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Showing posts with label Serena Burdick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Burdick. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: 2022 New-to-Me Author Discoveries
Although I have a ton of favorite authors whose books are auto-reads for me, I also try a fair number of new writers every year. In fact, of the 200 books I read in 2022, 117 (59%) were by authors I hadn't tried before. So far in 2023, I've read 17 books, 10 of which were written by new-to-me writers. Some of these have been duds, naturally, but others introduced me to some great new authors whom I very much want to read more from. I found more than 10 last year, so I had to narrow it down to the ones who stood out most for me.
Before we get to that, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our lovely TTT host, Jana, some love. If you want to join in with your own list, all the details about this fun weekly event are on her blog.
Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022
1. Jason Reynolds—This iconic children's author was my best find of 2022. He writes contemporary middle-grade and YA books starring Black characters living in urban situations and dealing with everything from ADHD to bullying to gang violence to wrongful arrests. His books are compelling, funny, poignant, and approachable (even to a 47-year-old white woman). I listened to his whole Track series last year. The audiobooks are especially entertaining because of Guy Lockard, Reynolds' long-time friend and a talented actor and narrator.
2. Tamara Berry—Buried in a Good Book, the first installment in Berry's By the Book cozy mystery series, had me smiling and laughing so much that I knew I needed to read more from her. So far, I've read the second book in the series and the first in her Eleanor Wilde cozy series. Her books are just fun! She also writes romances under the names Lucy Gilmore and Tamara Morgan.
3. Fredrik Backman—Backman's been a popular author ever since A Man Called Ove came out in 2014. His books didn't really seem like my kind of thing, so I avoided them until someone in my book club suggested we read Anxious People. I wasn't looking forward to it, honestly, but once I got started, I couldn't stop. What a delightful read! I loved it and now I want to read more by this beloved Swedish writer.
4. Stacy Willingham—I just finished Willingham's second novel, which I liked even more than her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, which I read last year. Her books are engrossing, twisty, and compelling.
5. Sulari Gentill—Although this Australian author has published a number of books, I didn't hear about her until 2022 when The Woman in the Library came out. It's a fun, clever novel that made me want to read more of Gentill's mysteries.
6. Eleanor Brown—Any Other Family was one of my favorite reads of last year. Brown has penned a couple other novels, plus some non-fiction. I'm not really interested in the latter, but the former? Definintely!
7. Lisa Yee—I read a lot of middle-grade novels last year for a few different book awards. Lee's Maizy Chen's Last Chance was considered for the Cybils Awards and while it didn't ultimately make the cut to be a finalist (although it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature), I very much enjoyed it. I'll for sure be checking out Yee's backlist for more gems.
8. Ali Standish—Yonder was a stand-out read for me in 2022. Standish has written a handful of other middle-grade novels that I can't wait to explore.
9. Serena Burdick—The Girls With No Names broke my heart and made me a Burdick fan. I'm planning to read more of her hist-fic this year.
10. Kimi Cunningham Grant—I've read two of Grant's books, one a non-fiction account of her grandparents' experience in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, the other a contemporary novel about an isolated father and daughter whose secretive lives are interrupted by an unexpected visitor to their remote cabin. She's only published one other book, which I will hopefully be able to read in 2023.
There you are, ten new-to-me authors I found in 2022. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Which writers did you discover in 2023? 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, January 03, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Reads of 2022
Happy New Year! I've been working hard over the past few days to transition everything on my blog from 2022 to 2023. 2022 was kind of a ho-hum reading year for me. I'm hoping for better in 2023. May all of us find some great books to enjoy this year and share with each other.
For today's TTT topic, we're looking back at our favorite reads of 2022. I didn't read a lot of five-star, A-grade books last year, but I did manage to come up with ten that I loved. We'll get to that in a sec.
Before we do that, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our lovely hostess, Jana, some love. While you're there, get all the details about TTT so you can join in the fun!
Top Ten Favorite Books of 2022
- in no particular order -
1. The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan—I've read most of Ryan's novels and enjoyed them all. This one features four English women from different walks of life who find themselves vying for an alluring prize in a BBC-sponsored baking competition. This is a warm book filled with likable characters and a whole lot of heart. Since the contest is focused on making appetizing food from ration book ingredients, it's one food-centered book that did not make me hungry! LOL.
2. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys—Sepetys is one of my favorite writers of historical YA novels, so it's no surprise this book, her newest, was my most memorable read of 2023. I Must Betray You tells a grim story about a Romanian teenager living in poverty under the tyrannical reign of President Nicolae Ceausescu. When he is caught by the secret police for a minor infraction, Cristian is forced to become an informer. He tries to use his unique position to undermine the government instead, but joining the revolution just might cost him everything he holds dear. Is it worth it?
