Tag Archive for: ttt

Top Ten Tuesday – Ten Series I’d Like to Start, Catch up on, and/or Finish

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 Series I’d Like to Start/Catch up on/Finish. I’m notoriously bad about reading series.  No matter how much I want to read one, it takes me forever to start it in the first place and then I almost never read the series straight through. In fact, if I read more than one or two books in the same series a year, it’s a major accomplishment. In recent years, I have been making more of an effort to move through the ones that have been lingering on my shelves so now I’m finally ready to finish up what’s left and start a few new ones.  Here’s my latest list…

Series I’d Like to Start, Catch up on, and/or Finish

 

1. THE INHERITANCE GAMES – JENNIFER LYNN BARNES

 
 

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2. THE DAEVABAD TRILOGY

 
 

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3. BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman

(I need to read the 2nd and 3rd books.)

 
 

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4. THE PARADISE TRILOGY by Elin Hilderbrand

 

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5. GETTING LUCKY by Meghan Quinn

 

 

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6. WINSTON BROTHERS by Penny Reid

 
 

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 7. CENTRAL PARK PACT by Lauren Layne

(I need to read the 2nd and 3rd books.)
  

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8. OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon

(I’ve read the first book but that was years ago so I need to start over).
      
 

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9. BRIDGERTON by Julia Quinn

(I’ve read the first 3 books but need to finish the series)

    
 

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10. CONSORTIUM REBELLION by Jessie Mihalik

    

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Question:  Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books On My Summer 2022 To-Read List

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 Books On My Summer 2022 To-Read List.  I have way more than ten I’m hoping to get to this summer, but today I’ll share some of my highest priority reads, both new releases and books I own and have been hanging on to for a while. I’ve got a few romances, one fantasy, one thriller, and even one science fiction. We’ll see if my inner mood reader cooperates and lets me read anything beyond the romances, lol.

Books On My Summer 2022 To-Read List

 

(Titles linked to their Goodreads pages if you want to check them out)

1. THE BODYGUARD by Katherine Center

2.  HOTEL NANTUCKET by Elin Hilderbrand

3.  THE IT GIRL by Ruth Ware

4.  LOVE ON THE BRAIN by Ali Hazelwood

5. UPGRADE by Blake Crouch

6. EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune

7.  EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE by Jay Kristoff

8.  THE FRIEND ZONE by Abby Jimenez

9. UGLY LOVE by Colleen Hoover

10. US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman

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Question:  Are you planning to read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday – Some of My Favorite Dynamic Duos in Fiction

 

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 Dynamic Duos.  I struggled a little bit with this topic, not because I can’t think of any dynamic duos to focus on, but I guess I was trying too hard to come up with some additional theme to connect them all. I finally gave up and just went with a random list of favorites and tried to add some to the mix that I’ve read recently.  I’ve got sisters, bffs, partners in crime, romantic duos, rivals – it’s really quite a hodge podge, lol.

 

Some of My Favorite Dynamic Duos in Fiction

 

 

 

 

1. Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead  – Finlay and Vero – Partners in parenting and partners in crime.

2.  It Happened One Summer – Piper and Hannah Bellinger – This sister duo is a force to be reckoned with.

3.  Six of Crows – Kaz and Inez – Partners in crime and in so much more.

4.  The Simple Wild – Calla and Jonah – You have to be a dynamic duo to live in the wilds of Alaska.

5. Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes – Jude and Lauren – BFF goals.

6. Firefly Lane – Kate and Tully – Forces of Nature and BFF goals.

7.  Stalking Jack the Ripper – Thomas Cresswell and Audrey Rose – Partners in Forensic Pathology and so much more.

8.  The Fastest Way to Fall – Wes and Britta – Partners in fitness and positivity; couple goals.

9. A Court of Mist and Fury – Feyre and Rhys – My favorite sexy, badass fantasy duo

10. When You Get the Chance – Millie and Oliver – My favorite theater-loving rivals who are so much better when they work together.

