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Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: Sizzling Summer Reads on My TBR List (Part One)
6:59 PM
This week's TTT prompt is a twice-yearly one that I just find...odd. I always skip it. For those who want to participate, it's Top Ten Bookish Wishes. Jana explains it thus: I host this topic twice a year (around Christmas and again in June), and people love it! List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wish. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address [here’s how to do it on Amazon] or include the email address associated with your ereader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone! Since we'll be talking about our Summer TBRs next week anyway, I decided to jump the gun and do my list in two parts because why not? I never stick to my lists anyway. Ha ha.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over there and give her some love!
Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List, Part One
I started this book today and am enjoying it. Thanks for the rec, whoever you are! I need to write these things down...
2. Homecoming by Kate Morton—Morton is one of my favorite authors and I've been highly anticipating hew newest. It's a dual-timeline novel that starts with the discovery of a corpse on the grounds of a mysterious mansion in Australia. Sixty years later, a journalist living in England rushes to Australia to be at the side of her addled and ailing grandmother. While staying in the elderly woman's house, the granddaughter learns of the decades-old murder as well as her family's surprising connection to it. She can't help but launch her own investigation into the unsolved killing.
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—I enjoyed this 1943 classic when I read it in college years ago. It's my book club's selection for June. I'm excited to re-read it. The story is about a girl growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early 1900s.
4. A Sky Full of Song by Susan Lynn Meyer—North Dakota is always a challenging state to find in fiction, so I was thrilled when I heard about this middle-grade novel that came out in April. Not only will it help me in the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge, but it also sounds super compelling. The story centers around a Jewish family from Ukraine that emigrates to the U.S. in 1905 to escape persecution in the Russian Empire. Eleven-year-old Shoshana wants to fit in in her new life so badly that she's hiding her Jewish identity, which angers her beloved older sister. Shoshana doesn't want to live at odds with her family—or herself—but she desperately wants to belong in America. What other choice does she have?
5. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman—Before I read Anxious People, I really didn't think Backman's books were my kind of thing, no matter how much people raved about his debut. After enjoying Anxious People and loving A Man Called Otto, I'm all in for finally reading this book. It's a feel-good grumpy/sunshine story about a lonely widower and the lively family that cracks his curmudgeonly shell. It also happens to be my book club's pick for August.
6. Enchanted Hill by Emily Bain Murphy—This historical mystery is set in glamorous 1930s Hollywood. It's about a lady P.I. who's undercover at a ritzy estate to unravel a puzzling mystery. When a man who she never thought she would ever see again walks in, also using a false identity, the two tentatively agree to investigate together to protect them both. Secrets hide everywhere at Enchanted Hill, including between the new partners.
7. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado—I need to read a body-positive book as well as a romance with a plus-sized lead for two different reading challenges. This YA novel seems to fit the bill. It's about a teen who is trying to love her large body, despite her mother's constant push to slim it down. Unlike her mom, Charlie's skinny BFF, Amelia, has always encouraged her to love her whole self. A new boy at school seems to offer the same kind of safe harbor for Charlie, but when Charlie learns he asked Amelia out first, she's devastated. Is she always destined to be someone's second choice? Does the boy even like her at all?
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë—This 1847 classic is a favorite of mine, but it's been a hot minute since I've read it. I'll be re-reading it for my book club meeting in July. If you don't know, the novel is about the experiences of the titular young woman when she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall. She falls in love with her charge's father, the enigmatic Mr. Rochester, who is hiding a devastating secret.
9. Artifice by Sharon Cameron—I adore Cameron's books, so I'm excited to read her newest. It concerns Isa de Smit, a young woman who grew up in Amsterdam's colorful art world. As the Nazis invade her hometown, her friends are disappearing and valuable paintings are being confiscated. Desperate for money to help the Resistance, Isa starts selling forgeries of famous artwork to the Nazis. Her scheme goes off perfectly until someone finds out what she's doing. Can Isa save herself and her friends from a ruthless enemy that has no problem killing everyone in their path?
10. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda —Miranda's thrillers always appeal to me. This one, her latest, is no exception. It's about a group of former classmates who reunite on the tenth anniversary of a tragedy that changed all of their lives. When members of the group start disappearing, it's clear that past secrets and lies are coming back to haunt them.
There you are, ten books I'm planning to read this summer. What do you think? Have you read any of them? Which books are you wishing for today or which are you excited to read in the next few months? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here.
Happy TTT!
