It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Jan 5

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 New Year, everyone! Hope you enjoyed your holidays. Were you able to relax a bit? Like many, I return to work today. Granted, my schedule is more flexible than others, but I've appreciated having some time to refresh and restore my tired body and soul. 

Here are some recent photos: 

Gifts from one of my real estate clients

Spent a wonderful amount of time

in the kitchen

Travis took over my new basket

Dwight likes my wrapping supplies

Between Christmas and New Year's, I was able to catch up on reading and blogging. 

My review of this Advent devotional by Cynthia Ruchti appears here.

My review of the seasonal romance, Christmas on Reindeer Road by Debbie Mason appears here. 

I am halfway through reading the I Heard The Bells Christmas novella collection by the Fab Four authors. 

I also started Hooked by Cailtin Rother. 

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 downloaded a Kindle freebie a couple of days ago. Doesn't Write Me a Ghost Story by Phillipa Wozniak sound good? 

Myrtle Glubber came to the Hawaiian writers’ retreat looking for sunshine, snacks, and some lighthearted mystery—not an actual corpse.

Instead, the seasoned sleuth and her steadfast sidekick Stanley are swept into a chilling mix of island folklore, ghost stories, and a suspicious group of mystery authors who may be hiding more than plot twists. Before the workshops even begin, a murder shatters the tropical calm, and Myrtle finds herself at the heart of a real-life whodunit. Trapped on the island by a washed-out bridge and surrounded by writers with shifting stories and shady motives, Myrtle must rely on her instincts—and Stanley’s quiet support—as the danger creeps closer. A thoughtful retired detective offers help and history, but even his steady presence can’t protect them from the rising tension… or the next murder.

Can Myrtle unravel the tangled mystery before the killer strikes again?

Rich with ghostly legends, sly humor, and an older heroine who’s still got it, this paranormal cozy is a page-turner for anyone who believes murder and mayhem don’t retire when you do.

Buy this Myrtle Ghost Story today—because on this island, the spirits are restless, and the killer has a deadline.

Upcoming Events

Hooked by Catilin Rother - January (Review)

Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality by John Beilharz - Jan 26 (Interview)

Artsy Rambler by Evy and Rich Journey - Feb 3 (Spotlight)

Winter's Season by R. J. Koreto - Feb 13 (Spotlight)

Hook, Line, and Murder by GG Calpo - Mar 2 (Interview)

Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel - Apr 15 (Review)

Christmas Year Round

At my Christmas blog, I posted my final Christmas... in the news segment for Christmas 2025. I'm thinking of ideas for what to replace it with until Christmas news is plentiful again. You can check it out here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

I shared some of the children's books that are currently on my Kindle. Check them out here. I also linked to my New Year's Day post at Christian Children's Authors. You can find that here.

Laura's Little Houses

My top five favorite episodes from the eighth season of Little House on the Prairie are posted here. 

That's it from me this week. Wishing you a blessed 2026! 

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

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 and comment, and er... add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

It's Monday again! Hope you're having a great day. No time to play in the blogosphere today, so I will keep this short and sweet. 

Reviewed this one on Sunday. Check it out here. 

Read both of these. The reviews are scheduled for later this week at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. 

Finished this one today. 

Have only 17 days to read this one before it expires on NetGalley. 

No listening to this one on Audible last week. Spring market is in full swing. 

These are next. 

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. 

Added nothing new because I need to catch up. 

Upcoming Events

• The Whispering Witch and Nobody Important by Lee J. Martin - Apr 16 & 17 (Review at TC&TBC)
• Only in September by Cynthia Flowers - Apr 23 (Book Blast)
• Stone of Doubt by Margaret Izard - Apr 28 (Interview)
• Cowboy Watch by Petie McCarty - May 1 (Blurb Blitz)
• Surviving the United Nations by Robert Bruce Adolph - May 9 (First Chapter Review)
• Cayman Conundrum by Stacy Wilder - June 11 (First Chapter Review)
• Freedom Drop & Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 18 (Showcase)
• Freedom Drop by Brian Silverman - June 21 (First Chapter Review)
• Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 22 (First Chapter Review)

At Christmas Year Round I shared more Christmas... in the News this week. Check it out here. 

