I'm a little late to the party, but I didn't want to miss this week's Top Ten Tuesday (especially since these posts are about the only ones I actually do anymore). First, though, I want to say thank you to everyone for all the kind wishes regarding last week's colonoscopy. The preparation really was horrid, but the procedure itself was quick and easy. I did have ten pre-cancerous polyps removed, which is apparently a large number for someone my age (49), so the GI doctor recommended genetic counseling and yearly colonoscopies (oh, joy). Even though the colonoscopy experience was unpleasant, I'm glad I went through with it, especially since I have no family history of colon issues and I might have kept putting it off if my doctor hadn't been so adamant about someone of my advancing age getting one. 

Aaaannnyyyway, today's TTT prompt is a fun one: Top Ten Animal Companions (real or imaginary) in Books. Although I do have some favorite literary animals—Ivan from The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Manchee from Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series, Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, etc.—I'm not sure I can come up with ten. Instead, I'm going to tweak the topic a tad and feature books on my TBR list with animals on their covers. Since I don't really seek out animal-related reads, this could have been a really difficult task. Thankfully, I enjoy cozy mysteries and they almost always include animals.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Dead Tired (The Expectant Detectives #2) by Kat Ailes—After solving a murder together, Alice has grown very close to the other members of her prenatal group. Now tired new moms, she and her friends decide to participate in an eco-protest as a way to get away and finally get some sleep. When one of the protesters is found dead, Alice & Co. once again find themselves investigating a murder.

Do I get extra credit since the author's name is Kat?? 

Also, fair warning: this series is cozy in vibe, but the books are R-rated for strong language and innuendo.

2. Murder is a Piece of Cake (Baker Street Mystery #2) by Valerie Burns—Maddy is just getting the hang of running her late great aunt's popular bakery when a rival bakery opens up in her small town. The owner has a reputation for crushing anyone who tries to get in his way. When he's found dead with one of Maddy's knives in his back, she finds herself accused of murder. She didn't do it, so who did?

3. Potions Are for Pushovers (Eleanor Wilde Mystery #2) by Tamara Berry—Pretend medium Eleanor Wilde has established herself as the town witch in the small English village where she has settled. Her potions business is doing well until one of her customers dies by poison. Eleanor may be a fake, but she's not a murderer. Plenty of people hated mean old Sarah Davenport, but who loathed her enough to kill her? Eleanor vows to find out.

4. Flight Risk (The Booking Agents #2) by Cherie Priest—Psychic travel agent Leda Foley and detective Grady Merritt are brought together again when the cases they are working on intersect. Can they work together to solve a puzzling mystery or two?

My vision isn't the greatest, so I just now realized the dog on the cover is carrying an unconventional type of bone. Yikes! Pretty grim for a cozy cover. 

5. A Very Woodsy Murder (Golden Motel #1) by Ellen Byron—Soured on life in the big city, tv writer Dee Stern leaves L.A. in the dust and heads for the hills. When she comes across a dilapidated motel in the woods, she impulsively decides to revive it, with her ex-husband as her business partner. The pair soon discovers that running a motel is a lot harder than it looks—and that's before a murder occurs on their property. Anxious to prove their innocence, Dee and her ex launch their own investigation into the killing. Whodunit?

6. An Irish Bookshop Murder (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #1) by Lucy Connelly—Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are thrilled when they inherit a bookstore in a small Irish village from their grandfather. They've barely settled in when their neighbor drops dead. With his last breath, he accuses Mercy of murder, a charge overheard by a whole crowd of people. A shocked Mercy must find the real killer in order to clear her name. 

7. Tragedy in Tahoe (Rylie Sunderland Mysteries #1) by Rachele Baker—Veternarian Rylie Sunderland needs a fresh start. She agrees to take a summer job helping out at a Lake Tahoe inn that her friend owns. Her relaxing break is shattered when a dead body is found in a secret tunnel under the inn. Accused by the local police of the murder, Rylie launches her own investigation into the crime in an effort to prove her innocence.

8. An Appetite for Murder (Key West Food Critic Mystery #1) by Lucy Burdette—Hayley Snow is thrilled when she's offered a job as a food critic for a popular magazine. When she discovers her new boss is the woman her boyfriend cheated on her with? Not so much. Things go from bad to worse when she's murdered and Hayley becomes the police's prime suspect. Refusing to take the blame for a crime she didn't commit (at least not outside of her imagination), Hayley starts hunting down the real killer.

