There are lots of things that make me want to read a particular book. Perhaps it's written by a favorite author or it utilizes a trope I enjoy or the cover just screams, "Pick me up!" What attracts another reader to a certain volume might turn me off completely. Selecting the right book is a very objective process. Today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Things That Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book—is all about those specific reasons you find certain books alluring. I created a list for this topic back in 2018 and nothing much has changed. I'm a creature of habit. Coming up with an additional ten for today's list was a bit of a struggle, but I managed it.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over and give her some love!

3. Depression/Dust Bowl—It's not a very uplifting subject, but lately I've been very intrigued by this era in American history.

4. Appalachia—I've never been to this area of the U.S., but I'm still fascinated by the region with its hills, hollers, and unique way of life.

5. Catchy Titles—If a book's title makes me smile, laugh, or wonder, I'll probably pick it up. I find cozy mystery titles involving cheese especially hilarious.

6. Moody, Broody Covers—Give me all the windswept old houses, angry seas, desolate landscapes, and stormy skies. Atmospheric covers always appeal to me. 

7. Based on a True Story Historical Fiction—I'm a big hist-fic fan, especially when a novel tells an obscure/untold tale that is based on real life.

8. Knives Out-ish—Ever since this popular movie came out, I've seen a bunch of mystery novels comparing themselves to Knives Out. Although none of the ones I've read so far have really charmed me as much as the film, I still rush to read them. 

9. One Thing Wrong Cover—Books about communities that seem placid and upstanding on the outside by harbor deep, dark secrets always appeal to me. I love covers that illustrate this subtly, with just one little thing out of place to show that not everything is what it seems.

10. Books—This one will shock exactly no one. If a cover features a stack of books, a bookstore or library, and/or a bookish title, I'm in.

There you go, ten more things that draw me to certain books. What subjects/tropes/cover images, etc. never fail to hook your interest as a reader? 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 comments left here.

Is it starting to get hot—like, really, hot—anywhere other than Arizona? I just got out of my car, which was registering the outside temperature at 103 degrees! Ugh. Swimming is definitely on my schedule for later today. Update: I took a nap and now we're having a rainstorm. I guess swimming will have to wait until tomorrow.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt, Top Ten Things Getting in the Way of My Reading, is a fun one. Don't hate me, but I almost skipped this topic because I actually have almost unlimited reading time. I don't have a job, my kids are teens and young adults, I watch very little t.v., and I don't have a ton of other time-consuming responsibilities or hobbies. If I want to spend all day reading, I can (and often do). Of course, I don't spend 100% of the time with my nose in a book, so how about if I tell you ten other ways I spend my hours on a frequent(ish) basis?

Before we get to that, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our gracious host, Jana, some love. If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you do!), all the details are on her blog.

1. Sleep—When I was a kid, I despised taking naps. I would do almost anything (including climbing out my bedroom window) to avoid them. These days, I can't get enough zzzz's. In addition to my nightly 7-ish hours, I take about a 2-hour nap almost every day. I'm aging, overweight, and living with a chronic illness. That combination makes me very, very tired!

2. Family History Research—I've been a genealogy enthusiast for years. In addition to working on my own family research projects, I also volunteer in a local FamilySearch Center each week. In addition, I do volunteer genealogy work for several organizations, including: FamilySearch, the BYU Record Linking Lab, Stories Behind the Stars, and ICAPGen.

3. Family—I spend a lot of time communing with my dead family members through genealogy, but sometimes the live ones need my attention as well! And guess who will soon be getting the lion's share? My son and daughter-in-law are expecting our first grandbaby. She's a girl and is due in October. Yay!

4. Housework—This one might not count since I actually listen to audiobooks while I clean. Still, it's something that is absolutely endless and takes up lots of my I-could-be-lounging-in-a-recliner-with-my-feet-up-and-a-book-in-my-hands time.

5. Write Reviews—Okay, so I actually haven't been doing much of this lately, but reviews used to take up a lot of my time and should definitely be taking up more of it now. Oops! I read way faster than I review, so I am always behind on reviews. Always.

6. Church/Temple—If you hang around here much, you know I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to two hours of worship at church each Sunday, I also try to attend the temple at least once a week. All able adults in my church are also given a volunteer job (pianist, Sunday School teacher, Nursery worker, compassionate service, etc.) that helps our congregations function smoothly. I'm the secretary of the women's organization (Relief Society) in my congregation, a "calling" I love, even though it demands a fair amount of my time. 

7. Cross-Stitch—I'm an on-again-off-again stitcher, but it's a hobby I've long enjoyed. At the moment, I'm dealing with some tendonitis in my dominant hand, so I haven't stitched in a few months and probably won't be able to for some time still. Bummer. 

