Top Ten Tuesday for September 11!

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 HIDDEN GEMS!
This is one of my favorite topics! 
Those little-known favorite reads that I feel deserve to be Pulitzer Prize winners! :)

These are in no particular order...'cause there's no way I could prioritize this listing!
I am hopeless in that regard, especially with books I consider to be favorite reads!

One of the first books that comes to mind is 
A White Wind Blew (released February 6, 2013) 
by James Markert.
Having lived in the US midwest, I was amazed 
to read this book and learn of the 
Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitorium 
in Louisville, Kentucky. I had no idea!
Oh, but this book is so very much more than that!
Markert includes so much history in this one book!
I love historical fiction and this is nearly perfect 
execution of that genre, in my humble opinion!
Dr. Wolfgang Pike and his wife are just two of 
the best defined characters I've known!
There is so very much that Markert includes 
that was so pertinent to the times:
prejudice/discrimination/lynchings,
bigger-than-life underworld villains and criminals, death/dying, recovery and rehabilitation, music/music therapy smuggling, love, romance, and commitment to faith. All this in an extremely readable and enjoyable book! 
And I obviously have not been keeping up with favorite authors' newest releases, 'cause there are now 3 more books authored by Markert and released since this one:
What Blooms from Dust (released July 26, 2018)
All Things Bright and Strange (released January 30, 2018)
The Angels' Share (released January 17, 2017)

The School of Essential Ingredients (released January 22, 2009) by Erica Bauermeister is the second book. 
While working at Borders for 4 1/2 years this was one 
of the few books I regularly recommended. 
Anyone I've ever known who read this book has at least enjoyed it a lot, but for most it became one of their "favorite reads"! 
That says so very much about this book...
Erica spoke with my book club on the phone during our discussion, and that made it so very special. She was quite forthcoming regarding her writing process and discussing her next book, Joy for Beginners (released June 9, 2011). 

The book club I facilitate also read the sequel 
to TSoEI, 
The Lost Art of Mixing (released January 24, 2013). 
And we were just as enamored with it!
It is Erica's use of language that sets her apart, in my opinion! As noted in my Goodreads review of TSoEI, 
"I smell, see, and hear as I read her words." 
I found that what she did for food in TSoEI, 
she was able to do for numbers in TLAoM. 
Unbelievable use of language to activate the senses! 
And such well-drawn enjoyable characters!
I just can't recommend her books highly enough!
And...per Goodreads, it looks as if she has a fourth book due to be released May 21, 2019--The Scent Keeper! 
I love it when my favorite authors have upcoming releases!
Don't you?!? :)

Now for something a bit more intense and perhaps pertinent to our current world situation, particularly in the United States, given the current political 'ruling party'...
The Boat People by Sharon Bala
I really like this BookPage review which gives 
a good brief summary of the book.
Goodreads classifies this as historical fiction 
based in Canada.
I have no idea how accurately this depiction may be with regard to Canadian immigration procedures, 
but there were definitely issues and situations 
which rang true given my experiences processing 
visa applications/renewals for employees. 
A researcher from Russia was very upset that her 
visa renewal was being delayed due to the federal agency's need to further research/verify her background. 
(And this was way before 9/11 
and the more restricted visa process in the aftermath!)
She had been in the US in the same position for at least 6-7 years at this point in time and was livid, finally shouting that it was impossible to verify anything anyway, since there were virtually no written record kept of much of anything in her home country!
Prior to that incident it had never occurred to me that other countries simply may not have the same ability to capture documentation or to organize information.
I think I always assumed other countries did things the same way as was done in the US!
Not necessarily... I mention this because I felt Bala's depiction of just such a situation--lack of documentation/facts to either refute or confirm asylum-seekers' claims--was spot on. 
There really is no viable way to verify these claims, is there? 
I greatly appreciated Grace's predicament. I felt it obvious that she was appointed to her position with the intent that she would deny most asylum-seekers' requests for entry. 
This, combined with the lack of actual facts regarding these people's lives in their home countries, and the increasing pressures of her personal life in dealing with her mother and children, etc. I had great empathy for her! I believe this book is so valuable for presenting many different perspectives to the whole immigration question...


