This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is about the most anticipated books releasing in the first half of 2024. I’m bad at keeping tabs on this kind of thing, but let’s take a look at the review copies I have (the ones I’ve read and the ones that I’m eager to get to)… I’ll link my review where I’ve already had a chance to read the book, if it’s live already!
- The Tainted Cup, by Robert Jackson Bennett. I just got an eARC for this, and I’m super excited: I’ve loved Bennett’s work in the past (even if I’m not all caught up), and the summary of this one sounds like it’s designed to dig into all my interests. A fantasy detective story? Sign me right up.
- The Imposition of Impossible Obstacles, by Malka Older. I really loved the first novella, so I was excited to get to read this sequel, and I think others will enjoy it too. I think it’d technically stand alone, but I wouldn’t read it that way — now’s the perfect time to grab The Mimicking of Known Successes, before the new book is out. The main characters, Pleiti and Mossa, have a really sweet relationship: it’s a little bit Holmes and Watson, if one of the things Holmes is trying to figure out is exactly how to be romantic and intimate with Watson. (And the gender difference, of course.)
- The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, by Bettany Hughes. Time for some non-fiction! This is the kind of topic that I really enjoy — digging (heh) through archaeological discoveries and contextualising them. Trivia: Hughes became an honorary fellow of Cardiff University in the same year and ceremony that I graduated for the first time.
- The Butcher of the Forest, by Premee Mohamed. I’ve yet to read any of Mohamed’s novels, but I’ve really enjoyed the novellas. The story has a haunting sense of unease, and features a fascinatining middle-aged female protagonist.
- Crypt: Life, Death and Disease in the Middle Ages and Beyond, by Alice Roberts. I really loved Ancestors and especially Buried, so I’m definitely looking forward to this. Roberts usually chooses really fascinating digs to illustrate her points.
- Cascade Failure, by L.M. Sargas. I loved Firefly, so comparing a book to that show is a great way to get my attention. I’ve been contemplating asking for the ARC, but I’m not sure I’d get to it before it releases anyway, so I’ve been holding back.
- A Letter to the Luminous Deep, by Sylvie Cathrall. Anything based around letters and mails in any sense catches my eye, since I write reviews about books related to post over on Postcrossing. Letters can be surprisingly intimate, and a beautiful way to build up characters, and it looks like this fantasy novel is strongly based around the exchange of letters. I’m excited for it!
- The Brides of High Hill, by Nghi Vo. I’m always excited when new Singing Hills books are available. I haven’t posted my review yet, since I just read it this weekend, but I can say that it definitely matched up for me. It felt like a genuinely dangerous situation for Chih — moral and physical peril, swirling around them, with such an atmosphere.
- The Fireborne Blade, by Charlotte Bond. A look at the cover was enough to convince me I should give this a shot, and I really enjoyed the book itself as well. The ending was fascinatingly ambiguous, leaving me unsure in a good way about how I felt about the characters. I’ll be posting my review soon, I’m sure. Shame the book won’t be out in time for my sister’s birthday!
- Moonstorm, by Yoon Ha Lee. Honestly, this had me at the “mecha robots” bit of the blurb: I was a huge fan of Gundam Wing when I was a teenager, and that was formative. Plus, this is by Yoon Ha Lee. I can’t wait to get round to reading my review copy!
Alright, that was easier than I feared, though it did take me a while to get organised. Any of these pique your interest? Anything you’re looking forward to that you think I’d pounce on, based on these?
Ooh, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World sounds amazing! It’s cool you have that connection to the author, too.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
I’ve kept an eye out for her books ever since, haha. I’m looking forward to grabbing this one. 😀
I’m curious about Cascade Failure, too.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
It looks like fun — I really want to give it a shot. 😀
I don’t typically read a lot of nonfiction, but I always get so interested in the ones you post!
Hahaha, I have such a random interest sometimes but it keeps me busy! XD
Great list! Several of these are on my TBR also. I’m not up on my non-fiction new releases, though, so I hadn’t heard of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World before. It sounds great, though! I’ll have to see if I can get a library copy to read.
Thanks for stopping by my TTT earlier. 🙂
Yeah, I usually don’t know what’s coming in non-fiction, either! I peeked at a local bookshop’s upcoming releases to do this post, and then went “oooo”. Normally I just go into the non-fiction section and look for what grabs my attention, ahaha.
Thanks for visiting back!
I don’t read much non-fiction but he Seven Wonders of the Ancient World sounds interesting. Hope you love all on your list!
I’ve managed to snag a copy slightly early thanks to a local shop putting copies out this week, so I’m probably going to dig in soon — I’ve always been fascinated by all things ancient history. Thanks for dropping by!
I hope you love all of these!
Thank you, me too! Expectations are high!
I haven’t heard of any of these. I hope you enjoy the ones you haven’t gotten to yet!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thanks! I’m excited for them — I ended up getting some review copies of these that I didn’t have already sent to me after this post, so I’m eager to dig in.
The Seven Wonders sounds like one I’d like.
I managed to snag a copy this week since Waterstones put it out early, so I’m eager to dig in!
I just started The Tainted Cup. I hope we both love it! This will be my first book by the author.
I need to get to it soon! I’ve loved Bennett’s work before, so I have very high hopes.
Great list! Surprisingly, I was most intrigued by your nonfiction picks, and found myself adding all of them to my TBR. I hope you enjoy all of these when you get to read them.
That seems to be a bit of a theme… which I’m very okay with. XD I could never not read fiction, but non-fiction can be a lot of fun too. Thanks for dropping by!
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World sounds amazing. You have a really interesting book in your tbr.
I’m looking forward to it a lot — the topic sounds great, and I’ve really enjoyed some of the author’s books in the past, too.
Alas, I can’t visit you back because I don’t use Instagram (though one day I ought to figure it out). Thanks for dropping by!
I’ve seen The Tainted Cup on a lot of lists this week! I need to make more time for non-fiction, I have Buried on my TBR and I enjoyed Tamed.
Alice Roberts’ books are usually great — she knows how to present a story around whatever she’s discussing! I’m looking forward to Crypt a lot.
The Butcher of the Forest made my list as well, though I’ve not read anything by the author before. I finally just read the first Singing Hills book, so maybe I will catch up to The Brides of High Hill later this year!
I really enjoy Premee Mohamed and Nghi Vo’s work in general, so I hope you enjoy them all! 😀