CBTT’s Top 10 Fiction Picks of 2016
I’ve read some awesome Christian books this year for CBTT! In making my top 10 selections, I wanted to include books for each age range and gender. Therefore, I have noted the age and gender with each choice. I limited my selections only to titles published in 2016 or 2015. CBTT has many, many more five-star titles, but you’ll have to use our search engine to find them!
10. Honorable Mention – Waterfall (The River of Time Series) 
by Lisa T. Bergren
Although published prior to our cutoff date of 2015 for the top 10, I want to mention Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren. The plot evolves with faint echoes of The Hunger Games, and the first person narrative and dialogue were both sharp. The spirituality although subtle, was well done and offered hope.
9. The Black Star of Kingston (Prequel to the Green Ember Series)
by S.D. Smith, Illustrated by Zach Franzen
Target Audience: Boys, Ages 8-11
Whitson Mariner, king of a settlement of displaced rabbits on the shores of Lake Ayman has much to worry about—rebuilding the hopes of his shattered subjects, providing fuel to warm them through winter, and…
Glenn Says: This prequel to Smith’s top selling Green Ember Book Series is reminiscent of Bryan Jaques’ Redwall Series.
8. The Prince Warriors (The Prince Warrior Series, Book 1) 
by Priscilla Shirer with Gina Detwiler
Target Audience: Boys, Ages 10-14
Ruwach calls two brothers and their middle school friends, Brianna and Levi, into the magical land of Ahoratos. There, equipped with armor and called princes and a princess they embark on…
Glenn Says: This tale will captivate kids with fantastical setting and realistic and current relational issues.
7. Jack Staples and The City of Shadows (The Jack Staples Series, Book 2)
by Mark Batterson & Joel Clark
Target Audience: Boys, Ages 10-14
Jack, Alexia, and Arthur battle the Assassin and his army of shadow-souled yet again. The Assassin, bent upon destroying…
Glenn Says: Continues the powerful tale of good versus evil with more intense action and magnificent Christian allegories.
6. Game Over (The MindWar Trilogy Series, Book 3)
by Andrew Klavan
Target Audience: Boys, Ages 14-18
Ex-high school quarterback, Rick Dial, must enter the Mind War realm yet again. The evil genius Kurodar, although defeated, has not been destroyed…
Glenn Says: The highly creative setting, plot twists and interesting romantic element, make Game Over a fun and satisfying read.
5. Roped (Series, Book 1)
by DiAne N. Gates
Target Audience: Girls, Ages 8-11
Thirteen-year-old Crissy Crosby, daughter of a poor Texas family can ride horses and rope with the best of them, She longs to win first prize, the silver buckle, but…
Glenn Says: Interesting characters, rich descriptions, and colorful dialogue with a great bullying plot, but Roped is also a tale of faith, family, perseverance, and character.
4. Healing Ruby (Healing Ruby Series, Book 1)
by Jennifer H. Westall
Target Audience: Girls, Ages 10-14
Ruby Graves is a girl with a hot temper and an amazing gift. In northern Alabama during the Great Depression, Ruby loses her father and the family farm in quick succession. And yet…
Glenn Says: Features a strong and interesting character and touches upon intense suffering, persecution, faith and how a young teen handles the awakening of romantic feelings.
3. An Uncertain Choice (Uncertain Choice Series, Book 1)
by Jody Hedlund
Target Audience: Girls, Ages 14-18
When her parents die of the plague, Medieval Princess, Rosemarie, discovers she has been irrevocably dedicated to celibacy in the local convent until…
Glenn Says: Maintains clean romantic tension throughout with some nice plot twists.
2. Unblemished (Unblemished Series, Book 1)
by Sara Ella
Target Audience: Girls, Ages 14-18
At seventeen Eliyana Amber is too young to be orphaned in New York City. But when her best friend, her only friend, Joshua is appointed her guardian, things go from dark, to strange. As El grieves her mother’s death…
Glenn Says: The heroine’s emotional journey was fascinating, compelling and realistic. The world building was also well done and the tension filled plot and mystery keeps the pages turning.
1. The Healer’s Rune (Ceryn Roh Saga Series, Book 1)
by Lauricia Matuska
Sabine is a young healer for the human settlement of Khapor long under the heel of brutal overlords. When the Rudden publicly execute her friend…
Glenn Says: This captivating work best cut across gender and ages and was one of the best of 2016.
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