Has Spring sprung where you live? Here in the Phoenix, Arizona, area it's been in the upper 70s and flowers are blooming all over the place. I'm not ready for high temps, so hopefully, we can stay out of the triple digits for a little bit longer. A friend mentioned today that his grandkids came to visit from Colorado and couldn't wait to jump in his pool! Brrr...I only swim when it's over 100 degrees outside and I can wait for that, thank you very much.

Even if Spring hasn't sprung where you are, it's definitely happening on Top Ten Tuesday. Today's prompt is, not surprisingly, Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List. I love these seasonal lists, even though they're rough on my already never-ending TBR pile mountain mountain chain. 

If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you SO do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, get all the details on this weekly meme, and give our hostess, Jana, some love while you're at it.

Several authors that I adore have new books coming out in March and April, so I'll start with those, even though I think I've talked about all of them before. Sorry!

1. The Close by Jane Casey—I'm a big fan of Casey's Irish detective Maeve Kerrigan, who lives and works in England. This newest installment (#10) has Maeve and her colleague, DI Josh Derwent, posing as a couple in order to get an insider's view of a tidy neighborhood that's hiding some messy secrets. With their relationship already dancing on the line between professional and personal, it's a tense situation all around. 

2. Homecoming by Kate Morton (available April 4, 2023)—A new book from Morton always gets me excited! The story concerns Jess, an out-of-work London journalist who is called home to Australia after her beloved grandmother suffers a debilitating fall. Jess is surprised to learn that her grandma took a tumble after being in her attic, a place that has always been forbidden. As the journalist starts digging into the secrets the attic holds, she makes some shocking discoveries about her family's involvement in a 60-year-old crime.

3. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen—I'm always up for a book about the Titanic. I've actually had an e-ARC of this one on my Kindle for some time now and haven't gotten around to it. Yet.

4. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (available April 11, 2023)—Miranda is a thriller writer whose books are must-reads for me. Her newest concerns a group of adults who survived a deadly school bus crash as high schoolers. When one of the survivors commits suicide, the rest of the group commits to getting together every year to commemorate the tragedy that changed all of their lives. As they gather on the Outer Banks for the tenth anniversary, something immediately feels off. When one member of the group disappears, amid an incoming storm no less, everyone is alarmed. After all they've been through, they can't experience another tragedy. Where has their friend gone? Why has she vanished?

5. Home Away From Home by Cynthia Lord (available April 18, 2023)—I love Lord's heartfelt middle-grade novels. This one concerns Mia, a girl who's staying with her grandmother in Maine for the summer, just like she always does. Except, this year is different. Her parents are divorcing, their home is up for sale, and nothing is the same. Not even grandma's house. Grandma's got an annoying new neighbor, a boy Mia's age who seems to feel a little too at home at her grandma's house. When the two of them spot a rare bird, the competition between them gets fierce. Who will find the exotic animal first?

I haven't read anything by the next five authors, but I'm excited to give these a go:

6. The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson—This historical novel is based on a real librarian who risked her own safety to run a library inside London's Bethnal Green tube station during World War II. 

7. Courts and Alleys: A history of Liverpool courtyard housing by Elizabeth J. Stewart—Speaking of cities in England...I've been doing a deep dive into the life of my 4th great-grandmother, who lived in Liverpool during the mid 1800s before emigrating to the United States in 1853. She lived in tenement housing, the so-called back-to-back court houses, and I'm interested to know more about what that was like. Couldn't have been easy.

8. We Love to Entertain by Sarah Strohmeyer (available April 25, 2023)—This thriller revolves around a married couple, real estate investors who are involved in a tense competition sponsored by a popular real estate app. Winning could mean big bucks in endorsements as well as a league of new followers. The couple is in the middle of remodeling a home in Vermont when they both disappear, leaving a bloody trail in their wake. What happened to the dynamic duo?

9. Blizzard's Wake by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor—Even though this YA historical isn't very Spring-y, it still sounds compelling. Someone recommended it to me when I complained that it was hard to find books set in North Dakota for the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge I participate in every year. The novel is about a grieving girl and the boy who has just been released from jail for causing the accident that killed her mother. When the two get stuck in a blizzard, they are forced to work together in order to survive.

10. Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan—I'm always up for a fun cozy mystery and this one looks entertaining. It's the first installment in a series that stars Charlotte "Charlie" Cook, a chef who returns to her Alaska hometown to take over her mother's diner. When the diner's head chef is killed after a heated argument with Charlie, she finds herself the prime suspect in his murder. Who really offed the chef?

