Whether you’re a new believer or have given your heart to Christ many years ago, Christian fiction will help strengthen your faith and open your eyes to God’s love in new ways.
As an avid reader and Christian author myself, I share with you my favorite Christian fiction books of all time.
You are reading: Best christian fiction books 2021
I have divided it into Contemporary Christian Fiction and Historical/Sci-Fi Christian Fiction. there is something for everyone on this list.
historical fiction
I simply had to include both books in this series, as they are both fascinating fictional accounts of biblical history. book 3 will be out in July 2019.
chronicling a little-known practice in biblical times, at a light on the hill (cities of refuge book one) takes us on the journey of a kidnapped woman, branded with the mark of the Canaanite temple gods and then, eventually charged with murder.
moriyah refuge is provided in kedesh, a haven for those accused of the unintentional death of another. she promised to another, she falls in love with a relative of those whom she accuses of murdering.
connilyn cossette does a beautiful job of illustrating life in biblical times. we suffer for moriyah and rejoice in their triumphs. A Light on the Hill is inspiring reading for anyone who feels like they have lost hope.
in book two, haven of the tallest, we are introduced to sofea and prezi after they are captured and then escape from pirates. Rescued by Eitan, Moriyah’s adopted son, they are accepted and settle into life within the walls of a city of refuge. these strong but fearful women learn from the elohim and grow in faith as they adjust to a life unlike any they could have imagined.
While book two overlaps with book one, I read book two first. I was captivated by the stories and just had to understand the beginning of this amazing story. although I recommend reading them in order, each one is captivating, in its own way. I am eagerly awaiting the third book.
one of my all time favorite books, redeeming love, was originally published in 1991. this edition was updated in 2009.
based on the book of hosea in the bible, in which god tells hosea to “marry a prostitute and have children by her.”
In Redemptive Love, we meet Michael Hosea, a farmer who listens to God’s directions to marry Angel, a local prostitute during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s.
angel, broken by years of abuse and injustice, is relentless in her stubbornness to accept michael’s love.
Often considered an allegory of how God loves us and his relentless search for our hearts, it is a story of forgiveness, love and hope.
Set in the 1800s, Treasured Grace is about three sisters traveling west to the Oregon Territory. During their journey, they winter on a mission that sits between two Native American tribes: the Cayuse and the Nez Perce.
Hostility between the tribes grows, and the sisters are in ever-increasing danger.
tracie peterson does a great job with character development and setting throughout the book. vividly portrayed, I found my own heart rate rising as the sisters faced danger, drama, and friendship.
If you like American historical fiction, this is a must read.
Hide and Seek is the biographical account of a “watchmaker spinster” and her sister, who live in a small apartment above her father’s shop in German-occupied Holland during and after World War II.
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Corrie, a Christian, sacrificed her own life as well as that of her family to fight against the injustice and hatred faced by Jews.
During and after the war, Corrie was in several concentration camps. Despite her dire circumstances, she praised God for everything she experienced, including fleas biting her skin and guards beating her mercilessly.
Corrie and her family displayed incredible bravery, saving the lives of many as they exposed themselves to horror.
corrie had a deep relationship with god and her faith was marked with courage, few of us will be in a position to face her.
A remarkable and beautiful combination of biblical history and prophecy, this book recounts the story of King Hezekiah. The story, told through the eyes of Ishma, his fictional wife, illustrates his life in 732 B.C.
We learn about the daily routines and traditions of the Israelites, as well as the worship of false gods and the human sacrifices made to these pagan gods.
During this dark and dangerous time, God sends prophets to guide his people back to him.
From childhood to the time of his death, Hezekiah served the lord and ruled with a servant’s heart despite much opposition.
rich with background stories on the merchant shipping industry, as well as medicine, law, and high society in late 19th century london, mrs. Delamere weaves Christian principles and romance into a beautiful story.
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Although it’s true that it took me a few chapters to get used to the book, once I got used to it, I couldn’t put it down.
This richly told story takes us on the journey of Marianne Neumann as she accompanies a motley group of orphans to the Midwest to find their forever homes.
Interwoven with romance, suspense, and humor, we learn of the overwhelming problems faced by orphans (and their guardians) in the mid-19th century.
Ingeniously written and meticulously researched, this book has changed me.
While I have always had a heart for motherless and fatherless children and single mothers, this book made me reflect on how I am serving orphans today.
in this compilation of the five books of the lineage of grace series, francine rivers brings us closer to five women from the lineage of jesus christ: tamar, rahab, ruth, bathsheba, and mary. each woman experienced incredible and sometimes shocking obstacles.
Their stories, although fictional, are based on their stories in the Bible and allow the reader to have an idea of what each woman may have felt and endured.
A must-read selection of Biblical historical fiction.
futuristic / science fiction
Few book series have included every book on the bestseller list, let alone all sixteen! In this iconic series, Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, show us what the end times would look like from a Christian theological point of view.
The characters are relatable and well developed as they take on the global community and leader Nicholas Carpathia (as the Antichrist).
Dramatic and suspenseful, sprinkled with romance and theology, this series is a classic and a must-read for Christian readers.
John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress was written in 1678, while he was in prison for violating the English law of holding religious services outside the authority of the established Church of England.
