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 February 9, 2016!!

Today's Top Ten Tuesday has no set topic for this week except 
something related to Valentine's Day. 
I have chosen to list some of the authors I LOVE and their publications 
which I have not reviewed on this blog yet.

And you might ask, why have I not done so?

Simple really...most of these I read prior to establishment of Smoke & Mirrors, 

and I am so enthralled with reading 'new-to-me' books that I allow 

very little time for re-reading!
Hopefully I will have reviews for at least some of these posted here in the future... :)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Although this is hosted weekly, I participate only when I have the time

and am extremely interested by the posting topic!

1) Erica Bauermeister

I was fortunate to meet Erica while in Seattle, Washington, almost two years ago. I only knew of this event because I had emailed her, asking what literary events might be scheduled while I was visiting the area, and she enthusiastically recommended I attend Carol Cassella's Gemini book release party scheduled at The Elliott Bay Book Company. You might be asking how I knew Erica... The Borders Book Club I facilitate read her debut novel, The School of Essential Ingredients and the sequel, The Lost Art of Mixing, and she graciously spoke with us during our discussions of each book. Erica is a wonderfully kind and engaging person who is quite gracious. Since I had the opportunity that same evening to also meet Garth Stein, Stephanie (Stevie!) Kallos, Jennie Shortridge, Carol Cassella, and others, I was thrilled beyond belief! Needless to say, I put all these authors busy signing books in the aftermath of the official party! (I entered this event with a huge bag stuffed full of books, all of which I hoped to have signed by the author, and tried to discreetly hide it under my chair...) I had multiple copies of some books to gift to each of my book club members, as well as my own copies I had hauled with me to be signed. Each of these people were so very kind and understanding! They were genuinely thrilled to stop and talk with me a few minutes as they signed whatever I asked them to sign! You cannot ask for better than that! And it was so very much fun to just talk with each of them about their books and writing. I also read and truly enjoyed Erica's other book, Joy for Beginners! The School of Essential Ingredients was one of the few books I literally recommended to any customer when I worked at Borders. I never once had anyone say they didn't love it! 

2) Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain...ah...Enzo! This is another of my favorite reads ever AND another that I relentlessly recommended to Borders customers! [Okay, and my friends, coworkers, basically anybody and everybody I run into! :)] Honestly, you just need to read it. It is such a rewarding experience. Though you probably need to be warned that you may very well shed a few tears. The second book authored by Stein that I have read is A Sudden Light. This book...how can I possibly describe it? It is still so vivid in my memory over the past year and a half! That definitely is a statement for the story and writing! Stein tackles so many issues in this book: deforestation, ecological sustainability, greed, non-heterosexuality, sibling obsession, and yet is so subtly demonstrative as to leave the reader breathless from this reading experience. You even get some history of the northwest! I have yet to try reading Raven Stole the Moon for no reason other than I think it may be too scary for me. However, I have read a few books in the recent past that I thought might be too scary and have been okay with them, so I really should give this one a try. There is just something about Stein's writing that resonates for me...beyond the written words. When I met him I was so impressed with his enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of life...and have decided that it is those qualities that come through to me in reading his work. And I'm sure How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets is also a great read. (Admittedly, I always assumed this was a short story collection until just now when I took a minute to actually read the synopsis and now realize it is a novel.) So there are two more on my TBR list from a man I doubt will ever let me down as an author or a human being!
One of the most fun parts of meeting Garth Stein? Listening to his enthusiasm about his newest project and upcoming release...a children's picture book starring Enzo! Of course, I had to check it out at Christmas that year for my grandkids, and now I see that this past Christmas, there was the release of another Enzo picture book with a Christmas theme. Although I'm behind, I'll have to make a note to get that one for the grandchildren, too! You don't have to wonder about his energy level, his enthusiasm is palpable! I can only imagine that working this this man is both energizing AND exhilarating! Meeting him was so much fun!

3) Jacqueline Sheehan

While working at Borders I was obsessed with the cover image for Lost & Found (Rocky Pelligrino #1). I knew I had to read this book after reading the synopsis. And I was correct! I loved it! As well as the others she has written! Since I buzzed right through Now & Then and Picture This (Rocky Pelligrino #2) as well! What is it exactly that resonates so well with me about Sheehan's writing? Undoubtedly, besides the canines included in these stories, it is the acceptance, respect, retribution, kindness, and compassion her characters demonstrate and explore. I have mentioned before that characterization is of utmost importance to me in reading. While I appreciate a compelling story line and a plot that moves along, I want to truly connect with the characters and ideally, feel as if I am right there living their story with them. Sheehan definitely does this for me in so very many ways! I am anxious to read her newest release, The Center of the World, which looks as if it may be a bit of a departure from her previous novels. I'm always excited when a favorite author forges ahead into relatively new storytelling territory! Then in the process of researching Sheehan I discovered The Comet's Tale, a historical fiction novel about Sojourner Truth! I can't imagine it isn't also amazing!

