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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


33 / 30 bookish books. 110% 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)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (22)
- 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:


50 / 50 books. 100% 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


23 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 88% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


42 / 100 books. 42% 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


136 / 165 books. 82% 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:


14 / 80 skills. 18% done!
Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Hands-On Reading


Welcome to another edition of my favorite bookish meme!  I love Top Ten Tuesday, even if today's topic—Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch (too special/valuable/fragile/etc.)—doesn't really apply to me.  I'm not interested enough to collect rare books, not sentimental enough to keep nostalgic reads (at least not old, fragile copies), and not cautious enough not to let family and friends borrow my books.  So, yeah, for this topic?  I got nothing.  Instead, I'm going to spin it a little and list the Top Ten Books I'm Hoping to Touch This Summer (or, My Summer TBR List).  This will actually be the subject of the TTT list on June 25, but since I'm constantly biting off more than I can chew (er, read), I will no doubt be able to come up with another, entirely different list in a month.  No problem.

Before we get to that, though, I want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun.  It's a simple way to spread the love around the book blogosphere while adding to both your blogroll and your TBR pile mountain mountain chain at the same time.  Just click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read a couple instructions, make your own list, and voilá!  You're in.

Top Ten Books I'm Hoping to Touch This Summer (or My Summer TBR List, Part I)



1.  The County of Ross:  A History of Ross County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, with Special Chapters on the Bench and Bar, Medical Profession, Educational Development, Industry and Agriculture, and Biographical Sketches by Henry Holcomb Bennett—Since February, I've been working hard to fulfill the first requirement in the process of becoming an accredited genealogist through ICAPGen.  It involves writing a lengthy research report on four generations of a family who lived continuously in the part of the world in which you are seeking to specialize.  For me, that's the Great Lakes region, where most of my ancestors settled after immigrating to the U.S. from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.  The specific family I'm researching has lived in Ross County, Ohio, for generations.  Thus, I'm reading this 785-page gem, which was published in 1902.  It's more scintillating than I thought it would be.  I actually stayed up until midnight the other night reading it!  #genealogynerd

That being said, The County of Ross is hardly the kind of page-turner that I'm going to be reading cover-to-cover just as fast as I can.  I'll be reading chapters in between other books (probably mystery/suspense novels that I will want to consume at warp speed) so it will likely take me all summer to finish this hefty tome.  I've got time since my report isn't due until August ... 


2.  The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King—I bought this Fred Rogers biography after seeing the excellent documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? in the movie theater.  I found the film so inspiring that I wanted to learn more about this iconic figure whose t.v. show was a daily part of my early childhood.


3.  Educated by Tara Westover—This memoir about a woman's unconventional childhood and education has gotten all kinds of buzz since it was published.  It's been sitting on my physical TBR pile for months and I still haven't gotten to it.  Soon, I will. 


4.  Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord—I love Lord's poignant children's books, so I'm excited to read her newest.  This slim novel is about a girl who's going to public school for the first time after being homeschooled and the rescue rabbit who helps her cope with all the challenges she's facing.  Sounds sweet.


5.  Amina's Voice by Hena Khan—I found this MG novel, which I've heard good things about, while browsing at the library yesterday.  The story revolves around a Pakistani-American Muslim girl and her struggles with friendship, culture clashes, etc. 


6.  After the Lights Go Out by Lili Wilkinson—This Australian post-apocalyptic novel sounds intriguing.  This is one I'd really like to get my hands on, but I can't find it anywhere, even though it was published last year.  It's not available at my local libraries and it's not for sale on Amazon.  Anyone know how to get a hold of this elusive volume without traveling to Australia?


7.  Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim—I'm reading this one for a blog tour and it looks really fun.  It's about a chef who wants to revitalize the Chinatown restaurant she inherits from her estranged mother.


8.  The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan (available June 4, 2019)—I pre-ordered this WWII novel, which concerns a disgraced divorceé who travels to London to reunite with her estranged daughter.  When she discovers that, in the chaos of war, her daughter has gone missing, she launches her own investigation to find her vanished child.


9.  Her Daughter's Mother by Daniela Petrova (available June 18, 2019)—An expectant mother who becomes an unwitting stalker of the "anonymous" egg donor responsible for her pregnancy is the star of this forthcoming thriller.  When the donor disappears, the woman launches her own investigation to find out what happened to the woman to whom she owes so much.


