Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Like to Re-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.    

Welcome back to Tuesday! Today, we're discussing books we'd like to re-read. Before life became so crazy, I used to re-read some books every year. Not sure when that will happen again, but if it did, here are the books I would indulge in.

I waited so long to read the Harry Potter series. Now, I would love the time to read it all over again. 

The Greatest Miracle in the World was the first book by Og Mandino that I read. This is the one on my list that I could have the opportunity to re-read because his books are short. 

Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown introduced me to her writing. This is such a great series that I am ready to read it again. 

I used to read the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery every year. Would love to read all eight books again. 

I loved Sarah Miller's Caroline, which tells the story of Caroline Quiner Ingalls. It is so well-told, I would love to read it again. 

Shades of Gray by Jessica James is one of my favorite Civil War novels. I'm overdue to read it again.

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough is another book I used to read once a year. I am long overdue to re-read it.

The Left Behind series is one of my all-time favorites. It's the last series I recall waiting eagerly for the next book to come out. I haven't read it in decades, but I would like to see if I still love it as much as I did back then. 

I read the American Bicentennial series by John Jakes in high school. Wonder if I would love it just as much now. 

Mrs. Tom Thumb was the first book I read by Melanie Benjamin. Would love to read it again. 

Have you read any on my list? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books You'd Be a Fool Not to 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.    

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to April! Will you play pranks on people today? I don't get into April Fool's Day much, but this week's topic sounds like a fun one. We are sharing our...

Top Ten Books You'd Be a Fool Not to Read

The Lost Hours is one of Karen White's earliest books, and I found it to be one of the most stirring. It tells the story of a six-year-old girl who goes to live with her grandparents after her parents die. She and her grandfather bury a box in the backyard one day, which after her grandparents' deaths, the now adult woman will go back to find, uncovering family secrets in her quest for the truth. 

Saffron Dreams tells the story of a pregnant Muslim artist and writer living in New York City with her husband. On the morning of September 11, 2001, he leaves for work and never returns. Discovering his unfinished manuscript, she is on a mission to finish his book while living in a city that suddenly sees her as the enemy. This is one of the most powerful stories I've ever read.

This is one of my favorite novels by Kathi Macias. My Son, John tells the story of the brutal murder of a beloved grandmother and the upheaval of a family when a treasured son is accused of causing his grandmother's death. This book is an emotional roller coaster. 

Beyond the Code of Conduct by K. M. Daughters is the second book in Sullivan Boys series. It brings two characters with a history back together, forcing them to work undercover, which is bound to bring up old feelings. This romantic suspense novel had such an amazing ending that I read the last chapter three times. 

The funny and talented Alison Arngrim played nasty Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. In this hilarious, irreverent, and courageous memoir, Arngrim talks about everything, including how playing Nellie and being on the hit show helped her survive childhood physical and sexual abuse. Confessions of a Prairie Bitch remains one of my favorite cast memoirs. 

Though I have enjoyed many books by Jerome Charyn, by far my favorite is the fictional story of Massachusetts writer and poet Emily Dickinson. The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson portrays her as a passionate, witty woman who lived an amazing life despite the confines of society. 

The Portrait by late author Hazel Staham is such a moving story. Both main characters end their engagement for different reasons. When fate is determined to bring them back together because of a family incident, they struggle to deny their feelings for each other. The author takes a good deal of time exploring the many facets of these characters, which makes their reunion that much more satisfying. 

I had already read books by Heather Haven before she sent me Death of A Clown. This remains one of my favorites. It is a murder mystery with a surprise ending. The author's parents were part of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, which I feel makes this book and its characters so real for the reader. 

This has to be one of the most fascinating stories that ties into Laura Ingalls Wilder lore. Pioneer Girl by Bich Minh Nguyen is a masterfully told heartrending and inspiring story of one woman's journey to find her place within her family and to boldly embrace the future. A brooch the main character believes was left in Saigon by an American reporter is what spurs her search. This was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. Loved everything about this book.

I hadn't read a Gothic novel in a while before embarking upon The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright. This is a dual-time novel featuring two women connected by a mysterious castle. This novel offers Christian suspense, superb writing, strong female characters, and an unexpected ending that will knock your socks off. 

What are your thoughts on this list? Have you read any of them? What is a book you could recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books of 2022

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 to the first Top Ten Tuesday of 2023. I hope you had a nice holiday. This week's topic features our favorite books of 2022. There was a time when I read and blogged about more than a 100 books in a year, but I don't read as much these days. I completed my 2022 Goodreads Challenge, which had 40 books. I read 43. So, this week's topic might not be overly impressive, but it still includes some great books.

Favorite Seasonal Fiction

Favorite Amish Fiction

Favorite Historical Novel

Favorite Cozy Mystery

Favorite Writing Craft Book

Favorite Children's Books

Favorite Leadership Book

Favorite Thriller

Favorite Inspirational Fiction

Did you read any of these? What were some of your favorites from 2022?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten+ Books I Loved So Much They Earned Space on My Bookshelves

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 another Top Ten Tuesday. This week's topic is "Books I Loved So Much I Had to Get a Copy for My Personal Library." I don't borrow a lot of books. I want to own them. Then I donate them to library books sales if I don't want to keep them. I also find that 15 years of blogging has led to me having so many books that I don't visit the library as often as I used to. Maybe once I retire I'll have more reading time and will borrow more books. 

