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 Maureen Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maureen Johnson. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Top Ten Tuesday: Thirteen Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026
It doesn't seem to matter how many hundreds of unread books are loading down my bookshelves, my head still swivels when I see a shiny, new release! I haunt NetGalley and Edelweiss, always on the lookout for my next great read. If you are like me, then today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is one you've been looking forward to as well: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026. (As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.) Thanks to the websites mentioned above and generous publicists sending me physical ARCs, I've actually already read a lot of my most anticipated new releases for July-December, including:
Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox (July 7) - ***1/2
Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman (July 21) - ****
How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz (July 21) - ****
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen (August 4) - ***
Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (August 4) - ***1/2
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie (September 15) - ***1/2
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard (September 22) - ****
The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (September 29) - *** 1/2
Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (October 6) - ****
The ones I have not been able to get my hot little hands on yet are on my list today. And because I really can't resist them, I have thirteen new releases instead of ten. #TheStruggleIsReal
Top Ten Thirteen Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026
- in order of release date -
1. Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Casey (July 16)—In this standalone mystery/thriller, two friends are enjoying a month-long holiday on the Irish coast. One morning, Ruth wakes up, covered in someone else's blood. Maura is nowhere to be seen. Ruth becomes the number one suspect in her friend's murder, but she's also the only witness. What happened to Maura? Does Ruth know more than she's telling?
2. The Unknown by Riley Sager (August 4)—Actress Marin Keane is stunned when she secures a role in what promises to be a blockbuster movie. The gig requires a month of research on location at New Avalon, Vermont, where five women mysteriously disappeared 100 years ago. As Marin and her castmates settle in on the island, they notice weird noises and strange symbols that seem to confirm rumors that something supernatural took the missing women. When the island's occupants are stranded there, things get even more sinister. What is happening on New Avalon? Is someone trying to sabotage the movie or is something even more nefarious at work?
3. A Thousand Little Goodbyes by Lucy Gilmore (August 11)—Gilmore's newest is receiving mixed reviews, but I'll still give it a go. It's about two lifelong friends who decide to finally take the road trip they've been planning for forever. As the journey goes on, it becomes apparent that it's about more than having fun—it's about saying goodbye.
4. My Killer Family Reunion by Dinesh Thiru (August 11)—Jayshree Devi's family reunions are never without drama. She's still shocked, though, when her wealthy Grand Mom has an accident that looks suspiciously like something much more sinister. With the help of her irritating cousins and their hot friend, Jay launches an investigation, one that will unearth long-buried family secrets on the way to finding out who was behind her grandmother's "accident."
5. My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon (August 18)—For this year's sisters trip, Liv and Mandy Chisolm have booked a rafting excursion through the Grand Canyon. Although they will be traveling with a group of strangers, they're looking forward to bonding with each other while enjoying an incredible adventure. The two get more than they bargained for when one of their number is found dead and another body is discovered in the water. Trapped on a raging river with a killer and a bunch of people they don't know, all of whom seem to be hiding dangerous secrets, Liv and Mandy have to unmask a murderer before it's too late for all of them.
6. Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (August 25)—The much-anticipated sequel to Moriarty's well-loved Big Little Lies, this novel is set ten years after the events of the previous book. The moms are back and all of them are dealing with their own challenges and troubles. When the principal of the high school their children attend receives a severed human finger in the mail and a strange man is spotted lurking around campus, the parents are up-in-arms. Confronting this new problem will mean facing secrets from the past, secrets they hoped their children would never have to know. But now? The stakes are too high to keep hiding...
7. Find Me by Holly Craig (August 25)—Two years ago, Pete went missing in the Tasmanian wilderness after visiting a mysterious commune whose members enact rituals to appease a malevolent presence they say dwells in the mountains. From her deathbed, Pete's mother begged his estranged sisters to work together to find their brother. This is easier said than done as they navigate the mountain, the issues between them, and another perplexing disappearance.
8. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (September 8)—Inspired by a real Irish sea captain, this historical novel tells the story of Grace O'Malley, the proper daughter of an Irish clan chief who defied all the odds and became a famous pirate.
9. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (September 15)—After her mother died in the 9/11 tragedy, Molly Fitzgerald developed a fear of disasters. Now the director of the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness, she channels her anxiety into saving others in crisis situations. When an unexpected crisis descends on Molly and her husband, their lives turn upside down. Can she save herself from disintegrating under the pressure of her own disaster?
