Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday - All Time Faves

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Top Ten All Time Faxes in "x" genre.   Back in the early days of the internet there was a romance review website and they had a special ranking that they called "Desert Island Keepers" as in if you were on a Desert Island these would be the books you'd bring with you.  These are my Desert Island books in a few different genres!

Middle Grade -

Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright - If I could design a book for myself this would pretty much be it.  There's adventure, a little bit of mystery and tons of abandoned houses to explore.  The only thing I regret is that I didn't discover this one as a child though I did love another book by Enright - Four Story Mistake - which is part of her Melendy series.

Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery - Don't get me wrong - I love Anne and adore Gilbert but this book which focuses on their youngest daughter during World War 1 is an amazing book and one that could stand up to countless rereads (trust me!  I've done it).

Agatha Christie

Of course Agatha gets her own category!  

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie - This is probably my favorite Agatha Christie and it is Miss Marple at her best.  It's kind of funny to read in chronological order by publication date because while this was published around the time of her death she actually wrote it during World War II.  There are several characters who come back to life and Miss Marple has a rapid increase in strength and independence!  

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - Granted this might not be the best book to have along with me on an island as it doesn't go so well for the characters in the book but there are so many little details that it's almost a new book every time I read it.  Plus, it's just a super entertaining read!


Mysteries

The Case of William Smith by Patricia Wentworth - Patricia Wentworth takes 2nd to only Agatha Christie as my favorite mystery author and this is probably my favorite.  I just loved all the characters so much and thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwall - This one still gives me shivers when I think about it.  It's the creepy story of an author and her stalker and it made me never ever feel comfortable if my the airline lost my bag.  It also made me want to check my car for scratches regularly and practice with a firearm so I'd be able to use it if I need to defend myself.  It did not help me sleep!

Romance

Three Fates by Nora Roberts - I love Roberts' ensemble cast books and this is a fantastic one.  There's an Irish guy, an uptight woman who is figuring out who she really is, statues, a bit of a historical mystery, and a touch of paranormal.  Oh and some really awful villains!  

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas - I"m generally not a bad guy redeemed book person but Sebastian is so much the exception.  I love him, I love Evie and I love their relationship.  Plus, very few historical romances take place in a Gambling Hall which makes for some great reading!


Nonfiction

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom - Oh this book.  I resisted reading it because the copy a friend lent me was a Christian press and I worried that it would be preachy but it so wasn't.  It's so amazing and tragic and is absolutely everything that is good and right in the world against the worst of human nature.  It's stayed with me more than any other book I've read.

The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry by Kathleen Finn - I've read 2 of her books and adored them both.  This made me never ever want to take classes at the Cordon Bleu but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this book and really need to read more from her.


So what are some of your all time favorites?



21 comments:

  1. I have only read And Then There Were None - which I need to reread because it has been so long. I need to check out some of these others now. Great list!!

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  2. Thank you for reminding me about The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry... it has been on my to read list for way too long! Just looked at the audio version and see that Cassandra Campbell is the narrator. She is a favorite, so I added it to my audio list, too.

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  3. Oh, The Hiding Place is on Scribd so I can see me checking that out soon!

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  4. I'm currently listening to And Then There Were None. You're right there are so many details I could read it three more times and pick up something new each time. Although, I think I'd get a bit paranoid if I had that on a deserted island. Great list!

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  5. Oh gosh I don't even know if I can remember what books I loved before I found GoodReads! I remember reading Black Beauty over and over again and I was a big fan of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I found some seriously great books just from picking up random ones at the library. Great topic choice!!

    My TTT

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  6. I totally understand what you mean about Sebastian in Devil in Winter. I'm not really all into redeemed heroes either, but St. Vincent is special. I think Kleypas has a special way with redeemed heroes, don't you?

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  7. I'm totally with you on Rilla and Dame Agatha. And I had the exact same reaction to The Hiding Place - a little leary, but then I just loved it. I was kind of surprised that it isn't more well known along with Anne Frank's Diary. They seem like they should always be talked about together.

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  8. Gone Away Lake sounds nice and does sound like a great book to read in childhood. I always liked stories about exploring as a kid and abandoned houses with a mystery would be fun. The Case of William Smith looks nice that cover sets a certain tone, and The Hiding Place sounds great!

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  9. I remember talking about books we'd take to a desert isle! I've read half the books you listed - both the Christie's of course, Three Fates (good one), The Hiding Place (as a teenager, so compelling) and the Cornwell book. Liked all of them. I'm not sure I've ever read a Wentworth book. Guess I should, huh?

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  10. I loved Rilla, too! I love the Melendy books as well, but have yet to read Lake.

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  11. Oh... desert island books - that would be a hard one. Would there be internet access cos I could take my iPad?! :-) #joking

    Love that you've got some Agatha Christies there.

    I've joined this linkup for the first time today!

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  12. Definitely adding "The Sharper Your Knife...". I enjoyed one of her previous books. She can write! I also loved Devil in Winter for all the reasons you mentioned :)

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  13. Not read any of those! I really need to try Agatha and since I have one of your favorite dessert reads of hers I should try it...lol. (I have And Then There Was One on my kindle) :)

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  14. I would take The Mists Of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley to a desert island. It is Arturian legend from the female characters' POVs. It's pretty long at 876 pages and, like you said about And Then There Were None, it is so detailed that every time you read it you can pick up something new. I still want to read the Melendy series. I keep forgetting about it. :)

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  15. I love that Agatha Christie gets her own category, she is my all-time favorite author!

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  16. I hear you about Patricia Cornwell-- she used to be my favorite author during the span of her first maybe 4 books. I lent them to my mother and got her hooked on her. But after all these years, I wish she would put Scarpetta to bed and move on to another series already :( I haven't read her in years.

    Gone Away Lake sounds like such a good story, but I don't read MG so I'll pass the recommendation on to my grandkids. Thanks for a fun list-- I always love your TTT!

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  17. My two favorite Christie books are And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express. I also loved Three Fates!

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  18. Agatha Christie definitely deserves her own category. :-) The Hiding Place is such a good book! Great list, Katherine!

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  19. I've really got to read Kleypas. I keep buying them but then they sit on the shelf and taunt me. lol

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  20. I have only read one of these! I do love Kleypas but I need to check out the other books that made your list. Great post!

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  21. Oh, I love the idea of a Desert Island Books! I haven't read most of these but I do agree with Lovely Bones and your nonfiction which I have read.

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