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 Genealogy/Family History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Genealogy/Family History. Show all posts
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Thursday This & That
I've been a bit M.I.A. this month. Although I've still been reading, everything else has kind of taken a back burner to the big exam I just completed. I became an accredited genealogist earlier this year, with a specialty in the U.S. Southwest region (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and California, as defned by ICAPGen), but, because I'm a little crazy, I decided to accredit in an additional region. This one has actually been a long time coming thanks to COVID delays, but I finally took the 8-hour exam to accredit in the U.S. Great Lakes region (Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois). It was stressful, but I'm done. Keep your fingers crossed that I pass it!
As a reward for completing my testing (not that I ever really need an excuse), I treated myself to a Barnes & Noble trip. I considered driving to Tempe to hit up my local(ish) indie, Changing Hands Bookstore, but after a long morning of testing, I was basically on the verge of collapse and I just didn't want to drive that far. So, I stayed really local and bought this lovely trio at B&N:
(My son was shocked that I posed my treasures by the pool. Don't worry, no books were harmed in the making of this post!)
I've been dying to read all of these:
Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson—This is the fifth book in Johnson's fabulous Truly Devious series. The books are YA mysteries starring a teen true crime aficianado who uses her skills to solve cold and hot cases.
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden—There's nothing I like better than a Gothic mystery set in a mysterious old house. This one fits the bill nicely.
Homecoming by Kate Morton—I may have mentioned a few (hundred) times that Morton has a new book out. She's one of my all-time favorite authors, so this was an auto-buy. I should have put Homecoming on top of the stack because it has a gorgeous cover. The novel is about a murder that takes place in Australia in 1959 and the modern woman who's determined to solve it once and for all.
I don't know what the weather's looking like in your neck of the woods, but here in the Arizona desert it's been in the low 80s. It's cool enough (in the shade at least) to read poolside. I'm super wimpy so I don't actually get in the water until the temperature's over 100. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your opinion of Arizona's ridiculously hot weather), it won't be long now. Summer is my least favorite season, but at least I can always step outside and take a refreshing dip in my pool. Could be worse!
What are you all up to? Read anything good lately? I just started an e-ARC of Warrior Girl Unearthed, Angeline Boulley's second novel, which comes out on May 2. It has to do with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). I'm only a few chapters in and it's already eye-opening and intriguing. On audio, I'm listening to The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan. I've read and loved most of Ryan's books. This one feels slower than her others, but it's still an enjoyable listen.
Breaking news: I'm hoping to actually get a review posted before the week's out! Right? It's been a hot minute since that's happened around here. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, March 07, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: Prompts and Pioneers
I was sad to miss last week's TTT, but it couldn't be helped. My husband and I drove up to Utah last Tuesday for RootsTech, a big genealogy conference in Salt Lake City. It hasn't been held in person since 2020 so it was good to be back. There were many fewer people in attendance than in earlier years, largely because there's been a big push to get the conference online so it can be enjoyed by a larger, more global audience. It was nice for those of us in the Salt Palace not to have to fight for seats in popular classes, stand in long lines for the bathroom, push through crowds in the hallways, etc. Even though it was cold and snowy in Utah, we Zonies had a great time honing our genealogy skills, visiting family, catching up with old friends, and learning more about our own stories. It's always a surreal experience to sit at Tesla super chargers in places like Nephi and Beaver, Utah, where our ancestors settled nearly 200 years ago. While we wait for our bougie car to charge, we always marvel that our not-so-distant kin traveled this same ground on foot and in wagons while they farmed, raised their families, and went about their daily lives. Wild!
Selfies are not my favorite (I always look like an idiot), but this one isn't terrible if you ignore my crazy eyes. I was really tired...
We actually left RootsTech early so my husband could attend a one-day conference at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The hubs and I met at the Y when we were freshmen, so it's a nostalgic place for us. While he conferenced, I visited one of my favorite venues in Provo:
Pioneer Book is a great little used bookstore. Every year, it hosts a fun reading challenge. You read one book for each of 40 prompts, 8 of which need to be purchased from Pioneer Book. When you finish, you get a $50 gift certificate to be used in the store. Since my husband and/or I generally visit Provo several times a year, I always take on the challenge (although I've yet to actually ever finish it). I'm off to an excellent start this time around and I'm hoping to complete all the prompts by July when I'll be back in town for the 4th.
