Good grief, 2018 is jam-packed with incredible books releasing. In fact, there are so many great upcoming releases that for the first time, I’m splitting this list into three posts: January-April, May-August, September-December.
First up? Rachel Hollis, Bob Goff, Kayla Aimee, Ann Voskamp, Ruth Chou Simons… just to name a few!
As you know, I’m kinda maybe sorta just a little bit obsessed with books. And based on the number of shares and pins on previous book round-up posts, y’all feel the same way! If you want to skim previous lists, you can check out 12 Can’t-Miss Books Coming in 2016, 13 Can’t Miss Books Coming in 2017, and 15 *More* Can’t-Miss Books Coming in 2017.
The books below are listed in order of release date and include a blurb pulled from Amazon descriptions.
At the end, I’ve listed three devotionals and a cookbook I think you’ll want to know about, as well as a special “stay tuned” section. Consider it a small sneak peak of the May-August can’t-miss books list that I’ll share later!
Please feel free to share this list on Facebook or pin to Pinterest! I’d love to hear what book(s) you’re most looking forward to! And ps, a helpful tip: if a book grabs your attention — for yourself or a friend — you might want to consider preordering.
Why I love preordering through Amazon: First, you’re guaranteed to pay the lowest price advertised (For example, if you preorder on January 21st when it’s $13.00, then it drops to $10.00 in February and is $15.00 when it releases on March 3rd, you’ll only pay $10.00). Second, you aren’t charged until the book releases. Third, if you’re going to buy the book anyway, you might as well preorder it so you can submit your receipt and receive free gifts (most authors now offer freebies on their site to anyone who preorders).
14 Can’t-Miss Books Coming January-April of 2018
Finding Selah: The Simple Practice of Peace When You Need It Most :: Kristen Kill
That something you’ve been looking for in the empty stress of your mad-dash days? It has a name. The Psalms call it selah—the pause, rest, or interlude between the notes in a song. More than merely an empty space, selah is a chance to stop and resync with the story and song of God. For all the ways life keeps you running, this word and practice offers a way to re-center yourself on the One who holds all things together and makes all things beautiful.
Finding Selah will transform the way you think about work, rest, and the little spaces in between that make all the difference. This book will show you how to tune your ear to the song God is singing over you, embrace the “selah moments” able to transform your daily rhythms, and most of all, encounter the ultimate Selah in Christ, who stands in the gap between heaven and your most hectic of days.
++++
Fierce Faith: A Woman’s Guide to Fighting Fear, Wrestling Worry, and Overcoming Anxiety :: Alli Worthington
Some days you juggle everything that is your life — kids, husband, house, job, church, friendships, school, pets, appointments, and on and on. Other days the very thought of which ball you’re going to drop puts your anxiety level through the roof.
The biblical wisdom and practical insights in Fierce Faith will help you identify fear-based thinking, overcome the big and little worries in life, learn a simple trick to stop the anxiety spiral, and live a more confident, less worried life.
Alli’s no-nonsense, wise advice will lighten your heart and help you cut through the daily clutter of fear and worry to reconnect with your own fierce faith.
++++
The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For :: Jo Saxton
The world can cause us to doubt our dreams and question who we are. We can easily exchange our true child-of-God selves for an identity built on lies, guilt, and brokenness.
Maybe the person you’ve become isn’t who you’ve always imagined. Sure, you can work longer, love harder, and eat better. You can scrub the surface of your life until it gleams and still never address the fact that somehow you lost sight of who you really are and what you’re living for. Is this the life you were meant to live?
In The Dream of You, Jo examines Biblical figures and shares her personal story as she invites you to turn to the One who knows you intimately and loves you deeply. He sees all you’ve struggled to hide. He hears the voice inside you that others have silenced. He knows the potential and purpose that no one valued. He longs to redeem the story of your life and set you on the path to reclaim The Dream of You. Are you ready?
++++
In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence :: Kayla Aimee
What if we could rewrite the narrative? What if we could exchange our uncertainty for an abiding confidence? And what if in unearthing our worth, we uncovered our purpose as well, becoming free to unleash our gifts within community and find ourselves in complete communion with our Creator?
