Top Ten Tuesday for July 5!!

As many of you already know, The Broke and the Bookish 

host a weekly meme entitled Top Ten Tuesday!

There is a different theme each week. 
(I thought I had posted this on Tuesday, July 5th, but hadn't!
I have just finished and posted on July 10!) :(

This week it is  

The Top Ten Books I Enjoyed 

That Have Under 2000 Ratings on Goodreads

I was very curious to see what listing would result from sorting my "Read" bookshelf by the number of ratings on Goodreads. It was quite revealing. 

I was not the least bit surprised to learn that independently/self-published books were the majority, as well as local/regional authors. 

So I am thrilled to have an opportunity to "hawk" these books to you-all,

'cause there are some 'masterpieces' amongst this group, 

in my humble opinion!

So, as I pulled titles from this grouping, I ended up with 

a listing of 10 different series and 30+ books!

(Yeah...I know...) 
I will work with the 10 series today and save the other listing 
of stand-alones for a "Freebie week" in the future! 
Sounds like a plan! 

First a disclaimer: 
Not every single book in each of these series was in the 
less-than-2000-Goodreads-rating group. 
Even if only one book in the series was in this group, 
then that series is listed here.

This first series is written by a man who lives and works in my general region of the U.S. I have met John Riggs and he has personally inscribed several of the books I own in this Garth Ryland series. Thus far, I have read halfway through this series. All of these have been good solid reads for me. The only reason they don't qualify as absolute favorites is the fact that the characterization (at least to me) is not very detailed. There is more action than anything, and I do realize that for most readers, that works very very well. It works for me, but is not my favorite, as I typically prefer strong well-drawn characters. (If that makes sense!) However, there are a few recurring characters, and they do develop during the series, so that is a plus. Beyond that, each book is a quick read and always has a solid mystery that I typically cannot solve, though I have suspected virtually every character of being the perpetrator by the end of the book! (I enjoy that!) Interestingly, TV rights were purchased in the past, though nothing was ever developed, and I can easily see that this series might make for a good TV series. (Anyone? Anyone? lol) This is one large body of work and I don't believe John gets nearly the recognition or readership Garth deserves!

The Last Laugh

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The Glory Hound

Hunting Ground

Haunt of Nightingale

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

One Man's Poison

Dead Letter 

A Dragon Lives Forever 

Cold Hearts and Gentle People

Killing Frost

Snow on the Roses

He Who Waits

The Lost Scout

Nothin' Short of Dyin'

After the Petals Go

Home Grown

Cold Rain

Oh, my gosh! I get so excited just thinking of this series! It is so very unique! Anthony Eglin is very knowledgeable of botany and uses that knowledge in these mysteries. I can't adequately describe them, except to say if you appreciate botanical information, this series is for you. Each mystery somehow involves exotic flowers or something along that line. this series is known as the English Garden mysteries or the Lawrence Kingston mysteries. (I still need to read the last two installments.) I own each of these books except for the most recent installment and intend to own them all! Keep writing, Mr. Eglin! Please! :)

The Blue Rose

The Lost Gardens

The Water Lily Cross

The Trail of the Wild Rose

Garden of Secrets Past

The Alcatraz Rose: A Lawrence Kingston Mystery

That brings me to one of the silliest (in some ways) and yet most adorable mystery series I have ever read, Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie mystery series. I need to read several of these to catch up! (Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym for Peter Abrahams who also writes stand-alone mysteries.)

Dog on It

Thereby Hangs a Tail

To Fetch a Thief

The Dog Who Knew Too Much

A Fistful of Collars

The Sound and the Furry

Paw and Order

Scents and Sensibility

EShort Stories:

A Cat Was Involved (Chet and Bernie Mystery 0.1)

The Iggy Chronicles (Chet and Bernie Mystery 0.2)

Tail of Vengeance (Chet and Bernie Mystery 0.3)

Santa 365

In addition, he has 

a juvenile mystery series 

just started last year, 

Bowser & Birdie:

Woof

Arf

Now to an author both my husband an I enjoy immensely, Alafair Burke. (I LOVE that name, Alafair!) She is the daughter of James Lee Burke, one of my husband's very favorite authors. She is currently writing two different series: 

Series #1: Samantha Kincaid

Judgement Calls
Missing Justice
Close Case

Series #2: Ellie Hatcher

Dead Connection
Angel's Tip
212
Never Tell 
All Day and a Night

Ayelet Waldman's Mommy Track Mysteries. Probably a good one for parents of young ones, especially if you also enjoy mysteries! One of my other favorite authors said it best...

Juliet Applebaum is smart, fearless, and completely candid about life

as a full-time mom with a penchant for part-time detective work.

Kinsey Millhone would approve.

-Sue Grafton, author of The New York Times-bestselling Kinsey Millhone series

Juliet Applebaum is a full-time public defender turned stay-at-home mom who seems to get herself involved with the local mysterious happenings. These would be good short entertaining reads that do make you think a bit. Perfect for parents of young ones!