10. We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (September 15)—This book is actually #1 in terms of 2026 releases I've been looking forward to. I adored We Solve Murders, so I'm stoked for this sequel. This time, Amy, Rose, and Steve team up to solve the case of a suspicious death at a private villa in the Italian hills. Everybody is hiding something. Whodunit?
11. The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay (October 6)—Book lover Gemma Brown has just moved to a sleepy village in the Cotswolds, where she runs the town's first-ever bookstore. Finding it difficult to fit in, Gemma is thrilled to make friends with the enigmatic local baker. It's not long, though, before she begins to suspect that her new pal is a spy. It's 1950; anything is possible. Or is Gemma's fiction-fueled imagination running amok? Soon, she finds herself embroiled in an international intrigue the likes of which she's never seen outside of a book.
12. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter (October 13)—The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a super fun read. This companion novel (as far as I can tell, it's not a sequel) sounds equally as entertaining. The story revolves around a billionaire's son and the housekeeper's daughter, who have been rivals since childhood. When the former goes missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind, it's up to the latter to prove he's alive—and find the person who desperately wants him dead. Sounds confusing, but entertaining.
13. A Reunion to Die For by K.J. Whittle (October 26)—When a group of classmates gather for a reunion, talk turns to the school bully who tortured all of them with his cruel taunting. As the drinks flow, the victims joke about ways they could get revenge on the guy who made them all so miserable. The next day, the bully is found dead, killed in a way that is suspiciously similar to the hypothetical plans made by the classmates. When a recording of that conversation is given to the police, the group members become suspects. Desperate to clear their names, they scramble to solve the murder they unknowingly planned.
There you go, thirteen books releasing in the second half of 2026 that I want to read. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Which up-and-comers are you most excited about? 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, June 24, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025
Besides the seasonal Top Ten Tuesday prompts, my favorite ones are those that focus on new releases. Even though I have THOUSANDS of older titles on my TBR lists, my head is always turned by these bright, shiny up-and-comers. I love knowing what titles are forthcoming so I can get excited about reading them! So, yay for today's TTT topic: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025
Thanks to ARCs, I've already read a few of the July-December titles I was looking forward to most, including:
The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (available July 8)
That Last Carolina Summer by Karen White (available July 22)
Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell (available July 29)
You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (available July 29)
Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright (available August 1)
Where Only Storms Grow by Alyssa Colman (available August 19)
Murder in Miniature by Katie Tietjen (available September 23)
Outside by Jennifer L. Holm (available October 7)
The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan (available November 18)
(The title hyperlinks will take you to my review of the book on Goodreads.)
Here are ten I haven't read yet, in order of publication:
1. The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani (available July 8)—It's been a hot minute since I've read anything by Trigiani, but I've enjoyed many of her books in the past. This one centers around a woman whose heart has been broken by her recent divorce. When another tragedy hits, she retreats to her ancestral home in Italy, where she uncovers secrets about her family's past. As she learns more about her kin, she also learns more about herself and her place in the world, all of which might be exactly what she needs to heal and begin her life anew.
2. Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza (available July 15)—Although they were best friends in college, Bex and Lizzie haven't seen each other in years. Bex disappeared after graduation, eventually transforming herself into a trad wife who shows off her perfect family life to her millions of Instagram followers. When Bex reaches out, offering a struggling Lizzie an opportunity to share some of the limelight, Lizzie can't refuse. When Bex disappears again and her husband is found dead at their ranch, Lizzie is left with a million questions. Who is Bex now? What has she done to get where she is? Did she kill her husband or is she the one who's become a victim? It's up to Lizzie to find out.
3. D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White (available August 5)—This YA novel stars the titular character, a teenage girl who is prepping for her bat mitzvah while also trying to figure out what really happened to her cousin. Everyone says Rachel took her own life; D.J. is convinced she was murdered.
4. The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols (available August 19)—Mrs. B is the landlady of a series of bungalows near the beach in Santa Barbara, California. She's careful about renters, letting only to people she cares about. As a result, she's surrounded by an eclectic group of lovable misfits. When an ex-con who maybe has the potential to be violent moves in and a dead body is soon found in the neighborhood, the police naturally suspect the former prisoner. Mrs. B is so sure he's not a murderer that she confesses to the crime herself. Her arrest prompts her tenants to form an investigation club to find the real killer and free their beloved landlady.
5. The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso (available August 26)—The time space is a library of books filled with the memories of the dead, one that can be accessed only by special timepieces that were passed down from father-to-son, although they're now mostly possessed by the government. Lisavet Levy is an 11-year-old girl who was hidden in the time space in 1938 by her watchmaker father, who never returned. When she discovers that government agents are destroying books in the time space, she sets out to save them.
