Edited to add: I'm in the middle of commenting on all of your blogs, but I keep encountering an error that says "An appropriate representation of the requested resource could not be found on this server. This error was generated by Mod_Security." I have no idea what this means or how to fix it! Very frustrating. If you made a TTT list and added your link to the general list and you do not have a comment from me on your post by the end of today, then your blog is giving me this error. 

I'm a little late to the party today, but I didn't want to miss Top Ten Tuesday, even if I'm going to go rogue with the topic. What's new, right? The prompt du jour is a great one—Top Ten Characters From Different Books Who Should Team Up (or date, be friends, etc.). For some reason, I have a tough time with character-based prompts. It's probably because I'm old and my aging memory just can't keep a bunch of story people in my head. Unless they really stand out, I'm probably not going to remember them very well. Since I couldn't think of a creative way to twist this topic, I decided to just be lazy with today's list and go with the Ten Last Physical Books I've Acquired (but only those I haven't mentioned on the blog already). How does that sound?

As always, this fun weekly meme is hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. If you've never joined in, you totally should! All the instructions are on Jana's blog.

Ten Last Physical Books I've Acquired 

- in no particular order -

1. The Messenger by Megan Davis (Thank you, Pegasus Books!)—When Alex Giraud moves to Paris to live with his dad, he has trouble fitting in with the kids at his posh boarding school. Feeling suffocated by his controlling father, Alex finds belonging with a street smart new friend. The boys plan a robbery that goes horribly wrong, leaving Alex's dad dead and him and his friend in prison for murder. When Alex is released, he has only one goal: find out who really killed his father. 

2. Kneaders: A Celebration of Our Recipes and Memories by Colleen Worthington (Thank you, Shadow Mountain Publishing!)—If you live in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Texas, or Utah, you may have heard of Kneaders Bakery & Cafe. It's a chain out of Utah that sells yummy breads, baked goods, soups, sandwiches, etc. This giant cookbook is filled with some of their delicious recipes and the stories behind them, which were compiled by popular author Ally Condie. 

3. North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan (Thank you, St. Martin's Press!)—Kristin and Ryan McIntyre have been hiding from their father, a powerful mobster, for the last five years. When he discovers their whereabouts, the siblings run for their lives, barely escaping in a small plane. The pilot crash lands in the Montana wilderness. With a violent storm fast approaching, Kristin and Ryan find themselves on the run in a remote forest with dangerous enemies hot on their trail. How will they survive?

4. The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton (bought from Barnes & Noble)—This biographical historical novel concerns the Kindertransports, which moved thousands of kids out of Nazi-occupied countries for their safety. It stars Truus Wijsmuller, a real Dutch Resistance worker who risked her life over and over to smuggle out thousands of Jewish children. 

5. Where the Water Takes Us by Alan Barillaro (Thank you, Candlewick Press!)—In this debut novel, a young girl is sent to live with her grandparents while her mother deals with a difficult pregnancy. Ava usually loves her time at their lake house, but she's so worried about her mom that she can't relax or shake the feeling that something is going to go terribly wrong. When Ava discovers a pair of orphaned birds, she makes a deal with fate: she'll save the birds in exchange for the health and safety of her mom and her baby twin siblings. Can she hold up her end of the bargain? Will fate do the same?

6. The Peach Seed by Anita Gail Jones (Thank you, Henry Holt!)—A debut novel, this is a second-chance romance involving a man and a woman whose lives were irrevocably changed—and divided—when a peaceful protest they were involved in went wrong. When the two encounter each other again, they must reckon with their pasts, presents, and futures.

7. Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl (Thank you, Bethany House!)—This book, the first in a new series, is about an ex-FBI profiler in need of a fresh start. She gets it in St. Louis, where she opens a private investigation business with her former partner at the FBI. A grieving mother still searching for her son who disappeared four years ago brings them their first case. Although they presume the boy is dead, their investigation becomes increasingly baffling. Someone clearly doesn't want them to pursue the case. Does that mean there's a chance their missing person is still alive? Or that his killer will do anything to get away with murder? Either way, the private eyes are in for a dangerous run.

8. I Did It for You by Amy Engel (Thank you, Penguin Random House!)—Fourteen years ago, Greer Dunning's sister was murdered. When a similar killing occurs, despite the fact that the man convicted of her sisters' murder has already been executed, Greer returns to her hometown to investigate. She refuses to give up until she finds out what really happened to her sister.

9. At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber (Thank you, Tor/Forge!)—Two grieving women find solace in the friendship they form at a coffee and curiosity shop in small town Alabama. Can they make peace with their individual pasts in order to move on to promising futures?

10. A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly (Thank you, St. Martin's Press!)—It's 1940 and Evelyne Redfern is living a tedious life consisting of long hours at a London munitions factory and not much else. Her only escape is the mystery novels she races through in her few leisure hours. When a chance encounter with an old acquaintance gives her the chance to change things up by working as a secretary in Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms, she takes it. Then, one of her colleagues is murdered. A shocked Evelyne launches her own amateur investigation to figure out who killed the young woman.

