Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Unread Books on My Shelves I Want to Read Soon

Top Ten Tuesday was 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.  

Welcome to Tuesday! We are back home after our trip to North Carolina. It was so good to see the Lil' Princess. Hard to believe the semester is almost over. She will be coming home in early May.

I was looking through my photos, and I came across this book that I have to tell you about before I get into this week's Top Ten Tuesday. 

I grabbed this new book by Dawn McMillan while shopping in Target. This is the latest book in the author's I Need A New Butt series. OMG! I had to buy this because I couldn't stop laughing. I'm sitting there in the middle of Target reading this to our daughter and tears are streaming down my face because I am laughing so hard. By the time I was done, my sides ached. Just talking about it makes me break down in fits of laughter. She actually took photos. 

Okay, now on to more serious matters. Unread books. We bloggers have plenty of those. So many books and so little time. What can we say? Back in March, we talked about books on our Spring 2024 TBR List. You can find mine here. Now, let's talk about books that are unread on our shelves that we want to read soon. Here are my...

Top Ten Unread Books on My Shelves

I Want to Read Soon 

I grabbed this from one of my clients, whose house I sold in 2023. She had a ton of books that she sold before moving. I enjoy the author's work and have other books of his in my TBR pile. 

I bought this in 2014. That year was the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. As a LMM fan, I had to have this in my collection. 

This book was purchased in 2012, the summer after it came out. Melissa Francis was still reporting for Fox News at the time. I enjoyed her other book, Lessons from the Prairie, so I would love to read this one as well. Besides, it's the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie, and I am trying to stay on top of books released by the cast. 

Thanks to an Amazon gift card, this book made its way to my house in 2012. We watched The Waltons growing up, and this cast often travels in the same circles as the LHOP cast. I would love to read this before the end of the year. 

In 2023, I was gifted a Barnes & Noble gift card as a thank you gift. This is one of the books I grabbed. I've heard a lot of great things about it. Hopefully, I can get to it soon. 

Thanks to another B&N gift card, I bought this in 2022. The title alone captures you, but it was McCurdy's interviews that made me want to read it. There has been recent talk of this book with the release of the "Quiet on Set" docuseries. 

I pre-ordered this book in 2018, almost a year before it was published. Having read Wendi's other book, I would love to read this one before attending the cast reunion in August. 

I'm not sure when I bought this book, but it was after Go Set a Watchman came out because I wanted to read To Kill a Mockingbird first. 

This book was pre-ordered a couple of months before it came out in 2017. I've heard mixed reviews of this biography, but mostly good ones. I would love to dive into this one. 

This book was also a pre-order before it came out in the fall of 2018. I started it, but review books got in the way. I've heard so many great things about this book, I would love to read it soon.

How many of these books have you read? Is there one you think I should start with first?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Apr 22

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Happy Monday and happy Earth Day! Our company participated in a local clean up day over the weekend. I, however, was in North Carolina to see the Lil' Princess dance in the UNCW Dance Company's annual showcase. We are driving home now. 

Work has been busy--thankfully--so not as much blogging last week. I did, however, post a review of Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell over the weekend. You can find it here.

As far as reading goes, I finished this one. Great ghost story! Look for my review at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection coming soon. 

I also finished this book. Hope to have a review posted here this week. 

I need to start this one. The author recently signed a contract for the next book in the series, so I need to get a move on. 

I need to finish this one for an April 25th review. 

I need to read this one for a May review. 

I am enjoying this book. 

I also need to start this one for a May 31st review. Little problem: I've lost the book in my house. I know it came in, so if I don't find it soon, I will buy a copy. 

I would really like to continue with this series after I catch up on review books. 

Added some new books to my eBay shop here. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw - Apr 25 (review) 
• My Career Journal by CareerTuners - May 1 (review) 
• Be Resilient in Your Career by Dr. Helen Ofosu - May 16 (review)
• Mastering Your Scenes by J. A. Cox - May 17 (review)
• I Will Ruin You: The Twisted Truth Behind the Kit Martin Murder Trial by Emilio Corsetti III - May 31 (review)

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Nothing this week as far as I know, but looking forward to this one when it comes out. I pre-ordered it as soon as Dean announced it.

An illuminating, insider’s journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder, the man Laura “Half Pint” Ingalls married—on the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its 50th anniversary.

Cast just before his twenty-third birthday, Dean Butler joined Little House on the Prairie halfway through its run, gaining instant celebrity and fans’ enduring affection. Ironically, when the late, great Michael Landon remarked that Little House would outlive everyone involved in making it, Butler deemed it unlikely. Yet for four decades and counting, Butler has been defined in the public eye as Almanzo Wilder—a role he views as the great gift of his life.

Butler had been cast as a romantic lead before, notably in the made-for-TV movie of Judy Blume’s Forever , opposite Stephanie Zimbalist. But Little House was, and remains, one of the most treasured shows in television history. As the eventual husband of Laura “Half-pint” Ingalls—and the man who would share actress Melissa Gilbert’s first real-life romantic kiss—Butler landed as a central figure for the show’s devoted fans.

Now, with wit and candor, Butler recounts his passage through the Prairie , sharing stories and anecdotes of the remarkable cast who were his on-screen family. But that was merely the beginning of a diverse career that includes Broadway runs and roles on two other classic shows—Moondoggie in The New Gidget and Buffy’s ne’er-do-well father, Hank, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Coming of age during a golden era of entertainment, Butler has evolved along with it, and today enjoys success and fulfillment as a director and producer—notably of NBC Golf’s Feherty —while remaining deeply loyal to Little House.

