Tag Archives: Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This was such a fun and easy prompt to do!

Summer makes me think of ice cream, cookouts, picnics, sand, sunscreen, swimming, beaches, sandals, swimsuits, and more.

I tried to incorporate as many different types of these images and similar images into my response as possible.

No, I have not read these books yet. I tend to read a lot of science fiction that has nothing at all to do with typical summer topics, so I had to get a bit creative in order to participate.

If you have read any of these books, I’d love to hear what you thought of them!

1. Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1) by Jenna Evans Welch

2. Murder Cuts the Mustard by Jessica Ellicott

3. Thank You for Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell

4. The Southern Side of Paradise (Peachtree Bluff #3) by Kristy Woodson Harvey

5. Honeymoon for One by Beth Orsoff

6. A Starless Sky by Paige Agnew

7. Tropical Dreams by Kelly Cozzone

8. Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann

9. Shug by Jenny Han

10. We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

“Lordy, I don’t know!” was my first response to this week’s prompt.

It’s hard to imagine autumn and winter when summer has not yet reached its full strength here.

This makes me very glad that Jana does not grade our responses or expect everyone to give ten answers every single week.

Those of you who always have ten perfect answers to these sorts of seasonal prompts have my admiration.

I wish I could plan ahead that far.

I do hope to read all of these books once they’re available at the library, but some of their release dates feel so far away.

Let’s toss some answers out and see what sticks if or when we’re asked to comb through old lists of anticipated reads again.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Publication Date: October 18

Why I’m Interested: As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’m quite interested in reading about people like me survived during eras when we couldn’t be open about our true selves.

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Summer is an excellent time to read in Toronto, especially once the temperatures and humidity soar in July and it becomes uncomfortable to spend a lot of time outdoors during the heat of the day.

Okay, to be fair, some people love the heat. I wish them the best with their adventures in the heat but will be staying indoors myself during the hottest times of the day if I can at all help it. (Hot summer days can include a few migraine triggers for me, so I have to be mindful of how I spend them).

What I actually end up reading depends on my mood and which books I can find at the Toronto Public Library, but here are a few new releases I’m quite excited about. I’m sure this list will grow longer over the summer.

Life Ceremony: Stories  by Sayaka Murata

Release Date: July 5
Why I’m Interested: I enjoy short story collections and have not read many from Japan yet. It will be fun to see what this collection is like!

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk and Robot #2) by Becky Chambers

Release Date: July 12
Why I’m Interested: I adored the first novella in this series and can’t wait to see what happens to the characters next. (Yes, I know I’ve mentioned this book several times in previous posts this year…but my excitement for it has only deepened as the release date grows nearer).

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

Release Date: August 2
Why I’m Interested: The unique premise grabbed my attention immediately. Those of us who are bookish sometimes metaphorically talk about devouring books, but imagine what it would be like to literally rely on them for sustenance!

Empty Smiles (Small Spaces, #4)  by Katherine Arden

Release Date:August 9
Why I’m Interested: I’ve also adored the Small Spaces series so far and can’t wait to see how it ends. (Yes, I’ve mentioned this book multiple times before as well. I am a creature of habit!)

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Just like I did last year, I’m tweaking the bookish wishes prompt again because my TBR pile is still as large as ever. (Are they secretly magical? Why do they never seem to shrink much at all no matter how much you read?)

Instead of asking any of you to buy books for me, I’m asking for recommendations instead if you know of any titles that might match up to my bookish wishes below.

Wish #1: Humorous Stories of Any Length 

I don’t know about all of you, but I still have a strong desire to read lighthearted material that will hopefully make me laugh.

Responses to this wish can be from any genre or era.

Here are some examples of humorous stories that I’ve loved:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, #1) by Douglas Adams

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury by Bill Watterson

I Am America by Stephen Colbert

The sorts of short humorous stories about everyday life that writers like Mark Twain have written.

Wish #2: Stories About or From Where You Live 

If you’re uncomfortable sharing the precise city you live in for privacy reasons, no worries. I will be just as happy to read stories about your region, state, province, territory, country, or continent depending on how specific you feel comfortable being.

I think reading stories set in real places is a wonderful way to get a feel for that area. Since I won’t be travelling anywhere special this summer, why not read about some of the spectacular places in our world instead?

I would prefer recommendations from the science fiction, fantasy, mystery, or young adult genres, but other genres are cool as well if you loved their writing style and think they’re a great representation of your culture or region.

Wish #3: Literary Ghost Stories 

I love well-written, literary (or literary-ish) ghost stories. Send all of them to me. Ha!

Here are a few examples of what I mean:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Wish #4: Nonfiction About Topics Other Than War, Pandemics, or Royalty 

Those of you who have been reading my Top Ten Tuesday or other posts for a while might remember how much I love the nonfiction genre.

I am not interested in nonfiction about war, pandemics, or royalty. I am rarely into nonfiction about politics or religion. (Brief mentions of any of these topics are totally okay…just not entire books about them).

Anything else is fair game! Biographies, autobiographies, history, medicine, education, animals, science, social movements, food, social customs, and similar topics always pique my interest. I love learning about the pieces of life that often aren’t taught in school.

Wish #5: Beach Reads 

I know the definition of the term beach read can differ depending on the reader.

When I use it, I’m referring to light, fluffy books that can help you pass the time while you’re at the beach and that do not require deep levels of thought in order to keep track of the plot and characters. My brain needs a little literary junk food this summer.

You’ll get bonus points if your suggestion also happens to be set on a beach, but this is definitely not a requirement. Any genre is fine for this one.

Wish #6: Anything Else You Think I Might LIke

Okay, I know this one is a bit of a tall order. If anyone reading this feels like they know my reading preferences well enough to give an unsolicited recommendation, by all means feel free to do so!

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

An hour was the unit of time I chose for this week’s prompt. Let’s see which book titles fit this theme.

1. Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller

2. The Silent Hour (Lincoln Perry, #4) by Michael Koryta

3. The Shadow Hour (The Girl at Midnight, #2) by Melissa Grey

4. The Golden Hour (Time-Travel Series, #1) by Maiya Williams

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

These are all cozy stories from a variety of genres that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a comfort read.

My definition of a comfort read is a story that is compelling but gentle. That is to say, you can read it without worrying about anything horrible happening to the main character. They might break an ankle or temporarily get lost in a swamp, but everything will always end on a happy note and most of the scenes will be ones filled with conflicts that are lower stakes. Death or serious bodily harm are rarely a genuine threat for these characters. They are far more likely to be facing something like social embarrassment from saying the wrong thing or having a comical adventure instead.

1. The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1) by Graeme Simsion

2. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

3. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

4. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

5. Heidi by Johanna Spyri

6. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

7. Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

8. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett

9. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

What is your definition of a comfort read? am so curious to see how our understandings of that term might line up.