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My Progress:


9 / 30 books. 30% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

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12 / 51 states. 24% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

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27 / 52 books. 52% done!

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21 / 40 books. 53% done!

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15 / 100 books. 15% done!

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34 / 104 books. 33% done!

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31 / 52 books. 60% done!

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32 / 165 books. 19% done!
Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: My Winter TBR


My 12-year-old daughter has been keeping a verbal Christmas countdown for a few weeks now.  When she said, "It's 20 days away," I couldn't believe it.  Now that it's ten, I'm even more shook.  It's always surreal when the Big Day finally gets here, isn't it?  I'm just glad she still has her little-girl excitement about the holiday.  Thankfully, I'm ready—my shopping is done, Christmas cards have been sent, the halls are decked, and we're getting ready to make our traditional homemade doughnuts to give out to neighbors and friends.  My college freshman comes home in a week, so I get to have all four of my kids under one roof for the first time in months and for the last time (at least for the foreseeable future), since my oldest moved out a couple months ago and is getting married on January 2nd.  Whew.  The next three weeks are going to be a marathon.  When all my company goes home on January 4th, I'm going to sleep for a month!

Despite this whirlwind of activity, I just finished my 183rd book of the year.  Can I finish 17 more before January 1 to reach my goal of reading 200 books this year?  We shall see.  There are a handful I still need to read for challenges and a few others I'm going to try to get to.  I'm not stressing about it (obviously, I'm not obsessed with my reading stats AT ALL), but I'll do my best.  My all-time reading high was 186 books read in a year—at the least, I'll beat that record by a few.  How are you doing on your 2020 reading goals?

Naturally, I've also been thinking about how I want to start off 2021, book-wise.  I've already discussed a lot of the reads I'm really looking forward to in recent lists, so I've tried to fill this one with new titles.  These aren't my most anticipated reads, but they are definitely ones that are on my Winter TBR list.  Without further ado (since there's already been a lot of ado), here we go with:

Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR List 

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.  Check out her blog for all the deets. 


1.  The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman—I have this one out from the library right now, but I doubt I'll get to it before 2020 fades away.  It's about a group of friends in a retirement home who solve murders. The book sounds super fun and it's gotten great reviews, so I'm excited to read it.


2.  The Survivors by Jane Harper (available February 2, 2021)—I've enjoyed all of Harper's mystery/thrillers, so I've been waiting patiently for this one, her newest.  This one revolves around a man who's visiting his seaside hometown with his young family when a body washes up on shore.  Could it be that of his missing brother?  As authorities investigate, old secrets are churned up.  What really happened to Finn?  I'm always up for a hometown secrets mystery, especially when it's penned by one of my favorite authors.  Can't wait!


3.  Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander—I just started this latest installment in the Sloan Krause cozy mystery series.  The books are set in Leavenworth, Washington, a German-inspired tourist town.  Sloan is a beer brewer and amateur sleuth.  It's a light, fun series that I enjoy.


4.  Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert—This mystery series opener features a former NYPD detective who's taken a job in a sleepy upstate New York town to take a breather.  When a man goes missing on a nearby private island, she's called in to investigate.  Although it looks like murder to our heroine, no one in the victim's family is talking.  With a vicious nor'easter brewing all around, it looks like she's going to be stuck on an isolated island with the killer ...


5.  The Girl Who Wasn't There by Penny Joelson—Billed as Rear Window for the YA set, this mystery is about Kasia, a homebound girl who witnesses a kidnapping on her street.  Another girl was watching from another window, but when Kasia rushes out to find her she gets a shock—there is no girl.  What exactly did Kasia witness?  How can she solve a crime if she's not sure there was one?  Sounds dark, but intriguing!


6.  Alone in the Woods by Rebecca Behrens—This middle-grade survival story concerns two former best friends who become stranded in the woods when their boat springs a leak during a rafting/camping trip.  Despite their issues with each other, they have to work together to find their way out.


7.  The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel—World War II novels always appeal to me and this one sounds excellent.  It's about a woman who uses her skills in forgery to help hundreds of Jewish kids evade the Nazis and make sure their true identities are not lost in the chaos.  I'm in!


8.  The Color of Air by Gail Tsukiyama—My brother lives in Hilo, Hawaii, which looks like a beautiful and interesting place.  Hilo is the setting of this historical novel that concerns a Japanese-American community living there and dealing with a variety of issues, including the impending eruption of a volcano.  It alternates between 1918 and 1935, time periods I haven't read tons about.  I've enjoyed other books by Tsukiyama, so I'm excited for this one.


