Category: Top Ten Tuesday

#Top Ten Tuesday – May Flowers!

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! Last week’s Top Ten Tuesday post completely slipped my mind!There’s a fair bit of drama happening at the moment in several aspects of my life, and they kinda just took over this past week or so! This week’s theme is supposed to be favourite bookish quotes, however I am so bad at annotating books or even sticking post-it notes inside them so it sounded like a little bit of a mission to even think about where to begin! Because I am a huge fan of a floral theme on book covers and sprayed edges, I thought I’d go back and do last week’s prompt instead and share with you some of the prettiest floral books that I have on my TBR shelves at the moment! If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

May Flowers – Floral Covers on my TBR Shelves

Have you read any of these or do you have any recommendations for which I should read first? What are your favourite types of covers? Are you a florals fan too? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Petty Reasons for DNFing a Book

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is Petty Reasons for DNFing a Book! I have to be super honest here, I’ve only really DNF’d two books in my life. Those books which I’m finding a bit of a drag, I seem to abandon in a pile on the floor until I get too annoyed with the pile and then eventually pick them up to finish them off. Therefore, this post has been quite difficult to compile – however here’s some reasons (I may not get to a full 10!) for why I might put a book down for a bit of a break, or why I’m inclined to give the book a quite low rating. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Petty Reasons for DNFing a book, putting it down for later, or giving it a low review score!

The main character is grating on you: Sometimes you come across a character that no ability on this earth can make you bond with them. It could be that their narrative seems whiny or sycophantic or their whole personality and perspective just jars on you. I find it incredibly difficult to plough through a read if I’m not bonding with the MC.

The story isn’t going anywhere: Have you ever read one of those books which seems like you’re reading the off-air parts of a reality TV show where nothing actually happens? This is one of the biggest reasons I’ll give it a low score, especially if the dialogue is meaningless drivel and the plot is minimal.

Books that try too hard: Somewhere along the line you come across that book that seems to be yelling “PICK ME, LOVE ME!” right into your face. Then the storyline is filled with millions of tropes, none of which are original or stylishly interwoven into the story and the whole thing ends up making you roll your eyes with the turning of every page – I find those books particularly hard to persevere with.

Catfish Books: These are the books that say they’re one thing and then they’re not… You’re expecting tons of thrilling history references, links to an exotic country and an ancient civilisation – yet when you get there it turns out all you’re getting is a romp in the jungle…

The writing is overly complicated: We can’t all be Tolkien, expertly winding juxtaposition through our narratives, but sometimes using tons of fancy words to describe the most basic of things just disrupts the reading pace of the story and interrupts my reading flow. It’s a slog to wade through all of the garble.

Copycat Reads: Rarely (but sometimes) I’ll be reading a book and get this sense of deja vu – as if I’ve read it before. Then it twigs that I haven’t actually read it but the story is so similar to a book that I devoured I begin to question whether I’m reading someone’s fanfiction from the story I loved so much.

The ending let-down: If you’ve ever read a brilliant book which keeps you on the edge of your seat but then catastrophically unravels all of that good work in the last 30 pages – you’ll know what I’m talking about!

That’s it! I can’t quite get to an out-and-out 10 reasons to DNF a book or give it a low rating – sometimes if you just don’t gel with it, you just don’t! What are your main reasons for DNFing a book or giving it a lower rating? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Unread books on my shelves I want to read soon

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is Unread books on my shelves I want to read soon! To be honest, I could have photographed my shelves and just told you to pick 10 off it! I have so many books that are unread, and because I’m a bit of a mood reader it’s quite hard to definitively line up my next read unless I’m taking part in a readathon with a locked TBR. So I’ve tried, here’s 10 of my unreads that are waiting for meto pick them up imminently. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Unread books on my shelves that I want to read soon

  1. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
  2. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
  3. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
  4. What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
  5. Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
  6. After the Forest by Kell Woods
  7. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
  8. Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
  9. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

That’s it! My top ten unread books on my shelves that I’m highly likely to read next! Have you read any of these or are they on your TBR? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Characters I’d Like To Go On Vacation With!

