2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: If I Like These Ten Books and Authors, What/Who Else Would I Enjoy?
If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you definitely do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Okay, so here's the idea. I'm going to list ten of my favorite authors who are currently writing books and what I like about their work. Then, I would LOVE it if you would recommend similar books/authors that you think I might enjoy. I'm open to new genres (except for erotica and anything too graphic), but my go-tos are definitely mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, historical mysteries, general/women's fiction, and family sagas. I tend to shy away from anything too literary or strange or fantasy-y. Non-fiction recs would be awesome as well. Make sense? Alright, put your thinking caps on and give me some great new books/authors to try!
If I Like These Ten Books and Authors, What/Who Else Would I Enjoy?
- in no particular order; images are of my favorite book by the author or the first book in my favorite series by them -
1. Kathy Reichs
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime with a focus on forensic science (Reichs is a forensic anthropologist.)
- What I like about her books: strong female lead; likable, complex characters; forensics explained in a way that is approachable, but not condescendingly simple; upbeat vibe, edge-of-your-seat plotting, and humor throughout
2. Kate Morton
- Writes: historical fiction, family sagas, family secrets novels, dual-timeline
- What I like about her books: atmospheric settings, complex family dynamics, compelling plots, clean content, Gothic vibes
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime for adults and YA; also writes urban fantasy and supernatural novels, but I haven't read any of those (not my genre)
- What I like about her books: strong female leads, humor, exciting plots, complex characters and relationship dynamics, understated romance as subplots
4. Ruta Sepetys
- Writes: YA historical fiction
- What I like about her books: unique settings, vivid historical detail, sympathetic characters, engaging prose
5. Louise Penny
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime with a bit of a literary bent
- What I lilke about her books: rich, detailed settings; complex, sympathetic characters; lead character with wisdom and morals; interesting mysteries; easy to sink into
- Writes: YA contemporary fiction and YA mysteries/thrillers
- What I like about her books: warm vibe; page-turners; likable characters; twisty mysteries
7. Stacey Lee
- Writes: MG and YA contemporary and (mostly) historical fiction with a focus on the Chinese-American experience
- What I like about her books: rich, historical settings/details; unique take on known historical events; compelling plots; clean content; engaging
8. Riley Sager
- Writes: thrillers, psychological thrillers, mysteries, spooky books
- What I like about his books: creepy without being terrifying; intriguing premises; addicting stories; plots that pull me in and keep me reading fast and furious
- Writes: historical fiction
- What I like about her books: upbeat in spite of heavy subject matter; likable, sympathetic characters; strong female characters; vivid historical settings/details; engaging reads; clean content
10. Susan Meissner
- Writes: historical fiction, dual-timeline
- What I like about her books: dual-timelines, engaging plots, likable characters, vivid historical settings/details, complex relationships, family secrets, clean content
There you go, ten of my favorite authors who are still writing books. Have you read any of them? What readalikes can you think of for me? What did you do for your list today? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to your comments here (although I've been a *little* slow at it lately).
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
A Top Ten Tuesday Tag
I've been participating in Top Ten Tuesday on a fairly regularly basis for the last ten years. I don't know how many prompts I've engaged since then, but it's been a lot, which makes it tough to find new ones for freebie topics like today's: Top Ten Tuesday Rewind. The idea is to go back and choose a past TTT prompt that you haven't done yet, want to revisit, etc. I scanned through the lists of old prompts and none really jumped out to me, so I'm going to do something different today instead.
I was curious about my first ever TTT post, so I searched it out. It was on February 26, 2013, and the topic was My Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors. It's interesting to see who I loved to read back then and how my tastes have/have not changed.
If you want to join in for TTT Rewind, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get all the details. While you're at it, give our wonderful hostess, Jana, some love.
A few weeks ago, Cindy over at Cindy's Book Corner tagged me for The Bookworm Tag. It looked like a fun one and I've been meaning to post my answers ever since. Since there are ten questions, it's perfect for a TTT "list." I'm not sure where the tag orginated, but Cindy was tagged by Sarita at More to Discover. I'm not going to tag anyone. If you want to join in, though, please consider yourself tagged! Leave me a link to your post so I can see your answers.
