I'm late to the party, but I'm here! This week's prompt is a fun one: Top Ten Authors I've Met. I've met a few. Not ten, though, so I'm going to switch things up. Next week's topic is a seasonal favorite: Top Ten Books On My Fall 2026 TBR List. Since I love these lists, I'm going to start mine early and make it a two-parter. I don't know about you, but I've got at least 20 titles I'd like to read this Fall. 

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

2. The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee—This is the third installment in the enjoyable Mary Quinn historical mystery series. It's about a young woman who's forced to live on the streets of Victorian London after losing both of her parents. As she's about to face the gallows for theft, she's rescued by two teachers who run a secret, all-female detective agency out of a boarding school. In this outing, Mary is posing as a parlormaid for the queen in order to catch a thief in the royal household. When the Prince of Wales is caught up in a scandalous killing, a personal interest in the perpetrator puts Mary on a new quest to find out what really happened.

3. The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff—I've heard nothing but good things about this family saga. It concerns April and Leo, a couple whose marriage is already fracturing when their home catches fire in the middle of the night. With nowhere else to go, they and their two young children move in with April's parents and siblings. In the aftermath of the fire, all of the adults are struggling with their own problems and concerns, which will either pull them together or tear them apart.

4. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty—I'm on a very long waiting list at the library for Moriarty's newest, Big Little Truths. While (im)patiently waiting for my turn, I'll be rereading its prequel, Big Little Lies. The novel is about a suspicious death that occurs at a primary school fundraiser in Sydney, Australia. As the school community grapples with the shocking event, trying to figure out what really happened, their secrets and lies will out.

5. The Séance Garden by Juliet Blackwell—Harper Grae may be an occult historian, but that doesn't make her a believer. When a lost bet leads her to attend a corny ghost tour in Monterey, California, she witnesses something she cannot explain in any rational way. Not only does the tour stumble across a dead body on the grounds of a mansion, but Harper could swear she saw a ghost. The more she learns about the strange history of the Perles Mansion, the more intrigued she becomes. She can't let it go until she understands what killed the women who died at the mansion and what she really saw on the night of the tour.

6. The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke—When six struggling authors are invited to spend the weekend on a private Scottish island belonging to a world-reknowned writer, they're elated. Then, they find out that the author is dead. His editor and agent desperately need to publish the man's last, unfinished novel. Whichever of the invited authors can write a perfect ending to the book will not only earn a huge cash prize, but the agent and editor will ensure they're launched on a successful writing career. With six competitors eager to win, murder may not stay fictional...

7. No One Saw a Thing by Andrea Mara—I just received an e-ARC of this thriller, which appears to have been originally published in 2023. It's about a mom who's traveling on the Tube in London with her three young children. Her daughters, four and six, squeeze onto the train, but the mother can't follow in time. Panicked, she races to the next stop, only to find that one of her daughters is not there. Is Faye hopelessly lost? Has she been abducted? No one is telling the truth. Where is her daughter?

8. Reach by Celesta Rimington—This MG novel revolves around a young boy who feels invisible after acquiring a pesky little stepbrother. Tired of being ignored by his parents and badgered by his stepsibling, Denver retreats to the woods, where he encounters a bit of forest magic. An old tree named Spiro offers to turn Denver's pesky problem into a tree for a few hours. Delighted, he agrees, only to become alarmed when no one remembers that little Harlan ever existed. Can Denver save the stepbrother he never asked for? Does he even want to?

9. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon—I'm a little higher up on my library's waitlist for Lawhon's newest than I am for Big Little Truths, but it's still going to take a bit to get the book into my hands. I'm excited to read this one, which is about Grace O'Malley, an infamous Irish pirate who risked everything to protect her people against the Elizabethean regime.

10. What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline—Delaware is a small state and it's not easy to find books that are set there. I need one for a reading challenge I'm doing; purportedly, this one fits the bill. It's about a family whose lives are changed forever when they become victims of a car-jacking by members of a dangerous drug-trafficking gang. They're taken into witness protection, a tense, unfamiliar situation that causes them to slowly unravel. When the dad discovers a shocking truth, he decides to find a solution to the situation on his own.