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is Characters I’d Like To Go On Vacation With! This could be short mini breaks each with a different character, or one big massive party! It was so fun to try and compile this list. I picked the characters first rather than thinking about whether they would all be able to co-exist on the same vacay – imagine putting Snape and Nina Zenik on a Bahamas Beach together…! If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Characters I’d Like To Go On Vacation With

This list started out in two halves… one part ‘Caribbean Booze Cruise’, one part ‘Ancient City Tourist Super-Sleuthing’ – but then looking at my list in total, I could actually imagine some of these characters stepping out of their comfort zones into the realms of ‘good times’ with a little positive encouragement! 😉 Make of that what you will! 😂

We’d start off my making our way through the secret passageways of ancient cities, being complete tourists and uncovering age-old conspiracies and forgotten treasure. Then we’re heading over to the marina to board the swankiest yacht around, setting our sails for tropical shores to relax and unwind. Any sunphobic creatures can stay below decks with their book haul whilst those of us keen to party will stay up top with endless mojitos and palomas! At some point we’ll discover a remote island with white sandy beaches, possibly go beneath a mystical waterfall and discover more long-lost treasure before ending with a beach bbq, plenty of rum and a possibly cameo from Captain Jack Sparrow to sail us all home! When do we leave…?!

  1. Robert Langdon – [The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Origin, Inferno by Dan Brown]
  2. Nina Zenik – [Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo]
  3. Ganymedes – [Voyage of the Damned by Frances White]
  4. Princess Samantha Washington – [American Royals series by Katharine McGee]
  5. Nesta Archeron – [A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas]
  6. Jameson Hawthorne – [The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes]
  7. Art3mis – [Ready Player One duology by Ernest Cline]
  8. Professor Severus Snape – [Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling]
  9. Mercy Birdsall – [The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen]
  10. Addie LaRue – [The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab]

That’s it! My Top Ten Characters That I’d Like To Go On Vacation With! Who would you be going off on your adventures with? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Treasure Hunting and Mystery books

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a freebie so I decided to take the opportunity to compile a list of my favourite Treasure Hunting books. I absolutely love the mystery and quest elements surrounding a treasure hunt. Easter eggs, the layering of clues, the placement of red herrings, tricky contraptions and puzzle boxes – all of appeals to the inner nerd inside me that just has to solve every unanswered riddle and loves to visit escape rooms in my spare time. So here are 10 of my favourites that I’ve read so far! If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The Inheritance Games Series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

It was a no brainer that this was going near the top of my list. If Hawthorne Manor was a genuine tourist spot, you could count on it that I’d be visiting! Who doesn’t love a creepy mansion filled with hidden passages, trap doors, and puzzles in almost every object and antique?!

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

An inter-reality quest across a creator’s multiverse to find three mysterious keys which lead to his hidden fortune… Initially, I had no idea what to expect when I went into this book. I think I only bought it because of the hype when it was announced that Spielberg would be directing the film version. As soon as I finished the final page of book 1, I knew immediately that this would become one of my desert island books that I’d treasure for a lifetime.

Locke and Key Series by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Admittedly, it was the Netflix adaptation based on these graphic novels that captivated me to the series. I thought the Keyhouse was genius, especially with all of the many variations of what the hidden keys could unlock or do.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

I know these books tend to have a bit of a bad rep, however I love the attention to detail Dan Brown puts into his stories, even if he does take some factual liberties. Angels and Demons is one of my favourites in the series due to the landmarks that Robert Langdon visits along the way. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Rome and see all of the architecture and artwork Brown references here and it really puts you in the heart of the novel’s quest.

Rabbits by Terry Miles

This novel is based on the podcast of the same name. I was completely hooked by both. The layers of conspiracies and mystery that this weaves about a game that you’re not sure if you are or you should be playing… it reminded me of a similar game we used to play in High School, but obviously without the sinister consequences of Rabbits! Weird coincidences, freakish disappearances – this book will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to work out what on earth is going on!

The Languedoc Trilogy by Kate Mosse

This series blends history and mystery together perfectly. With dual narratives and shifting time periods, Kate Mosse has sucked up all of these influences from the Languedoc region of France and merged them into three fantastic stories about time-spanning quests to discover the ultimate truths.

The Shakespeare Secret by Jennifer Lee Carrell

With so many conspiracies and curiosities surrounding Shakespeare’s life and works, there’s no surprise that people have written fiction about it. I really loved the murder mystery element of this and the parallels and influences based on Shakespeare’s famous plays.

Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett

This isn’t quite a ‘mystery’ in the same way that my other picks are, however I loved the mountain quest element of this duology. It has quite a unique settting and a quirky cast of characters which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury

This was one of the first historical mysteries that I remember reading and at the time, it taught me quite a lot about the Knights Templar. I loved the attention to detail that Khoury puts into his world to really set the scene and explain where these conspiracies are coming from and the myths that they are rooted in.

