I actually think I might be too obsessed with this topic - it's pretty much a game I play when I can't sleep. I come up with ten books on my TBR that I'd like to read soon, as if I were doing this very survey.
Having said that, I bet I still struggle...
1) Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
This has had mixed reviews, but I'm still looking forward to reading it. It looks like just the book-related, light-hearted fun that's perfect for a cosy evening indoors.
I have absolutely no idea what it's about (other than the obvious), but that's never stopped me from enjoying a book yet!
Besides, Ellie is still maintaining that I whipped it out from under her little nose (at which defamatory statement I shall naturally take no offence) so I think she'll kill me if I don't read it soon!
2) N0S4R2 by Joe Hill
I don't usually go in for 'seasonal' reading, but I would like to get to this before Christmas for obvious reasons - it just wouldn't be right waiting until Spring! I also have Horns and I really want to read that too, but this one has more of a time limitation thing going on.
It's a big, chunky thing but hopefully that means there's a lot of detail and thought gone into this.
I have a whole lot of respect for Joe Hill for not attempting to cash in on his father's name, so maybe (just maybe) his books are capable of standing on their own two feet.
3) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
If you hear a tiny cheer coming from a corner of the blogosphere, don't worry, it's just Charlotte. She's been trying to get one of us (any one will do) to read this ever since she adored it back in April.... wow, April? Really? Wow, this year has flown.
She ended up purchasing it for me as she was my Ninja Swap sender... and I still haven't read it. Sorry Charlotte.
I do very much want to though, as it keeps beckoning me from the pile of my TBR that has overflown onto the floor. Yay for Greek heroes!
4) The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
I want to read this one so badly.
I absolutely loved The Moonstone when I read it as part of a recent read-a-long and I've found out from an offline friend (yes, those do exist - who knew?) that The Woman in White is written in a similar narrative-switching style. Plus I really want to read a Wilkie biography and I can't justify that until I've read two of his works, at least!
I hope it has similar wonderful characters, as they were the best thing about The Moonstone. God bless Mr Betteredge and Miss Clack!
5) The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
I haven't seen The Silver Linings Playbook film yet, but I will do so right after finishing the book! I can take or leave Jennifer Lawrence - I like the message she sends to young women and her acting is fairly average - but I've heard good things about the book.
I know a few people complained about American Football references, but I get subjected to enough of it at home that I can hold my own!
6) The Diary of A Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield
Sigh. All I've ended up doing with this post is highlighting the millions of books my friends have bought for me that I haven't read. In my defence, I have read a lot of the others! *cringes*
This is another Ellie book - in fact, it's the closest book on my TBR to the end of 2012, which means it's the last remaining Christmas present from last year!
It's a beautiful book, with a hardback fabric cover and it's such a shame that it hasn't joined my other lovely books on the shelves yet!
7) Orange is the New Black: My Time in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman
Oh look - a book I bought for somebody else!
Well, not this copy, obviously. I bought this for Laura during the Ninja Swap and had a quick flick through when it arrived (I didn't actually READ it obviously, as it wasn't for me) and instantly knew that I had to have a copy.
When I won a book of my choice for the Door Prize in the Bout of Books read-a-thon, I knew it had to be this one. I haven't seen the TV show because I'm terrible at watching things, but after reading Laura's review, I'm almost desperate to read the book.
8) Shadow and Bone (The Grisha series #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Not that you can tell from my choices above, but I'm actually in a major fantasy mood at the moment.
I love the cover of Shadow and Bone (I'm so glad they redid them to match the US versions) and I've heard that it has an excellent story.
The second book is already out too, which helps - I hate finishing a book and having to wait aaaages for the next installment!
9) Tampa by Alissa Nutting
Not the kind of book I can take to court and read in the office, is it?
If it weren't for that, I'd probably have read this by now. Ellie brought it to my attention (not that you can miss it, really) on our book-buying trip to Chesterfield and made it sound so interesting that I just had to take it home with me.
I'm dying to read it, but I've been busy with cases or at home with my parents... and I don't really want to have that conversation, thank you very much.
10) The Newlyweds by Nell FreudenbergerI admit to buying this one purely for the cover, but at least it's slightly more presentable than the above!
I've read lots of different opinions on this one, but it's about a subject that really interests me so I'm hoping I can look past any imperfections.
A lot of people seem to have this on their TBRs, so we'll probably all end up reading this together!
What's on your TBR this Winter?