There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read this Fall. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your list for the next season? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

It's Tuesday again! How did that happen? This summer is just zipping by...The heat is crazy here in the Phoenix area, so I've been hibernating inside wth the air conditioning on high. I have a backyard pool, but it's way too hot to read out there. I'd melt in an instant. Even the pool water is on the warm side! At any rate, this week's TTT prompt is: Bookish Wishes. This topic comes up twice a year, and I've never felt entirely comfortable with it. The idea is that you list books that you would like to own, including your Amazon wishlist, and other bloggers can gift those titles to you if they feel so inclined. Like I said, not my thing. Instead, I'm going to start next week's list early, and make it a two-parter. That topic is much more to my liking: Top Ten Books On My Summer 2026 To-Read List. I could make a Top 100 list on this topic—choosing 20 will be a cinch.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Building 903 by Lois Lowry (available September 29, 2026)—I just received an e-ARC of this upcoming middle-grade dystopian novel from a children's fiction icon. It sounds intriguing. The story revolves around twin siblings who live in a world that is controlled by a tyrannical leader. Because the citizens feel comfortable and safe, they allow it, even though many despise the person in charge. When one of the twins disappears, no one wants to entertain such unpleasantless. Then, a 135-year-old woman lets the remaining twin in on a secret that might help her locate the missing child: books are portals that can lead to truth, freedom, and answers.

2. The Killing Time by Elly Griffiths (available November 17, 2026)—I loved The Frozen People, the first installment in a new time travel murder mystery series, so I was thrilled to get an e-ARC of the sequel. In this outing, Detective Ali Dawson is investigating the cold case of a boy who purportedly committed suicide by jumping off a tall building. She believes he was manipulated by a psychic who convinced him he could fly. Although Ali's team has been forbidden from time travelling after a major problem during their last visit to the past, she know she needs more insight into her current case. A quick dip back in time can't hurt, right? Naturally, things immediately begin to go awry.

3. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen—Her Royal Spyness was such a fun read that I'm eager to continue on with the series. Once I learned that the late Katherine Kellgren—one of my favorite audiobook narrators—voices the series, I grabbed an audiobook of A Royal Pain from Audible. This time around, Lady Georgie has been asked by the Queen of England to entertain a Bavarian princess. When you're a penniless aristocrat, that's a lot easier said than done. Caught up in the whirlwind of trying to make her London home look like a palace, complete with a serving staff she can't afford to hire, and attempting to cure the princess of some bad habits, Georgie barely has time to think about the dead body the royal may have had a hand in murdering...

4. A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers—Lark recently raved about this Gothic murder mystery on her blog, and I immediately added it to my TBR list. The story is about a young con woman in Victorian England who poses as a spiritualist in order to sucker the wealthy out of their pocket money. When she's jailed for fraud, a stranger offers her a way to earn her freedom: convince a young nobleman that his recently deceased wife is resting in peace. Although it seems like an easy task, it's not. The husband believes his spouse was murdered and he wants the fake psychic to help him prove it. 

5. Rook by Sharon Cameron—Other than her forthcoming novel, Up From the Ashes (available October 6, 2026), I've read all of Cameron's books but this one. Its plot is a little hard to explain, so here's the publisher's version:

8. The Castaways by Lucy Clarke—I've been enjoying Clarke's destination thrillers lately. This one is about a woman who is filled with regret and grief after missing a vacation to Fiji that she was supposed to go on with her sister two years ago. Her sister's small plane disappeared, presumably crashed, assumedly killing all aboard. When the pilot suddenly shows up in Fiji claiming amnesia, the sister who was left behind travels to the country to figure out what really happened to her missing sibling.

9. An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden—This historical novel concerns a notorious all-female thieving ring in Victorian England. Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson is the gang's best swindler, but she's ready to be done with that life. She's been saving her earnings so that both she and her younger sister can attempt an honest, respectable existence. Just as Kit's about to walk away, the gang's former leader returns with revenge on her mind. Kit is her most valuable weapon, and she won't let her go without a fight. Kit can only win her freedom by pulling off an impossible heist, one that will more than likely lead her straight to the hangman's noose.

10. The Séance Garden by Juliet Blackwell (available July 28, 2026)—Although her academic career is focused on the historical and societal significance of the occult, Professor Harper Grae is a long-time skeptic. Until she sees something otherworldly that she can't explain while on a cheesy ghost tour in Monterey, California. When the tour stumbles across the dead body of a local artist, Harper finds herself embroiled in the ensuing murder investigation. Learning that this is not the only woman to die on this particular property, the professor is forced to ask herself if it's possible the home is haunted.

There you go, ten books I want to read this summer. Have you read any of them? Which appeals to you most? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Besides the seasonal Top Ten Tuesday prompts, my favorite ones are those that focus on new releases. Even though I have THOUSANDS of older titles on my TBR lists, my head is always turned by these bright, shiny up-and-comers. I love knowing what titles are forthcoming so I can get excited about reading them! So, yay for today's TTT topic: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025. 