9. A Murder Most Fowl (Food Truck Mystery #1) by Carmela Dutra (available September 9, 2025)—When their late aunt passes away, twins Beth and Seth Lloyd inherit her chicken-themed food truck. In an effort to drum up business, they enter a fierce elimination-type cooking contest. When the competition gets a little too literal, leaving a contestant dead, the twins find themselves in the police's crosshairs. In order to prove their innocence, they need to find the guilty party on the double. Who killed the contestant and why?

10. Botched Butterscotch (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery #5) by Amanda Flower—Juliet Brody and Reverend Brook are getting married and the wedding is set to be the event of the year in their small town. Bailey King is not only making the cake, but she's also a bridesmaid. As she rushes around trying to perform all her duties, a wedding guest is murdered. Apparently, the deceased had dirt about the saintly reverend's past. Did the groom kill the man before he could squeal? Bailey can't believe the kindly man of good would do something so heinous, but someone did. Who? She's determined to find out.

There you go, ten cozy mysteries I want to read that have animals on their covers. Have you read any of them? Do you like cozies? Which are your favorites? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy Tuesday! It's actually still Monday, but I'm writing this post early since tomorrow, I get to TRAVEL down to the hospital for a colonoscopy. This is my first time getting one and the prep is already killing me. I've been on a liquid diet all day, so I'm starving and I've got a headache. I take my first dose of the prep drink in an hour. The next one will be at 3 a.m. since my procedure is at 9 tomorrow morning. Fun stuff. Since things are only going to get more unpleasant from here, I figured I should get my TTT post squared away now. Today's topic is a nice, easy one: Top Ten Books That Feature Travel. My head's feeling foggy, so I'm going to keep my list simple and go with books on my TBR list that feature a mode of transportation (even though I posted a similar list less than a year ago).

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'Lelia Bundles—I'm reading this biography right now and it's super interesting. Born to formerly enslaved parents, Madam C.J. Walker survived a hardscrabble upbringing to become a wealthy, well-known businesswoman who used her money and influence to help the poor and champion civil rights for Black people. 

2. The Women by Kristin Hannah—As much as I love Hannah, I've been hesitating a tad on this novel. My uncle was killed in action in Vietnam, so the war is an especially sensitive topic for me. I'll read The Women at some point because I'm curious about the roles women played in the war and I do enjoy Hannah's books.

3. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (available June 10, 2025)—A new Sager thriller is always cause for celebration. I'm already on a waiting list at the library for this novel that sounds like a mash-up of And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express. Yes, please!

4. The Woman With No Name by Audrey Blake—It's 1942 and Yvonne Rudellat is in desperate need of a new life focus. She gets it when she's offered the chance to become Britain's first female sabotage agent. No one expects much of her, but she's determined to do everything she can to take down the Nazi's evil regime.

5. What Happened Then by Erin Soderberg Downing (available September 2, 2025)—This middle-grade novel is about a pair of cousins who travel to a mysterious island where family secrets are hiding around every corner, just waiting to be dug into...

6. Last Stop Union Station by Sarah James (available July 15, 2025)—Jacqueline Love's Hollywood career is drying up fast. The only gig she can manage to land is aboard the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of celebrities that is criss-crossing the U.S. to raise money for World War II efforts. When a passenger dies aboard the locomotive in a suspicious manner, Jacqueline's convinced it's murder. Stuck at Union Station in Chicago, she convinces a female police officer to help her investigate. It quickly becomes apparent that the women are in way, way over their heads.

7. Katherine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood—You've heard of Orville and Wilbur Wright, but did you know they had a sister who was invaluable in helping them achieve their many victories? This novel tells the story of one of the most overlooked women in history.

8. Blueberry Blunder by Amanda Flower—I love Flower's Amish Candy Shop cozy mystery series. It's set in Amish country, so most (all?) of the covers feature at least one buggy. In this installment—the 8th in the series—Bailey is in the middle of building a candy factory when a surly contractor with plentiful enemies is murdered. Whodunit?

9. The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore—In this historical novel, a disgraced female doctor is desperate to make ends meet so that her disabled son can get the care he needs. With little choice, she joins a traveling medical show headlined by a charismatic con man. She's poised to sneak away from the whole thing when an incoming storm stops her. The hurricane is predicted to be devastating. People will get hurt and she's a doctor. Can she trust herself to treat people again? Or is she too damaged to be any good to anyone?

There you go, ten books on my TBR list that feature modes of transportation. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite books that feature transportation or travel? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

P.S. I'm in the middle of drinking my first dose of the colonoscopy prep liquid and...wow, it's foul! What have I gotten myself into here? Blech.