 

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Question:  Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

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 Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time.  This is a more challenging topic than I thought it would be.  Mostly what comes to mind are either fantasy books that completely blew me away in terms of their worldbuilding and unforgettable characters or books from my childhood that truly captivated me and gave me my love of reading.  Needless to say, my list is going to be a bit of a hodge podge. 🙂

Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

 

 

 

 

1. THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis – My favorite book in the very first fantasy series I ever read.  This series was for me what the Harry Potter series has been for readers younger than me.  I’d love to go back and discover my love of rich fantasy worlds all over again.

2.  THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by T.J. Klune  – This is a recent read that was just so adorable, whimsical, and feel-good that I’d love to read it for the first time over and over and over again.  Like Groundhog Day but with an amazing book, haha!

3.  THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern  – I actually have a sad reason for wanting to read this one for the first time again.  I recently tried to re-read it and even though I deem it as a favorite, it just wasn’t the same as experiencing it for the first time. I got bored and gave up on it so yeah, would definitely love to turn back time and experience it with fresh eyes.

4.  THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Katherine Arden  – I loved the intricate worldbuilding in this series, especially all of the Russian folklore.  I read this 5 years ago and it still stands out as one of the most unique fantasies I’ve ever read.  Since so many of them seem like carbon copies of each other, I’d love to go back and experience the refreshing feeling of reading this original tale.

5. A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE by George R.R. Martin – This series has some of the most incredible world building I’ve ever read, not to mention some of the most unforgettable characters.  I’d love to rewind and experience Westeros for the first time again and of course meet the Starks, the Lannisters, the White Walkers, etc.

6.  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee  – I read this for the first time in 8th grade Honors English. It was my first “grown up” book and I remember feeling very mature and empowered to suddenly have the freedom to read books that explored topics like racism and abuse.  It felt like a whole new world had been opened up to me and I’d love to feel that way again.

7.  THE LUNAR CHRONICLES BY MARISSA MEYER  – This was the book that hooked me on fairytale retellings so I’d love to revisit that heart-eyes moment when I fell in love with the idea of putting new spins on classic tales.

8.  CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl  – My first experience with reading this book was in elementary school when the librarian read it aloud to our class. She sang the Oompa Loompa songs and everything. It was pure magic and I’d love to go back to that day and hear it all over again for the first time.

9. CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White  – This was the first book that made me cry my eyes out. I think it gave me my life for books that rip your heart out, lol.  Probably sounds crazy but I’d love to go back in time and experience that loving of a character so fiercely that it breaks you when they die.

10. THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman  – I picked this book but honestly any of Hoffman’s books fall into this category.  Every story she writes is pure magic for me.  If I was a writer, she’s the person I’d most wish I could write like. So yeah, I’d love to discover her gorgeous prose again for the first time.

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Question:  If you could read any book again for the first time, what would it be?

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favorite Places to Read

 

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 My Favorite Places to Read.  I feel like I’ve done this topic before but couldn’t find a post anywhere.  Maybe I just like to think about all of the places I like to read a lot.  Anyway, whatever the reason, I’m doing the topic as is and sharing my favorite reading spots.

My Favorite Places to Read

 

1. Library/Home Office – This is my favorite room in my house.  It has lots of natural light and a big comfy chair, perfect for reading.  This is my absolute favorite spot to read in.

2.  Bed – I have trouble sleeping at night so I always look to a book to help me relax, wind down, and fall asleep.  Apparently I’m all about being cozy because I love to pile on the blankets, a big fluffy comforter, and lots of pillows when I read in bed.

3.  Lunch – I don’t really have a specific location tied to this one, but wherever I sit down to eat lunch, especially during the work week, I love to have a book with me.  Having that time to read in the middle of the day is just as important to me as stopping to actually eat.

4.  Public Transportation – Whether it’s a plane, train, subway, or even just riding in the car (or even driving if I have an audiobook), reading is my favorite way to pass this otherwise dead time.

5. Waiting Rooms – Same as above honestly. It’s a great way to pass the time while you’re stuck somewhere, and it also helps if I’m feeling anxious about whoever I’m meeting with.

6. Beach or Pool – I actually get bored and want to leave if I go to the beach or pool and don’t have anything to read.

7.  Outside on my Deck – Certain times of the year are better than others for this, but when the weather is comfortable, I love to sit outside on the deck and read.  I live in a really quiet neighborhood so it’s very peaceful and relaxing, with just the sounds of birds chirping in the background.

