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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


32 / 30 books. 107% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (2)
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- Louisiana (1)
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- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
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- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
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- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (21)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


49 / 50 books. 98% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


26 / 25 cozies. 104% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


22 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 84% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


41 / 100 books. 41% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


97 / 109 books. 89% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


130 / 165 books. 79% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


83 / 100 names. 83% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 80 skills. 13% done!
Tuesday, April 18, 2017

TTT: They Get Me Every Time (Part II)

It's been awhile since I did a Top Ten Tuesday, but I love this week's topic, so here I am. If you want to join in with this fun weekly meme (and you totally should), click on over to The Broke and the Bookish and read up on how to participate.  Then, craft your own post, share it with the world, and get ready to find some great new book blogs and get lots of reading inspiration!  What are you waiting for?  Go.  Now.  Seriously.  Go!

This week's topic is Top Ten Words/Topics That Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book.  It was originally introduced back on April 30, 2013.  Reading over my TTT post from that day, I realize how little my reading tastes have changed over the last four years.  I still like what I like.  So, here are the top words/topics that will entice me to pick up a book pretty much every time, some of which will be repeats from my original post:

1.  Creepy old houses with mysterious pasts.  There's something about this topic that I just can't resist.  Favorite book(s) in this category: anything by Kate Morton

2.  Adoption.  Ever since we adopted our youngest child 8 1/2 years ago, I've read everything I can find about adoption.  Fiction, non-fiction, doesn't matter.  I find the topic endlessly fascinating.  Favorite book(s) in this category:  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery; How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr; A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierly 

3.  Racial Identity/books featuring biracial characters.  Since my adopted daughter is biracial, I also read everything I can find about racial identity.  I'm as white as I could possibly be, so this isn't a subject I know much about.  By exploring it, I hope I can help my daughter understand and celebrate her unique ethnic background.  Favorite book(s) in this category:  Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda; Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson; Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

4.  Books about books.  What bibliophile could possibly resist this topic?  Favorite book(s) in this category:  The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak; The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee; The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

5.  "Psychological Thriller."  What can I say?  If a book is labeled as such, there's an excellent chance I'll snatch it right up.  Favorite book(s) in this category:  What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan; The Hollow City by Dan Wells; anything by Sharon Bolton

6.  Coming home.  I'm a sucker for novels about damaged people coming home to heal.  They can be cheesy, sure, but those that are done well hit me right in the heart.  Favorite book(s) in this category: pretty much anything by Karen White or Kate Morton

7.  Family Secrets.  Oh, how I love a novel with some juicy skeletons hiding in the closet!  Favorite book(s) in this category:  Again, just about anything by Karen White or Kate Morton

8.  The Titanic.  I don't know why, but this is another subject that totally fascinates me.  Favorite book(s) in this categoryThe Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf and The Midnight Watch by David Dyer

9.  Mormon/LDS.  As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Mormon pioneer ancestry, I have a natural interest in the history, culture, and legacy of my church.  I'm especially intrigued by books about Mormonism written by people who are not members.  There are a lot (a lot) of false ideas out there about us and it's intriguing to read about others' perceptions of us.  I'm also interested in LDS history, doctrine, contemporary novels, etc.  Favorite book(s) in this category:  At the Pulpit by Jennifer Reeder and Kate Holbrook (eds.) and Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison

10.  Pioneers/Oregon Trail/Old West.  Closely related to #9 is my fascination with pioneers, especially those who settled the American West.  You don't grow up Mormon without hearing an abundance of pioneer stories, through which you learn to appreciate all these people suffered and survived in the name of adventure, religious freedom, and Westward Expansion.  Favorite book(s) in this category:  The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder; These Is My Words and its sequels by Nancy E. Turner; The Gold Seer trilogy [Walk On Earth a Stranger; Like a River Glorious; Into the Bright Unknown] by Rae Carson   

So, what words or subjects always get you to pick up a book?  What do you think of mine?  Which favorite books do you have in the categories I listed?  Now that you know what I like, hit me up with some great reading recommendations!  If you comment, I'll be sure to return the favor.

Happy TTT!

43 comments:

  1. Anne of Green Gables is my absolute favorite, and the Books about Books category gets me every time. I love ALL of them. Great picks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! What's more fun than reading a book about BOOKS?

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  2. Books about books and LDS books are one of my things too :) Such fun picks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which are your favorite LDS books? I'm always looking for good ones ...

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  3. I love anything by Kate Morton too which is making me think I need to try Karen White.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love ALL of Kate Morton's books and I like MOST of Karen White's books. They have similar themes (although White's are always set in the American South), but Morton's the better writer, IMHO.

