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.

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.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors

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. 

It is Tuesday again, which means it is time for Top Ten Tuesday. This week's prompt is to share books I want to read by new-to-me authors. Since I read a lot of books by authors who I do know--limited reading time and not wanting to waste it kind of thing--I am reaching outside of my regular lists and TBR pile. 

Top Ten Books I Want to Read by New-to-Me Authors

1. The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
2. Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian
3. Andy Griffith's Manteo by John Railey
4. Receipts from the Bookshop by Katie Clapham
5. Daphne & Me by Jane Leeves
6. The Boy Behind the Wardrobe: How C.S. Lewis Grew Up to Create Narnia by Suzanne Poulter Harris
7. Counting Winter by Nancy White Carlstrom
8. A Christmas Carol Devotional by Rachel Dodge
9. A Betrothed's Betrayal by Deb Marlowe
10. When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

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.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Titles That Include the Word "Hope"

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. 

It is Tuesday again, which means it is time for Top Ten Tuesday. This week's prompt is sharing book titles that include a specific word we choose. Today, I chose "hope" because it appears in the titles of many of the genres I enjoy and is a positive word in a tumultuous world. Here are my...

Top Ten Book Titles That Include the Word "Hope"

1. Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham
2. The Prodigal Son's Holiday Hope by Jill Kemerer
3. Sermonsnacks: Help, Hope, and Encouragement for Today by Don Collette
4. No Hope for Gomez by Graham Parke
5. Because of Bethlehem: Love if Born, Hope is Here by Max Lucado
6. Hope: Indigo Ballet Series by Grier Cooper
7. Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott
8. A Place Called Hope by Philip Gulley
9. A Tapestry of Hope by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller
10. His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham

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.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Make Me Think of Summer & Tell Me Something Tuesday: Do you have any summer plans? If not, what would you like to do?

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. 

Dropping in to say hi and attempt to participate in this week's Top Ten Tuesday. Though we are supposed to share books on our summer to-read lists, I have been in such a reading lull that there seemed to be no value in talking about the same books again. However, I would love to share something I heard while listening to a book yesterday that will forever change how I approach reading. 

While listening to Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman in my car, my ears immediately perked up when he said that instead of seeing the unread books in our TBR piles as sitting in some collection bucket to be emptied, we should treat our TBR piles like a river-- a flowing stream of possibilities you can dip into and choose what you feel like reading, letting the rest float on by. Why have I not thought of this before? Just think how freeing that would be. 

In honor of this new enlightenment, I am simply sharing books that make me think of summer, because vacation is inching closer to reality, and these books make me want to embrace summer even more than I did a week ago.

Top Ten Books That Make Me Think of Summer

1. The Beach Trees by Karen White

2. Sunset on Moonlight Beach by Sheila Roberts

3. Summer of Secrets by Charlotte Hubbard

4. Beach Read by Emily Henry

5. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

6. A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh

7. The Summer of Lost and Found by Mary Alice Monroe

8. The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman

9. The Bookshop by the Shore by Jenny Colgan

10. The Secret Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

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 asks: Do you have any summer plans? If not, what would you like to do?

My goal this first week of summer is to stay out of jail if someone’s chewing is so loud I might commit a felony. Do I sound stressed? 

In all seriousness, I am looking forward to our annual family trip to the Outer Banks. We leave Friday evening, will stay in a hotel, and then finish the trip to the OBX Saturday. That is the joy of taking two weeks off--well, as off as a totally connected real estate agent can pretend to be. But working from the beach house is definitely different. Now, if I learn how to carry back home some of those vacation boundaries and implement them here, I will be much better off. 

How about you? Any plans this summer? Any day trips? Those can't be overrated. They can often be just what we need. Any family reunions in the plans? Inquiring minds want to know. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors & Tell Me Something Tuesday: Which books are you looking forward to reading this Summer? (June-August)

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. 

It's another crazy real estate Tuesday. I am on the road by now, but I look forward to visiting your blogs later. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, we are sharing our favorite books by our favorite authors. I will pretend that doesn't feel like choosing your favorite child.

