M. Liz Boyle's 3 favorite reads in 2023

This is exactly the type of book I recommend for mature Christian teens and young adults because it shows a lovable and completely realistic main character navigating the ups and downs, heartaches, and joys of life.

The main character, Emery, faces loss and hurt, stage fright and uncertainty, and along the way, learns to let God map her life.

This is book two in the series, but in the first book Emery dealt with some huge issues, helping a loved one cope with depression and all the heartache that goes with it.

This is an amazing sequel that has me rooting for the trilogy’s upcoming finale. You’ll laugh and cry as Emery’s story builds. Hooray for happy endings!

I would recommend reading this series in order, but I fell in love with these characters and the dual point-of-view!

The story takes place in Russia, which has outlawed the Christian church, so the characters must decide whether to obey God or man. Evgeny's beloved career ends, making him question his worth.

Then, when his new job lands him in a mess of mysterious government work, he learns the hard way what it means to love your neighbor. Neither Sasha nor Evgeny feels worthy of Jesus' sacrifice, and both of these main characters must learn to trust God's promise of forgiveness.

I'm a scaredy cat, and even I was able to handle the intense scenes, but I would say readers should be mature for this book. 

This author has vivid world-building and delivers a powerful story where good and evil battle.

Each of the four main characters has internal conflict, and I fully enjoyed the multiple points of view. There are a few gruesome descriptions involving slavery and the evil lord’s torture methods, but overall, the book is very clean.

There is no swearing, which I love. The characters follow God’s design for love and marriage, and the memorable story is a clear allegory to the Bible.

Mature teens and adults who want Christian fiction with themes of forgiveness, faithfulness, and God’s ability to change hearts should check out Shattered Reflection. 

This is a beloved read-aloud in our family. My 6-year-old loved how Charlotte saved Wilbur’s life and the true, lasting friendship between the two.

She was always entertained by Charlotte’s speeches and extensive vocabulary. The bittersweet ending is more sweet than bitter for young kids, and the beautiful friendship gets a *chef’s kiss*.

Any book that starts with “Where’s Papa going with that axe?” will surely hold readers’ attention! 

This is a lighthearted, imaginative book that evokes lots of laughter in our house.

Jerry is constantly inventing things, and when his inventions inevitably go awry, he has to patch things up quickly before all the squirrels in Erryville go nuts.

This book is simply for enjoyment and to nurture a love of reading. When read together as a family, laughing at Jerry’s silliness will create fun memories. 

This is a timeless story of friendship and mystery, family legacies, and hidden talents. It’s one of our favorite read-aloud books (although my husband has to read the epilogue because I cry every time), or go for the audiobook to hear all of Alice’s little ditties performed by a beautiful voice.

My 12-year-old checks this out from the library again and again. Get ready to crave pie, find a catnapped pet, strike up an unlikely friendship, and let your individual talents shine.