At the Children's and Teens' Book Connection, shared links to children's book fairs and festivals here.

Working on my next post for Laura's Little Houses, and will be posting my review of Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction?: Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Robynne Elizabeth Miller. 

New Arrivals Through Today

 So excited that all my new titles from ThriftBooks.com arrived. Check them out.

The friendship between Dorothy Thompson and Rose Wilder Lane began in 1920 in the publicity office of the American Red Cross in Paris and continued until Thompson's death in 1961. Although both women are today remembered primarily for their connections with others --Thompson as the wife of Sinclair Lewis, and Lane as the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the 'Little House' books --each was remarkable in her own right. Both women had a vital engagement with life that led them in fearless pursuit of experience. In 1939, Thompson appeared on the cover of Time, which judged her second only to Eleanor Roosevelt among influential women of the day. Typical of Lane were her travels through the mountains of Albania, the deserts of Syria, and Soviet Georgia in the 1920s and her visit as a journalist to Vietnam in 1965 at the age of seventy-eight. The correspondence of these two talented and articulate women reveals their personal concerns, social ideas, and political/economic philosophies and how they changed over time. Their letters tell the story of the first generation of women to come of age during the twentieth century, as they tried to cope with problems that women still face today. Along with the letters themselves, Holtz has included annotations and footnotes that provide biographical information, as well as explaining personal and topical references. This description may be from another edition of this product.

In the 1880s, when adventure lay in the conquest of the prairies, David Beaton and his bride came to Dakota to claim three hundred acres of grassland. Rose Wilder Lane tells of their struggle to survive with such force that Free Land has become a classic frontier novel. The young couple experiences cyclones, droughts, and blizzards that isolate them for days in their sod shanty and endanger their livestock. The simple pleasures of home cooking, horse trading, and socializing interrupt work, here described in its wealth of variety. In every detail, Free Land comes to life because Lane grew up in the time and place of which she writes. The book embodies her belief that "living is never easy, that all human history is a record of achievement in disaster, and that our great asset is the valor of the American spirit."

Like the Beatons of this novel, Rose Wilder Lane's parents homesteaded in Dakota. Lane was a successful novelist and journalist when, in the 1930s, she encouraged and helped her mother, Laura Ingalls Wilder, to write the Little House on the Prairie books that were later dramatized for television.

This myth-busting book finally reveals the true story behind the beloved children's classics. Generations of children have fallen in love with the pioneer saga of the Ingalls family, of Pa and Ma, Laura and her sisters, and their loyal dog, Jack. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books have taught millions of Americans about frontier life, giving inspiration to many and in the process becoming icons of our national identity. Yet few realize that this cherished bestselling series wandered far from the actual history of the Ingalls family and from what Laura herself understood to be central truths about pioneer life. In this groundbreaking narrative of literary detection, Christine Woodside reveals for the first time the full extent of the collaboration between Laura and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Rose hated farming and fled the family homestead as an adolescent, eventually becoming a nationally prominent magazine writer, biographer of Herbert Hoover, and successful novelist, who shared the political values of Ayn Rand and became mentor to Roger Lea MacBride, the second Libertarian presidential candidate. Drawing on original manuscripts and letters, Woodside shows how Rose reshaped her mother's story into a series of heroic tales that rebutted the policies of the New Deal. Their secret collaboration would lead in time to their estrangement. A fascinating look at the relationship between two strong-willed women, Libertarians on the Prairie is also the deconstruction of an American myth. 

In Old Home Town, Rose Wilder Lane has recreated small-town society of pre-World War I America with a precise feeling for decorum, dress, and kitchen dialogue. Like Sherwood Anderson in Winesburg, Ohio, she describes a community through the stories of certain memorable citizens. The overlay of nostalgia cannot hide some sharp observations about marriage and women's rights.

