Top Ten Tuesday: A TTT Freebie — 10 classics on my TBR list

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s is a freebie week, meaning we all come up with our own TTT topics.

I thought I’d return to an oldie but goodie — classic reads that I still need to get to. My list of to-read classics changes all the time, but for right now, these are the ten classics that I’d most like to read:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Dracula by Bram Stoker (a re-read, but it’s been enough years that it’ll probably feel new to me)
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells
Peony by Pearl S. Buck
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott (or really, anything by this author besides the Little Women trilogy, which I’ve read)
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

After putting this list together, it occurs to me that it’s weighted toward male authors, which doesn’t make me happy — so this whole topic may need further thought! Or a follow-up post, at the very least.

Have you read any of these books, and if so, which do you recommend?

What did you write about for this week’s TTT? Please share your links!

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21Jul2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Real & fictional bookish events that I’d love to attend

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Book Events/Festivals I’d Love to Go to Someday (Real or Fictional).

It’s hard to thinking about attending anything other than a Zoom meeting these days! But the topic has got me thinking…

First, I’ll start with some fictional events — events from beloved books that I just wish were real so I could go!

1. The Willow Creek Renaissance Faire from Well Met by Jen DeLuca: Huzzah for the Faire! I want to put on an amazing costume (lady in waiting, perhaps? or maybe even tavern wench…), check out the jousting, and wear flowers in my hair.

2. Solstice at Craigh na Dun: As any Outlander fan knows, solstice is a perfect time to catch some Druid ceremonies, and with luck, journey through the standing stones… and maybe meet our very own Jamie Fraser? (Yes, I’m happily married in real life, but shush. This is fiction.)

3. The pumpkin patch in Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks: It’s just so cool! I want to eat all the gooey treats, go for a hay ride, and visit a haunted house.

4. Quidditch World Cup: Okay, I’m not ordinarily a sports fan, but I think I can make an exception for box seats at the next Quidditch World Cup. Especially if omnioculars are included!

5. Austenland (in the book by the same name, by Shannon Hale): I’d be down for a week spent taking a turn about the room, going to balls, and doing some creative matchmaking.

And in real life…

6. I’ve always wanted to attend Book Expo America (BEA), but since it’s in New York every year and I live on the West Coast, it’s really unlikely to happen.

7. San Diego Comic-con: This one should be more doable. Someday!

8. Surrey International Writers Conference in Vancouver: A friend of mine volunteers at the conference each year, and each year, I’m so envious of all the fabulous writers she ends up meeting!

9. Book launches and books signings: I miss in-person events! I’m looking forward to the day when we can all feel safe and happy walking back into crowded bookstores and meeting our favorite authors.

10. Silent reading parties: Same as with #9 — I’ve loved these in the past, and can’t wait until it’s safe to gather together again. Hanging out with booklovers is the best!

Drink, eat, and read. Silently.

What bookish events are at the top of your wishlist?

Please share your links!

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14Jul2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that make me smile

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books That Make Me Smile.

Awwww. Such a happy topic. I’m smiling already, just thinking about creating this list!

Here are ten of my favorite smile-worthy books:

Are you doubting my ability to count to 10? Yes, there are actually 13 books shown, because I’m including an entire series as one choice.

The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger (4 books)
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Emma by Jane Austen
Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

Which books make you smile? Do we have any in common?

Please share your links!

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7Jul2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten authors I’ve read the most books by

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By.

It looks like I did this topic back in 2015, but my reading habits have changed since then — so, new and improved for 2020, here are ten authors whose books dominate my shelves.

Note: The numbers as reflected in Goodreads aren’t entirely reliable, since they include novellas and stand-alone stories that I’ve marked as read as well as actual novels and other published materials. So… take the the numbers below with a grain (or ten) of salt.

Seanan McGuire – 38

Because I adore the October Daye series and the Incryptid series, as well as her various other novels and novellas and, well, basically anything she writes. And this doesn’t even include the 12 works I’ve read by her alter ego Mira Grant.

Jim Butcher – 29

And more coming this year, with two new Dresden Files books releasing this summer and fall! Besides the Dresden books, this number includes Codex Alera, some story collections, and Bigfoot!

Dana Stabenow – 27

The Kate Shugak series is at 22 books (and counting), plus there are 4 Liam Campbell books published so far, and I’ve read a collection of her non-fiction travel writing. (Plus, I have more books of hers on my TBR, but who’s counting?)

