So, you know how Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter? Well, someone forgot to inform Arizona. We've barely had any cold weather at all. Instead, we're breaking winter heat records. It was 83 degrees today and it's supposed to be 86 on Wednesday! That's just insane. Ick. Why do I live here?

In other news, today is Tuesday, meaning we have a new TTT topic du jour: Top Ten Book Covers Featuring Cool/Pretty/Unique/etc. Typography. I enjoy a fun font as much as anyone, but since I didn't get a chance to do last week's prompt—Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025—I'm going to do that one today instead. As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025 

1. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron—Okay, this one is a cheat. Not only is it a re-discovery, but I also experienced it last month. Ahem. ANYway, I first read (and loved) Bluebird when it was published in 2016. The story captivated me because it was such a gripping and moving read. Even though I have read tons of World War II fiction, it's one that has really stayed with me. I recommended it to my book club, which prompted a reread. Guess what? Although I remembered some of the twists, Bluebird still kept me riveted. My husband just finished it for the first time and loved it as well. My book club is meeting in a few hours to discuss the novel. I can't wait!

Here's the publisher's blurb: A historical novel, set in postwar New York City.

But Eva hasn't come to America for secrets or power. She hasn't even come for a new life. She has come to America for one thing: justice. And the Nazi that has escaped its net. 

2. Kindle Scribe—I've been a dedicated Kindle Fire user for a long time, but when I saw some ads pushing the Kindle Scribe, I decided to try it out. My husband gifted me one for an early birthday/Christmas present, and I love it. Instead of taking notes on paper while I read, I now use the "Notebook" feature on my Scribe. I prefer writing them by hand, but it's much easier on my Scribe since I can easily add and erase information while keeping my notes looking neat and orderly. Toggling between two screens isn't the easiest thing to do on this device, but otherwise, I really dig it for distraction-free reading and note-taking. I'm itching to get the new ColorSoft version, not gonna lie, but at $679.99, it's a wee bit out of my price range!

3. Connie Berry—My favorite author discovery of 2025 is mystery writer Connie Berry. Last year, I enjoyed the first four books in her Kate Hamilton series, which stars an American antiquities dealer who solves mysteries in her adopted U.K. home. There are two more full-length novels and a novella in the series so far, and I'm planning to read all of them in 2026.

4. Audiobooks + cross-stitching = a winning combination—I've enjoyed cross-stitching since I was in my 20s, but I haven't always done it consistently. I rediscovered the hobby during the Covid lockdown when I got bored with just reading all the time (Right? I didn't know that could happen!). I would stitch for hours while watching t.v. with the kids. A few years later, I stopped stitching when I started having trouble with severe tendonitis in my hands. After having surgery in mid-2025, I am able to enjoy cross-stitching without pain again. Huzzah! However, I'm no longer much of a t.v. watcher. Enter audiobooks. Now, I can enjoy my two favorite hobbies at one time. With that discovery, I hope 2026 will be the year I finally finish the birth announcement I've been working on for my granddaughter, who turns three this year!

5. Celebrity memoirs on audio—Maybe it's because I'm not big on t.v. or maybe it's because I'm really old, but I don't care much about celebrities. Their dramatic, glamorous, disastrous lives are just not of much interest to me. Shockingly, I've actually listened to two celebrity memoirs over the last few months: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey and Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins. Both are narrated by the authors. Both are funny, poignant, interesting, and entertaining. The former is weirdly reverent and irreverent at the same time; for a book about spirituality, it's actually quite crude. The latter is better written and more engaging than I thought it would be. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed either book as much had I read them. Listening to the authors' own words in their own voices seems to be the key for me. I'm not saying I'll be listening to a lot of celebrity memoirs in the future (although I admit to being on the waitlist for Dick Van Dyke's 100 Rules for Living to 100 on Libby), but I did discover that I don't hate them. Who knew? P.S. My husband and I also enjoyed listening to Surrender by Bono a couple years ago.

6. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins—I read the original Hunger Games trilogy as the books came out, and I have never reread them, although I've definitely thought about doing so. Finally reading this much-anticipated prequel reintroduced me to the HG world, reminding me how engrossed I was by the books, and rekindling my desire for a reread of the original trilogy. Will it happen this year? May the odds be ever in my favor...

7. Barbara Ross—This cozy mystery author is another writer I discovered last year. I enjoyed the first book in her Maine Clambake Mystery series in 2025 and am currently reading the second installment. The story revolves around a New Yorker who returns to her Maine hometown to help save her family's long-running clambake business. Along with that, she gets to tangle with family drama, troubles with townspeople, a new boyfriend no one approves of, and, oh yeah, murder. 

8. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt—When books are really hyped up, I tend to avoid them rather than snatch them up. And, you have to admit, the plot of this novel sounds a bit strange. An octopus narrator? Count me out. Then, it came up as an "Available Now" audiobook on Libby and I remembered how much Athena had been raving about the greatness of the audio version, so I caved. Spoiler alert: I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures. Spoiler alert #2: Athena was right—the book is excellent on audio.

9. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman—As a member of the Whitney Academy, I'm invited every year to help judge the Whitney Awards, which is a program that celebrates fiction written by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This year, one of the finalists in the Middle Grade category is The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. I enjoyed Hartman's first book, but I was still a little skeptical of her sophomore effort becuase its plot sounds a little...odd. Plus, animal narrators and I don't always get along. I read it anyway, and loved it for its uniqueness and heartwarming vibe. Guess who agrees with me about its awesomeness? The American Library Association. The book just received a well-deserved Newbery Honor Award. Congratulations!