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Your list made me realize (again) that I've never read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn despite having it on my longterm TBR for years. I really need to fix that.
ReplyDeleteI really liked A Man Called Otto well enogh but loved A Man Called Ove lots more. Something about the "Americanization" of the characters just bugged me enough to remind me that the movie version of A Man called Ove is much better because of the book's Swedish setting and characters. Just worked better for me. I'll be curious to hear how you compare the two. The book is really, really good, I think.
I loved A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN when I read it in college. I'm hoping I'll have the same reaction this time around. We'll see!
DeleteUsually, I have a strict policy about reading a book before I see its movie adaptation because the majority of the time the book is better. My husband got tired of waiting around for me to read A MAN CALLED OVE, so we went ahead and watched the movie. I'm a big Tom Hanks fan, so I loved it. If the book is better, that's wonderful. I'm even more excited to read it now.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!
Great list! I want to read Homecoming and A Man Called Ove too.
ReplyDeleteI have copies of both on my bookshelf, so I don't know why I haven't read them yet! No excuses. LOL.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Bonnie!
I loved Jane Eyre and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!
ReplyDeleteHere is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Lydia
I've read JANE EYRE a few times and loved it every go 'round. I'm hoping I'll love A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN just as much now as I did in college. Fingers crossed.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!
I reread A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for my book club a couple of years ago, and I thought it was just as good the second time I read it as the first.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing A Sky Full of Song to my attention.
Oh, good! I'm hoping I have the same experience with A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN.
DeleteDoesn't A SKY FULL OF SONG sound compelling? It's on hold for me at the library right now. I need to go pick it up soon. I hope we both enjoy it.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deb!
I really loved A Man Called Ove (but I've not seen A Man Called Otto), I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteA Man Called Otto is just sweet. Heart-warming, you know? And you can't go wrong with Tom Hanks. He's one of my favorite actors. I'll be interested to see how the book differs. It will be fun to compare/contrast the two.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Louise!
I still need to read A Man Called Ove, too. I hope you love it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like we need to have a big, book blogger buddy read of A MAN CALLED OVE!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deanna!
Great list. Homecoming and A Man Called Ove are ones I want to read as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to both of them since they both seem like they're going to be amazing reads. I just need to actually read them! LOL.
DeleteThanks for popping in, Kel!
I've been wanting to try A Man Called Ove too. Hope you'll love all of these!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the last person on Earth who hadn't read A MAN CALLED OVE, but apparently, a lot of us haven't. I hope we all love it when we get to it!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lindsey!
I rarely stick to the assigned topic. Lol. I love that we can make it our own, but still join the blog hop. Enchanted Hill looks so good! I saw one of the movie adaptations of Jane Eyre, but have not yet read the book. I have a copy of it, though. Have a great rest of the week! :-)
ReplyDeleteSame. Not every topic speaks to me. I've been doing TTT for a long time, too, and I don't always want to repeat topics. It's fun to have the flexibility to do our own thing when we want to!
DeleteJANE EYRE is a great read. You should definitely give it a whirl.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Meezan!
What a varied list, hope you enjoy your picks. I too would like to read A Man Called Ove.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I have high hopes for all of them :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Brenda!
Great list. I've heard of many of these sizzling summer reads. I hope we both get to read some of these soon. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteYes! I hope we both enjoy our summer reads.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cheryl!
I am SO EXCITED for Enchanted Hill but unfortunately NetGalley declined my review request. I'll just have to wait for November... but it'll be worth the wait, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd I should probably read a Man Called Ove at some point soon. Great idea to split your list in two! :)
Have you tried to get ENCHANTED HILL on Edelweiss? My request on NG is still pending, but I got approved for it quickly on EW.
DeleteThanks for stopping in, Jaime!
A Man Called Ove is one of my favorite books!!! I also really enjoyed Fat Chance, Charlie Vega!
ReplyDeleteOh, really? Now I'm even more excited to read it! I've heard good things about CHARLIE VEGA. YA contemporary/romance isn't really my genre, but I think I'm still going to like it. Fingers crossed.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Leslie!
I started THE ONLY SURVIVORS by gave up on it. I wasn't liking it. Moved too slow for my taste.
ReplyDeleteReally? Oh no! I've always liked Miranda's books before. Hopefully, I'll enjoy this one more than you did.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Karen!
Ooh nice list! These are all totally new to me ones! I hope you're able to get these sometime in the near future!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TTT!
Hopefully, I'll get to at least a handful of them in the next few months. We'll see if I stick to this list or get distracted by other reads. You never know!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Jessica!