I don't know how you feel about it, but I adore reading books in a series. Something about sinking into a setting and really getting to know a cast of characters over time really appeals to me. Since I'm in the middle of so many of them, I started keeping track of my series reading on a spreadsheet. According to its very scientific data, I'm in the middle of about FORTY series. Clearly, I have a problem and yet, according to the same spreadsheet, there are at least TWENTY new ones I want to start! It's an addiction, what can I say? I know not everyone likes to read books in a series, but I also know I'm not alone in loving them. Because I'm such a fan, I love this week's prompt—Top Ten Series I'd Like to Start/Catch Up On/Finish. Last year at this time, I made a list of Top Ten Series I Want to Start in 2022 (I even started two of them!) and in January of 2021, I crafted one about the Top Ten Mystery Series I Want to Finish/Catch Up On Before the End of the Year. (Spoiler alert: I failed miserably, so you'll see a lot of crossover with today's list). This time around, I'm going to highlight series in all genres (although they're still mostly mysteries) that I want to catch up on/finish.

Before we get to that, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our gracious hostess, Jana, some love. If you want to talk series-ly, make your own list and join in the fun. If you're not feeling the prompt, change it up to something more appealing. Then, click around the book blogosphere and enjoy the party that is TTT. It's a good ole time, I promise!

(Book covers show the first installment in each series. "Books in Series" includes only full-length books that have already been published or have announced publication dates.)

1. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny

Books in Series: 18 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 13

Next Up: Kingdom of the Blind

This is my favorite mystery series of all time and I don't ever want it to end! I've been reading the books slowly in order to savor them. The series features one of the most likable and admirable detectives I've ever encountered. If you love mysteries, definitely give this series a go.

2. Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower

Books in Series: 8 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 5

Next Up: Lemon Drop Dead

This is a fun cozy mystery series set in Amish country. The main character leaves her career as a chocolatier in New York City to help her Amish grandmother run a candy store in rural Ohio. Murder and mayhem ensue, even among the peace-loving Amish.

3. Ruth Galloway Mystery series by Elly Griffiths

Books in Series: 15 (I believe the 15th installment will be the last book in the series, but don't quote me on that!)

Books I've Read: 4

Next Up: A Dying Fall

Featuring an intrepid British forensic archaeologist, this mystery series is always good for an interesting, engrossing read.

4. Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer

Books in Series: 12 (complete)

Books I've read: 10

Next Up: Boston Jacky

A swashbuckling YA pirate adventure series, this one is just all-around entertaining. I've especially enjoyed listening to the books on audio, with the wonderful Katherine Kellgren narrating. Unfortunately, Meyer died in 2014. Kellgren passed four years later. I hope they're collaborating in heaven to create amazing new series!

5. Casey Duncan/Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong

Books in Series: 8 (I think the series was actually complete at seven books and the 8th is, technically, a spin-off.)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: This Fallen Prey

Set in a secret, off-the-grid town hidden deep in the Yukon that has been set up especially for people who need to disappear from their lives, this series has a unique set-up. The star of the show is Casey Duncan, a talented young police detective, who's tasked with keeping the peace in this very unique village full of intriguing people. 

6. The American Wonders Collection by Regina Scott

Books in Series: 3 (complete)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: A View Most Glorious

This trilogy of historical romances (with a Christian bent) set in famous American locales is clean, uplifting and enjoyable.

7. Eleanor Wilde Mystery series by Tamara Berry

Books in Series: 4 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 1

Next Up: Potions Are For Pushovers

Featuring a fake psychic who solves mysteries, this cozy series is just a whole bunch of fun.

8. Amelia Peabody Mystery series by Elizabeth Peters

Books in Series: 20 (complete)

Books I've Read: 2 (I'm re-reading the series since I never finished it years ago when I started reading it.)

Next Up: The Mummy Case

Amelia Peabody is a no-nonsense British archaeologist who's happy to be a wealthy spinster with the freedom to explore ancient civilizations at her leisure. She never expects to find love or a string of shocking mysteries, but that's exactly what happens in this humorous cozy series.

9. Gilded Newport mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell

Books in Series: 10 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 3 

Next Up: Murder at Rough Point

Despite being only a poor relation of the Vanderbilt Family, Emma Cross is invited to all the best parties in Newport, which makes her perfectly positioned to write juicy stories for the society pages. When she is instrumental in solving a puzzling mystery, she becomes known for her skills as a successful amateur sleuth.

10. Thursday Murder Club Mystery series by Richard Osman

Books in Series: 4 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 1

Next Up: The Man Who Died Twice

A group of senior citizens in a British retirement home solve mysteries in this entertaining series of whodunits.