8.  Kitchen – This probably sounds like a weird choice, but the kitchen has become one of the main places where I listen to audiobooks.  I love to listen to them while I’m cooking, cleaning, doing dishes, etc.

9. Laundry Room – Along similar lines, I listen to a lot of audiobooks while doing chores related to laundry – sorting, folding, ironing, etc.  It’s such a lovely way to make a tedious chore so much more enjoyable.

10. Vacation – Lastly, wherever I happen to be traveling on vacation is automatically a favorite place to read.  The exact location doesn’t matter because for me, half of the point of vacation is so that I can read more, lol.

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Question:  Where do you like to read?

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favorite Books That Feature Found Families

 

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 supposed to be Secondary/Minor Characters Who Deserve More Love. I completely blanked out on this topic because every favorite secondary character that came to mind has since had their own book and has gotten more love.  My favorite secondary characters tend to be part of a found family though, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite books that feature found families.  I really love the found family trope.  There’s not much more satisfying to me than seeing characters find their people and form those loving and supportive bonds that have been missing in their lives up to that point.  My favorite found families are always there for each other, ready to kick some ass, if need be, and sometimes even ready to knock some sense into each other if a member of the family has gone off the rails.  There’s nothing quite like the family you choose for yourself.

My Favorite Books That Feature Found Families

 

 

 

 

1. SIX OF CROWS DUOLOGY by Leigh Bardugo – Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Matthias, and Nina – Is there anything this amazing band of morally gray characters wouldn’t do for each other?  “No mourners, no funerals.”

2.  THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by T.J. Klune  – Linus and the adorable magical children he takes care of all just stole my heart when I read this book.  This found family includes a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist.

3.  BATTLE ROYAL by Lucy Parker  – This is a recent favorite of mine.  I had so much fun reading about the staff who worked with Sylvie at the Sugar Fair.  They all bicker like an old married couple but have each other’s backs when it comes down to it.

4.  THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB by Lyssa Kay Adams  – Perhaps my favorite found family of all are the guys from the Bromance Book Club.  I love how these guys are there to support each other, especially in matters of love and romance, but in so many other ways.

5. THE ILLUMINAE FILES by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – A group of sassy teens kicking butt and saving the day in space – what’s not to love?

6.  THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB by Wendy Wax  – Another recent favorite.  I loved how the members of this book club became such a tremendous emotional support system for each of its members.  All I could think while reading was how much I would have loved to have these folks in my corner.

7.  THE LUNAR CHRONICLES BY MARISSA MEYER  – I think pretty much everyone who follows me is familiar with this crew.  This is my favorite fairytale retelling and it’s specifically because of the found family of Cinder, Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Carswell Thorne, and Princess Winter, and Jacin and the way they all band together to defeat the evil queen.

8.  THE HARRY POTTER SERIES by J.K. Rowling  – Another series that everyone who follows me is probably familiar with.  As much as I enjoyed all of the magical elements of this book, it was the family that Harry Potter found at Hogwarts that really made this such a special read for me.

9. ONE LAST STOP by Casey McQuiston  – The roommates August lives with when she moves to New York City, along with the staff at the 24 hour pancake diner she works at, as well as the drag queen that lives across the hall.  It’s a unique collection of individuals for sure, but once they make August a part of their little family, they would truly do anything for her.  It was delightful to read about.

10. A COURT OF THORN AND ROSES SERIES by Sarah J. Maas  – Last but definitely not least is the crew from the Night Court in the ACOTAR series.  This crew was so tight that I was convinced at first that they really were family.  Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, and Mor were exactly the support system Feyre needed after all she endured.  They’re all kickass warriors but also giant softies when they need to be.

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Question:  Have you read any of these? Do you enjoy reading about found families?

Happy 10th Birthday to Top Ten Tuesday!