One of my favorite 
books of all time is 
Jam! On the Vine 
by 
LaShonda Katrice Barnett.
I feel as if this book has been hugely overlooked and underrated! 
For more details, please click on the title above as it is linked to my two-part review/blog post.



(Yes, you read that correctly! I was unable to curb my enthusiasm into only one blog post!) 
There is so very much packed into this one book! 
If historical fiction is your thing, this one should prove enjoyable, 
if not also on your own list of favorite reads! 
Have you heard of the Red Summer of 1919? 
I had not...until I read this book!

Pieces of Happiness: A Novel of Friendship, Hope and Chocolate by Anne Østby
Firstly, thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book as a member of the Keep Turning Pages Goodreads group! There was much more to this book than I expected.
Many different issues challenge these five women, yet they manage to work together and cooperate to help one another resolve whatever situation arises.
I don't know which of these five characters I sympathized and empathized with more, but I think probably Sina is the one I had the most respect for in some ways. And poor Lisbeth, 
what a shock she had regarding her husband's lack of fidelity and her former good friend. 
I could perhaps most relate to Maya, after having cared for my own mother as her health declined. Definitely a scary situation... I adored the descriptions of processing chocolate into candy, the island natives, and the tropical landscape. Made me long to travel there! 

Girl on the Leeside by Kathleen Anne Kenney
Ms. Kenney is a writer for whom the landscape 
becomes a character, in my opinion. 
And as I mentioned in the Goodreads review, 
I seem to always be enthralled by a setting in either 
Ireland or Scotland! It is true...and this book was no exception to that tendency!
This novel contained twists and turns 
that made me recognize each character's foibles 
as well as positive attributes. 
And what I specifically appreciated was 
the fact that the story arc was totally believable. 
I can easily imagine making the same decision Kee made, particularly given the rather solitary environment 
of rural Ireland. It would be a tough life 
for him to suddenly serve as main caregiver to his niece. 
I do believe it is never a good idea to hide the truth, especially from a child about her/his family, however...

Orphans of the Carnival by Carol Birch
I admit I was not particularly enamored with this book 
while reading it, but it has certainly stuck with me in the aftermath! I never cease to be amazed by 
how inhumane humans can be toward one another. 
Julia's life is a prime example of this.
I wish I had been aware this was historical fiction 
based upon a real person's life. 
Perhaps the issue most impressed upon my mind 
by this book is the idea of a marriage 
based upon an economic relationship: 
for example, Sonny and Cher and Celine Dion and Rene. 
In both marriages the male was the 
"manager" for his spouse. 
I think the general public always wonders how much of the relationship is based upon true love 
and how much might be influenced by monetary gain...
Though I do believe Theo did truly love Julia.
I just wish humans would learn to accept other humans. The fact that someone looks differently from the majority, doesn't mean they should be forced to become "sideshow" acts to make a living! We are all unique...some just look moreso than others!

Gemini,Oxygen, and Healer by Carol Cassella

 I can highly recommend all three of Carol's books. 
(Yes, I can call her by her first name since I have met her...a couple of times!) 
She is an anesthesiologist and I find the medical information/details she includes 
to be very informative as well as fascinating. 
I loaned all three to my best friend who is a Nurse Practitioner and she really liked them all. 
The book club I facilitate read Gemini and each member was fascinated by it. 
Just click on her website which is linked to her name for a summary of each of these books.
She is one of the very nicest, most sincere authors I have ever met!
She is someone I would like to call "friend"... :)

