Today's TTT prompt is a fun one: Top Ten Books I Had to Have IMMEDIATELY But Still Haven't Read. I feel like this describes pretty much every book on my shelf! No titles came readily to mind, though, so I think I'm going to go a teensy bit rogue and spin the topic a tad. 

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

I don't know if it's the excessive heat we've been experiencing here in Arizona, or the fact that I've been on Bookstagram (follow me @blogginboutbooks) a lot trying to beef up my presence there, or what, but I've been on a bit of a book buying spree. The last thing on Earth I need is more books and, yet, I just can't help myself. I'm contemplating a serious book ban in 2027! At any rate, here are the last ten books I have purchased, in no particular order:

1. Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy—This deceased Irish author has long been a favorite. Published in 1982, Light a Penny Candle is my favorite book by her. I've been wanting to reread it, but my library has limited copies and the wait times are lengthy, so I decided to just buy a copy for myself. I'm excited to reconnect with it. 

The story is about a long-time friendship between two women and the circumstances that now threaten to tear them apart. 

2. The Stargazer of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt—It seems like I've heard nothing but good things about this book. The swashbuckling story about a young woman who stows away on a merchant ship sounds like tons of fun. Into my shopping cart it went!

3. You Had Me at Bigfoot by Nancy Campbell Allen—I've read and enjoyed a few of Allen's books. Described as Nancy Drew meets Scooby Doo, her newest novel sounds like a joy. It's a cozy mystery about a reporter and a photographer who are on assignment to cover a society wedding. Whispers of a missing maid and Bigfoot sightings turn what was sure to be a humdrum story into something much, much more exciting.

4. Murdoku: 80 Murder Mystery Logic Puzzles (Volume 1) by Manuel Garand—This is a Bookstagram Made Me Do It purchase. Someone posted about these fun puzzles for mystery lovers, and I had to give them a try, although I actually haven't done it yet. Soon, I hope.

5. The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff—Everyone seems to be raving about this novel, which is about a family whose lives are turned upside down after their house burns in a fire. Forced to move in with relatives temporarily, the strained situation causes them to reckon with their rocky relationships and family secrets. It's a family saga that is supposed to have it all: humor, heartbreak, and healing.

6. The Story Keeper by Kelly Rimmer—Have you seen the gorgeous sprayed edges on the paperback version of Rimmer's newest novel? They are BEAUTIFUL. How could I resist buying a copy for my bookshelf? Spoiler alert: I couldn't.

The novel concerns a woman who returns to her family's crumbling mansion intent on restoring it to its former glory. Within the walls, she discovers a mysterious book that tells a tale that is eerily similar to her own. As these factual and fictional worlds collide, old family secrets are revealed, changing the woman's life forever.

7. The Mad Wife by Meagan Church—The Kindle version of this historical novel is only $1.99 on Amazon. I've been wanting to read the book, so I coughed up two bucks and made it mine. The story is about a 1950s housewife who works tirelessly to keep up the perfect house, marriage, and life. When a new woman moves into the neighborhood, she becomes fixated on the newcomer, sure that the woman is hiding dark secrets. Her obsession with her neighbor soon has her questioning her own life and sanity.

8. The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch—I've heard that Patch writes clean thrillers, which I'm very interested in. My library doesn't have any copies of this one, her newest, so I had to take matters into my own hands and buy a copy. It sounds intriguing. The story is about a former homicide detective who moves to an old house in Maine to rebuild her life and marriage. As she and her husband renovate the home, she notices some strange things about the place. Convinced that something terrible happened in her new home, the detective begins an investigation that will reveal some shocking truths.

9. Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent Yu—I blame this purchase entirely on Ethan over at A Book A Week. His review made it sound too good to pass up. When I saw it displayed at the checkout at Barnes & Noble, it felt like a sign from the book gods that I needed to buy it. Bad things happen when you ignore the book gods, so...

The book has a simple premise: on an ordinary day in small-town Massachusetts, everyone receives an emergency message warning that a missile is incoming and they must find shelter immediately. The residents all have different reactions to the news, some of which will lead to devastating consequences when a second message arrives telling them it was a false alarm. What would YOU do if you thought your demise was imminent? How would your actions affect things if it turned out to be false?

10. Count My Lies by Sophie Stava—This one was an impulse buy from my local indie, Changing Hands Bookstore. Sloane Caraway is a consummate liar, spinning tales to make her ordinary life seem more exciting. When a young girl is stung by a bee at the park one day, Sloane professes to be a nurse and removes the stinger. Impressed, the child's handsome father hires her to be his daughter's nanny. As Sloane becomes immersed in the lives of this wealthy family, she begins to suspect that she's not the only one lying about her life. Her employers are hiding dark secrets about their seemingly perfect lives.

There you go, my last ten book purchases. Have you read any of them? What did you think? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

I love the buzzy beginnings of a new reading year when we're all atwitter with excitement and anticipation about the books we're planning to read over the next 365 days. So far this year, I've made two (Part One, Part Two) Top Ten Tuesday lists of Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023 and one about New-to-Me Authors I Want to Try in 2023. This week's prompt goes right along with its predecessors: 2023 Debut Books I'm Excited About. After digging into my TBR list and doing some Googling, I've found ten I'm looking forward to reading.

As always, this fun weekly meme is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Give her some love, won't you? While you're there, you can get all the deets about TTT so you're ready to hop on board the TTT party bus!

6. The Perfect Ones by Nicole Hackett (available May 2)—A group of popular influencers travel to Iceland for a fabulous promotional trip. One of them ends up dead. Who killed her and why? The Icelandic police are on the case. 

7. The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (available July 4)—This novel sounds clever and fun. It stars Mrs. King, the offspring of tricksters and con artists, who has escaped her checkered past to become a respected housekeeper in a posh Mayfair home. When she is unceremoniously dismissed, she vows to get revenge by robbing her former employees of all their possessions on the night of their much-anticipated costume ball. Mrs. King hires an eclectic group of women to help steal all the family's treasures—and their secrets. 

8. Her Little Flowers by Shannon Morgan (available July 25)—Billed as an "irresistible" read for fans of Kate Morton and Eve Chase (both of whom I adore), this Gothic ghost story sounds like a perfect match for me. It revolves around a 55-year-old woman who has lived in the same haunted manor house for her whole life. When her estranged sister returns home bearing unbelievable tales about their family's troubling past, everything she thought she knew is shaken to bits. Rattled to her core, she must find out the truth for herself.

9. Into the Sunken City by Dinesh Thiru (available Fall 2023)—This YA dystopian adventure is a retelling of Treasure Island "with an Ocean's 11 twist." Count me in! It's about two sisters who are just trying to survive in their harsh world. When a mysterious stranger clues them in to a massive treasure to be found under the sunken ruins of a Las Vegas casino, they vow to make it theirs.

10. Up in Flames by Hailey Alcaraz (available October 3)—When a California wildfire destroys everything wealthy, entitled Ruby Ortega has, she is forced to confront a much different reality than anything she's previously known. Her family and her hometown are in desperate need of help. Can self-centered Ruby step outside herself long enough to help rebuild their ravaged world? This timely YA novel riffs on themes of resilience, change, and compassion.

There you are, ten 2023 debuts I'm excited to read. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Which debuts are you looking forward to? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.