Freebies always stump me and today's is no exception. I wracked my brain to come up with a creative topic for the Valentine's/Love Freebie, but nothing came to mind. In the end, I just decided to go with books on my TBR with "heart" in the title. I'm not much for romance reading, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover I had ten (but not many more) on my want-to-read list.

If you want to join in the TTT fun, head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

7. A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan—I've never heard of Madge Oberholtzer, but her story sounds intriguing. Her deathbed testimony outed KKK leader D.C. Stephenson, which brought the organization to its knees. 

8. The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis—Louis' books sound like romances I would actually like to read. This one revolves around a grieving widow who finds solace in playing music in a London Tube station. When someone begins leaving the sheet music for her dead husband's favorite songs on the station's piano, the widow is incredulous, curious, and, for the first time in a long time, hopeful. Could this—whatever it is—be her second chance at life and love?

9. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng—I still haven't read Ng's newest, which is about a boy who embarks on a quest to find the mother he has never had a chance to know except through her banned poetry.

10. Heart Spring Mountain by Robin MacArthur—When Vale, a bartender in New Orleans, is informed that her estranged mother is missing after a violent tropical storm ravaged her Vermont town, she feels compelled to go home. As she looks for her mom, she digs deep into her family's roots and history, revealing shocking secrets that change everything.

There you go, ten "heart" books on my TBR list. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What did you do for today's Valentine's/Love freebie? 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! 

I'm a little late to the TTT party today, but never fear—I have a good, bookish reason for my tardiness. I mentioned that I'm going to be downsizing from my 5,000-square foot home into one that is half the size in the next few months (after our renters move out and we do some remodeling). Since I will no longer have the room to store all my many, many books, I need to get rid of about 75% of my collection. I was planning to organize a book sale with the proceeds going to charity since the majority of the volumes I need to unload are ones I got for free from authors and publishers. Then, I received an email announcing that a local high school would be holding a book sale this week to benefit their English Department. Huzzah! I contacted the ladies in charge, who generously came to my house and hauled away this mountain of books for their sale:

Although this represents only about 1/3 of the books I need to unload, it feels good to send even this many on their way to new homes. They will definitely get more love out in the world than they will gathering dust in my guest room closet. Bonus: guests can now open the closet door without risking death by book avalanche! Win-win.

Now that that's out of the way we can get down to business. The TTT topic du jour is: Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR List. I love these seasonal TBR lists because it's always fun to see what everyone is looking forward to reading and to get ideas of what I might want to check out. Since I'm a mood reader, I never really stick to these, but I still enjoy thinking about what I might read. I'm also going to *try* to feature books I haven't talked about yet. We'll see how that goes...

As always, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our hostess, Jana, some love. While you're there, why don't you join in the fun? TTT really is a good ole time.

1. Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation by Maud Newton (available March 29, 2022)—You all know by now that I'm a genealogy buff who lives for combing through census records, DNA matches, and old newspapers in search of forgotten family stories. It shouldn't surprise you, then, that I love books like this one, which is about the author's search for the truth behind her ancestors' colorful, controversial lives. Sounds like a great read!

2. Séances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry—Speaking of dead people...I'm all in for this cozy mystery series featuring a woman who pretends to hunt ghosts in order to pay the bills. I enjoyed Buried in a Good Book (available May 24, 2022), Berry's newest, so much that I want to read more from her. 

3. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan—As I was clearing off my bookshelves for the upcoming sale, I found my copy of this National Book Award winner that I've been meaning to read for years. Ever since I read The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, I've been eager to read more about the Dust Bowl and the brave souls who lived through it. This promises to be a fascinating read.

4. Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine (available November 8, 2022)—This MG novel doesn't come out until Fall, but I'm hoping to get an early copy from NetGalley. Written by a woman who grew up in Wuhan, the story is about a 13-year-old girl whose life changes when COVID breaks out in her hometown. 

5. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune—How have I not read this book yet? I've had a copy ever since it came out. I think it's about time I actually read it!

6. Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal—Covered in birthmarks, young Nell is sold to the circus where she becomes a headlining act. As she deals with the narcissistic circus owner, falls in love with his kind brother, and learns to stand on her own two feet, she transforms from a shy, unloved child into a woman who knows her own worth and power.

7. A Lullaby For Witches by Hester Fox—I enjoy Fox's spooky books and this one, her newest, sounds like a compelling read. It's about a woman who starts working at the old Harlowe House and becomes obsessed with knowing more about the "witch" who once lived there.

8. Research Like a Pro With DNA by Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer—Diana and Nicole have been friends and mentors as I continue my journey down the road to becoming an accredited genealogist (COVID has turned it into a much longer process than expected). I'm eager to dip into their newest book since I have lots to learn about DNA and how to use it effectively in my family history research.

9. The Secret, Book, & Scone Society by Ellery Adams—I'm listening to this book, the first installment in a well-loved cozy mystery series set in a town full of healing magic. It's entertaining.

10. The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes—Remember last TTT when I talked about one of my favorite tropes, the surprise inheritance? This one fits that bill. It concerns a woman who learns that she has inherited her father's chocolate estate in Ecuador. Through a series of unfortunate events, she is forced to don men's clothing and impersonate her dead husband while trying to solve a mystery, get to the bottom of family secrets, and navigate a new romance. 

There you have it, ten books I'm hoping to get to this Spring. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your TBR list this season? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.