The Red Herring Mystery by Paul S. Adshead

And just to really cement by love of mysteries, this is a book that I adored as a child! It’s about a mystery at a dinner party and there are tiny golden fish images hidden in all of the illustrations to find. It brings back fond nostalgic memories of reading as a child!

That’s it! My Top Ten Treasure Hunts and Mystery Books. Have you read any of these selections? Are you a fan of the mystery genre? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – April Showers: Watery Worlds on my TBR

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed the Easter bank holiday weekend if you celebrate it. This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the April Showers and could be anything rain related. After spending a large proportion of time thinking of all the rain/weather related books on my bookshelf, I found myself struggling to get a complete list. Therefore, I decided to twist the theme slightly this week and bring you ten of the watery worlds and swashbuckling stories that are on my TBR shelves just waiting to be devoured. All book synopses are from Goodreads. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The Kingdom Beyond the Waves by Stephen Hunt

Professor Amelia Harsh is obsessed with finding the lost civilization of Camlantis, a legendary city from pre-history that is said to have conquered hunger, war, and disease with the creation of the perfect pacifist society. Without official funding, Amelia is forced to accept an offer of patronage from Abraham Quest, the man she blames for her father’s bankruptcy and suicide. She hates him, but he has something that Amelia desperately wants–evidence that proves that Camlantis existed and that the Camlantean ruins are buried under one of the sea-like lakes that dot the murderous jungles of Liongeli.

Amelia will blackmail her old friend Commodore Black into ferrying her along a huge river on his ancient U-boat. With an untrusty crew of freed convicts, Quest’s force of fearsome female mercenaries on board, and a lunatic steamman acting as their guide, Amelia’s luck seems to be going from bad to worse. Her quest for the perfect society has a good chance of bringing her own world to the brink of destruction…

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor’s ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain.

Aboard are the heirs of the twelve provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

Except one: Ganymedes Piscero – class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people without a Blessing to protect him, odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.

Sing Me To Sleep by Gabi Burton

Saoirse Sorkova survives on lies. As a soldier-in-training at the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom, she lies about being a siren to avoid execution. At night, working as an assassin for a dangerous group of mercenaries, Saoirse lies about her true identity. And to her family, Saoirse tells the biggest lie of all: that she can control her siren powers and doesn’t struggle constantly against an impulse to kill.

As the top trainee in her class, Saoirse would be headed for a bright future if it weren’t for the need to keep her secrets out of the spotlight. But when a mysterious blackmailer threatens her sister, Saoirse takes a dangerous job that will help her investigate: she becomes personal bodyguard to the crown prince.

Saoirse should hate Prince Hayes. After all, his father is the one who enforces the kingdom’s brutal creature segregation laws. But when Hayes turns out to be kind, thoughtful, and charming, Saoirse finds herself increasingly drawn to him-especially when they’re forced to work together to stop a deadly killer who’s plaguing the city. There’s only one problem: Saoirse is that deadly killer.

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling pirate tale.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

1718: Puppeteer John Chandagnac has set sail for Jamaica to recover his stolen inheritance, when his ship is seized by pirates. Offered the choice to join the crew, or be killed where he stands, he decides that a pirate’s life is better than none at all.

Now known as Jack Shandy, this apprentice buccaneer soon learns to handle a mainsail and wield a cutlass – only to discover he is now a subject of a Caribbean pirate empire ruled by one Edward Thatch, better known as Blackbeard.

A practitioner of voodoo, Blackbeard is building an army of the living and the dead, to voyage together to search for the ultimate prize: the legendary Fountain of Youth.

The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be…well…a lot less than the man of her dreams?

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad’s recitation, and only the “good parts” reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He’s reconstructed the “Good Parts Version” to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What’s it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

Captain Bluebear tells the story of his first 13-1/2 lives spent on the mysterious continent of Zamonia, where intelligence is an infectious disease, water flows uphill, and dangers lie in wait for him around every corner.