Nursery Crimes
The Big Nap
A Playdate with Death Death Gets a Time-Out
Murder Plays House
The Cradle Robbers
Bye-Bye, Black Sheep

I loved Waldman's Red Hook Road 

and really should read and review 

more of hers!

Jacqueline Sheehan's

Rocky Pelligrino series and Now & Then

Having read and loved Lost & Found 

and Picture This, I wondered what I 

would think of Now & Then, 

but I loved it just as much, 

if not more than the other two!

And there is a dog in each one!

(I know...totally unexpected, huh?) 

 Marie Bostwick's Cobbled Quilt series
The Borders Book Club I facilitate read the first book in this series, A Single Thread, and everyone loved it, though a few of us felt it was a bit "preachy," insisting that you must be a 'Christian' and attend church every Sunday to be truly happy in life... Fortunately, I persevered by reading the second book in the series and ended up reading all of them and loving them! 

A Single Thread

A Thread of Truth

A Thread So Thin

Threading the Needle

Ties That Bind

Apart at the Seams

Between Heaven and Texas (prequel)

 From Here to Home

This book follows the characters from 

Between Heaven and Texas, 

into the future!

My good friend read and loved it!

The Borders Book Club loved her writing 

so much we also read one 

of her stand-alone novels, 

The Second Sister 

and also really enjoyed it!

Bostwick definitely provides a reader with 

much 'food for thought'! 

And she doesn't shy away from issues...

Terri Dulong's Cedar Key series

Spinning Forward

Casting About

Sunrise on Cedar Key

Postcards from Cedar Key

Secrets on Cedar Key

Farewell to Cedar Key 

I am woefully behind in reading this series,

and she has started a new series!

I own all these, so need to read them!

I love the characters and writing!

And last, but by no means least...

Carolyn Brown's Cadillac, Texas series

The Borders Book Club decided to read the first book in this series, 

The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee, and we all loved it! 

It was so enjoyable and provided much fodder for discussion!

I admit I was rather hesitant initially, since I typically do not read romance, 

and Ms. Brown is a romance-writing queen! :)

However, I needn't have feared, for this series was not typical romance, 

and I read all three books and loved them all!

The other two books in this series:

The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off

The Yellow Rose Beauty Shop

And here is the interview with Carolyn Brown!

 I sure do wish I had realized earlier that I hadn't actually posted 

this last Tuesday, July 5! 

But at least I got it out there now! 

Do you have a favorite book that hasn't had many (< 2000) Goodreads ratings?

Top Ten Tuesday for December 29: Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2016

Oh, my! Oh, my! Oh, my!

My reading experiences from 2015 were so wonderful!! 

I can't imagine that another year will provide just as many wonderful experiences, 

but I sure hope so! :)

I am certain there are some exciting releases scheduled for 2016 of which I am unaware, there are already many that I am anxiously awaiting!
I have listed 20 here and already have another 13 marked in Goodreads! 
So many to anxiously await! :)
(I do realize I am posting this two days late, on Thursday, but I was indisposed!)

January 5, 2016
The Restaurant Critic's Wife by Elizabeth LaBan
This looks as if it might a bit of fiction to start the new year. A woman feels as if she has become 'lost' in her marriage and her husband's obsession with his career and need to remain "anonymous" to the world. This is a perspective I had never considered of being a restaurant critic, though I can certainly relate to the feeling of having lost oneself in a marriage relationship. :)



January 5, 2016
A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back by Kevin Hazzard
This sounds utterly fascinating. I cannot imagine what all a paramedic may encounter in his/her line of work! I'm sure there are stories galore! This will fit in with my intention to read more nonfiction this year, too! So, learning more about a career of which I know virtually nothing and increasing my nonfiction reads--a win-win! 





January 5, 2016
City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence
How can we, who are so fortunate as to be born to a life of 'luxury' in comparison, not care about the lives of those who are displaced by events and situations totally beyond their control? I feel so very much for such people. I am fortunate enough to know some who have had the money and wherewithal to escape to the U.S., but for those with no such resources...well, it is an unimaginable existence, in my world. I'm sure I'll feel similarly to this book as I did Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. That and Little Bee by Chris Cleave were two of the most difficult books I've read, but also two of the most rewarding in gained insight and sympathy/empathy. Also, another nonfiction read! 



January 5, 2016
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Although I read and did not love Olive Kitteridge, I admit I haven't read The Burgess Boys, released in 2013. (I admit I did not agree that Olive Kitteridge was Pulitzer Prize winning material, though all such judgments are definitely subjective--we'll agree with some and disagree with some.) However, I believe this premise will be interesting and I would like to give it a try. Note that there is a discrepancy--Goodreads claims this will be released January 5th and Strout's website claims it won't be released until January 12th. 