The premise of this one sounds complicated (I'm not sure if I've described it correctly), but intriguing. I'm in!
6. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (available September 9)—I'm probably going to have to reread the first five books in the Robert Langdon series before I move on to this sixth installment, but that's okay. In this newest book, the symbology professor is in Prague attending a lecture given by his new girlfriend, Katherine Solomon. She is about to publish an explosive new book that could shatter long-held beliefs about human consciousness. When a murder occurs and Katherine vanishes along with her manuscript, Langdon finds himself on a desperate, dangerous search for answers and for his missing girlfriend.
7. The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (available September 16)—Since I'm not totally sure I understand what this one is about, here's the official plot summary:
After a very different outcome to WWII than the one history recorded, 1979 England is a country ruled by a government whose aims have sinister underpinnings and alliances. In the Hampshire countryside, 13-year-old triplets Vincent, Lawrence and William are the last remaining residents at the Captain Scott Home for Boys, where every day they must take medicine to protect themselves from a mysterious illness to which many of their friends have succumbed. The lucky ones who recover are allowed to move to Margate, a seaside resort of mythical proportions.
In nearby Exeter, 13-year-old Nancy lives a secluded life with her parents, who dote on her but never let her leave the house. As the triplets’ lives begin to intersect with Nancy’s, bringing to light a horrifying truth about their origins and their likely fate, the children must unite to escape – and survive.
In nearby Exeter, 13-year-old Nancy lives a secluded life with her parents, who dote on her but never let her leave the house. As the triplets’ lives begin to intersect with Nancy’s, bringing to light a horrifying truth about their origins and their likely fate, the children must unite to escape – and survive.
I'm still a bit confused, but I'm also intrigued!
8. You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder by Maureen Johnson (available September 16)—This short YA novel is supposed to be an "interactive" murder mystery, although I'm not quite sure on the details. At any rate, it's about a group of people, each of whom is hiding a guilty secret, who are invited by an anonymous source to a posh house party. When one of them is killed, seemingly without anyone seeing a thing, Scotland Yard is completely flummoxed. Needing a fresh pair of eyes, they call in, well, you, to solve the murder.
Sounds fun!
9. The Whisper Place by Mindy Mejia (available September 16)—I reread the first book in Mejia's Iowa Mysteries series earlier this year, then read the second installment right after. Since I enjoyed both so much, I was thrilled to discover that a third one is coming out soon. Fortunately, I was able to secure an e-ARC, so I'm already a few chapters into this engrossing mystery.
Old friends Max Summelin (a longtime police officer) and Jonah Kendrick (a tortured psychic) have formed a private detective agency that is doing well, but not well enough to turn away business. So, when a scruffy young man drops $20,000 in cash on their desk, begging the duo to do anything necessary to find his missing girlfriend, they can't really refuse, no matter how sketchy the whole thing seems. Turns out, the young man doesn't even know his girlfriend's real name. Max and Jonah have their work cut out for them. Who is the young woman, really? Did she run away when her boyfriend started asking too many questions or did someone else cause her disappearance?
10. 6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk (available September 23)— This murder mystery gets a low overall rating on Goodreads, but I don't care, I'm going to read it anyway! I love a locked room mystery and trains make such compelling settings for them. In this one, a writer is using the six-hour train ride from Toronto to Montreal to get some much-needed work done on her book. All of her plans go awry when her fellow passenger suddenly dies. Soon, the peaceful journey becomes a desperate race for survival against a vicious killer.
There you are, ten upcoming titles that I'm excited to read. How about you? Which ones are you looking forward to? 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, 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, December 26, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: My Latest Book Acquisitions
Good morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was delightful, with lots of laughs, baby snuggles, good food, and quality time spent with family and friends. My kids' favorite gift was surprise tickets to see U2 perform at The Sphere in Las Vegas. A few months ago, my husband went to see the concert with a buddy, and he hasn't stopped talking about it, so we decided to road trip to Vegas in February with our two youngest and experience it together.
Thank you for all of your good wishes for my daughter-in-law. She was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon. Although she's still in a lot of pain, she and my son are thrilled to be back home. I'll be delivering their dog to them later today so their little family can all be reunited after a long week apart. My DIL still has a long recovery in front of her, so continued prayers/good vibes are very much welcome!
