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Showing posts with label Dervla McTiernan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dervla McTiernan. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: The Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection
I've been feeling a little emotionally bruised lately because of some...things, which has led to a *bit* of indulgence in the bookish retail therapy department. Needless to say, this week's TTT prompt is going to be a cinch for me: Top Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection
1. The Agatha Christie Collection by Agatha Christie—I've read a few of Christie's iconic Hercules Poirot mysteries, but I've been wanting to start at the beginning and read the rest in order. The first one, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, always seems to be checked out from my library, so I finally just bought this volume which includes that title, as well as The Murder on the Links (#2) and Poirot Investigates (#3). I'm excited to see how it all began!
2. Stranded by Nikki Shannon Smith—I've mentioned this middle grade novel before. It's about a young Black girl from New York City who loves nature to a degree that confounds everyone around her. She finds a kindred spirit in her aunt, who lives in a remote cabin in the Adirondacks. Despite all that Auntie Raven teaches Ava about wilderness survival, though, Ava's terrified when she finds herself alone in the woods. Does she have what it takes to make it ouf of the forest alive?
3. What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan—I have been enjoying this Irish-Australian author's Cormac Reilly crime series, so I was eager to give this standalone a go. It has not been available in my local libraries or bookstores and even Amazon didn't have it until recently. Finally, I was able to get myself a copy. The story revolves around a young couple who go on a romantic vacation to a remote cabin in the woods. When only the man returns, telling a story full of holes, everyone is asking the titular question: What happened to Nina?
4. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu—Considering what is going on right now, particularly in the U.S., I figured this was a good time to buy a copy of this book, about which I've heard great things. A warm, respectful conversation between two wise, compassionate leaders about what really matters in life sounds like just what my soul needs.
5. Not Nothing by Gayle Forman—I've never been overly interested in this author's YA novels, but I do like the sound of this one, her first middle-grade book. Alex is a lonely 12-year-old boy who commits an act that gets him sentenced to a summer performing community service at a retirement home. He is not at all enthusiastic about the prospect until he meets a 107-year-old resident named Josey. A man who has lived through it all, including the Holocaust, Josey just wants his long life to be over. When he meets Alex and begins telling the boy his story, the experience changes both of them. Can Josey's tales of courage give Alex the strength he needs to own up to the worst mistake he's ever made?
6. Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny—Changing Hands Bookstore, my local indie, offers a $10 birthday discount to its customers when we shop during our birth month. I used mine to pick up a copy of this 14th installment in the Armand Gamache crime series. It's one of my favorite series of all time, so I want to own all of them so I can re-read the books whenever I want. I haven't read Kingdom of the Blind yet, but it begins with a strange letter informing Gamache that he has been named in the will of a woman who is a complete stranger to him. He's baffled. When a dead body is found, the deceased's intentions become a little more clear—and a lot more sinister.
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett—Santa Claus brought me the beautiful Fingerprints edition of this children's classic. It's about a young girl who discovers a neglected garden on her uncle's estate. As she nurtures it back to life, she unearths secrets, clues, and answers to important questions about her family and herself.
8. The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton—My sister gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card for my birthday, which is a few days before Christmas. I used it to buy this dystopian/murder novel that I've been eyeing. It has a very intriguing premise: a killing fog has decimated the world's population, leaving only 125 people living on an idyllic island protected by a security system that keeps the fog away. Then, a scientist is murdered. The death triggers not just a lowering of the security system, which will disappear entirely if the killer isn't found in the next 107 hours, but also an erasure of everyone's memories of the night before. Someone on the island is a murderer, even if they don't remember that they are. Can the islanders solve the murder before it's too late?
9. Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson—I also used my gift card to buy a copy of this murder mystery by one of my favorite YA authors. It concerns Marlowe Wexler, a teenage girl who takes a summer job as a tour guide at a mansion that was built on a remote island in the 1920s and abandoned soon after. It's an easy gig, if not the most exciting job in the world. Except for the unexplained deaths that happened on the island. Those are...something. When Marlowe's employer mysteriously vanishes, Marlowe worries that the house's haunted history is making a deadly comeback...