10. Books read counter—Another bookish gift my husband got me for my birthday/Christmas was this cute counter for my desk. I enjoy tracking what I read on Goodreads, but it's also fun to count my books this way. My husband purchased this particular one on Amazon (he's addicted), but there are all kinds of cute ones on Etsy as well.

There you go, ten bookish discoveries I made in 2025 (and one re-discovery from this year). What did you discover last year? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. If you posted for last week's TTT, leave me a link so I can check out your 2025 discoveries.

Happy TTT! 

Although I like its lazy, daze-y vibe, summer is actually my least favorite season. I've lived in blistering hot Arizona for 25 years, but I'll always be a Pacific Northwest girl at heart. Give me cloudy skies, a brisk wind, and a fine drizzle, and I'm a happy camper. Sunscreen, sandy toes, and triple digit temperatures? Not so much! Still, when I think of summer, I do think immediately of beaches (even though my backyard swimming pool is much more my speed), which gave me a good idea for today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt: Summer Freebie. Since my favorite genre is mystery/thriller and I especially like ones with a water-y setting, I'm going to feature mysteries and thrillers on my TBR list that are set by the ocean.

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

1. Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney—It has taken FOREVER for me to climb to the top of the library's hold list for Feeney's newest, but I finally made it. Yay! The story revolves around an author who calls his wife to share some good news while she's driving home. He hears her brakes squeal, her door slam, and then...silence. When her car is later discovered on the edge of a cliff, Abby's possessions are there, but she's not. One year later, Grady has no answers about his wife's disappearance. Paralyzed with grief, he travels to a remote Scottish island to try to rebuild his life. He's stunned when he sees a woman there who looks just like his wife. Is it her? What really happened to Abby Green?

2. No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack—Set on California's Catalina Island, this is the second entry in a fun mystery series. Bestselling mystery author Eleanor Dash is attending her best friend's wedding. The joyous occasion is marred when Eleanor receives a note warning that someone is going to die at the event. Still reeling from her last amateur murder investigation, the writer reluctantly takes the case. 

3. Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles—When her mother dies, a grieving Rosie Merchant travels to the seaside hamlet of Heaven's Cove in Devon, England, to prepare her mom's cottage for rental. Liam, a handsome neighbor, volunteers to help her with the daunting task. Their developing relationship brings some needed sunshine into Rosie's life. Then, she finds a disturbing photograph in her mother's attic, a picture that speaks of the heartbreaking secret that first brought the woman to Heaven's Cove. Liam's reaction to the discovery is...odd. Does he already know the truth about her mother's past? Can she trust him or is he only helping her to protect his own interests? 

4. Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro—From the outside, Brynn's life on Martha's Vineyard looks perfect. She has a healthy new baby, a loving husband, a profitable career, and a full life in a beautiful location. Secretly, though, she's struggling with postpartum depression, the distance she feels in her marriage, and a hectic lifestyle that's pulling her apart at the seams. When a family friend is found dead and suspicion turns her husband into the police's prime suspect, Brynn fears the stress may send her over the edge. No matter how crazy her life already is, though, she won't rest until she finds her friend's killer—even if it's her own husband.

5. Clammed Up by Barbara Ross—The first installment in a cozy mystery series set in Maine, this novel features a woman who returns to her hometown in order to save her family's clambake business. When a corpse is found at her family's home, however, she must channel her inner Nancy Drew and unmask a murderer.

6. You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego—Mila del Angél is thrilled when a famous author asks her to host a retreat for writers at his home on a private island in Maine. The guest list includes someone who has deeply wronged her; this is the perfect opportunity to make them disappear forever. When a different murder takes place during the event, Mila is stunned. And that's only the beginning. A storm is blowing in, the body count is rising, and it's up to Mila to save herself and everyone left on the island from a ruthless killer. 

7. The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey—This novel is set on a remote Scottish island inhabited by more sheep than humans. It's known for an unsolved mystery in which three lighthouse keepers disappeared without a trace in 1919. When a body is found washed up on shore near the infamous lighthouse, two Glasgow detectives are sent in to investigate. It soon becomes clear that the island is hiding its fair share of secrets and the locals are none too eager to spill them to a couple of big city policemen. 

8. A Death at Seascape House by Emma Jameson—In this cozy mystery series opener, librarian Jemima Jago is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to catalog a stunning collection of shipwreck records. The only problem? It requires returning to the Cornwall island she vowed she would never step foot on again. Unable to refuse the offer, she returns home. Before long, she finds herself the prime suspect in the murder of the town busybody. Jemima knows she didn't do it. Who did? If she wants to clear her name, she'll have to find out.

9. Dreaming of Water by A.J. Banner—Astrid Johansen swore she would never return to the oceanside town in Washington State where her younger sister drowned under Astrid's care. When her aunt sends her an urgent plea to come home, Astrid can't say no. To her horror, she arrives to find that her aunt is in a coma after a possible attack. Why did the older woman call Astrid home so urgently? Was she about to reveal a long-held secret that threatened the wrong person? Astrid won't leave until she finds out.

10. The Resort by Sarah Ochs—Years ago, Cass escaped to Koh Sang Resort, a world-famous party place on a remote island in Thailand. Now, she's a dive instructor on the island, which is populated by The Permanents, a group of carefree expats who live in the now, having left their pasts in the past. When a dive student is found dead, their idyllic island life is shaken. And not for the first time. Someone on the island is a killer, and it's up to Cass to find out who.

There you go, ten seaside mystery/thriller novels I'm eager to read. Have you read any of them? Do you have any favorites that would fit this list's theme? I'd love any recs! Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

Happy TTT!