I love Christmastime—the lights, the carols, the food, the traditions, the generosity and goodwill in the air, just all of it. Even though it can be stressful to make all the magic happen for my family, this is still my favorite time of year. In spite of all the chaos in the world, I hope you're able to feel the joy of the season and take comfort in the goodness that still exists out there. I don't talk about my religion on here much, but I have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ as my Savior and Redeemer. Each nativity scene I see displayed reminds me of the gift of His birth, the example of His life, and the tremendous sacrifice He made to redeem us all. Throughout my life, I have felt the presence and love of my Heavenly Father and His Son and I will be forever grateful for that. For those of you who celebrate the holiday, Merry Christmas! For my Jewish friends, Happy Hanukkah!  I hope we are all able to enjoy time together with our friends and loved ones this holiday season and that we can be both the recipients and the givers of cheer and love. 

Since I won't be back on TTT until mid-January, after my Holy Land trip, I also want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Thank you for sticking with me for another year. I truly appreciate everyone who drops in here at BBB and all who make the book blogosphere a wonderful place to hang out. Here's to more great reads and bookish fun in 2026.

Oh, and remember that if your holiday isn't turning out to be so merry and bright, we always have books to provide us with comfort, companionship, entertainment, and joy!

Speaking of books...let's get on with Top Ten Tuesday (hosted, as always, by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl). The topic du jour is Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes. For this annual prompt, we're encouraged to post our Amazon book wishlists; visitors to your blog can then grant wishes by buying you books, if they choose. I've always been uncomfortable with this prompt, so I'm going to twist the topic a tad and talk about the last ten books I have gifted myself. (Who needs Santa, anyhow?)

1. Pearls and Poison by Erin Lindsey—I talked about this book in my last TTT post. It's the fourth installment in a Gilded Age mystery series starring a former New York City housemaid who becomes involved with a special branch of the Pinkerton Detective Agency that investigates paranormal mysteries. Now a Pinkerton agent in her own right and with Thomas Wiltshire (her mentor and object of affection) away in California, Rose Gallagher is on her own to investigate a series of strange deaths as well as some missing jewels. 

This is a fun series, and I've enjoyed all the books, which I've been able to find at my local libraries. Unfortunately, they do not carry Pearls and Poison, so I bought the e-book from Amazon. I started it today and I'm already hooked! 

2. The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson—My local indie, Changing Hands, offers a $10 discount during your birthday month, so I always go in December. This mystery novel looks fun, so I grabbed it. It's about Nora Davies, a newcomer to Cornwall who starts a book club at her local community center. So far, it's been a huge disaster, with attendees disagreeing over everything. When one of the members disappears and a dead body is found at his home, the remaining book clubbers must come together to figure out what happened to their missing member.

3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt—This book got so much buzz when it came out, that I immediately bought a copy of it in hardcover. It has been gathering dust on my shelf ever since! Then, a blogger (I can't remember who, unfortunately) mentioned how good the audio version is. When I got a new Audible credit in December, I cashed it in right away. The story is about several lonely souls whose lives converge in surprising ways. It really is a lovely book, one I really enjoyed, and the audiobook narrators truly are wonderful. 

4. Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp—I couldn't find this historical novel at my library, so I bought it with Audible credits as well. The story is about a man who returns home to Arkansas after serving in World War II. After the horrors he experienced in the Pacific Theater, he's hoping to find peace and solace in his beloved hills. When he starts noticing strange things happening on his property, he's sure something sinister is going on. Considering the shell-shocked behavior he's been displaying ever since his return, no one believes the dismayed veteran. What's really going on? He's determined to find out.

5. The Dead Come to Stay by Brandy Schillace—Another pick from my Changing Hands shopping spree, I just realized this is actually the second book in a series. Oops! I'll have to read The Framed Women of Ardemore House first, then move on to this sequel. The series stars an "amateur autistic sleuth" working in North Yorkshire. Sounds promising!