9.  An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn (available March 2, 2021)—Although this mystery, the newest in Raybourn's delightful Veronica Speedwell series, doesn't come out until Spring, I have an e-ARC.  I adore these books, so I can't wait to delve into the latest installment.  It concerns the suspicious death of a female mountain climber and a princess who goes missing.  


10.  Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson—I'm always looking for good historical middle-grade novels and this one sounds intriguing.  It's about a young girl whose parents are sharecroppers in Mississippi in 1955.  When Emmett Till is murdered nearby, she looks for ways to help with the Civil Rights movement.

There you have it, ten books I'd like to get to this winter.  Have you read any of these?  What's on your winter TBR list?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!   

51 comments:

  1. The Thursday Murder Club sure looks good - thanks for putting that on my radar :)

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    1. I've seen lots of great reviews for it. I hope we both love it!

      Thanks for coming by, Dani!

      Delete
  2. Oh my! You sure have a lot on your plate at the moment! Good luck with everything!

    These all look so good! The last three books and The Girl Who Wasn't There particularly catch my eye.

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    1. Thanks! I'm not sure why my son and his fiancee decided to get married at this crazy time of year, but we're dealing with it :)

      I'm very intrigued by THE GIRL WHO WASN'T THERE. I hope it's as good as it sounds.

      Thanks for stopping in, Jen!

      Delete
  3. Ohhhh, I am absolutely Interested in "The Girl Who Wasn't There". Even if it's a YA book!

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    Replies
    1. I'm always down for a good thriller, YA or otherwise. I hope THE GIRL WHO WASN'T THERE doesn't disappoint.

      Thanks for coming by, Stephen!

      Delete
  4. I haven't read any of these but The Book of Lost Names is one I wish to read. I also love the look of the two MG reads. Ever since my kids have grown I don't read as many MG books and I kind of miss it.

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    Replies
    1. I read a lot of MG, even though I have a middle-grader who doesn't really read (the horror!). I enjoy the fact that MG books are short but impactful. There are some really amazing ones out there!

      Thanks for stopping by, Laura!

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  5. Nice list!! I think you'll like The Color of Air!

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    1. I hope so! I've read at least one other book by Tsukiyama, but it's been a long time so I don't even remember which book it was ... I know I liked it, though!

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  6. I'm not ready for Christmas; and of course not to mention this year is a strange one, too. Just hope next year will be better!

    I'm definitely looking forward to Jane Harper's The Survivors! I know the Australian publisher already has this book released!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This year has definitely been ... different. Besides more online shopping than usual and fewer in-person parties and activities, we're doing all the Christmas-y things we usually do. It will be a little different but not too bad.

      I love Jane Harper! I hope we both enjoy THE SURVIVORS.

      Thanks for stopping by, Melody!

      Delete
  7. It's so sweet that your daughter has been counting down to Christmas. I hope your whole family enjoys it. :)

    The Book of Lost Names sounds very interesting.

    My post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My husband and I have been talking a lot this year about how different Christmas is when you have little kids vs. when you have tweens, teens, and adult children. The former is a lot more fun! LOL.

      Agreed. THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES sounds like a unique story, which is hard to find in WWII novels.

      Thanks for coming by, Lydia!

      Delete
  8. What an interesting list. "The Book of Lost Names" sounds like THE book to me. And I just finished reading Richard Osman's novel. It's an easy one, I'm sure you'll get through it by the end of the month.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Osman's book just sounds super entertaining. I'm definitely going to try to squeeze it in this year. It's going to come due at the library soon, so I need to hurry. I have an e-ARC of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES on my Kindle, so I'll definitely be able to get to that sometime soon-ish.

      Thanks for stopping in, Marianne!

      Delete
    2. But of course. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

      Delete
  9. I love An Unexpected Peril and Midnight Without a Moon's covers! So cute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love the covers for all the Veronica Speedwell books. They're cute and perfectly convey the tone of the books.

      Thanks for coming by, Andie!

      Delete
  10. Did you change the Top 10 logo yourself? That's such a cute idea! Love how it matches the season! And 183 books. Wow! Congrats!

    Thanks for visiting Shell's Stories!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope! I just copied and pasted the holiday logo from a TTT post last year. It's cute, isn't it?

      Thanks for stopping by, Shell!

      Delete
  11. Yeah, realizing that Christmas is *next week* gave me quite a shock, too! It's like, how did that happen?! I hope you enjoy all the incoming company!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? It sneaks up on me every year, no matter how many times I vow to be more on top of things than last year!

      Thanks for coming by, Tanya!