This might sound like a long-winded travel report (which it kind of is), but it's actually an introduction to my TTT list for this week. The actual topic is Top Ten Bookish People I'd Like to Meet (authors, illustrators, fictional characters, etc.). I'm not much for fangirling, so I decided to spin the topic so I can talk about some of the titles I picked up at Pioneer Book last week instead.
If you want to participate in TTT (and you totally do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the deets.
Top Ten Books I Need to Read for the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
- in no particular order - *asterisks denote titles purchased at Pioneer Book*
1. What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha*—I'd never heard of this book before, but it sounds super interesting. It tells the true story of the doctor who discovered that kids in Flint, Michigan, were getting sick from lead in their drinking water. In order to exact change, she exposed the shocking truth to the world and battled the government to get justice and clean water for her patients.
Prompt: Best Seller Non-Fiction Display
Prompt: Wildcard Upstairs (500+ pages)
3. The Wedding Gift by Marlen Suyapa Bodden*—Set in 1852 Alabama, this hist-fic title is about a Southern belle who receives a valuable wedding gift: a slave, who also happens to be her half-sister. Both women are more than they appear to be, which will make their new life together surprising, tumultous, and transformative.
Prompt: New Arrivals Display Upstairs
4. Lord of the Flies by William Golding—Despite having a degree in English, I'm not big on classics. Thus, I've never actually read this book. I was going to go easy on myself for this prompt and just re-read To Kill a Mockingbird (my favorite novel ever), but I decided to challenge myself a little. The book's short, at least, and I'll be able to finally cross it off my "Books I Should Have Read Already" list. I'm definitely going to look for the pictured edition, too. Stephen King is sure to have some interesting insights into what this book is all about!
Prompt: Time Magazine 100 Best Novels List
5. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China* by Jung Chang—It's no secret that I love family history. Family sagas are my favorite, fictional or otherwise. This book is the latter. It's Chang's exploration of three generations of her family living in 20th Century China.
Prompt: Wildcard Downstairs (500+ Pages)
6. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez—I haven't loved any of the books I've read by this Argentine-American author, but this YA novel is supposed to be her best. It's about an Argentine teenager who is living a double life. At home, she is meek and mild, always careful not to ignite her father's hot temper. On the soccer field, however, she's an unstoppable force. The problem? Her parents—who would be horrified at the idea of their daughter playing fútbol—don't know about her athletic skill. In order to go any further with the sport, she needs their support. Is playing soccer really worth angering her family?
Prompt: Employee Pick Shelf
7. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict*—This novel has been on my TBR list ever since it came out. It concerns Mitza Maric, a talented German physicist whose brilliance was outshone by that of her famous husband, Albert Einstein. Is there room for two geniuses in one marriage?
Prompt: Best Seller Fiction Display
8. Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorah*—As a lifelong member of a religion that many see as extreme and even cultish, I know to take religious memoirs/tell-alls with a very large grain of salt. Still, I find them utterly fascinating. Scorah is a third-generation Jehovah's Witness who experienced a life-altering faith crisis while serving as a clandestine missionary for the faith in China. Being away from home and in a foreign country opened her eyes and widened her worldview, leading her to apostasize from her religion and start life anew.
Prompt: New Arrivals Display Downstairs
9. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles—I've heard nothing but good things about this historical novel. The titular gentleman is Count Alexander Rostov who is sentenced by a Russian tribunal to house arrest at an elegant hotel across the street from the Kremlin. As his physical world shrinks, Rostov's emotional life grows, changing him in surprising ways.
Prompt: Kirkus Prize Winner/Nominee
10. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill—I love me a spine-tingling Gothic ghost story, so I'm all in for this one. It's about a man who travels to the English moors in order to settle the affairs of the recently departed Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. He finds much more than he bargains for, including spooky sounds, a haunted rocking chair, and, of course, the dreaded Woman in Black.