Top Ten Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors

• A Mother's Gift by Charlotte Hubbard: Though I have loved every book of Charlotte's that I have ever read, this one was so special that it touched my heart in meaningful ways.
• Beyond Me: Living A You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias: The first book that connected me with one of the most talented authors in Christian writing. This true call to discipleship is life-changing.
• A Christmas Journey Home, also by Kathi Macias: This novel is as timely today as it was back then. 
• No Bells by F. M. Meredith (also known as Marilyn Meredith): Love that my favorite member of the Rocky Bluff P.D., Gordon Butler, is the focus. 
• Dispel the Mist by Marilyn Meredith: This book features the Hairy Man, a Native American Bigfoot. 
• The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Seeing Almanzo Wilder as a hero makes my heart flutter, but this is my favorite because it shines a light on the dangers pioneers faced. 
• Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery: It is in this third book of the AOGG series that Anne realizes she loves Gilbert.
• Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott: Of the three favorite authors of my childhood, Alcott is not as beloved as the first two. [Cheryl ducks to avoid virtual tomatoes.]  However, I enjoyed this book the most because Jo has matured but is still herself. 
• The Lost Hours by Karen White: I fell in love with Karen's books even harder with this novel. It blends friendship, tragedy, and a quest for the truth.
• Strong from the Heart by Jon Land: Have loved this series since I started reading it, but in this one, Catilin is so human as she battles demons from her past, deals with her half-sister, and so much more. She can always kick butt, but here we get closer and more personal with her. Oh, and more Colonel Paz is often a good thing. 

Note: Linked many of these to reviews, but all the giveaways are long over. 

Thanks to Freepik (now Magnific) for the image

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 asks: Which books are you looking forward to reading this Summer? (June-August).

Should I answer all the books I buy but never read? At least when the Lil' Princess spends $10 on a Kindle download, she reads it. My book-buying ban failed this year, so I am not paying attention anymore. 

So, what am I excited to read this summer...

• The three books in Bull Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series
• Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts
• Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the second in her Katrina & Goode series.
• At least one book by local authors that I grabbed at recent book events
• One book from my TBR Pile

Now, will I likely get to all these? No. Not if real estate keeps up at this pace. Retirement is getting closer all the time. :) 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Flowery Books & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What's a skill you'd like to master?

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! This week, as expected, will be hectic. We arrived home yesterday, and I am playing catch-up from being gone. Here are a couple of photos from our trip to see the Lil' Princess:

Me, Hubby, Lil' Princess, Lil' Diva, & the Son-in-Love after Pinning

Together again the night of graduation. She is officially a UNCW alumna! 

This week, Top Ten Tuesday is celebrating May Flowers, the companion to April Showers. Here are my...

Top Ten Favorite Flowery Books

The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook by Kate Macdonald

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher

204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber

A Mother's Love by Charlotte Hubbard

Return to Tradd Street by Karen White

The Lost Hours by Karen White

Growing a Mother's Heart by Karen Whiting

The Madhatter's Guide to Chocolate by Rhett Devane

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Thanks to Freepik for the image

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 asks an intriguing question this week: What's a skill you'd like to master? 

This is such a long list for me because there are days when I feel so... lacking. However, if I had to choose one, I would choose active listening. I am a talker, and not such a great listener. Bad thing for my job and life in general. People can't feel heard if they don't believe you are listening, but it's like my mind goes a mile a minute, and thoughts race through my head when people are talking, and they come out whether I want them to or not. I think my brain needs a chill pill. LOL!

That's it for me this week. I will be on the road most of the day, but I will check in with you all later. 

Top Ten Tuesday & Tell Me Something Tuesday: How do you like to celebrate your birthday?

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 is here again, and I am still trying to catch up from last week. Two more unexpected real estate blessings came my way yesterday, so it is 1:00 am on Tuesday morning, and I still haven't finished my work. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday sounds like a fun topic: April Showers. I just don't have time to participate. Hope you all enjoy touring the blogosphere to visit others. 

Thanks to Freepik for the image

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.

