Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I HAD to Have Immediately but Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Tuesday has arrived again, and with it, our fun weekly meme, Top Ten Tuesday. Today's prompt includes a bit of shame. These are books we had to have right away, but we still haven't made it around to reading them. My list for this one well exceeds ten. I seem to be a book collector and not much of a book reader lately. 

Top Ten Books I HAD to Have Immediately but Still Haven't Read

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy

The Pioneers by David McCullough

The Man Who Invented Christmas by 

Les Standiford

From Little Houses to Little Women by

Nancy McCabe

Pioneer Girl Perspectives edited by

Nancy Tystad Koupal

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter by Melissa Francis

Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman

Photo credit to articular on Magnific (formerly FreePik)

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Dashing Through the Snow by Cindy Goyette

Today's First Chapter Review comes to you from Partners in Crime Tours, who is hosting Cindy Goyette and Dashing Through the Snow, the second book in her Wiggle Butt Manor mystery series.

BLURB: Murder is under the mistletoe in the peaceful island community of Orca Cove. Holiday plans are put on hold to give attention to the grand opening of the Wiggle Butt Manor Agility Course. Special guest Bentley is supposed to dazzle on the stage, but the locals have had enough of his snooty trainer, Miles Collins. So has his killer. When Charlie Calderbank finds Miles’ body in the back of her moving van, it becomes the season of giving…alibis, that is. Her hopes for a Christmas romance are dashed when the local hot cop is forced to pay more attention to the clues leading to her door than the chemistry that simmers between them.

Tainted treats, a widow who raises a toast along with a few eyebrows, a groomer with a grudge, an angry Santa Claus, a nosy reporter, and a canine custody hearing have Charlie spinning in every direction, juggling clues, dogs, and blizzards. She must identify the killer, or she’ll spend her Christmas behind bars.

COVER: Such a cute cover with the two dogs and the winter scene with the small town covered in snow.

FIRST CHAPTER: It is the opening day of the Wiggle Butt Manor Agility Course and festival featuring all kinds of fun things. Charlie is glad to be back in Orca Cove for good, but she needs to find a place to live, and there is that odd maybe yes, maybe no thing going on with Nick. When Bentley and his annoying owner arrive, there is sure to be trouble. 

KEEP READING: That is affirmative! What a cute story. I'm not always drawn to mysteries featuring animals. Here, they blend right into the storyline nicely. Told from Charlie's first-person point of view, you get a glimpse into what she is dealing with and a hint of romance with Nick. It is plain to see that Bentley's owner is going to stir things up. I look forward to reading more. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H5Z83ZT5
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Level Best Books
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8898202675

I received a digital copy from the author through Partners in Crime Tours. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule 

 

Mistletoe & Mayhem: Christmas in July Giveaway:

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Cindy Goyette. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

DASHING THROUGH THE SHOW by Cindy Goyette | Gift Cards

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Jul 27

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

We are settling on the last Monday of July today. How is summer moving so quickly? Before we know it, the local kids will be back in school. 

Another zany week in real estate, but lots of good things too. This week might be more manageable. 

Here are a few recent photos:

Travis and Dwight 

Friday night out

Me preparing to record for the Bucket List Challenge

Theo finds grooming exhausting

Two gifts I bought from Modern Prairie to treat myself

In my reading world, I had finished The Ledger by Steven Manchester earlier. You can find my review here.

 Did not touch The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller, and I wonder if I will get to it. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River last week. 

I read some of Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts. 

Need to get moving on Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked.

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started.

Also need to read:

• A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge
• The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
• Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DRPH
• Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

This week, two hardcover copies of books I own on Audible arrived, both by Oliver Burkeman: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals and Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts. 

Upcoming Events

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - TBD (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - TBD (Review)

Christmas Year Round

This week's Journey through Christmases Past post is about Christmas 1783, the first Christmas as an independent nation. You can find that here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

At The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, I reviewed In the Wide, Wild World by Natalie Horseman. You can read that here.

Laura's Little Houses

I am talking about the new Little House on the Prairie adaptation this week. You can see my comments here. No real spoilers here if you haven't watched it yet. 

That's it for me. I am feeling more accomplished, but still have a way to go if I plan to hit my reading goal this year. See you around the blogosphere!

Book Review: The Ledger by Steven Manchester

 

Steven Manchester is back with another heart-wrenching novel, this one set in a penitentiary in the mid-1990s. The Ledger, a companion to his novel The Menu, follows three different points of view from within the penitentiary in a story about forgiveness, grace, and redemption. Drawing on his years working as a Corrections Officer and prison investigator, Manchester weaves a tale that he says is the "most reality-based fiction I have ever penned." 

In The Ledger, the lives of inmate Roy Dagnault, prison guard Yanchuk, and Sergeant Jim Medeiros intersect within the walls of a medium-security prison, where bad choices, tough times, and danger swirl around them. Medeiros knows Yanchuk is trouble as much as he knows Dagnault deserves to be there. Meanwhile, Jim's mental health is suffering, as are his relationships with Kay and his daughter Heather. Can God be found in such a dark place? 

If you are looking for a quick, light read, don't pick up Manchester's books. All of his books that I have read unfold slowly and methodically, giving the reader time to think about their messages and process their emotions right alongside the characters. Known as an author of powerfully written Christian stories, he digs into his prior work experience for The Ledger, allowing him to draft an edgy novel that feels too real, which also makes the ending so superb. While I felt the ending was rushed when compared to the rest of the story, getting to that point was rewarding.