10. The Magdalen Girls by V.S. Alexander—You know those tempting Kindle deals, where interesting-looking books can be had for just a few dollars? I fall for those way too often! Such is the case with this historical novel about three young Irish women who are sent to a Dublin convent that now serves as a Magdalen laundry for the crimes of being too pretty and too independently-minded. Despite the grimness and cruelty they experience in their new home, the young women form a fast, deep friendship. When they are finally able to escape the laundry, they'll need that bond to help them survive in the outside world, which might be more harsh than the one they've just escaped. Sounds depressing, but intriguing.
There you go, ten of my newest book acquisitions. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Which volumes have you acquired lately? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: TBR Books Are Springing Up Everywhere!
March has already been a busy month for me and it's barely even started. Whew! I'm heading to the U.K. on Sunday for a two-week sightseeing/family history trip (mostly the latter), so this is the only TTT you'll see here this month, sadly. I'll get back into it in April, I promise. In the meantime, I'll leave you with my Spring TBR list (next week's topic) since I'm not feeling this week's prompt, which is: Top Ten Books I'm Worried I Might Not Love As Much the Second Time Around.
This fun, weekly blog event is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Be sure to click on over to her blog and give it some love.
Top Ten Books On My Spring 2024 TBR List
1. Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong (available May 7, 2024)—I'm a huge fan of Armstrong's Rockton/Haven's Rock series, but her A Rip in Time books are actually my favorites. This one is the third installment in the series, which features a modern-day homicide detective who gets thrust back in time to Victorian Scotland, where she helps solve crimes while trying to figure out how to return to her own time. In this book, Mallory and her undertaker landlord investigate a murder that occurs during a mummy unwrapping.
Since this series is set in Edinburgh, the city I will be flying in and out of, it will be the perfect read for my airplane ride. Maybe I'll save it for the trip home, after I do a ghost tour in the city!
2. Where There's Smoke by E.B. Vickers—This YA novel concerns Calli, an 18-year-old girl who has graduated from high school and lost her father, all in the last week and a half. Grieving the only parent she had left, she finds purpose in helping a young girl who shows up at her house bruised, beaten, and scared out of her mind. When the police come knocking, asking about a missing child from a neighboring town, Calli finds herself caught up in a quest for truth and justice that will expose shocking secrets about her small community and people she's known all her life who she maybe doesn't really know at all.
3. The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin—When an enslaved girl stumbles upon a secret society of spies run by a free Black woman, she finds purpose in helping to undermine the Confederacy. At the same time, she is on a journey to reunite with her beloved mother, an enslaved woman from whom she has been tragically separated.
4. The Hunter by Tana French—I'm a big Tana French fan and I'm always excited when a new book from her is announced. This is the second book in her Cal Hooper series. In this installment, Cal is immediately put on alert when the absent father of a teenager he's been mentoring shows up in town with suspicious motives. How far will Cal go to protect the people he cares about?
5. What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan—McTiernan is another of my favorite crime writers. Her newest is a standalone mystery featuring a young couple—Simon and Nina—who go on a Vermont vacation together, from which only Nina returns. Desperate to find out what happened to their daughter, Nina's family plies the police for answers, while Simon's wealthy family rushes in to protect him from suspicion. What happened to Nina? Is Simon to blame? Finding the truth might just tear them all apart.
6. Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright—In this YA novel, a teen girl is attending school for the first time since she tried to kill herself. Everyone thinks they know what happened. They don't. As she floats through the halls, keeping her secrets to herself, she encounters several other students who are hiding their own doubts and insecurities. As painful as it might be, sharing their truths might be the first step to all of them finding the courage and understanding they all need to move forward.
7. A Novel Disguise by Samantha Larsen—The first installment in a new historical mystery series, this one introduces Miss Tiffany Woodall, a spinster who's pretending to be her dead half-brother in order to find the diamond pin that could save her from financial ruin. Things get complicated when a body is found, among other puzzling mysteries. It's up to Tiffany to figure out what in the world is going on in hers.
