2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge
2026 52 Club Reading Challenge
2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)
2026 Countdown Reading Challenge
Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo
2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge
2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)
2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
European Reading Challenge 2026
2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)
2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Showing posts with label Betty Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Betty Smith. Show all posts
Friday, September 01, 2023
Twenty Seventeen Books of Summer Challenge Complete!
While I've been rocking my reading challenges this year, I didn't quite complete this one, the 20 Books of Summer challenge hosted annually by Cathy over at 746 Books. To be fair, I started late. Also to be fair, I changed out several books over the course of the challenge so I could complete more of them. The rules of the challenge are very flexible, which is nice. Here's what I ended up reading:
1. Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser—This is my current physical book. I've read about 1/3 so far. finished 06.22.23
2. In Myrtle Peril by Elizabeth C. Bunce—I'm listening to this one on audio and am about halfway done. finished 06.23.23
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (re-read) - finished 07.05.23
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (re-read) - finished 07.29.23
6. Kim by Rudyard Kipling - DNF
11. Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom
12. O' Art of Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor - finished 08.05.23
15. Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
16. Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan - finished 08.05.23
17. Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson
18. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown - finished 07.18.23
19. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer - finished 07.16.23
Seventeen out of twenty isn't too bad! It felt good to cross all of these off my TBR list. I enjoyed most of them to boot. Not too shabby at all.
I enjoyed this fun challenge and will definitely plan to join again next year.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge
Yesterday, while I was clicking around the blogosphere for Top Ten Tuesday, I kept noticing bloggers reference the 20 Books of Summer. I'd never heard of this fun, relaxed annual reading challenge and I wanted in, darn it! I'm not a fan of summer, but I love books and reading challenges, so this is definitely something I'm all in for. 20 Books of Summer (#20booksofsummer23) is hosted by Cathy over at 746 Books (a blog I've somehow never encountered before). The challenge runs from June 1 to September 1. I'm late to the party, but that's okay. I read fast, so 20 books in two (ish) months is *probably* doable. There are options to read only 10 or 15 titles. I'm going to go for broke, though. Why not?
I'm headed to Utah next weekend and I need to finish the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge before then/while I'm there so I can redeem my prize—a $50 gift certificate to be spent in-store. Most of these books fulfill one of the challenge prompts.
Edited on 08.03.23: I'm shifting my focus away from the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge (not admitting defeat, at least not yet...), so I changed out a bunch of my picks. Thank goodness this challenge is laidback like that!
1. Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser—This is my current physical book. I've read about 1/3 so far. finished 06.22.23
2. In Myrtle Peril by Elizabeth C. Bunce—I'm listening to this one on audio and am about halfway done. finished 06.23.23
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (re-read) - finished 07.05.23
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (re-read) - finished 07.29.23
6. Kim by Rudyard Kipling - DNF
11. Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom
12. O' Art of Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor - finished 08.05.23
15. Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
16. Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan - finished 08.05.23
17. Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson
18. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown - finished 07.18.23
19. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer - finished 07.16.23
Looks like a good list to me! Wish me luck.
Are you participating in the 20 Books of Summer challenge? What are you planning to read? Which gems have you already completed?
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: Sizzling Summer Reads on My TBR List (Part One)
This week's TTT prompt is a twice-yearly one that I just find...odd. I always skip it. For those who want to participate, it's Top Ten Bookish Wishes. Jana explains it thus: I host this topic twice a year (around Christmas and again in June), and people love it! List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wish. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address [here’s how to do it on Amazon] or include the email address associated with your ereader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone! Since we'll be talking about our Summer TBRs next week anyway, I decided to jump the gun and do my list in two parts because why not? I never stick to my lists anyway. Ha ha.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over there and give her some love!
Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List, Part One
I started this book today and am enjoying it. Thanks for the rec, whoever you are! I need to write these things down...