Newlyweds Molly and David are only sixteen and eighteen years old when they pack up their wagon and head west across the plains in search of a new homestead. At first their new life is full of promise: The wheat is high, the dugout is warm and cozy, and a new baby is born to share in their happiness. Then disaster strikes, and David must go east for the winter to find work. Molly is left alone with the baby--with nothing but her own courage to face the dangers of the harsh prairie winter.

One of my good friends, who has since passed away, did not like when I began reading material that attempted to dismantle the idea that Laura Ingalls Wilder was the sole writer and editor of her Little House books. William Holtz, editor of Dorothy Thompson & Rose Wilder Lane: Forty Years of Friendship, Letters, 1921-1960, also wrote The Ghost in the Little House. The latter is Holtz's biography of Rose Wilder Lane, and he asserts that she should be credited as a co-author of the Little House books.

Ultimately, we all must judge for ourselves how we feel about Wilder and Lane's collaboration. When I began my Laura's Little Houses blog, the first book I read was The Ghost in the Little House, followed by Free Land and Let the Hurricane Roar/Young Pioneers. That left me with the opinion that while Lane may have heavily edited her mother's books, Wilder is the lone author. I doubt Libertarians on the Prairie will alter that opinion, but I also enjoy exploring different points of view and theories. As I read through these books again, my Laura's Little Houses blog is probably where most of the discussion will take place, though more typical reviews should appear here. 

Book Review: Little House Life Hacks by Angie Baily & Susie Shubert

 

Who knew Little House on the Prairie and the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder held so much wisdom for today's world?

If we look around us, there is a whole movement to get back to the simpler things and ways of living. Trad wives are trending on social media. Some national retailers plan to close on Easter Sunday so their employees can spend time with family and friends. While the quest for work-life balance has been with us since the 70s, the pandemic made us rethink what was important to us, and there has been a post-pandemic push to implement a four-day work week and a renewed focus on health and well-being.

As the blurb for Angie Bailey and Susie Shubert's book Little House Life Hacks states, the authors have compiled "the most crucial takeaways from that world, practical enough to work for pioneering stock and updated for today’s evolving world." With a good dose of humor, historical tidbits, and cherished moments from the Little House on the Prairie television show, Bailey and Shubert share timeless teachings that offer sage advice to modern families. 

There is so much to love and enjoy in Little House Life Hacks. The entire book design is a testament to the pioneering world. From the artwork by Lauren Mortimer to the carefully selected quotes from the show and books to the color scheme. Even the hardcover book's size is a mere 1/4" shy of my Harper & Row Little House books. 

After the authors' note, which talks about how the pandemic found them streaming episodes of Little House on the Prairie and how it led to this joint project, you'll find the authors' goals and hopes for readers of their book, followed by an introduction to the Ingalls family and their neighbors. The book is then broken down into nine separate hacks, with multiple sub-hacks that tie into the subject of the main one. Each sub-hack ends with an "Unpack the Hack" discussion to give the reader an action step or steps.

Little House Life Hacks is an engaging and funny read. The authors did a fine job of accomplishing their goals. I look forward to implementing some of their suggestions and found how they incorporated moments from the show endearing. Fans of Wilder, her work, and the shows based on them, are going to enjoy adding this book to their collection.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Adult (August 22, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0762481994
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0762481996

I bought this book from Barnes and Noble with a gift card. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Books to Film: Scene and Character Changes

As a book lover, how do you feel when scenes or characters are completely changed when the book is adapted to film? 

Take the Loves Comes Softly series. Imagine my surprise when I learned Marty Claridge's (Katherine Heigel's) husband Aaron in the film, was named Clem in Janette Oke's book, and their movie son, named Aaron Luke after his father and Marty's father, was named Claridge "Clare" Luke Davis in the book. 

As the book series continued, Marty and Clark Davis had numerous children--Arnie, Ellie, Luke, and Belinda--and adopted Nandry and Clae Larson. The only two children in the Love Comes Softly movie series were Aaron and Arnie. Though adoption played a role in the movie series, Marty and Clark did not adopt anyone. However, Clark's (Dale Midkiff's) daughter Missie (Erin Cattrell) adopts a girl named Belinda in the movie, Love's Unending Legacy. 