There you go, ten books I'm hoping to get to this Spring. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your Spring TBR? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will happily return the favor on your blog. I also reply to your TTT comments here (although I'm still a little behind from the past couple weeks...).

Are you the kind of reader who keeps a close eye on all the new releases coming out? Or are you one of those who couldn't care less? Maybe somewhere in between? I love keeping tabs on the up-and-comers so I know when my favorite authors are releasing new titles and which others I don't want to miss out on. It's not necessarily that I'm going to read them all right away; I just like knowing what's coming down the pipe. This week's TTT prompt is right up my alley: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023. Mine includes my usual blend of historical fiction, mystery/thriller, and a couple middle-grade reads to round things out. I can't wait to see what's on your list this week. My TBR list is going to be in trouble this week, I can already tell!

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

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023  

- in order of publication date - 

1. The Stranded by Sarah Daniels (published January 3)—Dystopian fiction might be passé, but I'm still a fan. This first installment in a planned series sounds compelling. It's about a luxury liner-turned-refugee ship that's been confined to the oceans since a devastating war turned the world into a post-apocalyptic nightmare. The passengers are getting antsy, desperate to see what's left of civilization on dry land, and they're about to take drastic action in order to escape the Arcadia, which has become—to them—a floating prison.

2. All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham (available January 10)—Isabelle Drake has barely slept a wink since her toddler was snatched from his crib one year ago. Even suffering from severe insomnia, she has only one purpose: finding her son. Desperate for any lead, she agrees to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster. His disturbing obsession bothers her, as does the paranoia and doubt that seem to be taking over her mind. Is she slowly going insane? Is she misremembering something from the night her baby disappeared? Where is Mason and how far will Isabelle go to bring him home?

3. Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies by Stacey Lee (available February 7)—I love Lee's Chinese-themed YA historical fiction, so I'm intrigued by her newest, a middle-grade fantasy. It's about a 12-year-old boy who prevents a robbery at a curiosity shop in Chinatown and is gifted an item from the store as a reward. Winston's disappointed when he gets a perfectly ordinary broom and dustpan, until strange things start happening and he wonders what exactly he's gotten himself into...Sounds fun!

4. The Woman With the Cure by Lynn Cullen (available February 21)—This historical novel tells the true story of Dorothy Horstmann, a woman from humble, immigrant beginnings who became a medical doctor when it was almost unheard of for females to do so. In the 1940s and 50s, she's at the forefront of the race to find a vaccine for polio. When push comes to shove, she has to decide what she's willing to sacrifice in order to save the world from a devastating disease.

5. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen (available March 7)—I enjoy Nielsen's historical middle-grade novels as well as books about maritime disasters, so I'm excited to read her newest. It's about a young stowaway on Titanic. One minute, Hazel's marveling at the great ship; the next, she's fighting for her life as the mighty vessel sinks into the sea.

6. All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay (available March 7)—In 1975, Jane Larkin disappears from her home without a trace, leaving behind her husband and three children. There are no signs of a struggle and her pocketbook remains in its proper place. Although authorities suspect Miranda's husband of murder, they can't prove it, and he remains free to raise his trio of traumatized children. When Miranda's body is found two decades later, the family is forced to reexamine what happened to Jane and who is at fault.

7. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon (available April 1)—Deborah Samson, a penniless indentured servant, longs for freedom and adventure. The Revolutionary War provides a surprising opportunity for liberation. Deborah disguises herself as a boy and joins up. Will fighting for her country finally give her life purpose? Is she brave enough to be a hero? Will she be able to conceal her secret long enough to find out?

8. Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling (available April 4)—Camp Zero is an American building project located in Canada's frozen tundra. In an effort to help her mother, a Korean immigrant displaced by climate change, Rose agrees to work as a spy to uncover Camp Zero's many secrets. What is the building project really about? And why is there an army of elite women soldiers camping nearby? Rose won't stop until she finds the answers, however dangerous the investigation might be.

9. Homecoming by Kate Morton (available April 11)—Of all the books on my list, this is the one I'm most looking forward to. Morton is one of my favorite authors and she only publishes every 2-3 years, so I always get excited when she announces a new book. This one concerns a horrifying crime in Australia that has remained unsolved for many years. When Jess, a journalist living in England, gets a call summoning her to her grandmother's home in Sydney, she discovers a shocking connection between her family and the long-ago crime. What really happened on Christmas Eve 1959?

10. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (available April 11)—I'm a fan of Miranda's propulsive thrillers, so I'm excited for this one. It's about a group of friends who reunite on the tenth anniversary of a terrible accident. When one of them disappears, it casts a whole new light on the decade-old tragedy.

There you go, ten new releases I'm eagerly awaiting. Are you familiar with any of them? Which up-and-comers are you looking forward to reading? I would truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Today's TTT topic is a nostalgic, walk-down-memory-lane type deal, but my memory is just not up to the task! If yours is good enough, then you might enjoy listing the Top Ten Books I Read On Vacation (bonus points if you can tell us where you were). Me? I'm going to twist the topic around a bit. I toyed with some vacation-y spins and finally decided to steal an idea from Wendy over at The Bashful Bookworm. A couple weeks ago, she made a TTT list of book covers with vehicles on them. I thought that was a fun topic and since vehicles mean travel, it works well for today. 

Before we get to my list, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give Jana, our hostess with the mostest, some love!

1. New From Here by Kelly Yang—It's hard to see, but the cover of my current read features an airplane flying through the title. The book is about a Chinese-American family living in Hong Kong who decides to flee to their summer home in California to escape the coronavirus. It's told from the point of view of 10-year-old Knox, whose struggles with ADHD are exacerbated by missing his father (who stayed behind to work), going to a new school, sharing a bedroom with his annoying older brother, and dealing with prejudice against Asian people (who are being blamed for bringing the virus to the U.S.). I'm only a few chapters in, but this middle grade novel is already proving to be a powerful, impacting read. 

2. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (available December 13, 2022)—I love this gorgeous cover with its Venetian gondola! The story is about a baby who's discovered floating in a basket along the canals of Venice. Taken in by a guild of artisans, he's raised as their own, although he still wonders about his mysterious origins. One hundred years later, a translator comes to the city to procure a rare book. Within its pages, he'll discover an intriguing story about a floating infant...

3. Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare—Lena Aldridge lives a gritty, unfulfilling life as a lounge singer in London, where she must hide her mixed-race heritage and pass as white. When she's offered the opportunity to sing on Broadway, she eagerly boards the RMS Queen Mary, excited to begin a new life in America. Her hopes sink when she finds herself embroiled in a murder onboard that puts all her dreams—not to mention her life—at risk.

4. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves—This World War II mystery sounds interesting. The titular character is the owner of a flock of racing pigeons which she hopes will be requested by the National Pigeon Service to help with the war effort. A duo do come calling, but they're intelligence officers asking Olive to aid in a covert operation against the Germans. Soon after they arrive, a local woman is found murdered outside Olive's pigeon loft. Just what has Olive gotten herself into?

5. The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris—Similar to the above, this WWII novel features an illusionist's assistant who specializes in creating spectacular escapes to thrill audiences. When British military intelligence asks her to use her expertise to help them win the war, she's eager to help. It soon becomes clear, however, that her mission is much more dangerous than she ever imagined it could be.

6. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen (available March 17, 2023)—I enjoy Nielsen's historical fiction for middle graders as well as books about the Titanic, so I'm very excited for this one. It's about a young stowaway with big plans for her new life in America who gets caught up in an intriguing mystery and a desperate struggle for survival.

7. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith—This rom-com featuring dueling food trucks on a Maui beach sounds fun. I was an exchange student in the Philippines during high school, so I can't wait for all the Filipino food talk. Yum!

8. Peanut Butter Panic by Amanda Flower—I love this charming cozy mystery series. This installment, book seven, has Bailey King providing sweets for a big Thanksgiving event in town. When a man dies from an allergic reaction after eating her desserts, she's shocked. Once again, she finds herself investigating a puzzling murder.

9. The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh—Speaking of carrier pigeons, this novel revolves around a woman who joins the Women's Royal Naval Service (aka, the "wrens") and becomes a motorcycle dispatch rider tasked with delivering the birds to the front during World War I. Two decades later, she's called back into service at the beginning of another world war.

10. Better Off Read by Nora Page—Desperate to save her town's storm-damaged library, Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile to drum up support in her small Georgia town. When a potential benefactor ends up dead and her best friend stands accused of his murder, Cleo must play Nancy Drew to figure out whodunit. 