8. Walk/Swim—Anyone who knows me IRL will laugh at this one, but the husband and I are on a joint quest to lose weight and get in shape. We've been walking every morning, even though it's not exactly cool outside, even at 6 a.m. Pretty soon, we're going to have to get our steps at a nearby mall or swim laps in our pool instead. I also asked for an exercise bike for Mother's Day, so you know I'm serious about this! LOL. In addition, I rejoined Weight Watchers (with which I've had success before). If you're a WW member and you use Connect, I'd love to follow you. I'm jensensrk.

9. T.V.—I mentioned that I watch hardly any t.v. and I wasn't lying. However, there are two shows that my husband and I like to watch an episode or two of most nights before we go to bed. Everybody Loves Raymond is an old favorite. Ghosts is a new one. (We're genealogists. Go figure!)

10. Book Blogger Relations—I love being part of this wonderful community! It's a joy to visit and comment on other book blogs. The fun interactions with fellow book lovers is my favorite part of blogging, so I happily spend a fair amount of my time visiting blogs, making comments, and replying to your comments here at BBB.

There you have it, ten things I do on a regular basis besides read. What are your "distractions" from reading? I'd love to know. Leave a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments here on BBB.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is one I feel like I've done a million times: Top Ten Books You Recommend to Others Most Often. Basically, I most recommend the books and authors I most love. I talk about these gems here on the blog so much that anyone who stops by BBB regularly could probably make a list of the ten books I recommend most for me! In looking for a way to twist the topic into something fresh, I decided to utilize a function of Goodreads that I've never really played with before. Under the "Browse" heading, there is an option to get reading recommendations based on the books you've recorded as read on Goodreads or that appear in your lists on the site. I'm constantly adding data about my reading to Goodreads, so it should know me pretty well by now. We'll see how the recommendation generator did in just a sec...

Before we do that, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our hardworking host, Jana, some love. You can find all the details about TTT on her blog. It's a great weekly meme. You should definitely join in the fun!

I have a lot of reading lists on Goodreads. A bunch of books were suggested for each one, so I just used the first book on the first ten lists to make today's TTT list. 

Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White—This is a dual-timeline novel that spans both World War I and World War II. It's set on Ocracoke Island, a small community where life is quiet and simple—until German U-boats start causing trouble. When an injured special agent washes ashore, he comes under the care of Evie Farrow, who runs the local inn. As the two get to know each other, they discover their growing relationship echoes another that occurred in the same inn 30 years before. As past secrets come to light, the couple can't help but wonder what it will mean for their own futures.

Verdict: Well done, Goodreads! This historical novel sounds right up my alley. I've never read anything by White, but I like the sound of this one. Plus, I need a book with "tide" in the title for a reading challenge. Score.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver—Inspired by Charles Dickens' David Copperfield, Kingsolver explores the effects of poverty on a man born into a penniless environment in Appalachia. Blessed with only his good looks and a mop of eye-catchingly copper hair, he plows through a lifetime of struggles.

Verdict: Another hit! This book is one I've been eyeing, although I apparently haven't actually added it to my TBR list yet. Although the plot summary gives little away in terms of what actually happens in the story, the publisher promises that the novel has "a plot that never pauses for breath." I'm in.

The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar—With a Biblical setting, this Christian (adult?) novel features Keren, the daughter of Jewish captives in Babylon. She is sold into the household of Daniel, where she soon becomes his most trusted scribe. After a horrible accident disrupts her ordered life, she is sent to a foreign country and given an odd job: teach a shepherd boy to become a lord. Why has she been tasked with this strange mission? Who exactly is this shepherd?

Verdict: Hmm, I'm not sure on this one. I usually avoid historical fiction set before the mid-18th Century and Bible-inspired fiction isn't something I've ever really enjoyed. The Hidden Prince gets high marks from Goodreads reviewers, though, so maybe I should give it a go? I probably won't, but you never know...

A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton—The 8th installment in Clanton's Narwhal and Jelly graphic novel series, this outing celebrates the spookiest night of the year. Narwhal is totally into dressing up and enjoying the holiday. Jelly? Not so much. He finds it way too scary. When Narwhal gets swallowed up by a terrifying sea monster, Jelly must face his fears in order to save his friend.

Verdict: I laughed out loud when I saw this suggestion. This series sounds cute, but it's really not the kind of thing I read.

A Silken Thread by Brenda Jackson—Erica Sanders and Brian Lawson are the perfect couple. Everyone agrees about that. Well, everyone except Erica's mother, Karen (naturally), who will do whatever it takes to keep the couple apart. When she hires a private detective to suss out the Brian's most intimate secrets, what she finds will devastate the families of both Erica and Brian. Though hurt, Erica can't deny her feelings for Brian. She doesn't want to give him up, even though everyone is now telling her to stay away from him. Do Erica and Brian have any chance of finding their once-guaranteed happily ever after? Or will the mistakes of the past ruin any hope they have for a future together?

