Top Ten Tuesday – Top 10 Authors Dads Will Love to Read

top ten tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Father’s Day related Freebie.  This week’s topic was surprisingly hard for me. I thought about doing Top 10 Dads in Literature then couldn’t think of more than about 2 or 3, so I scrapped that idea.  I decided to go with Top 10 Authors Dads Will Love to Read and my selections are based on me picking my husband’s brain since my own dad is not a big reader.  My husband’s tastes run along the lines of action, suspense, mystery, intrigue, and he also really loves political dramas and any stories where you’re following clues to investigate.  He was a huge Hardy Boys fan growing up so I think of most of these authors and their books as the grown up equivalent of the Hardy Boys.

 

Top 10 Authors Dads Will Love to Read

 

1. TOM CLANCY – Jack Ryan series

 

     
 

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2. LEE CHILD  – Jack Reacher series

 

     
 

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3. VINCE FLYNN – Mitch Rapp series

 

      
 

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4. DANIEL SILVA – Gabriel Allon series

 

     
 

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5. DAN BROWN – Robert Langdon series

 

      
 

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6. JOHN GRISHAM 

 

      
 

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 7. NELSON DEMILLE – John Corey series

 

     
 

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8. HARLAN COBEN 

 

     
 

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9. JOHN CONNOLLY – Charlie Parker series

 

     
 

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10. DAVID MCCULLOGH – Nonfiction/Historical

 

     
 

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Question:  What authors do you consider must-reads for dads?

My Top 10 Most Anticipated Books for the Second Half of 2017

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For The Second Half of 2017.  Okay, for the most part, this was an easy list to make because there are so many fantastic sounding books coming out during the last half of 2017.  The hardest part for me was actually narrowing down to just a top 10 list because there are literally dozens of upcoming releases that I need in my life!   As of today anyway, these are the ten I’m most looking forward to reading.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books for the Second Half of 2017

 

1. EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker

(Publication Date:  August 8, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis: From the bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten comes a thriller about two missing sisters, a twisted family, and what happens when one girl comes back…

One night five years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister’s return might just be the beginning of the crime.  (Read more…)

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2. THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee

(Publication Date:  June 27, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis: An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way.

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.  But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, romantic, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a sumptuous romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.   (Read more…)

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3. HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA by Kerri Maniscalco 

(Publication Date:  September 19, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  In this hotly anticipated sequel to the haunting #1 bestseller Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer…or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper’s true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe’s best schools of forensic medicine…and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life’s dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school’s forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.  (Read more…)

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4. THE LIBRARY OF FATES by Aditi Khorana

(Publication Date:  July 18, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  A romantic coming-of-age fantasy tale steeped in Indian folklore, perfect for fans of The Star-Touched Queen and The Wrath and the Dawn

No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything—family, her childhood love, and her freedom—to save her people. But her offer isn’t enough.

The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them.

Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life—and another love—await? (Read more…)

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5. DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone

(Publication Date:  October 17, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  Justyce McAllister is top of his class, captain of the debate team, and set for the Ivy League next year—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. He is eventually released without charges (or an apology), but the incident has Justyce spooked. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood, he can’t seem to escape the scorn of his former peers or the attitude of his prep school classmates. The only exception: Sarah Jane, Justyce’s gorgeous—and white—debate partner he wishes he didn’t have a thing for.

Struggling to cope with it all, Justyce starts a journal to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But do Dr. King’s teachings hold up in the modern world? Justyce isn’t so sure.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up. Way up. Much to the fury of the white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. And Justyce and Manny get caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack. The truth of what happened that night—some would kill to know. Justyce is dying to forget.  (Read more…)

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6. EVER THE BRAVE by Erin Summerill

(Publication Date:  December 5, 2017)

Goodsreads Synopsis:   Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she’d like to, and now he’s insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.

