Top Ten Tuesday - Cozy/Atmospheric Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I am not even sure what a cozy/atmospheric read is supposed to look like... Are we supposed to pick one genre or the other? Or try to find books that fit both genres? I'm going to stick to atmospheric reads for this week's Top Ten Tuesday post.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

2. Tangerine by Christine Mangan

3. The Sister by Poppy Adams

4. The Seas by Samantha Hunt

5. Soon by Lois Murphy

6. The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

7. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

8. A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson

9. Euphoria by Lily King

10. Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

Click on the above links to read my review for each novel listed.

Have you read of the books from my Top Ten Tuesday post this week? Do you have any atmospheric books to recommend?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Quick Status Update - General FYI

During the next 10-12 days, I will most

liking be unable to publish or respond to comments during this timeframe due to other obligations. So, if you do not see your comments being published right away on my blog, you'll know why.

I'll be sure to publish and reply comments as soon as I can. Additionally, you'll see some blog posts pop during my absence.

In the meantime, happy reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Non-book Freebie - Favorite Flowers

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are ten of my favorite flowers... Granted I have many more flowers I love and adore, but these are a few of my personal favorites.

1. Dahlia

Dahlias come in a wide variety of colors. I like many of the colors. It's the shape and look of this flower I enjoy the most.

2. Rhododendrons

I love the color variations for rhododendrons too... Plus, the fact that they grow on trees/shrubs, which grow very large.

3. Ranunculos

The variety of colors and the interesting texture of ranunculos are what make it a winner!!

4. Orchid

I simply adore all orchids, but Oncidium Sharry Baby orchid really stands out as it smells like chocolate!!

5. Peony

Again, I love all the color variations and the texture for peonies.

6. Lotus

I love the symbolism of the lotus - purity, rebirth, strength, and spiritual enlightenment.

7. Camellia

I love the various colors of camellia flowers.

8. Canna & Calla Lillies

I have adored the look of both canna and calla lilies for decades. They are such beautiful flowers. Both types of lilies come in a wide variety of colors.

9 . Magnolia

The magnolia flower is another beautiful flower, which symbolizes dignity, beauty, nobility, and strength.

10. Ylang ylang

I love the smell of ylang ylang essential oil! Little did I know how beautiful the actual flowers are. Ylang ylang is a tropical flowering tree native to the Philippines.

Share your favorite flowers in the comment section below!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

And the Nobel Prize For Literature Goes to... Hungarian Writer, László Krasznahorkai

 

Congratulations to László Krasznahorkai on winning the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature!!

I read an online article titled, 'Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai wins the Nobel Prize in literature' by Kostya Manenkov, Jill Lawless, and Mike Corder.

In the above mentioned article, I learned the following information:

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, whose surreal and anarchic novels combine a bleak world view with mordant humor, won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for work the judges said upholds the power of art in the midst of “apocalyptic terror.”

The Nobel judges said the 71-year-old author, whose novels sometimes consist of just one long sentence, is “a great epic writer” whose work “is characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess.”

Frankly, I'd never even heard of László Krasznahorkai until this morning. So, I am curious to read one of his novels in the future. Have you read any of his novels before now? If so, what did you think of the novel?

Click on the very top link to read the full story about László Krasznahorkai winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Book Riot - What Books Do Readers Find Most Confusing?

 Yesterday, I came across an interesting article published on Book Riot's website titled, What Books Do Readers Find Most Confusing? by Kelly Jenson.

In the article, Kelly Jensen wrote the following:

To start, the team at Aura Print generated a seed list of titles from multiple sources, including the 100 bestselling books, as well as other resources like user-generated lists of “confusing books” and book-to-screen adaptation lists. They also sought titles that appeared among the best selling and highest rated in outlets like The New York Times, Amazon, and Goodreads. The team then searched each of those books on Goodreads and stuck to titles with 50,000 or more reviews. From there, they searched the reviews of each title for the word “confusing.” It’s a pretty straightforward methodology, focusing on reviews that readers write for themselves and for other book lovers on the site, if not all together the most scientific.