The warmth, heart, and decency that fans of Laura and Almanzo fell in love with on Little House echo through this uplifting memoir, a story, in Butler’s words, about “good luck, good television, and the very good—if gloriously imperfect—people who made it so.”

That's it from me. Hope you enjoy your week!

Audible Book Review: Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell

 

In Good Leaders Ask Great Questions, John Maxwell, a top authority on leadership, discusses how being a person who asks questions changed and challenged him, and how you can use questions to propel you and your team forward. 

With Maxwell's friendly and conversational style, he shares not only the questions that have changed his life; he invited people around the world to ask him any leadership question, answering 70 of them in this engaging resource. Maxwell shares his experiences and discusses the importance of influence. Having spent decades growing leaders, he has broken down Good Leaders Ask Great Questions into two parts: Questions I Ask and Questions Leaders Ask Me.

Maxwell's value-based leadership strikes a chord with me. The book got better and better as I went along. As I listened, I was able to identify the steps and missteps of my own leadership journey. The book inspired introspection and a desire to create a plan for the future. I will be grabbing a paperback copy so that I can mark it up and refer back to Good Leaders As Great Questions often.

Listening Length	8 hours and 17 minutes
Author	John C. Maxwell
Narrator	John C. Maxwell
Audible.com Release Date	October 07, 2014
Publisher	Hachette Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00NT8YS0S

I purchased this book with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Apr 15

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Happy Monday! Here in Massachusetts, we are celebrating Patriots Day, which commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The 128th Boston Marathon will take place, and it is also the start of school vacation week. I kind of forget about that one since the kids are no longer that age.

Last week was stressful with work and trying to balance everything. I also had trouble sleeping. I've found I've gotten away from meal planning, daily prayer, and journaling, which felt like it kept me centered. I'm renewing my commitment to all those and am hopeful that will help. 

In my reading and reviewing world, I'm also seeking focus. 

On Saturday, I reviewed this personal growth book. You can read my review here.  

I started this one on Audible, but have determined it is not for me. 

Our book club met on Wednesday to discuss The Secret Garden. You can find my review here.

 

Though I didn't read any of this one, but I need to get back to it. 

I read some of this one. 

I need to start this one. 

I'm listening to this one on Audible.

I need to finish this one for an April 25th review. 

I need to read this one for a May review. 

This is our selection for May's book club, so I need to get back to reading this. I started it when it first arrived, but review books tied me up. Then I wandered off to read other things. 

I also need to start this one for a May 31st review.

I would really like to continue with this series after I catch up on review books. 

You can find books I have listed for sale on ebay by clicking here. I will be adding more soon. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw - Apr 25 (review) 
• My Career Journal by CareerTuners - May 1 (review) 
• Be Resilient in Your Career by Dr. Helen Ofosu - May 16 (review)
• Mastering Your Scenes by J. A. Cox - May 17 (review)
• I Will Ruin You: The Twisted Truth Behind the Kit Martin Murder Trial by Emilio Corsetti III - May 31 (review)

At the Christmas Year Round blog, we are talking about the filming of a new movie in historic downtown Long Grove, which stars Mario Lopez as the mayor of the town. You can read more here. 

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Nothing this week, but as you can tell, I  have enough books to keep me busy. 

Looking forward to visiting your blogs today. Hope you have a nice week!

Audible Book Review: Level Up by Rob Dial

 

I grabbed a copy of Level Up by Rob Dial when I upgraded my Audible account. Dial is a speaker, coach, and the host of The Mindset Master Podcast. In Level Up, Dial shares how to get focused, stop procrastinating, and upgrade your life. 

In the introduction, Dial breaks getting results down into six steps. The rest of the book is broken down into three parts: 

• Why You're Not Taking Action,
• How to Take Action, and 
• Creating Habits and Making Them Stick

As Dial engages the reader with stories, past experiences, and the science of the brain, the six steps unfold. The audio book features a Q&A with the author after each chapter, which was an excellent way to build upon the concepts in the book. 

Dial isn't the first person to talk about these concepts, but especially with the audio book, his energy and charisma shine through. I'm not always a fan of when authors narrate their own audio books, but Level Up is one of those that I can't imagine being narrated by another person successfully. This is a book I will want to add to my home library to refer back to from time to time. 

If you're ready to focus on making a difference in your life, Level Up is a necessary tool for your toolbox. 

Listening Length	7 hours and 42 minutes
Author	Rob Dial
Narrator	Rob Dial
Audible.com Release Date	October 03, 2023
Publisher	HarperAudio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0BT12K2CR

I used an Audible credit to purchase this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Classic Books I've Never Read

Top Ten Tuesday was 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.  

Welcome to Tuesday! Did any of you catch the eclipse? I was working when it came through Massachusetts. Boston was said to have the best view of it, and we are not anywhere close to that. 

Today is a Top Ten Tuesday freebie, so I figured I would talk about books I haven't read for a change. I've never been a big reader of classics. I didn't enjoy 1984, The Great Gatsby, All Quiet on the Western Front, Ivanhoe, Ulysses, or Lord of the Flies. Maybe I was too young in school to appreciate them, but I don't plan to go back to them either. 

This week's list includes classic books I haven't read, but would consider reading. Here are my...

Top Ten Classic Books I've Never Read

Here is a list of 100 Best Classic Books to Read Before You Die. How many have you read?