2. Homecoming by Kate Morton—Morton is one of my favorite authors and I've been highly anticipating hew newest. It's a dual-timeline novel that starts with the discovery of a corpse on the grounds of a mysterious mansion in Australia. Sixty years later, a journalist living in England rushes to Australia to be at the side of her addled and ailing grandmother. While staying in the elderly woman's house, the granddaughter learns of the decades-old murder as well as her family's surprising connection to it. She can't help but launch her own investigation into the unsolved killing.
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—I enjoyed this 1943 classic when I read it in college years ago. It's my book club's selection for June. I'm excited to re-read it. The story is about a girl growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early 1900s.
4. A Sky Full of Song by Susan Lynn Meyer—North Dakota is always a challenging state to find in fiction, so I was thrilled when I heard about this middle-grade novel that came out in April. Not only will it help me in the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge, but it also sounds super compelling. The story centers around a Jewish family from Ukraine that emigrates to the U.S. in 1905 to escape persecution in the Russian Empire. Eleven-year-old Shoshana wants to fit in in her new life so badly that she's hiding her Jewish identity, which angers her beloved older sister. Shoshana doesn't want to live at odds with her family—or herself—but she desperately wants to belong in America. What other choice does she have?
5. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman—Before I read Anxious People, I really didn't think Backman's books were my kind of thing, no matter how much people raved about his debut. After enjoying Anxious People and loving A Man Called Otto, I'm all in for finally reading this book. It's a feel-good grumpy/sunshine story about a lonely widower and the lively family that cracks his curmudgeonly shell. It also happens to be my book club's pick for August.
6. Enchanted Hill by Emily Bain Murphy—This historical mystery is set in glamorous 1930s Hollywood. It's about a lady P.I. who's undercover at a ritzy estate to unravel a puzzling mystery. When a man who she never thought she would ever see again walks in, also using a false identity, the two tentatively agree to investigate together to protect them both. Secrets hide everywhere at Enchanted Hill, including between the new partners.
7. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado—I need to read a body-positive book as well as a romance with a plus-sized lead for two different reading challenges. This YA novel seems to fit the bill. It's about a teen who is trying to love her large body, despite her mother's constant push to slim it down. Unlike her mom, Charlie's skinny BFF, Amelia, has always encouraged her to love her whole self. A new boy at school seems to offer the same kind of safe harbor for Charlie, but when Charlie learns he asked Amelia out first, she's devastated. Is she always destined to be someone's second choice? Does the boy even like her at all?
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë—This 1847 classic is a favorite of mine, but it's been a hot minute since I've read it. I'll be re-reading it for my book club meeting in July. If you don't know, the novel is about the experiences of the titular young woman when she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. She falls in love with her charge's father, the enigmatic Mr. Rochester, who is hiding a devastating secret.
9. Artifice by Sharon Cameron—I adore Cameron's books, so I'm excited to read her newest. It concerns Isa de Smit, a young woman who grew up in Amsterdam's colorful art world. As the Nazis invade her hometown, her friends are disappearing and valuable paintings are being confiscated. Desperate for money to help the Resistance, Isa starts selling forgeries of famous artwork to the Nazis. Her scheme goes off perfectly until someone finds out what she's doing. Can Isa save herself and her friends from a ruthless enemy that has no problem killing everyone in their path?
10. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda —Miranda's thrillers always appeal to me. This one, her latest, is no exception. It's about a group of former classmates who reunite on the tenth anniversary of a tragedy that changed all of their lives. When members of the group start disappearing, it's clear that past secrets and lies are coming back to haunt them.
There you are, ten books I'm planning to read this summer. What do you think? Have you read any of them? Which books are you wishing for today or which are you excited to read in the next few months? 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 comments left here.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: And, Yet, There They Sit...