There you go, ten series I would like to catch up on/finish at some point. Who knows how long it will actually take me! Ha ha. How do you feel about reading books in a series? Love them? Hate them? Which ones are your favorites? Have you read any from my list? Based on this list, do you know of any others I would like? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog (I also reply to your comments here).

Today's TTT topic is a nostalgic, walk-down-memory-lane type deal, but my memory is just not up to the task! If yours is good enough, then you might enjoy listing the Top Ten Books I Read On Vacation (bonus points if you can tell us where you were). Me? I'm going to twist the topic around a bit. I toyed with some vacation-y spins and finally decided to steal an idea from Wendy over at The Bashful Bookworm. A couple weeks ago, she made a TTT list of book covers with vehicles on them. I thought that was a fun topic and since vehicles mean travel, it works well for today. 

Before we get to my list, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give Jana, our hostess with the mostest, some love!

1. New From Here by Kelly Yang—It's hard to see, but the cover of my current read features an airplane flying through the title. The book is about a Chinese-American family living in Hong Kong who decides to flee to their summer home in California to escape the coronavirus. It's told from the point of view of 10-year-old Knox, whose struggles with ADHD are exacerbated by missing his father (who stayed behind to work), going to a new school, sharing a bedroom with his annoying older brother, and dealing with prejudice against Asian people (who are being blamed for bringing the virus to the U.S.). I'm only a few chapters in, but this middle grade novel is already proving to be a powerful, impacting read. 

2. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (available December 13, 2022)—I love this gorgeous cover with its Venetian gondola! The story is about a baby who's discovered floating in a basket along the canals of Venice. Taken in by a guild of artisans, he's raised as their own, although he still wonders about his mysterious origins. One hundred years later, a translator comes to the city to procure a rare book. Within its pages, he'll discover an intriguing story about a floating infant...

3. Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare—Lena Aldridge lives a gritty, unfulfilling life as a lounge singer in London, where she must hide her mixed-race heritage and pass as white. When she's offered the opportunity to sing on Broadway, she eagerly boards the RMS Queen Mary, excited to begin a new life in America. Her hopes sink when she finds herself embroiled in a murder onboard that puts all her dreams—not to mention her life—at risk.

4. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves—This World War II mystery sounds interesting. The titular character is the owner of a flock of racing pigeons which she hopes will be requested by the National Pigeon Service to help with the war effort. A duo do come calling, but they're intelligence officers asking Olive to aid in a covert operation against the Germans. Soon after they arrive, a local woman is found murdered outside Olive's pigeon loft. Just what has Olive gotten herself into?

5. The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris—Similar to the above, this WWII novel features an illusionist's assistant who specializes in creating spectacular escapes to thrill audiences. When British military intelligence asks her to use her expertise to help them win the war, she's eager to help. It soon becomes clear, however, that her mission is much more dangerous than she ever imagined it could be.

6. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen (available March 17, 2023)—I enjoy Nielsen's historical fiction for middle graders as well as books about the Titanic, so I'm very excited for this one. It's about a young stowaway with big plans for her new life in America who gets caught up in an intriguing mystery and a desperate struggle for survival.

7. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith—This rom-com featuring dueling food trucks on a Maui beach sounds fun. I was an exchange student in the Philippines during high school, so I can't wait for all the Filipino food talk. Yum!

8. Peanut Butter Panic by Amanda Flower—I love this charming cozy mystery series. This installment, book seven, has Bailey King providing sweets for a big Thanksgiving event in town. When a man dies from an allergic reaction after eating her desserts, she's shocked. Once again, she finds herself investigating a puzzling murder.

9. The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh—Speaking of carrier pigeons, this novel revolves around a woman who joins the Women's Royal Naval Service (aka, the "wrens") and becomes a motorcycle dispatch rider tasked with delivering the birds to the front during World War I. Two decades later, she's called back into service at the beginning of another world war.

10. Better Off Read by Nora Page—Desperate to save her town's storm-damaged library, Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile to drum up support in her small Georgia town. When a potential benefactor ends up dead and her best friend stands accused of his murder, Cleo must play Nancy Drew to figure out whodunit. 

Like any bookworm, I love me a store full of books. I can't resist them and I rarely leave without buying at least one new volume. My local indie, Changing Hands, is a wonderful place to browse for new reading material as well as a great place to trade used books for store credit (which I do at least once a year). I've been to some other well-known bookshops: the Strand (New York City), Powell's Books (Portland, Oregon), and Shakespeare and Company (Paris, France). My family and I visited Paris last year around this time, when there were still COVID restrictions in place. The store was limiting how many people could be inside at one time and there was already a long line to get in, so I wasn't able to actually go inside the famous shop, but I did see it, so I'm counting it! I don't have a bookstore bucket list (Maybe I should start one?), so I got nothin' for this week's prompt—Top Ten Favorite Bookstores OR Bookstores I'd Like to Visit. No matter, I'll just twist it up a little bit.