Patricia Briggs – 25

I love the Mercy Thompson series, as well Alpha & Omega, plus I’ve read any and all Mercy-verse stories that have appeared in various anthologies.

Diana Gabaldon – 23

I’m going to keep using this picture, because hey, I met DG once in person and it was awesome!

No, there aren’t 23 books in the Outlander series, but this include the Lord John books, the reference books, and the various novellas and stand-alone stories.

Gail Carriger – 23

According to Goodreads, that’s 4 each for the Finishing School and Custard Protocol series, 4 for the Parasol Protectorate, a whole bunch of novellas, and two works published as G. L. Carriger.

Stephen King – 21

Considering how many books he’s written, this is just scratching the surface! I don’t think I’ll ever run out of backlist King books to read, not to mention keeping up with the never-ending new releases.

Tamora Pierce – 19

I went on a Tamora Pierce reading binge last year, reading basically ALL of her Tortall books, one after another. And loved them all! (Mostly.)

John Scalzi – 19

So there’s the Old Man’s War series, the Interdependency trilogy, the Lock In books, and various others too.

And finally, one that maybe should go into a separate category…

Robert Kirkman – 33

Because I’ve read the entire Walking Dead series in trade paperback editions, and that’s 32 books, plus one more about Negan.

Which authors have you read the most? Do we have any in common?

Please share your links!

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30Jun2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2020.

I’m so excited for all of these! Since I just did a summer TBR post a couple of weeks ago that included a bunch of new releases for June through August, today I’m focusing on books coming out in fall to early winter. And the scary thing is, most of these are being released in September. How will I possibly have the time to read them all?

A Killing Frost (October Daye, #14) by Seanan McGuire (release date 9/1/2020)
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (release date 9/8/2020)
The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry (release date 9/8/2020)
The Trials of Koli (The Book of Koli, #2) by M. R. Carey (release date 9/15/2020)
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (release date 9/15/2020)
Well Played (Well Met, #2) by Jen DeLuca (release date 9/22/2020)
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (release date 9/29/2020)
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher (release date 10/6/2020)
Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker (release date 10/6/2020)
The Once & Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (release date 10/13/2020)

Are you planning to read any of these? What new releases are you especially excited about for the 2nd half of 2019? Please share your links!

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16Jun2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer 2020 TBR

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books On My Summer 2020 TBR.

Some of these are new releases, some are books that I already own and just need to make a priority this summer. And I’m embarrassed to say that one of these books was on my summer 2019 TBR list, and I just never got to it.

Peace Talks (Dresden Files, #16) by Jim Butcher
The Unkindest Tide (October Day, #13) by Seanan McGuire (a reread, but hey– I need to be ready for #14 in September!)
Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald (my book group’s pick for July)
The Relentless Moon (Lady Astronaut, #3) by Mary Robinette Kowal
Blood of Elves (The Witcher series) by Andrzej Sapkowski
Shades of Milk and Honey (The Glamourist Histories, #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer (I know, I know…)
Alice by Christina Henry
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
Bookish & the Beast by Ashley Poston

What are you planning to read this summer? Please share your links!

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9Jun2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Doesn’t ring a bell… 10 books I’ve added to my TBR, but can’t remember why.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books I’ve Added to my TBR and Forgotten Why.

I’d say about 50% of my TBR shelf qualifies! Here are 10 that jump out of me — books marked as TBR in Goodreads, but have no idea what made me add them (and in some cases, have no memory of adding them in the first place).

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos
Yellow Jessamine by Caitlin Starling
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
The Nobody People by Joe Proehl
The Brideship Wife by Leslie Howard
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska
Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
The Stone in the Skull by Elizabeth Bear

Have you read any of these? Are there any here that you’d particularly recommend?

If you wrote a TTT post, please share your link with me!

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2Jun2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with summery titles that aren’t really summer books at all

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books that Give Off Summer Vibes.

Since I just did a Top 5 Tuesday post about summer books a few weeks ago, I thought I’d switch it up a bit and instead talk about books whose titles sounds full of summer themes… even though the books themselves aren’t exactly light, beachy reads.