The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart. (Read more…)

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 7. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng

(Publication Date:  September 12, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.  (Read more…)

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8. WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo

(Publication Date:  August 29, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:    The highly anticipated coming-of-age story for the world’s greatest super hero: WONDER WOMAN by the # 1 New York Times bestselling author LEIGH BARDUGO.

She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.

Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.  (Read more…)

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9. ORIGIN by Dan Brown

(Publication Date:  October 3, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  In keeping with his trademark style, Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Inferno, interweaves codes, science, religion, history, art, and architecture into this new novel. Origin thrusts Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon into the dangerous intersection of humankind’s two most enduring questions, and the earthshaking discovery that will answer them.  (Read more…)

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10. LITTLE & LION by Brandy Colbert

(Publication Date:  August 8, 2017)

Goodreads Synopsis:  A stunning novel on love, loss, identity, and redemption, from Publishers Weekly Flying Start author Brandy Colbert

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.

But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel’s disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself–or worse. (Read more…)

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Question:  What are your most anticipated reads for the second half of 2017?

Top 10 Books to Put in Your Beach Bag

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Summer Reads Freebie: “In preparation for Memorial Day (which is always the unofficial summer kickoff for me), let’s rec some summer/beach reads: books to go in your beach bag, best books set in summer, books with summer-y covers, best beach reads for people who don’t enjoy contemporary/realistic reads, best beach reads for fans of X genre, etc. etc.”

Even though I’m not generally a huge fan of romance or chick lit, I do tend to switch up my reading once it’s time to hit the beach.  Here are some wonderful books that I wouldn’t hesitate to toss in my beach bag to guarantee a great reading day out in the sand and sun.

Top Ten Books to Put in Your Beach Bag

 

1. THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares

Goodreads Synopsis: Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they’re great. She’d love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . the next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants — and the most memorable summer of their lives — begins.  (Read more…)

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2. SWIMMING LESSONS by Claire Fuller

Goodreads Synopsis: Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband, Gil, about the truth of their marriage, but instead of giving them to him, she hides them in the thousands of books he has collected over the years. When Ingrid has written her final letter she disappears from a Dorset beach, leaving behind her beautiful but dilapidated house by the sea, her husband, and her two daughters, Flora and Nan.

Twelve years later, Gil thinks he sees Ingrid from a bookshop window, but he’s getting older and this unlikely sighting is chalked up to senility. Flora, who has never believed her mother drowned, returns home to care for her father and to try to finally discover what happened to Ingrid. But what Flora doesn’t realize is that the answers to her questions are hidden in the books that surround her. Scandalous and whip-smart, Swimming Lessons holds the Coleman family up to the light, exposing the mysterious truths of a passionate and troubled marriage.   (Read more…)

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3. HOW TO MAKE A WISH by Ashley Herring Blake 

Goodreads Synopsis:  All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn’t have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s father.

Her attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace’s mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on.  (Read more…)

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4. SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume

Goodreads Synopsis:   In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changed forever—-when Caitlin Somers chose her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomed Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, a magical, wind-blown island where two friends became summer sisters…

Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin has begged Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—for the friend whose casual betrayals she remembers all too well. Because Vix wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart… (Read more…)

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5. LOCK AND KEY by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Synopsis:  Ruby, where is your mother? Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she’s been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That’s how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn’t seen in ten years, and Cora’s husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it’s a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.  (Read more…)

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6. HERE’S TO US by Erin Hilderbrand

Goodsreads Synopsis:   Three romantic rivals. One crowded house. Plenty of room for jealousy.

Laurel Thorpe, Belinda Rowe, and Scarlett Oliver share only two things; a love for the man they all married, Deacon Thorpe–a celebrity chef with an insatiable appetite for life–and a passionate dislike of one another. All three are remarkable, spirited women, but they couldn’t be more different. Laurel: Deacon’s high school sweetheart and an effortlessly beautiful social worker; Belinda: a high-maintenance Hollywood diva; and Scarlett: a sexy southern belle floating by on her family money and her fabulous looks. They’ve established a delicate understanding over the years–they avoid each other at all costs.