- Answer the Questions
- Make up New Ones
- Tag People
Cindy was asked 10 questions by Sarita, then she made up 10 different questions for the people she tagged to answer. Here are my answers to Cindy's queries:
1. How many books do you have on your physical shelves (best guesstimate)? This answer would have been a lot more embarrassing at this time last year. Before we moved houses, I would guess I owned somewhere around 10,000 physical books. For real! I was living in a 5,000 square foot home and I had lots of room for bookshelves and book piles. In July, we downsized, cutting our square footage in half, which meant donating a large chunk of my book collection. Now, 8 months after moving, I'd say I own about 1500 physical books. Still a ridiculous amount, but so much better than 10,000! It's not hoarding if it's books, right? At least they all fit neatly onto my shelves. For now, anyway...
2. What is your favorite book about books? Great question! I love bookish books (hence, my hosting the Bookish Books Reading Challenge). I would probably have to say The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak for this one, but lately I've also been really loving the By the Book cozy mystery series by Tamara Berry.
3. What is your favorite format to read in (paperback, hardback, e-book, etc.)? I used to be strictly a "real" books reader (preferably hard covers), but when NetGalley became a thing, I bought a Kindle and surprised myself by not hating it. These days, I still prefer paper books. About 40% of my reading, though, is comprised of e-books.
4. What is your favorite genre to read? BBB regulars will not be at all surprised by my answer to this question! Mystery/thriller is my hands-down favorite genre to read, closely followed by historical fiction. I also love compelling adventure/survival stories, interesting memoirs/biographies, riveting narrative non-fiction, and absorbing family sagas.
5. How do you find new-to-you authors? Back in the day, I mainly discovered new authors by browsing through the stacks at the library. These days, I mostly find them through reading book blogs and bookish magazines as well as word-of-mouth from friends and family members.
6. What is a series (or book) you would/have reread over and over again? I'm not much of a re-reader. Reading a book I've already read feels like a waste of time to me when there are so many shiny new ones out there to explore! That being said, besides my scriptures, there are two books I re-read often: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (my favorite novel of all time) and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (to get me in the holiday spirit every December). There are a few others that I re-read occasionally because I love them so much: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
7. Do you have a book (or author) you are constantly recommending people to read? If so, what is it? I belong to a conservative family and religious community, so I have to be cautious in what I recommend! Kate Morton is probably the author I recommend most. Her books are clean—without any explicit violence, sex, or language—compelling, and generally appealing. For mystery fans who don't mind a little language, I always go with Louise Penny. Her Armand Gamache series is one of my all-time favorites.
8. What is a genre you would never read? The only genre I can unequivocably say I would never read is erotica. It's just not my thing at all. Other genres I avoid or at least rarely read would be: poetry, high fantasy, anything political, sci-fi, and urban fantasy.
9. Do you prefer long books or short books? I actually prefer medium books, in about the 200-300 page range. I've never been a big fan of short stories or novellas and these days, I find myself kind of avoiding anything over 500 pages as well. I've become a middle-of-the-road reader, apparently!
10. Who inspired your love of reading? My parents. Both of them love to read, so our home was always filled with books. My mom always read us kids bedtime stories, took us to the library, and encouraged us to fill our leisure time with reading.
How would you answer these same questions?
For anyone who would like to answer them, here are the ten questions I came up with:
1. Where is your favorite place to read? Or, where do you read most often?
2. Who are your top 3 favorite authors? I know it's like choosing favorite children, but try...
3. What is your biggest reading pet peeve?
4. What is something you do in your reading life that might make other readers gasp (writing in books, bending pages to mark your place, reading a book's ending first, etc.)?
5. Have you always been a reader? If not, when did you discover your love of books?
6. What book would you recommend to a reader to convince them to try out your favorite genre?
7. Do you prefer to read new books or used? Why?
8. How do you organize your bookshelves?
9. In your opinion, what's the best part about being a book blogger/book nerd?
10. Are you part of a book club? Which book that you've read together has sparked the best discussion?
There you go, twenty great bookish questions to ponder! I'd love it if you answered one or two or twenty of them in the comments. If you decide to do this tag, please let me know so I can see your answers. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: Spring Has Sprung On Mt. TBR (2023 Edition)
Has Spring sprung where you live? Here in the Phoenix, Arizona, area it's been in the upper 70s and flowers are blooming all over the place. I'm not ready for high temps, so hopefully, we can stay out of the triple digits for a little bit longer. A friend mentioned today that his grandkids came to visit from Colorado and couldn't wait to jump in his pool! Brrr...I only swim when it's over 100 degrees outside and I can wait for that, thank you very much.