On the Beach by Nevil Shute: On the beach? Excellent! Except not, because it’s the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust and radiation is coming to wipe out the last remaining survivors.
Dune by Frank Herbert: Glorious rolling sand dunes along a beautiful beach? Sorry, nope. It’s sci-fi on a desolate world. With killer sand worms.
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian: Little girls playing in the sand with their parents on a sunny day? No. This one is set during and after the Armenian genocide.
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green: An epic summer romance about star-crossed lovers? Not at all. It’s about a lonely American girl and a German POW.
The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff: Yes, there’s a beach! But it’s really a wartime love story with lots of sadness and loss.
Sunshine by Robin McKinley: A bright sunshiny day? Ha ha. No. This is one of my very favorite vampire stories, very dark and creepy.
Firefly: Big Damn Heroes by Nancy Holder: Chasing lightning bugs on a summer lawn as evening falls? Nope. A super fun sci-fi space western, but nothing to do with actual fireflies. (Or summer.)
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher: A chivalric tale about knights and ladies and a summer joust, perhaps? No, it’s all about Chicago wizard Harry Dresden and the dangerous, deceptive faerie courts.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: A little beach town, with a country lane leading to the shore? Sorry again. This is a terrific fantasy… but it’s not about a beach vacation.
In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien: Ooh, a country get-away by a romantic lake? Well, there’s a lake, but it’s not peaceful or romantic. This is really disturbing suspense, without a hint of summer fun and relaxation.

Can you think of more books with summer-themed titles that just aren’t summery at all?

If you wrote a TTT post, please share your link with me! Tell me about your favorite books with summer vibes!

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24Mar2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Top ten Stephen King books I need to read

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is: Genre Freebie (pick a genre and build a list around it! i.e., best/worst romances, non-fiction for travelers, memoirs for foodies, classics that feel timeless, romance novel kisses, science fiction that feels too real for comfort, women’s fiction for newbies, etc.)

I was thinking about horror — fitting for these days, right? — and mind naturally went to Stephen King, and how even though I think of myself as having read a lot of his books, there are still plenty more to get to. So, without too much fuss or bother, I thought I’d share the ten Stephen King books that are highest on my Stephen King TBR list!

Note: While putting together this list, I realized that I’ve already read ALL of SK’s releases since 2009. Go, me! And I’m only include one Dark Tower book on my list, even though I actually have four from the series still to read. Because if I never get around to reading the next one (#4), why bother listing the ones that come later? I also realized that the reference list I was using for Stephen King books didn’t include his Richard Bachman books, so actually, there are even more SK works for me to get to! In any case, here are my ten priorities… for now.

1. The Dead Zone (1979)
2. Firestarter (1980)
3. Needful Things (1991)
4. Dolores Claiborne (1993)
5. The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass (1997)
6. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999)
7. The Green Mile (2000)
8. Dreamcatcher (2001)
9. Lisey’s Story (2006)
10. Duma Key (2008)

If you’ve read any of the above –which one should I read first?

What’s your TTT topic this week? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

3Mar2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books with One-Word Titles

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books With Single-Word Titles. I did a TTT post a couple of years ago focusing on books with single-word titles that were names of characters (here), which was loads of fun… but I didn’t want to repeat myself. So, here’s a list of ten one-word titles that are NOT character names!

1. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon: Surprise! For once, I’m not including Outlander in a TTT list… just another books from the series. Voyager‘s title really says so much about the major and minor plots of this book.

2. Depth by Lev AC Rosen: Not nearly enough people have read this awesome science fiction novel! It’s noir fiction set in a drowned New York. I loved the concept, and just check out the cool cover art. (If interested, check out my review.)

3. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig: This book may be a little too timely right now — thanks for the nightmares! It’s a terrific, terrifying read, and again, the title really says so much about the book itself.

4. Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell: I haven’t actually read this one yet, although I absolutely intend to — it’s the sequel to her terrific historical novel Doc, which I loved so much.

5. Parasite by Mira Grant: Ew. Right? I still need to read the 2nd and 3rd books in this trilogy — which also have one-word titles, and which I assume are equally skin-crawling. (review)

6. Becoming by Michelle Obama: I’m listening to this audiobook right now. She’s so inspiring!

7. Misery by Stephen King: Oh, this book gave me the creeps! And I loved it.

8. Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn: Another book that I really loved! The world-building is so interesting, as well as the characters and the central conflict. I’ve read the sequel as well, and just wish that there would be more in this series. (review)

9. Atonement by Ian McEwan: It’s hard now to separate my memories of the book and the movie, but both versions left a strong impression on me.

10. Scythe by Neal Shusterman: Another fantastic read, and I love how the title is weird and unusual and lets us know right away that something completely different is on its way. (review)