But their fragile detente threatens to come crashing down after Deacon’s tragic death on his favorite place on earth: a ramshackle Nantucket summer cottage. Deacon’s final wish was for his makeshift family to assemble on his beloved Nantucket to say good-bye. Begrudgingly, Laurel, Belinda, and Scarlett gather on the island as once again, as in each of their marriages, they’re left to pick up Deacon’s mess. Now they’re trapped in the crowded cottage where they all made their own memories–a house that they now share in more ways than one–along with the children they raised with Deacon, and his best friend. Laurel, Belinda, and Scarlett each had an unbreakable bond with Deacon–and they all have secrets to hide.

Before the weekend is over, there are enough accusations, lies, tears, and drama to turn even the best of friends–let alone three women who married the same man–into adversaries. As his unlikely family says good-bye to the man who brought them together–for better or worse–will they be able to put aside their differences long enough to raise a glass in Deacon’s honor? (Read more…)

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 7. BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty

Goodreads Synopsis:  Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.  (Read more…)

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8. FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah

Goodreads Synopsis:    From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . .

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all—beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship—jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone’s Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it’s the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It’s about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you—and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you’ll never forget . . . one you’ll want to pass on to your best friend.  (Read more…)

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9. HOME FRONT by Kristin Hannah

Goodreads Synopsis:   All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life–children, careers, bills, chores–even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a soldier she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own–for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.  (Read more…)

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10. SUMMERLAND by Erin Hilderbrand

Goodreads Synopsis:  It’s June 15th, the night of Nantucket High School graduation. Four juniors are driving home from a party when something goes horribly wrong and there is a crash. The driver of the car, Penny Alistair, is killed, and her twin brother, Hobby Alistair, is left in a coma. Penny’s boyfriend, Jake Randolph, and Penny’s friend Demeter Castle are unhurt–but suffer tremendous emotional damage. Jake and his family move to the other side of the globe–to the west coast of Australia–in order to escape the horrors of the accident. Demeter falls prey to alcohol abuse and other self-destructive behaviors that nearly lead to her destroying her own life.

SUMMERLAND delves into the circumstances surrounding this accident, the roots of which lie deep in the past, with the first interactions between these four friends and their parents. It’s a novel about how tragedy affects individuals, families, and the island community as a whole, and how healing can happen, in even the most devastating circumstances.  (Read more…)

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Question:  What are some of your all time favorite beach reads?

Top Ten Tuesday: My Top 10 Favorite Book Moms

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Mother’s Day related Freebie: favorite moms in literature, books about motherhood, best mother/daughter or son relationships, books to buy your mom, worst moms in literature, etc.”

My list might come across as a little weird because while yes I love badass moms who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their children safe and happy like the ladies from Harry Potter, Marmee from Little Women, Lena Younger from A Raisin in the Sun, and Momma Carter from The Hate U Give, I’m also attracted to those problematic moms you love to hate like Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice and Cersei Lannister from A Song of Fire and Ice series.  I think Bernadette Fox from Where’d You Go, Bernadette? probably falls in the middle of the spectrum. She’s kind of a hot mess, but at the same time, she is a refreshingly honest character. Anyway, so I’d say my list of favorite moms is basically a list of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My Top Ten Favorite Book Moms

 

1, 2, 3.  MOLLY WEASLEY, NYMPHADORA TONKS, & LILY POTTER from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

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4. MA from Room by Emma Donoghue

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5.  MARMEE MARCH from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

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6. LENA YOUNGER from A Raisin in the Sun

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7. MRS. BENNETT from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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8. MOMMA CARTER from The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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9. BERNADETTE FOX from Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

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10. CERSEI LANNISTER from the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin

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Question:  Who are some of your favorite moms from books?  Do we share any favorites?