For those of you who have been dying to know what my son added to my Jesus collection this Christmas, wonder no more:
Buddy Christ makes me laugh. I'm not a dashboard figurine kind of person, so he'll be joining the other Jesuses on my desk.
Updated (12.28.23): My aunt thinks this Jesus giving tradition is sacrilegious. Since some of you might feel the same way, I better reiterate that I love and honor Jesus Christ as not just my loving elder brother (the son of my Heavenly Father) but also as my Savior. I do, however, have a sense of humor about being a "Jesus freak," and this tradition has been a way for my son and I to connect over the sometimes sticky issue of religion. So, even though it might seem a little irreverent, I love that we have this fun tradition.
Anyway, today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is, not surprisingly, Top Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf. "Santa" hid a fun bookish goodie under my tree. I've also gone a little crazy with the book buying lately thanks to Christmas, my recent birthday, and Barnes & Noble's new rewards program. I'm also heading to my favorite indie this afternoon to take advantage of the discount I get during my birthday month. Bottom line: I have a *few* acquisitions to share with you today. Funnily enough, when I mentioned to my husband that I really needed to put myself on a book buying ban in 2024, he just said, "You don't have to do that." My bookshelves are stuffed to the gills with unread books, so I really DO need to do that. Ha ha.
TTT is hosted, as always, by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. She's sick today, so click on over there and give her some extra love, won't you?
Top Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf
1. Melanie Jacobson book box—Let's start with the cute bookish gift I found under my tree yesterday. When Melanie Jacobson—an author who writes sweet contemporary romances and was a very enthusiastic supporter of my own attempts to pen a novel years ago—announced that she was sponsoring a Christmas book box in conjunction with Hares and Hatters Bookshop (an indie in Pocatello, Idaho), I decided to order it for myself. It came with three hardcovers from her cozy Creekville series (Cocoa Kisses, Kiss the Girl, and Scrooge and the Girls Next Door), plus some cute surprises: an apron, a mug, hot cocoa mix, cookies, etc. Lots of fun!
2. Artifice by Sharon Cameron—Cameron is one of my favorite YA authors. I have enjoyed all of her books and I especially loved Bluebird, a World War II novel. I've been eyeing her newest, Artifice, ever since it came out. Since I was at Barnes & Noble anyway and I had rewards points to use, I went ahead and bought myself a copy.
3. Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson—Since my B&N point bank needs to be refilled, I sacrificed and bought a copy of this buzzy murder mystery.
4. Gull Island by Anna Porter—This thriller about a woman who travels to her family's cottage seeking answers about her missing father looked intriguing, so it came home with me as well. Huh. I just looked the book up on Barnes & Noble and Amazon to get a cover image and Gull Island does not get very good ratings/reviews. Oops. At least it was 50% off!
5. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper—I love Johnson's murder mysteries. I've been wanting to read this one ever since it came out. My parents got me an Amazon gift card for my birthday, so I used it to purchase a copy. I'll be in a few quaint English villages this Spring and as much as I love researching my ancestors, I really don't want to die where they did. Thankfully, I've got this guide to keep me safe!
6. The Pact by Sharon Bolton—I love Bolton's Lacey Flint series and I haven't been able to find this newest installment in my local libraries. Amazon gift card to the rescue!
7. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose—Earlier this year, I signed up for the Book of the Month club. After a few months, I decided it really wasn't worth the cost for me. This murder mystery, sequel to The Maid (which I loved), was my last request from BOTM before I cancelled my membership.
8. Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders—I've been wanting to read this historical novel ever since it came out. It's based on the real story of a battalion of Black women who found purpose in serving with the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Their job was to sort the copious amounts of mail being sent to soldiers every day from their loved ones.
9. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt—Deanna has convinced me that I need to read this book, even though it doesn't necessarily sound like my kind of thing. When someone in my book club suggested we read it next year, it seemed like another sign from the universe. I listened and bought myself a copy.
10. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan—Another World War II novel, this one is about a Malayan woman who made the desperate decision to become a spy for the Japanese government ten years ago. That action has brutal consequences in her present. When the woman's teenaged son disappears, she must risk everything to save her family.
There you go, the last ten (actually thirteen, but who's counting?) books that have found their way onto my already overcrowded bookshelves. Have you read any of them? Did Santa bring you any bookish goodies? Which titles have you acquired lately? I'd truly love to know. Leave 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).
Happy TTT!
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...
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Beach Thriller by Jamie Day
Listenin'
Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson
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Sweet Spot by Kemper Donovan4 hours ago
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2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