Even if Spring hasn't sprung where you are, it's definitely happening on Top Ten Tuesday. Today's prompt is, not surprisingly, Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List. I love these seasonal lists, even though they're rough on my already never-ending TBR pile mountain mountain chain.
If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you SO do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, get all the details on this weekly meme, and give our hostess, Jana, some love while you're at it.
Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List
Several authors that I adore have new books coming out in March and April, so I'll start with those, even though I think I've talked about all of them before. Sorry!
1. The Close by Jane Casey—I'm a big fan of Casey's Irish detective Maeve Kerrigan, who lives and works in England. This newest installment (#10) has Maeve and her colleague, DI Josh Derwent, posing as a couple in order to get an insider's view of a tidy neighborhood that's hiding some messy secrets. With their relationship already dancing on the line between professional and personal, it's a tense situation all around.
2. Homecoming by Kate Morton (available April 4, 2023)—A new book from Morton always gets me excited! The story concerns Jess, an out-of-work London journalist who is called home to Australia after her beloved grandmother suffers a debilitating fall. Jess is surprised to learn that her grandma took a tumble after being in her attic, a place that has always been forbidden. As the journalist starts digging into the secrets the attic holds, she makes some shocking discoveries about her family's involvement in a 60-year-old crime.
3. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen—I'm always up for a book about the Titanic. I've actually had an e-ARC of this one on my Kindle for some time now and haven't gotten around to it. Yet.
4. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (available April 11, 2023)—Miranda is a thriller writer whose books are must-reads for me. Her newest concerns a group of adults who survived a deadly school bus crash as high schoolers. When one of the survivors commits suicide, the rest of the group commits to getting together every year to commemorate the tragedy that changed all of their lives. As they gather on the Outer Banks for the tenth anniversary, something immediately feels off. When one member of the group disappears, amid an incoming storm no less, everyone is alarmed. After all they've been through, they can't experience another tragedy. Where has their friend gone? Why has she vanished?
5. Home Away From Home by Cynthia Lord (available April 18, 2023)—I love Lord's heartfelt middle-grade novels. This one concerns Mia, a girl who's staying with her grandmother in Maine for the summer, just like she always does. Except, this year is different. Her parents are divorcing, their home is up for sale, and nothing is the same. Not even grandma's house. Grandma's got an annoying new neighbor, a boy Mia's age who seems to feel a little too at home at her grandma's house. When the two of them spot a rare bird, the competition between them gets fierce. Who will find the exotic animal first?
I haven't read anything by the next five authors, but I'm excited to give these a go:
6. The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson—This historical novel is based on a real librarian who risked her own safety to run a library inside London's Bethnal Green tube station during World War II.
7. Courts and Alleys: A history of Liverpool courtyard housing by Elizabeth J. Stewart—Speaking of cities in England...I've been doing a deep dive into the life of my 4th great-grandmother, who lived in Liverpool during the mid 1800s before emigrating to the United States in 1853. She lived in tenement housing, the so-called back-to-back court houses, and I'm interested to know more about what that was like. Couldn't have been easy.
8. We Love to Entertain by Sarah Strohmeyer (available April 25, 2023)—This thriller revolves around a married couple, real estate investors who are involved in a tense competition sponsored by a popular real estate app. Winning could mean big bucks in endorsements as well as a league of new followers. The couple is in the middle of remodeling a home in Vermont when they both disappear, leaving a bloody trail in their wake. What happened to the dynamic duo?
9. Blizzard's Wake by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor—Even though this YA historical isn't very Spring-y, it still sounds compelling. Someone recommended it to me when I complained that it was hard to find books set in North Dakota for the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge I participate in every year. The novel is about a grieving girl and the boy who has just been released from jail for causing the accident that killed her mother. When the two get stuck in a blizzard, they are forced to work together in order to survive.
10. Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan—I'm always up for a fun cozy mystery and this one looks entertaining. It's the first installment in a series that stars Charlotte "Charlie" Cook, a chef who returns to her Alaska hometown to take over her mother's diner. When the diner's head chef is killed after a heated argument with Charlie, she finds herself the prime suspect in his murder. Who really offed the chef?
There you go, ten books I'm hoping to get to this Spring. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your Spring TBR? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will happily return the favor on your blog. I also reply to your TTT comments here (although I'm still a little behind from the past couple weeks...).
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, March 07, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: Prompts and Pioneers
I was sad to miss last week's TTT, but it couldn't be helped. My husband and I drove up to Utah last Tuesday for RootsTech, a big genealogy conference in Salt Lake City. It hasn't been held in person since 2020 so it was good to be back. There were many fewer people in attendance than in earlier years, largely because there's been a big push to get the conference online so it can be enjoyed by a larger, more global audience. It was nice for those of us in the Salt Palace not to have to fight for seats in popular classes, stand in long lines for the bathroom, push through crowds in the hallways, etc. Even though it was cold and snowy in Utah, we Zonies had a great time honing our genealogy skills, visiting family, catching up with old friends, and learning more about our own stories. It's always a surreal experience to sit at Tesla super chargers in places like Nephi and Beaver, Utah, where our ancestors settled nearly 200 years ago. While we wait for our bougie car to charge, we always marvel that our not-so-distant kin traveled this same ground on foot and in wagons while they farmed, raised their families, and went about their daily lives. Wild!
Selfies are not my favorite (I always look like an idiot), but this one isn't terrible if you ignore my crazy eyes. I was really tired...
We actually left RootsTech early so my husband could attend a one-day conference at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The hubs and I met at the Y when we were freshmen, so it's a nostalgic place for us. While he conferenced, I visited one of my favorite venues in Provo:
Pioneer Book is a great little used bookstore. Every year, it hosts a fun reading challenge. You read one book for each of 40 prompts, 8 of which need to be purchased from Pioneer Book. When you finish, you get a $50 gift certificate to be used in the store. Since my husband and/or I generally visit Provo several times a year, I always take on the challenge (although I've yet to actually ever finish it). I'm off to an excellent start this time around and I'm hoping to complete all the prompts by July when I'll be back in town for the 4th.
This might sound like a long-winded travel report (which it kind of is), but it's actually an introduction to my TTT list for this week. The actual topic is Top Ten Bookish People I'd Like to Meet (authors, illustrators, fictional characters, etc.). I'm not much for fangirling, so I decided to spin the topic so I can talk about some of the titles I picked up at Pioneer Book last week instead.
If you want to participate in TTT (and you totally do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the deets.
Top Ten Books I Need to Read for the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
- in no particular order - *asterisks denote titles purchased at Pioneer Book*
1. What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha*—I'd never heard of this book before, but it sounds super interesting. It tells the true story of the doctor who discovered that kids in Flint, Michigan, were getting sick from lead in their drinking water. In order to exact change, she exposed the shocking truth to the world and battled the government to get justice and clean water for her patients.
Prompt: Best Seller Non-Fiction Display
Prompt: Wildcard Upstairs (500+ pages)
3. The Wedding Gift by Marlen Suyapa Bodden*—Set in 1852 Alabama, this hist-fic title is about a Southern belle who receives a valuable wedding gift: a slave, who also happens to be her half-sister. Both women are more than they appear to be, which will make their new life together surprising, tumultous, and transformative.
Prompt: New Arrivals Display Upstairs
4. Lord of the Flies by William Golding—Despite having a degree in English, I'm not big on classics. Thus, I've never actually read this book. I was going to go easy on myself for this prompt and just re-read To Kill a Mockingbird (my favorite novel ever), but I decided to challenge myself a little. The book's short, at least, and I'll be able to finally cross it off my "Books I Should Have Read Already" list. I'm definitely going to look for the pictured edition, too. Stephen King is sure to have some interesting insights into what this book is all about!
Prompt: Time Magazine 100 Best Novels List
5. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China* by Jung Chang—It's no secret that I love family history. Family sagas are my favorite, fictional or otherwise. This book is the latter. It's Chang's exploration of three generations of her family living in 20th Century China.