Prompt: Popular book Published in 1983
Have you read any of these? What did you think? Who are the bookish people you'd like to meet? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Thursday, October 14, 2021
My Fun, Fabulous, Unforgettable European Family Vacation
After a whirlwind two weeks in Europe, I'm back! I'm jet lagged and exhausted, but I'm home and full of gratitude for the wonderful time I had seeing beautiful sights, connecting with my ancestral past, and bonding with my family. Naturally, not everything went according to plan (who knew our adventures would be disrupted by city-wide marathons in two different cities in two separate countries?); still, it was an amazing trip. We saw and did so many incredible things that I can't even remember them all. Here's a quick rundown:
England
- Rode the London Eye
- Visited Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Winston Churchill's secret underground war rooms, the Roman Baths at Bath, York, etc.
- Experienced a traditional High Tea in York
- Saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
- Drove through the lush, beautiful countryside
- Passed a Da Vinci Code-like test to visit the oldest chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the world
- Stood on the Liverpool docks from which many of our ancestors departed in order to travel to the United States in the 1800's
The statue we're standing next to honors all the Mormon immigrants who sailed from Liverpool to join the Saints in Utah. It's called "Legacy" and you can read all about it here.
- Supped on fish and chips with a close college friend I hadn't seen in 25 years
- Dined on yummy lunches at pubs all over England
- Went to opening night of the new James Bond movie in London, a week before the film debuted in the U.S.
Wales
- Explored Conwy Castle, which showed off its beautiful views and delighted us with multiple rainbows
- Ate haggis (which is not as revolting as it sounds)!
- Found the old, isolated parish church where my husband's ancestor was baptized long ago
- Traveled through lush, lovely countryside
- Visited the National Slate Museum in NW Wales
Scotland
- Visited Ayr, the homeland of my Kennedy ancestors, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring "my" castle (Culzean Castle)
- Braved the driving rain and icy wind to check out Edinburgh and its lovely castle (not as charming as mine, of course)
- Served the most untraditional "traditional" club sandwich I've ever encountered at an "authentic" American restaurant in Edinburgh.
- Stopped by the impressive Forth Bridge, where one of my husband's great-grandparents died while helping to build it
- Drove (well, rode in in my case) an 8-passenger van through lots of teensy tiny streets to see beautiful countryside and charming villages
France
- Traveled through the Chunnel from London to Paris
- Were thwarted in our efforts to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower (dang marathon!), but got many pictures of it from many different angles
- Visited the Louvre, Versailles (including Marie Antoinette's charming village), the Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, etc.
- Ate escargot (not that bad) and lots of crepes and croissants (delicious)!
- Survived our climb to the dome of Sacré-Cœur and were rewarded with magnificent views of Paris
- Enjoyed a romantic evening river cruise down the Seine
- Had a family caricature portrait drawn by a Parisian street artist
- Passed Shakespeare and Company while headed to our Metro station—I was pleased to see a line out front, even if it meant I didn't have time to go inside
- Met up with another college friend I hadn't seen in 25 years who just happened to be visiting Paris at the same time as us
It really was an awesome trip. I'm glad to be home sleeping in my own bed again, but I'm also so thankful for the experiences we had in Europe and the memories we made.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Mormon Mentions: Libby Copeland
(Note: In 2018, Russell M. Nelson—president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—made an impassioned plea to members of the Church and to the media to always use the full and correct name of the Church instead of referring to it by its various nicknames. This led to the renaming of many Church entities, including its famous choir, which is now The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Although I have been trying to think up a clever new name for this feature that is more in line with President Nelson's request, for the moment it remains "Mormon Mentions.")
----
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well known for its long-held interest in genealogy/family history, so it's no surprise that the Church is mentioned several times in The Lost Family by Libby Copeland:
"It matters deeply to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who their ancestors are because this knowledge allows them to carry out a grave responsibility, to save souls and ensure the sanctity of the family unit in the afterlife" (29).
- One of the most comforting doctrines taught by the Church is that families are forever, bound together both in this life and the next. Building temples, in which familial bonds are cemented through sacred covenants, is a priority because this eternal binding is of utmost importance to the leadership and membership of the Church. I love this video, which explains this better than I can:
"FamilySearch, though, is not a business. It is a massive project free to everyone, dedicated to the idea that we're all better off if we know our ancestors...[The Church] also runs the website FamilySearch.org, where you can search more than five billion records" (29).
