Top Ten Tuesday for August 9th!

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is open-ended. 

I am choosing to follow-up on the topic from July 5th: 

The Top Ten Books I Enjoyed 

That Have Under 2000 Ratings on Goodreads

I'm sure most of you are aware that 

this weekly meme is hosted by 

The Broke and the Bookish. 

But, just in case you didn't already 

know that, now you do! :)

I am excited to revisit this topic 

since my July 5th posting consisted
exclusively of books from 
series with which I am enamored! 

There were another 20+ books 
as well!

On to another 10 of that longer list!

A White Wind Blew by James Markert

Definitely one of the best books I have ever read, 

particularly within one of my absolute favorite genres, 
historical fiction! And there is also mystery/suspense involved! 

You can see a partial list of the historical fiction books 
I have read here. How can I best describe this book? 
It's virtually impossible because it is so very unique, IMHO! 
I can tell you that the Borders Book Club read it and 
each member RAVED about it. We also very much appreciated 
Mr. Markert taking time to speak with us during our discussion! 

I can tell you that a person I know who mostly just reads history read the copy I donated to our local library and LOVED it! She was telling everybody how good she thought it was! Rarely do I unreservedly recommend a book to 
virtually anyone and everyone, but this is one of those. 
And it needs to get more press than it has in the past, IMHO! 

I can tell you that this is one of the rare books I would gladly reread 
in the very near future...if only there was more reading time! :) 
My rereads are typically books I haven't read for DECADES, 
not just within the past 5-10 years. 
[This is what happens when you get "wiser," you can remember experiences 
from decades ago! :) Which I actually think is rather remarkable!]

Growin' Up White by Dwight Ritter

Oh, my gosh! Again, simply one of the best books I have ever read! 
I met Ritter and became aware of this book through the 
Christamore House Guild Book and Author Benefit in 2015. 
(If you're ever going to be in Indianapolis in April, attend this event, 
if at all possible. It is unique and definitely worth the time and money, the latter of which goes to a very good cause--supporting 
scholarships for students with limited financial resources!) 

I admire Ritter in so many ways, not the least of which is that he chose to self-publish, thereby retaining total control of the publication of his text. I am sometimes a bit leery about self-published books 
(having been burned by a couple), this one is definitely top-notch! 
Ritter spent his youth in Indianapolis and this book is very very loosely based upon 
some of his experiences and people from his younger years, including his family. 

Harvard Yard by William Martin

This is one I simply pulled off the shelf while working at Borders! 
And, it contains elements of both of my favorite genres, 
historical fiction AND mystery! :) I feel that Martin's writing style 
is very similar to Dan Brown's, and that must be a good thing, 
in my book! (Pun intended!) :) 
I was fascinated by the plot as well as the historical details 
masterfully interwoven throughout...

Born Under a Million Shadows 
by Andrea Busfield

I am preparing to reread this for Bex's Re-Readathon #4 
(August 10-21) that begins tomorrow! 
And...Andrea has agreed to complete an author interview 
which will be posted here! And...she has a new release out! 
The Silence of Stone! It is available for purchase from 
Books-A-Million, Book Depository, Wordery, IndieBound, and 
Barnes and Noble. (I'm sure it's also available on Amazon, 
but you're on your own with that vendor!)

You can hear her speak of her experience in Afghanistan here. (Yes, she lived there!) 

I always recommend this book as an alternative or companion read to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is not that I disliked The Kite Runner, quite the contrary, however, I found it so very intense and rather depressing. Overall, I prefer this publication mainly because I feel as if people outside Afghanistan may be better able to relate to the ex-pat characters, and thereby also obtain a bit more personalized understanding or at least exposure to Islam and the Afghan culture. If I have time I will also re-read Aphrodite's War, her second book, which has remained with me in detail over the past four years! 

As I re-read, 
I will post reviews 
here 
and provide 
updated links!

Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye

I'm certain I would have never read this book had it not been 
selected as a Fiction Expert read for Borders. 
I was very glad to have read it. 
Certain images and the overall plot certainly remain 
lodged in my mind these 6 years later! That says something! Something good! Geye is a master at using the environment as a character in and of itself. The lakeshore landscape of northern Minnesota emphasized aspects of the story: 
loneliness, isolation, solitude, 
returning to nature.
Though many aspects of human life were explored: fertility, death, the "right to die," 
and all those wonderful (*cough cough*) 
"family relationships"! 
At the time I read somewhere that this 
book qualified as "chick lit" for guys. 
I have no idea about that, but I do know 
that I personally found it be a powerful read, especially for a debut! 
He has had two other books released 
since this one: 

The Lighthouse Road in 2012 
and Wintering in July 2016. 
Both of these are on my TBR listing! 

Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood

This is a bit of a diversion...
into juvenile literature, but I do so enjoy reading "kid's lit"! 
The story of Prairie is so very poignant! 
I don't know how anyone could resist rooting for her!

