Tuesday, March 10, 2009

10 on the 10th: Bookworm


Meredith at Life at 7000 Feet, who, incidentally, is one of my favorite bloggers, is hosting a new carnival, "10 on the 10th". Meaning, we list 10 of basically anything we want on the 10th of each month.

And since I'm sort of on a book kick right now, it was easy for me to pick which 10 things I wanted to post.

I am super indecisive, so it would be impossible for me to say that these 10 books are my all-time favorites. Some of them are old standbys that I've read 16 times, and some I just discovered.

This goes without saying, right? Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. I am sad to say I don't own this book, but as soon as I find a good deal at Half.com, I am snatching this one up for my own little library.



The Wedding, Nicholas Sparks. It took me awhile to get into it, but by the end I was loving it. Why do his books always make me cry? I seriously wanted to go and renew my vows when I finished reading this.




A Voice in the Wind, Francine Rivers. This falls under the "I've read it 16 times" category. Compelling. Fantastic writing. And the best part is, there are two more books in the series, so if you're like me and hate for the story to end, you can stretch it out a little longer.




Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery. Classic. I think I love Anne so much because she is completely different from me. Free-spirited. Adventurous. Daring. I am more like Diana, I suppose. And I know the books are technically written for a younger audience, but they have never lost their appeal to me.


My Sisters Keeper, Jodi Picoult. Ok, this one was a little weird. I love Picoult's writing style because her books are not nice and neat, but they draw you in. Because of that, because the endings are never tied up in a neat little package at the end, it always leaves me feeling a little, I don't know, conflicted, maybe? But I still liked it...I think.




Vienna Prelude, Brock and Bodie Thoene. I cannot begin to express how much I love this series. Whenever we go on a road trip, I grab one of these books. It doesn't matter that I've read them over and over and that I know what's going to happen...they are just that good. One of my all time favorite series.



At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon. When I asked for book suggestions a few weeks back, Elizabeth recommended this. Oh, I'm so glad she did - I loved it! I'm working on the rest of the series now. I opened it up and was immediately transported to a tiny North Carolina town.



Uncharted, Angela Hunt. Oh, wow. This might be one of my new favorites. Honestly, I didn't think I was going to like it for about the first third of the book, but I kept plugging away. And then at the end, I was totally blown away. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. If you haven't already, you need to read it!






In My Father's House, Brock and Bodie Thoene. What can I say - I love the Thoenes. My second favorite series from them, set during WW1/The Great Depression era. Good stuff.






Ever After, Karen Kingsbury. You know I have to throw in a Kingsbury book, right? I've only read this book once, and I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to read it again, because it was such a tear-jerker. I literally had to wait until my hubby went to bed before I could finish it, because I sat there and bawled my eyes out. I would read a page, stop and cry for awhile, and then read another page. A very exhausting experience, let me tell you.





There you have it - 10 books that have made an impression on me.


Thanks to Mer for hosting - go visit her if you'd like to join in!

35 comments:

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

Yay! So glad you joined in! This is a GREAT idea for 10 things.

I loved your list. There are several I've read and several that I now want to add to my list...especially Francine Rivers.

Amy said...

awesome chioces! i LOVE the mark of the lion trilogy by francine rivers (voice in the wind). its one of my all time favorites!!! the jan karon series is great too. you'll enjoy it.
to answer your question--its not kashi, although i'm a big fan of kashi. its fiber one.

Colored With Memories said...

oh to be a reader...some day, some day. if this non-reader were to pick up a francine rivers book, would you start with that one, or another?

Amber said...

Visitin' via Mer.

Love your list of books. I heart Francine Rivers so much. And that Karen Kingsbury book....ditto. I don't think I've ever cried that much over a book before.

Kendra said...

Pride and Prejudice and Anne of Avonlea. Aaah, a woman after my own heart. I'm going to check in to Unchartered. Looks like something I'd love. But I have to stay away from Kingsbury because there aren't enough anti-depressants in the world to help me while reading her tales.

Tracy's Porch said...

Loved this. I may have to pick up a few of these. I have three other books waiting on me right now but maybe after.

Rach@In His Hands said...

I love so many of those! I haven't heard of Voice in the Wind. I'll have to pick that one up!

Penny said...

Thank you for posting! A lot of them are my favs (Francine Rivers, Jodi Picoult), but some of them I haven't read, so this gives me some ideas!

Stephanie said...

