Top Ten Tuesday – Book Series I Wish Had Existed When I was a Kid
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 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is actually Books I Wish I Had Read As a Child. I tweaked it a bit because I honestly couldn’t think of many titles that I wish I had read as a child but didn’t get around to. What I decided to share today instead are book series I wish had been around when I was growing up. I know I’m totally dating myself with this list, but none of these gems had been written yet when I was a child. The oldest on my list is the Magic Tree House series and I was already in college when that was first published. Now that’s not to say I didn’t have many fabulous series to choose from when I was younger – The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, etc., but man, so many great series have come out since I started adulting. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to read them with my son, but I really wish I had had the opportunity to read them for the first time when I was his age.
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Book Series I Wish Had Existed When I was a Kid
(in no particular order)
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS by Rick Riordan
THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON by Cressida Cowell
HIS DARK MATERIALS by Philip Pullman
THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES by Suzanne Collins
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS by Lemony Snicket
THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE by Mary Pope Osborne
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Do you have any series you wish had been around when you were growing up?
Review: FEELS LIKE FALLING by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey Also by this author: Under the Southern Sky, The Wedding Veil
Published by Gallery Books on April 28, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction
Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Kristy Woodson Harvey is fast becoming one of my favorite authors when I’m in the mood for heartwarming stories filled with lovable characters. For those who haven’t read it, I highly recommend her Peachtree Bluff series, which is wonderful, and I’m happy to report that her new novel, Feels Like Falling, is equally delightful, perhaps even more so.
I was drawn to the protagonists in Feels Like Falling right away. Gray Howard is going through a messy and seemingly never ending divorce where her ex-husband, even though he cheated on her, is still trying to take half of the company she has built from the ground up as part of the divorce settlement. Gray refuses to cave so they’re basically at a stand-off, with their 8-year-old son, Wagner, caught in the middle. Our second protagonist, Diana Harrington, is also going through a messy breakup and, because her deadbeat of an ex gambled away all her money, is also currently living in her car. When the two women cross paths and Gray accidentally gets Diana fired from her job, they have no idea that their lives are about to become intertwined in ways they never could have anticipated from that first meeting.
Both Diana and Gray are smart and resourceful women who are going through a rough patch and who are used to being completely independent. What they start to learn the better they get to know each other, however, is that it’s okay to lean on others sometimes. You don’t always have to go it alone. The friendship and the sense of sisterhood that grew between Diana and Gray throughout the book kept a smile on my face the entire time I was reading.
I also adored the secondary characters that made up the rest of Gray’s found family. Her best friend Marcy and her gem of an assistant, Trey, really rounded out Gray’s support system and I loved that they pulled Diana in with warm and welcoming arms as well. The banter between this foursome had me chuckling to myself every time they appeared on the page together.
There are also some weightier topics in Feels Like Falling. There are some real family issues with sisters who have gone off the rails, mother-daughter issues, plus those dramatic breakups I already touched on. Harvey gives a very realistic portrait of just how messy and complicated life can be sometimes, which makes that support group of Gray’s (and now Diana’s as well) all the more important.
For those who love a bit of romance, Feels Like Falling has that too. There’s a fun summer fling that’s maybe more than a fling, and there’s also my favorite romance trope, a second chance romance. Both romances are very well written and felt completely authentic, and yes, I was rooting for them both to work out. 😊
Feels Like Falling is a fun read that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face, but it’s also a story that is filled with heart and with so many important themes and life lessons. I found it a very satisfying read on so many levels and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming story about friendship and love.
About Kristy Woodson Harvey
Kristy Woodson Harvey is the bestselling author of DEAR CAROLINA, LIES AND OTHER ACTS OF LOVE, SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF SIMPLE, THE SECRET TO SOUTHERN CHARM and THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF PARADISE. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing, a finalist for the Southern Book Prize, her work has been optioned for film and her books have received numerous accolades including:
Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads
Southern Living’s Best Spring Break Reads
Southern Independent Bookseller Association’s Okra Pick
Parade’s Big Fiction Reads Every Book Club Will Love
Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks
Us Weekly’s Sweet Reads for Right Now
Woman’s WorldBest Books
PopSugar’s Ultimate Summer Reading
USA Today Happy Ever After’s Best Women’s Fiction
New York Live’s “Ashley’s A-List”
Deep South Magazine’s Summer Reading List
Raleigh News & Observer‘s “The Best Reads of Summer”
Charlotte Observer’s “Summer’s Best Books”
Bustle’s Books to Read and Discuss With Your Mom and Grandma
Huffington Post’s Summer Reading: Women’s Fiction Style
She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life. Design Chic is the inaugural member of the design blogger hall of fame, sponsored by Traditional Home, and winner of Amara’s Best Luxury Blog, as chosen by Roberto Cavalli. She also loves connecting with readers on kristywoodsonharvey.com.
Harvey is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism and holds a master’s in English from East Carolina University, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Southern Living, Traditional Home, Parade, USA Today, Domino, Our State and O. Henry. She has been seen in Today.com, Women’s Health,The Washington Post, US News and World Report, The Huffington Post,Marie Claire’s The Fix, Woman’s World, Readers’ Digest, Bustle, New York Live and North Carolina Bookwatch, among others.
She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy Writers, serves on the board of Beaufort Historical Association, and is a member of the University of North Carolina’s Women’s Leadership Council. She is a frequent speaker at fundraisers, book conferences and private events. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and son where she is working on her next novel.
Top Ten Tuesday – Book Titles That Would Make Great Band Names
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 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is Titles That Would Make Good Band Names. I thought this was a fun topic and what surprised me as I was looking at the titles on my shelves was just how well so many titles would work as names for bands. My only struggle was just picking 10! Fantasy titles seem to work especially well, in my head anyway, lol. I’m imagining the titles I’ve chosen as either head-banging 80’s hair bands or something a little more modern, like alternative bands.
My son looked at me strangely when I added Turtles All the Way Down to my list, but I say if Bowling For Soup, the Barenaked Ladies, and Toad the Wet Sprocket can be band names, why not Turtles All the Way Down?
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Book Titles That Would Make Great Band Names
(in no particular order)
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