Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday - My Top Ten Books So Far This Year



This is a fun linkup with The Broke and the Bookish.  Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is top ten books so far this year.  This has been an interesting reading year since I've really been trying to break out of my reading comfort zone a little.

My top ten books for the first half of 2014:

1. The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue by David Sax - This book is so fascinating.  I read it back in January but still think about it every time I'm at a grocery store or restaurant.  This is a great look at the food trend industry.

2. The Tyrant's Daughter by J. C. Carleson - This is the story of an ordinary teenage girl who is trying to fit in at school and deal with her family.  The catch is that she just happened to be the daughter of a dictator who just had to flee her country after a military coup and the murder of her father.  Watching her try to resolve all the different sides of herself was really interesting.

3. The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier - I have tried to force them on just about everyone since I've read it.  I've always thought the whole concept of The Birds was kind of silly until I read this book.  du Maurier is the master of the creepy short story.


4. Murder on the Home Front by Molly Lefebure - I found this look into the workings of the coroner's office in London during World War 2 absolutely fascinating.  Definitely worth a read.

5. Delancey by Molly Wizenberg - I may be a little biased because I loved Wizenberg's first book but this book about the opening of their restaurant was so enjoyable.  I didn't find as many good recipes as I had in A Homemade Life but I thought the actual content was even more interesting.

6.  And Then There Were None by Agatha Christe - Of course I have an Agatha on my list!  So far this is my favorite of the ones I've read this year though Crooked House, Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and the Man in the Brown Suit were good as well.  I'm not sure this is my favorite Agatha of all time though because there are a few Marples I really love and I'm sure there's a Poirot or two i'm forgetting about!

7. Louisa Catherine: The Other Mrs. Adams by Margery M. Heffron - I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Louisa Catherine the wife of John Quincey Adams.  She was really a fascinating woman in an interesting time.  We hear so much about the first John and his wife Abigail that we forget about the son.  If you're interested in American history at all this is a great one to pick up.

8.  Murder at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennsion - while not flawless this mystery was a lot of fun without being too cutesy.  I loved the characters and was able to sympathize with both Kat and her mother.  It was nice to see the inner working of a once grand estate in present day.

9.  The Other Side of Paradise by Julia Cooke - This look at modern day Cuba wasn't my absolute favorite when I read it but I find that I'm still referencing it months after reading it.

10.  Hotel by Arthur Hailey - I really wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I ended up really enjoying it.  This look into a high end hotel in New Orleans in the 60s was well done and really interesting.  I've recommended it countless times since reading.

20 comments:

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  2. And then there were none is one of my all time favourites of Agatha Christie. The cover of the Tastemakers looks so good ! I now want cupcakes :-( Is it The Birds the same as the Alfred Hitchcock movie ?

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    1. Hitchcock's The Birds is loosely based on this short story but I liked du Maurier's version much better! I loved the cover for The Tastemakers too! I found the book as good but unfortunately no cupcakes appeared!

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  3. Tastemakers and Delancey are both on my TBR list--I love reading books about food and cooking! And Then There Were None is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books.

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    1. I do too! I think I have an entire bookcase crammed with books by or about chefs! These two were both really good and very interesting in different ways.

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  4. That's quite an eclectic mix of books. :) The Tastemakers looks interesting, I might need to see if my library has it.

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    1. My tastes do tend to wander! The Tastemakers was really good particularly if you're interested in food. Though I must warn don't go to any specialty grocery store while reading it or you'll come out broke!

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  5. I don't know if I'd be ready yet to make a list of top ten books. Maybe a top five list . . .

    I enjoyed seeing your list, Katherine! I haven't read any of the books, but I know some of them are on my wish list because of you. :-)

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    1. I hope you like the ones that you've added to your list! I've had some serious ups and downs in reading this year. For the last few months everything seemed to be good but not great.

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  6. Wonderful, eclectic list of books! Molly on the Homefront sounds fascinating and is going on my TBR list. Murder at Honeychurch Hall only barely missed being on my list - by a hair. I probably should have included it; it was neck and neck with The Late Scholar. And Christie is a perennial favorite!

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    1. I think I've added your entire list to my TBR! The Late Scholar especially seems interesting. Murder on the Homefront is really good and just fascinating.

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  7. Okay, I haven't read any of your picks. And only heard of one of them. But it seems like you have a really interesting list. Some unique sounding books there. :D
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. I've really enjoyed these books and definitely seem to have gotten my hand on some unusual books!

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  8. The only one of these I've read is And There There Were None... loved it! Delancey is on my wish list and several other look great, too.

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    1. And Then There Were None is a great book! Every time I read it I notice more details. I loved Delancey too. It's very different from her first book but I think I actually liked it better I think.

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  9. Interesting list! I enjoyed AND THEN THERE WERE NONE when I read it a couple years ago. Also, your #1 looks really interesting. I'm going to have to check it out.

    Susan
    www.blogginboutbooks.com

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    1. I loved Tastemakers! It was one of those books you keep reading aloud to people whether they like it or not.

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  10. And Then There Were None is my favorite Christie novel of all time, and The Man In the Brown Suit is in my top five.

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    1. I always forget how amazing And Then There Were None is until I reread it. I think The Man in the Brown Suit is seriously underrated. It's such a great story but I think it was one of the last ones of hers I ever read.

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  11. It's funny how sometimes books that you didn't necessarily love end up being books that stay with you. I will definitely have to pick up Louisa Catherine - I know it's something my mom would enjoy.

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