“A bluebear has twenty-seven lives. I shall recount thirteen and a half of them in this book but keep quiet about the rest,” says the narrator of Walter Moers’s epic adventure. “What about the Minipirates? What about the Hobgoblins, the Spiderwitch, the Babbling Billows, the Troglotroll, the Mountain Maggot… Mine is a tale of mortal danger and eternal love, of hair’s breadth, last-minute escapes.” Welcome to the fantastic world of Zamonia, populated by all manner of extraordinary characters. It’s a land of imaginative lunacy and supreme adventure, wicked satire and epic fantasy, all mixed together, turned on its head, and lavishly illustrated by the author.

That’s it! My Top Ten Watery Worlds and Swashbuckling Stories on my TBR. Have you read any of these selections? What books make you think of April Showers? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Movies/TV Shows that would have made amazing books!

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! I had intended on posting a couple of things within the past week to mark Tolkien Day and World Poetry Day but being away on a school residential has sapped actual life out of me! Thankfully it’s the now Easter break so it’s time to catch up with some reading and blogging! 🥳

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the Top Ten Movies/TV Shows that would make amazing books. The prompt was submitted by Sabrina @ Notes From a Paper Plane Nomad and I had so much fun putting this list together! I often watch things on TV and wish that I could also have experienced it in all of its literary glory – it must be the bookwyrm in me! If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

National Treasure

I adore the entire National Treasure franchise and I was so happy when they brought a new spin-off show to Disney Plus last year. I’m a sucker for a historical treasure hunt and I would devour the novels that came out if these movies were turned into literary form!

Outer Banks

Spot the running treasure hunt theme here! Outer Banks is a major guilty pleasure of mine and I have binged every season of these as soon as they get released on Netflix. I can’t wait for Season 4!! Now whilst this started off as a TV series, I did spy a paperback novel in a bookshop which was released as a bit of a spin-off… I had no idea these even existed! I haven’t taken the plunge to buy it yet, but you can bet if I come across it a second time, it may very well be coming home with me to my shelf!

Emily in Paris

Another favourite show of mine! Imagine the descriptions of the clothing, fashion and food, the snarkiness of Sylvie and the cliffhangers and plot twists! Whilst Mindy’s musical talents and those divine French accents may not translate from screen to page, this series is just so dreamy that I’d be all over a novelisation of it!

Pirates of the Caribbean

I’m a sucker for a swashbuckling adventure and Pirates of the Caribbean is no exception. Whilst some of the plot lines in these films take inspiration from pirate folklore, I still think the level of detail in these movies would make for excellent literary world-building!

Moana

The themed picks continue with Moana! Again, another film based on pre-existing legends and mythology, however I would love a YA / adult twist on this Polynesian tale – if there’s one already out there, please point me in the direction of it!

Thir13en Ghosts

I remember watching this film as a teen and it scared the absolute you-know-what out of me! The reason I would love to see this in literary format is for the house element. Parts of this film are so twisted and terrifying, that it’d make a brilliantly chilling horror novel.

Fool’s Gold

Spanish shipwrecks, diving for treasure, all the tension and feels between Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, the Bahamas scenery… I don’t care that this film only got an audience score of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, I absolutely love it and need it in book version!

Godzilla

Ok, so this is another one of those ‘may already exist in book form’ picks but… I love the most recent Legendary Pictures versions which form as a new Reiwa Era for this iconic Japanese monster; particularly when King Kong joins in along with a whole plethora of other Monarch monsters from the second film in this particular part of the franchise. The scope they could make with these films in book format is huge, particularly if they dug deep and went into the origins of all of the monsters – they would definitely be making my TBR list! We are off the see Godzilla x Kong in IMAX this Friday and I am so excited!!

Most Haunted

Most Haunted was one of my favourite TV shows as a kid. I was blown away by some of the footage they captured, especially the Live event when they went to Pendle Hill. Then there was the whole ‘Rik Eedles’ fiasco. I would love it if there was a novel that was all about ghosthunters filming a reality TV show, just like this!

Indiana Jones

Who doesn’t love an adventure story? I had a really hard time picking this final option. I was almost going to pick Money Heist from Netflix, but then went with Indiana Jones at the final minute. Part of me loves a good temple hunting adventure novel, but I’m not too sure if these films are just so iconic that a novel version wouldn’t fully cut it!

That’s it! My Top Ten Movies/TV Shows that would make amazing book. Have you seen any of these selections? What film or series are you desperate for a literary version of? Feel free to leave me your link so I can visit your own TTT post! As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring TBR

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! How is your week going so far? This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR. I was so excited to make this list! Spring i the ultimate time of rebirth and it always gives me a renewed sense of motivation. The days are getting lighter, birdsong is getting louder and flowers are blooming all around us. The 10 selections I have chosen here are a complete mixture of books I already own, books I’m hoping to purchase/acquire soon and some highly anticipated books that are being released this season! All plot summaries below are from Goodreads. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas

Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she’s going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that’s no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.

Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he’s in the Asteri’s dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce’s fate. He’s desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri’s leash, his hands are quite literally tied.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt’s world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

Tune in Tomorrow: The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story Of Starr Weatherby And The Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever by Randee Dawn

She’s just a small town girl, with big mythic dreams.

Starr Weatherby came to New York to become… well, a star. But after ten years and no luck, she’s offered a big role – on a show no one has ever heard of. And there’s a reason for that. It’s a ‘reality’ show beyond the Veil, human drama, performed for the entertainment of the Fae.

But as Starr shifts from astounded newcomer to rising fan favorite, she learns about the show’s dark underbelly – and mysterious disappearance of her predecessor. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her dream job – though she might just bring down the show in the process.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally. 

It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true…and she’s right.

As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.

But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty

Daevabad has fallen.

After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people.

But the bloodletting and loss of his beloved Nahri have unleashed the worst demons of Dara’s dark past. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies.

Having narrowly escaped their murderous families and Daevabad’s deadly politics, Nahri and Ali, now safe in Cairo, face difficult choices of their own. While Nahri finds peace in the old rhythms and familiar comforts of her human home, she is haunted by the knowledge that the loved ones she left behind and the people who considered her a savior are at the mercy of a new tyrant. Ali, too, cannot help but look back, and is determined to return to rescue his city and the family that remains. Seeking support in his mother’s homeland, he discovers that his connection to the marid goes far deeper than expected and threatens not only his relationship with Nahri, but his very faith.

As peace grows more elusive and old players return, Nahri, Ali, and Dara come to understand that in order to remake the world, they may need to fight those they once loved . . . and take a stand for those they once hurt.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad – author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them – and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

That’s it! My Top Ten books on my Spring TBR. Have you read any of these selections? Are you excited for any of these anticipated releases? What makes it onto your own Spring TBR? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’m Worried I Won’t Love As Much The Second Time Around

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! How is your week going so far? This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the Top Ten Books I’m Worried I Won’t Love As Much The Second Time Around. To sort out this list, I decided to start with my 5* rated books on Goodreads and consider if I read it again, would I still give it that same rating… I primarily chose books that I looked at and went, “I gave that 5 stars?!” After that, I considered books whose plots I couldn’t fully remember, or ones when all of the ending and suspense has been ruined because I already know what’s coming next!

If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

  1. Enduring Love by Ian McEwan – For some reason, I must have been so swept up in the sadness of this story to give in 5*. However, I’m not totally sure I could actually tell you what happens in it if you asked me to summarise the plot…
  2. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks – I remember reading this as part of our A-Level English coursework. At the time, I think I was carried away with the sadness of it amongst all of the other war literature we were reading at the time. I wonder if I’d feel the same way about it all these years later after reading so many other precious books.
  3. American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis – I can’t for the life of me wonder why I gave this 5*, perhaps because it was so brutal and it shocked me into it? I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s one of those cheerful, enjoying reads! 😂
  4. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo – I have no memory of this book which makes me quite sad as I love Leigh Bardugo’s writing so much!
  5. The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles – Another tragic story?! Maybe I was just going through a particular phase in my life when reading some of these books and giving them 5* ratings – or maybe it was the Meryl Streep factor!
  6. The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth – In my introduction to YA lit, I was hyped over this trilogy, I’m not sure if I’d still feel the same way about revisiting it now, especially after the release of the films as well.
  7. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse – Remembering back to my first read of this book, I think I had to get to around p.400 of 700 just to get hooked into it. I wonder if I did a reread whether I’d have the patience to stick it out for that long again or whether it would be a rare DNF!
  8. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith – If I read this again, I’m not sure I’d give it a full 5* rating – and I already know whodunnit so it won’t come as too much of a shock.
  9. Everless by Sara Holland – I was so bowled over by the concept of blood relating to time in this novel. I remember feeling a little let down by the sequel so perhaps I wouldn’t love this first book so much knowing that the follow-up isn’t as great.
  10. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black – Another book that I’m a little sad to add to this list. I love The Folk of the Air trilogy so much and I can’t fully remember what happened in this.