I met Dwight Ritter, author of Growin' Up White: A Novel, 
at the Christamore House Guild's Book Author Luncheon 
in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you are ever in Indianapolis in April and 
you enjoy reading and meeting and/or speaking with authors, 
you should attend this event! It is unique and the venue, 
the Indiana Roof Ballroom, is one of the most impressive venues...ever, in my opinion! 
And all money over and above cost is donated to 
the Christamore House located just west of the IUPUI campus 
in downtown Indianapolis. This event funds college scholarships for students in the area. So your money is going to a very good cause. What's not to like?!? Ah, but I digress...
This book is one of the best books I've read. Period! Not just due to the subject matter and themes, but especially due to the writing. These characters jump off the page into your life!
I respect Ritter on so many levels, not the least of which is that he has maintained control of his manuscript by self-publishing, even though that means he must shoulder the responsibility of all his own merchandising and public relations. There is no publishing company to book events, etc., but he wants total control and I can understand that!
Do yourself a favor and read this!

Okay, The Art of Racing in the Rain may not necessarily qualify as a "hidden gem," given that it has almost 400,000 ratings on Goodreads, but I believe the author, Garth Stein, does! As well as his most recent adult fiction book, 
A Sudden Light. Having met him, I can tell you he is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic among authors with whom I have spoken! He seems to have an endless supply of energy and is humorous and sincere. He is also a musician! 
A Sudden Light has stayed 'in my head' 
over the almost four years since I read it. 
Now that is a book that has really made an impression! 
The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of my absolute favorite reads ever! (Soon to be a movie!)
Every member of the book club I facilitate adored it as well!

And I have yet to purchase the 
"young reader" version of TAoRitR, 
Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog. 
I need to do so. Not only so I can read it,
but then I can send it on to my grandchildren.
When I met Garth, he was preparing for the release of Enzo Races in the Rain, 
a children's picture book. 

He was so excited!!

And now he has three more:

Enzo and the Christmas Tree Hunt!

Enzo's Very Scary Halloween

Enzo and the Fourth of July Races

(I have no idea why these images will not align as I wish them to do! But so be it!)

Happy Reading!!
--Lynn

Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Authors Who Had Me Anxiously Awaiting Their Future Releases!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme established by The Broke and the Bookish. I don't always participate (mainly due to lack of time), but was particularly interested in this one regarding authors whose debut novels have me anxiously awaiting further releases! 

Yes, there are many authors I've read who have impressed me so much that I search out everything else they've ever written and/or schedule myself to purchase their future release(s) just as soon as they're available! 

I will begin this list in reverse chronological order since I have experienced several debut novels just this year that have impressed me so very much! Just another note: for virtually all of the authors I have identified as spectacular, I have also loved their sophomoric and further releases! Usually, just as much as the debut. That IS impressive! :)

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
I loved this book! Amazing characterization and the interconnectedness of humanity that Clegg was able to depict was eye-opening. I think this would especially be true for those who may not yet be convinced that, in effect, we humans are all connected in one way or another. I heard on NPR not so long ago that there is a project to genealogically map the human race, demonstrating that we are all indeed related...to some degree! Currently, we have many ways to connect with each other that extend our 'reach' way beyond face-to-face relationships! Any relationships can be very strong and provide much social support...and though we may not realize the force of certain connections, even in our daily lives, we dare not overlook them, for they are genuine. We do need to keep ourselves open to others to create, develop, and maintain relationships, however. And never put off until tomorrow, or even the next hour or minute, telling that bit of positivism to someone you love, or like, or appreciate, or barely know very well at all. Don't miss your opportunities to make life better for yourself and others!

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

This book was so bittersweet. I remember thinking within the first few pages--so where is this author going to take me now? I already know what happened... Oh, but I was in for a "ride" with these people! Another book of relationships, relationships, relationships, and inevitably, interconnectedness. And how we can be oblivious to the true nature of those with whom we live and love dearly. Not that we necessarily mean to be negative,  but due to preconceptions, expectations, and perhaps especially, unrealized dreams. 

I was so glad for the ending! To know what Lydia was really feeling...thinking...and planning! :) Ah...my heart expanded with hope and love! Much like Clegg, Ng urges us to pay attention to each other and truly get to know and care for one another.  