6. Upgrade by Blake Crouch—I've enjoyed a number of books by Crouch, but I hadn't read this one yet so I grabbed it while I was at Changing Hands. It concerns Logan Ramsey, a man whose genome has been hacked, giving him some enhanced abilities. Of course, he's been "upgraded" for a reason, just as the rest of humanity will be if Logan doesn't stop it from happening. And fast.

7. James by Percival Everett—Everyone's raving about this historical novel that tells the story of Jim, the escaped slave who accompanies Huckleberry Finn on his grand adventure. I haven't read the book yet; hopefully, I'll get to it soon.

8. The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee—To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book of all time, so naturally, I had to buy this newly-released volume of essays and stories by the iconic TKAM author.

9. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus—In order to fulfill a prompt for my 2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge, I need to read a book with a tv or movie screen on the cover. This novel qualifies and I've been curious about it ever since it came out, so I snatched up a copy when I saw it at Changing Hands.

10. Murder Buys a T-shirt by Christy Fifield—This is the first book in a cozy mystery series that features a Florida souvenir shop that is haunted by its deceased former owner via his pet parrot. When a local football star dies, the bird has a lot to say to its new owner. Can she trust a chatty pet to help her find out what really happened to the teenager? 

I bought a copy of this book because I couldn't find it in my local libraries. It was okay. Not very original, although I did like the crime-solving bird approach. That's unique and fun.

There you go, the last ten books I bought for myself. Have you read any of them? What did you think? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I almost skipped participating in TTT today because I didn't think I'd be able to come up with much for today's prompt: Top Ten Books I Was Assigned to Read in School. I'm sure I was required to read plenty, but I just can't remember specifics, especially before college. At Brigham Young University, I studied English, and those years are a little bit clearer. Still, it was a bit of a struggle to come up with ten.

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

Top Ten Books I Was Assigned to Read in School (and how I felt/feel about them)

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee—TKAM is my favorite novel of all time. I believe I first encountered it in college. I've read it many times since and I love it more each time I read it. It's a classic that's timeless, approachable, and always inspiring.

2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis—I'm thinking this children's classic was probably something one of my elementary school teachers read aloud to us rather than assigned us to read ourselves. I remember being enraptured by the story. Some of the magical images it conjured in my young head still linger there quite vividly.

3. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather—All I remember about this book is that I was bored to tears by it when I was assigned to read it in high school. 

4. Watership Down by Richard Adams—I vaguely recall being assigned to read this in one of my college lit classes. Although I know I enjoyed it, I have no recollection of what it's about except that it involves rabbits...

5. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck—This is another one of those books that put vivid images into my head. I believe I first read it in high school.

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald—I disliked this classic when I first read it in high school (possibly college) and I despised it even more when I reread it a few years ago with my son, who was studying it in a high school English course. He was likewise flummoxed by it and kept asking, "What is this book even about?" Seriously!

7. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson—This hilarious holiday book wasn't assigned reading, but I remember so well the day my stern, never-cracked-a-smile 3rd grade teacher was reading it aloud to our class and started laughing so hard that she had to hand the book off to a student to read for her. We were all so terrified of her that it was absolutely shocking to watch her lose control like that!

8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger—I was assigned to read this book in college and absolutely hated it.

9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle—This is another children's classic that was either assigned reading or a teacher read aloud from elementary school. Again, the vivid images it conjured up in my mind back then are still there. I've reread the novel a few times in the ensuing years and, while it's not a big favorite of mine, it's always a nostalgic read.

10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury—I believe I read this novel in high school. Other than the book burnings, I don't remember much about the story except that I liked it.

There you go, ten books that I read or that a teacher read aloud to me in school. Have you read any of them? What did you think when you first encountered them? 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, although I am a week or so behind at the moment.