 

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 Top Ten Tuesday Turns 10! Option 1: pick a past TTT topic you’ve done and re-do/update it (Perhaps you’d remove certain books you put on the list back when you first wrote it, or perhaps you have 10 MORE books you’d add to that list now. You could also re-visit TBR posts, whether seasonal or series you need to finish, etc., and tell us if you’ve read them yet or not. Any variation of this idea works. Feel free to be creative.) Option 2: pick a past TTT topic you wish you’d done, but didn’t get a chance to do.

I decided to revisit a recent topic where we had to share books with numbers in the title.  This time around, however, I tried to find ten covers that actually had the number 10 in it in homage to Top Ten Tuesday turning 10 years old this week.  This was a little more challenging than I thought it would be, to be honest, and you’ll notice I cheated with a couple of Ten Thousand titles, haha.

In all seriousness though, Happy Birthday to Top Ten Tuesday.  This has been my favorite bookish meme since I started blogging. The topics are always fun, and I love that so many members of the bookish community take part each week. It has been the greatest way to meet fellow book lovers, and I hope it will be around for many years to come.

 

 

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Books That Feature the Number 10 in their Titles

(in no particular order)

 

THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware

TEN TINY BREATHS by K. A. Tucker

THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow

THE TENTH MUSE by Catherine Chung

TOP TEN by Katie Cotugno

TEN THOUSAND SKIES ABOVE YOU by Claudia Gray

10 BLIND DATES by Ashley Elston

THE TEN YEAR NAP by Meg Wolitzer

THE TENTH CIRCLE by Jodi Picoult

TEN BIG ONES by Janet Evanovich

 

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Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday – The ‘Happy Birthday to Me’ Edition

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 supposed to be Books I’d Give Different Titles To (and tell us what title you’d pick!), but as is usually the case with topics like this, I completely blanked out and couldn’t think of a single book I’d like to give a different title.  So I decided to go rogue.   Since today is my birthday (yay!) and I almost always get cash and a load of gift cards (even bigger yay!!), I decided it would be fun to share some books I’m hoping to be able to purchase with my birthday money.  I’m sure I won’t get enough to purchase all of these, but hopefully I can get a few of them anyway.

 

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Books I’m Hoping to Purchase for My Birthday

 

1. AMERICAN ROYALS by Katharine McGee

(Find out what it’s about…)

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2. THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow

(Find out what it’s about…)

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3.  THE WHISPER MAN by Alex North

(Find out what it’s about…)

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4. NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo

(Find out what it’s about…)

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5. MIRACLE CREEK by Angie Kim

(Find out what it’s about…)

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6. A WOMAN IS NO MAN by Etaf Rum

(Find out what it’s about…)

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7. THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger

(Find out what it’s about…)

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8. THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides

(Find out what it’s about…)

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9. LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins

(Find out what it’s about…)

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10. THE QUEEN OF NOTHING by Holly Black (Pre-Order)

(Find out what it’s about…)

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Question:  Have you read any of these?

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Totally Meant to Read But Didn’t

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 2016 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to).  I’m almost embarrassed to say how easy it was for me to pull together this list.  The list of 2016 books I meant to read far exceeds the number of 2016 releases I actually read.  I also own all of these as e-books so I think It’s all good though because as an added motivation to get these titles read this year, I’ve signed up for NovelKnight’s Beat the Backlist reading challenge and most of these titles are on my reading list.  Wish me luck!

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Totally Meant to Read But Didn’t Get To

(But Still Totally Plan to!)

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1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

(Read the Goodreads synopsis..)

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2. And I Darken by Kiersten White

(Read the Goodreads Synopsis…)

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3. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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4. To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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5. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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6. The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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7. When We Collided by Emery Lord

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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8. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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9. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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10. Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

(Read the Goodreads synopsis…)

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Question:  What 2016 releases did you fully intend to read last year but never quite made it happen?

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books I’m Planning to Read this Fall

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 Books on my Fall TBR List.  My list is a mix of books that I already own and need to finally get off of my TBR pile, plus some upcoming releases that I’m planning to acquire and read as well.  My goal is to get the five older books off my list first and then reward myself with the five new releases, but we’ll see how that goes. 😉

Top Ten Books I’m Planning to Read This Fall 

 

1. Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

today will be different thumb

I’m a huge fan of Maria Semple and her novel Where’d You Go, Bernadette so I was thrilled to hear that she has a new book coming out in October.  Her writing is just so fresh and fun and this will certainly be a book that I’ll read as soon as I can get my hands on it!

