Believe it or not (not!), I started this blog ten years ago this month.  Crazy.  It's evolved a lot since then, as have I.  Weirdly enough, in all those years, my enthusiasm for book blogging has not waned.  I still think it's a grand old time.  Will I still be doing this ten years from now?  Probably.  Here's to another decade of BBB!

I've been inhaling books for a lot longer than ten years so you'd think that I'd have read every book on my TBR list mountain mountain chain by now.  Yeah, not quite.  It's still crammed full of titles I'm hoping to get to someday.  Plenty of them have been on my radar for more than ten years, which makes this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic a cinch.  I could make several TTT lists of Books That Have Been On My TBR List Since Before I Started Blogging.  I'm guessing you could, too, so why don't you join in the fun?  Cruise on over to The Broke and the Bookish for the rules of the game, then make your own TTT list, and share it with the book blogosphere.  It's fun!

Top Ten Books That have Been On My TBR List Since Before I Started Blogging:



1.  Atonement by Ian McEwan (2003)—This Booker Prize-nominated novel seems to be about many things: writing, a crime that changes people's lives, war, and I'm not sure what else.  Lots of people love it and I've yet to read it or anything by McEwan for that matter.


2.  Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick (2006)—I bought this book at Borders back in the day.  I've been meaning to read it ever since.  My Bailey (Bayley) ancestors did not come to America on the Mayflower, but they arrived in Plymouth soon after the famous ship docked.  Mayflower is supposed to be a fascinating account of the Pilgrims and their journey to the New World.  Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea has also been on my TBR list for some time.


3.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2004)—This story about an autistic teen investigating the death of a neighborhood dog sounds quirky and interesting.  I've seen lots of praise for it over the years.  And yet, still it languishes on Ye Olde TBR ...


4.  Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (2006)—A sweeping multi-generational tale about fathers and sons, this novel came out the year I started blogging.  Still haven't gotten around to it.


5.  The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (2004)—This tale about a man who tries to make sense of his wife's death by performing experiments to teach his dog to speak sounds ... unusual.  Also heartbreaking.  I'm still curious about it.  One of these days I'll finally get to it.  Maybe.


6.  Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2001)—Admittedly, I'm not a huge dragon/fantasy fan.  Still, so many people love the Inheritance Cycle series that I need to at least give it a go.  The fact that Paolini wrote the first book when he was just 15 is another reason to check it out.


7.  I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (2002)—Like many people, I've only read one book by Zusak—The Book Thief.  Some of my most trusted book blogging friends (I'm looking at you, Suey and Jenny) think he's written more than one great novel.  I need to see for myself.  This particular Zusak has been on my TBR list for far too long.  It's about time I just read I Am the Messenger already!


8.  The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1998)—I love post-apocalyptic books, but for some reason I just can't ever get very far in this one.  Not because it's not intriguing, just because I always get distracted by newer, shinier books.


9.  Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (2004)—I've heard so many great things about Roach's books, this one in particular, that it's a wonder I still haven't read her.  I need to remedy that right away.


10.  Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (1992)—I was completely swept away by Outlander when I read it way back when.  Why I didn't grab this sequel immediately I'm not sure.  I'll have to read Outlander again before I can continue on with this series, so who knows if it will ever actually happen?  I like big books (and I cannot lie), but re-reading has never been my favorite thing.

So, there you have it.  What do you think?  Have you read any of these?  Do you consider any of them must-reads or can they linger on the TBR list?  I'd love to have a look at your list.  Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor.

Happy TTT!  

(All book images from Barnes & Noble)

If you're like me (and I know you are!), you get asked for book recommendations all the time.  Despite the number of books I read every year, I still find the "What do you think I should read next?" question to be a difficult one to answer.  Books are such a subjective thing!  Everyone's tastes differ so widely, it's hard to find one (let alone ten) books that have across-the-board appeal.  With that in mind, I give you this week's TTT topic:  Top Ten Books I Recommend Most Often.

If you're unfamiliar with TTT, it's a fun meme, both bookish and list-y in nature, that's hosted by the fabulous ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  Feel free to join in the fun!

Okay, here we go.  In no particular order, here are the ten books (or series) I find myself recommending over and over:

1.  The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -- Duh, I know.  Everyone's going to have these books on their lists, but obviously, there are reasons this series appeals to readers young and old.  The story is engaging, imaginative, exciting and just downright fun.  If you haven't read it yet, you're totally missing out.





2.  The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins -- Another duh, but seriously, these books are such good reads.  Even though it's gory, this series is perfect for reluctant teen readers, boys and girls alike.  The story is compelling, exciting and thought-provoking—a winning combination.


3.  The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer -- It's no secret that I love this YA "rebooted" fairy tales series.  The story is unique, well-paced and absorbing.  Not to mention clean.  Sarah recommended these to me and I've recommended them to lots of people, adults and teenagers alike.


4.  Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand -- This one has received lots of hype, but guess what?  It totally deserves it.  This true story is absorbing, horrifying and, ultimately, inspiring.  It's not one I would hand to anyone younger than 15, but I've recommended it to plenty of adults.


5.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- This is one of my favorite books of all time.  It's an unputdownable ode to the power of words, both said and unsaid.



6.  The Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson -- This is another YA series I discovered recently.  Its premise isn't anything super original, but it's still an intriguing ghost-hunting story.  Although the books seem very dark and grisly, they're actually quite upbeat, even funny.  Not to mention mostly clean.  This is another series that has lots of teen/adult crossover appeal.


