Top Ten Tuesday for October 2!

Here are previous Smoke & Mirrors Top Ten Tuesday posts.

This meme was created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by that site until

January 2018 when That Artsy Reader Girl took on the hosting duties!

Today's theme for Top Ten Tuesday is Authors I Would Love to Meet!
Wow. Honestly, there are so many! 
Although I have perhaps met more authors than I ever expected to be able to meet, 
there are more I would love to have the opportunity to meet...
(Perhaps I'm just never satisfied! LOL)

I don't know if I can limit this list to ten or not...but here goes!

First and foremost, Janet Evanovich! 
Her Stephanie Plum series is one of the silliest I've ever read, 
but also one of my absolutely favorite and most entertaining ways to spend time!
The newest installment, Look Alive Twenty-Five, is due to be released November 13th! 
That is a Tuesday. If at all possible, I will schedule myself off work for a day of vacation, head to my local bookstore that morning as soon as they open, 
purchase my pre-ordered copy, and enjoy my afternoon!
I am certain to be laughing out loud many times as I read.
The only question is how many times and how loudly! :)
I cannot imagine being the person whose imagination works in ways 
whereby you create Stephanie's world and all the very unique people and situations 
contained therein! Pure genius! (IMHO) :)

I have been privileged to have met many of the authors who might otherwise 
appear next on my list:
Garth Stein, Erica Bauermeister, Carol Cassella, Jennie Shortridge, Elizabeth Berg, 
Marisa de los Santos, Laurie R. King, Terese Marie Mailhot, Roxane Gay, Junot Diaz, 
AJ Finn, Lori Rader-Day, Annie Sullivan, Summer Heacock, 

And I feel as if I've met others due to having spoken with them via Skype/telephone and/or extensive contact via email/social media: Andrea Busfield, W. Bruce Cameron.

But to continue with the list of those I would love to meet in the future:

Jacqueline Winspear (I love her Maisie Dobbs series!)

David Rosenfelt (I love his Andy Carpenter series!)

Alexander McCall Smith (I love his No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series,
Isabel Dalhousie series, and Corduroy Mansion series!)

Sarah Addison Allen (I love her magical realism!)

Kevin Kwan (I love those crazy rich Asians!)

Joyce Maynard (I loved Labor Day and The Good Daughters!)

Alafair Burke (I've loved all 10 of her books I have read!)

Susan Wittig Albert (I love her China Bayles series!)

Gennifer Choldenko (I adore her Al Capone at Alcatraz series!)

Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants--one of my all-time favorite books)

Emma Donoghue (Room was amazing!

Bill Clegg (I loved his debut, Did You Ever Have a Family!)

LaShonda Katrice Barnett (Jam on the Vine!)

Paula McClain (The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun!)

Penelope Lively (I loved Moon Tiger)

Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See...be still my heart!)

Susanna Kearsley (I've read two and need to read more!)

And if they were still alive: Kent Haruf and Sue Grafton 

Trust me! I could add more--but time has run out!

Happy reading!

--Lynn

Top Ten Tuesday for September 18!

Here are previous Smoke & Mirrors Top Ten Tuesday posts.

This meme was created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by that site until

January 2018 when That Artsy Reader Girl took on the hosting duties!

Today's theme for Top Ten Tuesday is Books on my Fall 2018 TBR List!
Yes, more than 10! And a couple into 2019!
Another favorite topic of mine! Adding to the TBR listing!

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, 
Lauren Willig, Karen White
I have yet to read a book written by either Lauren Willig or Karen White, though I know I own some. :) 

I did read Williams' A Certain Age and loved it!

This book combines so much of what I love to read:
historical fiction,
a mystery, 
interwoven lives of seemingly unrelated characters!
Since I know virtually nothing about the Lusitania, 
I am anxious for this one! 

Their first joint venture, The Forgotten Room, 
looks to be a good one, as well!

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

Catherine of The Gilmore Guide to Books 
has rated this debut novel highly! 

This just released September 11, last Tuesday.
Set in Liberia. 
Historical fiction. 
Magical realism.
Wow! My interest is certainly piqued! 

Unclaimed Baggage by Jen Doll

To be released today! 
This book sounds a bit "romancy" for me, but I'm willing to give it a try!
I find most of the Young Adult novels I read to be very satisfying:
Ana of California by Andi Teran, the Anne of Green Gables series 
by L.M. Montgomery, The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Eleanor & Park 
by Rainbow Rowell, Emory's Gift by W. Bruce Cameron, 
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, 
My Side of the Mountain and On the Far Side of the Mountain 
by Jean Craighead George, Rascal: A Memior of a Better Era 
by Sterling North, Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan, 
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, and Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin
And never fear...I have read more than this, but these are the ones I have reviewed here!