The stark tone of this novel deftly echoes Cristian's gut-wrenching experiences with fear, paranoia, helplessness, and desperation. It's not a happy book with a neat ending, but it is illuminating, powerful, and important.
3. Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry—I loved this first installment in a new cozy mystery series becuase it's just so much fun. It stars a bestselling thriller writer who's in desperate need of a getaway after her divorce. Tess drags her unhappy teenaged daughter with her when she retreats to her grandfather's rustic cabin in the woods for a summer of off-the-grid relaxation. The duo has barely stepped through the door when an explosion rocks the forest, shattering any R&R illusions, and propelling them into an intriguing real-life murder investigation.
4. Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown—This novel features three women who have all adopted children from the same birthmother. Although the adoptive mothers are very different from one another, Tabitha—the pushiest of them—insists they, their children, and their partners should be one big, happy family so that their kids can remain close to their biological half-siblings. Tensions are already high as they all gather for a long summer getaway, but things get even more complicated when the birthmother calls with the news that she is pregnant again and wants one of them to adopt the baby.
Brown is an adoptive mother herself, so Any Other Family feels especially intimate and authentic. I saw myself and my own experience with adopting a child in each of the three birthmothers. At the same time, the novel helped me see adoption in new ways. For these reasons and more, I quite enjoyed this heartwarming story.
5. The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick—In Gilded Age New York City, the Tildon sisters live lives of wealth and privilege. When they accidentally stumble upon a shocking secret about their father, Luella, the oldest sister, becomes smug, acting out as she pleases. When the young woman mysteriously disappears from home one day, Effie fears Mr. Tildon has made good on his threat to admit Luella to the House of Mercy, an asylum for wayward girls that looms not far from the Tildons' luxurious home. Desperate to free her sister, Effie gets herself committed. It doesn't take her long, however, to realize that she has made a grave miscalculation which leaves her stuck in the cold, unloving embrace of a stark institution that is no kind of home. How can she save herself, let alone her sister?
Grim and heartbreaking, The Girls With No Names is also illuminating, empowering, and moving. Despite its harsh subject matter, it's also surprisingly hopeful.
6. New From Here by Kelly Yang—I've read a few children's books lately about the COVID-19 pandemic and this one captured the experience best for me. The story concerns Knox Wei-Evans, a 10-year-old boy from a mixed-race family (his mother is Chinese-American and his father is a white American) that has been living in Hong Kong. As things worsens in Asia, Knox's parents make the difficult decision to move most of the family to their summer home in California to be on the safe side. Knox's father has to stay behind in Asia to work, while his mother herds him and his two siblings back to the U.S. Divided across two continents, the family has to deal with food shortages, financial problems, missing each other, job loss, quarantine, etc. As Asian-Americans, they also experience targeted racism that frightens and angers them. Will the all the conflict and division tear their family apart completely?
Based on the author's family's own experience during the pandemic, New From Here is a very intimate portrayal of how COVID-19 affected families, especially those with Asian roots. There are some far-fetched scenes in the book that stretched my willing suspension of disbelief, but for the most part, I found this novel to be tender, moving, engrossing, and thought-provoking.
7. The Maid by Nita Prose—Molly Gray loves nothing more than order and tidiness, which makes her perfect for her job as a housekeeper at a grand hotel. She doesn't relate well to people, though, so when a murder occurs at her workplace, her odd behavior immediately makes her a suspect. Her keen eye for detail makes her especially good at detecting, a skill she will need if she hopes to clear her name.
This fun, engrossing murder mystery deserves all the hype it has received. It's clever, entertaining, hopeful, and just all-around enjoyable.
8. Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner—I love Meissner's immersive, dual-timeline novels and this one, her newest, is one of my favorites. It takes place at a vineyard in California, where a young vinedresser is living and working after her parents are killed in an accident. The owners of the vineyard are raising Rosanne as something between a daughter and a housekeeper. When she becomes pregnant, the vineyard owners throw her out, leaving her to find her own way. A decade later, a concerned relative comes looking for Rosanne and her child. Horrified by what she discovers, Helen Calvert is determined to make things right.
With a focus on eugenics and special needs children, Only the Beautiful is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. It asks important questions while telling an engrossing, moving story.
