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Showing posts with label Susan Meissner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Meissner. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: If I Like These Ten Books and Authors, What/Who Else Would I Enjoy?
If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you definitely do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Okay, so here's the idea. I'm going to list ten of my favorite authors who are currently writing books and what I like about their work. Then, I would LOVE it if you would recommend similar books/authors that you think I might enjoy. I'm open to new genres (except for erotica and anything too graphic), but my go-tos are definitely mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, historical mysteries, general/women's fiction, and family sagas. I tend to shy away from anything too literary or strange or fantasy-y. Non-fiction recs would be awesome as well. Make sense? Alright, put your thinking caps on and give me some great new books/authors to try!
If I Like These Ten Books and Authors, What/Who Else Would I Enjoy?
- in no particular order; images are of my favorite book by the author or the first book in my favorite series by them -
1. Kathy Reichs
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime with a focus on forensic science (Reichs is a forensic anthropologist.)
- What I like about her books: strong female lead; likable, complex characters; forensics explained in a way that is approachable, but not condescendingly simple; upbeat vibe, edge-of-your-seat plotting, and humor throughout
2. Kate Morton
- Writes: historical fiction, family sagas, family secrets novels, dual-timeline
- What I like about her books: atmospheric settings, complex family dynamics, compelling plots, clean content, Gothic vibes
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime for adults and YA; also writes urban fantasy and supernatural novels, but I haven't read any of those (not my genre)
- What I like about her books: strong female leads, humor, exciting plots, complex characters and relationship dynamics, understated romance as subplots
4. Ruta Sepetys
- Writes: YA historical fiction
- What I like about her books: unique settings, vivid historical detail, sympathetic characters, engaging prose
5. Louise Penny
- Writes: mysteries/thrillers/crime with a bit of a literary bent
- What I lilke about her books: rich, detailed settings; complex, sympathetic characters; lead character with wisdom and morals; interesting mysteries; easy to sink into
- Writes: YA contemporary fiction and YA mysteries/thrillers
- What I like about her books: warm vibe; page-turners; likable characters; twisty mysteries
7. Stacey Lee
- Writes: MG and YA contemporary and (mostly) historical fiction with a focus on the Chinese-American experience
- What I like about her books: rich, historical settings/details; unique take on known historical events; compelling plots; clean content; engaging
8. Riley Sager
- Writes: thrillers, psychological thrillers, mysteries, spooky books
- What I like about his books: creepy without being terrifying; intriguing premises; addicting stories; plots that pull me in and keep me reading fast and furious
- Writes: historical fiction
- What I like about her books: upbeat in spite of heavy subject matter; likable, sympathetic characters; strong female characters; vivid historical settings/details; engaging reads; clean content
10. Susan Meissner
- Writes: historical fiction, dual-timeline
- What I like about her books: dual-timelines, engaging plots, likable characters, vivid historical settings/details, complex relationships, family secrets, clean content
There you go, ten of my favorite authors who are still writing books. Have you read any of them? What readalikes can you think of for me? What did you do for 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. I also reply to your comments here (although I've been a *little* slow at it lately).
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, April 19, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: Still-to-Read Stories From Some of My Favorite Authors
Today's dreamy TTT topic is a fun one—Top Ten Bookish Items I'd Love to Own—but I'm still going rogue. I enjoy fun booky items as much as the next bibliophile (I have a couple bookstore t-shirts, several punny mugs, reading wall art, etc.), but with my upcoming move, I'm focusing on purging my junk, not accumulating more! So, I'm going to go with a throwback prompt that Nicole used for her list a few weeks ago: Top Ten Books I Still Need to Read By Some of My Favorite Authors. I've been ruminating on the subject ever since reading Nicole's list.
Before we get to that, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl. While you're giving Jana some love, why don't you join in the TTT fun? It's a great excuse to drop in on your favorite book blogs, discover fabulous new ones, and, of course, add books to your TBR mountain chain. What's not to love?
Top Ten Books I Still Need to Read By Some of My Favorite Authors
*All book data is from Fantastic Fiction. Book counts include novellas, but not titles published under authors' psuedonyms.
1. Ellie Alexander (cozy mysteries)
Number of books published*: 22
Number of books I've read: 6
What I still need to read: I'm caught up with the Sloan Krause series, but I've only read the first book in the Bakeshop Mystery series. I need to read more of those, plus Left Coast Literary, the series opener in a new bookish series.
2. Elizabeth C. Bunce (children's fiction, young adult fantasy, children's historical mysteries)
Number of books published: 7 (including In Myrtle Peril, which comes out in October)
Number of books I've read: 3
What I still need to read: I adore Bunce's Myrtle Hardcastle mystery series, so I'm all caught up in that one. I'm not really interested in her StarCrossed duology, but I do want to read A Curse As Dark As Gold, her 2008 debut.