      Delete
  4. I LOVE old house books! If there's a mention of an old house I'm in and family secrets and coming home are also some of my favorite topics. Really if all of those things can be combined it's almost guaranteed to be one of my favorites of the year! A book about books is one of my favorites too. I can never resist them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? So, the perfect formula for a book is someone coming home to an old house full of family secrets! Yep, I'd say that's about right :)

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    2. Perfect formula! I think I'm going to start plotting a new book idea . . . :-)

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    3. You definitely should, Kimberley! You know I'll read anything you write, but I do think this is a winning formula :)

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  5. Books about books, family secrets and psychological thrillers are all things I LOVE. The twists in thrillers are my favorite :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, me too! I'm pretty gullible, so I fall for a lot of plot twists that I should have seen coming. Maybe that's why I like crime novels and psychological thrillers so much -- I'm always fooled :)

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  6. I'm with you on creepy old houses and books about books! I can't resist those either. :)

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  7. Books about books - YES! And I love how you gave examples of books you love in each catagory.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! My 41-year-old memory had a tough time coming up with some of those books. It's hard to remember everything I've read :)

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  8. For books about books - have you ever read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry? Such a great story about a bookseller....and lots of discussion about books obviously.

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  9. This isn't related to books exactly, but when I read your mention of the Oregon Trail I had to laugh because I just bought the Oregon Trail card game and it's hilarious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to play that game on the computer when I was a kid! My niece brought the card game with her when she and her family came at Thanksgiving time and all the kids had a BLAST playing it. They kept chanting, "Cho-le-ra! Cho-le-ra!" It was so funny.

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    2. What's your blog URL? I don't see it in your profile and I'd love to check it out.

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  10. Oh gosh yes, BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS! As I am reading over the lists of others, I am reminded of categories I love that I managed to leave off my list. Great list!

    https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.blogspot.com/2017/04/top-ten-tuesday.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here! There are tons of subjects and words/phrases that grab me every time. I probably could have listed 100!

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    2. Oh, easily! I might have to do a follow up post because I forgot three very obvious categories for me: the Easter Rising, city biographies, and sports-related books (mainly college basketball)

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  11. I completely forgot about books about books. Loved The Book Thief and another great one was The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson.

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    1. I haven't read THE BOOKSELLER. I'll have to add it to my TBR mountain chain. Thanks for the rec!

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  12. I also like books about books. I just read The Book Thief last week, finally. Other bookish books I've read recently: Americanah, The Barrowfields, Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hr Bookstore.

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    1. I haven't read any of the ones you mention, although I've heard a lot of good things about MR. PENUMBRA'S. I'll definitely check these out!

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  13. Excellent list! I also like books about books. I used to read a lot of psychological thrillers, but don't read them too much now. Have you read All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda or Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia? You might be interested in both of them.

    Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. I've read EVERYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE, which was definitely an interesting one! Haven't read ALL THE MISSING GIRLS yet, but I've heard good things about it. I need to get to it soon.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  14. Ah yes, books about books are fantastic. The author KNOWS what they're doing there ;) I have been kind of obsessed with The Titanic for as long as I can remember?? And it's all young Leo's fault!

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    1. Ha ha ha. I wonder if that's where my Titanic obsession started, too ... :)

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  15. The Titanic is a great one, I didn't think of that. I love stories about the Titanic, a little obsessed with it actually :)
    Such a fan of the old west. It's been a long time since I read a good one about western times.

    Great list!

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    Replies
    1. Right? The Titanic disaster is such a fascinating subject. I love the Old West, too. The last Old West book I really loved was VENGEANCE ROAD by Erin Bowman. It's a fun YA adventure.

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  16. Oh I love family secrets! A story gets infinitely more interesting when family secrets are mentioned in the title :P

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  17. Books about books are fantastic. I loved The Book Thief and thought the movie was pretty good too.
    And creepy old houses definitely make for a great atmosphere. Wish I'd thought of both of those for my list this week!

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    1. I don't usually like movies based on books, but I agree, the movie was pretty good.

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  18. Ooh, I love books about The Titanic! I'm not sure if you've read How to Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather, but The Titanic will play a big part in the sequel, which will be coming out in October. :-)

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    Replies
    1. I haven't read HOW TO HANG A WITCH, although it's been on my TBR list for a long time. I need to get to it. The sequel DOES look good. Have you seen the cover? It's spooky :)

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  19. Yes, psychological thrillers are great, especially when the psychology part is done well! Love your list :)

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  20. Great list! I'm a sucker for books with maps, compasses, or ships on their covers. I like exploratory adventures, like The Glass Sentence, Magic Marks the Spot, Inherit Midnight, and our old friend Bloody Jack. Time travel fits into the same category, like Time Traveling with a Hamster and The Eyre Affair (also about books). (NOT The Time Traveler's Wife; see #2 on your list of turn-offs.)

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