9. Ghost by Jason Reynolds—I've been meaning to read Reynolds for years, but it took me until the end of 2022 to finally do it. Ghost is the first book in Reynolds' middle-grade Track series, which concerns a group of kids who come together to compete on an elite, inner-city track-and-field team. Castle "Ghost" Cranshaw knows how to run. Having a violent, alcoholic father taught him that. He's never run on a team, though, so when he happens upon a track practice, he's fascinated. When the coach takes Ghost under his wing and allows him to walk on to the team, Ghost gets the chance to channel all his pent-up anger into becoming a star athlete. Can he learn enough self-mastery to earn a real place on the team?
Ghost is so full of heart that you can't help but love it. I especially enjoyed listening to the book (and the whole series, actually) on audio. The narrator, Guy Lockard, brings a fun and poignant Will Smith-like voice to the story that adds an appealing layer to an already excellent novel.
10. Yonder by Ali Standish—Set in Appalachia during World War II, this middle-grade novel is about the friendship between Danny Timmons and Jack Bailey. Jack has been the town hero ever since his heroic efforts saved two children from drowning. Danny has always looked up to the older boy, so when Jack mysteriously vanishes, he's concerned. Did Jack's father beat him one too many times? Has Jack run away to Yonder, the magical town he always talked about where everyone is friendly and there's no war? As Danny desperately searches for answers to his friend's disappearance, he begins to wonder if he ever really knew Jack at all.
Yonder is a beautiful, contemplative novel that asks important questions about courage, heroism, war, and friendship.
There you are, ten of my favorite books from 2022. Have you read any of them? Which titles did you enjoy reading most last year? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, August 09, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: The Next Few in the Queue
Because of our big move, continued remodeling, and just life, my Top Ten Tuesday posts are about the only thing happening here at BBB! Thanks for hanging in there with me during all the chaos. It's hard to feel settled when there are still boxes to be unpacked, cabinets to be hung, light fixtures that need installing, and on and on and on. I long for the day when everything is back to normal. In the meantime, I'm learning patience and gratitude, so there's that...
I have to say, though, that today's prompt—Top Ten Books With Hilarious Titles—has me stumped. Other than cozy mysteries (which often have punny titles, some of them quite clever), I really don't read funny books. I'm not sure why this is since I do love to laugh. My brain is mush this morning thanks to a wild storm that kept me awake last night, so I can't even come up with an interesting way to twist the topic. I didn't want to miss out on the TTT fun, though, so today I'm just going to list the next ten books I'm thinking about reading. Mood may get in the way, so this list isn't set in stone. We'll see what actually happens. Ha ha.
If you want to join in this fun weekly meme, head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Edited to add: I don't know if anyone else is having this problem, but I'm unable to comment on some of your blogs. I keep getting "Not Acceptable!" errors. Googling tells me the issue has something to do with Wordpress and the JetPack plugin. Even when I'm logged in to WP with my correct username and password, the plugin won't let me in. Super annoying. Anyone else having this problem? Know how to fix it?
Top Ten Books I *Might* Read Next
1. The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer—Marg over at The Intrepid Reader suggested we do a buddy read of this World War II novel, so I started reading it yesterday. It's a dual-timeline story about secrets, war, love, and learning to use one's voice. I'm enjoying it so far.
2. Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley—Speaking of cozies, I just got a copy of this one from the publisher. It's the first in a new series set in a Wisconsin pizzeria. Sounds delicious!
3. The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton—I mentioned this book last week on my TTT list about books I want to read that are set in Scotland. While sorting through my personal library in preparation for moving, I realized I own copies of most of the books in the Scottish Bookshop series. For the first installment, though, I'm going to have to hit up the library. There's a little bit of a waiting list for The Cracked Spine, but it should move fast.
4. A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee—Another discovery I made (or a re-discovery, really) while purging my books was this YA historical mystery series. It's about a secret detective agency made up of Victorican women. I read most of the books as they came out and enjoyed them, but I never finished the series. Since I own all of them, I think I'm going to re-read them starting with this first installment.
5. The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick—This contemporary novel sounds fun. It's about a woman who makes ends meet by working as a maid. In her spare time, she escapes into books and dreams of writing her own. When her employer—a bestselling author—dies, she's given the opportunity to finish the writer's last novel, a task that will change her own life forever.
6. The Making of Her by Bernadette Jiwa—Is a book set in 1996 really considered historical fiction? I was a college sophomore then and it really doesn't seem like that long ago! Anyway, this novel is set in Dublin in 1996. It's about a woman who is living her best life when she receives a life-or-death plea from the daughter she placed for adoption thirty years ago. I'm always up for an adoption story, so this sounds right up my alley.