Goodreads Synopsis: The new novel from Maria Semple, author of bestselling Where’d You Go, Bernadette and writer for hit US TV shows Ellen and Saturday Night Live. Meet Eleanor Flood, who wakes up one day determined to be her best self.

Eleanor Flood is going to clean up her act, only change into yoga clothes for yoga, which today she will actually attend, and be a better version of herself. But then, as it always does, life happens. Eleanor’s husband is missing, and their son, Timby, is wearing eye shadow to school and getting into fashion battles on the playground. (It’s true that it’s Eleanor’s fault: She did put makeup in his Christmas stocking.) Just when it seems like things can’t get weirder or more in the way of Eleanor’s personal transformation, a graphic memoir called The Flood Sisters surfaces, and the dramatic story it tells reveals long-buried secrets and a sister to whom Eleanor never speaks.

With all the artistic madness, genius plotting, and bold social observation that made Bernadette a hit, TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT is a hilarious and heart filled day-in-the-life romp filtered through Maria Semple’s brilliant eyes.   (Read more…)

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2. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

born-to-run

As I shared in last week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and while I don’t typically read much in the way of celebrity memoirs, there’s just something about Springsteen that makes me want to read about his life in his own words.  Born to Run actually comes out today, so I’m asking for it as a birthday gift because my birthday is next month. 🙂

Goodreads Synopsis:  “Writing about yourself is a funny business…But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise, to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I’ve tried to do this.”
—Bruce Springsteen, from the pages of Born to Run

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That’s how this extraordinary autobiography began.  Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.

He describes growing up Catholic in Freehold, New Jersey, amid the poetry, danger, and darkness that fueled his imagination, leading up to the moment he refers to as “The Big Bang”: seeing Elvis Presley’s debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. He vividly recounts his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar band king in Asbury Park, and the rise of the E Street Band. With disarming candor, he also tells for the first time the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work, and shows us why the song “Born to Run” reveals more than we previously realized.

Born to Run will be revelatory for anyone who has ever enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, but this book is much more than a legendary rock star’s memoir. This is a book for workers and dreamers, parents and children, lovers and loners, artists, freaks, or anyone who has ever wanted to be baptized in the holy river of rock and roll.  (Read more…)

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3. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

holding up the universe

I fell in love with Jennifer Niven’s writing and storytelling abilities when I read All the Bright Places, so I am so looking forward to the release of her latest book Holding Up the Universe, which sounds just as fantastic.

Goodreads Synopsis: From the author of the New York Times bestseller All the Bright Places comes a heart-wrenching story about what it means to see someone—and love someone—for who they truly are.

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything in new and bad-ass ways, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. . . . Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

Jennifer Niven delivers another poignant, exhilarating love story about finding that person who sees you for who you are—and seeing them right back..  (Read more…)

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4. Swing Time by Zadie Smith

swing time

Doesn’t this book sound amazing? I would be excited to read it even if I wasn’t already a big fan of Zadie Smith.  This one comes out on November 15th, so I’m hoping to have knocked  out a few of my older reads and reward myself with Swing Time.

Goodreads Synopsis:  An ambitious, exuberant new novel moving from north west London to West Africa, from the multi-award-winning author of White Teeth and On Beauty.

Two brown girls dream of being dancers – but only one, Tracey, has talent. The other has ideas: about rhythm and time, about black bodies and black music, what constitutes a tribe, or makes a person truly free. It’s a close but complicated childhood friendship that ends abruptly in their early twenties, never to be revisited, but never quite forgotten, either…

Dazzlingly energetic and deeply human, Swing Time is a story about friendship and music and stubborn roots, about how we are shaped by these things and how we can survive them. Moving from North-West London to West Africa, it is an exuberant dance to the music of time.   (Read more…)

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5. Transcendent by Katelyn Detweiler

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I just received a copy of this book from the publisher and am really looking forward to reading it. I have to admit I’m a little nervous about the bombing Disney World part since that’s one of my favorite places in the world, but it still sounds like a powerful read so we’ll see how it goes.