I liked Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore! I have recommended it a few time to people at the library and it has been well received. I want to start the Grisha series too. I have heard nothing but rave reviews! Enjoy your winter reads! ~Megan
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Mr. Penumbra's is definitely a winter read to me as well! I would recommend The Thirteenth Tale, there's something so cozy about it.
ReplyDeleteI've just ordered a copy of TTT this morning! I planned to read it SOMETIME, but I realised it was going to be on television over Christmas so I need to read it, pronto! This iron-clad 'read it first' rule of mine does make for some frantic reading sessions at times, but it's usually worth it... :)
DeleteI particularly like your seasonal reading pile TTT posts, because I KNOW you play this all the time when you can't sleep and it makes it that much more fun to actually get an insight into what reading shizzle's in your head at the moment. :)
ReplyDelete1) Dude, you DID whip it out from under my nose, shamelessly and with great glee - but I found a copy on the shelf in Waterstones in Leeds, so it's all good now. We can be Penumbra winter readers together! :)
3) Yep, this one's high up on my TBR shelves too, for Charlotte's sake as well as because it sounds amazing! Someone warned me I'd probably cry though, hence waiting until I'm NOT at the shop.
4) Good to know about the similar switchy-narrative thing. I've got a copy too - I think it was the first thing Laura ever sent me, a nice Vintage edition, because it's her favourite! Pffft, read a biography already too. You can always read it again in a few years and be impressed all over again because you've read more of his novels in the interrim!
5) I'm rereading it this winter - I just bought myself a copy so it's perched right on top of one of my teetering bedroom-floor book piles! I know more about American football than I did last time, and also JENNIFER LAWRENCE IS NOW MY TIFFANY, so hopefully I'll love it even more the second time around!
6) Oh yeah, I remember sending you that one! It IS a pretty cover - but then, I'm just as bad as you as not reading gift books (*cough*11/22/63*cough*) so I have great sympathy on that front. Maybe I'll be able to start remedying it this winter too!
7) I don't have a copy yet, BUT I WILL. Because of Laura's review, and also her general fangirling over the series, which I haven't seen at all. Read it and tell me I need to read it too, and then I'll have an excuse to buy a copy immediately. :)
9) Ditto. Definitely not one to read at the shop - and it's so explicit I'd only end up bright red with some little old biddy trying to read it over my shoulder in case it was a Mills and Boon or something. (Yes, I speak from experience.)
HAPPY WINTER READING! And try not to cry when you get yet more books as Christmas presents - you've got AT LEAST two years to read them before we'll all start tapping our feet on the ground and coughing pointedly. :P
Awesome list! I'm going to try to get to NOS4A2 soon, for the same reasons. I did Horns and it was SO GOOD.
ReplyDeleteWill someone just bloody well read The Song of Achilles? :) I will forgive you not having read it so far if you just get on and read it this Winter! I mean, obviously I will forgive you regardless but it'll be easier for me if you've read it.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is it with that cover for Tampa?! I read both your and Ellie's TTT posts on my phone on the train and that cover kept appearing and I had to shield my phone until it was gone! I know that it fits with the theme but really...incidentally, I'm waiting for either you or Ellie to tell me whether it's worth reading before I buy it. As an eBook, obviously. I'm just not carrying that cover around...especially when I start at my new job. I don't need that reputation!
What else? I'm increasingly jealous of those of you that have N0S4R2 (you, Laura, Katie...). I had no interest in it whatsoever until you and Laura got a copy in Leeds and ever since then, I've been itching for a copy. If it wasn't so heavy, I'd have bought myself one but I'm really trying to get through some eBooks before I get a Kindle to replace my current eReader so I've resisted so far...
Oh, and Shadow and Bone is on my winter list, definitely. I got it when it was called The Gathering Dark and had a stupid cover though so that bugs me.
Great list! I bought "Mr Penumbra" in Foyle's when I went up to London and remembered about your and Ellie's little tussle over the last copy in the shop. Also after seeing that EVERYONE seemed to be buying or reading N0S4R2, I gave in yesterday and bought myself a copy. I was planning to wait for it to be published in small paperback, but if it's a seasonal read, I hadn't the patience to wait another year.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices, a real mixed bag of a list which I love to see! So many of these are on my wishlist. In particular I have been meaning to read some Wilkie for ages but haven't been sure where to start. Maybe The Moonstone is the one to go for first...Hadn't heard of The Newlyweds at all, but a quick check of the blurb on Goodreads really intrigues me, so thanks for the heads up on that one!
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