7.  The Virgin River series by Robyn Carr -- Like I've said many times, Carr is the only adult romance writer I read.  That's because the author has a magical way of making the small towns in which she sets her stories come alive for me.  The people with which she populates these hamlets generally value the things that I do—family, commitment, community and helping others.  Since Carr's novels usually have some strong language and sex scenes, I don't recommend them to everyone, but I still talk them up quite a bit since I love them so much.


8.  Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi -- Yeah, yeah, it's another YA dystopian series, but this is one of my favorites.  The books blend familiar post-apocalyptic elements with more supernatural ones, creating a nice blend of sci fi, paranormal and action/adventure.  It's clever, intriguing and twisty enough to keep most readers interested.


9.  The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson -- I'm not huge on epic fantasy in general, but Brandon Sanderson really knows how to write it.  My friend Robin encouraged me to read the Mistborn series and I immediately fell in love with the story.  Sanderson excels at creating intricate, intriguing worlds—some readers tire of the endless detail, but I don't.  Not at all.  This is a fantastic series that I recommend all the time.


10.  Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys -- This one's a gritty historical YA that's set in a brothel in New Orleans' French Quarter.  So, yeah, it's not a book I recommend to everyone.  Still, it's a very atmospheric murder mystery featuring a most appealing heroine.  It's just a good story, one that's much more uplifting than it sounds.

What about you?  Which books do you find yourself recommending over and over and over?  Do we have any in common?

After being sickened by the last book I attempted to read about Jews and Nazis in WWII (The True Story of Hansel and Gretel), I unknowingly picked up another book on the same subject. Naturally, I approached the new book -- Markus Zusak's The Book Thief -- with caution. After the first chapter, however, I was so thoroughly captured that Adolf Hitler himself couldn't have pulled the book away from me. The story is that mesmerizing, that powerful.

The Book Thief boasts a unique narrator - Death - who tells the story of young Liesel Meminger. Liesel's tale begins with a train ride to Munich, where she and her brother will be placed in a foster home. Her father has long since disappeared, the whispered label of "Communist" lingering in his wake, and her mother is too poor and sickly to care for her children. Thus, the kids are shipped to Munich, where they will be delivered to The Hubermanns, their new foster parents. The journey, however, proves too difficult for the boy; our narrator is soon on the scene to collect his delicate soul. His funeral is a cold, dismal affair. However, the event saves Liesel, offering her a gift: a small, black book falls from the pocket of an apprentice grave digger. Snatching it up, Liesel pockets the treasure. Now alone, Liesel is desposited on the Hubermanns doorstep in Molching, where she begins an innocuous new life. Liesel's foster parents - Rosa and Hans - take to the child in their own, enigmatic ways. Rosa, a wardrobe-shaped woman sporting a "face decorated with constant fury," (33) swears and berates the child, abuses Liesel recognizes belatedly as affectionate. Hans, a man who appears "Not noticeable. Not important or particularly valuable" (34), becomes Liesel's savior. His quiet ways soothe her, especially when she "nightmares" about her dead brother. At these times, he sits quietly at her bedside, and it is then that Liesel begs him to read her stolen book to her. Hans is "not such a good reader myself" (65), so he instead teaches her how to read. This feat ignites a fire in Liesel, a passion for books and their words. Like everyone else on Himmel Street, the Hubermanns are poor and cannot afford books. So, Liesel begins accumulating them in the only way she can - stealing. She rescues one from a Nazi book-burning, lifts several from the mayor's library, and even receives a couple as gifts. It is only when Liesel begins sharing the books, however, that she realizes their true power. One of the most vivid scenes in the book occurs when Liesel is reading to a group of neighbors huddled in a bomb shelter:

"She didn't dare to look up, but she could feel their frightened eyes hanging on to her as she hauled the words in and breathed them out. A voice played the notes inside her. This, it said, is your accordion.

The sound of the turning page carved them in half.

Liesel read on." (381)

As bombs rain down on Molching, Liesel sees the power of words - to enliven a beaten Jew; to comfort a grieving mother; to calm the fears of her friends; to incite a nation to imprison its own; to maim; to hurt; to kill. When Liesel realizes the strength of her own words, she begins to write, a task which saves her life and touches even Death.

As fascinating as Liesel's life is, it is really only a backdrop for Markus Zusak's sermon on the power of words to influence for good and evil. He purports that Hitler seduced his people with words, writing:

"Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words. 'I will never fire a gun,' he devised. 'I will not have to.' Still...his first plan of attack was to plant the words in as many areas of his homeland as possible...He planted them day and night, and cultivated them...He watched them grow, until eventually, great forests of words had risen throughout Germany...It was a nation of farmed thoughts." (445)

The Book Thief contains countless references to words both said and unsaid. I think I could write an entire thesis on this subject alone.

Another fascinating aspect of the book is the way it personifies Death. His character is both arrogant and humble, angry and humorous, hard-nosed and compassionate, interested and dispassionate. In short, he is as realistic - as human, if you will - as the rest of the absorbing cast.

Not only does The Book Thief contain layer after layer of thought-provoking ideas, but it is a compelling story to boot. Its unique format makes it accessible, humorous and impactful without being sentimental or sappy. It's pitch-perfect with exquisitely-crafted sentences and paragraphs. It will suck you in and spit you out only when it's through with you. Resistance is futile - succumb to the magic of this incredible tale.