Top Ten Tuesday: Books or Covers that Feel/Look Like Summer

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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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Books or Covers that Feel/Look Like Summer


This week I’m going with covers that feel like summer based on their colours – yellow and/or blue, sand and/or sea, or, if your prefer, sun and sky.
I have only read two of these so far, Killing Jericho by William Hussey and Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (which I’ve linked to my review).  All the rest are books I would like to read at some point.  On to the books…

SummerCovers

Killing Jericho by William Hussey
She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot #18) by Agatha Christie
The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
Evil Under the Sun (Hercule Poirot #24) by Agatha Christie
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys
Bonny & Read by Julie Walker


So, which books made your list this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

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Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022

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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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022


I read quite a few new-to-me authors in 2022, and enjoyed each of the books I read enough that I’d like to check out more from any of the authors listed below. I’ve linked the covers to my reviews (where possible) in case anything catches your attention. On to the books..

PracticalMagic SomethingWicked WhatMovestheDead
MidnightMan RoomintheAttic AngryPlanet
Wehrwolf CrucifixKiller Hollows
NothingMan

This weeks post features books from:

Alice Hoffman | Ray Bradbury | T. Kingfisher | Caroline Mitchell | Louise Douglas | Becky Chambers | Alma Katsu | Chris Carter | Mark Edwards | Catherine Ryan Howard


So, which books made your list this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books of 2022

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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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Favourite Books of 2022


Top Ten Tuesday this week gives a chance to look back over last year’s reads and pick out ten favourites. I’ve linked to reviews where possible in case anything catches your attention.

OnceandFutureWitches EvilMind HuntingEvil
WhatMovestheDead DeathontheNile SomethingWicked
BillySummers MidnightMan Foundryside
WindThroughtheKeyhole

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
An Evil Mind and Hunting Evil (Robert Hunter #6 and #10) by Chris Carter
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot #17) by Agatha Christie
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Billy Summers by Stephen King
The Midnight Man (Slayton Thrillers #1) by Caroline Mitchell
Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett
The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower #4.5) by Stephen King


So, which books made your list this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Haven’t Read, But Want To

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Authors I Haven’t Read, But Want To


Top Ten Tuesday this week is all about authors I haven’t read yet. I’m adapting this slightly for my final two mentions and including a couple of authors whose first-in-a-series books I’ve read and would like to continue with the rest.
I’ve chosen mostly series or trilogies this week, some of which have been on my TBR list for such a long time. The many standalone books I’d still love to find time for would make up a whole new post in themselves.
On to the books…

Brandon Sanderson – The Mistborn first trilogy (The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, The Hero of Ages)

Robin Hobb – The Farseer trilogy (Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin’s Quest)

Joe Abercrombie – The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, Last Argument of Kings)

Julia Quinn – The Bridgertons series

Alice Hoffman – The Practical Magic series

Becky Chambers – The Wayfarers series

Mary Robinette Kowal – The Lady Astronaut series

Jodi Taylor – The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series

Genevieve Cogman – The Invisible Library series. I’ve read the first book in this series.

Diana Gabaldon – The Outlander series. I’ve also read the first book in this series, and I’ve kept up with the TV adaptation, but I’d really like to get back to reading the books too.

So, any recommendations about which of these I should definitely try to make time for?


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Lighthouses and Sailing Ships

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Freebie AKA Lighthouses and Sailing Ships


This week on Top Ten Tuesday we can choose our own topic, so here is ‘Lighthouses and Sailing Ships’, a post in which I gather together a selection of books based on either of these themes, whether as a main feature or a passing scene.
I decided on this theme when I noticed that many of the books that have recently caught my attention featured either lighthouses or ships.

I’ve read three of these, and linked to my reviews where possible (marked with a*), and have even included a non-fiction title this week, which is very rare. On to the books…

LightsSails

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow*

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane – Read this in my pre-blogging days so no review unfortunately.

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

Erebus: The Story of a Ship by Michael Palin

Temeraire by Naomi Novik

The Bone Ships by R. J. Barker

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton*


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Autumn 2021 TBR 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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Books on My Autumn 2021 TBR List


It’s time to talk all things TBR for Top Ten Tuesday. Readers Imbibing Peril is this month, and ongoing throughout October, so I picked out a number of books I can possibly read for the event. Here are some potential autumn reads…

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell – The books I’ve read already by Laura Purcell are perfect for autumn reading when the nights are drawing in and you want to settle in with something slightly spooky. I still remember how much I enjoyed The Silent Companions and I’ve saved this latest book to read at this time of year.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward – I’m intrigued by this book. I’ve seen so many good reviews that manage to give nothing away. I feel like I’m seeing the book around more and more at the moment so I wonder if I should read it soon to make sure I manage to avoid spoilers.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – Recent winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. I already owned a copy of Piranesi and hope to read it over the autumn months. Perhaps sooner rather than later.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik – Another author whose works I’ve previously enjoyed. I’m looking forward to this, especially as the next book will be out very soon, and I like the sound of the school setting.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow – I’ve mentioned this one a few times already, so hopefully autumn will be the time I finally give it a try.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers – Here’s a tiny piece from the blurb for this one – ‘a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara’s family history come to light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiancé’s mysterious fate . . .’.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters – The only reread on my list this week. It’s a long time since I read this one and my newfound enjoyment of rereading makes me want to revisit it as I’m sure it was pre-blogging days when I read it the first time.