It's been a few weeks since I participated in Top Ten Tuesday. While I should have been spending those days packing up my house in preparation for our big move on July 15, I actually spent them traveling to the cool, rainy Pacific Northwest for a family wedding. Between the delicious weather and even better company, I didn't want to leave! But, alas, all good things must come to an end. Now, I'm back home and the heat is on—literally and figuratively. It's a million degrees outside AND I have tons of packing to do. First things first, though. I love TTT seasonal reading lists, so I didn't want to miss out on today's prompt. I can't wait to see what books everyone is looking forward to this summer.

If you need an excuse to procrastinate the things you should be doing  want to participate in this fun meme, head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

1. The Family Game by Catherine Steadman (available November 8, 2022)—I've enjoyed Steadman's previous psychological thrillers, so I was excited to get an e-ARC of this one, her newest. It's about a British novelist who's engaged to an American businessman who's a member of one of New York City's wealthiest, most influential families. Harriet is shocked when her father-in-law hands her a tape containing his confession to a shocking crime. Is this some sort of sick initiation game? Or is Harriet marrying into a family of criminals? 

I'm a few chapters into this one and it's...interesting so far. I'm enjoying it.

2.  The Second Husband by Kate White—A copy of this psychological thriller just landed on my doorstep. It concerns a woman who is rebuilding her life after her husband was killed in a random crime on the street. Just when the widow is starting to feel safe and comfortable in her new life and relationship, the police come calling. How did her husband really die? Does the widow know more than she's saying?

3. Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen—This middle-grade novel features five children from different walks of life living in Europe while World War I rages. Their paths cross as they struggle to survive amidst the chaos of war.

4. Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander—Born on a plantation, Josephine N. Leary moves to Edenton, North Carolina, after Emancipation. While keeping a home and raising a family, she teaches herself the business skills needed to invest in real estate and build the kind of legacy that was unheard of for Black women of her time. This novel is based on the true story of Leary's remarkable life.

5. Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen—This contemporary novel, about a straight-laced Asian-American woman who gets caught up in her friend's very successful fake handbag scheme, sounds fun and entertaining.

6. The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton—This new middle grade series sounds like a more diverse, international version of Harry Potter. Hopefully, it's got its own unique spin. I'm in to find out!

7. Tiny Humans, Big Lessons: How the NICU Taught Me to Live With Energy, Intention, and Purpose by Sue Ludwig—When Lydia mentioned this book on her blog, I knew I had to read it. My two sons, who are six years apart, were both born at 29 weeks gestation. The oldest spent a month and a half in the NICU and the youngest exactly a month. Being in the NICU, experiencing the life and death struggle that goes on there every day, is truly life-changing. I'm interested to see how my experiences there compare and contrast with those of the author, who works as a neonatal therapist.

8. The Drowning Sea by Sarah Stewart Taylor—I've enjoyed the first two books in this series, which features an Irish-American detective solving crimes in both New York and the Emerald Isle. This installment finds Detective Maggie D'Arcy and her daughter in Ireland, preparing for a move to the country that will combine their household with that of Maggie's boyfriend and his son. Their bonding time is interrupted when human remains wash ashore in a small town with a mysterious history. Who is the dead man? Why was he killed? Maggie is determined to find out.

9. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean (available August 2, 2022)—What do you think of this plot summary? Interesting, right?

10. A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa—Set in 19th Century Puerto Rico, this novel centers on an enslaved woman who is sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. As heartbreaking as the plot sounds, the summary promises a story of triumph and faith over brutality and sorrow. I'm intrigued.

There you have it, ten books I'd like to read this summer. What do you think of my list? Have you read any of these? Do any of them look interesting to you? What's on your summer TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I saw this tag on Nicole's blog, BookWyrm Knits, and thought it looked like a fun way to assess where I am in my reading now that we're just about halfway through 2021.  I'm not sure who originally created this tag—if it was you or you know who it was, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.  At any rate, here's how Nicole did it, so I'm going to follow her format:

My goal is to read 200 books this year, so I'm right on track.  Goodreads says I'm two books ahead of schedule.  Go, me!

I'm going to go with The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustain.  It's a historical novel about two young women living on the Natchez Trace in Mississippi.  Their hardscrabble lives entwine because of a murder, which creates an unlikely bond between them.  The setting and characters in this book are so well drawn that I found myself really sinking into the story and caring deeply about what happened to the two main characters.  This assured debut was an A read for me, one of only a few books I've truly loved this year.