What a fun list and thank you for some book suggestions. :) I love Thoene books too, but I didn't recognize "In My Father's House" with the new cover! I thought maybe I had missed a book of theirs!

Jamie said...

Great list! I've been wanting to do more reading. Maybe I'll start with one on your list. I have read a couple Francine Rivers books, but not the one you mentioned. I'm sure I'd enjoy it.

Rachel said...

What can I say! We must be kindred spirits! I love the Thoenes too. I have not read that In My Father's House. I will have too get it.

I have not actually read Pride & Prejudice (all of the old English scares me off a bit) but I love all of the movie versions. Especially the Masterpiece Theater one.

Francine Rivers is a fave too! I have only read Voice in the Wind twice though. :)

Oh and Karen! I love Kingsbury! I have not read her last 3 books! I am so far behind. My mom has them I must get them from her tomorrow!

Love your list I will have to pick up the few I have not read. Especially the Thoenes! (Is that name hard to spell or what!:)

Unknown said...

I have to agree with you on the Thoene's, Lucy Montgomery, Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, and Jane Austen. I love these authors! Plus I have a few new ones to check out thanks to you!

Gretchen said...

I think I'm literally going to have to copy and paste this post, Jackie. I haven't read any of your books. Gasp! Oh, I lie. i have read My Sister's Keeper and am a huge Jodi Picoult fan. She's messy, and I do like that. Not all the time, but I like it when she does it.

the Thoenes and Uncharted are going tops on my list. You'll have to recommend which Thoene book to start with. :)

Tiffani said...

Hi! Hopping over to check out your "10"...outside of a few this could be my own list...

Francine Rivers is my FAVE author. ever. That series changed me.

My sister's keeper?? Honey, I was so BAWLING and FIERY MAD at that one...

I've gotten a couple of ideas from here too...so, thanks!

Growin' With It said...

aww man, i wanted to be your 10th comment! hahaha.

i've seen that sister's keeper one around and now my interest is sparked even more.

this is a fun idea!

Sarah said...

I've read many on your list. Love Francine. Love Karen. My Sister's Keeper was definitely...different. It was the first of her books I'd ever read. It did suck me in. I haven't read The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks but I do love him.

Love your list and getting to know you a little more!

Have a wonderful day!

Carpool Queen said...

I wish Jan Karon would write more and more Mitford books. I absolutely love them. And Jane Austen, because, hello, Mr. Darcy?

I need not say more.

Anonymous said...

I too LOVE the Mark of the Lion trilogy. Definitely in my all-time faves category.

I feel the same way you do about Jodi Picoult. She's an awesome writer and her stories are riveting, but I always feel a little unsettled at the end. I took five of her books (including My Sister's Keeper) with me when we went to the beach last year and read all 5 in five days.

I am so glad you blogged about the Thoenes because I have been considering picking up some of their work. The only problem is that I owe a boatload of money to the Jefferson Parish Library so I haven't really shown my face around there a whole lot lately (that's what happens when you turn in your book 6 weeks overdue). :)

Lauren said...

Thank you so much for coming by my blog Jackie!!! :o) It’s always nice to meet new bloggy friends!!! I became a follower of yours, so looking forward to keeping up with your blog. Yes, I think Meredith’s 10 on the Tenth is a GREAT idea, and like you said, a wonderful way to blog hop. Love your page. Definitely, come back again and don’t be a stranger!! Have a GREAT day!!!

Lauren said...

P.S.
Be still my heart, a Caramel Macchiato is my new favorite drink from starbucks!!! :o)

Miss Lisa said...

This is such a NEAT idea! I feel like I learned such much about you from the list--great books too!

Maya's Musings said...

I was on a classics kick last year and my mom found Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and Little women at Goodwill for like a dollar each. They are nice, hardbacks too!

I love you Jackie, you are so much like me, it's funny. I read most of your blogs and feel that I could have written them. Except you are much better at communicating your thoughts than I am :)

Have a great, beautiful day!

Sara@iSass said...