That’s it! My Top Ten books which I’m worried I might not love as much the second time round. Have you read any of these selections? Which books are you a little daunted to read again for fear that you may not love it as much? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx

#Top Ten Tuesday – Weird / Funny things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book

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Hey Bibliofriends,

Happy Tuesday! How is your week going so far? This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is the Top Ten Weird / Funny things I’ve googled thanks to a book. This was submitted by Astilbe @ Long and Short Reviews and I’m not going to lie – this was a seriously difficult post to write. I’m pretty sure I’ve done this more times than I think I have, however I just can’t remember them so apologies if you don’t get a full 10 things from me this week. If you don’t already know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly, list-themed book prompt hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

  1. How did Virginia Woolf die? I was reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham which is based on author Virginia Woolf and some of her most popular characters. The opening scene retells the story of Virginia Woolf’s suicide, and some weird part of me just had to google if that was actually how/what had happened. It was a brilliant story though, incredibly moving!
  2. The Silver Swan Automaton – Several years ago, I became captivated by the story of a bird automaton which was a central plot device in Peter Carey’s novel The Chemistry of Tears. I was so intrigued by this object that when googling it, I found out that it was actually based upon a real automaton of a silver swan which eats fish from a glass pool. It’s such a remarkable creation and can be found at The Bowes Museum which is near Durham in the North of England. It’s a little too far away for a day trip but I’m certainly hoping I’ll be able to see it one day.
Image from The Bowes Museum Website
  1. Willie Lincoln’s death and the bardo – This one came when I was reading the book Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. I had no idea that a bardo is a buddhist or tibetan reference to the state of purgatory between death and rebirth. I was also intrigued to see how much of the references to Willie Lincoln’s death were also true.
  2. Who has died on a toilet? A particular character’s death at the end of George R. R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords had me wickedly chuckling to myself; it reminded me that I had heard about Elvis Presley dying whilst on/in the toilet – so of course, I had to google it and find out the internet’s version of the truth!
  3. Passetto di Borgo – I love a good conspiracy theory so I could probably have filled up this list with those kinds of things, however I remember reading one of the Robert Langdon adventures in Dan’s Brown’s books and having to investigate whether there was definitely a pentagram at Castel Sant’angelo and a secret passageway linking to the Vatican. Whilst the pentagram was added for the effects of the books and movies, the passageway is real. Known as the Passetto di Borgo, it was used as an evacuation / escape route for Pope Clement VII in 1527.
  4. Mother, Maiden and Crone – I tried to find out more about the history / symbology of these when reading The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow.
  5. Las Ramblas & The Cemetery of Forgotten Books – I’m a huge fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafôn’s work so upon discovering the fictional Cemetery of Forgotten Books, I had to google Barcelona’s Las Ramblas area to see if such a place did exist. It’s a city that remains high on my travel bucketlist!
  6. Elizabeth de Munck’s Grave – Whilst reading Robert Galbraith’s The Ink Black Heart, I became fixated with the gravestones in Highgate Cemetery (a featured location within the novel), but particularly the grave of Elizabeth de Munck which is notable for its pelican imagery and symbolism. I then went on to visit the graveyard in a later trip to London, just to see it for myself!
Image Credit: The London Dead on Blogspot
  1. Paper Towns – After falling in love with Graham Greene’s novel Paper Towns, I became intrigued with the concept of what a paper town is and did a whole big google search about existing paper towns today – with digital technology it’s becoming a bit of a past-time, however it would still be fun to find one on a map!
  2. The Secret (treasure hunt) – If you’re not new to my blog, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of treasure hunts. A couple of years ago, I became hooked on a mysterious podcast called ‘Rabbits’ which had an accompanying novel linked to the show. In it was referenced a real life treasure hunt hosted by Bryon Preiss called ‘The Secret’ where 12 treasure boxes have been hidden across the US and Canada. Clues to the locations are in a book published The Secret by Preiss and as of yet, only 3 of the 12 boxes have been discovered. If I ended up winning the lottery, cracking these codes and finding these boxes would probably become my new full-time occupation! I’m borderline obsessed! 😂
Image from The Secret (Treasure Hunt) Page on Wikipedia

That’s it! My Top Ten weird / funny things I’ve googled thanks to books – lots of death, gothic, macabre and grave references…?! Have you read any of the books these selections have come from? What are some of your own weird and wonderful bookish google confessions? As always, drop me a comment to chat!

T xx