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Thanks to ARCs, I've already read a few of the July-December titles I was looking forward to most, including:

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (available July 8)

That Last Carolina Summer by Karen White (available July 22)

Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell (available July 29)

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (available July 29)

Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright (available August 1)

Where Only Storms Grow by Alyssa Colman (available August 19)

Murder in Miniature by Katie Tietjen (available September 23)

Outside by Jennifer L. Holm (available October 7)

The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan (available November 18)

(The title hyperlinks will take you to my review of the book on Goodreads.)

Here are ten I haven't read yet, in order of publication:

1. The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani (available July 8)—It's been a hot minute since I've read anything by Trigiani, but I've enjoyed many of her books in the past. This one centers around a woman whose heart has been broken by her recent divorce. When another tragedy hits, she retreats to her ancestral home in Italy, where she uncovers secrets about her family's past. As she learns more about her kin, she also learns more about herself and her place in the world, all of which might be exactly what she needs to heal and begin her life anew.

2. Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza (available July 15)—Although they were best friends in college, Bex and Lizzie haven't seen each other in years. Bex disappeared after graduation, eventually transforming herself into a trad wife who shows off her perfect family life to her millions of Instagram followers. When Bex reaches out, offering a struggling Lizzie an opportunity to share some of the limelight, Lizzie can't refuse. When Bex disappears again and her husband is found dead at their ranch, Lizzie is left with a million questions. Who is Bex now? What has she done to get where she is? Did she kill her husband or is she the one who's become a victim? It's up to Lizzie to find out.

3. D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White (available August 5)—This YA novel stars the titular character, a teenage girl who is prepping for her bat mitzvah while also trying to figure out what really happened to her cousin. Everyone says Rachel took her own life; D.J. is convinced she was murdered.

4. The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols (available August 19)—Mrs. B is the landlady of a series of bungalows near the beach in Santa Barbara, California. She's careful about renters, letting only to people she cares about. As a result, she's surrounded by an eclectic group of lovable misfits. When an ex-con who maybe has the potential to be violent moves in and a dead body is soon found in the neighborhood, the police naturally suspect the former prisoner. Mrs. B is so sure he's not a murderer that she confesses to the crime herself. Her arrest prompts her tenants to form an investigation club to find the real killer and free their beloved landlady.

5. The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso (available August 26)—The time space is a library of books filled with the memories of the dead, one that can be accessed only by special timepieces that were passed down from father-to-son, although they're now mostly possessed by the government. Lisavet Levy is an 11-year-old girl who was hidden in the time space in 1938 by her watchmaker father, who never returned. When she discovers that government agents are destroying books in the time space, she sets out to save them. 

The premise of this one sounds complicated (I'm not sure if I've described it correctly), but intriguing. I'm in! 

6. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (available September 9)—I'm probably going to have to reread the first five books in the Robert Langdon series before I move on to this sixth installment, but that's okay. In this newest book, the symbology professor is in Prague attending a lecture given by his new girlfriend, Katherine Solomon. She is about to publish an explosive new book that could shatter long-held beliefs about human consciousness. When a murder occurs and Katherine vanishes along with her manuscript, Langdon finds himself on a desperate, dangerous search for answers and for his missing girlfriend.

7. The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (available September 16)—Since I'm not totally sure I understand what this one is about, here's the official plot summary:

8. You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder by Maureen Johnson (available September 16)—This short YA novel is supposed to be an "interactive" murder mystery, although I'm not quite sure on the details. At any rate, it's about a group of people, each of whom is hiding a guilty secret, who are invited by an anonymous source to a posh house party. When one of them is killed, seemingly without anyone seeing a thing, Scotland Yard is completely flummoxed. Needing a fresh pair of eyes, they call in, well, you, to solve the murder. 

Sounds fun!

9. The Whisper Place by Mindy Mejia (available September 16)—I reread the first book in Mejia's Iowa Mysteries series earlier this year, then read the second installment right after. Since I enjoyed both so much, I was thrilled to discover that a third one is coming out soon. Fortunately, I was able to secure an e-ARC, so I'm already a few chapters into this engrossing mystery.

Old friends Max Summelin (a longtime police officer) and Jonah Kendrick (a tortured psychic) have formed a private detective agency that is doing well, but not well enough to turn away business. So, when a scruffy young man drops $20,000 in cash on their desk, begging the duo to do anything necessary to find his missing girlfriend, they can't really refuse, no matter how sketchy the whole thing seems. Turns out, the young man doesn't even know his girlfriend's real name. Max and Jonah have their work cut out for them. Who is the young woman, really? Did she run away when her boyfriend started asking too many questions or did someone else cause her disappearance? 