      Delete
  12. Wow! Good luck with everything. At least it's the good kind of busy, right? Hope you can meet your reading challenge too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely the good kind of busy! Stressful, but good.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!

      Delete
  13. I loved Book of Lost Names! It’s a compelling story! Thursday Murder Club is fun and Survivors is ok...I think The Dry is my fav of hers! You’ve curated a great list! Happy reading! I and the newlyweds should stay home, open gifts, and play house!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, good, I'm glad LOST NAMES is good. I've heard such good things about THURSDAY that I just know I'm going to love it. I've enjoyed all of Harper's novels, so I'm not sure I could name a favorite ...

      The newlyweds will be taking a quick honeymoon in a nearby town and then hanging out at home. I've wrapped up all the wedding gifts people have been sending them, so they have lots of presents to open on Christmas :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  14. Without a Brew and The Thursday Murder Club sounds like a lot of fun! I think I'll need to add those to my TBR. Good luck reaching 200 books! I've blown past my goal for the year (of 100 books) and then my revised goal (150) and now I'm just seeing how far I go. This has been quite an odd year...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice job on smashing your reading goals! That's awesome. I should set mine for lower than 200 so I don't feel so stressed about reaching it. LOL.

      Thanks for coming by, Nicole!

      Delete
  15. Midnight Without a Moon has been on my list for a bit now. I may get to that one as well. Look like you have some fun books planned! Good luck with your reading challenge as well.

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    1. I just barely heard about MIDNIGHT WITHOUT A MOON. It sounds excellent. I hope we both enjoy it.

      Thanks for stopping by, Heather!

      Delete
  16. I haven't seen Death in the Family before, but I'm going to add it to my TBR. It looks really interesting. Great list!

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    1. I just barely came across a blurb for DEATH IN THE FAMILY. It sounds like my kind of book. I hope we both enjoy it!

      Thanks for coming by, Stephanie!

      Delete
  17. I really liked The Dry. I need to read more Jane Harper!

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    Replies
    1. Agreed! She's great if you enjoy atmospheric, engrossing mysteries, which I definitely do.

      Thanks for stopping by, Cindy!

      Delete
  18. I'm also a fan of Middle Grade stories, especially those that weave in real history. Midnight Without a Moon looks interesting.

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    Replies
    1. Same! It's such a fun way to learn about history :)

      Thanks for coming by, Cheri!

      Delete
  19. I haven't heard of any of these books - but I'm super excited to check out many of these. So happy to have gotten to find some new things to add to my TBR :)

    Thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting!

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    1. Yay! I'm glad you found some books to pique your interest.

      Thanks for stopping in, Sarah!

      Delete
  20. I loved The Thursday Murder Club on audio and highly recommend it!

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    1. Oooh, nice! I just finished the audiobook I was listening to, so I'm on the hunt for a new one.

      Thanks for coming by, NickiMags!

      Delete
  21. I've not read any of these yet but have had my eye on the Jane Harper and Kristin Harmel books. They both sounds really good.

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    1. Agreed. I've been seeing both of them around a lot, so I'm excited to finally read them.

      Thanks for stopping in, Suzanne!

      Delete
  22. I got Jane Harper's Dry from my Secret Santa and am really looking forward to it. The WWII novel looks good as well (no surprise there) and I love Gail Tsukiyama's novels.

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    1. Right? I've never met a WWII book I didn't want to read! I find that period/event endlessly fascinating.

      I hope you like THE DRY! I've enjoyed all of Jane Harper's novels. They're atmospheric and compelling.

      I'm excited to read more by Tsukiyama.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

      Delete
  23. Great list! I think this time of year is perfect for a cozy mystery. Hope you enjoy all of these!

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    Replies
    1. Definitely! And WITHOUT A BREW is set at Christmastime, so it definitely helped me feel more in the holiday spirit :)

      Thanks for stopping by, Hayden!

      Delete
  24. I'm with you on sleeping for a month once this season is over! Sounds like it's quite the whirlwind and congratulations on the upcoming wedding. What fun! Great list! I have the Deanna Raybourn on my list and have been wanting to read Kristin Harmel for quite some time. All of her books sound wonderful. I bought that Ellie Alexander book recently. I love her Bakeshop series so much so I'm really looking forward to this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even though things are simpler this year in a lot of ways, this season has still been crazy! It's good crazy, mostly, but still crazy.

      I've only read the first book in the Bakeshop series. I need to keep on with that one.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Katherine!

      Delete
  25. The Thursday Murder Club sounds so good. I definitely want to read it soon :)

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  26. I keep seeing The Survivors around. I don't usually read thriller but I might have to check that one out. Hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete

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