Five Fall Favorites {Top 5 of 2018 + Backpacks}

Welcome to the last day of the party, friends! This week has been so much fun, and I hope y'all have had a blast as well. :D The giveaway winners will be announced on Rebekah's blog today, and we also have another sweet bookish surprise for y'all. Links at the end of the post!

We have plenty of backpacks here! Grab one in your favorite fall cover and get ready to load it up with lots of great reads.

Saturday: Top 5 of 2018

The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof

Carpe diem... 

Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.

As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.

I honestly don't know how to describe how amazing this book is. As always, Bischof's writing is beautiful, lyrical, and astounding, and her stories filled to the brim with bold love and heartfelt grace. I fell in love with this story of Charlie, Ella, and Holland. I'm already planning my next journey to the circus grounds of Roanoke. 

Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury (Angels Walking, #1)

When former national baseball star Tyler Ames suffers a career-ending injury, all he can think about is putting his life back together the way it was before. He has lost everyone he loves on his way to the big leagues. Then just when things seem to be turning around, Tyler hits rock bottom. Across the country, Tyler’s one true love Sami Dawson has moved on. 

A series of small miracles leads Tyler to a maintenance job at a retirement home and a friendship with Virginia Hutcheson, an old woman with Alzheimer’s who strangely might have the answers he so desperately seeks.

A team of Angels Walking take on the mission to restore hope for Tyler, Sami, and Virginia. Can such small and seemingly insignificant actions of the unseen bring healing and redemption? And can the words of a stranger rekindle lost love? Every journey begins with a step.

It is time for the mission to begin… 

After having my mom tell me for months (or probably, years...) that I needed to read this series, I finally got around to it earlier this year...by devouring the first book in less than 24 hours. (At 380 pages, that's a record for me.) A unique and eye-opening tale of angels here on earth, this book is sure to touch the heart. The series easily claimed it's spot among my top favorite books ever. 

The Pursued by Willowy Whisper (Hills of Innocence Trilogy, #3)

Fawn Wendell has no choice but to flee. Her life depends on it. She has no where to go, but that doesn’t matter. She has to disappear. She has to get lost, never to be found again, before her pursuer attacks. 

Adam Preston loves his children. They’re all he has left. But with the ranch to run, is there any way he can give them what they need, especially when he’s hurting himself? 

Jake Sumner returns to an old house, a place that arouses too many memories. If he decides to stay, he may have trouble on his hands . . . trouble a whole lot bigger than him. 

Sadie is an injured, silent bird, locked in a cage she can’t free herself from. Her nightmares are real. The fear kills her voice. Will she ever fly again?

Hey, look, another book I read in less than 24 hours—and this one is over 450 pages! I've reviewed every book in the Hills of Innocence trilogy and enjoyed each of them, but The Pursued is my favorite. Each of the four main characters captured a special part of my heart, but Sadie and Jake's story was my favorite. <3 

Read my full review here.

A Question of Loyalty by Jesseca Wheaton (Questions of War, #3)

A Man. A Brother. A Traitor. 



The war has taken everything Micah Wilson has ever held dear, and with all his being he wishes he could do something to stop the heartache. But he often wonders if he'll ever be able to move on after the war, or forget the brother who left six years before. How can God still have a plan, when it seems that the world around him is falling to pieces, to say nothing of his own heart? 



Ann Wilson has seen two brothers changed by the war. And she's resolved to do something to stop the pain she sees in their eyes from becoming a reality for so many others. The world is on the brink of Normandy when her nursing unit is shipped to England, and while there, an unexpected encounter promises to change her own life . . . Forever. But it's only the beginning. As the war in Europe rages on, Ann is caught in the crossfires. And when the unthinkable happens, she comes face to face with the evil of the Third Reich. Is it possible that the reality of it all is more deadly than even her worst nightmares? 



Erich Essler never questioned his duty to his country. All his life he's struggled to live up to his father's expectations, and bring honor to the Essler name. But when the man he thought of as his only friend turns out to be the enemy, he can no longer rid himself of the questions that continue to torment him. Is what he's doing really honorable? And does he owe his loyalty to his country . . . Or a higher power?



Freedom for Europe dawns on the distant horizon. But in the midst of the fight, four lives will be forever changed, and their loyalty to God and Country brought into question.

Yeah, yeah, it's not published yet... (Was that a requirement?) But it will be soon and this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year. If you're in need of a book that will make you cry, keep an eye out for this release. The conclusion to the Questions of War series is heartbreakingly beautiful and sure to be a favorite among fans of the series. 

The Prisoner's Wife by Susan Page Davis (Maine Brides, #1)

1720: Lucy lost Jack years ago. Jack Hunter's father was a drunk and a criminal, and Lucy Hamblin's father believed the apple lay near the tree. When her father forbade their love, Lucy buried her heart out of obedience, but she never stopped loving Jack. 

On a strange evening four years later, she's summoned to the local jail. Jack has been accused of murder and has a request to make of Lucy. It appears Jack Hunter will hang in the morning, and to preserve his property and provide for the woman he loves, he asks Lucy to marry him. 

When his trial is postponed and ultimately dismissed, Jack has new worries: Lucy agreed to become a prisoner's widow, not the wife of a man her father despised. Can Lucy and Jack accept he Lord's miracle of preservation—of Jack's life and reputation...and the love they believed they'd lost?

I recently spotted this book listed as a free Christian ebook and promptly downloaded it when the synopsis caught my interest. When reading the book shortly thereafter, I was surprised by how much I loved it! Jack and Lucy's love story was so sweet, and the unexpected air of mystery surrounding the murder made the book even better. 

Many of the Five Fall Favs bloggers are also authors—with books on sale this weekend! Click the buttons above to be directed to an assortment of free and $0.99 ebooks. :D

After you grab some reads to get you through the weekend, trek on over to the Literary Lodge for your last visit to each room of the party!

What's your top 5 books of 2018, thus far? Have you read any of my favorites? 
~Faith