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier – When Dick Young’s friend, Professor Magnus Lane, offers him an escape from his troubles in the form of a new drug, Dick finds himself transported to fourteenth-century Cornwall. There, in the manor of Tywardreath, the domain of Sir Henry Champerhoune, he witnesses intrigue, adultery and murder.

It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan – A decaying mansion on the edge of a swamp, labyrinthine halls, echoes of the past, a locked and forgotten room.  I might save this one for late October, it sounds perfectly spooky. As does…

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – Maggie returns to a rambling Victorian estate where she spent three weeks with her family before they ended up fleeing in the night. The house later became the focus of her father’s memoir, House of Horrors. Another spooky-sounding read, perfect for this time of year.


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Numbers In the Title

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Books With Numbers In the Title


For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday we’re looking for books with numbers in the title.
I’ve read all but the last two on my list and if I’ve reviewed (some of these were probably pre-blogging days), I’ll add a link in case anything catches your eye.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower #2) by Stephen King

The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams

11/22/63 by Stephen King

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Made Me Want to Read More Books Like Them

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Books I Loved that Made Me Want to Read More Books Like Them


I always like it when I find a book that I enjoy so much it leaves me wanting to find something similar whether that’s another book by the same author, or a tale with a similar theme or a particular setting or similar characters.  

This week I’ve chosen a few titles that I experienced this with, some of them standalone, some either a trilogy or a series (because even then you can never have too many books, right?!).  

As always I’ve linked to any reviews just in case any of these covers or titles catches your attention.

ShadesofMilkandHoney

Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal

SilentCompanions

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

SevenDeathsofEvelynHardcastle

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Gunslinger DrawingoftheThree WasteLands

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King

BearandtheNightingale girlinthetower WinteroftheWitch

The Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden

The Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch

promiseofblood CrimsonCampaign AutumnRepublic

The Powder Mage trilogy by Brian McClellan

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

DevilandtheDarkWater

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: The Colours of Mardi Gras

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  Purple, Yellow, and Green Book Covers (Mardi Gras!)


Top Ten Tuesday this week is an opportunity to gaze at some lovely colours themed around the colours purple, yellow, and green. I always enjoy a cover edition so as usual I may have gone a little (or a lot) beyond ten books. I’ve linked each of the covers to their reviews in case anything catches your attention. On to the books…

 

      


What did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Top Ten Tuesday: The New-to-Me Authors of 2020

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 of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Click on the link for more info and to find out about future topics.

This week’s theme is:  New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2020


This week Top Ten Tuesday is all about the new-to-me authors of 2020. Alongside the latest read from a favourite author I do enjoy discovering new writers. This is a selection of my discoveries from 2020, along with a snippet of my review for each book. As always, titles are linked to full reviews in case anything catches your eye…

Stoker’s Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi – “…blends horror, humour and wit, with two wonderfully engaging protagonists and reluctant allies and a wide supporting cast of heroes and villains which make this a great read.”

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – “The story is a really involved slow burn for the first two thirds, the tension gradually ratcheting up until the awful truth is revealed and from there the descent into horror is rapid and vivid. It’s almost as stomach churning as the moment a rollercoaster reaches the peak and drops suddenly. You know something is about to happen because there are so many things wrong at High Place, so many dark secrets, and it’s tense reading discovering whether Noemí will be able to save her cousin, and even by the end, herself.”

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James – “The story combines an old murder mystery with some wonderfully creepy scenes at the motel. The dead of night, the isolation, the threat from something apparently real but not real, I definitely had a moment or two when I was glad I’m come across certain scenes during daylight hours, or I may have had to put the story aside for a while.”

Wayward Pines trilogy by Blake Crouch – “One sign of a good book is that you can’t wait to get back to reading, and that definitely happened for me with Pines. I always wanted to read just one more chapter, and found myself trying to find more reading time in my day because with each surprise and revelation things just became more strange and inexplicable.”

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry – “Through hailstorms, dust clouds, a plague of grasshoppers, encounters with grizzly bears, searing heat and endless wilderness, desolate places and many extremes, I journeyed with these characters and shared their joys and despairs.”

The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library #1) by Genevieve Cogman – “The Invisible Library is a good beginning to a series that I’m looking forward to discovering. Anything themed around books and libraries and alternate fantasy worlds is going to get my reading attention, and as Irene was dispatched with new orders at the end of this novel, I was almost as pleased as she was that there is more to look forward to in this world of magic and adventure and books.”

A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill – “A Cosmology of Monsters is an intriguing blend of family life mingled with horrors both everyday and otherworldly, and I would give it a try if you’re looking for something a little different, a little strange, a little scary and a little mysterious.”

Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang – “The storyline kept me guessing until the end as to who or what was responsible for Lucy’s murder. I also liked the inclusion of quotes from Dracula at the beginning of each chapter, it’s made me want to read that book again as well. Tillie is a likable character who grew in confidence as the tale progressed and her discovering the truth made for an eventful tale.”

The Other People by C. J. Tudor – “The opening hints at something strange straight away, an unknown girl, alone, sleeping, surrounded by medical equipment. There’s something eerie about it. Who is she and what has happened to her? I enjoyed the way this narrative ran throughout, suggesting something slightly out of the ordinary alongside the thriller unfolding.”

The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger – “Mysterious, eerie, great atmosphere, and a need to know exactly what is going on in the room next door, from which Eve hears screams and dragging sounds on more than one occasion despite there being no other guests staying at the motel kept me glued to this for the duration.”


So, what did you write about this week?
See you again next time for another Top Ten Tuesday.