Top Ten Tuesday

TTT – Books So Good My Family Has To Share

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Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

Hi from sunny Florida, and happy Tuesday to you all. I’m still on vacation, but looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with my nephews and their families. Also, I’m aware that the origins of the holiday were whitewashed for American schoolchildren, but my family has always just used the day as yet another reason to get together and have a meal together. As the years have passed and my family has spread out to various states, holidays aren’t the same. I’m just really glad that I am able to spend this time with some members of the family I haven’t seen in far too long.

This week’s prompt is a Thankful/Thanksgiving Freebie, and it’s perfect as I’m surrounded by awesome family members I’m thankful to see on my vacation. I’m going to talk about some of my favorite books that family members have recommended to me, and books that I’ve recommended to my family members. Here we go:

  1. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell. This one got top of the list, because my oldest nephew recommended it to me, and he isn’t a lover of reading. I’m a firm believer that anyone can love reading if the right subject and format is selected, and this is proof of that. He read the whole series almost as fast as I did, and that’s saying a lot. This historical fiction about the Viking invasion of what is today the UK.
  2. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. My sister-in-law lent me a copy of this book and got me hooked on the series. It’s hilarious and silly and over the top, but it works perfectly for the almost-cozy mystery series.
  3. The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali. This was recommended to me by my mom, who doesn’t usually sit still long enough for a story to grab her. But this book held her attention as she raced through it, and once I read it, I could understand why. It’s historical fiction featuring a budding romance amidst the chaos of Iran’s political climate in the 1950s, and a possible second chance at love.
  4. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. My aunt recommended basically anything by this author, and she wasn’t wrong. Lapena writes suspenseful mysteries that I am unable to put down.
  5. The Wolf of Wessex by Mathew Harffy. I received an ARC of this book, and enjoyed it immensely. After finishing it, I had to send a copy to my nephew, who loves history. He’s got a lot on his plate and is still working his way through it, but tells me that he really likes it so far.
  6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown. This was recommended to me by a good friend and I had to pass along the amazingness of this Roman-inspired sci-fi series starter to my oldest nephew. He’s also got a lot going on, but had started it and told me he really liked it, although he didn’t have a lot of downtime for reading as the single dad of two kids.
  7. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. A friend recommended this to me, and I was surprised at how much I liked this huge doorstopper of a book about the building of a huge Gothic cathedral in England. I promptly gave a copy to my history-loving nephew, although I don’t think he has had the chance to start this one.
  8. The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin. Before I even finished reading this martial arts fantasy, I knew I had to suggest it to my youngest nephew, who was a beast in high school wrestling. I figured he’d know the moves spoken about, and it’s written by a teacher of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which makes it really easy to visualize and follow the fight scenes.
  9. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel. My bestie told me that her son read this in school and thought I’d like it. While she’s been around for so long my family views her as found family, I recently got this for my great-niece and great-nephew to read in preparation for Chanukah. I especially loved that it emphasized the long-standing Jewish tradition of outsmarting our enemies using our brains, rather than resorting to violence. 
  10. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. One of my recommended readings for a grad school class on death, dying, and bereavement, I couldn’t speak highly enough about this book. I gave my father my original copy, and I know he read it with mixed feelings, as a Holocaust survivor himself, but with a very different experience. Since my father’s passing, this book held a cherished place on my shelves until my older brother asked if he could borrow it. I haven’t seen him read a book since the early 1980s, so of course I lent it to him. That reminds me … he still hasn’t returned it. I’m gonna have to tell on him to my mom in hopes that he’ll listen to her 😬 and return this highly cherished book to me. 

Have you read any of these? What is the best book a family member suggested to you?

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26 replies »

    • I went to go check that book out, and realized The Choice is already on my TBR, but I’m going to have to bump that up to the top of my priority list. It sounds like an amazing book, and Frankl’s book is fantastic as well.

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    • Thank you! I am surprised that I was able to come up with ten, because we only have a few true bookworms in my family, and we all have really different taste.

      One of my favorite things is how books bring people together, and I highly recommend Red Rising – I am obsessed with the series and recommend it to everyone, and I don’t even read sci-fi on a regular basis.

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    • I was shocked that I found it impossible to put down – I never pictured myself reading a book about building a cathedral, but Follett weaves such a good story! And thank you, I hope you have a wonderful week.

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  8. Oh I love this approach/list! And how fun to have so many book recommendations flowing within the family 🙂

    I’m also a very firm believer that if someone doesn’t like reading, they just haven’t found the right book/niche, so I’m glad your nephew has found one 🙂 ((Have y’all seen the Last Kingdom series on Netflix? Having not read the books, I can’t say how accurately it goes on screen, but they were a fascinating – if difficult at times – watch))

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    • Thank you! It is fun to select books that the non-reader members of my family are likely to enjoy, and I loved seeing my nephew read the entire series of The Last Kingdom. We have seen the show, and it is so good, but it does deviate significantly from the books.

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    • Thank you! I have always been willing to read Holocaust memoirs because my father always reinforced how important it is to read these stories to bear witness to our history, as it is being denied and minimized while survivors are still alive.

      I hope you have a great week and Thanksgiving (if you celebrate).

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  11. Yep, some of my favorite books were recommended by family members.

    Due to my love of classics, my dad was able to recommend some- Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Mayor of Casterbridge. My love of the classics wouldn’t have started if it wasn’t for a Holiday Tradition- watching the George C. Scott “A Christmas Carol” (aka my favorite Christmas movie)

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  13. I hope you had a wonderful vacation! It’s always good to spend time with family regardless of the reason.

    I’ve not read any of these books. The only ones that read in my family are my grandkids. They are the reason I read Harry Potter.

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    • I am still away, and having an absolute blast. Your statement is on point – it feels so good to spend time with my family without having to feel rushed.

      I love that you encourage a new generation of readers – seeing children reading or being captivated by a storybook is incredible!

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