In this fearless, funny, and refreshingly relatable book written for every woman who longs to belong, Kayla unfolds the blueprint for women to embrace the boldness and courageous confidence of who we are in Christ, while replacing our need for approval with the promise of an enduring acceptance
In Bloom will help readers uncover their purpose, unlock their potential, and celebrate their unique personality.
++++
Party of One: Truth, Longing, and the Subtle Art of Singleness :: Joy Beth Smith
The single life doesn’t have to be the runner-up version of God’s best. It doesn’t have to leave you constantly waiting for “real life” to begin. Party of One offers a trade: let go of the tired lies weighing you down and turn toward truth.
Party of One walks through these truths and more: You don’t have to be married to be wise, you don’t have to be a mother to have supernatural love, and you don’t have to own a home to be hospitable. Singleness is not meant to be pitied, shamed, fixed, or even ignored — it is to be celebrated. And finally, God doesn’t promise you a husband, but He does promise comfort, intimacy, and satisfaction.
With humor, self-awareness, and been-there perspective, Joy Beth delves into the insecurities and struggles of singleness and encourages you to find the good, the true, and the beautiful, to dive headfirst into community, and to stop pressing pause on a life you never expected.
++++
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be :: Rachel Hollis
With wry wit and hard-earned wisdom, Rachel helps readers break free from the lies keeping them from the joy-filled and exuberant life they are meant to have.
Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Rachel once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward. With unflinching faith and tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face will encourage women to live with passion and hustle and to awaken their slumbering goals.
++++
An Imperfect Woman: Letting Go of the Need to Have It All Together :: Kim Hyland
Women are bombarded with ideas of perfection — and tips for how to achieve it — every day. From her work to her looks to her parenting, today’s modern woman is expected to strive to be picture perfect in every way. As a result, calls for authenticity and imperfection are on the rise. Yet, deep down, most of us still want to achieve perfection. Why?
The desire to be perfect, says Kim Hyland, is actually a God-given urge. After all, we were made for Eden. But there is a difference between perfection and perfectionism, which is our attempt to achieve perfection on our own, by our own strength, and for our own purposes — the original temptation in the Garden. In this freeing book, Kim offers women a stirring manifesto for acknowledging their limitations and embracing the perfection of God through His grace. This is a book for every woman who gives 110% and yet feels shame when one little thing goes wrong.
The Masterpiece :: Francine Rivers
New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.
A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want―money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist — an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.
Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together…until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship — and both their lives — forever.
++++
Breaking the Fear Cycle: How to Find Peace for Your Anxious Heart :: Maria Furlough
It seems there is more to fear now than ever, but fear and anxiety are nothing new to human beings — or to God. The Bible calls us to not be afraid on many occasions, and of course we all want to live without fear. But just how is that accomplished when every news item seems designed to get us wringing our hands?
Using her own story as a catalyst, Maria shows how when we give God full control over our lives, choosing His sovereignty over our own ability, we can break the cycle of fear, grow through suffering, and trust God to fulfill His promises of protection and peace.
Anyone who is filled with anxiety over their personal circumstances, the state of the world today, or even their fear-clogged social media feeds will welcome this hands-on journey from fear to freedom.
++++
Garden of Truth :: Ruth Chou Simons
In the rush of each day, it’s easy to become lost in the struggles and distractions of the world. But God longs for you to experience the depth of His love, and every moment is a chance to preach His truth to your own heart.
This beautiful book from artist and writer Ruth Chou Simons offers 58 specially selected scriptures, each accompanied by hand-painted artwork and a short, heartfelt truth to speak to your soul and direct your thoughts to your Savior. You will find beautiful reminders of God’s character and constant presence in each entry of this curated collection of verses, encouraging you to trust in His Word each day.
++++
Begin Again: The Brave Practice of Releasing Hurt and Receiving Rest :: Leeana Tankersley
What happens when life begins to trip us up and failure starts creeping in? Many of us just keep on doing the same thing, hoping for different results. Some of us look for escape, to find a way out of the mess we feel that we’ve created. But neither enduring nor escaping is ultimately what we need.