10.  My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni—I came across an intriguing-looking series by Dugoni while perusing the mystery/thriller section of the library yesterday.  My library didn't have the first installment, My Sister's Grave, so I requested it from another branch.  It's about a homicide detective who's determined to solve her sister's disappearance and alleged murder.  

What do you think of my summer reading list?  Have you read any of these titles?  What books are on your summer TBR?  If you did today's topic, which books do you refuse to let anyone touch?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave a comment on this post and I will happily return the favor on your post (please make sure to leave the URL so I can find you).

Happy TTT!    

47 comments:

  1. I sure liked The Good Neighbour. Hope you do, too!

    My TTT.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard great things about it. I just need to pick it up already! Fred Rogers was such an incredible man. I can't wait to read more about him.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. You've got some good ones here to 'touch'. Ha! I keep meaning to try Dugoni's series. It's available on Kindle Unlimited and I have that. All it would take is a click. One day hopefully. I've also got Her Daughter's Mother on my list. Enjoy and I'll be watching for part 2.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hee hee. Yeah, I was disappointed the library didn't have the first book in the series, but it's such a big library district that it never takes long for books to come in. I'll have to wait a week or two, but that's about it.

      Thanks for coming by, my friend!

      Delete
  3. I hope to get to Educated this summer too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sounds like a unique and super interesting read, doesn't it? Can't wait! I mean, obviously I can wait because I have been, but I really DO want to get to it. LOL.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. I need to read Educated this summer, too. I have it waiting. I have heard it's good! I hope you get to it!

    My TTT.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've actually heard only good things about EDUCATED. People seem to really like it. I hope we do, too!

      Thanks for coming by, Deanna!

      Delete
  5. Great topic. I really want to read Natalie Tan, congrats on the blog tour for it~!

    www.tbrandbeyond.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It looks fun and I enjoy books about coming home, so it sounds like this one is right up my alley.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  6. I loved the documentary about Mr. Rogers and I loved The Good Neighbor almost as much. I hope you enjoy it, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? It was more tender and touching than I thought it would be. I'm excited to finally get to THE GOOD NEIGHBOR and learn more about Mr. Rogers.

      Thanks for coming by, Deb!

      Delete
  7. I didn’t know you were doing all of that to become an accredited genealogist! That’s super cool!
    I was able to read the Tracy Crosswhite series for free on my Kindle. The third book, In the Clearing, takes place in... wait for it... a town based on White Salmon! He even talks about visiting there in his notes. It was cool! I really enjoyed his books!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Your favorite sister" -- hmmm ... who could this be? I'm stumped ... LOL

      I remember you telling me about this series now. I'm even more excited to read it. Any book that mentions Pucker Huddle is just begging to be read :)

      Love you!

      Delete
  8. I don't make any more tbrs since it's hard to stick with them but good luck with yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I rarely stick with mine, but I still enjoy making them! It's almost as fun to think about what I could read than it is to actually read :)

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  9. I defintely want to check out The Good Neighbor. I loved the documentary. I loled Wducated but didn't like Natalie Tan as much as I hoped. Hope you enjoy them all

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard really good things about the book. I've also heard EDUCATED is phenomenal. Sorry you didn't like NATALIE TAN as much as you wanted to. We'll see what I think of it!

      Thanks for coming by, Grace!

      Delete
  10. Great list, so many of these sound really interesting! Would Book Depository not have a copy of After the Lights Go Out? Best of luck with your genealogy accreditation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, I have never even been on the Book Depository website. Thanks for the tip! I'll go check if it's there.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
    2. You're a genius, Jess! BD does have it. Yay!

      Delete
  11. Oh great list and almost all of these are on my TBR (though you can keep Ross County!). I adored Jennifer Ryan's first book so I'm super excited about Shilling Lane. I'm reading it in a few weeks and am so excited.

    Good luck with ICAPgen. That sounds fascinating. My family moved a lot once they showed up here (almost all were Irish so we haven't been here that long in the grand scheme of things) but my husband's family has been in this area since right after the Revolutionary War and I'm so jealous. To really visit any of the places my family lived I have to go all over the place or cross the Atlantic while the farm his family owned for generations is literally three miles away from my house!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't read Ryan's first book, but I really need to. It sounds excellent as does her new one.

      You're sure you don't want to read the Ross County history? It's free on Google Books! LOL. It's not a requirement to read it for my project, but I want to get a good feel for the county's history, economy, etc. The book really is more interesting than it sounds!

