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2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


27 / 30 books. 90% done!

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


39 / 50 books. 78% done!

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee
- Texas (3)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (2)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Canada (2)
- England (21)
- Fiji (1)
- France (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Mexico (1)
- New Zealand (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Bahamas (1)
- Vatican City (1)

My Progress:


34 / 51 states. 67% done!

2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 25 books. 96% done!

2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


29 / 50 books. 58% done!

Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 52 books. 73% done!

2026 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 52 books. 65% done!

2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


22 / 40 books. 55% done!

2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 51 books. 47% done!

2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


19 / 25 books. 76% done!

2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


44 / 52 books. 85% done!

Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)

My Progress:


54 / 65 books. 83% done!

2026 Countdown Reading Challenge

My Progress:


55 / 55 books. 100% done!

2026 Series Reading Challenge


23 / 36 books. 64% done!

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

My Progress:


70 / 125 books. 56% done!

2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge

My Progress:


9 / 9 books. 100% done!

2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)

My Progress:


36 / 60 books. 60% done!

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 40 books. 25% done!

European Reading Challenge 2026

My Progress:


7 / 50 books. 14% done!

2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)

My Progress:


67 / 125 books. 54% done!

2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge

My Progress:


4 / 5 challenges. 80% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 100 names. 98% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 80 skills. 95% done!
Monday, May 11, 2020

Book Woman an Atmospheric, Evocative Novel About the Transformative Power of Reading

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Cussy Mary Carter is a woman who stands out for many reasons, not just because she's the last of her kind.  The 19-year-old is one of Kentucky's famous Blue people, the only one still living.  It's not just her blue-tinged skin that sets her apart, however.  She's also one of the few women courageous enough to venture into the rugged mountains and deep hollers of Appalachia to deliver books to folks living in the most remote areas of her community.  As a rider for the Pack Horse Library Initiative, Cussy braves everything from nasty weather to ill-tempered recluses to snooty, prejudiced society women to bring the joy of reading to her far-flung neighbors.  Scorned by those who think hers is not a job suitable for a lady, let alone a Blue, Cussy perseveres.  Although she's already experienced more than her fair share of violence and fear, Cussy will battle every snowstorm, every fist shook in her face, every filthy name hurled in her direction, every haint whistling through the holler, and every tumble off her horse to bring the magic of books to those who need it most ...

Sometimes you can tell just by the title of a book that it's one you're going to love.  Add in an evocative cover and an intriguing plot summary and that's it, you're a goner.  Such is the case with me and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.  I love everything about this lush, touching novel.  The setting is so atmospheric that I could see, hear, smell, and touch the Appalachians and her people in all their glorious beauty and impoverished desperation.  Cussy, herself, is so well-drawn that I felt instantly for her, even while admiring her kindness, humility and determination.  As heartbreaking as this novel is, it tells a beautiful, touching story that has stayed with me even though it's been months since I read it.  If you love historical fiction or tales of Appalachia or books about the transformative power of reading or any combination of the three, you absolutely must pick up this book.  It might just be my favorite read of the year so far! 

(Readalikes:  I'm guessing The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes and The Last Blue by Isla Morley are similar, but I've yet to read either [although both are on my TBR mountain chain].)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.
Saturday, May 09, 2020

Summery Friendship/Secrets Novel Gets a Meh From Me


(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Six years ago, three strangers flew to Italy to enjoy a surprise vacation on the stunning Amalfi Coast.  Each of the women expected to soak in the picture-perfect scenery, dine on delectable cuisine, and relax on the sparkling beach.  None of them foresaw meeting the others at a ramshackle villa and becoming instant, lifelong friends.  What Kim, Colette, and Annie experienced in Italy—from friendship to romance to the start of a successful business—changed their lives.

Now, Kim is bringing them back to Italy for the grand re-opening of the villa that started it all.  A well-known wellness guru, she's had the place renovated and turned into a health spa.  She can't wait for her old friends to join celebrities, investors, and other influencers at what will certainly be the most glamorous event of the season.  It soon becomes apparent, however, that someone is out to sabotage Kim by exposing a ruinous secret she thought no one knew about.  She's not the only one worried about what could happen in Italy.  Annie has her own secret to hide.  She's also got her own reasons for needing to be at Kim's fancy party—and it's not to pat Kim on the back for a job well done.  Then there's Colette, who fell madly in love with a local while in Italy and subsequently had her heart dashed into a million pieces.  Although she's been happily married to another man for five years, she can't help but wonder what happened to the one that got away.  Luca will no doubt be at Kim's party.  What will happen when she sees him again?  

When the three women reunite on the Amalfi Coast, shocking secrets will out, old resentments will flare, and, once again, the friends' lives will be forever changed by what happens in Italy ...

Old-friends-coming-back-together-to-deal-with-past-secrets-that-are-threatening-to-come-to-light is one of my favorite mystery/thriller tropes.  I figured I'd dig it in a contemporary romance/women's novel as well.  Unfortunately, The Summer Villa by Melissa Hill didn't pull me in like such thrillers usually do.  The story started slowly and took its time getting to the juicy parts.  As much as I loved the book's sparkling setting, I found the characters, the prose, and the plot pretty meh.  All of the starring women irritated me with their immaturity—even their adult selves were childish and petty.  Even though I saw the plot twists coming, I did want to know what was going to happen in the story, so I finished it.  In the end, though, The Summer Villa was just an average read for me.  Nothing special.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other summer friendship novels, but no specific titles are coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of The Summer Villa from the generous folks at HarperCollins.  Thank you!
Friday, May 01, 2020

Book Spotlight: The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman


I didn't get a chance to read The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman (which is actually a pen name used by Wade Rouse, who writes under his late grandmother's name as a way to honor her) in time for my blog tour stop, so I'm just going to do a little spotlight today.  According to the back cover summary, here's what the book is about:

In her inimitable style, Viola Shipman explores the unlikely relationship between two very different women brought together by the pain of war, but bonded by hope, purpose…and flowers.

Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.

When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family—a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability—Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.

With delightful illustrations and fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm readers while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.

Have you read The Heirloom Garden?  What did you think?

Thanks to the generous folks at Harlequin (a division of HarperCollins) for sending me an e-ARC of The Heirloom Garden!
Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Loved Waaaayyyy Back in the Day

It's Tuesday again, time for my favorite bookish meme.  I always look forward to this weekly event, especially now when there are so few ways to distinguish one day from all the rest!  How's everyone doing this week?  Are you surviving the quarantine in good spirits or starting to go stark raving mad?  Are you whipping through a book a day or finding it difficult to concentrate on reading when the outside world is still in chaos?  We're doing okay over here.  All of us have cabin fever, but we're being as cautious as we can by staying home, social distancing, washing our hands, etc.  We've had excessive heat warnings here in the Phoenix area—it's supposed to be in the upper 90s and low 100s all week.  Oh, joy!  I'm not a fan of hot weather, but at least I have air conditioning and a backyard swimming pool.  I really can't complain (I mean, I can, but I shouldn't).  For now, I'll just continue reading, cross-stitching, blogging, and attempting to keep my house from becoming a complete shambles.  I hope you all are doing well and keeping you and yours safe and healthy.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is a nostalgic one—Top Ten Books I Wish I Had Read As a Child.  I don't know about you, but I have been a voracious reader for my entire life.  As a kid, there was nothing I loved more than visiting our town's teensy tiny library.  When I couldn't convince my mom to drive me into town, I made the two-mile round trip on my own two feet.  The walk down wasn't so bad since it was all downhill, but the hike back up was a killer, especially in the summer heat with my arms full of all the books I could carry!  Needless to say, I was thrilled when I got my driver's license.  Not only could I drive myself to town whenever I wanted, but I could also cross the bridge into Oregon and check out books from a nearby town that had a much larger library.  I inhaled so many books in those days that, besides the Harry Potter series (which didn't come out until I was in my late 20's), I couldn't think of any that I wished I had read as a child.  I could, however, think of many that I loved back then, so I'm going to twist the topic du jour and list the Top Ten Authors/Books/Series I Loved As a Child.

Before we get to that, though, I have to give a shout out to Jana, our Top Ten Tuesday host.  If you want to join in the TTT fun, head on over to her blog, That Artsy Reader Girl.  You can find all the info you need on her lovely site.

Top Ten Authors/Books/Series I Loved as a Child (in no particular order)


1.  The Berenstain Bears series by Jan and Stan Berenstain—As a kid, I devoured this beloved picture book series about a bear family that lives in a quaint treehouse.  I was so caught up by the idea of dwelling in a tree that I spend many happy hours designing my own treehouse home on paper.  Funny enough, when I started reading the books to my own children, I found them wordy, didactic, and a bit dull.  My kids enjoyed the PBS television series based on the books, but never cared much for the written version.


2.  Shel Silverstein—My family owned several of Silverstein's books of poems.  Some of his verses aren't very PC and would probably be frowned upon in today's more sensitive climate ("[Sister] For Sale" comes to mind), but his poems are fun, silly, inventive, and wholly entertaining.  My siblings and I loved them.

3.  Dr. Seuss—Like most children, I adored books like Green Eggs and Ham and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.  I'm glad to see that these classics have endured and are still being enjoyed by today's kids.


4.  Choose Your Own Adventure series by R.A. Montgomery—Oh my goodness, did I gobble these books down!  I had so many wild adventures through this series.


5.  Amelia Bedilia series by Peggy Parish—I loved this series about a very literal-minded housekeeper and her many adventures.  Parish died in 1988 and her nephew, Herman Parish, continued writing Amelia Bedilia books starting in 1995.  I haven't read any of the newer books, but I loved the older ones.


6.  The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder—I was mad about everything Little House on the Prairie when I was a kid.  I devoured both the books and the t.v. show, which appealed to my love of history and pioneer stories.


7.  Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene—Even as a young'n I loved mysteries.  This famous female sleuth was my absolute favorite!



8.  The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner—These simple mysteries were also among my favorite reads as a child.  I've re-read some of them as an adult and although they're written in a very basic way, I can still see why they're so appealing to kids.


9.  Christopher Pike—I read a lot of Pike when I was in middle school and even high school.  His mystery/thrillers kept me up way past my bedtime on many nights in the late 80s and early 90s.  My young heart was absolutely crushed when I wrote him a gushing fan letter and never received a response! 


10.  Mary Higgins Clark—My dad introduced me to Clark, his favorite mystery author, when I was a teenager.  Her clean mystery/thrillers kept me up late on numerous occasions, turning pages far into the night.  I enjoyed her books more as a teen than as an adult, but I have great respect for Clark, who continued to write bestselling novels until she died in January at the age of 92.  

There you go, ten authors/books/series my child/teenaged self couldn't get enough of.  Were you a reader as a kid?  Which books did you love back in the day?  Which do you wish you had read then?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!
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