10. 6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk (available September 23)— This murder mystery gets a low overall rating on Goodreads, but I don't care, I'm going to read it anyway! I love a locked room mystery and trains make such compelling settings for them. In this one, a writer is using the six-hour train ride from Toronto to Montreal to get some much-needed work done on her book. All of her plans go awry when her fellow passenger suddenly dies. Soon, the peaceful journey becomes a desperate race for survival against a vicious killer. 

There you are, ten upcoming titles that I'm excited to read. How about you? Which ones are you looking forward to? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

I was out of town for last week's Top Ten Tuesday, I'm late to the game today, AND I have no creative ideas for the prompt du jour, BUT I'm here. That counts for something, right? Today, we're supposed to be talking about the Top Ten Books That Include/Feature [insert your favorite theme or plot device here]. The sky is the limit with this one and, yet, I got nothin'. So, I'm going to get a jump on next week's topic: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2025 To-Read List. I'll post a Part Two next week.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

- Part One - 

1. Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber—I just started this cozy mystery today since I'm in the mood for something lighthearted and fun. The story's a little silly—I mean, the heroine's name is Allie Catt, after all—but it's entertaining so far. It's about a murder that takes place at a themed dinner Allie is catering. When her best friend is accused of the killing, it's up to Allie to use all the sleuthing she's learned from her beloved books to catch the murderer.

2. The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris—Ever since Rachel Willoughby first invited Jo Wilding to Clachan, her family's cottage in the wilds of Scotland, it has been a dream refuge for Jo. The rugged landscape captured her heart, as did Jo's brother. Years later, Rachel beckons Jo back to the seaside sanctuary to reveal a long-buried secret, one that could change their friendship forever.

3. Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita (available March 25, 2025)—This forthcoming middle-grade fantasy novel is the first in a new series about a 12-year-old girl who learns she's the heir to an unimaginable fortune. All she has to do is follow a set of clues, find an island that disappeared long ago, and break a 200-year-old curse. Easy peasy! What could possibly go wrong?

4. Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker—This is my book club's pick for March. It sounds intriguing and inspiring.

5. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien (available April 1, 2025)—This is the 11th installment in one of my favorite cozy mystery series. When a rash of thefts and murders descends on Asia Village, private detective Lydia Shephard is called in to help. Enlisting the aid of Lana Lee, she launches an investigation that seems to be pointing to a secret organization that might just have ties to Lana's own family.

6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown—Sci-fi isn't really my thing, but I do like a compelling dystopian story. I've heard so many good things about this book, the first in a series, that I finally just bought myself a copy. It's about a man who lives in a society on Mars that uses a strict caste system. When he discovers that his life at the bottom is a lie, he risks everything to infiltrate the institute, a proving ground for people wanting to be part of the top caste. Will his sacrifice be worth it if he has to become the very thing he despises? 

7. The Sasquatch of Hawthorne Elementary by K.B. Jackson—I need to read a book set in the state where I was born for a reading challenge. This middle-grade novel fits the bill and it just sounds like an enjoyable read. It's about a kid who moves from Florida to Washington State. Fearing he'll be teased for being a Sasquatch hunter, he's thrilled to find two new best friends with the same interest. Together, they form a Bigfoot hunting company and tackle their first intriguing case.

8. Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell—This mystery/thriller doesn't come out until July 29, but I have the e-ARC and I'm dying to read it! The story stars Aubrey Spencer, an architect who is fascinated by derelict and abandoned buildings. While photographing the Seabrink Hotel, a once glamorous edifice that has sat empty for decades but is about to be renovated, she meets an online celebrity who is equally fascinated by the old hotel. When the man's corpse is discovered the next morning at the bottom of a cliff, Aubrey is understandably shaken. Although the police think the death was an accident, she's not so sure. It's not the first time someone has been killed at the old hotel. Aubrey can't let it go until she finds out what really happened to the dead man.

9. Dust by Hugh Howey—I read Wool and Shift earlier this year, then took a break from the intense storyline. Now, I need to finish the trilogy by reading Dust. Jules is the star of the book as she leads Silo 18 in a war to save their lives from destruction.

10. Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander—I've been enjoying Alexander's Secret Bookcase Mystery series. This third installment sees Annie Murray hosting a spooky dinner party at an old farmhouse with a sinister past. Everything is going swimmingly until a guest is killed at the table. Who murdered the man and why? When her good friend is accused of the crime, Annie finds herself once again investigating a murder.