My Reading Wishlist – Ten Things I Really Want to See More of in Books

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Ten Things On Our Reading Wishlist  (things you want to see more of in books — tropes, a time period, a specific type of character, an issue tackled, a certain plot, etc. All those things that make you think I WANT MORE OF THIS IN BOOKS!). This was a tough topic for me because pretty much any book I read and enjoy, I want more just like it.  After giving it some thought though, I finally narrowed my reading wishlist down to these ten items.  

Ten Things I Really Want to see More of in Books

 

1. BOOKS THAT FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIP – I’m all about bromances and sisterhoods, so bring on the friendship novels!

2. STANDALONE BOOKS – I love a good series as much as the next person, but I have so many half-finished series sitting in my TBR right now that I’d love an influx of standalone novels so that it’s just one book and done.

3.  BOOKS THAT FOCUS ON FAMILIES AND WHAT THEY GO THROUGH – I’d love more of these stories because they’re almost always relatable and compelling.

4. BOOKS SET OUTSIDE THE U.S. – As much as I adore books set in my favorite city,  NYC, I also love books that take me to places I’ve never been to before so I’d love to see more books set outside the U.S. If I had to make a wishlist of specific countries I’d love to see more of in my books, I’d pick Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland, India, and China.

5.  BOOKS THAT FEATURE MORALLY AMBIGUOUS MAIN CHARACTERS OR ANTI-HEROES –  Aren’t these just some of the most fascinating characters to follow through a story?

 6. LESS LOVE TRIANGLES – Enough said.

7. REALISTIC ROMANCES – I’d love to see more romances that mirror relationships you see in everyday life.

8. RETELLINGS THAT ARE BASED ON LESSER KNOWN FAIRYTALES AND FOLKLORE – One of the best books I’ve read in the last few months is The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, which is based on Russian folklore. The folklore was totally new to me and it just made for such a unique and beautiful read. I’d love to read more books like this one.

9. BOOKS WITH BADASS FEMALE CHARACTERS WHO DON’T NEED TO BE SAVED OR ROMANCED – Actually how about badass female characters who save men in distress?

10.  BOOKS WHERE THE PROTAGONISTS ARE ARTISTS – I read several great books this past year where the main characters were either painters, writers, musicians, or actors and I just love that added layer of creativity that threads its way through the storyline.

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Question:  What are some of your biggest reading wishlist items? Do we have any in common?

Drift Away: My Top Ten Favorite Water-Themed Book Covers

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Cover Theme Freebie: “literally anyyyything about covers….top ten covers that scream Spring, ten books with ice cream on the cover, ten books with blue covers, etc.”  I decided to go with covers that feature water imagery. I don’t know what it is about covers with water on them, maybe it’s because I grew up with a waterfront view and so they remind me of home or maybe it’s just all of those vibrant blue and green hues, but whatever the reason, I’m always drawn to them.  Below are some of my favorites – some are simply beautiful and serene, some are more surreal, and some are even just plain creepy, but I find them all equally enchanting.

My Top Ten Favorite Water-Themed Book Covers

 

1. LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel

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2. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman

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3.  ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr

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4. SALT TO THE SEA by Ruth Septys

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5. THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain

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6. BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter

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7. DREAMLAND by Sarah Dessen

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8. FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP by Sarah Glenn Marsh

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9. SHE’S COME UNDONE by Wally Lamb

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10. BEACH MUSIC by Pat Conroy

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Question:  Are you attracted to covers that feature water imagery?  What are some of your favorites?

Top Ten Tuesday – My Top 10 Biggest Book Turn Offs

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly NOT Want To Read A Book.  I actually struggled with this topic because there aren’t too many things that will guarantee I won’t even attempt to read a book.  There are a few though so here’s my list.  

My Top Ten Biggest Book Turn Offs

 

1. CHILD ABUSE – I just can’t bring myself to read a book if I know in advance that a child will be abused.

2. ANIMAL CRUELTY – Same thing here. If I’ve heard there is animal cruelty, I’m going to pass.  I just finished reading The Female of the Species this past weekend and I wish I had known up front about the scene with the puppies so that I could have skipped over it.  Thankfully it was a small scene and it wasn’t graphic, but it still broke my heart.

