This week’s theme from Top Ten Tuesday is the fall TBR. I don’t particularly theme my reading plans, and I usually go by whim, but I usually have some idea of what’s tempting me… so let’s start there.
- The Book at War, by Andrew Pettegree. Not the most uplifting book, perhaps, but it looks fascinating, discussing readers and libraries and how they’ve interacted (and been manipulated) during conflicts from the American Civil War onwards. I got it out of the library last week, so I should get to this soon.
- Yellowface, by R.F. Kuang. I have a library hold on this book, so I’m fairly sure it’ll feature somewhere in my autumn reading. I haven’t actually read anything by R.F. Kuang yet, despite owning The Poppy War and Babel, but I keep getting tempted to give Yellowface a shot (even though it’s a bit outside my usual genres). And oops, now I check the Libby app, looks like it’s my turn!
- Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù. Having loved The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System and being perhaps even more enamoured with Heaven Official’s Blessing (with which I’m nearly finished), it’s inevitable that I’m going to move on to something else by MXTX soon. I’m ready to love Wei Wuxian, but I’ll miss Xie Lian. Technically, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation was her second webnovel, so I’ve perhaps read things in an odd order. That’s okay, though, they’re not connected.
- The Mountain in the Sea, by Ray Nayler. My wife really enjoyed this one, and I enjoyed The Tusks of Extinction, so I’m very curious to give it a shot. I have it out of the library, which will also help move it up my list. Octopuses are fascinating, and after the recent disappointment of Remarkably Bright Creatures (which was fine, but not what I hoped for) I’d love something that grapples with the weirdness of an alien intelligence.
- Deadly Earnest, by Joan Cockin. I got this one for my birthday, after I really enjoyed Curiosity Killed the Cat. Time to dig in, I think — I always love a classic mystery, after all.
- A River Enchanted, by Rebecca Ross. Technically, I got partway through this earlier in the year, and then got distracted, but I think I’ll have to skim over the opening 100 pages again to get myself back into it. And there’s a sequel too, if I get round to this one.
- A Sinister Revenge, by Deanna Raybourn. I didn’t love the last book in the series (because of the total lack of communication between them, mostly), but I’m hopeful that this book will get me back into it. I really hope so, because I enjoy Veronica and Stoker, and I want to enjoy their stories.
- Bitter Waters, by Vivian Shaw. I was really excited to see that this novella had come out, and then I forgot about it and only remembered when I started looking through my TBR for this post! I love Greta Helsing and the world Shaw has built, the whole concept of a GP who treats monsters like vampires and ghouls, so I’m excited to dive back in via this novella. I might reread the rest of the series, too, because I adore it.
- The Tomb of Dragons, by Katherine Addison. Most likely I’m going to reread all the books in this world, let’s be honest, but I’m so excited to dive into The Tomb of Dragons and see where Thara Celehar is now, after the events of the last book. And let’s face it, I really want to know if Iäna Pel-Thenhior is ever going to give him a hug.
- The City in Glass, by Nghi Vo. This is actually due out soon, and I haven’t read my e-ARC yet, arrghh! I’ve got to get round to it as soon as I can — I’ve loved most of Nghi Vo’s work, and this sounds like a fascinating world and story. I’m never very sure about comparisons to Ursula Le Guin (and saying Calvino, Miéville and Le Guin as comparisons just seems like an odd mix), but I do trust that Nghi Vo’s work is good and generally to my taste.
And now I’d better hop on my bike and go to the library — books are calling out to me for pickup!
What’s everyone else’s TBR looking like for the autumn?
I enjoyed Babel, and Yellowface has had such wonderful reviews. Enjoy!
I think they’re very very different books, from what I hear — I’m very curious whether I’ll like both or only Babel (since it’s more my usual genre), or perhaps neither. It should be fun to try, all the same.
The Mountain in the Sea is far better than Remarkably Bright Creatures, especially if you’re interested in intelligence rather than a feel good story. I want to read Tusks of Extinction soon.
Yeah, I expected it would be just based on genre, of course — at least for what I’m interested in (I’m sure fans of contemporary fiction who don’t like SF/F think it’s the other way round, haha). I’m looking forward to giving it a shot.
I hope you like Yellowface.
I’m looking forward to giving it a shot, at least! It’s a bit out of my usual beat, but my “usual” is pretty far-ranging already, and ever-flexible.
I’ve been meaning to read YELLOWFACE ever since it came out. *Sigh* One of these days! I love the Veronica Speedwell series, although I’m behind in it. It just makes me laugh. I hope you enjoy all these!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I haven’t managed to read a single book by Kuang yet, despite my best intentions… we’ll get there, haha.
I liked Kuang’s Babel much better than Yellowface. Something about that book really irritated me. Possibly it was I didn’t like the main character at all.
Here is my Fall TBR: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2024/09/ttt-my-fall-reading-list-and-how-i-did.html
I hear the main character is an intentionally unreliable, unlikeable character, which can be pretty challenging. I guess we’ll see!
Ooh, the Book at War sounds great, speaking as both a reader and a librarian!
It definitely looks very intriguing, I’m looking forward to getting into it.
I’ve put in a hold for it now.
The City in Glass sounds really good. I’m hoping to read it sooner rather than later, too!
I have to get round to it and not just leave it sitting there, ahaha.
Bitter Waters looks interesting.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I suspect it’s probably not as fun if you haven’t read the original trilogy, but I’m very much looking forward to it!
I hope you enjoy reading all of these.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/autumn-2024-tbr-ten-books-i-hope-to-read/
Thank you!
Yellowface was a tough read, I didn’t know how to feel in the end LOL. It’s a much more accessible to everyone writing style than Babel for instance.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2024/09/24/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-fall-2024-tbr/
Laurie recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall 2024 TBR
I’m very curious about it, I guess we’ll see how it goes! Maybe it won’t turn out to be my thing.
A River Enchanted sounds really good!
I liked the opening, I need to get back to it soon!
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation is one of my favorites
I expect I’ll love it, since I love SVSSS and TGCF. 😀
The Mountain in the Sea looks really interesting. I hope you enjoy all of these books and have a wonderful week.
My wife really liked it, I need to catch up, haha. Thanks for dropping by!
I’m off-the-charts excited about The Tomb of Dragons. I’ll read everything Addison writes. I’m probably going to reread the series before the new one too.
100%, I’m really eager to read it. And here’s hoping Thara manages to find some happiness, right?!
What an excellent list! I recently finished book 4 of the Veronica Speedwell series and I LOVE Veronica and Stoker so I’m sorry to hear there’s a point where there’s no communication between them, I’d better continue the series though! I also really enjoyed Tusks of Extinction and want to read Nayler’s debut 🙂
I’ve read Yellowface and A River Enchanted, and I really like them both but didn’t love them. I also had The Mountain in the Sea out from the library but had to return it before I could get to it. Not sure if I should try again. I hope you enjoy all of them!
I’m on the library waitlist for Yellowface. I hope we both like it.
Yellowface is on my list ever since I read Babel (have you read it?), I just loved that book.
The Book at War seems really interesting, I really enjoy Historical Fictions.
That’s a marvelously varied and eclectic TBR, with some books I have heard wonderful things about, and others I haven’t heard of at all. I hope you get the chance to read them all. (Personally, I’m notoriously bad at sticking to my TBR list.)
Lark @ The Bookwyrm’s Hoard recently posted…Books On My Fall 2024 TBR
I will read Yellowface at some point even though it is outside of my usual reading tastes as well. But I don’t think that day will be soon.