- If you have any interest in family history, I strongly recommend visiting FamilySearch. It's run by the Church, but anyone can use its abundant free resources. If you need help navigating the site, let me know. I'm happy to help.
Approachable DNA/Genealogy Book An Engrossing, Thought-Provoking Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
If you hang out here at BBB with any regularity, you know that I'm an adoptive mom as well as an avid genealogist. I'm so into family history, in fact, that I'm currently working on becoming accredited as a professional genealogist in two regions: U.S. Southwest and U.S. Great Lakes. COVID has slowed the process, but I'm hoping to finish my testing this year. I'm not a big tv watcher (I'd rather read, thank you very much!); however, I have been known to binge-watch shows like Finding Your Roots, Genealogy Roadshow, Relative Race, and Who Do You Think You Are?. I've been quietly researching my adopted daughter's birth family's genealogy since she was born. Bottom line? I go nuts over anything related to family history: research, DNA, adoption reunions, family heirlooms, passed-down stories, etc. Given all that, I was immediately drawn to The Lost Family by Libby Copeland. How could I resist a book that promised to tick off so many of my favorite reading boxes?
The book tells the story of Alice Collins Plebuch, a woman who took a DNA test that returned results that were unexpected and perplexing. To say the least. The confusing information led her on a journey that required painstaking research, uncomfortable questions, and an almost complete overhaul of everything she knew about herself and her family. Copeland uses Plebuch's incredible story as a framework for discussing the relatively new technology of DNA home-testing, which allows anyone to spit in a tube, upload very personal information to a very public forum, and share all the secrets hiding in their genes with the world. While doing so has led to joyous reunions between biological family members, answers to heart-wrenching questions, and even the bringing to justice of the Golden State Killer, they've also been the catalyst for broken hearts, renewed feelings of abandonment, privacy breaches, and the revelation of long-buried secrets that maybe should have been kept that way. Copeland poses some deep, thought-provoking questions on the subject like:
- Should the public posting of DNA results be more regulated to protect those who are not actively seeking answers?
- What makes a family?
- How much does one's genetics really influence the person they become?
- Should DNA results be automatically shared with law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of greater-good justice-seeking in spite of privacy issues?
- Do the children of adoption and sperm donation have the right to seek their birth families, regardless of whether those people want to be contacted?
Copeland's exploration of these questions and more makes for fascinating food for thought. If your book club is looking for a discussion-worthy read, you just found it!
Although The Lost Family digs into complex science and even more complicated philosophical questions, it's actually a very readable book. Copeland's style is laidback and conversational, making her book a great pick for experienced genealogists as well as family history newbies. The stories she includes—about Alice and many others—makes her subject intimate and personal. It's not often that I race through a volume of non-fiction, but I cruised through this one eagerly lapping up every word. Needless to say, I enjoyed the read immensely.
I choose paper books over their e-versions on most occasions, but I purposely bought this one digitally so that I could mark it up and easily search for memorable passages. Here are a few of my favorites:
"Secrets, we are all discovering, have a propulsive power all their own, and time and complicity only make them more powerful. Once you decide to keep a secret, the secret maintains a circular logic, even when circumstances change. Many seekers say the fact of the secret is the thing that nags at them, more than the nature of the secret itself" (3-4).
"The sheer girth of those numbers means that even if you don't choose to send away for a kit, it increasingly doesn't matter. Especially in the United States, where DNA testing is more popular than anywhere else, all of us are already drawn in by the decisions of other people who share our genetic material—people who, in many cases, we've never met. As bioethicist Thomas H. Murray told me, 'You don't get to opt out.'" (4)
"We look for ourselves in our family histories and in our genes, but such things alone do not make identity. We human beings are the meaning-makers, each of us a product of a particular time and place, with ideas about what we value and, indeed, what we hope to find when we look" (28).
"...when one person spits into a vial or swabs her cheek, her whole family is implicated" (50).
"For science to use someone's body to attempt to disprove something sacred to that person—is that the uncovering of truth or a violation?" (67).