8. In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan (available July 23, 2024)—This gothic mystery doesn't come out until the summer, but I have an e-ARC I can't wait to read. Also set in Scotland, it's about a woman who is shocked to discover she's inherited an old castle from a relative she's never heard of. When she and her teen daughter move in, they're quite unsettled to find out that it's full of ghosts and mysteries aplenty. As they dig into the edifice's dark past, they unwittingly put themselves in danger, especially as trapped as they are on a remote island...
9. Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson—I enjoyed Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, so I'm excited to read this sequel. Our intrepid author of how-to guides for mystery novelists has been invited to a writing conference via a train packed with other authors. When one of them is murdered, it's up to him to find out whodunit.
10. The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie (available April 2, 2024)—This middle-grade puzzler sounds like tons of fun. It's about three kids who are determined to find a treasure that is rumored to be hidden inside an old, abandoned funhouse. As they solve riddles and other clues, they start to feel as if they're in the ultimate escape room, one that has been set up just for them. It's impossible, isn't it? What exactly is going on and how are they going to win this game that is getting gradually more unnerving?
There you go, ten books I hope to read this summer. Have you read any of them? What did you think? How about you? What's on your Spring TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, December 07, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: End of the Year Reads
It's hard to believe there are only 24 more days left of 2021! There's still plenty I need to do before the year closes out. Among my many to-do items is reading at least ten more books so I can hit my goal of 200. Shouldn't be too hard. Since today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is a freebie and I'm not feeling very creative today, I'm just going to list the titles I'm planning to get to before January 1st rolls around.
If you're in a list-making mood today, definitely hop on the TTT party train. It's always a good time! All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Top Ten Books I'm Planning to Read Before January 1st
1. The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan (available March 29, 2022)—I'm a fan of Macmillan's engrossing thrillers, so I'm excited to read her newest. Although it doesn't come out for awhile still, I've got an e-ARC. Yay! The novel concerns a group of friends who book a stay in a remote English inn. When their husbands are all delayed, the women go on ahead. Upon arrival, they receive a disturbing note saying one of their men will be murdered. Stuck in the isolated countryside, their vacation takes a terrible turn for the worst.
2. The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan (available May 10, 2022)—This Irish author is one of my favorite crime writers. There's not a lot of info on her newest, for which I have an e-ARC, but it appears to be a standalone mystery/thriller. Color me intrigued!
3. Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi—I need to read a book by a Muslim-American author for a reading challenge and I've heard good things about this one. Faruqi co-wrote another middle-grade novel I enjoyed, so I'm excited for her newest. It concerns a boy who lives in small-town Texas. With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 coming up, his Muslim community is on edge, especially considering all the protests against a new mosque that's opening up nearby. What will happen as the anniversary approaches in a town that's already simmering with unease?
4. Lies That Comfort and Betray by Rosemary Simpson—I enjoyed the first installment in this Gilded Age mystery series and am anxious to see what happens in this second book. Prudence MacKenzie, a wealthy heiress, has just formed a detective agency with her friend, Geoffrey Hunter. When one of Prudence's young maids is murdered, the duo have their first case. The victim died in a disturbingly similar way to the women Jack the Ripper killed. Has a vicious killer crossed the pond? Or is someone copying his notorious crimes?
5. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson—A dark academia book prompt is propelling me to finally re-read this YA murder mystery that takes place at a remote East Coast boarding school. I enjoyed it the first time around and am looking forward to moving on with the series once I remind myself of who's who and what's what in the series.
6. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan—This one is getting a lot of positive buzz. It's about a woman whose dying younger brother is a big fan of a newly-published book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When he asks her a burning question that only the author can answer, she reluctantly seeks out C.S. Lewis. The famous author offers her no quick answers, but what he does give her is far more valuable: hope.
7. Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera—I need to read a fantasy book for a reading challenge prompt and this one sounds interesting. Based on Mexican folklore, it's about a girl who must go on a dangerous, magical journey in order to save her sister.
8. Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli—Two of the reading challenges I'm trying to finish are asking me to read books set before the 17th Century. That's not my usual era, but I like Napoli and this book—set in 1592—sounds intriguing. It's about a young noblewoman in Venice whose future will be spent inside a convent. Unless she changes it. Which she does, to her peril.
9. I'll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark—As a teenager, I spent many hours reading MHC by flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep because I literally could not put her books down. I'm supposed to read a 1990s bestseller for a reading challenge so I'll be revisiting this oldie but goodie. It features a news reporter who's mourning her father, who's presumed dead after his car plunged over a New York City bridge. When a young woman is murdered, a woman who could be the reporter's double, her father's secrets—and the truth about his suspected death—begin coming to light.
10. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva—This Christmas novel is one I hoped to read last year. Since I've already completed my annual re-reading of A Christmas Carol, I think it's a good time to enjoy this festive tale about the writing of my favorite holiday story.
There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read before 2022 begins. What's on your reading list for the rest of the year? Have you read any of my picks? What did you think? What did you choose for your freebie topic today? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: HappyMerryChristBirthMas to Me!
Today's Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl) has a Christmas theme (naturally). It's all about the treasures we're hoping to find under the tree this year. Honestly, I live a very charmed and blessed life, so I already have everything I could possibly want and need. Having all my babies happy, healthy, and home for Christmas is all the gift I need in this crazy year. Still, if Santa really, REALLY wanted to spoil me, he could check this list twice:
Top Ten Bookish Things I Hope Santa Brings
- I bought my Harry Potter books as they came out, so they're old. They've been loved so much that they're tattered and torn. I'd love a clean, new set.
- Speaking of HP, my sister just snagged a pair of these fun socks at the grocery store of all places. She really should have grabbed an extra pair for me, don't you think? I think Santa should leave her coal and bring me some of these cute feet-warmers.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is my favorite book of all time. This special Barnes & Noble edition is gorgeous.
- Since Santa can make magic happen, I'd love a newly-published Kate Morton book on December 25th, please and thank you! It's so hard to be patient when it comes to new books by my favorite authors ...
- And while we're dealing in Christmas miracles, how about a paper copy of The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan? It was supposed to come out in the U.S. pre-COVID, but that never happened. The book has been released in Australia and it can be ordered via Amazon for $40.48. As much as I love McTiernan, I'm not paying that kind of money for her newest book! Santa and his elves can just magic a copy to me, right?
- I do a lot of reading on my iPad, but it's kind of heavy, so this Flippy Multi-Angle Soft Pillow Lap Stand would be super helpful.
- These Puffin hardcover classics are beautiful. How 'bout a set, Santa?
- I love the idea of book-themed subscription boxes, but I'm not enough of a risk-taker to spend a bunch of money on something I might now love. If the Big Guy wanted to sign me up for one gratis? I wouldn't complain.
- Aren't these Little Women quote pencils adorable? Too bad they're out of stock ...
- This puzzle is so cool! It gets kind of dubious reviews on Amazon, so I decided not to buy it for myself, but I still love the picture.
Obviously, Christmas isn't about what fills Santa's sack, but I still hope he brings you something fun that makes you smile. What are you hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Curbside Checkout, Here I Come!
It's Tuesday again. I think. I don't know about you, but these days, my Tuesdays don't look much different from my Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays! Nothing much has changed here except I've read a few more books, cross-stitched for a few (okay, a lot more than a few) more hours, and watched more episodes of The Middle. I did have a Zoom meeting for my church "job" this morning, so that added some excitement to my day. Other than that, it's the same ole, same ole around here. I'm not complaining—we're all healthy and staying (more or less) sane at my house. An extended member of our family died last week of COVID-19 after several weeks in the hospital, so that was a sobering reminder of why we're all sheltering in place. Please keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy!
