Top Ten Tuesday - Least Favorite Reads of 2025 to Date

  

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.

It's always a bummer to read books by authors that are not very captivating. The following books didn't hit the mark for me this year.

1. Riven Rock by T. C. Boyle

2. Earthbound by Richard Matheson

3. The Encantadas by Herman Melville

4. Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth

5. Pride and Prejudice Untold Trilogy by P. O. Dixon

6. The Coffee Killer by A. J. Shaw

7. The Horoscope Writer by Ash Bishop

8. Savannah Sleuth by Alan Chaput

9. She Had Glass Eyes by C.S. Schiavone

10. We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets

I've added links to my reviews for nine of the books listed above.

The Flip Side by Jason Walz

 

The Flip Side by Jason Walz was the last novel I read during the month of November 2025.

I received the paperback version of The Flip Side by Jason Walz for FREE through the Goodreads Giveaway program. Below is my honest, unbiased review of this young adult, graphic novel.

First off, I absolutely loved the artwork for The Flip Side. In fact, the artwork was probably my favorite thing about this book. The Flip Side is also a very quick read, which is one of the things I enjoy about graphic novels. 

The Flip Side by Jason Walz is a novel geared towards teens. The focus of The Flip Side is on the loss of one’s best friend, loneliness, fear, grief, and how one’s life can feel like it has turned upside down after the loss of one's best friend. 

The Flip Side by Jason Walz showcases how to two teens, Theo and Emma, overcome the obstacles of fear, loneliness, and grief together.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Flip Side by Jason Walz from the author's website:

This breathtaking, page-turning graphic novel is a supernatural survival story in which a grieving teen finds himself in a haunting alternate reality—the frightening embodiment of his depression.

Theo’s best friend has died, and he can’t pull himself out of his sadness—a sadness that those around him don’t seem to respect or even notice. And then something even more disconcerting happens: His town literally flips upside down and everyone disappears, except for a threatening, shape-shifting monster and a snarky teenage girl who knows her way around this flipped world. Is Theo doomed to spend the rest of his life in this scary state?

Tremendously unique and suspenseful, The Flip Side tackles grief and depression in a fascinating and affecting way.

I am giving The Flip Side by Jason Walz a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Oh Captain! My Captain! - Walt Whitman

I don't read a lot of poetry usually. Every so often, I will read or listen to a poetry reading. 

I recently listened to this reading of 'Oh Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman.

I hope you enjoy it! 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

What Ya' Readin'? with Stephen King - Interview

 

Excellent interview with Stephen King! He talks about some of his favorite reads in the short, YouTube video above. 

I even added one of the novels he mentioned (Whipple's Castle by Thomas Williams) to my ever growing reading wishlist.

Happy Thanksgiving

 

I have so many things to be grateful and thankful for!

I am grateful for my health, family, friends, home, my blog followers, and all the things I take for granted on a daily basis.

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with joy, peace, a delicious meal, and you are surrounded by those you love.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Common Sense by Thomas Paine, which was nicely narrated by Malk Williams.

Common Sense is a quick listen at 2 hours, 15 minutes. Common Sense is a 47 page essay, which was first published as a pamphlet anonymously in 1776. It advocated independence from Britain.

Common Sense combines both moral and political arguments to help persuade the common people living in the US Colonies to fight for social equality. Common Sense was a sensation upon its publication, which was at the beginning of the American Revolution.

This was the first time I've read Common Sense by Thomas Paine. I enjoyed it. Common Sense stands the test of time and still holds relevance today. I enjoyed that Common Sense touches upon so many genres, such as government,  politics, history, and political philosophy.

If you're interested in earlier American history, Common Sense may be the perfect read for you!

Below is the summary for Common Sense by Thomas Paine from Chirp's website:

The explosive essay that sparked a revolution. When Common Sense hit the streets in 1776, it ignited the American colonies like never before. With bold, plain-spoken language, Thomas Paine challenged the authority of the British monarchy and made the urgent case for American independence. More than just a political argument, this short but powerful work gave everyday people the words to demand freedom—and the courage to fight for it. Radical, rebellious, and razor-sharp, Common Sense remains a landmark of political writing. Its message still resonates today: real change begins when ordinary people dare to speak truth to power.