      One of the requirements for the project is that the family had to have stayed in the same general area for four generations, which most of my family did not. The one I'm researching is actually a family I'm related to more by marriage than blood. It's kind of amazing that they stayed pretty much in the same county for so long.

      Thanks for coming by, Katherine!

      Delete
  12. The only one of these I've read is Tara Westover's Educated - and if you read nothing else this summer, you HAVE to read that one. Her story is an amazing one, both inspirational and rather depressing at the same time. And that's not easy to pull off.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I'm going to read EDUCATED next. I don't usually read two books at a time, let alone two non-fiction books, so this will be a first for me :)

      Thanks for coming by, Sam!

      Delete
  13. I love you spin Susan because I didn't do it this week for the same reason as you. I have read the first three in Robert Dugoni's series and loved them. I need to get back to this series. I also really enjoyed Educated, it was a tough story though. I started to listen to the Fred Rogers story, but decided to read it instead, it was too detailed to listen to. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, good, I'm glad the Dugoni series is worth the read. I'm excited to start it. I'm also really looking forward to EDUCATED and THE GOOD NEIGHBOR. This should be a great summer for reading!

      Thanks for stopping by, Carla!

      Delete
  14. Natalie Tan is up soon for me and I am really excited! I am such a huge Mr. Roger's fan, and I heard this book was really great. It may be in my near future as an audiobook.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to watch Mr. Rogers a lot, even though I never could get into the Neighborhood of Make Believe thing. I liked the "real" parts of the show. Most of all, though, I think I responded to Fred Rogers' warmth and genuineness. I definitely want to know more about him.

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  15. I just read Educated - it was fantastic. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel like the last person on the planet to read it! I'm glad you -- and so many other people -- have enjoyed it. I'm sure I will as well.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  16. Susan,
    School is almost out and I can really READ again. Through the school year it is almost all middle grade, professional or Book Group books, but I DID listen to The Good Neighbor and just finished it this weekend, as a matter of fact. It was narrated by LeVar Burton. Wow, two heroes at once! Loved it. I teared up at the end when the music for the show started and the trolley's bells rang out. How I've missed that gentle man. You will enjoy the back story if you loved the movie!
    Your summer reading list looks delish. I may dip into a few myself. Educated is in my TBR basket right now but so is Saints! It's a Book group read for July and it will probably take me that long!
    Keep on Reading....2 more days, 2 more days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe there are only two school days left! It's surreal. I'm sure you're ready for a break :)

      I'm glad you loved THE GOOD NEIGHBOR. Fred Rogers really was unique in his innate gentleness and goodness. I can't wait to learn from his life and example.

      Happy summer reading, Gaye! SAINTS is a chunkster, but it actually reads really fast. It will be a speedier read than you think.

      Thanks for coming by, my friend! It's good to hear from you.

      Delete
  17. Great twist on this week's topic! All of these books sound really interesting.
    @BookishTreats

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so, too! I rarely actually read all the books on my seasonal TBR lists, but this one might be the exception :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  18. These week's topic stumped me too. I like what you did this week instead. The Mr. Rogers book is one I'd love to read. He really was such a treasure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He really was! I can't think of another celebrity who is as gentle, kind, and inspiring as Mr. Rogers. He was a unique soul!

      Thanks for coming by, Suzanne!

      Delete
  19. I like the way you flipped this prompt! I've heard great things about Educated, and I imagine Fred Roger's biography will make for an interesting read. Amina's voice sounds really interesting, too. Hope you enjoy them all when you get to read them. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard really good things about all three of these books. I'm sure I'll enjoy them :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  20. Nice list! I want to read The Good Neighbor and Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune also. I hope you get your hands on them soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've actually got copies of both, I just need to read them :)

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  21. I liked Amina Voice and really liked Educated. I didn't know there were things to learn and tests to pass for the genealogy work. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are! People work in the field without being accredited, but it makes you more authoritative if you're accredited. For ICAPGen, you have to complete a big research paper, then if you pass that portion of the process, you take a two-part test to prove you know what you're doing. I took an e-course to prepare myself for the accreditation process and now I'm working on my research report. It's fun and I'm learning lots :)

      Delete
  22. I’m hoping to touch Educated, too! Everybody raves about that book. I need to read it ASAP.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I started it last night and so far, so good. It's really interesting.

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  23. The Good Neighbor looks wonderful. I have such fond memories of watching Mr. Rogers as a child.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He was a big part of my childhood as well!

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete

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