Prompt: Wildcard Downstairs (500+ Pages)
6. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez—I haven't loved any of the books I've read by this Argentine-American author, but this YA novel is supposed to be her best. It's about an Argentine teenager who is living a double life. At home, she is meek and mild, always careful not to ignite her father's hot temper. On the soccer field, however, she's an unstoppable force. The problem? Her parents—who would be horrified at the idea of their daughter playing fútbol—don't know about her athletic skill. In order to go any further with the sport, she needs their support. Is playing soccer really worth angering her family?
Prompt: Employee Pick Shelf
7. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict*—This novel has been on my TBR list ever since it came out. It concerns Mitza Maric, a talented German physicist whose brilliance was outshone by that of her famous husband, Albert Einstein. Is there room for two geniuses in one marriage?
Prompt: Best Seller Fiction Display
8. Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorah*—As a lifelong member of a religion that many see as extreme and even cultish, I know to take religious memoirs/tell-alls with a very large grain of salt. Still, I find them utterly fascinating. Scorah is a third-generation Jehovah's Witness who experienced a life-altering faith crisis while serving as a clandestine missionary for the faith in China. Being away from home and in a foreign country opened her eyes and widened her worldview, leading her to apostasize from her religion and start life anew.
Prompt: New Arrivals Display Downstairs
9. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles—I've heard nothing but good things about this historical novel. The titular gentleman is Count Alexander Rostov who is sentenced by a Russian tribunal to house arrest at an elegant hotel across the street from the Kremlin. As his physical world shrinks, Rostov's emotional life grows, changing him in surprising ways.
Prompt: Kirkus Prize Winner/Nominee
10. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill—I love me a spine-tingling Gothic ghost story, so I'm all in for this one. It's about a man who travels to the English moors in order to settle the affairs of the recently departed Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. He finds much more than he bargains for, including spooky sounds, a haunted rocking chair, and, of course, the dreaded Woman in Black.
Prompt: Popular book Published in 1983
Have you read any of these? What did you think? Who are the bookish people you'd like to meet? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Monday, March 06, 2023
The Bookish Books Reading Challenge: March Book Ideas and Linkup for Reviews
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I'm a little late with this month's Bookish Books Reading Challenge post. I spent last week freezing in Utah where my husband and I were attending a big genealogy conference. Even with the snow that made the first hour of our drive home a little scary, we had a great time. We learned a lot, visited with friends and family, were entertained by Bono's memoir (We listened to Surrender all the way to Utah and all the way back and we're still not done with it!), and just enjoyed spending time together.
Bookish books were apparently not my priority in February. I did read the first two books in J. Scott Savage's The Lost Wonderland Diaries series. It's a middle-grade fantasy series about two kids who jump into Wonderland via Lewis Carroll's lost diaries. I've never been a big Alice in Wonderland fan, but I still enjoyed these books. They're playful, clever, and fun.
As for March, I'm just about finished with this one:
Murder Off the Books is the third installment in Tamara Berry's cozy By the Book Mystery series. In this newest outing, best-selling mystery writer Tess Harrow is getting ready for the grand opening of the bookstore she's opening in tiny Winthrop, Washington, when an unexpected guest shows up—her mother. Not only that, but she's brought along her new boy toy, who just happens to be an accused murderer. When he ends up dead, Tess's mom becomes a suspect. Can Tess figure out who really killed Levi Parker before her mother winds up in the slammer?
I'm not sure which other bookish books I'm going to pick up this month, but I like the sound of these:
The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes features a triple-timeline narrative that tells the story of three women as they deal with the many conflicts that World War II brings to them individually and collectively.
The Book Haters' Book Club by Gretchen Anthony is about a bookstore that loses its heart when Elliott, its beloved owner dies. Irma, Elliott's grief-stricken business partner, decides to sell the shop, much to the dismay of its loyal patrons, who launch a campaign to save the store they love.
I've had this book out from the library for over a month, so I need to get to it before it comes due.
Have you read any of these? What did you think? What bookish books are on your March reading list?
For those of you who are participating in the Bookish Books Reading Challenge, here's the Mr. Linky to use for linking up March reviews. If you've not yet signed up for the challenge, what are you waiting for? Join us in this low-key challenge that celebrates a genre we all love: books about books. It will be fun, I promise!
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