3. Amanda Flower (cozy and historical mysteries)
Number of books published: 36 (including four that come out later this year)
Number of books I've read: 7
What I still need to read: I love Flower's Amish Candy Shop Mystery series and am just about caught up in it. I read Farm to Trouble, the first in a new series, earlier this year and found it rather meh. I doubt I'll continue with that one. Since I enjoy her other Amish mysteries so much, next on my list is Flower's Amish Matchmaker Mystery series.
4. Melanie Jacobson (rom-coms for adults and teens)
Number of books published: 21+ (including several co-authored novels)
Number of books I've read: 9
What I still need to read: I'm especially excited for Jacobson's Love in New Orleans trilogy. Jacobson is a native of Baton Rouge and her love for the area really shines through in her stories set in NOLA.
5. Peter May (adult mysteries/crime fiction)
Number of books published: 28
Number of books read: 7
What I still need to read: I enjoyed May's Lewis Trilogy as well as several of his standalone novels. Next up for me is the Enzo McLeod books and then the Yan & Campbell series.
6. Susan Meissner (adult historical fiction and mysteries)
Number of books published: 25 (including three that were co-authored with Mindy Starns Clark and When We Had Wings, which comes out in October)
Number of books read: 8
What I still need to read: I've read all the books but one that Meissner has published since 2011. I need to go back and read her earlier work.
7. Jennifer Ryan (adult World War II fiction)
Number of books published: 4 (including The Wedding Dress Circle, which comes out in May)
Number of books read: 2
What I still need to read: Ryan's newest as well as her debut, The Chillbury Ladies' Choir. I have copies of both.
8. Riley Sager (adult thrillers and horror)
Number of books published: 6 (including The House Across the Lake, which comes out in June)
Number of books read: 4
What I still need to read: Other than Sager's upcoming thriller, the only one I haven't read is Final Girls. I've heard from a number of people that it's their least favorite book of his, so I've been hesitating on it. When I was sorting through all my books, I found a copy of Final Girls I had totally forgotten about; now, I have no excuses so I'll read it sometime soon-ish.
9. Sarah Stewart Taylor (adult mysteries/crime fiction)
Number of books published: 8 (including The Drowning Sea, which comes out in June)
Number of books read: 2
What I still need to read: I've been loving Taylor's Maggie D'Arcy series, so I'm eager to try her Sweeney St. George mysteries. Unfortunately, I've been having a hard time finding them at my library. I might have to bite the bullet and buy the whole dang series!
10. Jacqueline Woodson (children's and YA fiction, poetry, literary fiction, picture books, etc.)
Number of books published: 35+
Number of books read: 6
What I still need to read: Woodson is so prolific that it's hard to keep up with her. I need to read her newest novels first, then work my way back.
There you go, a whole bunch of books I still need to read by some of my favorite authors. Have you read any of them? Which authors' work do you need to catch up on? What bookish items are you coveting these days? 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, December 28, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: My Best Books of 2021
I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that 2021 is almost over. It's been a good year for my family with lots of fun memories made. We're gearing up for an eventful 2022, so I'm excited to ring in the new year!
The end of the year is also a good time in book blogger land. I always enjoy reading people's wrap-up posts and best-of lists. Today's TTT prompt goes right along with that: Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2021. Of the 202 books I've read so far this year (I'll probably still get through another one or two before Saturday), I marked 33 as favorites. It was a little tough to whittle that list down to the ten best, even after I disqualified re-reads. Even then, I couldn't decide what order they should go in, so I didn't rank them.
I'd love to see your list of faves, so please join in the TTT fun. All you have to do is head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details, make your own list, then click around to other people's blogs. It's a great way to spread the love around our wonderful book blogosphere and get some great reading recommendations while you're at it!
Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2021
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear—If you're determined to make your goals into realities this year, you want to get your hands on a copy of this book. It's motivating, helpful, and very readable. I enjoyed it when I read it earlier this year. It's so inspiring that I might re-read it this week to jump-start my goal-reaching in 2022.
2. The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm—I loved this uplifting middle-grade sci-fi novel. It's a space adventure, but it's really more of a family/community drama. It just made me smile.
3. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron—I'm a big Cameron fan and this YA World War II novel is a perfect example of why I love the author so much. It's a riveting story filled with page-turning action, interesting historical details, and sympathetic characters.
4. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner—Meissner is another hist-fic author whose books I really enjoy. This novel, set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, tells the story of a mail-order bride with a secret past. It's super compelling.
5. The Answer Is... by Alex Trebek—This memoir was a delight to listen to. It's not as serious or melancholy as I thought it would be. In fact, it's funny, inspiring, and life-affirming. The chapters narrated by Trebek (most are read by Ken Jennings) are especially enjoyable.
6. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny—Like many mystery lovers, I can't get enough of Penny's popular series starring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I read three installments this year, of which A Great Reckoning is my favorite. It has an intriguing premise, which makes for a compelling and thought-provoking novel. I loved it.
7. How to Get Away With Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce—I discovered the Myrtle Hardcastle mystery series this year and it is all kinds of charming! I've listened to all three of the books that are out and had the most fun with this, the second one. It tells an exciting story that has plenty of twists, humor, and action.
8. A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus—Another middle-grade novel, this one features three recently orphaned siblings who are sent to the English countryside while London is being bombed in World War II. As they search their new village for a family to call their own, they find refuge in the town library and its unconventional librarian. Funny, poignant, and hopeful, this is a truly lovely book!
9. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty—Not everyone loved Moriarty's newest, but I adored it. It's different from her others...in a good way.
10. The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman—I found this non-fiction book about the many people who go missing in North America's federal land every year absolutely fascinating.
There you have it, my ten favorite reads of the year. What do you think? Do we have any in common? What are the best books you read in 2021? 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!
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: The Best Novels I've Read So Far This Year
I'm not much for book boyfriends—I've been married to my real-life sweetheart for 24 years as of yesterday and that's better than any fictional romance!—so I was going to skip this week's Top Ten Tuesday. Then I realized that as tomorrow is September 1, we're official 2/3 of the way through 2021. With only four months left in the year, I started thinking about what I've read so far and what I still want to get to before 2022. Of the 135 books I've read, only a handful have been really stand-out reads. So, I decided to share with you the ten (well, eleven) best novels I've read so far. Since I'm not feeling very inspired by next week's topic either, I'll post my ten non-fiction picks then.
Before we get to that, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give Jana, our lovely TTT hostess, some love!
Top Ten (Okay, Eleven) Best Novels I've Read in 2021 (So Far)
- not including re-reads and in no particular order -
1. The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian—This historical novel set in 1920s Mississippi features two young women living hardscrabble lives who must team up to cover up the unintentional murder that brings them together. Absorbing and atmospheric, this is a beautifully-written debut.
2. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny—No surprise here. I adore the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and this installment, the 11th, is particularly intriguing.
3. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron (available October 5, 2021)—I've enjoyed all of Cameron's books, but this YA World War II novel is my favorite. It has everything I love in a good hist-fic read: an atmospheric setting, a compelling plot, lovable characters, and excellent writing.
4. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (available September 14, 2021)—I was thrilled to get a paper ARC of this up-and-comer from an author whose books I've enjoyed. Not gonna lie, her last few have not been up to snuff. This one, though? It's a gem. A family saga + a mystery + a funny, upbeat plot. What's not to love?
5. The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs—Another no-brainer. The long-running Tempe Brennan series is one of my favorites. This installment, the 20th, has our intrepid heroine digging into the mystery of a storage container with two corpses stuffed inside that washes up during a South Carolina storm at the same time a horrifying flesh-eating bacteria is rearing its ugly head around the U.S.. It's another riveting page-turner from Reichs.
6. If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright—I just finished this debut, which tells a rich, powerful story about the Dust Bowl. It's technically a Christian novel, but the religious elements are well-woven into the tale and never get preachy or cheesy, at least in my opinion. It's moving, hopeful (in the end, at least), and faith-promoting.
7. The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman—This middle-grade novel was one of my first reads of the year. I loved the story about an adopted, mixed-race girl who has to learn to come to terms with her different ethnicities, cultures, and families.
8. Dark August by Katie Tallo—Also read early in the year, this gritty mystery/thriller set in a mysterious ghost town, kept me turning pages late into the night. I just saw that a sequel is being released in 2022. Can't wait!
9. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner—This historical, about an Irish immigrant who travels to San Francisco to become the wife of a man she's never met and finds herself in the middle of the famous 1906 earthquake, is another atmospheric, absorbing read. I've enjoyed lots of Meissner's books, but this one is my favorite (I think).
10. The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm—I tend to read mostly darker, more serious fiction, so it's always nice when I come across a book that's just a fun, feel-good read. That's exactly what this middle-grade gem is!
11. A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott—This historical is also on the lighter side. It deals with a female photographer who is determined to take her dead father's place on an 1871 expedition to the Grand Canyon. Along with proving herself as a photographer, she also has to survive the treacherous trip and guard her heart against an old flame. Also a Christian novel, this one is clean, uplifting, and compelling. It's a fun start to a series I'm very much enjoying. Thanks to Lark for the recommendation!
There you go, eleven of the best novels I've read this year. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What are the best books you've come across in 2021? 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!
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2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
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