Ten Books that Have Been on your Shelf or TBR Pile Since Before You Started Blogging

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Since I've only been blogging since November of last year, I am going to post the 10 books on my TBR that according to Goodreads have the most ratings.

1. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.  I can't read too many WWII books around the same time or I'll get burnt out.  I just read Lilac Girls a couple months ago, wwhich was a great book, but can't read this so soon after.  Maybe later this year or early next year!

2.   Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah.  I've been meaning to read this for over 3 years and haven't.  I recently listened to her book, Home Front and really enjoyed it, so I need to get to this sooner rather than later.

3.   Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin.  For over 4 years, I've wanted to read this. Here is the blurb about it on Goodreads:  In the Deep South of the 1950s, journalist John Howard Griffin decided to cross the color line. Using medication that darkened his skin to deep brown, he exchanged his privileged life as a Southern white man for the disenfranchised world of an unemployed black man. His audacious, still chillingly relevant eyewitness history is a work about race and humanity-that in this new millennium still has something important to say to every American.  It is highly rated on Goodreads.

4.    The House Girl by Tara Conklin.  No real reason that I haven't read this just haven't gotten to it, but I do want to get to it before too long.

5.    Love reading about Native Americans, but know this will be a lot about the injustice "the white men" did to the Native Americans in forging a new nation.  I may try to listen to this as an audiobook, since I believe I can get this on Overdrive.

6.   I got this through the Amazon First program, where a few of the books coming out next month are available for 1.99, sadly I have not read it yet.  I rarely get Kindle First books, though since oftentimes they don't interest me

7.    Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose.  Do not 100% remember getting this, but I think there was some kind of Kindle Daily Deal or Kindle Special Offer where I got this for a good price.  I'll get around to reading this but not in any big hurry.

8.    The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain. I have not yet read this author, but I hear she is good.  I do plan on reading Chamberlain's book, Pretending to Dance first since I have it as an ARC.

9.    I enjoy reading books about the FLDS, but since back in July, I read The Witness Wore Red by Rebecca Musser.  I will probably wait until next year to read this one.  But who knows?

10.     Not quite sure why I got this.  I know it was offered free on Amazon an I had heard good things about it, but to be truthful I am in no rush to read this one.

 

May through July - The Best and Worst

I can't believe I neglected this blog for 3 months,  From May through July, I read and listened to 23 books.  May and June were especially good months; only 6 books were read or listened to in July.  Since I can't go through all 23 books, I will just list my favorite 5 or so.



This is the best book I have read in a very long time. I don't think I can review this book and give it the justice that it deserves. It is that good. It tells the stories of 3 African-Americans and their families, who migrated from the South to cities in the north and west. Their entire lives are covered during these 600+ pages. The book may be long, but the story is so engrossing that you don't want to stop reading and you don't realize, nor care how long it takes. I am certain this will be one of, if not my favorite book of 2016 that I have read. I highly recommend this book and it should be required reading in high school.

5 STARS.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It will probably my favorite [audiobook] of the year. It is the story of the Titanic, but I enjoyed it much more than the movie; although it is not based on the movie. I'm not sure if it is based on a real-life true story that has been fictionalized or is a work of historical fiction. I'd give it at least 4 and half stars.

The surprises kept coming and coming at the end, I listened to this on audiobook and had to keep playing parts over again to catch everything. I'm thinking this one although very good, may have been better if I read it and was able to digest everything over a longer period of time. Definitely will be checking out more books by this author. Probably reading it rather than listening to it.

4 STARS.

I really enjoyed this book. I read this in hardcover rather than on my Kindle since I was able to get this immediately at my library, instead of waiting on a long reserved list. I missed being able to use the X-ray feature and dictionary I have on my Kindle though, but I loved the book. The story was told through the points of view of 3 characters. Kasia Kamericz (sp), a Polish young woman who was sent to Ravensbrouk concentration camp, Herta Oberheuser, the only female doctor at Ravensbroucke, and Carolyn Ferriday, a privileged American who works for the French Embassy (I believe it's the embassy). Kasia's story is the most interesting, followed by Herta's and then Caroline's. This book was a real page turner from beginning to end.

4.5 stars.



What a brave woman. One of the best books that explore the FLDS cult. There were several things I read in this book that I haven't read in some of the others. Fascinating reading about a depraved man (Warren Jeffs) and his followers. Thank god this man is locked away, but unfortunately he still has tremendous power on his brainwashed followers. 4.5 stars.