Crooked River by Valerie Geary

Valerie Geary is one of the most approachable authors I've encountered. Period. Not only was she gracious enough to grant me an interview, but she also provided a free copy of her book to a lucky reader and she mailed it! Amazing! 

And what an incredible mystery! Though that isn't what most impressed me...it was the way she made me feel as if I personally knew these characters...and the place, the setting. Not many authors can make me feel as if the setting is a character in and of itself, but she did! I don't know how any reader couldn't root for Sam, Ollie, and Bear! These three make quite the trio and unexpectedly set some wrong things right! This is soooo much more than just a murder mystery! Sometimes that parent who seems so "attentive" and "good" can be so...bad! But others may never know until they get close enough...which could be too close!

Another mystery writer I 'discovered' this year was actually raised in the local area where I now live, though she currently makes her home in Chicago. That is Lori Rader-Day and her debut novel is The Black Hour which was an absolutely amazing plot of deception, betrayal, and psychoses! (I have the best intentions of composing a more detailed review for this blog, but for now, only have my Goodreads review to share!) This was one of the best mysteries I have ever read. To imagine this is the first book she ever wrote...well, that is nothing short of amazing! Since I was going to meet the author, I also went ahead and read her second novel which had just been released, Little Pretty Things. It was also impressive, though I believe her first novel may be my favorite thus far. I don't know how you couldn't relate to Juliet! I am proud of her progress by the book's end, however! And, if you ever have the opportunity to meet Ms. Rader-Day and/or hear her speak...be sure you don't miss it! She is a hoot! :) It is my hope that we can get her to present at our local library (which was her local library as a child!) over the holidays. And she also agreed to an author interview. These are projects for later this month! 

Two of my favorite reads from earlier in the year, were both debut novels and two of my favorite books ever! And, no, I have not yet shared these on my blog. It is more difficult for me to compose reviews of those "favorite" books for some reason...as if I just want it to be "perfect" to depict exactly how much I love them! :) (Doesn't that make you feel better to be you?!? I sometimes feel it is utterly exhausting being me!)  :) I was also lucky enough to meet both of these authors and speak with them about their books, writing, and publishing! It was fascinating and I promise to share all that in the forthcoming blog posts/reviews!

Growin' Up White by Dwight Ritter

One of the best books I have ever read! 
If you haven't, you should read it, in my humble opinion!

I was fascinated by the synposis of this book and particularly to learn the author had used his own life experience as a child in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the '50's as inspiration for this book. Oh, my...who could NOT love Georgie? 'Cause I definitely do! My grandmother was my main caregiver and I love(d) her dearly, but Georgie has many of the same characteristics! I found Ritter's writing to be forthright and so much more than just poignant! I felt that Ritter not only had me sympathizing with these characters, but I actually had the same visceral reactions I might have had if I'd been present at these scenes. Hatred can be so damaging and overwhelming at times. I keep telling myself our world is now so much better than it was in the openly racist '50's, but sometimes I wonder...just how much better? Though overall, I have faith in humanity. I believe we will reach a pivotal point at which the "good" accepting and appreciative souls will outnumber those who remain hate-filled to an overwhelming degree! And, really, perhaps we already have! :) That's the eternal optimist in me!