January 12, 2016
The Longest Night by Andria Williams
This is a debut novel and historical fiction. Based upon the only nuclear disaster to strike in the U.S. and a couple's battle to save themselves and this town. What would you do if you were a military person and discovered the nuclear installation you were monitoring had been compromised? I just think there is so much angst, frustration and indecision to be covered in this one. It will be interesting to see how Williams handles this. And I'm anxious to understand how the cover image fits in... :) 

January 12, 2016
American Housewife: Stories by Helen Ellis
I admit to being rather fascinated by the prospect of the humor contained within these stories. I assume I will either love this one or hate it, but I'm willing to give it a shot! :) And who knows? It might be a good one for the Literary Wives theme! :)








January 12, 2016
The Hundred-Year Walk: An Armenian Odyssey by Dawn Anahid MacKeen
This cover image alone fascinates me! But then, to consider I will learn about the "twentieth century's first large-scale genocide" is even more intriguing...to travel to Turkey and Syria to retrace your ancestor's life's journey. Amazing. Especially since these areas are still rife with political, economic, and cultural tension and uncertainty. This is a debut novel that the author has worked on for a decade. I just can't imagine it isn't a great one!



January 12, 2016
Fallen Land by Taylor Brown
I admit that as I read the Goodreads synopsis I was rather reminded of Neverhome by Laird Hunt which I read and wasn't overly impressed with, except that I did feel it was realistic in many ways and I could understand much better exactly how it was for people during Civil War times, though the story itself was exceedingly depressing to me with no glimmer of hope... I have my fingers crossed that this book will not be similar in the depressing sense and will present a bit more balanced story. It is also a debut novel with Brown having had only a short story collection published previously. 



January 19, 2016
Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson
This looks very interesting to me, especially an English aristocrat willingly relinquishing all that to run with the U.S. expats in the 1920's. I really enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (Literary Wives read #2) and would like to read some more about this time period in Paris/Europe with U.S. expats...





January 26, 2016

The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

I have read and loved Alive I Have Been and The Aviator's Wife (Literary Wives read #4) written by her. I own The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb but have yet to read it. (Earlier this year, Melanie claimed this is her favorite of the books she had written thus far.) And she is a Hoosier, born and raised in Indiana! So a 'local' girl! I cannot wait for this one! I hope to catch her on tour this year! One of my absolutely favorite authors!



January 26, 2016
The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos
A YA book! This is Podos' debut novel. She is herself a literary agent. Although I don't read a ton of YA, I do try to fit one in when it sounds worthy, and this one does! Plus I love mysteries, so hopefully, this will be a good read! 






January 26, 2016
The Ex by Alafair Burke
Burke is one of my absolutely favorite authors! I have loved everything she's written! Yes, I've read them all with the exception of the two she co-wrote with Mary Higgins Clark, though I own them both and am planning to read those, too! Her two series with Ellie Hatcher and Samantha Kincaid are superb! This is a stand-alone novel and I'm sure it is just as wonderful as all her other books!






January 26, 2016
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
While apocalyptic tales are rarely on my TBR, this one sounded worth trying... 








January 26, 2016
The Evening Spider by Emily Arsenault
Honestly, the fact that Melanie Benjamin reviewed and like it...that's enough to recommend it for me! 
"A tale of dusty old journals, creaky houses, and ghostly whispers...to keep you up all night with a light burning until you reach the surprising end...a gothic novel with a modern twist."
Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Aviator's Wife and The Swans of Fifth Avenue



February 1, 2016
Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert
Again, Albert is one of my absolutely favorite authors and I'm relatively certain to like whatever she writes, and this one has a premise/subject that is fascinating to me! 







February 2, 2016
Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf
I read and loved her debut novel, The Weight of Silence, but have yet to read anything else she has written. I'm hoping to change that in 2016 and this sounds fascinating. 








February 23, 2016
Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon
I loved loved loved The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress (Literary Wives read #6) and am thrilled to read anything else Ms. Lawhon writes! Especially since she was gracious enough to share a follow-up post to her book! 


February 23, 2016
Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard
Another one of my absolute favorite writers! Though I own several of her books, thus far I have only completely read two, The Good Daughters and Labor Day. I loved them both! 






March 1, 2016
Teaching While Black in New York City's Public Schools 
by Pamela Lewis
Being a 'displaced teacher' myself, and being 'white,' this looks to be a very controversial educational perspective. I am certain that Ms. Lewis's perspective is much more valid than any white person's. She lives and breathes the reality for black children in the current educational system. I'm certain this book will reveal some truths and insights that would otherwise remain unknown to the vast majority of teachers in our public educational system. For that reason alone, all teachers should probably read this. I'm anxious to see what she has to say! (I would be curious to know how this cover image was selected. It is unique!)

March 29, 2016
Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs #12)
I love love love this woman's writing! I am currently reading book #5 in this series. Really, I just can't say enough good about this series! I feel her writing gets deeper as she goes through the series. She tackles controversial societal/cultural issues without beating you over the head--just by demonstrating them through her characters. And Maisie...well, she certainly isn't perfect, but she gives 1,000%!