I could go on, but I'll stop there and just encourage you to read the book for yourself. Also, I'd love to know your experiences with and feelings on DNA testing. I find the whole subject utterly fascinating. My husband, adopted daughter, and I all did ours through Ancestry years ago. Like Copeland, I was "at once disappointed and relieved not to find any big surprises in my results...boring results can be a blessing" (32).
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and disturbing subject matter (rape, incest, murder, etc.)
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Lost Family with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, March 02, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: Fact or Fiction, I Love a Good Family History Story!
Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is all about our dream jobs—or at least those that look fun, exciting, and interesting in fiction. The prompt, Top Ten Characters Whose Job I Wish I Had, has left me scratching my head, though. I guess it's just too early in the morning for my brain to match up characters from books I enjoyed or books I want to read with jobs I wish I had. Probably I'm being too literal. Although I have a college degree in English, my oldest child was born prematurely (at 29 weeks gestation) not long after graduation. I have been a stay-at-home mom ever since. While it's hardly the most glamorous career choice in the world, I've found a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment in being able to focus on motherhood full-time. I do feel less needed now that my oldest two are on their own and my youngest two are in school all day, but I still don't feel any great longing to enter the workforce. The other day, my husband was joking about me getting a full-time job so he could retire (he's 44). Our 16-year-old son, who's usually pretty "whatever" about things, looked appalled at the idea and said, "What? No! I need you at home, Mom." So, there you go. I've been working my dream job for over 22 years now and, all in all, it's been pretty great. Still, wiping runny noses and changing dirty diapers isn't the stuff of which great fiction is made, so...
If I could choose another dream job, it would for sure be that of a professional reader. Since book blogging is pretty darn close, I have to say that I'm actually already "working" two of my dream "jobs." Wow!
That brings us to family history, which has long been an interest of mine. A couple years ago, I made the decision to become accredited as a professional genealogist. While you don't technically need any kind of certification to work in the field, especially as a self-employed researcher, I thought it would be a fun, challenging way to up my genealogy game. And it has been. I completed two big research projects in two different specialty areas (the Great Lakes and the Southwest regions of the U.S.) and now all I have to do is test in both. This was supposed to have happened a year ago, but thanks to COVID, it's been postponed. In the meantime, I've continued researching my own ancestors in an ongoing effort to know and understand those who came before me and to keep my family history sleuthing skills sharp. One way I do this is by attending RootsTech—the world's largest family history conference—which is held annually in Salt Lake City, Utah. Because of the pandemic, this year's event was held entirely online and was, for the first time ever, completely free. Even though the conference has ended, the classes and presentations that were given are still available online, meaning you can watch them right now. If you've ever wanted to learn more about how to research your own family history straight from industry professionals, this is your chance to do it from the comfort of your own home and without spending a dime. Click on over to RootsTech.org for more details.
If you have any desire at all to know about your roots, I highly recommend checking out FamilySearch. It's a free, easy-to-use genealogy website where you can build a family tree, connect it to others that are already in its enormous database (chances are excellent that your great-grandparents and beyond are in there, meaning you won't have to do extensive research to find them), and use historical records (millions of which are available to search on the site for free) to learn more about their lives. Although my illustrious ancestors were more pauper than prince, I have found it extremely rewarding to get to know them and connect to my heritage.
I know it seems I've meandered far away from books, but I promise this is going somewhere! Obviously, I love learning about family history—from reading stories about my ancestors to studying old documents to Nancy Drew-ing my way through puzzling mysteries, I'm here for it all. Not surprisingly, I also enjoy reading books about genealogy. I've found a few that star genealogists and a lot more that feature characters who are looking into their own pasts in order to solve a mystery, understand an enigmatic family member, connect with a lost culture, or find themselves in their own pasts. My list today is gong to be a mixture of books I've read and those I want to read about genealogy and family history.
However you want to twist the TTT topic, you definitely want to join in the fun. All the details are over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Check it out.
Top Ten Books About Genealogy and Family History:
Five I've Read—
1. The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissmann—I read this middle grade novel earlier this year and loved it. It's about a mixed-race girl who was adopted as a baby by a white Jewish couple. As she prepares for her upcoming bat mitzvah, she begins studying the life of her adoptive great-grandmother, who fled her European homeland during World War II. This propels the girl on a journey to discover who she really is and where she truly belongs. It's an excellent, moving book about identity and family.
2. Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins—This cozy mystery series features a professional genealogist who solves family history mysteries as a job. In this first installment, she's been hired by a Texas billionaire to find the murderer of his great-great granddaddy. Although I didn't absolutely love this book, it's still a fun read. There are a couple more books in the series now—I need to catch up.
3. Inheritance by Dani Shapiro—In this memoir, Shapiro recounts what happened when a DNA test she took returned unexpected results. The journey she then undertook to find and understand her true identity is an intriguing one that asks important questions about family, identity, culture, and the ethics of sperm donation. It's fascinating.
4. It's All Relative by A.J. Jacobs—I heard Jacobs speak at RootsTech in 2015 after he published this book about his quest to find his roots. It's a hilarious, entertaining read that any genealogy addict will enjoy.
5. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton—I'm a huge fan of Morton's multi-layered family sagas for lots of reasons. This one concerns a young girl who is taken in by a tender-hearted old man when she arrives alone in Australia without anyone to retrieve her. She's raised by the man and his wife, without knowing she's not their biological child. When she finds out, she sets out on a journey to find out who she really is.
Five I Want to Read—
1. The Lost by Daniel Mendelsohn—Stephanie over at She's Probably at the Library recommended this book about the author's search for his family's Holocaust story. The way she described his painstaking research process made me especially interested in reading this heavy tome that Stephanie says is heartbreaking but fascinating.
2. Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton (available March 8, 2021)—Based on the author's own family history, this novel tells the story of one woman's resilience during World War II in Italy.
3. Send For Me by Lauren Fox—This dual-timeline novel concerns a woman who finds her grandmother's letters from World War II Germany, which propels her on a journey into her family's tragic past. Have I mentioned that I've got a thing for family history?
4. Paging the Dead by Brynn Bonner—The first installment in a family history mystery series, this one has the professional genealogist main character investigating a murder in order to clear her own name. Sounds fun!
5. The Lost Family by Libby Copeland—This book, which examines DNA results and family history research, has gotten some good buzz. I'm definitely interested in reading it.
There you go, ten books about family history/genealogy that I've read and want to read. Which books of this type have you enjoyed? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
TTT: Spring Has Sprung on Mt. TBR, Part One
Ahhh, Tuesday! My favorite day of the week in the book blogging world. I've been a little bit MIA from BBB lately thanks to my attendance at RootsTech—a big, multi-day genealogy conference. Since I was in Salt Lake City for the event, I took the opportunity to do some on-site research on some of my Mormon pioneer ancestors. The Church History Library held an absolute gem—a series of letters written to my great-great-great grandfather from his mother in England while he was eking out a life in Ogden, Utah, in the 1860s and '70s. Since they hadn't been indexed or transcribed, I spent a few hours sending the letters from microfilm to my email address, page by page. Once I got home, I couldn't wait to transcribe them, a painstaking but very fulfilling process. Reading the letters made me laugh, cry, and shake my head. Let's just say that moms haven't changed much in 150 years!
Hoping to strike gold again, I visited the Salt Lake City Cemetery in search of a more recent ancestor who died in a coal mine cave-in near Helper, Utah, in 1925. Find a Grave did not have any photos, so I went headstone-hunting hoping to take one for myself. Imagine my dismay when I found this:
Considering the age of some of the headstones in this cemetery, it's amazing more haven't toppled, but nope—the stone I sought was the only one laying face forward on the ground! Try as they might, my husband and aunt couldn't lift the heavy stone so we could read its inscription. Such is the life of the genealogist, I guess. You win some, you lose some. Ironically, a quick visit to Billion Graves (which I somehow hadn't thought to check) revealed a perfectly clear photo of the headstone taken while it was still upright, proving I'm not quite the thorough genealogist I thought I was! Good thing I attended RootsTech to hone my skills.
Anyway, all this is to say that I'm home, recovered from my vacation, and ready to get the blog updated. Participating in TTT seems like the best way to get back into the swing of things!