I also read Born Standing Up: A Comics Life by Steve Martin - audiobook - 1 STAR
Angel's Rest by Emily March - audiobook - 3 STARS
Smokejumper: A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters - audiobook 3 STARS
Welcome to Forever by Annie Rains - ARC - 4 STARS
A Sound Among Trees - audiobook - 2 STARS
Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology  by Leah Remini - 3 STARS
2:46: Aftershocks from the Japan Earthquake by Jake Adelstein - 2 STARS
For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice by Howard Schultz - 4 stars
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know - audiobook - 2 STARS
Home Front by Kristin Hannah - audiobook - 4 STARS
Gridley Girls by Merdith First - ARC - 3 STARS
Columbine by David Cullen - audiobook - 4 STARS
Welcome Home, Cowboy by Annie Rains - 3 STARS
What It Was Like ... Short Stories of Childhood Memories of Segregation ibn America by Lois Watkins - ARC - 4 STARS
Borrowing Trouble by Stacy Finz - ARC - 4 STARS
My Life by Bill Clinton -3 STARS
Mayo Clinic: The Menopause Solution: by Stephanie Faubion - 2 STARS
One Lavender Ribbon by Heather Burch - 3 STARS

Long overdue and sadly neglected!

I can't believe that my last post was  the April Wrap Up.  I have read so many really good books as well as some stinkers.,; most of which I have DNF'ed.  I will have to post na update with at least some of my favorites from the past few months.  COMING SOON

April Wrap Up

Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles and So-called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky  
2 stars

Not particularly memorable.  In fact, the evening, I wrote my review after just finishing listening to it that afternoon and it was already slowly fading from my memory.  Parts were interesting, but overall it was just okay.  More swearing than was necessary.

The Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism, Survival, and the Epic True Story of America's Deadliest Natural Disaster: The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900 by Al Roker
3 stars

This one was interesting, but there were so many people in the book that I found it difficult to keep them all straight.  Also, although the narrator was fine, I wish Al Roker would have narrated it himself,

Reunion Pass by Emily March
3 stars

Although I enjoyed this one and definitely love the series, it wasn't one of my very favorites. 

Molokai'i by Alan Brennert
5 stars

This was my favorite book that I read in April and one of my top favorites of the year so far.  I learned a lot in this book about Hawaiian history, culture, mythology and even leprosy, now known as Hansen's disease.

Here's my Goodread's review.

Getting Lucky by Stacy Finz
4 stars

A very good book in the Nugget series.  If you enjoy Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, you will enjoy Stacy Finz's Nugget series.  Can't wait for the next book!

My Goodread's review.

Hillbilly Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus
4 stars

Although "Some Gave All" is one of my favorites, by Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as the over-played (at the time) Achy Breaky Heart, I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book.  Although it is not what one would consider great writing.  It is full of honesty and tales about his life from his days growing up in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky, as well as the background of many of his songs.

My Goodreads' review

Until We Are Free by Shirin Ebadi
1 star

I listened to this and didn't care for it.  I hoped it would get better and I needed something to listen to, so I continued with it.

The Associate by John Grisham

3 stars

Disappointed in that there was no resolution; the ending was just left up in the air.  If not for the ending or lack thereof, I enjoyed the book for the most part.

A good assortment of books and a wide variety of ratings, this month.  I also DNF'ed several books and am currently reading "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration: by Isabel Wilkerson.  This is a very long book of over 600 pages.  Don't expect I'll be reading as many books, unless I get in several audiobooks.

#T5W: Books with "Hard" Topics

Top 5 Wednesdays were crested by Ginger Reads Lainey and now is hosted by Sam of Thought on Tomes and you can find the Goodreads page here for more information. 

This week's topic is Top 5 Hard Topics



The Bishop of Rwanda is about the genocide of the Tutsis if Rwanda by the Hutu people also of Rwanda.  It is difficult to read of the horrors that were inflicted on the Tutsis.  It is the worse kind of horror story, because unlike Steven King, Dean Koontz or Lisa Jackson book, this book is nonfiction.



Much of what this young woman had to endure is difficult to imagine.  It is also fascinating and inspiring in how she was able to overcome and do good in this world and help others



Forty Acres is the debut novel by Dwayne Alexander Smith.  It is an intense and disturbing story of slavery with an interesting twist the masters are black and the slaves are white.



A very interesting memoir on the author's life during the Khmer Rouge. 



Another very unsettling true story of an area of Colorado, who unknown to most citizens were living near a plutonium factory and later when the public started becoming aware of what the factory actually produced, they were told the area was safe, although it was once designated as "the most contaminated places in America.

March Wrap Up

I had a very good reading month.4 books read, including 1 ARC and 5 books that I listened to on audio.  My favorite book was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail was the one I liked least.  In fact, it is rare for me to finish a book that I disliked so much that is why you will not find too many books that I rate with only one star.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult       3.5 stars

Jodi Picoult's books are often about very timely and controversial issues.  This particular book is about a school shooting and  had me guessing until the very end how it would end.

Although I enjoyed this book and others that have read by Jodi Picoult, one of my biggest complaints are how long her chapters almost always are. I am a person, who usually likes to finish the chapter in one sitting, but that is rarely possible with the length of her chapters. I'd probably get through her books quicker, if she had shorter chapters and I could say just one more chapter...

