Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney—Books aren't a huge theme in this mystery/thriller, but one of the main characters is a librarian in a women's prison. She talks about the power of reading in her life and in the lives of the inmates. 

I also read this one that seemed like it would be bookish but really wasn't:

The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon—Another middle-grade novel, this one is about a girl who finds a mysterious map left for her by her beloved grandfather, who has just died. It leads her to a library full of objects that look like books, but are actually stored secrets. So, the title refers to a library full of secrets instead of a book library that no one knows about. Disappointing! 

Library Girl and The Secret Library were pretty meh reads for me, but I enjoyed the others.

What bookish books am I planning to read in August? This one looks really cute, although I might save it for later in the year:

4. Dust by Dusti Bowling—I love Bowling's books. I've had this one out from the library for months, so I need to read it already! I'm pretty sure it's overdue by now.

The story is about Avalyn, a girl with asthma whose parents relocate to a cleaner town in order to help her breathe better. It's working—until a strange new boy comes to town. Adam's dirty, unkempt appearance makes him a target for bullies. Although Avalyn wants to befriend him, the grit that always surrounds him is dangerous for her lungs. Besides, there's something decidedly odd about the way unlikely dust storms seem to rise up when he experiences strong emotions...

5. It Ends at Midnight by Harriet Tyce—There's been a rash of thrillers lately that involve a group of old friends reconvening, only to have the secrets and misdeeds of their pasts come back to haunt them. It's one of my favorite tropes—as long as it's done well. This thriller brings old friends back together for a glitzy party in Edinburgh, Scotland. The party, naturally, does not go quite as planned.

6. Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom—This historical novel features a 16-year-old Crow Native woman who marries a white fur trader in 1872. On their travels together, they witness a mob of drunk white traders murder a group of Nakota men in Montana and take half a dozen of their women captive. Although Mary Crow begs her husband to save the captives, he refuses. Arming herself with two guns, Mary rushes in to do the job herself, setting off a string of events that forces a bloody clash between two already warring cultures. The story is inspired by a real woman, making it all the more intriguing.

7. 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?

8. Hour Glass by Michelle Rene—This western is set in the lawless town of Deadwood, South Dakota, where two orphaned children find a collection of colorful individuals who unexpectedly become family.

9. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid—When reclusive Evelyn Hugo, an aging Hollywood actress, finally decides to tell her life story to the press, she chooses an obscure reporter named Monique Grant. A shocked Monique listens in fascination as Evelyn reveals her incredible tale, one that—shockingly—intersects with Monique's own.

10. Last Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman—The first installment in a historical mystery series, this novel features a Prohibition-era seamstress who's desperate to escape her tedious, poverty-stricken life. She finds freedom and escape at a secret dance hall where anything goes. When she discovers a dead body behind the club, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous murder investigation.

There you go, ten books I meant to read in 2023 but didn't quite get to. I don't know how many of them I'll get to in 2024, but they're at least all still on my TBR list somewhere. How about you? Which books from last year's TBR list are you rolling over to this year? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT! 

Even though I've lived in the Arizona desert for over 20 years, it's still hard for me—a Pacific Northwest native—to feel like it's Christmastime when the temperature is in the 70s and 80s and people are wearing shorts and t-shirts instead of coats and gloves. It just doesn't feel right! The answer? Travel somewhere that does. A bunch of people I know are in Germany enjoying its famous Christmas markets right now, but I couldn't venture that far. Instead, my husband and I took advantage of some cheap domestic flights and headed back to the Motherland (aka Washington State). After visiting family in the southeastern part of the state, we headed north to check out Leavenworth. If you've read Ellie Alexander's cozy mystery series starring Sloan Krause, you're familiar with the quaint Bavarian-inspired mountain town. It's the quintessential Christmas village at this time of year, decked out with twinkling lights, enthusiastic carolers, old-fashioned sleigh rides, bustling shoppers, and laughing children sledding in the center of town. We enjoyed strolling through its postcard-perfect (albeit slushy) streets and soaking in the festive holiday atmosphere. Wandering through the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum was especially fun since I've collected the charming wooden figures since I first saw the ballet as a child. (We saw lots of bookish nutcrackers, but my husband photographed me with these particular ones so we could show them to my sister, who's a huge Potterhead. If you look closely, you'll spy other literary characters besides Harry and Hermione.) To continue the spirit of the season, we listened to A Christmas Carol (narrated by the incomparable Tim Curry) as we drove back to Portland, Oregon, to catch our flight home. The trip infused me with some much needed Christmas spirit and, since it was bookish in nature, I thought I'd share it with you!  

These seasonal lists are my favorite, so I hope you'll join in the fun. All you have to do is make your own list and link it up at That Artsy Reader Girl. Easy cheesy.

Top Ten Books On My Winter 2023-2024 TBR List

1. Atomic Habits by James Clear—I re-read this motivational book at the beginning of every year. It's a quick read that teaches sound, easy-to-apply principles. Clear's advice always helps motivate me to actually make and keep New Year's resolutions as well as other short-term goals throughout the year.

2. The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss by Gary Foster—Another self-help book, this one has been recommended multiple times at the Weight Watchers meeting I attend. I've lost 30 pounds so far this year by creating healthy habits, something I will continue in 2024. I'm always looking for motivation, especially when it comes to becoming healthier, so I'm excited to see what this popular guide is all about. 

3. Homecoming by Kate Morton—Since I'm always racing to meet my Goodreads goal during the last months of the year, I haven't yet picked up Morton's newest. She's one of my favorite authors so I'm always excited when she publishes a new book. This one is about a journalist who's researching an old mystery and is surprised to learn that she has a personal connection to it.

4. The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan (available March 12, 2024)—Ryan is another one of my favorite writers. I'm always eager to read her World War II novels and am especially so with this one since it's about books. Yay! 

5. Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict—What are the holidays without a little murder, amirite? The generous folks at Poisoned Pen Press just sent me a copy of this mystery. It concerns a sleeper train that derails in the Scottish Highlands, stranding travelers in the snowy middle of nowhere. As passengers start dying one by one, it becomes clear that a ruthless killer is onboard. Can they be stopped before more people die?

6. The Women by Kristin Hannah (available February 6, 2024)—I'm thrilled to have an e-ARC of Hannah's forthcoming novel. It's set in 1965 and tells the story of a woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps on a whim after her brother is shipped out to Vietnam. Not surprisingly, what she sees during the war changes her life irrevocably.

7. Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda (available April 29, 2024)—I also have an e-ARC of this thriller, which concerns a woman who is drawn back to her hometown and its many long-buried secrets when she unexpectedly inherits her childhood home. 

8. More Than a Body: Your Body Is An Instrument, Not An Ornament by Lexie and Lindsay Kite—My book club selected this non-fiction offering as our January read. Written by identical twin sisters, both of whom have PhDs in the study of female body image, the book sounds absolutely fascinating.

9. Artifice by Sharon Cameron—I've talked about this YA WWII novel multiple times. It's written by another one of my favorite authors. Santa will likely be sending a copy of this one down my chimney in a couple of weeks. It's uncanny that he always knows exactly what I want. It's almost like we share a brain...

There you go, the first ten books I'm planning to read in 2024. Have you read any of these? What did you think? What's on your TBR list this winter? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!