I love reading series!  I'm always in the middle of a bunch of them, so I've read a number of sequels this year.  I think my favorite so far is The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny.  The 11th book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, it's a mystery about a shocking discovery searchers find in the woods while looking for a missing boy.  

New Release(s) You Haven't Read But Want To  

I've talked a lot about new releases this year in my Top Ten Tuesday posts.  You can check out this list, this one, and this one to see which I've been most excited about.  I'll be listing even more new releases I want to read in my next TTT post, so look for that next week.  In the meantime, here are the top three 2021 releases from the first half of the year that I haven't read yet but am looking forward to:

The Removed by Brandon Hobson—This already-released novel focuses on a Cherokee family and the 15-year-old tragedy that still haunts them.  

Survive the Night by Riley Sager (available June 29, 2021)—The wait is almost over for this one, Sager's newest thriller.  It's about a ride share gone horribly wrong.

Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly DeVos (available June 29, 2021)—I'm not huge on zombie novels, but this YA one just sounds like tons of fun.  It's about a weight loss camp that is overrun by the creatures and the intrepid campers who must stop them.

This is actually the exact topic for next week's Top Ten Tuesday post.  Here are the top three I'm most excited about, although I've already read one of them.

Bluebird by Sharon Cameron (available October 5, 2021)—I loved this exciting WWII novel about a young woman who holds the key to a devastating secret, one that many people would kill to have.  I can't wait for Bluebird to finally be out in the world.  It's an excellent read!

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (September 14, 2021)—Lots of readers are chomping at the bit for this new release.  It's about a group of siblings who are dealing with the disappearance of their mother, possibly at the hands of their father.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (available September 7, 2021)—This domestic thriller revolves around a couple celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary who win a weekend away in Scotland.  The troubled union needs some TLC, but the getaway is not all it seems...

After Alice Fell by Kim Taylor Blakemore—I was really looking forward to this historical novel about a woman who is trying to get to the bottom of her sister's mysterious death at an insane asylum.  The premise promised great things.  Unfortunately, the story moves at a glacial pace and the characters are off-putting and unlikable.

The Captive Kingdom by Jennifer A. Nielsen—I binge-read this middle-grade series because the latest book in the series was nominated in an awards competition I was helping to judge.  While The False Prince was a decent read, the next two books really dragged for me.  Needless to say, I really wasn't looking forward to reading the newest installment.  To my great surprise and delight, The Captive Kingdom was a rollicking adventure story that breathed new life into the series.  I ended up enjoying it very much.

I've read a lot of new authors this year, so this is a toughie.  Because I've now read and enjoyed two books by both of these ladies, assuring that they are not one-hit wonders, I'm going to go with Sarah Stewart Taylor and Tessa Wegert.  Both write twisty, atmospheric police procedurals.

Hmmm...the only one that is really coming to mind is Laurent Lepage, the 9-year-old boy who goes missing in The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny.  He's an imaginative, boy-who-cries-wolf kind of child, one whom no one takes seriously.  It's only when it's too late that his neighbors realize just how important he really was to their community.  Unfortunately, Laurent will not be a recurring character.

I've tried to read happier books this year since I tend to gravitate toward darker, more serious reads.  Two of these are classics that I've read several times but decided to revisit in 2021.  The other is a celebrity memoir that just made me smile.  I listened to all of them on audio and the delightful narrations definitely added to the pleasurable reading/listening experience.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

The Answer Is... by Alex Trebek

Interestingly, all the audiobooks above have sad parts that made me a little teary.

Uhhh...I don't really have favorite reviews.  According to Blogger stats, my review of A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor has been my most popular review this year.

I don't really read graphic novels or other illustrated books.  As far as cover art goes, though, I think The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley stands out since it's so unique and eye-catching.  I enjoyed the story as well.

I don't need to read anything, although I do want to read 102 more books to meet my goal for the year.  As far as a reading plan goes, I don't really have one.  I'm just choosing whatever looks good and keeping my fingers crossed that they pan out (a method that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't).  I also need to catch up on writing reviews since I'm woefully behind.  Since I've been rocking my reading challenges this year, I really want to make sure I finish all of them.

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I'm not into tagging people, but if you want to do this one, please do!  I'd love to read your answers.  How are you doing on your 2021 reading so far?  What reading/blogging goals would you like to accomplish before 2022?