All that to say that because I usually buy my books or get them through blogging, I need to be selective about what earns a spot on my bookshelves. I couldn't leave some of my favorites out, even though I don't mention some of my longtime favorites. So, here are the...

Top Ten+ Books I Loved So Much They Earned Space on My Bookshelves

I have kept every single book by Charlotte Hubbard/Naomi King that I've read. These are the books that got me into Amish fiction.

I totally loved this book. It's hard for me to dislike a Christmas story, but this one is special. 

I also keep all of my Duffy Brown books. Her cozies are so much fun.

Any book by Marilyn Meredith, AKA F.M. Meredith, stays on my bookshelf. 

On Strike for Christmas was the first book by Sheila Roberts that I read. I've kept every book since.

When I worked in book promotion, John Tippets was one of the authors I worked with. This is the story of his father's survival. It is an amazing story that I am honored to give space to on my shelves. 

The House on Tradd Street  might not be the first book of Karen White's that I read. It's been so long, I can't remember. But, this author's books adorn space on my shelves. 

What the Bishop Saw is definitely not the first book by Vannetta Chapman that I've read, but it is one of my favorite books of hers. I keep her books on my shelves as well.

Though I have not kept up with The Daughters of the Mayflower series, I have each of the books I've read and will add more to my shelves as I have time to read them.

The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson is one of the most touching stories of the Christmas season. The cover is so pretty that I often display this book around the holidays.

Kathi Macias was one of the first authors I worked with in book promotion. I have loved every book by her that I've read, and they hold a special spot on my bookshelf with other Christian materials. 

When I first embarked upon my writing career, I belonged to a forum with other writers. That is where I met Rhett Devane and how I wound up reading her books. That was around 2005, and I still have each one of them.

That rounds out this week's list. Have you read any of these? What are some authors who made your list?

Top Ten Tuesday: Catch Me Next Week

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. 

I am volunteering today at a meal serve program in Franklin County, so I won't  be participating in this week's Top Ten Tuesday. The topic is "Books Too Good To Review Properly." There are likely books in this category for me to share, but I can't say that's been the case lately, and I couldn't think of a different idea for a topic. I will, however, share a list of favorites through the years.

Favorite Books in 2020 

Favorite Books 2018

2015 Year in Review featuring my favorite book of the year 

Favorite Books of 2014

Favorite Books of 2013

Favorite Books of 2012

Favorite Books of 2011

Favorite Books of 2009

Favorite Books of 2008

Musing Mondays - May 9

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's new blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What is the best book you read LAST year?

Well, this shouldn't be too hard to figure out since my reading is so much less the past two years than it used to be. Sigh!

There were actually two books that were my favorite in 2015--for very different reasons: one because of the author's steady work in and knowledge of the genre she writes, and the other, because she went outside of her comfort zone and tried a different style in a genre she has already established herself in. The second author is today's pick.

Why I love Heather Haven's work: Strong female leads are her trademark and she creates them well. 

How is Death of a Clown similar to her previous work?

In creating Jeri Deane she stayed true to her trademark. Whether or not her main characters realize their strength all the time, it is there. In this book, Haven truly got into Jeri's head and dissected everything she feels, creating one of my favorite characters.

How is Death of a Clown different from her previous work?

Everything else I have read by Haven has been light and funny. Her main characters are sarcastic, witty young women who kick ass. While murder is a serious business, in Haven's other books there isn't the intense drama and powerful nature that is found within Death of a Clown. This book is set at a circus during World War II. Since the author is the daughter of former circus performers, this also allows her tap into that family history to create a book whose setting is equally as well-drawn as her characters.

You can learn more about the author at http://heatherhavenstories.com/

What was your favorite book from 2015?

Favorite Reads of 2014

Thanks to my return to the workforce, I didn't come close to meeting my reading goals for this year. I'm still grateful for the books that got read--some of which I am hoping to review before the end of the year.

Most of the books I read in 2014 were in the children's or young adult categories, so I didn't make a list of favorites for this blog. Here are a couple I truly enjoyed:

Holidays on this Massachusetts island are nothing short of magical, and the season’s wonderful traditions are much loved by Nicole Somerset, new to Nantucket and recently married to a handsome former attorney. Their home is already full of enticing scents of pine, baking spices, and homemade pie.

But the warm, festive mood is soon tempered by Nicole’s chilly stepdaughter, Kennedy, who arrives without a hint of holiday spirit. Determined to keep her stepmother at arm’s length—or, better yet, out of the picture altogether—Kennedy schemes to sabotage Nicole’s holiday preparations. Nicole, however, is not about to let anyone or anything tarnish her first Christmas with her new husband.

While filming a movie on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, the film crew trespasses on sacred ground, threats are made against the female stars, a missing woman is found by the Hairy Man, an actor is murdered, and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has no idea who is guilty. Once again, the elusive and legendary Hairy Man plays an important role in this newest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

What are some of your favorite reads from this year?