If you're not familiar with Top Ten Tuesday, it's a super fun weekly meme. You should definitely join in. It's simple. Just head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read some quick instructions, make your own list, and then spend a few happy hours hopping around the book blogosphere checking out other people's lists. If you're looking for an easy way to feel more connected here while spreading the love to some awesome blogs and adding to your TBR pile at the same time—well, you've found it. Jump on in, the water's fine :)
This week's topic is Top Ten Authors Who Have a Fun Social Media Presence. I don't follow many authors, so I'm going to fast forward to next week's topic: Top Ten Books on My Spring 2020 TBR. Since there are at least 20 books on my Spring TBR, I'll share ten this week and ten next week. Here goes:
Top Ten Books on My Spring 2020 TBR (Part One):
1. The Wish and the Peacock by Wendy S. Swore—Swore's debut, A Monster Like Me, was one of my favorite novels of 2019. I was super excited to get an ARC of her newest, which I'm reading now. It's a poignant story about a 12-year-old girl who's desperate to hold on to the family farm she loves, which is being sold in the wake of her father's death. She'll do whatever it takes to sabotage the sale, even tame a wild peacock! So far, the book is sweet and funny. I'm enjoying it.
2. The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron—I'm a big fan of Cameron's books, which are unique and thought-provoking. Her newest tells a more traditional story than her others. It's a WWII novel about a real Polish teenager who hid 13 Jews in her tiny apartment, even with Nazis living next door, throughout the war. Sounds fascinating!
3. When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall—Lark recommended this YA novel about a high school field trip to Costa Rica gone horribly wrong. It sounds like a tense, exciting adventure/survival story. I just grabbed it from the library and I can't wait to dig in.
4. My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira—This is an older historical that I somehow missed reading. It's about a 17-year-old midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. The Civil War is raging and she offers her services as a nurse, which leads to an adventure that is full of excitement, danger, heartbreak, romance, and sorrow.
5. Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi (available June 23, 2020)—This one is kind of a cheat since it doesn't come out until the end of June, but I'm hoping to get an early copy of it, so ... I really enjoyed Rossi's Never Sky series, but her latest is a completely different kind of novel. It's a historical featuring a young woman who snatches a surprise opportunity to assume a different identity. Eventually, she becomes a Revolutionary War spy for George Washington. Based on a real person, this one sounds super intriguing!
6. The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth—Not gonna lie, even as a kid, I found Mister Rogers' Neighborhood a little too trippy! I was never a fan of the Land of Make Believe (so weird!), but I enjoyed the rest of Mister Rogers' show as well as the calm, accepting, positive vibe he put off. It's been fun getting to know this wonderful man better through recent movies. My book club chose this book for our March meeting and I can't wait to read it.
7. The Last Blue by Isla Morley (available May 5, 2020)—I loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, which features a "Blue" from the unique Kentucky clan. I've been interested in reading more about these people, so when Morley offered me a copy of her newest, I gladly accepted. Her novel is about a pair of journalists who travel to the wilds of Appalachia to study the Blue People of Kentucky for a government WPA project. The experience opens their eyes and changes their lives forever.
8. The Supremes at Earl's All You Can Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore—This one came up in a Google search I did for "happy novels." It's about a trio of friends who have been by each other's sides through thick and thin. This year, however, will be their most challenging yet. Sounds a little intense, but I'm hoping happy wins out in the end!
9. A Good Neighborhood by Therese Ann Fowler—This one's gotten some excited buzz lately, and it does sound interesting, especially considering I have a bi-racial daughter. The novel concerns a family with a bi-racial son whose ordered lives are challenged when their uppity new neighbors start causing tension, which causes everyone in the neighborhood to ask important questions about race, class, and interracial romance.
10. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle—This novel, which comes out today, sounds like a thought-provoking one! It concerns a woman who knows exactly where she will be in five years. Until one night when she has a very real-feeling dream in which she's shown an entirely different future. What does it all mean, if anything? Oooh, the possibilities with this premise ... I'm excited to see what happens.
There ya go, ten books I'm hoping to read this Spring. Have you read any of these? What did you think? What's on your TBR list this season? I'd truly love to know. Leave a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
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