There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read this Spring. What do you think? Have you read any of them? What are your Spring reading plans? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

Carrying on with the Crayola theme from last week, today's Top Ten Tuesday is all about colorful book covers.  Funny thing about that—when you read a lot of dark mysteries, chilling thrillers, and sobering historical novels, you don't end up with a lot of bright, fanciful cover art!  Since those genres are my jam, I struggled to come up with any colorful covers at all, let alone ten.  As I was scrolling through my TBR lists on Goodreads, however, I did see some interesting trends and patterns in the cover art of some of the books I'm looking forward to reading.  Even if you're not a big hist-fic fan, you've probably noticed that dozens of recent additions to the genre feature covers with women looking away from the camera.  If you look further, you'll also see that many of these are done in mostly dark colors—black, grey, navy, emerald, etc.—with just pops of brighter hues, usually red.  While cover trends can get annoying, making books look too much alike, I can't deny that the kind of cover I just described really appeals to me.  It signals that this is the kind of novel I like, the sort I really want to read.  Like, now.  Just yesterday while browsing the book section at Costco, I answered the seductive siren call of a historical novel cover with—guess what?—a woman in a red (I guess it might be more purplish) coat looking away from the camera!  Well played, book marketers.  Well played.  I want to show you what I mean, so my list today will be comprised of historical novels on my TBR list that follow this trend.

What kind of list do you want to make today?  You can use the prompt, twist it up a little, or create your own list.  It doesn't matter what you do, just join in the TTT fun.  Hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get started.

1.  The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin—This is the novel that hopped into my cart at Costco.  Don't you hate it when that happens?  It's about a woman who moves to London just as World War II is heating up.  She finds a job in a bookshop, where she learns about the transformative power of books and stories, especially in perilous times.

2.  The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (available June 29, 2021)—Based on a true story, this novel stars Belle de Costa Greene, who was hired by J.P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, art, and books for his Pierpont Morgan library.  A society darling known for her impeccable taste, Belle was keeping an explosive secret that could have ruined everything for her—her father is Black.

3.  Those Who Are Saved by Alexis Landau—Vera is a Russian Jew living in France.  When the Nazis take over the country, all Jews are ordered to report to an internment camp.  Desperate to save her young daughter, Vera leaves young Lucie with her governess, who vows to protect the little girl.  A chance to escape to America complicates the already impossible situation, leading to a heartbreaking separation that will tear Vera apart.  Will she ever see Lucie again?

4.  The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar (available June 1, 2021)—As France is torn apart by war, a librarian tries to offer her neighbors comfort through books.  When the Nazis threaten to destroy volumes they deem dangerous, she risks everything to save her beloved tomes.

5.  The Clockmaker's Wife by Daisy Wood—Featuring a dual-timeline, this novel concerns a woman in modern-day New York who finds a beautiful watch that belonged to her grandmother, whom she never knew.  Intrigued, she begins looking into her grandmother's past and is shocked by the harrowing World War II tale she uncovers...

6.  Off the Wild Coast of Brittany by Juliet Blackwell—Another WWII story set in France, this one revolves around a woman who's left high and dry after her husband leaves her.  With a half-finished guesthouse to deal with, she and her sister set about making the place inhabitable for visitors.  As they do so, they uncover the home's incredible war-time secrets.

7.  The Girl From the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat—Having fled Austria, a young Jewish woman is hiding in plain sight on the Nazi-occupied island of Jersey.  

8.  The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly—Okay, so this one has more than one pop of color, but I still think it fits the theme.  The story juggles three different timelines, all revolving around people who lived and worked around the lush garden at Highbury House.

9.  The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman—This one also bucks the trend a little since the person in red is a young girl and she's not facing away from the "camera," just shielding her face.  Still.  Set during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, the story concerns a 13-year-old German girl living in Philadelphia who must face prejudice against immigrants, crippling poverty, and forced separation from the younger brothers she has vowed to protect at all costs.

10.  The Outcasts by Kathleen Kent—When she gets a chance to escape the Texas brothel where she's basically being held hostage, Lucinda Carter takes it and doesn't look back.  With the promise of a pirate's treasure to be had, she embarks on an adventure that she hopes will lead to wealth, love, and freedom.

There you have it, ten books that follow the dark-covers-of-historical-novels-with-pops-of-red-and-women-facing-away trend.  Which others have you noticed?  Have you read any of these?  Which colorful covers did you choose 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.

Happy TTT!