I love that you have various reasons to read these books besides the fact that they are recently published. I still haven't read The Tree Grows in Brooklyn, even though it has been on my TBR forever. I hope you love A Man Called Ove. I didn't realize it was his debut novel as I read two before that one. I enjoyed the movie, but the book is a bit different. Great list, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI try to always read the books for book club, so they definitely get prioritized. I also love shiny new releases. I just can't help myself, LOL.
DeleteAccording to fantasticfiction.com, OVE is Backman's debut novel. Crazy that a first novel is so popular and beloved.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carol!
Carla, not Carol. Sorry!
DeleteGreat list this week! I have quite a few of these on my TBR, and I'm hoping to find out how they are over the summer. Fingers crossed that we love them all!
ReplyDeleteI have high hopes for all of these, so I really hope we do enjoy them. Happy summer reading!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Leah!
Quite a few interesting books you have there, Susan. I have read # 3, 5 and 8, all good reads. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI agree on #3 and #8, which I've read before. So many people love A MAN CALLED OVE that there's no way in can't be great! I'm excited to finally read it.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marianne!
I still have to see the film. I usually am not that keen on watching something that I read but I absolutely love Tom Hanks, should be a good one.
DeleteOoh...I'm intrigued by both Artifice and Enchanted Hill! Those are both going on my own list. :D
ReplyDeleteI've read all of Cameron's novels but one and really liked all of them. BLUEBIRD is probably my favorite so far, but ARTIFICE also sounds really good. I'm excited to read it. I also loved Murphy's debut novel, so I'm really looking forward to another by her.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!
I'm so looking forward to reading the Kate Morton and now I'm adding Enchanted Hill to my TBR. It sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI've been hesitating a tiny bit on the Morton because it is a CHUNKSTER. I know I'll love it, I'm just waiting until I'm in the mood for a looonngg read. ENCHANTED HILL sounds fun, doesn't it? I hope we both enjoy it.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Katherine!
I have been wanting to read Jane Eyre...someday!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely need to read it. It's one classic that I really enjoy!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cindy!
Homecoming and Enchanted Hill look pretty awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Morton is an auto-read author for me, so I'm sure to love HOMECOMING. I really liked Murphy's debut novel and ENCHANTED HILL just sounds like my kind of read. I'm excited for it.
DeleteThanks for stopping in, Holley!
I have been meaning to read A Man Called Ove as well and hope to read it before I watch either of the movies.. I have A Sky Full of Song on my shelf waiting to be read.. As for the others, I have read Jane Eyre years ago, Charlie Vega when it was published (and loved it), and I think I read and loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ages ago (but not too sure so need to read it again anyways)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT is here: https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/if-wishes-were-books-and-granted-wonderful-indeed/
Yeah, I think these are all going to be great reads. I'm excited!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lady in Read!
I always enjoy revisiting titles that I've read before. As we age and our experiences change, so too can our reaction to what we read. Add your book club discussions into the mix, and it sounds like you are going to have a lot to dig into with your re-reads.
ReplyDeleteFor sure! I've re-read JANE EYRE recently, it's just been a couple decades for A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. I'm looking forward to the re-read.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Ethan!
We love some good summer (or any season!) TBR possibilities. :) I hope you enjoy all of these, Susan, and happy reading. Thanks so much for visiting my website this week, too.
ReplyDeleteTTT is never good for my already overflowing TBR! LOL.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Rissi!
I adored A Man Called Ove when I read it. I even shed a few tears near the end. And Charlie Vega was the kind of book I wish was around when I was a teenager. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.
ReplyDeletePam @ Read! Bake! Create!
I cried during the movie, so I'm sure I'll need some tissues for the Ove book as well. And I'm glad CHARLIE VEGA is a good one. I don't read much contemporary YA, but it sounds like one I'll enjoy.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting!
I have talked about On the Edge of Gone in TTT's before though I don't know if I made that comment. But yes the rep of the autistic mc is good. Which makes sense when the author is autistic as well.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been you then! Thanks for recommending the book. I really enjoyed it. It makes sense that the autism rep is done well if the writer is autistic. I didn't know that about Duyvis.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Annemieke!
Beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rajani! I'm going over to yours to see what's new :)
DeleteA Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Ove are waiting on my shelf, too. I hope you get to a few of these! :)
ReplyDeleteI never do the wish list TTT either. I'm just not comfortable with it. I hope you're able to read all the books on your TBR. Happy reading!
ReplyDelete