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
A huge confession...I own 3 Kate Morton books and have yet 
to read even one! [hides face in shame] Really! 
I need to remedy that as soon as possible, especially since several readers have highly recommended her work to me! 
I believe the page count may intimidate me a bit!
It seems none of her works are less than 500 pages in length.
This newest is to be released September 20.
From Goodreads: "Told by multiple voices across time, 
The Clockmaker's Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love, and loss." That's more than enough to interest me! 

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
I admit to being extremely disappointed by the fact that there is a release event for this debut novel planned in Indianapolis, Indiana, and I was excited to receive an initial email about it weeks ago! But when I tried (and tried and tried--for a total of 8 times!) to purchase tickets, I couldn't get the purchase to finalize. I used that same card at least 5-6 times that same day, but I just considered it fate that I was not to attend this event. Even though his brother, and one of my absolute favorite authors, John Green, is participating in it! ARRRGGGHHH!!! 
The frustration! But it's cool! I'm sure I'll live! 
Besides, this is definitely a first-world challenge! 
I am so excited for this one! It is scheduled to release September 25. 

The Weeping Books of Blinney Lane by Drea Damara
Release date: September 27.
Goodreads descriptors:
Fantasy
Romance
Books About Books
Fiction 
Magic 
Adult Fiction
Time Travel 
Paranormal
I just feel this is definitely worth reading!

The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
This is due to be released October 2. 
I have yet to read a book written by Chamberlain.
However, this one definitely grabbed my attention. 
It is labeled as Historical Fiction AND Time Travel!
From Goodreads: 
"A rich genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother's quest 
to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. 
Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science 
to deliver a novel that you will never forget."


All You Can Ever Know: 
A Memoir 
by Nicole Chung
Release date: October 2.
A Korean child adopted by a white couple and raised in the US. This must be an intriguing autobiography!
An opportunity to learn so much!


November Road by Lou Berney
Release date: October 9.
Honestly, I have no idea how I heard of this book/author!
But, I notice that Lori Rader-Day,
 one of my favorite mystery authors says it is 
one of her favorite reads thus far for 2018! 
Her recommendation: pre-order it now!
That is definitely enough recommendation for me!
And now I notice that Lori has just released her fourth book, Under A Dark Sky! 
Definitely another must-read for me! 
Oh, and in case, you're wondering about my using her first name, again, I have met her! And if you're ever able to attend an event in which she is participating--just DO IT!
She is a hoot! Very engaging and genuine!



Also on October 9, The Witch Elm by Tana French is released! Wow! October 9, 2018, is a great day for mysteries! 
I will never forget the day I picked up In the Woods to read it. I worked at Borders at the time and had been eyeing this cover/book for what seemed to be ages!
I was a bit hesitant, thinking it might be too scary for me...
But it wasn't! And. I. Was. Hooked. 
Her second release, The Likeness, is one of the best plotted and most unique story arcs among the mysteries I've ever read!
Point being: I am confident this will be just as enthralling!

I rarely read "romance" books. 

But, for some reason, the plot of 
Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks 
caught my eye. 
It is scheduled for release on October 16. 
Confession: I have yet to read a Sparks novel. 
Perhaps it is time to remedy that! I admit I am at the very least curious!





Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
Release date: October 16.
A five-star review from Roxane Gay 
certainly piques my interest!
As if I needed another motivation 
to anxiously anticipate this book!
The black experience in the US...
especially for males...
so much to discover and attempt to understand...


And now...for one of my very favorite series of all time!
Yet another, the 25th, installment in the Stephanie Plum series 
written by Janet Evanovich! 
I love these books so very much! 
Look Alive Twenty-Five. Release date: November 13.
If I can at all, I schedule myself off work the day of release 
of a new Plum novel, purchase from the nearest bookstore 
that morning, and settle in for a fun afternoon!
I am neither Team Morelli nor Team Ranger!
I enjoy the fact that Stephanie has them both in her life
and hope it remains that way! :)

Wow. Rough transition here...
from Stephanie Plum to one of the women 
I most admire in so many ways, Michelle Obama! :)

I am very anxious to read what she has to say.
She and her husband courageously survived and 
even thrived despite so many challenges!
If only they were still heading our country! :)
Becoming is set to release November 13th as well!
I am ashamed to note that I have yet to read any books written by Barack Obama, 
though I own two of them. 
So hopefully I'll also get to reading those soon!





An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Release date: January 8, 2019. 
This pair also wrote The Wife Between Us, which I own...
but have yet to read. 
(I know! No big surprise there, huh?) :(
I met them this past April at the Christamore House Guild's 
2018 Book Author Event. 
They are quite fun! It is amazing to hear them 
describe their writing process! 
They even live in different states and they make this work!