The answer is to allow ourselves to begin again, every day, in every part of our lives. Through engaging, lyrical prose, Leeana shows women how to forgive themselves, develop new and healthier patterns of living, and do away with resentment and regret. Her life-giving words will free women who are feeling stuck and allow them to clear out the debris to make room for what God wants to do in their lives. To begin again is to open the window, even a crack, to let the breeze of grace come in. It is a call to stop running from our fears. To take one small step toward becoming the brave women we were made to be.
++++
The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships :: Suzanne Stabile
Most of us have no idea how others see or process their experiences. And that can make relationships hard, whether with intimate partners, with friends, or in our professional lives. Understanding the motivations and dynamics of these different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others — and in ourselves. This book will guide readers into deeper insights about themselves, their types, and others’ personalities so that they can have healthier, more life-giving relationships. No one is better equipped than the coauthor of The Road Back to You to share the Enneagram’s wisdom on how relationships work — or don’t.
For example, why do Sixes seem so intimidated and put off by Eights, who only wish the Sixes would stop mulling things over and take action? Why do Fives seem so unavailable, even to their closest family and friends, while Twos seem to feel everybody else’s feelings but their own and end up irritating people who don’t want their help? How in the world can Fours be so open and loving to you one day and restrained and distant other times?
Suzanne’s generous, sometimes humorous, and always insightful approach reveals why all the types behave as they do. This book offers help in fostering more loving, mature, and compassionate relationships with everyone in our lives.
++++
Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation :: Jen Schmidt
When we drop the idea of entertaining, and instead just open the door — just as we are — our guests get to experience the everyday Gospel, our kids grow up in a life lab of generosity, and we trade insecurity for connection.
Jen has set out to reframe how we think about hospitality and to encourage us to walk a road of welcome in our everyday lives. She aims to shatter the image of model homes and model lives, replacing it with relatable, everyday invitations determined to get to know the people around us from more than just a polite distance.
Just Open the Door is for seasoned hosts, nervous newbies, and everyone in between. It is a personal yes-you-can invitation. Through Jen’s hilarious fails, personal tales, and practical tips, you’ll start to see your home as the most likely location for changing the world around you.
++++
Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People :: Bob Goff
What happens when we stop worrying about a challenging world full of difficult people and instead simply love everybody? In the highly-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling phenomenon Love Does, Bob takes readers on an entertaining, life-altering journey into the secret of living without fear, care, constraint, or worry.
Built around Bob’s hilarious and insightful storytelling, each chapter reveals a lesson Bob learned — often the hard way — about what it means to love without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction. From finding the exact right number of friends to discovering the upside of failure, Everybody, Always points the way to embodying love by doing the unexpected, the intimidating, the seemingly impossible. Whether he’s skydiving without shoes or befriending a Ugandan witch doctor, Bob steps into life with a no-limits embrace of others that is as infectious as it is extraordinarily ordinary. Everybody, Always reveals how you can do the same.
Devotionals and a Cookbook…
I couldn’t help but include these devotionals + a highly-anticipated cookbook as an “extra” to the list!
The Way of Abundance: A 60-Day Journey into a Deeply Meaningful Life :: Ann Voskamp
What do you do when you wake up and feel like you’re not enough for your life? Or when you look out the kitchen window as dusk falls and wonder how do you live when life keeps breaking your heart?
In sixty vulnerably soulful stories, The Way of Abundance moves from self-weary brokenness to Christ-focused givenness. Drawing from the critically acclaimed bestseller The Broken Way and Ann’s online essays, this devotional dares us to embrace brokenness as a gift that moves us to givenness as a way to draw closer to the heart of God. Christ Himself broke like bread, giving Himself to us so we might have a lifelong communion with Him. Could it be that our brokenness is also a gift to the world? This gentle but exquisitely profound book does nothing less than take you on an intimate journey of the soul.
++++
Everyday Holy: Finding a Big God in the Little Moments :: Melanie Shankle
Everyday Holy is an invitation to reexamine your life and find the little pieces that create a beautiful picture of a big God. On any given day, you may be asking yourself “Is Instagram making me crazy, or am I actually supposed to have a perfectly curated cup of coffee on my artfully rumpled throw blanket every morning?” or “Doubts about my faith are normal, right?” or “Could it be that loving my family well is my spiritual gift?”