There you go, the last ten physical books I've acquired. Have you read any of them? Which character pairings did you come up with for your list today? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I always look forward to creating and reading seasonal TBR lists, so I'm excited for today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt: Top Ten Books On My Summer To-Read List.  You know I'm all about the reading part.  Summer, though?  Not a fan.  I'm especially unenthusiastic right now since I just got back from a long weekend in the Columbia River Gorge, a beautiful national scenic area in Washington and Oregon, where it was cool and drizzly with lows in the 50's and highs in the 70's.  Landing in Arizona, where it was 112 degrees at 7 p.m., was a very rude awakening for me.  I grew up in the Gorge.  Why did I ever leave?  Oh, the things we do for love!  

Although I reveled in the lovely Gorge weather, I was really there to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.  Since COVID pretty much nixed our plans for a blow-out party with lots of family and friends, my siblings and I decided to surprise Mom and Dad instead.  Five of their seven children were able to be there.  Although my youngest brother accidentally spilled the beans a little bit, we still pulled off a great surprise.  I was hiding at the top of my parents' long driveway when my oldest sibling approached them in the backyard and I heard my mom's astonished gasp clear from where I was standing.  It was awesome!  I think this picture of me and my dad (taken by Renée Alumbaugh) says everything about how the weekend went:

(Since someone is bound to ask, the device on my arm is an Omnipod insulin pump.  You may also sometimes spy my Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitor [CGM] in pictures of me, since I wear both on the backs of my arms.  Although Type 1 diabetes is a horrendous, not-fun-at-all disease, these devices are literally life-changing for diabetics.)

Now that I'm back to the scorching heat, I guess it really is time to start thinking about what I want to read this summer.  I've got some library books I need to finish as well as a few new releases I'm looking forward to.  It's too hot to read by the pool (ours doesn't have much shade and I burn at the mere thought of sunshine), so I'll be enjoying these books inside under the ceiling fan with the a/c blasting.

As always, if you're interested in joining the TTT party, you can find all the details at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1.  The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny—I brought this mystery on my trip as a back-up book (I never travel without one!) and it's a good thing I did since I couldn't get my stupid Kindle to connect at all.  It's the 11th book in the incomparable Armand Gamache series, which I love.  It's about a young boy who goes missing and the shocking thing that is found in the woods because of the ensuing search for him.

2.  Searcher of the Dead by Nancy Herriman—I've enjoyed a couple of Herriman's historical mysteries, so I'm interested to see how I like this series opener.  It's about a woman in Tudor England who's hiding from a killer in a bucolic little town.  When someone close to her is murdered, it appears she has been found and that she's next on someone's hit list.

3.  The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn—I'm always up for a dual-timeline novel featuring old secrets and new discoveries.  This one revolves around a woman in the present who discovers a cache of love letters written during another woman's stint in a mental hospital on a remote island in the 1950's.  As she digs into the past to learn more about the letters, she finds an intriguing mystery that just might answer questions about her own family.

4.  The Hours Count by Jillian Cantor—A month or so ago, I read and enjoyed my first Cantor book.  I'm excited to try another one.  This historical concerns a neighbor of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, with whom the spies' children were left after their arrest.  Sounds interesting.

5.  Survive the Night by Riley Sager (available June 29, 2021)—I've already talked about this thriller, which is about two strangers on a road trip that goes awry.  I'm 31 of 32 on the library's waiting list, so we'll see how long it takes for me to get my hands on this one.  

6.  A Cup of Silver Linings by Karen Hawkins (available July 6, 2021)—I just received this novel from the publisher.  It's the second book in a series, so I'll have to read The Book Charmer first (I've been meaning to anyway).  This one is about three women who "embark on a reluctant but magical journey of healing, friendship, and family."  Sounds like a nice, feel-good read perfect for summer.

7.  Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult (available November 30, 2021)—I'm a Picoult fan, although it's been a hot minute since I read anything by her.  To be honest, her newer novels haven't been as good for me as her older ones.  However, I am intrigued by this one, her newest.  It's about a woman who's on a dream trip to the Galàpagos Islands by herself when the pandemic hits.  I've heard some people say it's too soon for them to enjoy a book like this, but I'm all in for it.

8.  The Pact by Sharon Bolton—I'm *trying* to take a break from dark thrillers, but I'm a big Bolton fan, so I probably won't be able to resist this one.  It's about a woman who agrees to take the fall for a group crime in exchange for "favors" done by each member of the group after her release from prison.  

9.  A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson—While this doesn't sound like a very summery book, it's still one I want to read soon.  The first in a series, it's about a marine biologist who is researching wolverines in Montana, a mission that angers some locals.  When she discovers a different kind of predator in the wildlife sanctuary, the authorities are strangely dismissive of her claims.  Just what

exactly has she stumbled upon?