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

This was another absolutely excellent read! It was dense and complex, yet easily read and felt so personal! I could relate to Simon's thought processes, especially doubts and yet faith in his own son. Perhaps because I have raised children and been through some rather tough times with them I could empathize to some degree and definitely sympathize with him. And Jake. Ah, Jake. I cried with both relief and grief...You should really read this one if you haven't! When I met Mr. Reardon, I pulled out my phone and read him my one-sentence summary...and he just looked at me, his jaw kinda dropped, and he said, "That's exactly what I was going for." I will share that sentence in the forthcoming blog post. I was thrilled with confirmation that I had 'gotten the message the author intended,' since that is always my goal! 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Although I have read several books whose protagonists exhibit symptomatic behaviors associated with autism or Asperger's Syndrome, this was one of the first that concentrates on an adult entering into a "romantic" (hopefully long-term) relationship. Those others that I can heartily recommend: The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry, Love Anthony by Lisa Genova, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Quite naturally, there was much potential for humor, and Simsion does an excellent job of allowing Don to tell his story while also depicting much humor and satire inherent in the social situations in which he finds himself. The reader also gets a glimpse into Don's thought processes, including many of those initially socially inappropriate reactions he has...and attempts to control and adjust to become more "socially acceptable" to the other humans with whom he must interact, no matter how irrational or illogical this may seem to him! Such an enjoyable read while educating readers about a very misunderstood disease. Our book club loved it! And I felt the sequel, The Rosie Effect was almost as enjoyable as the debut! Both of these books have so much to say about learning to accept, appreciate, and even love those who may seem so very "different" to us initially! My advice: read them! :)
The other debut novel that truly made an indelible impression upon me in 2015 was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. I loved this book so much that when it came to posting a review, I created two blog posts, Part 1 and Part 2, 'cause seriously, I just couldn't cut any more out of what I wanted to say and what all I wanted a reader to know about this book! I was the anomaly among our book club members--no one else even really liked it, and two of them didn't like it at all! But it's okay, I can handle being in the minority, so to speak! :) Although this book tackled many complexities and complications about life overall, it did it in a very subtle low-key manner which I found fascinating. I felt this story could be analyzed on so many different levels and should encourage discussion about so many aspects of such a journey. First, the commitment to complete such a spur-of-the-moment spontaneous very long trek! Then the people Harold meets along the way, both those who want to and do help, those who won't help, and those who actually high-jack it to serve their own purposes, sometimes with good intentions and other times with not-so-good intentions. And the unending curiosity regarding Queenie's health and fate. Perhaps one of the most poignant aspects of the story was Harold's wife and their marriage relationship--such spontaneity on his part was totally unknown to her within their lifetime spent together. They had had their own share of heartbreak as parents and partners. And what is the final result of this seemingly outrageous journey? I loved this book...such an untenable premise developed into a beautiful novel, in my opinion! Confession: I own the sequel, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessey and have yet to read it! :( Hopefully I will have read it by year's end! 

A book I just finished reading and loved is not actually a debut novel, but the 24th in a series and I love the very first novel in the Kinsey Millhone series, A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton, originally published in 1982. It is always the one book I recommend people read to see if they like this series, since it is an amazing introduction to Kinsey. So I recently read and reviewed X, 24th in this 'alphabet' series. I believe it to be one of Grafton's best in this series! Though I haven't disliked a single one! I believe one of the main things I find so appealing about her writing is that she develops her characters and her books are so much more than just a "whodunnit," in my opinion!


The last debut novel is again not one I read in 2015, but years ago. Tana French is one of my absolute favorite writers. She is one of the few mystery writers who can use some of the same "investigators," but create very different scenarios and story lines within each book. What impressed me so much with In the Woods was the fact that the setting felt like another character to me. And I remember thinking, before I picked up this book when I was working as a bookseller in Borders, "Ooohhh. Will that be too scary for me?" Due to the cover image, which I thought was very scary... :) Her second novel, The Likeness was one of the most unusual scenarios ever, in my reading experience and had me on edge the whole time... The third in this series, Faithful Place, read more like a family saga to me with a mystery included. It is one of my favorites in this series. Then the fourth installment, Broken Harbour, is my least favorite in this series. That has nothing to do with French's writing skill, in fact, probably EVERYTHING to do with it! This is because for me, an extreme wuss, it was just a bit too creepy. And, another confession, I own a copy of her fifth and most recent release, The Secret Place, and have yet to read it! I do intend to read it before the end of this year, however! 

Have you read any of these? Have I managed to introduce some new titles and/or authors to you? I hope so. What debut novels have you read this year?