It’s a common theme: Am I okay? Is my life significant? And how do we measure significance, anyway? Melanie’s hilarious and poignant insight offers you the deep breath of relief that God is working in all the moments, no matter how big or how small. In 100 devotions, Everyday Holy invites you to see your life as God intended: rich with opportunity, significance, and beauty — even on days that feel overwhelmingly ordinary.
++++
Always Enough, Never Too Much: 100 Devotions to Quit Comparing, Stop Hiding, and Start Living Wild and Free :: Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan
With a unique flip-book design, these 100 devotions are topical, so you can choose what you need most every time you open the pages. This book is designed for you, the woman who feels like she can be both too much and not enough — sometimes on the same day.
Discover God’s wild freedom as you find your identity in Jesus with 100 devotions that will help you target and banish lies and insecurities. Jess and Hayley, bestselling authors of Wild and Free, walk you through the gift of truly knowing who you are in Christ is always enough and never too much.
++++
Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering :: Joanna Gaines with Marah Stets
Infused with Joanna Gaines’ warmth and passion for all things family, this cookbook is filled with recipes inspired by dozens of Gaines family favorites and classic comfort selections from Chip and Joanna’s new Waco restaurant, Magnolia Table, which opens early 2018.
Magnolia Table includes personal stories, beautiful photos, and 125 classic recipes — from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to small plates, snacks, and desserts — presenting a modern selection of American classics and personal family favorites. Inside Magnolia Table, you’ll find recipes the whole family will enjoy, such as chicken pot pie, overnight french toast, chocolate chip cookies, white cheddar bisque, mac and cheese, and fried chicken with sticky poppy seed jam.
Stay Tuned…
Am I already working on compiling the list and preparing a post of can’t-miss books releasing in May-August? Of course I am. I’ll share more in a few months, but for now… let’s just say there are several amazing books coming from Hannah Brencher, Suzanne Eller, Jessica Honegger, Lysa TerKeurst — and many more.
6 Ways to Read More Books Every Month ::
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I always look forward to your book lists Kaitlyn! I’m excited to read these! Thank you for providing such meaningful and inspiring content.
Thank you, Susan! They’re fun to put together… especially because I know there are several women (you included!) who look forward to them. Thanks for reading. :)
Okay, so I’m off to do some pre-ordering. haha Also, I’m so excited for The Magnolia Cookbook too! Great list!! My list doesn’t need to get any larger, but I know that’s going to happen anyways.
I can’t wait to read these. The Literacy Musing readers agree I’m almost certain.
This is an epic list, Kaitlyn. There are a bunch in here I desire to drink up one day. THANK you.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoy this type of post/list.
What a great list … so many choices! I have to get Francine Rivers’ book. I read so much non-fiction that an occasional novel is so refreshing!
Donna Reidland recently posted…“When You Need Reassurance from God” January 8
Totally agree. I used to read fiction much more often than I do now. It’s dangerous though because when I start a fiction book, I just can’t stop until it’s finished. :)
I love books too! I can’t wait to read some of these.
*gasp* This is amazing! There are too many good books!!! 😮 Thanks for sharing so many amazing reads to add to my list this year.
You’re very welcome. :)
Great list! A few of these are already on my list and I look forward to checking out the others. Thanks for linking up with us at Woman to Woman. God bless!
I’m really looking forward to Suzanne Stabile’s book. Thanks for all these heads-up insights!
Michele Morin recently posted…The “More” You Were Made For
I love these sneak peeks! The Masterpiece is on pre-order. I also want to check out In Bloom and Garden of Truth. Thanks for sharing!
I’m really looking forward to all 3 of those!
Kaitlyn, this is an amazing gathering of soon-to-be-released books! The one that resonated most with. my heart is, “The Imperfect Woman.” That struggle with perfectionism is real. And it’s sneaky. When I think I’ve finally moved beyond it, I find it’s talons trying to grip another area of my heart.
And Francine Rivers . . . one of my most favorite-est authors. EVER.
I’m visiting from Jennifer Dukes Lee’s place. So glad I stopped by your place!
Thanks so much for visiting, Jeanne! So glad you found your way over here. :)