3.  HORROR – I don’t do horror. At all.  Not movies or TV shows and especially not books. I enjoy a good mystery or psychological thriller, but no thanks to all of the super scary and gory stuff.  I read as an escape and being terrified is not an escape for me.

4. BIOGRAPHIES – Sometimes I’ll make an exception, but typically biographies not for me because I find them such a dry read.  I do enjoy autobiographies though because I do like hearing about someone’s life in their own words.

5.  WOMAN NEEDS A LOVE INTEREST TO FEEL COMPLETE –  I don’t know if this is classified as Chick Lit or  if it’s something else altogether, but the turn off for me are those books where the main character is so obsessed with either the man she is involved with or she’s focused on nothing but finding her next big romance.  Life is just horribly incomplete because she’s not involved with someone romantically.  Or maybe she even starts out as a strong, independent female character but then she suddenly turns into a puddle of goo because she thinks she has met Mr. Right.  Those kinds of stories just drive me crazy.

 6. GRATUITOUS, GRAPHIC SEX – I’m not a prude by any means and don’t mind the occasional sex scene in books that I’m reading, but I find it a turn off if every few chapters my characters are going at it like bunnies, especially if it adds nothing to the plot and is actually in the way of the plot advancing.

7. LOVE TRIANGLES – Sometimes I’ll make an exception if there’s an unusual twist when it comes to the love triangle, but for the most part, I just find these so cliche and unrealistic.

 8. TOO MUCH DESCRIPTION / TOO LITTLE ACTION – Although I do love gorgeous descriptions in novels, I know that if a novel is more description than it is action, I’m going to end up bored.  I recently experienced this with The Bone Witch, which I found to be filled with endless beautiful descriptions of the clothing the witches wore, but felt like the book was predominantly description and that not much of anything actually happened.

9. MAIN CHARACTER IS TOO PERFECT – I like characters that are messy and flawed and who make mistakes. If they’re too perfect, I just can’t relate to them and so lose interest.

10.  UGLY  COVERS – I feel horrible for even putting this one on here, but just as I have been known to want to read a book simply because it happens to have a gorgeous cover, I confess that I have also been known to shun a book altogether if it has what I consider to be hideous cover.  I know, I know! I shouldn’t be judging books by their covers.  *goes and sits in the corner*

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Question:  What are some of your biggest book turn offs? Do we have any in common?

Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want To Read a Book.  This was a pretty easy topic for me this week because there are some key things that if I read them in a book’s blurb, that book is totally going on my TBR no matter what.  I’m definitely a sucker for certain settings and for certain time periods, but there are also certain topics that are guaranteed to attract my interest.  And if more than one of these can be found in the same book, hold me back because that baby is going straight to the top of my TBR pile! 

Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book

 

BOOKS THAT ARE SET IN MY FAVORITE CITIES & COUNTRIES

My favorite places in the world are New York City, Paris, and Italy. These settings are pure magic for me, each in their own way, so I’m drawn like a moth to a flame to pretty much any books set in these locations.  Doesn’t matter if they’re contemporary stories or historical fiction, it’s all about location, location, location for me.

1. NEW YORK CITY

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2. PARIS, FRANCE

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3.  ITALY

BOOKS THAT ARE SET IN CERTAIN TIME PERIODS

Another huge draw for me are books that fall within certain time periods.  If a book is set during World War II, I’m definitely going to read it and same goes for books set during the Jazz Age and during the 1960’s.  As you can imagine, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale became a must-read for me as soon as I heard that it was set in Paris during World War II.

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4. THE 1920’S

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5.  WORLD WAR II ERA

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6. THE 1960’S

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BOOKS THAT FOCUS ON CERTAIN TOPICS

 

7. FAIRYTALE RETELLINGS

Fairytale retellings are a fairly new interest for me, but I have to say that they have become quite an obsession because they’re always such fun and creative reads. I love the idea of putting a unique spin on a familiar tale.