So what topped the list of most confusing books?

The most confusing book according to Goodreads users was Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. Over 8,000 of the reviews include the word “confusing” to describe their experience with the book.

Click on the top link to read the full article and to view which books made the list. I was surprised to find many classics made the list, like Little Women and Fahrenheit 451.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton made the list as well. I've read this novel and although I found it to be a unique read, it was difficult to keep track of the characters and the storyline.

Have you read any of the novels in the list of books seen in the above article? Did you find any of them confusing? Which other books would you add to the list of confusing books?

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank

 

Yes, I realize it's a bit early for a Christmas themed read when Halloween hasn't even passed yet.

I was looking for a short and quick read and The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank fit the bill perfectly. I listened to the audio version of this novel, which was delightfully narrated by Celia Weston. You may recall that Celia Weston is the actress who played Jolene Hunnicutt on the television series, 'Alice'.

I enjoyed the storyline, pacing, and plot for this novella. It's a nice, lightweight read for the Christmas holidays. My only major complaint regarding The Christmas Pearl is that it could have had a bit more depth/development to it. But I think that would have required it to be a full length novel vs novella.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank from Chirp's website:

Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she’s finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood.

What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother’s beloved housekeeper and closest confidante?

Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora’s Christmas the love-filled miracle it’s meant to be.

I am giving The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite and delightfully narrated by Adepero Oduye.

I had seen the buzz for My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite online and also read a couple of blog reviews for this novel. So, I had an idea what this novel was about, but I wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype. 

Well, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite exceeded my expectations. I really, really liked it! I loved the shorter chapters, the characters, and the storyline. The writing for My Sister, the Serial Killer packs a punch despite its short length. My only minor complaint is the ending of the novel, which leaves me wondering about its meaning. Otherwise, an enjoyable novel.

Below is the publisher's summary for My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite from the Goodreads website:

A short, darkly funny hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends.

"Femi makes three, you know. Three and they label you a serial killer."

Korede is bitter. How could she not be? Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola's third boyfriend in a row is dead.

Korede's practicality is the sisters' saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood, the trunk of her car is big enough for a body, and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures of her dinner to Instagram when she should be mourning her "missing" boyfriend. Not that she gets any credit.

Korede has long been in love with a kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where she works. She dreams of the day when he will realize she's exactly what he needs. But when he asks Korede for Ayoola's phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and how far she's willing to go to protect her.

Sharp as nails and full of deadpan wit, Oyinkan Braithwaite's deliciously deadly debut is as fun as it is frightening.

I am giving My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

17th Annual Iowa City Book Festival -October 5 - 12, 2025

 

The University of Iowa is my alma mater and is located in Iowa City, Iowa. The Iowa City Book Festival did not exist during my time spent attending the University of Iowa or I would have gladly attended the festivities. 

One of these days, I'd love to return to Iowa City and not only revisit the campus and all my favorite spots around Iowa City, but I'd also love to attend the Iowa City Book Festival.

Below is more information about the Iowa City Book Festival from their website:

WELCOME TO IOWA CITY! The 17th annual Iowa City Book Festival will be held Oct. 5-12, 2025, at locations throughout downtown and beyond. It will showcase a dynamic mix of original events and collaborative programs with partner organizations, all celebrating the power of the written word and the exchange of ideas.

The Iowa City Book Festival is organized by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, a nonprofit 501(c)3 that manages the Iowa City area’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature. The City of Literature works to advance its mission of celebrating and supporting literature on a local, regional, national, and international level, connecting readers and writers through the power of story.

The line up of events for this year's book festival looks great! Authors, John Scalzi, Patricia Lockwood, Jennifer Fawcett, and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will be speaking at the Iowa City Book Festival this year. I'd love to hear each of them speak about their new books.