I am giving Common Sense by Thomas Paine a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Alta Live: Ishmael Reed in Conversation with Will Hearst!!

 

Earlier this month, I attended an Alta Live virtual event featuring Ishmael Reed in conversation with Will Hearst. It was an excellent and engaging interview. Ishmael Reed has lead a very colorful life.

The primary focus of this Alta Live event was the discussion of Ishmael Reed's newest book, Blind Persistence. 

Blind Persistence was published on November 1, 2025 and is an anthology.

You can watch the above video to see the full event.

Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

 

I read Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin thirty years ago for the first time in college for a Russian literature course I'd enrolled. I have a BA in Russian language and taking a elective in the form of a Russian literature was part of earning my degree.

I wasn't a huge fan of this iconic Russian classic at the time. It wasn't that I disliked Eugene Onegin when I first read it. It's just that sometimes when you're required to read something for a college course, it isn't something that one ends up truly enjoying or appreciating at the time.

So, thirty years later I decided to give Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin another look with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Maybe, I thought to myself, I'd enjoy this novel more now than in my twenties.

What did I love about Eugene Onegin? It's entirely written in verse (aka poetry), which I found to be unique. Eugene Onegin covers the topics of love, regret, and the consequences of neglecting what truly matters.

Alexander Pushkin is widely considered to be Russia's greatest writer and also the founder of modern Russian literature. I also learned from Google that Alexander Pushkin is often compared to William Shakespeare. Pushkin mastered multiple genres.

Although, I enjoyed listening to the unabridged audio version of Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, I wouldn't say I loved this Russian classic novel. I'm not sure if it was due to the translation itself, as translating a novel in verse is difficult to do I would imagine. Or if it's simply due to the fact that a novel in verse isn't my thing.

Below is the summary for Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin from Chirp's website:

In this timeless Russian classic, the charismatic but aloof Eugene Onegin rejects love, friendship, and opportunity in favor of cynicism and self-isolation. When he returns to his rural estate, he crosses paths with the idealistic Tatyana, who falls deeply in love with him. But Onegin’s cold dismissal of her leads to a tragic sequence of events that changes all their lives. With sharp wit and vivid characters, Eugene Onegin is a rich exploration of love, regret, and the consequences of neglecting what truly matters.

I am giving Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading! 

‘Outlander’ Author, Diana Gabaldon, Donates literary Archive to Texas A&M

My maternal grandmother was an avid reader like me. We often talked about books we were reading over the years. She turned me onto reading books written by Diana Gabaldon.

Yesterday, I’ve learned that Diana Gabaldon is donating her entire literary archives to Texas A & M in an article titled, ‘Outlander’ author donates literary archive to Texas A&M by Stephen Perez.

In the article, Stephen Perez wrote the following:

The “Outlander” universe, in which a time-traveling British nurse finds adventure and romance with an 18th-century Scottish warrior, is coming to Aggieland.

The best-selling book series author, Dr. Diana Gabaldon, has selected Texas A&M University’s Cushing Memorial Library and Archives as the permanent home for her literary papers, notes and memorabilia from the historical science fiction, adventure-romance series and its hit streaming adaptation.

The collection will capture the evolution of Gabaldon’s storytelling and offer a glimpse into how her 1991 debut novel “Outlander” grew into a global phenomenon spanning novels, companion works and a long-running television adaptation.

“The acquisition of a collection of this magnitude marks a pivotal moment in the growth of our Libraries’ collections,” said Julie Mosbo Ballestro, university librarian and assistant provost. “We have long admired Diana’s contributions to the field, and we are eager to integrate her work into our Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection that ranks among the finest in the world.”

What I didn't know, until reading the above article, is that Texas A & M has a rich science fiction tradition! Click on the link to read the full story.