While I love finding beautiful, inspiring, meaningful passages while I'm reading or coming across a clever quote about books/reading, I'm rubbish at actually writing them down or remembering them. That makes today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Favorite Book Quotes—a tad difficult. Thank goodness for Google! With a little help from my favorite search engine, I'm going to highlight ten of my most-loved quotes from my ten favorite novels of all time. 

By the by, this fun weekly event is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship."

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet."

"Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs."

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."

"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

"She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything, and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realised that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his life."

"Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."

"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library."

"Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over."

There you are, ten of my favorite quotes from my ten favorite novels. Which are your favorites? Which quotes did you choose for your list this week? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I've been participating in Top Ten Tuesday on a fairly regularly basis for the last ten years. I don't know how many prompts I've engaged since then, but it's been a lot, which makes it tough to find new ones for freebie topics like today's: Top Ten Tuesday Rewind. The idea is to go back and choose a past TTT prompt that you haven't done yet, want to revisit, etc. I scanned through the lists of old prompts and none really jumped out to me, so I'm going to do something different today instead. 

I was curious about my first ever TTT post, so I searched it out. It was on February 26, 2013, and the topic was My Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors. It's interesting to see who I loved to read back then and how my tastes have/have not changed. 

If you want to join in for TTT Rewind, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get all the details. While you're at it, give our wonderful hostess, Jana, some love.

A few weeks ago, Cindy over at Cindy's Book Corner tagged me for The Bookworm Tag. It looked like a fun one and I've been meaning to post my answers ever since. Since there are ten questions, it's perfect for a TTT "list." I'm not sure where the tag orginated, but Cindy was tagged by Sarita at More to Discover. I'm not going to tag anyone. If you want to join in, though, please consider yourself tagged! Leave me a link to your post so I can see your answers.

I've been talking about my upcoming move for a while now. In preparation, I've been sorting through my massive book collection, donating bags of stuff to Deseret Industries, and packing less needed items into boxes. I hadn't planned to start showing the house for a couple weeks, but my husband got antsy and listed the house! I've never been much of a housekeeper, so needless to say, I've been frantically cleaning and purging my 5,000 square foot house so I'm not too embarrassed to show it to potential buyers. As I just explained to a friend (whom I addressed by the wrong name in an email), my brain is mush! Last night after cleaning all day, I literally collapsed in my bed from exhaustion and wonky blood sugar. Our first group is coming through the house today, so wish me luck. 

All that is a long, rambling way of saying that I don't have a lot of brain power for today's Top Ten Tuesday. Luckily, the topic is a freebie and it dawned on me last week that I've never done a TTT list of my all-time favorite novels. If you made a list of your favorite novels/books, what would you put on it?

Before we go any further, let me remind you to hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our loyal TTT hostess some love. If you're in a list-making mood, why don't you join in the fun? 

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (published 1960)—This entertaining, thought-provoking novel has long been my favorite. 

2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (published 1868)—With a group of warm, loving women at its core, this one makes me laugh, cry, and swoon (I just imagine my own ending in which Jo is as madly in love with Laurie as he is with her).

3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (published 1843)—The only Dickens tale I've read all the way through, I adore this novella for many reasons. I re-read it every December to get me in the Christmas spirit!

4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (published 1908)—I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the irrespressible Anne. She's an unforgtettable character.

5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (published 1847)—I'm due for a re-read of this wonderful Gothic classic.

6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (published 1998 in the U.S.)—Entering the world of Hogwarts for the first time was a singular experience and one I experienced as an adult. Being seen in public reading a children's book was a bit embarrassing for me, but pretty soon EVERYONE was reading HP, young and old. One of the things I love most about this book and the subsequent installments is the way it created a magical reading community.

7. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (published 2015)—This epic World War II novel is haunting and memorable.

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (published 1957)—If you can't tell, I love Christmas. While it's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas that we read to the kids every year (even though some of ours are in their 20s), it's the irrascible Grinch that I love most. His antics make me laugh, but his change of heart makes me cry since it so embodies the spirit of Christmas.

9. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (published 1950)—I first read this delightful fantasy novel in elementary school. It captured my imagination so thoroughly that I remember the visions that danced in my head, even at that young age. For nostalgia's sake and because it really is a wonderful book, I count it as one of my all-time favorites.

10. Still Life by Louise Penny (published 2005)—I credit Kay with introducing me to Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. He's a stand-out literary detective and I've loved every book I've read about him. Still Life is the first installment. Is it my favorite of the series? Not necessarily, but because it's the introductory volume, I let it stand in for the whole series.

There you are, my top ten favorite novels of all time. Do we have any in common? Which would you put on your list of most-loved books? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

When I saw today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Books With Names/Character Names in the Title—I immediately thought of popular novels I haven't read yet like A Man Called Ove and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. That was about as far as I got before my mind blanked. Then, I started thinking about all of the real people I'm interested in reading more about. I love a good memoir or biography featuring a fascinating person, so I decided to highlight nine (plus one novel) I've been wanting to read. This list could have been much, much longer, but I managed to exercise some self-restraint. You're welcome!

If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you totally do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)—Little Women is one of my favorite books of all time. Its author lived a unqiue and interesting life. I just got Scibbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots by Liz Rosenberg from the publisher and I'm eager to read it. It's next up after I finish my current read.

2.  Sarah Breedlove, aka Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)—The daughter of slaves, Breedlove became the first female African-American millionaire by creating a hair care formula that cured dandruff and other hygiene problems suffered at the time. The Black Rose by Tananarive Due tells her incredible story.

Elizabeth Cochran, aka Nellie Bly (1864-1922)—As a journalist, Bly broke new ground with her on-the-ground investigative reporting. She's best known for her exposé of the Woman's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island in New York. While I should probably start with her own book, Ten Days in a Mad-House, as well as the numerous biographies that exist about her life, I'm also very interested in reading Maya Rodale's upcoming novel, The Mad Girls of New York, the first installment in a rollicking new series featuring the intrepid Nellie Bly.

Phil Collins (1951-living)—I'm a longtime fan of this ailing British rocker and have been meaning to read his memoir, Not Dead Yet, ever since it was published a few years ago.

Harper Lee (1926-2016)—To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite novel, hands down. Its author is another writer who lived a super interesting life. I'd like to know more about her and The Mockingbird Next Door by Lee's friend, Marja Mills, sounds like the perfect place to start.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)—Poetry and I really don't get along. I never understand what poets are trying to say, so trying to read their work just makes me feel dumb. One of the very few exceptions is Longfellow. Not only do his poems rhyme, but they (mostly) make sense! Because of that, he's my favorite poet, even though I've only read a fraction of his work. His life also sounds interesting, which is why I want to read Cross of Snow: A Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow by Nicholas A. Basbanes.

Russell M. Nelson (1924-living)—This retired heart surgeon is the current prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Insights From a Prophet's Life by Sheri Dew has been sitting on my coffee table for over a year. I need to read it already!

Fred Rogers (1928-2003)—This kind, gentle soul has gotten a fair amount of attention in books and films since his passing and yet, I'm always willing to hear more about him. I enjoyed The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth, but I've yet to read an actual biography about him. The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King has been sitting on my bookshelf unread for too long; I'm hoping to get to it this year finally.

Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997)—I've mentioned my deep love for It's a Wonderful Life before, so it's probably no surprise that Stewart is one of my favorite actors. I'd love to know more about him, so Jimmy Stewart: A Biography by Marc Eliot is on my TBR list.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957)—I was a rabid Little House on the Prairie fan as a kid. Although I've seen all the tv episodes and read all her books, I've yet to read any non-fiction about Wilder. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser sounds excellent.

There you go, ten real people I'd like to read more about. What do you think? Have you read any of these books? Who do you enjoy reading about? What are some good memoirs/biographies you've loved? 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!