Children of Virtue and Vengeance 
by Tomi Adeyemi is scheduled 
for release March 5, 2019!
As you can see, 
a cover image has not yet been revealed.
You might ask: 
Why mention it now? Because... 
It is the second book in the 
Legacy of Orïsha trilogy! 
I literally inhaled 
Children of Blood and Bone, 
the first of the three books planned 
for publication when I read it in June! 
Goodreads classifies this series as Young Adult, Fantasy, and of course, Fiction!
This is one of the most unique books I've read!
I loved the fact that each character is "black," "African," whatever word you select. 
Character descriptions were rich in detail and I enjoyed creating an image for each of them.
This was a selection for two different book clubs to which I belong. 
I was amazed at the difference between the two discussions. 
One group was quite diverse in age, vocation, race/ethnicity, etc., while the other was very monocultural. Can you guess which group provided a more intense and deep discussion? :)

 And, that is my Fall 2018 TBR listing!
Just 15 of the 6533 books on my Goodreads "Want to Read" shelf!
Oh, yeah...I definitely can't live long enough to read them all!
But that doesn't keep me from wishing I could! :)

Happy reading!!
--Lynn

Top Ten Tuesday for June 7!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish each week...on...TUESDAY!!

(Although sometimes I actually post on a Wednesday!)

I tend to post when I like the topic and have time to do so!

This week's topic? 

The Top Ten Reasons I love ________!

I am going to give you my reasons for loving Historical Fiction and Mysteries!

First up: Historical Fiction

Here is my Historical Fiction page!

#1 I love to learn! 

I love to read and I love to learn from my reading, but I despise dull boring recitations of FACTS, period! I think the majority of people who read at all have the same opinion. I learn so much history from "historical" fiction!

#2 I mainly read for characterization!

This may seem counter-intuitive when considering historical fiction, however, in my opinion, it is a writer's skill to create well-drawn historically accurate characters that impresses me so much! It is through the characters that so much else is depicted and divulged!

#3 I want to "feel" a setting/environment! 

     (You know. That "Calgon-take-me-away feeling"!)

Historical fiction that is well-written makes me "feel" as if I am right there with the characters! Whether it is in 1920's Kenya, 1920's western United States, or 1945 Eastern Europe. 

#4 I want a 'frame of reference' and/or understanding of others from the past.

I want to understand a person's or people's behavior a bit better, and by placing people in their own place and time from the past, it makes the motivations for their actions much easier to discern. Though many times unpleasant to my current-day sensibilities, I can at least better understand "where they're coming from." Facts alone do not give this much information and many times NO context. 

#5 I want a clearer picture of the whole historical process. 

History is not just a collection of bits and pieces of data, but rather a fluid evolution of ever-changing ideas, opinions, and interpretations, which eventually lead to social/cultural change. I like to try to understand how one thing can lead to another, to another... This knowledge is imparted most effectively through a character's thoughts and feelings than in any listing of facts. 

Last, but by no means least: Mysteries

Here is my 2016 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge Page!

#1 I love a good puzzle, and really, a mystery is just a puzzle to be solved!

As I can recall, the very first mysteries I ever read were Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys series. I started reading these at 9 years of age and never looked back! It was always so much fun to try to solve the mystery myself!

#2 I mainly read for characterization!

No, you are not seeing double. Yes, this is the same #2 reason I love historical fiction and I am using it once again as the #2 reason I love mysteries! Why? Mysteries, by definition, are somewhat similar--a puzzle to be solved! But one huge way to set a mystery apart and make it unique is by creating imaginative characters. Some of the series I enjoy most for their characters: the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, and the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. And there are so many more I could list...but for once, I will try to restrain myself! :) (And do not get used to it!)

#3 I love a good challenge!

Nothing better than an author who can make me suspect each and every character at least once throughout a mystery book! I enjoy NOT knowing "who did it" until the end, or at least close to it! :)

#4 I enjoy a truly compelling read!

While I don't appreciate being "scared," I do appreciate the tension and suspense of not knowing and wondering...and not wanting to wait much longer to KNOW! Mysteries are more likely to keep me up late at night than any other genre! There is nothing quite so satisfying as just turning the pages...burning right through them...over and over and over again! :)

#5 Mysteries are the books I am most likely to reread.

That might seem strange and not make much sense. (Though we are talking about me, after all! So perhaps that isn't unexpected. :)) After all, if I've read a mystery once I already know "who did it," don't I? Well, frankly, the older I get the less true this becomes. Seriously, I often don't remember right away, and I just have some series that I can pick up and reread at any time and know I'll enjoy myself immensely! I have reread the Stephanie Plum books, the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, the Sunday Philosophy Club series featuring Isabel Dalhousie by Alexander McCall Smith, Agatha Christie books, and, of course, although they also involve fantasy, the Harry Potter series! :)

What do YOU love?