How do I celebrate my birthday? Usually, we are in the Outer Banks or driving home from the Outer Banks, so it involves a meal out, maybe a small treat, and gifts from the family. We should be home for this birthday, so I don't know if anything will be different. Either way, it's good to make it through another year with good health, a wonderful family, and all my wits about me. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Titles with Ordinal Numbers and Tell Me Something Tuesday: If you could have any celebrity be your best friend, who would you pick?

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! In honor of our springlike temperatures, I gave the blog an update. I'm done with winter, even though snow is likely in the forecast for next week. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is about titles with ordinal numbers. Ashamed to admit I had to look up what that meant, but math has never been my strength. Here is my list of...

Top Ten Book Titles

 with Ordinal Numbers

1. The First Fall by Erin Flanagan
2. The Third Girl by Agatha Christie
3. The First Actress by C.W. Gortner
4. The Fourth Grade Fuss by Johanna Hurwitz
5. The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
6. The Second Chance Supper Club by Nicole Meier
7. The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck
8. The Seventh Survivor by Rachel Amphlett
9. The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner 
10. The Sixth Lamentation by William Brodrick

Thanks to Freepik for the image

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 asks an intriguing question today: "If you could have any celebrity be your best friend, who would you pick?" 

There are so many who would make wonderful choices: 

• Sandra Bullock for her honesty, 
• Kelly Clarkson because she is so sweet and kind, 
• Dolly Parton because she offers sage advice, 
• Donnie Wahlberg because he acts all tough but has a soft side. 

If I chose a celebrity I've met, I would go with Alison Arngrim. Yes, it's nasty Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie. She is amazing in person; so sweet and funny and unbelievably smart. I try to connect with her at any reunion I attend, but sometimes I run out of time. Dean Butler's line is always incredibly long, and he is first on my list. She is coming to Massachusetts this year, and I won't be here. I'm so bummed. But I will keep my eye out for more appearances in my area. 

Who is a celebrity you would like as a best friend or one you have met in person? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Quotes About Books & Reading & Tell Me Something Tuesday: Which Books are You Looking Forward to Reading This Spring? (March-May)

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. 

We have landed on the last Tuesday of February. March is just around the corner. Hopefully, it brings spring with it. I'm done with snow for the season. At least the storm ended on Monday instead of making its way through this morning. 

Monday, Feb 22

Top Ten Tuesday is asking us to share quotes from or about books. I've created numerous posts since 2016 about quotes coming from books, so I opted to share quotes about books, even if it is a character talking about reading. 

Top Ten Quotes about Books & Reading

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." — Groucho Marx 

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” 

― Stephen King

“No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” ― C.S. Lewis 

“The odd thing about people who had many books was how they always wanted more.” 

― Patricia A. McKillip

“Let's be reasonable and add an eighth day to the week that is devoted exclusively to reading.”

― Lena Dunham

“There is no scent so pleasant to my nostrils as that faint, subtle reek which comes from an ancient book.” ― Arthur Conan Doyle

“It is a most wonderful comfort to sit alone beneath a lamp, book spread before you, and commune with someone from the past whom you have never met.”

― Yoshida Kenkō

“There is this idea that you either read to escape or you read to find yourself. I don't really see the difference. We find ourselves through the process of escaping.”

― Matt Haig

“She was still clutching the book. She was holding desperately on to the words who had saved her life.” ― Markus Zusak

“As I go to bed, I think how awful it would be to die in the middle of reading a good novel.” ― Valérie Perrin

Thanks to Freepik for the image

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.

This week's Tell Me Something Tuesday asks: Which books are you looking forward to reading this Spring? (March-May). I might have posted something like this already, so I am going to focus solely on the cozy mystery genre. 

Death Wasn't Invited by Carlene O'Connor is a new historical mystery series. I love historical mysteries, though I haven't read one lately. This book is due out in March. 

In April, the second book in Lynn Cahoon's Bainbridge Island Mystery series, Confessions of an Amateur Sleuth, will release. 

Lastly, though this series is now up to 31 books with Ode to the Bones by Carolyn Haines coming in May, and another book due out in October, I've never read her Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries series. I am always open to trying a new book, even if I haven't read earlier titles. 

I have a meeting this morning, but I look forward to seeing what you shared on your blogs today.