Everyone who is a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder or the classic family television series, Little House on the Prairie, knows Michael Landon strayed far and wide in the TV adaptation, which divides Laura fans into two camps--show lovers and show haters. It also lead Ed Friendly to adapt a mini-series closer to the source material that aired in 2005. 

Having fallen in love with the TV movie version of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea, it shocked me to learn how different Morgan Harris and Anne Shirley's relationship was portrayed in the books. Even Gilbert Blythe's relationship with Christine Stewart made it to film differently. 

What are some great TV/movie adaptations you've enjoyed? What are some you wished had stayed closer to the printed book material? Did any of your favorite book characters not make it onto the screen?

Wilder & Wilder on the Prairie Podcasts

 

Finished the Wilder podcast today. It is a documentary that runs for 10 episodes, plus the introductory episode. Author Glynnis MacNicol looks at Wilder's life and the Little House series through a 21st century lens, exploring...

• if the books stand the test of time,
• if they should still be read to children,
• if the flaws in Laura's narrative, like the derogatory depictions of Blacks and American Indians and the way in which Rose crafted her political messages into the Little House series, means they should be removed from bookshelves, and 
• if those who grew up reading the Little House series feel the same after reading the books as adults.

Other topics that Wilder covers are how much Rose' contributed to her mother's books, the Little House on the Prairie television series starring Michael Landon, and how Laura's books created an entire business empire that flourishes even today. Along the way, the author visited numerous historical sites and held interviews with several people, including Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Gilbert and Caroline Fraser, author of Prairie Fires. 

I also caught up this week with the Wilder on the Prairie podcast. Author Annie Kontor brings listeners back to the Little House books, each show covering one chapter in the book series. The September 11th episode covered chapter 11 from On the Banks of Plum Creek. 

This show is all about Annie's thoughts and research that tie into Laura's books. Show notes will often include photos, links to articles, videos, or recipes. Other than mentioning from time to time when offensive content might appear in a chapter, Annie focuses more on the times in which the books are set, what daily life was like, and other interesting tidbits. 

If you enjoy reviewing history through a more enlightened point of view, Wilder would be a good choice. If you're looking to learn more about Laura's life and times in which she lived, Wilder on the Prairie would be a good choice. Those performing research for school papers might also find Wilder on the Prairie helpful. 

Books for Bonnetheads: Little House Life Hacks by Angie Bailey and Susie Shubert

 

A humorous yet practical book of life lessons from the seminal Little House on the Prairie, blending Laura Ingalls Wilder’s timeless teachings with her surprisingly timely penchant for homesteading, crafting, and the lifestyle we now call Cottagecore. Little House on the Prairie was a childhood TV classic for a generation of kids, and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s novels have never gone out of style for young bookworms. Her stories of her family’s life in the 1870s offer countless gems of wisdom, and many facets of their lifestyle and the skills they relied on have become some of the hottest trends of today, from sourdough bread and modern pioneering to DIY prairie dresses and needlepoint.

Little House Life Hacks playfully compiles the most crucial takeaways from that world, practical enough to work for pioneering stock and updated for today’s evolving world. The Ingalls are the perfect reminders of what’s love, family, community, honest work, and integrity. Alongside the life advice are selected inspirational quotes from the Little House  books and show and fun pop culture tidbits (like that The Rock’s first celebrity crush was original mean girl Nellie Oleson), as well as with meaningful takeaways for creating more balance, wellness, and fun in all aspects of your life. 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Adult (August 22, 2023)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0762481994

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0762481996

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Summer 2023 To-Read List

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.    

Welcome back to Tuesday! I hope you're having a wonderful week so far. This week, Top Ten Tuesday is all about sharing the books on your summer reading list. My reading list is often dictated by review books, but I have a few empty slots I can fill with books I would love to read simply for pleasure or professional development.

What do you think of this list? Have you read any of these? What is one book that is on your list to read this summer?