This particular book had me guessing until the very end. I did not guess the ending until it was just about to happen and even then I did not figure it all out. That is how I enjoy most of my books; not knowing the ending until the end.

Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods                 3 stars

Book 3 in the Chesapeake Shores series.

This book was better than the 2nd book in the series, Flowers on Main, but not as good as the first one, The Inn at Eagle Point. I found the O'Brien's particularly meddlesome, to a point where it was almost infuriating. On the contrary though, without some of their meddling, Kevin and Shanna probably would not have gotten back together. I plan to continue with this series and see where it goes.

Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies (And Why We Don't Learn Them From Movies Anymore) by Hadley Freeeman   2 stars

I really had high hopes for this book. I love the eighties and 80s movies, so I though this book would be a great stroll down memory lane and some of it was. Much it as the book went on was boring with too much discussion of feminist views and talk of what is wrong with the film industry nowadays. Also, the book and chapters were way too long with some of it feeling almost duplicative. I found myself skimming way too much of the book after the first several chapters and being anxious for it to be over. I really wish I could have rated it higher, but I just can't.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Here Comes Trouble by Michael Moore   3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. It was interesting to hear the stories of Michael Moore's life before we had heard of him once Roger & Me came out. Hard to believe that he was thinking of becoming a priest and went to a seminary boarding school for his 1st year of high school. 

The Last Juror by John Grisham   3 stars

I enjoyed this. Somewhat disappointed in the end with who did it, but don't want to say anything else about it or else it would be a spoiler. Having the story be from a newspaper owners viewpoint was interesting and not the same attorney point of view as one expects from Grisham.

33 Men by Jonathon Franklin    2 stars

Although this was an interesting event in which 33 miners were trapped in a copper mine for 69 days, it could have been much better, in that the book seemed not to flow as well as it could have. Also, it was confusing trying to keep the men straight. I listened to the audio version and I did enjoy the narrator.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle     3.5 stars

I enjoyed listening to this. The narrator was very good and since Chris Kyle is from Texas having a narrator who has southern accent makes the narration of the story more enjoyable and realistic.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs   4.5 stars

This book is totally not my usual genre, but I finally decided to try it and was pleasantly surprised that I very much enjoyed it. It really difficult to decide exactly what genre it is; it's seems to be a combination: partly contemporary fiction, partly historical fiction and partly fantasy. I'll definitely go on to the next book in the series later this year.

Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed    1 star.

I really did not like this book. It is about the author's trek on the Pacific Coast Trail, along with stories about her life. I did not like the person she was and every time the story seemed to improve, it went downhill again, reminding me how much I truly disliked it. I had doubts about it before I started but I decided to take a chance and listen to it on audio. I can understand her being depressed after her mother died at 45 of lung cancer, even though she had never smoked. But she was married to a decent guy and ran off to Oregon and had at least one affair and got involved in drugs, heroin. 

When she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which goes from Northern Mexico to southern Canada, she was totally ill-prepared, having never backpacked before. Also at one point in the story she was talking about how her her 33 yr. old family horse needed to be put down, but since she could not afford a vet, she was going to do it the old-fashioned way and shoot the horse. Her brother stepped in and ended up doing it for her, but she describes it and describes the suffering the horse endured. This was totally unnecessary to have in this book and was quite macabre. Why she felt this was necessary to include in this book is beyond me, except to solidify my great dislike for this book and for the author. I gave this book 1 star. I had hoped the story would get better and it never did; if anything it almost got consistently worse. What a wasted 13+ hours of listening time. I later found out this was an Oprah Book Club 2.0 pick, if I had known I probably would not have read this. Most of the Oprah's book club selections that I have read, I did not enjoy. In fact, I usually will not read a book that she has recommended, since I never enjoy those books.


I'd love to hear if you read any of these books, what you thought of them or what your favorite books were that you read in March

#T5W: Top 5 Book You DNF'ed (Did Not Finish)

Top 5 Wednesdays are hosted by Ginger Reads Lainey and you can find the Goodreads page here for more information. 

I have several books I did not finish.  Here's a list of 5 of them.

I just was not enjoying this book.  I know many did, but I heard either you loved it or hated it.  I guess I was one of the latter.

Another that was loved by many, but not me.  It was compared to Gone Girl, so I should have proceeded with great caution or even avoided it all around.  I believe in the future if a book is compared to Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, I will just skip it.

I was skeptical about reading this, as dystopians are not in my comfort zone.  I decided to listen to the audio version and really gave it more than a fair chance.  I just could not get into it, so marked it DNF.

I had  read this entire series and enjoyed the first several books, but after awhile I just found the bew characters that were being given major storylines, I was enjoying less and less.  The older characters that I did like were given smaller and smaller storylines.  Finally, I was no longer enjoying these books, so I I stopped reading them.

This book was just too dry and boring. I've read a few book about 9-11 - some are good and others like this were not or at least not for me.