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8. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Some of my favorite books are those that deal with families and their day-to-day lives. I love books that explore the parent-child bond, sibling rivalries – basically, you name it, I’m interested if it relates to family.

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9. MENTAL ILLNESS

When I was in college, I double major in English Lit and Psychology, so I think books that explore mental illness appeal to that part of my personality.  I like that there are more and more books that focus on mental illness, seeking to educate people on a more personal level that is so much more accessible than a dry psychology textbook could ever hope to be.

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10. INTROVERTS

As an introvert, it’s a guarantee that I will read ANY book that has a main character who is considered an introvert.  Those are the literary characters that I relate to most in the world so there’s no way I’m passing up a book where I know the character will be totally relatable.

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Question:  What are some things that will instantly make you want to read a book? Do we have any in common?

Top Ten Unique Books I’ve Read

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Of The Most Unique Books I’ve Read (with some possible variations: top ten unique sounding books on my TBR, top ten most unique books I’ve read in X genre, etc.) I do love a unique read, one that when you try to describe it to someone you’re almost at a loss for words because it’s so unlike anything else you’ve ever read.  Unique narrators always tend to stick with me, so many of my selections this week made the list because they have unique voices telling the story.

Top Ten Unique Books I’ve Read

 

1. THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern

The Night Circus makes my list because I truly can’t recall reading anything like it before.  Not to be corny or cliche, but it’s truly magical.  The whole story just envelopes you in its atmosphere of smoke and mirrors and mystery and illusion.  Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.  (Goodreads Synopsis…) 

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2. THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale makes my list of unique reads because of its focus on Russian folklore.  Like The Night Circus, I can’t ever recall reading anything quite like this book.  So far it’s my favorite 2017 release.  (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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3.  WICKED:  THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST by Gregory Macguire

I have to confess that I didn’t particularly enjoy this book.  I guess nothing can compare to the Broadway musical, but the book was just a letdown for me overall. So why am I including it on this list?  Because disappointment or not, it’s still one of the more unique books that I’ve read in that it turns the original Wizard of Oz story on its head and instead focuses on the story from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West.  I haven’t seen many retellings that focus on such an unexpected character and especially the villain of the original tale.  (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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4. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is such an incredible read, probably one of my favorites.  What gives it a slot on this list is its unique point of view. It’s not often that I read a book where Death is the narrator.  (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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5. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Greg Haddon

The Curious Incdient of the Dog in the Night-Time is another beautifully written book that makes my list because of its unique narrator.  In this case, the narrator has Asperger’s Syndrome.  As the Goodreads synopsis states, however, “Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.  Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket.”  Seeing the world through Christopher’s eye and following him as he tries to solve a mystery definitely makes for a supremely unique read.  (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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6. CINDER by Marissa Meyer

(Goodreads Synopsis…)

 I gush about this book all the time because it’s just so fabulous and it makes my list this week by virtue of being the most unique fairytale retelling I’ve come across, to date.  I mean, seriously…Cinderella as a Cyborg?! Enough said!

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7. THE MAGIC STRINGS OF FRANKIE PRESTO by Mitch Albom

I had mixed feelings about this book when I first started reading it, but it makes the Top Ten list this week because it’s another story that has a unique point of view.  The story is about Frankie Presto, the greatest guitar player who ever lived, and we learn about Frankie’s life and his musical gift from the narrator, who in this case happens to be Music personified.  It took me a while to buy into that, but once I was on board with it, it was a lovely read.  (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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8. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

Although The Hunger Games has inspired its fair share of dystopian stories, the world building (both with the districts and with the terrain in the arena), the contests where teens fight to the death, the costumes, and so much more make The Hunger Games stand out for me as the most unique of the dystopian reads. (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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9. STALKING JACK THE RIPPER by Kerri Maniscalco