I've been a little MIA here on the blog. I'm still reading (I never stop), but other things have been taking up my reviewing/posting/commenting time. A month ago, my husband surprised me by listing our house for sale about four weeks earlier than planned. Even though it had me stressing out *just* a tad, the timing worked perfectly. The second family to walk through our house fell madly in love and made us an offer almost immediately. They're super nice people and they gave us what we asked for (a smokin' deal, it must be said), with no fuss over some minor repairs that need to be done. Yay! We close on June 1 and have to be out by July 15. Shouldn't be a problem, although my old/new house currently looks like this throughout (actually worse since these photos are from a couple weeks ago—the kitchen tile is gone and there are more holes in the walls):
Our contractor's actually making lots of progress and I'm confident the place will be livable come mid-July, even if everything's not quite done. We're remodeling every room in the house to some degree, so, yeah...it's a lot. The process of choosing cabinets, flooring, lighting, paint, etc. is fun, but it's also becoming tedious and time-consuming. I'm excited, though, for how spiffy it will look when it all comes together. Our "old" house—it was built in 1994, we bought it in 2004 and lived in it from then until 2008—will feel like a new house, for sure.
In addition to packing up our current house and remodeling the new one, I'm also frantically studying for my upcoming genealogy accreditation test. It's only a few weeks away, so I'm freaking out a *wee* bit! The best way for me to study is by tackling real-life family history research questions, so if you have one that's based in the American Southwest (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, California, and Colorado, as defined by the accreditation board), I'd love to look into it for you. The question can be something simple like: My grandparents emigrated to California in the 1880s, but I don't know where they emigrated from or who their parents were. Can you find them for me? Or, my great-grandmother lived in Arizona all her life. I only know her married name. Can you find her maiden name? Who were her parents and siblings? That kind of thing. If you get it to me in the next couple weeks, I'll research it for free as practice. If you wait until I'm accredited, it will cost you :)
Real life, ugh. Let's get back to the books, shall we?
This week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is all about those volumes we were so, so, so excited to have in our hot little hands and yet...there they sit, unread, unloved, gathering dust on our shelves. I seem to have an out of sight, out of mind mentality in this regard. As soon as I buy a book, ensuring that I can read it any ole time I want, I promptly forget I want to read it! Thus, it was easy to come up with this list. All I had to do was cast an eye on my bookshelves to find a plethora of choices (not as many as it would have been last month, though, as I've sorted through the majority of my books and donated several thousand to charitable causes). Since I'm better about getting to library books and ARCs, I'm going to focus my list on titles I actually purchased. These are just the first ten books/boxed series my eyes fell upon when I looked at the shelves closest to my desk.
If you want to ruminate on your shelves of shame, why not join in the TTT fun? You'll be in good company, I swear. Just pop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get all the details on this always enjoyable weekly event.
Top Ten Books I Was SO EXCITED To Get, But Still Haven't Read
1. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes—The hype made me by this one and yet, there it sits...
2. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker—Except for a short while when I was but an ignorant wee one, I've always loved to sleep. I've also long been fascinated by dreams, so this book is definitely up my alley. I did start reading it when I first bought it, but then I got distracted.
3. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens—Another the-hype-made-me-do-it buy.
4. Tomorrow, When the War Began series by John Marsden (boxed set)—I really wanted to read this series five years ago or so, but I was having trouble finding all the books in my local libraries. I ordered the whole set from BookDepository, waited weeks for it to arrive, then devoured the first couple books. I took a break after that and...haven't returned to the story. I'm not sure I remember who's who or what's what now, so I may have to re-read the initial books before I continue on with the series.
5. Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert—I loved Moloka'i, so I was stoked for this sequel. I still am, even though I've yet to crack it open.
6. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune—Everyone loves this book, so of course, I had to buy it! Have I read it yet? Nope.
7. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer—The Lunar Chronicles is a great series. I really enjoyed it. For some reason, though, I still haven't read this collection of TLC short stories.
8. Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (boxed set)—I've mentioned before that I was a raving Little House fan as a kid. The books, the t.v. show, everything. Since my copies of the books somehow didn't survive my childhood, I bought a new set some years ago. I was SO excited to read the first book and...it just wasn't the same! The disappointment was a real downer, so I haven't moved on with my re-read of the series.
