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2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


29 / 30 bookish books. 97% done!

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


40 / 50 books. 80% done!

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (2)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (4)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (3)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (2)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (2)
- Wyoming(1)
- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Canada (2)
- England (21)
- Fiji (1)
- France (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Mexico (1)
- New Zealand (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Bahamas (1)
- Vatican City (1)

My Progress:


38 / 51 states. 75% done!

2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


25 / 25 books. 100% done!

2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


31 / 50 books. 62% done!

Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 52 books. 73% done!

2026 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 52 books. 65% done!

2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


22 / 40 books. 55% done!

2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


26 / 51 cozies. 51% done!

2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


21 / 25 books. 84% done!

2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


45 / 52 books. 87% done!

Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)

My Progress:


57 / 65 books. 88% done!

2026 Countdown Reading Challenge

My Progress:


55 / 55 books. 100% done!

2026 Series Reading Challenge


23 / 36 books. 64% done!

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

My Progress:


73 / 125 books. 58% done!

2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge

My Progress:


9 / 9 books. 100% done!

2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)

My Progress:


37 / 60 books. 62% done!

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 40 books. 25% done!

European Reading Challenge 2026

My Progress:


7 / 50 books. 14% done!

2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)

My Progress:


71 / 125 books. 57% done!

2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge

My Progress:


4 / 5 challenges. 80% done!

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

My Progress:


98 / 100 names. 98% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 80 skills. 95% done!
Tuesday, August 04, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday: Happy 20th Birthday, Bloggin' 'bout Books!


Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is: Cover Freebie. You can pick any topic related to book covers. In celebration of my 20th blogiversary this week, I'm going to highlight the covers of the first ten books I reviewed here at BBB. As always, this fun event is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.


On August 7, my little blog will turn the big 2-0. Twenty! I can't believe it. Although I'm living in the same house I was living in back in 2006 (we moved back in in 2021 after living elsewhere and renting it out for 14 years), a lot has changed in my life since then. Two decades ago, I was a 30-year-old stay-at-home mom juggling the needs of a husband and three young children. Life was chaotic, not leaving me tons of time to read or relax in any way. I needed a creative, stay-sane strategy to survive. Book blogging did that for me. Now, I'm half a century old, I have four mostly grown children (my baby turns 18 in a few months) and one grandbaby. Life is generally calm, leaving me with oodles of time to read. It's never been a perfect life, but it's always been a good one. Being part of this beautiful book blogosphere has made it even better. Thank you for hanging here with me, whether you've been around since the early days or you just started following me. I don't know how long I'll keep this gig going, but for now, I'm enjoying myself, so I'll carry on.

Oh, and I was curious to see who the first person to comment on my blog was and if they were still hanging around the book blogosphere. I'm thrilled to give a shout out to Lindsi over at Do You Dog Ear? Her blog is still going strong. Thanks a bunch, Lindsi, for your support!

First Ten Books I Reviewed on Bloggin' 'bout Books (Cover Edition) 

- titles link to my blog review -

1. The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Our Hearts and Homes by James L. Ferrell—August 13, 2006


2. The Known World by Edward P. Jones—August 14, 2006

3. Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs—August 18, 2006

4. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards—September 1, 2006

5. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger—September 13, 2006

6. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns—October 15, 2006

7. Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark—November 2, 2006

8. The Ruins by Scott Smith—November 4, 2006

9. The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean—November 30, 2006

10. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear—December 18, 2006

There you go, the first ten books I reviewed on this blog TWENTY years ago. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What was the first book you reviewed on your blog? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!

22 comments:

  1. 20 years?! Fantastic! And I am so pleased to have met you and gotten to know you through blogging. And to have met you in person! Whoopeeee!

    You have some good books in those first 10, what a fun way to look back. I am coming up on 17 years this fall.

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  2. Good job, Lindsi! And congratulations on 20 years of blogging. Wow.

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  3. Wow! 🙌 20 years! Thats an amazing milestone and amount of reading/reviewing effort! ~Carol @ ReadingLadies

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  4. Stephen @ Reading Freely04 August, 2026 19:08

    Cold Sassy Tree!

    And congrats on 20 years. I'm right behind you -- May 7 of next year will trigger mine. Doing anything special?

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  5. Happy Blog Anniversary!! That's quite an accomplishment!

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  6. Oh wow, twenty years is an incredible achievement! Congratulations. I don't think I've read any of the books you mentioned. The first book I reviewed on my blog was The Longest Fight by Emily Bullock. I don't remember much about it to be honest. But the second was How I Wonder What You Are by Jane Lovering and I do remember that one. I still read and enjoy her books today!

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  7. Oh nice! Congrats on the milestone! I'm a little over two years away from my 20th anniversary as I started my blog at the end of January in 2009! That's a huge accomplishment, so congrats!

    Nice topic and picks too! I will admit that these are all new to me ones. I think I'd be too afraid to go back to my early posts. Not only did I not format anything but just looking at what I wrote might make me cringe a bit! Lol.

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  8. WOW! Love this flashback! Congratulations!

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  9. Cheers to 20 years! Amazing! It's interesting to look back and see your first books.

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  10. 20 years! WOW, happy bday. Here's for 20 more ❤️

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  11. Amazing! Happy Birthday on 7th! I'm currently a stay at home mum and 36 years old. I started my Blog in 2021 when I was 31 (and a stay at home mum!).

    Have a great week!

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  12. Congratulations on 20 years! That is a huge accomplishment. Congratulations on raising four humans as well, that's another accomplishment, LOL!

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  13. Oh my gosh, congratulations!! I think this wins the best topic of the day! :) Here's to 20 more years!

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  14. Happy Anniversary! 20 years is a great accomplishment.

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  15. Congratulations on 20 years! That's seriously impressive. I love that you shared your first ten reviews. I have Madonnas of Leningrad sitting on my shelf and really should read it. It's been there for pretty close to 20 years!

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  16. Congratulations on 20 years! And what a fun way to commemorate by sharing your first 10 titles reviewed. I read Kathy Reichs first Temperance Brennan book this year. Plan to keep after the series.

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  17. 20 years is amazing, big congratulations!

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  18. Congrats Susan! 20 years is amazing. And I love this idea for the cover freebie. I've read three of these: Peace Like a River, The Ruins and The Known World.😁

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  19. 20 years!!!!? Wow. That's amazing. I started about 15 years ago, and the bloggerverse has changed so much in that time.

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  20. Veros @ Dark Shelf of Wonders05 August, 2026 17:45

    Omg your blog birthday and my bday share the same day! Happy 20th blogoversary, that’s incredible! :) It’s amazing how your blog has been with you through so many life changes 💚.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

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