7. Hypnosis is For Hacks by Tamara Berry—I enjoyed the first book in this cozy mystery series, so I'm excited to read this second installment. The series stars a sham medium and is lots of fun so far.
8. The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick—This historical has been on my TBR for too long. I just picked up a copy from the library so I can finally get it read. It concerns the wrongful commitment of a privileged young woman to a home for wayward girls and her sister, who's determined to rescue her, even if it means incarcerating herself.
9. Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March—Another series opener, this historical mystery is based on a true story about two women who fell from a clock tower in colonial India. The accident looks a lot like murder, which leads Captain Jim Agnihotri to investigate.
10. Hide by Kiersten White—I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this novel on here before, but it sounds so good that I'm going to mention it again. The story concerns a vicious hide-and-seek competition held in an abandoned amusement park. The winner snags a pile of cash big enough to change their lives forever. Mack is determined to win, but something not quite of this world has been let loose in the playing field...
There you go, the ten books I will might read next. What do you think of my picks? Have you read any of them? What funny titles did you highlight on your list today? 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, January 07, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: 2020 Is Looking Promising Already
My kids are back in school, so the holidays must be officially over. Never mind the fact that my Christmas decorations aren't completely packed away or that my family is still nibbling on holiday treats. I'm ready for the new year, darn it! 2020's not going to get away from me like 2019 did. I hope.
Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020. I already did a Winter TBR list that featured a lot of 2020 releases, so check that one out. Never fear, though, I have more, which you will find listed below in order of release date. Before you scroll down, though, take a minute to join in the TTT fun. It's super easy—just click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, scan a few quick instructions, write up your own list, then hop around the book blogosphere checking out other people's posts. I promise it will be a good time!
Okay, here we go with Top Ten (Okay, Eleven) Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020 (not including those from my Winter TBR list):
1. The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick (available January 7)—An ARC of this novel is winging its way to me as we speak. I can't wait! This historical concerns two sisters who live near a home for wayward girls. When the girls unearth a shocking secret about their father, everything changes. Then, one of the sisters disappears. Assuming their father has incarcerated his missing daughter at the nearby home, the other hatches a daring rescue plan.
2. The Hollows by Jess Montgomery (available January 14)—I loved The Widows, a historical novel about a woman who takes over as sheriff after her husband's death in 1920s Ohio. The second book in the series, this one concerns an elderly woman who is killed by a train while walking through an underground railroad tunnel. Who was the woman? And what was she doing on the train tracks? It's up to the sheriff to find out.
3. Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain (available January 14)—This dual-timeline novel is the story of an innocent convict who is released from prison early in return for restoring an old mural. A lot of my favorite tropes are rolled up in this one, so I'm expecting to enjoy it.
4. Remembrance by Rita Woods (available January 21)—This triple-timeline historical novel about slavery looks intriguing.
5. Grace is Gone by Emily Elgar (available January 24)—Teenager Grace is so ill that her mother, Meg, who is beloved and admired in her town, does little else but care for her. When Meg is found brutally murdered, with Grace nowhere to be found, the confusing mystery befuddles the town. What in the world happened to the mother and daughter? Sounds good, no?
6. Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald (available February 4)—After being struck by lightning, a woman wakes up in the hospital only to find out her mother has been murdered. The police are suspicious of her convenient amnesia. Desperate to prove her innocence, she sets out to find the truth.
7. The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte (available March 3)—In this YA novel, a teen raises her sister from the dead for one day as a desperate measure to get answers about their parents' deaths. Without enough clues as to what really happened, the girls team up to find the truth while being pursued by ill-intentioned foes. Sounds fun!
8. The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy (available March 3)—I just requested an e-ARC of this MG novel from NetGalley. It's about a girl who discovers her estranged father will be judging a singing competition in Nashville. She signs up to compete, but exactly how is she going to secretly get herself to Tennessee? Adventure ensues ...
9. The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan (available March 5)—I've enjoyed the first two books in McTiernan's Cormac Reilly series and I've been anxiously awaiting this third installment. Looks like it's told from the perspective of both Reilly and another detective. Interesting.
10. Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (available April 7)—I'm a big fan of Mejia's thrillers, so I'm excited for her newest which centers around a forensic accountant hired to track down millions of dollars of missing prize money.
11. Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon (available April 28)—I love me a good pioneer story and this one sounds excellent. It's about a young widow crossing the Overland Trail who faces hardships along the way. An unexpected romance with a man who is half-Pawnee adds challenges to her already full plate.
Happy TTT!
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