A Lost Wife's Tale: A Novel by Marion McGilvary

Sadly, it seems Miss McGilvary is no 
longer writing/publishing! :( 
I felt this was an excellent debut novel! 
Ironically, just as Edith believes she has 
hidden her past, it comes right up and punches her!
I didn't believe Edith quite deserved the bad treatment she received, 
though that would be a very difficult thing to forgive...

The Midnight Dog of the Repo Man (introductory e-short story) 

and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man: A Novel 
by W. Bruce Cameron

I read the short story first and was glad I had. 
I liked having that introduction to 
these characters, Ruddy and Jake. 
I admit that after receiving an email from 
Mr. Cameron, asking if I would 
read and review this book, 
when I saw the cover my reaction 
was kinda "meh"... 
Although I have adored every one of 
his publications I have read, 
so that was the motivation for me to continue onward, reading and reviewing it! Some of the raucous humor 
in this book reminded me of 
Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series! 
(And that's some high praise, coming from me! lol) 
And I am thrilled that the promised sequel, Repo Madness, 
is due to be released August 23 2016! YES!!!

Emory's Gift by W. Bruce Cameron
I'm uncertain if I've ever read a book which better depicted
an adolescent--so much hesitation,
so little confidence, so "clueless" at times!
This one gives you so very much to ponder...
And, of course, don't forget about LOVE:
first loves and girlfriends, loving/"romantic" relationships
later in life, and just how committed/connected we remain 
to those we've lost...and have we really "lost" them?
Will we have the opportunity to reconnect with them 
in the future? In this lifetime? In another lifetime? 
Ahhh...the possibilities are endless...
Thank you for taking the risk to write this story, Mr. Cameron!
Everyone in our book club truly enjoyed this book!

The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell


I won a free copy of this book through Goodreads. 

THANK YOU!!
As I told my book club members about it, they decided 
they wanted to read it, too, so we did! 
Each member really enjoyed it and it prompted 
much valuable discussion: ecological issues 
and climate change, love between humans and 
animal companions, and impetuous actions 
that end up providing such benefits!
Though we all cried!

I am struggling to re-enter the world of blogging!
It seems that my time becomes more and more limited, 
or perhaps I am just so much more enamored with reading that I find it 
increasingly difficult to publish on the blog...
I am currently helping at an information desk in the lobby of our building on campus,
so brought my laptop so I can access the Registrar's website, 
faculty/staff directory, etc., in helping guide students,
then thought I should access the blog and see what I might be able to finish and publish
during the lag time between students.
And...voilá! 

(Doesn't that make you feel oh, so much more productive?!?)
😉😉😉

Happy reading

--Lynn

Top Ten Tuesday for May 17!

Top Ten Books I Picked Up on a Whim!

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
I participate when I have an interest in the topic and have the time!
See my previous TTT posts here.

This represents yet another way in which I miss working at Borders!

There were sooooooo many times I read books just because...

#1  They were available FREE to employees!
There was a small bookcase in the employee break room and 
you could select one free item per shift worked from the various 
published books and ARCs provided to the store.

#2  They were recommended as a "Fiction Expert" read and 

I was a "Fiction Expert" for my store.

#3  They were selected by the 'powers that be' at Borders as a "make book,"

which meant that as an employee we were expected to encourage patrons 

to consider it for purchase, and they were hopeful 

we would read it so we would be familiar with it.

(And I'm sure their hope was we would love it and highly recommend it!)

#4  A huge advantage of working in a bookstore was being able to literally 
pluck a book off the shelf and read it! 

#5  With my employee discount the book only cost me $.25-$1.00!
NOTE: I quickly abandoned my policy of not purchasing new books 
until I had read those I currently owned once I became a Borders bookseller.
This is the main reason my house is now 
overflowing... 
with...
books! 
And more books!
And more books!

One of my favorite books, Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin, was a freebie ARC from the Borders break room. I am so very glad to have read that and discovered this author, who is now one of my very favorites! I adored The Aviator's Wife about Anne Morrow Lindbergh, which was a Literary Wives title! And although I own a copy of 
The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, I have yet to read it. And...Melanie informed me that is her favorite of the books she has written. (Though that was prior to the release of her newest title, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, so I suppose that could have changed!) I met her in January when she was in the local area for a book signing and presentation! Now I have signed and personally inscribed copies of her two most recent releases! Yay! :)

Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively is a book 
I simply grabbed while at the library, 
knowing little to nothing about it. 
What a pleasant surprise! In so many ways. 
And it certainly fits as a feminist read, 
and a contemplation of long-term relationships
and/or marriage! 





A book I grabbed at a library sale, Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, is the first in a children's series that I absolutely adore! I also read and reviewed the next two: Al Capone Shines My Shoes and Al Capone Does My Homework. I also read and loved her newest release, Chasing Secrets. (Blog post still not completed!) 