I’m actually reading this right now and am fascinated by how unique the premise of the story is, which is why it made my list this week.  The story is set in 19th Century London and the protagonist is a young woman, who is way ahead of her time. She has a keen interest in forensic science and spends much of her time sneaking off to apprentice with her uncle, where she helps perform autopsies.  When Jack the Ripper goes on his murderous rampage, she takes it upon herself to try to track him down and bring him to justice.   (Goodreads Synopsis…)

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10. READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

(Goodreads Synopsis…)

Ready Player One makes my list because of its unique setting. It’s 2044 and basically everyone is doing most of their living inside of a video game.

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Question:  What are some of your most unique reads? Do we have any in common?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Fandoms I Belong To

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Fandom Freebie — top ten fandoms I’m in, 10 reasons X fandom is the best, must have merchandise for x fandom, etc. I’m taking Freebie literally here and am branching out from books since most of my fandoms are in TV and music.  I don’t think we used the word fandom to describe things we were passionate about when I was growing up, but whatever we called it, I’ve definitely done my fair share of fangirling over the years.  Here are some of my favorites…

Top Ten Fandoms I Belong To

1. STAR WARS

I think this was my first fandom love.  I fell in love with Star Wars back in the 1970s and early 1980s when the original trilogy films were released in theaters. I just couldn’t get enough of these characters. Chewy and Yoda were always my favorites, but I was also a diehard Han/Leia shipper and a huge Carrie Fisher fan.  I’m still devastated that we lost her last year :(.

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2. CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

The CSI fandom is probably the one I’ve been most active in online.  I never wrote fanfiction or anything like that, but I definitely remember reading my fair share of it and shipping quite a few different pairings on the show over the years.  I didn’t particularly care for any of the spin off shows though; I was Las Vegas all the way!

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3. HARRY POTTER

Is there anyone who doesn’t love this fandom?  Doesn’t matter if it’s the books or the films, I will fangirl Harry Potter all day long.  I never get tired of talking about it!

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4. THE 100

The 100 is a relatively new fandom for me. I haven’t read the books, but last year I binge watched all of the season on Netflix and became pretty obsessed with the show.  I’m mainly obsessed with it because it’s always an adrenaline rush, but I also do have a pairing that I ship, Kane and Abby (or Kabby as the cool kids call it).

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5. ONCE UPON A TIME

I was so enamored with the show during its first few seasons. Just like I love fairy tale retellings in the book world, I loved the new twists that this show was giving to classic fairy tales. I’m a little less passionate about it these days though because they killed off one of my favorite characters, Robin Hood.

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6. GILMORE GIRLS

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this several times on my blog since Rory is such a huge bookworm, but I adore Gilmore Girls. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve binge watched the series on Netflix and I loved the revival series that came out late last year and am hoping for even more from the Gilmores in the future.

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7. ALL THINGS DISNEY

Let’s just say I’ve never met a Disney movie or a Disney character that I didn’t love and leave it at that.  This one is a lifelong fandom. I’m just as passionate about Disney now as I was when I was a small child.

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8. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

I’ve had a mad crush on Bruce Springsteen since I was about 13 when Born in the U.S.A. came out.  He’s talented as hell, puts on an incredible show, and I also love that he’s not afraid to speak his mind on any subject that he feels passionately about.

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9. BON JOVI

I loved them when they were a big 80’s hair band and I still love them today.  Like Springsteen, they put on such an incredibly entertaining show and let’s face it, Jon Bon Jovi has always been easy on the eyes.  He’s even hotter today than he was back in the 80s too.

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10. BOOK FANDOM!

So yeah, we’re a fandom too, right?  I couldn’t narrow my love of books down to any particular fandom, so I’m just going to say I fangirl over ALL the books and love ALL of my fellow book bloggers.

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Question:  So there’s my 10.  What fandoms do you belong to? Do we have any in common?