If you like gritty Christian novels, then The Ledger is the right book for you.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GYX8M1FN
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Luna Bella Media, Incorporated
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 390 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8999472021

I received a digital copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Books I Wish I'd Discovered Sooner

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Today is Wednesday, which means it is time for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge. I may not have replied to any of your comments from last week yet. So sorry if that is the case. Real estate is keeping me up late at night and getting up early in the morning. Send some good wishes and prayers my way that things slow down to a manageable level. 

This week's prompt asks us to share Books I Wish I'd Discovered Sooner. Here are a few:

Harry Potter - I've discussed this before. I don't read highly popular books and series. I am not a follower. The final movie had been out for four years before I stopped by the library to grab the first book in this series. Then I listened to them in quick succession in my car as I drove around to appointments. 

Murder, She Wrote - I loved the show, but I never indulged in a book until Jon Land, one of my favorite authors, took over after Donald Bain passed away. Land wrote six Murder, She Wrote books. I read his last two.

Cedar Cove - This is a series I knew about, but I find it disheartening to start a new-to-me series when so many books have been written. It was the Hallmark Channel television series that got me into reading these books. I've only read the first three books and one of the Christmas novels. 

I would be remiss if I didn't add Amish novels by Charlotte Hubbard. I first read Charlotte's work in 2012, when she also wrote Amish novels under the pen name Naomi King. As far as I know, I didn't miss any of her novels from that point on until her retirement. I still miss her work. 

That's it for me. I will try my best to visit your blogs by the end of the week. Appreciate your visits and comments. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Live in My Head Rent-Free

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Happy Tuesday! Hope your week is going great. Still in real estate hell, so say a prayer for me. Saw the doctor yesterday. Guess what? I am allergic to a lot of stuff. I could have told them that. At least I know most of what I am allergic to now. Also had more bloodwork drawn for more specific triggers. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is about: 

• Books you can’t stop thinking about
• Books that left a lasting emotional impact
• Books you quote, reference, or mentally revisit
• Books that shaped your perspective or imagination

This should be an easy one. Let's see. 

Top Ten Books That Live in My Head Rent Free

Joshua by Joseph F. Girzone: If you ever wondered what would happen if Jesus returned to live among us, this is a book you might want to consider. Loved all of the Joshua books. The author was a Catholic priest dedicated to making Jesus better known throughout the world.

The Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino: While all of Mandino's books are thought-provoking, this remains my favorite. It features the "Memorandum from God," which you are meant to recite daily. This memo helped me through a dark period of life.

Beyond Me: Living A You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias: I read this book early on in my blogging adventures. It's how Kathi and I became such good friends. A true call to discipleship, her unique approach to well-known Scripture was refreshing and renewed my interest in Bible reading. 

Co-Created: The Cultural Strategy That Redefined PacSun by Brieane Oleson: This book is all about being a relationship-focused, purpose-driven business. What happened at PacSun became a Harvard Business School Case Study. 

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life: Flip That Switch NOW! by Bob Proctor: I was fascinated by this book when I first listened to it. Proctor reminds us that the only thing we can change is ourselves, and in understanding that, we can change our lives.

Dad's Runaway Butt by Dawn McMillian: This book reminded me how good it is to laugh. The cover caught my eye, and I read it in the middle of Target. I laughed so hard that tears were streaming down my face. I can't stop giggling every time I think of it. 

The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson: This book is about the impact of grief and how sometimes it takes a community to help a family heal. 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: As I stated in this post from a "Journey Through Christmases Past" article, Dickens showed us what a world without charity, kindness, generosity, and social responsibility looked like. This one book gave Christmas its spirit. 

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough: This book proves that forbidden love and generational trauma create an enduring story, and how ambition can be both wonderful and destructive. 

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder: This book shows that sometimes the hero really is just a shy, quiet guy who is motivated by doing the right thing without expecting any reward. 

Photo credit to articular on Magnific (formerly FreePik)

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Jul 20

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a great week. I'm still playing catch-up because I was living in real estate hell last week. However, I did have two closings last week that went smoothly. I also managed to get to the lab on Friday for my bloodwork to see if they can figure out what is going on with me. 

Today, I will start the day by taking Theo to his least favorite place on Earth--the vet. He gets a monthly allergy shot. Then I have a meeting, and in the afternoon, I follow up with my doctor. I'm still working on an issue for work as well. 

Saw this old restaurant booth in a house last week. It is always cool to stumble upon these treasures. 

In my reading world, I wrote a review of Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. I ordered a printed copy of this and Burkeman's first book, Four Thousand Weeks. You can find my review here.

Did not touch The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller, and I wonder if I will get to it. 

I am done with The Ledger by Steven Manchester, a companion to his novel The Menu. Look for my review soon. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River last week. 

I read some of Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts. 

I wrote a First Chapter Review of Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked. You can read that review here.

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started.

I reviewed Max and Her Stacks by Joyce McCullough at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. Look for my review link below. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I was approved for these two books by publishers on NetGalley:

A Christmas Carol Devotional: 

25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic

by Rachel Dodge

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

Hank also sent me his newest beginner's guide for writers to review:

Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant 

by Hank Quense

Upcoming Events

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - TBD (Review)

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - TBD (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - TBD (Review)

Christmas Year Round

This week's Journey through Christmases Past post isn't up yet. Hopefully, tomorrow. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

At The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, we celebrated 17 years of blogging. I also posted a review of Max and Her Stacks by Joyce McCullough. You can read that review here.

Laura's Little Houses

Still nothing new here. Maybe Wednesday. Depends on how this week turns out.

It's nice to see some books come off my list. I'm tired of sharing the same ones week after week. Looking forward to reading your posts.