First let me say I never like books PEOPLE suggest to me. I can't tell you why, it just always happens and I find myself struggling to get through the pages. After 3 duds from Oprah I decided she didn't know how to pick a book:)
I STILL haven't made it through The Shack. I plug away on it but argh...
So your list has me curious.
I'm not a romantic-y book kind a gal. I don't like Stephan King either. I've read 2 Jodi Picoult books. They were OK.
Then you said you weren't sure you "liked" it because it didn't end all nice a tidy. And I was like BINGO! I hate that! If I am going to take time out of real life that book better be darn skippy GOOD. I'm talking scenery and blissful love with a little heartache thrown in only to find deeper bliss and action their better be some nail biting action going to to. Umm, how bout some natural disater too.
Ok I know I'm weird.
But I really LOVED Left Behind.
Harry Potter is one of my ABLSOLUTE favorites becasue it is NOT real life. It is pretend and it is SO well written that you could believe it could be real. But it is not.
Twilight, loved it. Read 4 books in 5 days...thousands of pages.
SO I made a list from some you suggested I'll look for them at the library...and no I won't hold you reasonable if I don't like them.
I do need something to read cause it isn't the Shack.
Um, you may like Kristin Hannah (I think it's Hannah) FIREFLY LANE.
It was a story about friendship.
To young girls are best friends from different backgrounds and as they grow up they want different things. They each get what they desire and then they find themselves together again. Wonderful story, but you will cry. and need to stop and cary for a bit and then read a page and cry somemore. But this is at the end.
It was wonderful I dare anyone to read it and not like it.
It was completely out of my "range" but I bought it and read it. I surprised myself. It was very good. I have now read all she's written. Some I like some not so much too much of her and Jodi are just too much. Firefly Lane is very very good. Let me know if you're going to try it.

Anonymous said...

You had several of my favorite authors on your list and several authors that I want to read. I read my first Jodi Picoult book last year. I, too, was a little conflicted about whether I liked it or not, but what I did like was that it made me think. Even after I'd finished the book I was wrestling with some of the ideas for awhile. I always love getting good book recommendations! Thanks for the suggestions!

Mary said...

Wow, I may have to add a few books to my reading list! Thanks for visiting my blog. Always nice to find another hoosier on here, even if they aren't one anymore. I'm sitting all the way down here on the Ohio River at the southern tip so I'm practically in KY!

Becca~CapturingSimpleJoys said...

I almost mentioned the Mark of the Lion series in my list as well! LOVE it! The Wedding was also a fav of mine. Love your list, there are several here that I've read and I'm adding to my list now as well! Thank-you!

Amanda said...

great choices...and you've given me some to add to my list! also...loved the pic of the tree after miss savannah stripped it bare....gotta love those "silent" moments...when they, of course, wreak the most havoc!

Elizabeth said...

What a list! I am impressed. I've read most of these, but never The Wedding or A Voice in the Wind, even though I love both of those authors. I'll have to get them from the library b/c I am needing some new material this week!

Don't you love Jodi Picoult? I know her books are a bit strange, and some are creepy, but I love them. Make me think.

So glad you love the Mitford series! I adore Father Tim:)

Nicole - Life in Progress said...

My Sister's Keeper, the Anne books & ALL the Mitford books.....love, love, love them.

Incidentally, I am Diana too! I would never have even tried the raspberry cordial in the first place if I thought it might get me into trouble.

jennifer said...

What a GREAT idea! If you love her, I am sure that I'll love her too! Im off to read her blog now!

Jules from "The Roost" said...

LOVE your new look first of all. I enjoy reading ANY thing by Francine Rivers...loved the Mitford series too. You have given me more great books to put on my list to read! Thanks girl

Anonymous said...

This list makes me want to read more! Ah, one day I will have more time...I'm so glad you been able to enjoy so many books lately! By the way, love your new Spring-y blog design! You're realllly good at that!

Wendy said...

Hmmm, I've been looking for some new authors to read; I've exhausted our library's supply of my favorites. I've never read Francine Rivers or some of the others you listed. Thanks!

Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt said...

Great list!!! I LOVE Francine Rivers. I've read almost all of her books.

I read you in a Reader so this is actually the first time I've seen your redesign! Love it!! And yay for blogher ads! LOL.

webkinzfan said...

Thanks for the book reviews!! I love to read.

I love the Mitford books, althought I have not read the last book in the series.

I have read about six of Karen Kingsbury's books and I love them all! Karen crys when she writes her books and "Ever After" is the book that has made her cry hardest thus far. I love that she has such a tender heart- like me and many of her readers!

I'm going to put "My Sister's Keeper" and "A Voice in the Wind"
on my list of books to read some day.

I highly recommend the "Times and Seasons" series by Beverly LaHay and Terri Blackstock. There are four books in this Christian fiction series. "Showers in Seson"
is my favorite.

Another book I read recently and really enjoyed was "Marley and Me".
For those of you who have seen the movie but not read the book, the book is much better!!

Thanks again for sharing!
Tracy