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—Another nostalgia buy, I've been meaning to re-read this one for ages and just...haven't yet. No excuses, except that I know I don't have to hurry because the book's in my personal library and it's not going anywhere.
10. Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie—This is another book that has gotten rave reviews from my bookish friends, online and off. I'm going to read it one of these days, I swear!
There you go, ten books/series I was super excited to get, but still haven't read. Have you read any of these? What did you think? Which do I need to pick up first? What's on your shelf of shame? I'd truly love to know (really, it will make me feel better about my own neglected reads). Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, September 08, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Rereads for 2020
I've been drawing a blank on a lot of the recent Top Ten Tuesday topics and today's is no different. It's Top Ten Books For My Younger Self. If the subject sounds familiar, it's because we did the same one back in April (which our host, Jana, just realized - ha ha). If you're interested in my list of Top Ten Books I Loved Waaayyyy Back in the Day, you can check it out here.
So, this week, I had a shocking revelation—it's September! Even though 2020 seems like it's lasted for five years, it's actually almost over, which is crazy. There are only 115 days left in the year (if Google did its math correctly), so I've been thinking about what I want to read before 2020 vanishes forever (thank goodness). My goal of reading 200 books in 2020 isn't looking super doable at this point, but I'm still going to give it my best shot. I'm set to finish The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman today (an excellent MG historical, by the by), which will be my 107th read of the year. I'd love to get at least 62 more in so I can beat the number of books I read last year (168). We'll see how it goes.
Since I'm a super book nerd (as opposed to just an ordinary one), I sat down the other day and typed up a list of 70 books I'd like to read before January 1, 2021. Some of them are simply titles I've been meaning to read but haven't gotten to yet. Others are books that fill prompts for reading challenges I haven't yet completed. About ten of them are actually re-reads, which is funny because I rarely re-read. Since ten is our golden number today, I decided to share them with you:
Top Ten Books I Want to Re-read Before 2020 Disappears for Good
1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—I loved this novel when I read it for a literature course in college, so I'm excited to revisit it. It fits several prompts for the PopSugar Reading Challenge: a Bildungsroman, a Book Over 500 Pages, or a Book Published in the 20th Century.
2. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin—This mystery is one I enjoyed as a kid. Prompt(s): Wisconsin Setting (Literary Escapes Reading Challenge) and Reread a Childhood Favorite or A Mystery or Under 200 Pages (Booklist Queen Reading Challenge)
3. A Separate Peace by John Knowles—This classic was also part of the curriculum for a literature class either in high school or college. Prompt(s): New Hampshire Setting (Literary Escapes Reading Challenge)
4. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel—I read several books in Coel's mystery series set on an Indian reservation before I started blogging. I never finished the series for some reason, so I'm going to start over with the first installment. Prompt(s): Wyoming Setting (Literary Escapes Reading Challenge)
5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee—There are very few books that I've read multiple times, but this is one of them. Since it's my favorite novel of all time and one that is frequently banned, it's perfect for the Read a Banned Book During Banned Book Week prompt (PopSugar Reading Challenge). It also fits the prompt for Reread a Favorite Book (Booklist Queen Reading Challenge) and Book Published in the 20th Century (PopSugar Reading Challenge).
6. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens—I reread this holiday classic every year to get me feeling all Christmas-y. Prompt(s): Reread a Favorite Book (Booklist Queen Reading Challenge)
7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier—This may be a cheat since I can't remember if I've read this book or not. Regardless, it should be a great Halloween read. Prompt(s): Book Published in the 20th Century (PopSugar Reading Challenge)
8. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate—I'm not usually one for books about animals (especially if they talk), but this is a lovely children's book. In preparation for reading its sequel, The One and Only Bob, which just came out, I'm going to reread this powerful novel. Prompt(s): Reread a Favorite Book (Booklist Queen Reading Challenge), Book Made into a Movie in 2020 (The Nerd Daily Reading Challenge and Booklist Queen Reading Challenge), Middle Grade Reading Challenge
9. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley—I read this one as a teenager. It will make a great reread for Halloween. Prompt(s): a Book Published in the 20th Century or a Book Written By Someone in Their 20's (PopSugar Reading Challenge)
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling—Okay, this is cheating a little bit since technically, I'm not the one rereading it. I am, however, listening while my husband reads it aloud to our 11-year-old daughter, neither of whom has read it before. Even though I'm usually reading my own book at the same time, I'm enjoying hearing the story for the third time. It never gets old!
Do you re-read books? Why or why not? What do you think of my rereads? Have you read or re-read any of them? I'd truly love to know. Leave a comment on this post and I will return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Top Ten Tuesday: Some Forceful Reading
I haven't uploaded any of my pictures yet, so I'll show you my favorite from those my husband snapped with his phone:
This is my kids standing on the banks of the Mississippi River at sunset. Cool, no?
I know everyone loves hearing recaps of someone else's family vacation, but lets talk about books, shall we? Since it's the third day of the week, it's time for Top Ten Tuesday, a fun meme hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic has to do with books you were "forced" to read, either for school, work, or because a friend, family member, or pushy blogger (as if!) compelled you to do so. I'm not sure if we're talking about the Top Ten Best Books We Were Forced to Read or the Worst, so I figured I'd do five of each. Ready? Here we go:
Top Five Worst Books I Was "Forced" To Read
1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger—I had to read this for a course at BYU (I know, right?). Classic or not, the book's crass and vile. I hated it.
2. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman—Technically, this is a poem not a novel, but oh my heck-fire, what a self-indulgent snooze fest! Yawn, yawn and more yawns.
3. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand—I forced myself to read this one since it's supposed to be a grand literary classic, but man, I had a hard time finishing it. Snooze-a-palooza.
4. The Heretic by Andrew Feder—Many moons ago, when I was just an infant in the book blogging world, I forced myself to read every book I received for review. Back then they were few, far between, and mostly terrible. This one was especially bad. Nowadays, if I hate a review book, I just close it, but then I finished them all. And gave them scathing reviews, which ticked off the authors (especially Mr. Feder). Live and learn, folks, live and learn.
5. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card—I've talked about my tried-to-love-it-but-still-loathe-it attitude toward this book. After attempting to read it several times, I finally just gave up the dream. Then, Hollywood had to go and make it into a movie and now my husband says he won't take me to see it until I finish the novel. Bah!
Top Five Best Books I Was "Forced" to Read
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis—I read this at some point in my elementary school career and I can still remember how vividly the story came to life in my imagination.
2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—This was part of the required reading for a Children's Lit class I took at BYU. It's a lovely book, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
3. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery—I'm not sure if this was "assigned" reading or just something I read at the suggestion of a favorite elementary school teacher, but I fell in love with its characters, story and Montgomery's (very) descriptive prose.
4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer—Sarah (of Sarah's YA Blog) isn't a pushy blogger at all, but she did recommend Cinder to me several times. And very enthusiastically. I opened the book with reluctance (I mean, robots? C'mon!), but was sucked right in and ended up loving both Cinder and its sequel, Scarlet.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling—Okay, no one really forced me to read this, but it was getting so much buzz that I had to give it a try. This was in the days when I felt weird reading children's lit (being an adult and all), especially fantasy, which has never been my favorite genre. Guess what? Harry Potter changed all that. Now, I read tons of children/teen books, fantasy and otherwise—without an ounce of shame!
So, there you have it. What do you think of my list? What are the worst and best books you have ever been "forced" to read?
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Readin'
Beach Thriller by Jamie Day
Listenin'
Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
-
Sweet Spot by Kemper Donovan4 hours ago
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