4) Gil McNeil

I love her Jo Mackenzie series: The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club, 

Needles and Pearls, and Knit One Pearl One. I adore Jo and all the characters in this little seaside town! Jo's 'self-talk' is so entertaining! I would like to think that was how I defused my own frustrations with my children when they were small. (It probably wasn't. I was probably a screaming lunatic more than not!) While certainly poignant, these books always make me chuckle and laugh--much good humor! I love being inside Jo's head! She is a very realistic yet caring, loving, and kind parent! And the 'budding' romance between herself and Martin is hysterical! Pearl's birthing scene had me laughing out loud! I am anxious to read her newest release, A Good Year for the Roses which sounds just as heartwarming as the three Jo Mackenzie books were! She has other books that I have also included on my TBR list! 

5) Anthony Eglin
The English Garden/Lawrence Kingston mystery series: 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. Eglin includes much botany with each installment as Kingston finds the killer(s) every time! Sometimes he's almost the next victim! And these covers! Isn't it imperative to own these books for these gorgeous flowers, at the very least? :)

6) Kate Jacobs
Ah, Kate's Friday Night Knitting Club series! The Borders Book Club read every single one of these three books and loved them all! Any time Ms. Jacobs wants to write more of these books, we'll be happy to read them! :) This series contains three installments: The Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two, and Knit the Season. She also published a stand-alone, Comfort Food, which I really enjoyed, though I truly believe the magic contained in the three Friday Night Knitting club installments may be one-of-a-kind unable of being reproduced. Those books spoiled me! 


7) Spencer Quinn

Peter Abrahams writes the Chet and Bernie Mystery series under the pen name of Spencer Quinn. It is a delightful series. Each book includes much of Chet's internal monologues as well as Bernie's! This series includes Dog On It, Thereby Hangs a Tail, To Fetch a Thief, The Dog Who Knew Too Much, A Fistful of Dollars, The Sound and the Furry, Paw and Order, Scents and Sensibility. I have even read 2 of the 3 e-short stories Quinn/Abrahams has released in this series: A Cat Was Involved, Tail of Vengeance, Santa 365: A Chet and Bernie Mystery eShort Story (Which I read but neglected to post a review for it on Goodreads.), and The Iggy Chronicles, Volume 1. You know I adore this series, 'cause I do not like reading ebooks. Though I admit short stories are easier... I have some catching up to do with this series and I see he has launched a new series recently, Woof, the first installment of the Bowser and Birdie series! I'll definitely give this one a read, too! 

8) 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. It has been a while since I read the first two books and I really need to catch up and read the others! I"m fairly certain I own them all...so no excuses, right?!? :) I remember the poignancy and humanity with which DuLong imbues her characters and the plot. I typically read for characterization and this woman provides that! In spades! 

And last year she started the Ormond Beach series with Patterns of Change as the first installment! I can't imagine that I won't enjoy this series just as much!









9 & 10 & 11) (maybe 12? lol) Alexander McCall Smith
This man is one of the most prolific authors! And I'm so glad! I absolutely adore three of his series, the first is, perhaps, his best known...The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I'll only post a few of the cover images for this series that now has 16 installments! though I own them, I have yet to read the last four! These are just very simple yet charming mysteries and stories. Perhaps what I like best is that I feel as if I am there in Botswana while reading them! We are reading the first installment of this series for the Borders Book Club later this month, so perhaps I'll get to these last four! 

McCall Smith also has some stand-alones, one of which is La's Orchestra Saves the World which I felt to be quite a unique and heartfelt read. 
I also love the Isabel Dalhousie series which begins with The Sunday Philosophy Club. I described this first installment as "sublime and serene" and I would agree. I love Isabel and her story! I am really behind in this series, though I own them all except these last two!

The third series that I have read and adored is Corduroy Mansions. I read the first book in this series before I was ever on Goodreads and have yet to review it on there. (Typically I always review anything I've read on Goodreads, as it is my ultimate reference for books read!) How can you resist that sweet little "dogger" as my good friend Katie says? :)

I now own several of the books in McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street series. I'm anxious to see what I think of this series, too!

I actually read the first three installments of his Portuguese Irregular Verbs series while working at Borders and was not overly-impressed. These books were just a bit too dry for me, though I adore the covers and titles! :)

I also own several more stand-alones: Emma, Trains and Lovers, The Forever Girl.

Although I have discovered the one series that did not impress, I'm relatively certain that anything else McCall Smith writes will satisfy my reading pleasures!

Who are your favorite authors? 

Do you have a favorite series? 

Have you read any of these?