Written by Megan Ryan

---

Many of my favorite novels are those about books, writing, or writers. I wrote the blog post “Some of My Favorite Novels About Books” last year, but there are so many good choices that I am back with more of my top picks.

Atlas of Untold Stories by Sara Brunsvold

Christian PEN member Sara Brunsvold’s latest novel follows a mom and two daughters with big secrets on a literary road trip through the Midwest. They visit places connected with Langston Hughes, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, and Willa Cather, among others.

While the bookish stops didn’t all feel crucial to the plot, they were a fun setting for the story. The standout feature for me was the relationships between the characters, which felt authentic and relatable. Chloe’s faith was especially encouraging. Seeing each woman’s growth and healing was well worth the read. Perhaps it will inspire you to plan your own author-related trip.

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese

After my earlier blog, fellow editor Abbie Nieten recommended this book by Nicole Deese. Though it is labeled as a romance and the description emphasizes the romantic aspect, I thought it was much more about grief than the happily ever after. So if you’re not a big romance fan, you might still find this book worthwhile.

Ingrid is an acquisitions editor who helped her childhood best friend Cecilia be discovered and become a best-selling author. But then Cecelia dies before turning in the manuscript that will complete her wildly popular series. Ingrid faces professional difficulties as well as profound grief over her loss. She must head back to her childhood hometown to face those she left behind as she searches for Cecelia’s final manuscript.

This Christian fiction offers a story within a story as well as publishing world insights. This is the first book in a series, and I am looking forward to reading the next two.

Deadly Edits series by Kaitlyn Dunnett

A noneditor friend suggested this cozy mystery series by Kaitlyn Dunnett starring a freelance editor turned amateur sleuth. While it may not be the best written series, it’s enjoyable to read about a main character with the same job as you! Not everything about Mikki’s career feels realistic (she went right from being a high school English teacher to a book editor), but there’s still a lot to relate to.

The series includes Crime & Punctuation, Clause & Effect, A Fatal Fiction, and Murder, She Edited. It is not a Christian series, but as a cozy mystery, it doesn’t get gory or intimate.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

My classic recommendation this time around is by Jane Austen. The main character is Catherine, who loves to read Gothic novels and is “in training for a heroine.” On a trip to Bath, she is introduced to the novel Mysteries of Udolpho and the Tilney family, including the handsome and kind Henry. When she visits their home, Northanger Abbey, her reading habits spur her to imagine that Mrs. Tilney’s death years ago was due to imprisonment or murder.

Though of course there is romance, this novel is a wonderfully funny satire of Gothic novels. Austen also defends the novel as an art form while making you think about what it means to be a heroine and a reader.

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson

This novel by Melissa Ferguson starts off with aspiring author Bryony attending her very first writers conference. The description of the environment and Bryony’s nerves was familiar and compelling.

Her manuscript is soundly rejected by the agent she meets with, but later he offers her an opportunity to ghostwrite instead. Years later, her ghostwritten books are bestsellers, but she yearns to share her own stories. And her close relationship with her agent seems poised to become something more. I laughed and teared up as I read this rom-com with a Christian worldview.

Nonfiction bonus: Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke

This guide to reading by Tony Reinke covers why books are an important part of the Christian journey. He also provides practical tips for finding more time to read and deciding what to read. While I already prioritize (and relish) reading, I found there was still much to take away from the book.

I was especially encouraged by the discussion of the importance of language and the written word since God chose that method to communicate with us in the Bible. Reinke writes, “God has called us to live our lives by faith and not by sight—and this can mean nothing less than committing our lives to the pursuit of language, revelation, and great books.” What a confirmation of our work with words and our pleasure in reading!

---