On a lighter note, it's time for Top Ten Tuesday. If you're not familiar with this fun meme, you really should be. Head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info. Today's topic is Top Ten Book Titles That Would Make Great Band Names. I love music as much as the next person, but I'm just not feeling this one today. Instead, I'm going to give you a glimpse into my obsession with organizing my main Goodreads TBR list. Because I reached the limit of how many books you can have in a bookshelf (5000, if you're curious), I had to make separate lists for non-fiction and children's books. EDIT: I'm so sorry if I freaked anyone out with my unintentional lie about Goodreads bookshelf limits! What I meant to say was that if you go over 5000 on a single bookshelf, Goodreads will no longer let you put those books in want-to-read order (at least I can't figure out how). Since ordering my books is my favorite part of GR list-making, I keep my lists under 5000. Does that make more sense? So, today I'm focusing on the books on my adult fiction "bookshelf," listing the entries in want-to-read order. I'm going to briefly mention the titles I've talked about recently or repeatedly and spend more time on those I haven't highlighted yet.
Here we go with Top Ten Books on My Goodreads Adult Fiction TBR List:
1. The Sea of Lost Girls by Carol Goodman—I already talked about this book here. I've also lamented the fact that a copy of it is being held hostage at my county library, gathering dust on the "Holds" shelf. Well, good news! I just learned that the library will start curbside checkout tomorrow. I'm stoked. I've been wanting to read this book ever since I heard about it, so yay! I will liberate my on-hold book as soon as I can tomorrow morning.
2. The Girl From Widow Hills by Megan Miranda (available June 20, 2020)—I enjoy Miranda's thrillers and this one sounds as intriguing as her others. It involves a woman who achieved celebrity status as a child when she miraculously survived a near-drowning. As the 20th anniversary of the event approaches, the girl—now a woman living under a different name—starts experiencing strange symptoms that link her disturbing past to her threatened present. Can't wait!
3. All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White—I highlighted this title here.
4. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle—talked about it here
5. The Cutting Place by Jane Casey—Maeve Kerrigan is one of my favorite fictional police detectives. In Casey's newest, the 9th installment in the series, Maeve is sent to investigate the death of a young female journalist who was killed while working on a story about an elite gentleman's club. I'm in for anything Maeve!
6. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate—I've talked about this one before. I'm in the middle of the novel right now and I'm really enjoying it.
7. The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan—I'm not sure what's going on with the U.S. publication of this book. It came out in Australia in February but is not available for a reasonable price anywhere else as far as I can tell (there is a $40.87 copy listed on Amazon and a $30.36 one on BookDepository). Presumably, the hang-ups are because of COVID-19. Hopefully, The Good Turn will be more widely available soon.
This is the third installment in the DI Cormac Reilly series, which I enjoy. The story begins with the suspected kidnapping of a young girl. Short-staffed and hindered by red tape, Cormac and his partner make a horrible mistake in the case, which leaves the former suspended and the latter banished to a small town where he discovers some odd findings in a murder case that has supposedly been solved ...
8. Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen—An Atlantic City boardwalk psychic starts having strange visions that she thinks are related to two recent murders. When she launches her own investigation into the killings, she puts herself right in a killer's path ...
9. Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters by Emily Carpenter (available October 20, 2020)—I enjoy Carpenter's immersive thrillers and her newest sounds just as intriguing as her other books. This one revolves around Eve Candler, a woman who has kept her grandmother's secrets for years. No one else knows that the revered evangelist and faith healer was a complete fraud and a con artist to boot. When an even bigger secret about her grandmother surfaces, Eve risks everything to find out the truth.
10. Before Familiar Woods by Ian Pisarcik—I love the big lies in small towns trope, so naturally, I find the premise of this book appealing. It has to do with the murders of two boys and the subsequent disappearances of their fathers. It's left to one mother to figure out what is happening in her not-so-quaint little town.
There you go, the top ten books on my adult fiction Goodreads TBR shelf. Have you read any of them? What are the most tantalizing titles on your TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
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