Another book sale find was Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman. This book is the reason I read books: such well-defined characters and their interrelationships! I so enjoyed her writing and feel I will enjoy anything she writes! Though I really want to read (and own) Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, her debut novel, I have yet to do so. 

I don't remember exactly how I came upon South of Superior by Ellen Airgood, but I am so glad I did! this was an exceptional story, though not a ton of action, but an intriguing study of characterization and relationships--biological versus "selective"/"chosen" bonds. A group of our friends and ourselves were just discussing this past weekend how we are all "family" to each other and how "friends are family we choose." So very very true! (Admittedly perhaps truer for some of us than for others...) I followed this with her next release, Prairie Evers, which I adored! It can perhaps best be summed up by this quote from Prairie: 

                                   "In a pack of coyotes, everyone watches 

                                       out for one another: they are a team. 

It works that way with coyotes and cats and chickens, 

and I think it ought to work that way with people too." (140)

I so agree with you, Prairie! Although this did have a "happy ending," it wasn't totally unrealistic, and I loved the relationship between Prairie and Ivy. Good deeds don't always have the expected positive results, do they?


I picked up a copy of Hounded by David Rosenfelt at a local library sale. I discovered this was the 12th installment of 14 books published thus far in his Andy Carpenter series. I read about 15 pages and decided I liked it well enough that I wanted to read the whole series, but I definitely always want to start at the beginning, so I have now read the first five: Open and Shut, First Degree, Bury the Lead, Sudden Death, and Dead Center. Each of these books contains a solid "mystery," and also makes me laugh. I resonate so well with Rosenfelt's rather snarky usually self-deprecating humor! And these should definitely be read in sequence, as the characters evolve throughout. I am ready to read the sixth installment, Play Dead. I do not own a copy of this one, so will need to check it out from the library. However, I already have a copy of Blackout, a stand-alone just released this last January (2016), checked out so will read that first! I am curious to see how his writing strikes me in a book that is not in the Andy Carpenter series. I think I will like it, but you never know until you try! :) 

Lady Parts by Andrea Martin was another impulse checkout from the library. I loved her laughing portrait on the cover and it drew me in. And, regardless of the Steve Martin (Yes, THAT Steve Martin, and no, no relation.) suggested the title "Perky Tits," I, for one, feel Lady Parts definitely works as a title... Good choice, Andrea! :) I initially listened to the audio book during my work commute and then decided to read it so I could review it 'properly'! :)

Though I am saddened that I have not yet composed a blog post about this book, it really is a book every single person should read, especially those among us who feels their life is at least 'okay' and relatively stable--if you have a roof over your head, food to eat, and you are fairly comfortable every day, wherever you live, it is a Taj Mahal compared to any 'home' in Annawadi. Trust me on this. So very true. Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. It was awarded the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2012, and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 2013. Though such awards do not mean you'll love reading any specific book, you will definitely find this one to be eye-opening at the very least. It was horrific to me in many ways, but I'm glad to know what life (and death) can mean for so many on this planet, day in and day out. Purely survival, it would seem. Though, there are some who do manage to grow and develop--evolve, if you will--beyond this immersion in corruption, thievery, and suppression! These people do not just 'live in poverty'...


Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez was certainly not at all what I expected from the title and cover image. I suspect the publisher of adding the subtitle and 
selecting this cover image for a more 'sensationalistic' effect overall. I happened across this book while working at Borders and planning reads for the "cross-cultural book club" I had established. Running a beauty shop may seem to be a very small or even meaningless contribution, but it was so very much more! And that, in no small part, was due to Deborah's vivacious energy and ability to connect with people and make them comfortable. Those are such valuable skills! Now I want to read others she has published since: 
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, 
Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, The House on Carnaval Street, and Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea.

The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith was a winner for me! Although I can't remember exactly how I came to own this book, I have a vague memory that it may have been a Borders bargain book at one point in time. I loved this book as did all the other book club members! (They decided to read it, too!) I have also read the sequel, 
The Red Hat Club Rides Again, but I wasn't as enthralled by the sequel, mainly due to it's theme of doing whatever it takes (plastic surgery, etc.) to 'avoid aging' and 'look younger.' The writing in this book was just as good, however, and I laughed and enjoyed Smith's humor just as much as I had with the first book. Then I read the third (and final, thus far) installment in this Red Hat Club series, Wedding Belles. This premise provided for much hilarity and stress....especially for Georgia, whose 28-year-old daughter is marrying "Wild Man Wade" from these ladies' cohort/age group! Yikes! Your daughter marrying a man you went to school with and you know most of his deep dark secrets! However, they all discover that people can change...for the better! I also read Ladies of the Lake and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed Queen Bee of Mimosa Branch and now want to read the sequel, Queen Bee Goes Home Again. Her writing style definitely resonates with me! 

What have you read lately that you just picked up on a whim?

Was it a good reading experience for you?