Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Books That Changed My Reading Life #T5T

January 25, 2022

Top 5 Books That Changed My Reading Life

a graphic picture of a blond girl holding an open blue book

I’m linking up today with Meeghan at Meeghan Reads for Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Books That Changed My Life.

***This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

1. The Book Responsible For My Love of Historical Fiction

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I immersed myself in Gone With the Wind early in my high school years. I don’t think I even knew what historical fiction was! However, GWtW was my first really big, substantial, adult book. I lost myself in that world, lived with those characters, and suffered my first book hangover. (I have no idea if it holds up to a reread and I’m afraid to find out!)

2. The Book Responsible For Introducing Me to Binge Reading a Series

Nancy Drew Mystery Series

I couldn’t get my hands on the next installment fast enough! Today, I have no self-control if I start a series.

3. The Book Responsible For My Love of Family Drama

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I loved this family and the dynamics between all the characters. I especially loved independent and feisty Jo! (I wouldn’t mind a reread!)

4. The Book Responsible For My Fascination With WW11

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Before I started reading WW11 historical fiction, I read this compelling memoir.

5. The Book Responsible For My Love of Biography

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

My fascination with ordinary people living extraordinary lives started here.

6. (you know I can’t stop at 5!)
The Book Responsible For My Love of Diverse Reads

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This is the first diverse read recorded in my Goodreads database (2013). I may have read some diverse reads earlier in my life, but this was the year I committed to increasing my percentage of diverse reads.

QOTD:

Where did your journey and love of reading certain genres begin?

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

© ReadingLadies.com

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Most Anticipated Reads Q1 2022 #T5T

January 11, 2022

January 4, 2022

Top 5 Bookish Resolutions

I’m linking up today with Meeghan at Meeghan Reads for Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Bookish Resolutions.

Top 5 Bookish Resolutions

1.

Keep more accurate and complete records of book recs. I love to thank the blogger or reviewer and give her credit, but I don’t keep the best records or I think I’ll surely remember until I don’t. I’ve improved a bit over the past year, but this area definitely needs improvement.

2.

Read more nonfiction. I’d love my reading to consist of at least 20% nonfiction (which would be about 20 books per year).

3.

I want to do better at writing reviews immediately after finishing the book. I’m fairly good at taking notes, but I need to transfer those notes to a rough draft in WordPress before I lose them! Too frequently I have found notes/book quotes after I’ve already written and published the review! At the very least, I need to designate ONE place to keep notes!

4.

I’d like to read a few more classics. Perhaps one per quarter might be a reasonable goal.

5.

I want to continue:
reading diversely,
reading authors of color,
reading own voices authors,
reading books from other cultures and countries.

QOTD:

Do you have a reading resolution?
Do we share any resolutions?

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Let’s Get Social!

Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest

***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

© ReadingLadies.com

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Memorable Histfic Reads 2021 [Book Reviews] #T5T

December 28, 2021

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 New-To-Me Authors 2021

December 21, 2021

Top 5 New-To-Me Authors 2021

Background Image Source: Canva

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

I’m linking up today with Meeghan at Meeghan Reads for Top 5 Tuesday: Five New-To-Me Authors in 2021.

New-To-Me-Authors

Andy Weir

OK….I think I might be the only one who didn’t read The Martian?! After I read all the enthusastic reviews for Project Hail Mary, it was time to read Any Weir. Well, I was not disappointed! Project Hail Mary made my Top Ten Best of 2021 List (published on 12/28/2021).

Marilynne Robinson

I have had Gilead on my TBR for years now! I decided this was the year to finally read Gilead and I fell in love with Marilynne Robinson, and now I have plans to read the next three in the loosely connected series in 2022.

Jose S. Kilpack

After I accepted the ARC for Love and Lavender and posted my review, I had several readers comment that they love Kilpack. However, this is my first book by her and I loved it (made my top ten list this year), so I know I want to explore her backlist! If you’ve read her, what book would you recommend next?

Jason Reynolds

I have heard of Jason Reynolds and I have seen his poetry (For Every One), and I decided then that I wanted to read one of his middle grade novels. I made that happen this year when I read Ghost (and the other three in the “Track” series). I’ve heard him interviewed and was so impressed by his purpose and mission that I’ve love to read more of his work.

Angeline Boulley (debut author)

Boulley is my only debut author on this list (although not the only debut author I’ve read this year). I was impressed with Firekeeper’s Daughter and I’m interested in reading her next work….especially if she continues writing as an “own voices” author for Indigenous People.

These are the first five new-to-me authors I found in my list. I’m sure there are more!

QOTD:

Have you read any of my new-to-me authors?
Who is your favorite new-to-you author?

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Let’s Get Social!

Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest

***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Stand Alone Books of Summer 2021 [Book Reviews]

September 21, 2021

Top 5 Stand-Alone Books of Summer 2021

Background Image Source: Canva

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

I’m linking up today with Meeghan at Meeghan Reads for Top 5 Tuesday. This week I’m narrowing the prompt of Top 5 Stand-Alone Books to Top 5 Stand-Alone Books of Summer 2021.