Considered one of the most significant works of English religious literature, it has been translated into more than 200 languages. it has also been only one of a handful of novels that has been in continuous print since the first date of publication.
the pilgrim’s progress is an allegory told as if it happened in a dream and narrated by the protagonist, christian. the story focuses on his journey from his hometown, the “city of destruction” (“this world”), to the “heavenly city” (“what is to come”: heaven) on top of Mount Zion .
christian carries a great burden: the knowledge of his sin, which he believed came from reading a book (the bible) he found while cleaning the house of the “faithful” character. this burden, which would plunge him into hell, is so unbearable that he seeks release.
Absorbing, the book is very dialogue-heavy and the reader should keep in mind that it was written hundreds of years ago in language that can best be described as cumbersome to the modern reader.
I had to read the book several times to catch some of the nuances, but I really enjoyed this parallel of sin and faith in God’s plan of redemption.
contemporary
the garden of leota tells the story of an old and moody grandmother, separated from her family. Leota unwittingly becomes a case study for a college student, Corban.
She is a lonely old lady and deeply wants to reconnect with her family when her granddaughter, Annie, unexpectedly arrives. As the book evolves, we learn more about Annie and Leota’s life, garden, and faith.
Meanwhile, Corban comes face to face with his own belief system and examines it in light of Leota and Annie’s faith.
the garden of leota is a deep and colorful exploration of family, memories and forgiveness.
Summarized best in the editors’ narrative, “it’s never too late for those who are willing to take a chance.” Ellie and her childhood best friend, Nolan, make a vow to return to an old oak tree eleven years after going their own way.
Ellie’s life doesn’t turn out the way she hoped, while Nolan fulfills his dreams as a star NBA player. Ellie strays from her faith through years of disillusionment and confusion, while Nolan falls deeper into faith through his.
Both coping with loneliness and life’s twists and turns, they reconnect years later through love, loss, and a second chance.
is a beautiful moving story about something we all want: a second chance.
The masterpiece, told from the perspective of the two main characters, Roman, a troubled young man turned sought-after artist, and Grace, a struggling single mother with a troubled past of her own.
By chance, Grace is hired as Roman’s assistant and there seems to be no end to their clashes, but in classic Francine Rivers fashion, God has a plan and you’ll find yourself crying and rooting for Grace and Roman.
we all have a story. a past that brings us to the place and people we are today, but when we open ourselves to the possibilities that God has in store for us, masterful things will happen.
Known for her best-selling Bible studies, The Undoing of Saint Silvanus is Beth Moore’s first foray into the world of Christian fiction.
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Part murder mystery, part family drama, The Ruin of San Silvano tells the story of a mysterious church turned apartment building and a motley crew of tenants, including the family that owns it, with their own complexities of faith. and relationship struggles.
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this book wraps addiction, mental illness, secrets and all aspects of family drama in a neat and fascinating package.
While not a typical Amish novel, this one straddles both the “English” world and the Amish world.
amanda (mandy) left her family and amish community after what she considered a terrible betrayal by her sister.
After living away with a new life, Mandy returns home after the death of her mother to manage the family bed and breakfast.
her mother intends for mandy to inherit the b&b if she can meet two conditions: manage it for a year and make a profit.
Acclimatizing back to Amish life proves difficult for Mandy, forcing her to examine life, faith, relationships, and what’s really important.
This was the first novel I read by Lisa Wingate and it wouldn’t be the last. a multi-award winning novel, the prayer box, made me a fan of mrs. wingate.
chronic drug user tandi jo and her two sons are on the run from her abusive husband. she ends up on the outer banks of north carolina. a place full of warm childhood memories of her.
With money running out, Tandi Jo agrees to clean her elderly landlord’s house, Iola (Tandi Jo and her children’s temporary home), in exchange for a few months of free rent.
When Tandi Jo finds a box full of Iola’s written prayers to God and learns Iola’s story, she is forced to take a look at her own life.
Through Iola’s letters and her life lessons, Tandi Jo finds her own purpose along the way.
Related: 17 Best Books on How to Find Your Passion and Purpose in Life
While you can read each of these books independently, they are short and the humor will keep you turning the page for more.
Based in a small town in Colorado, a rare assortment of women, of all ages and backgrounds, gather once a week for meals and prayers.
Each member of this potluck club (as they call themselves) finds themselves in the midst of problems of various kinds and depends on each other and their prayers to get them through.
friendship in unlikely forms, comic writing, and the coming together of faith in god (plus delicious food thrown in for good measure) is the recipe that keeps this series of books on my favorites list.
The book also includes a recipe in each chapter, several of which I have tried and enjoyed.
claire is like most christian women i know. she’s quirky, real, and gets it wrong quite often. As a divorced mother, she is faced with an overwhelming situation that most of us can relate to and she seeks the advice of a life coach.
through humor (this book is hysterical, sometimes), she learns that maybe she doesn’t know better after all, and maybe, just maybe, god is in control.
I was initially drawn to this book because of its setting: Missouri, where I call home, but I found that what really caught my attention was the book’s message “stop and smell the roses.”
Life is very busy. With our to-do lists and reserved calendars, the most important things in life are often relegated to a lower place on the priority list.
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When Kate is faced with the task of convincing her grandmother that she can no longer live alone and take care of the family farm that has been her home for decades, she discovers that a big house and a fancy car aren’t as good as they are. important as she thought.
boy meets girl. boy falls in love with girl the girl has a life-threatening disease. the boy vows to become a doctor to “fix” her.
Just when everything seems to be going according to plan, a series of tragedies occur and each character is changed forever.
The book is a poignant reminder that all relationships are beautiful and flawed at the same time and that the human heart is much more complex than we can imagine.
related: how to solve relationship problems without breaking up?
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