I adore a good cozy mystery any time of year, but Fall seems like the best time to read them. I've noticed many that are set in bookshops and libraries. I've yet to find a good bookish cozy series that I love, but there are a number of them on my TBR list that I hope will fit the bill. Please suggest any that are not on my list and I'll check them out.

Don't forget to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our lovely host, Jana, some love. If you want to join in the TTT fun (which you definitely do!), all the details are on her blog.

Top Ten Bookish Cozy Mysteries I Want to Read 

1. The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton—The first installment in the Scottish Bookshop series, this one tells the story of a woman from Kansas who, on a whim, applies for a job at a bookstore in Scotland. Naturally, the place is filled with quirky book people and tantalizing secrets. When a valuable artifact goes missing and a woman is killed, it also becomes a place where murder is fact instead of just fiction.

2. Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower—I love Flower's Amish Candy Shop mystery series, so I'm sure to dig this one. In this opener to the Magical Bookshop series, Violet Waverly is called back to Michigan to help her ailing grandmother with her bookstore. When she sees that the woman is in perfect health, she realizes she's been tricked into coming home. Although she's determined to head right back to Chicago, Violet can't leave after a murder happens in the shop. She has to stay and clear her grandmother's name.

3. The Plot Is Murder by V.M. Burns—What is it with Michigan and people getting murdered in bookstores? Yikes! In this initial installment of the Mystery Bookshop series, Samantha Washington is about to make her dream of owning a bookstore come true. At the same time, she's writing a historical cozy mystery in which her heroine investigates a puzzling murder. Art starts to imitate life when Samantha discovers a dead realtor in her backyard. In order to prove her innocence, she'll have to play amateur sleuth and find the real killer.

4. Death On Demand by Carolyn G. Hart—Annie Laurance's bookstore, Death on Demand, isn't located in Michigan (it's in South Carolina), but it still becomes the site of a baffling murder. In this 1987 series opener, a famous mystery author is killed in the bookstore and Annie must figure out whodunit.

5. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon—The Tourist Trap mystery series has been recommended to me by multiple bloggers. This series opener introduces Jill Gardner, who owns Books, Coffee, and More in a quaint California tourist town. She's struggling to keep her business afloat when an elderly friend dies suddenly, leaving Jill her crumbling old house. The dilapidated home isn't the only thing she's been gifted, though—along with the old lady's abode, Jill seems to have inherited her secrets and enemies as well. Suspecting her friend was murdered, the bookshop owner launches her own investigation into the death.

6. Murder By the Book by Lauren Elliott—When Addie Greyborne inherits her aunt's home in the colonial New England town founded by their ancestors, she sees it as a chance to escape sour memories and start over. With her aunt's collection of rare books, Addie has enough inventory to start her own shop, Beyond the Page Bookstore. Unfortunately, her new life is not going as smoothly as planned. When Addie's friend is arrested for murder, she knows she can't stand idly by. She has to clear her friend's name, even if it means risking her own neck. 

7. By Book Or By Crook by Eva Gates—Lighthouses have always fascinated me, so I love that this series features a lighthouse library. How fun is that? In this first installment, Lucy retreats to the Outer Banks to lick her wounds and gets a job as a librarian. She soon finds herself investigation both a book theft and a murder.

8. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Ransom—Speaking of book thefts, this first installment in the Mobile Library Mystery series concerns a truckload of missing books. It's up to Israel Armstrong, the new mobile librarian to figure out what happened to his inventory.

9. Murder Past Due by Miranda James—This series features another male lead, Charlie Harris, and his pet coon cat, Diesel. In this first book, the pair are investigating the murder of a best-selling author, whose jerkiness has finally caught up to him.

10. Buried in a Book by Lucy Arlington—When journalist Lila Wilkins loses her job, she accepts an internship at a North Carolina literary agency. Lila's thrilled at the idea of being paid to read, but when an author drops dead in the agency's waiting room, she finds herself in the middle of a disturbing real life crime. Who offed the unfortunate writer?

There you are, ten bookish cozy mysteries on my TBR list. Have you read any of them? Which bookish cozy series are your faves? Did you feature bookstores on your list today? Which do you love/dream of visiting? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.