Verdict: Yeah, no. Way too much drama here for me. I'll give A Silken Thread a hard pass, Goodreads.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber—This is the first installment in a YA fantasy series about a young woman who is heartbroken when she discovers that the love of her life plans to marry someone else. Desperate, she makes a dangerous deal with the cunning Prince of Hearts. It's not long before she realizes just how foolish it is to bargain with an immortal...

Verdict: I know Garber is a popular author, but nothing about this book appeals to me. Nice try, Goodreads, but nope.

Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham—This book is the last (most recent?) installment in a 13-volume series penned by a variety of popular Christian writers. Laurel's Dream takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1918. It features Laurel McAdams, a young woman whose life's ambition is to become a teacher and bring education to her impoverished community. When a disgraced British man comes to the area as a missionary, he finds hope in an unexpected friendship with Laurel that is quickly becoming more. Can the couple find a way to be together despite the challenges that threaten to tear them apart?

Verdict: While I like historical fiction and Appalachian settings, this one might be too romance-y for me. I won't dismiss it outright, but it also doesn't sound all that appealing to me.

Worst-Case Collin by Rebecca Caprara—Ever since his mom died in a car accident, 12-year-old Collin has had trouble controlling his anxiety. The only thing that calms him is planning for every possible kind of emergency, from a deadly riptide to embarrassing halitosis. Meanwhile, his dad is growing more distant and has turned to hoarding as a way to soothe his own anxieties. How desperate will Collin's situation get before he's finally able to ask for the help he needs to cope?

Verdict: I've never heard of this verse novel before, but it sounds like one I would like. Thanks for the heads-up, Goodreads!

Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato—In this first installment of the Blue Exorcist manga series, a boy discovers that the blood of Satan runs through his veins. Desperate to keep this disturbing information to himself while he figures out how to defeat the devil, he starts training as an exorcist at the mysterious True Cross Academy. Can he find enough power within himself to banish demons, especially those lurking inside himself?

Verdict: My 14-year-old daughter might go for this one, but I have no clue why Goodreads chose it for me! I have no interest in manga, for one, and this plot sounds super weird, for two. No thanks, Goodreads.

Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built For Us by Alison Mariella Désir—When Désir hit rock bottom, she found solace in running. Training for a marathon helped her improve both her physical and mental health. As she got more into the sport, she started investigating its history, which she found disturbingly white. Désir advocates for change and offers ideas for creating a more inclusive running community.

Verdict: This book seems like a super weird choice for this category, doesn't it? I'm the adoptive mother of a bi-racial child, so I'm interested in racial issues, but running really isn't a topic I care about. I'll skip this one.

Goodreads made a couple of useful suggestions for me, but I don't think I'll be relying on it for future recs! Ha ha. It was a fun exercise, though. What do you think of Goodreads' choices for me? Have you read any of them? What books do you recommend most often? 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 comments here.

In the wake of her father's abandonment and her mother's inability to provide for her children, 10-year-old Deborah Samson becomes an indentured servant. Her mentor, a kindly clergyman, reassures her that she will be treated well by the Thomases—and she is, more or less. Although her serving responsibilities in the home mean she's never quite part of the family, Deborah fits in well with the ten rambunctious Thomas boys. Tall, strong, and plain, she's a tomboy with little in the way of femininity or fragility. With an insatiable hunger for knowledge, Deborah is bursting with the desire for freedom, adventure, and real-life experience, a seemingly impossible goal for someone of her lowly station and protected sex. 

A Girl Called Samson is the newest historical novel by Amy Harmon. This is the third book I've read by her and my favorite one so far (although I do really love Where the Lost Wander). Deborah Samson was a real woman who truly did disguise herself as a man in order to serve in the Revolutionary War. Although Harmon tells a fictionalized version of Deborah's story, it's based in the remarkable truth about an extraordinary woman. In Harmon's hands, at least, she's a compassionate, brave, forthright, and passionate heroine who's both sympathetic and admirable. The author imbues her with a complex personality, a diverse range of emotions, and enough challenging experiences to prove her grit and fortitude, all of which make her a well-crafted character who comes alive on the page. John Paterson (also a real person) is just as likable and appealing. The sparks flying between the two are felt almost instantly, but their bond is built over time, giving their relationship a realistic warmth and depth. Besides their budding romance, there is plenty of action and other turmoil in A Girl Called Samson to keep the tale exciting, compelling, and, of course, heartbreaking. In addition, Harmon's prose is vivid, even poetic, but it's never sentimental or overdone. All of these things combine to create an engrossing, resonant novel that shines light on people who really lived, breathed, and loved their country so much that they did remarkable things in its defense. A Girl Called Samson is a gripping must-read for any historical fiction lover.

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of A Girl Called Samson from the generous folks at Lake Union Publishing via those at NetGalley. Thank you!