10.  The Next Ship Home by Heather Webb (available February 8, 2022)—As you probably know, I'm very into researching family history.  While most of my ancestors came to the United States before Ellis Island opened, I'm still fascinated by the place and its role in the nation's history.  I have an e-ARC of this novel, which concerns a woman emigrating from Italy and an American woman who has just started a job at the immigration center.  Their fates entwine as they both struggle to navigate their new lives.

There you are, ten books I'm hoping to read this summer.  Have you read any of them?  Any look like novels you would enjoy as well?  What's on your list today?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Sometimes I have real trouble coming up with books to fit the Top Ten Tuesday topic du jour.  Then, a freebie comes along and I blank on that too! Yikes.  Since I don't want to tax my summer brain too much, I'm going to highlight more upcoming releases I'm eager to read.  I did a two-part TTT list on this topic back in March (here's Part One, here's Part Two) that focused on up-and-comers for the first part of the year.  Today's list will feature releases for the second half, although most of these titles come out this summer.    

If you want to join in the TTT fun, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

(in order of release date)

1.  The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman (coming June 8, 2021)—I enjoyed Steadman's two previous thrillers, so I'm excited for her newest effort.  It concerns Mia Eliot, a British actress who comes to Hollywood for pilot season, hoping to land a lucrative, career-making job.  When a fellow actress, whom Mia met only briefly, disappears, Mia is questioned as the last person to see her.  Then, the missing woman reappears, but Mia's almost positive the two women are not the same.  Sounds intriguing!

2.  Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos (coming June 29, 2021)—deVos is another author whose books I enjoy and the plot summary of her newest just makes me laugh.  It's a body-positive YA novel about a group of teens who are forced under mysterious circumstances to attend a weight-loss camp in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Nothing about the situation makes sense, especially not the other campers who seem...not quite alive.  As the teens try to uncover the camp's secrets, they find themselves in a surprising and desperate fight against rabid zombies. 

 

3.  A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe (coming July 20, 2021)—It's 1954 and Katharina Edgeworth is a wealthy, bored New York City housewife.  When she's recruited by the FBI to be an informant with the job of infiltrating the private world of a man from her past who has become a Soviet spy, it presents a tantalizing chance for Katharina to break free from her gilded cage and do something both exciting and important.

4.  Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (coming July 27, 2021)—Two estranged sisters set out on a trip across Europe to fulfill their grandmother's dying wish of delivering goodbye letters to people she once knew.  The duo must deal with their own strained relationship, confront family secrets, and travel in a time and place that feels increasingly dangerous.

5.  The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong (coming August 10, 2021)—This historical novel revolves around a nurse who helps treat premature infants in 1937.  When she hears about Martin Couney's exhibit of the tiny babies at Coney Island, it changes her perspective, putting her in conflict with the doctors for whom she works.  As the mother of two babies born at 29 weeks gestation, I'm definitely interested in reading this dual-timeline novel, which sounds super interesting. 

6.  The Family Plot by Megan Collins (coming August 17, 2021)—Dahlia Lighthouse was raised on an isolated island under the strict guard of her true crime-obsessed parents.  Still haunted by the disappearance of her twin brother ten years ago, Dahlia returns to her childhood home where a gruesome discovery has been made: her brother's body has been buried in her father's plot.  How did his body end up there?  What really happened to Dahlia's brother?  Was he murdered by a serial killer or someone a lot closer to home?

7.  A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins (coming August 31, 2021)—When a man is found dead on a houseboat, three women who were close to him are investigated for murder.  There's not much of a plot summary for this one, but I like Hawkins so I'm in.

8.  Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (coming September 14, 2021)—Not gonna lie, I haven't been impressed with Moriarty's last couple novels.  I'm hoping her newest is as compelling as the older titles that I have loved by her.  Her latest is another family drama about a complicated family with some very intriguing secrets.

9.  Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan (coming October 19, 2021)—This historical novel is about a young woman who is grief-stricken over the impending death of her beloved younger brother.  George, who is captivated by a newly-published book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is desperate to know from whence Narnia came.  Despite her timidity about approaching C.S. Lewis, George's sister does it anyway.  The answer to George's question will change her life, even if it won't save her brother's. 

10.  The Pilot's Daughter by Meredith Jaeger (coming November 2, 2021)—Inspired by a real murder, this one revolves around a would-be reporter who is desperate to find her father, a pilot who goes missing during the waning days of World War II.  When she discovers love letters from a woman who is not her mother among her father's things, she's shocked—and even more desperate to find out where he is.  Can she figure out what happened to the father she loves, but apparently doesn't really know?   

There you go, ten upcoming releases I'm excited to read.  Do any catch your eye as well?  What new releases are you looking forward to bingeing on during the rest of 2021?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.