Goodreads Synopsis:  A beautiful work of magical realism, a story about a girl in the real world who is called upon to be a hero.

When terrorists bomb Disney World, seventeen-year-old Iris Spero is as horrified as anyone else. Then a stranger shows up on her stoop in Brooklyn, revealing a secret about the mysterious circumstances surrounding Iris’s birth, and throwing her entire identity into question. Everything she thought she knew about her parents, and about herself, is a lie.

Suddenly, the press is confronting Iris with the wild notion that she might be “special.” More than just special: she could be the miracle the world now so desperately needs. Families all across the grieving nation are pinning their hopes on Iris like she is some kind of saint or savior. She’s no longer sure whom she can trust—except for Zane, a homeless boy who long ago abandoned any kind of hope. She knows she can’t possibly be the glorified person everyone wants her to be… but she also can’t go back to being safe and anonymous. When nobody knows her but they all want a piece of her, who is Iris Spero now? And how can she—one teenage girl—possibly heal a broken world? (Read more…)

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6. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

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Sweetbitter was on a lot of the must-read book lists earlier this year and it sounded pretty interesting and is set in NYC, my favorite city in the world, so I had picked it up with the intention of reading it this summer.  I got distracted by other books though, as we bookworms often do, and forgot I even had it until recently. I started it last night actually and so far it’s a good read.

Goodsreads Synopsis:  A lush, raw, thrilling novel of the senses about a year in the life of a uniquely beguiling young woman, set in the wild, alluring world of a famous downtown New York restaurant.

“Let’s say I was born when I came over the George Washington Bridge…”

This is how we meet unforgettable Tess, the twenty-two-year-old at the heart of this stunning first novel. Shot from a mundane, provincial past, she’s come to New York to look for a life she can’t define, except as a burning drive to become someone, to belong somewhere. After she stumbles into a coveted job at a renowned Union Square restaurant, we spend the year with her as she learns the chaotic, punishing, privileged life of a “backwaiter,” on duty and off. Her appetites—for food, wine, knowledge, and every kind of experience—are awakened. And she’s pulled into the magnetic thrall of two other servers—a handsome bartender she falls hard for, and an older woman she latches onto with an orphan’s ardor.

These two and their enigmatic connection to each other will prove to be Tess’s hardest lesson of all. Sweetbitter is a story of discovery, enchantment, and the power of what remains after disillusionment. . (Read more…)

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7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

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Over the summer, I picked up The Lunar Chronicles cheap at a local book fair.  I haven’t started reading them yet because I had a few ARCs I needed to get through first for review purposes, but I really can’t wait to start this series. It sounds so cool. Plus, once I get through them, I plan to reward myself with Melissa’s newest release, Heartless, which sounds absolutely amazing!

Goodreads Synopsis:  Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.   (Read more…)

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8. Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

girl in pieces

I just picked this book up a week or so ago and am trying to hold off until I get a few of the older books on my TBR taken care of, but I REALLY want to read it soon. It just sounds like it’s going to be such a powerful and moving read.

Goodreads Synopsis:  Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.   Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

A deeply moving portrait of a teenage girl on the verge of losing herself and the journey she must take to survive in her own skin, Kathleen Glasgow’s debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from.  (Read more…)

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9. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand

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I keep hearing that this is a hilarious read, so I’m planning to read it once I get through Girl in Pieces since that one sounds like it’s going to be so gut-wrenching.

Goodreads Synopsis:  The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England.  (Read more…)

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10. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

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This bad boy has been on my TBR pile for far too long.  I adore this series but the books are so huge that I just keep shoving them aside in favor of shorter, less daunting reads.  I may not make it by fall, but winter is coming!  (Yes, I went there, haha).  Anyway, I am determined to finish this book before the end of the year.

Goodreads Synopsis:  Here is the third volume in George R.R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords.  (Read more…)

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Question:  So what books are you looking forward to reading this fall?   Are yours all new releases or are you looking to clean out some oldies as well?  I’d love to hear from you 🙂