature bubble bath. This book was sweet, and cozy. I enjoyed the sisters and the settings. The series feels like an old TV show. Not much changes in the books, but each is so fun.

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I found Made to Last by Melissa Tagg in a section of debut authors and I thought the cover looked cute. I got worried not too far in, but ended up adoring the book and have enjoyed many of Tagg's works since 

It sounds like a cheesy book, but it has so much depth and I highly recommend it. You can read my review HERE

Goodreads | Amazon

You know how an author or book is so highly praised you know it can't meet the expectations? That was why I checked out Lady Jayne Disappears from the library instead of getting a copy.  I knew this author, Joanna Davidson Politano, couldn't live up the the hype.

But she did.

I ended up devouring all of her books in the space of a couple of months and she is an automatic pre-order author now. My favorite of her books so far has been The Love Note.

Goodreads | Amazon

Of course, one of the places I love to go searching for innocent reads is in the youth section. Some friends of mine suggested I seek out The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I was caught up in the story, taken by surprise by the plot twists, and enjoyed every second of the book.

And the nice thing? This book is still easily found in libraries!

Goodreads | Amazon

I love history and if you let me lose in a library, I will usually browse in the history section. I found Dear Abigail by Diane Jacobs while researching for my book about the American Revolution. I loved not only how much I learned about Abigail Adams's family, but also how the author really kept her opinions out of the book.

Now I have my own copy so I can underline and make notes for my history-loving heart

Goodreads | Amazon

What was your favorite library find?

Remember, today is only the first day of a huge event going on all week. You won't want to miss the other blogs or the giveaway so head over to Kate's blog!

It's been a while, hasn't it? Sometimes, I struggle to prioritize writing blog posts. I'm still working out where they fit into my schedule. But let's dive into the photos because first up we have my sister's wedding! She's been married a whole month now!

It was raining, so we didn't get a bluebonnet picture this year, but we were still happy. 

In April, we went to the zoo with my parents-in-love, Mom, and youngest sister. It was a whole lot of fun.

Scott and I went to a State Park for a hike in April also

It felt good after a month of not doing much hiking.

May started off with celebrations of my Mom's birthday. 

We visited Dallas and the ICR Discovery Center for her celebration

I enjoyed returning to this amazing creation after our visit last year.

Life has been so full of late: full of joy and hundreds of wonderful little moments. These pictures just capture a few.