This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt sees me, and I’m not sure I like it: “Books I HAD to Have Immediately but Still Haven’t Read”.
I confess, sometimes I even plead with my wife to go out and get me a book that’s just released, and then fail to read it for… months? Fortunately, it’s well-understood that I’m a mood reader, and that the point is having the book available for when the mood strikes makes me happy, so Lisa doesn’t mind this at all.
Anyway, let’s get on with the public shaming showcase! Since I haven’t read these books yet, I’ll stick to showing off the covers…
To be fair to myself, I’ve actually been a lot better about this in 2025 and 2026, since I had a goal of having no more than 20 books concurrently that were bought in the same year and not yet started. That was part of the point, and it’s working well! Three of the books above are ones I got in 2025, and two from 2026 that I feel I could’ve jumped on sooner given how much fuss I made about wanting them… but otherwise, the books are from longer ago. I’m actually quite impressed!
My biggest problem as a mood reader is that the moods come and go so quickly! That’s a great goal you have and I should probably learn to do the same, lol. It’s great that you’re keeping on track with it too! I loved A Sorceress Comes to Call and a big surprise for me earlier this year was Some Desperate Glory. It was so good! I hope you love these books whenever you get to them 🙂
Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…#TopTenTuesday: Books I NEEDED but still haven’t read…
That’s part of why I have the goal, honestly — trying to capture the mood that made me buy the book before it’s gone. It… sometimes works, haha.
Mood reading is the perfect reason for putting off books, and I do the same thing. It’s hard as a blogger to read everything you buy. Even before I blogged I bought way more books than I could read
I think I’ve found a pretty good balance most of the time now, trying to capture the mood if I have when I get books and avoid leaving review books too long… but still room for some impulse reading and impulse purchases! But even so, I politely ignore the numbers on my TBR pile…
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish has piqued my interest.
I’m looking forward to that one, and hey — just the title taught me something about the idiom “salted fish” in Chinese!
Elusive looks interesting!
Stephen @ Reading Freely recently posted…Top Ten Books We Couldn’t WAIT to Read…but haven’t…
I read the first book, but the next one wasn’t out yet and oops, lost the momentum! I have to get back to it.
I am somewhat of a mood reader as well, so I get it. My solution is free or cheap ebooks. (I have way too many to choose from!)
Olivia recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Thought I’d Have Read By Now
Kobo Plus has been a boon for that for sure!
Haha! I know exactly what you mean about how the point of being a mood reader is having the book already available when the mood strikes. Sometimes I throw tantrums in my head when I want to read a book that I don’t already have and isn’t immediately available from the library, and then I settle for the next best choice like a petulant child. Honestly, I know I’m a spoiled reader!
Haze @ The Book Haze recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | Books I HAD to Have Immediately but Still Haven’t Read
Yep! I’m so glad my wife understands and doesn’t mind when I pout for a book, and they go to big trouble to get it and then I… don’t read it for six months, ahaha.
Nice job doing better this year! I wish I could say the same for myself….. Getting back into bookish social media has definitely ramped up the number of books that belong on this list for me. I may have to take a page out of your book and give myself a specific limit 🙂
Ahaha, yeah, bookish social media is a menace that way!
Hahaha yes it is! A great menace 😀
And yet… we love it.
Yes! You get it! The point is having the book ready to read whenever you’re in the mood for it. (At least, it is when one is a mood reader.)
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books I HAD to Have but Still Haven’t Read
100%!
Interesting list of books! Happy reading! 🙂
Thank you!
At the Feet of the Sun and Some Desperate Glory look intriguing to me!
I hope you love all of these books once you get the chance to enjoy them 🙂
My Post:
https://thegentlechapter.blog/2026/07/28/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-have-not-read-yet-but-had-to-have/
Ashley Kittrell recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Have Not Read Yet (but had to have)
I really need to get round to all of them, ahaha. Thanks!
The first two are on my TBR too.
I haaaave to get to them, ahaha.
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish is a hilarious title xD
Keira @Keira’s Bookmark recently posted…I *had* to have this book… so why have I still not read it? (x10)
Apparently it’s a Chinese idiom about someone with lack of ambition, but it translates so funny, heh.
I hope you enjoy them all when you get the chance to read them.
Here’s my TTT for the week: https://readbakecreate.com/the-ten-holiday-reads-on-my-tbr-the-longest/
Thanks! Here’s hoping.
Sounds like a great goal. You’re much more disciplined than I am! LOL
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I’m gonna be so tempted to break it around my birthday, I must admit!
Being a mood reader is both a blessing and a curse!! I think it makes reading more enjoyable but then you end up with stacks of unread books haha. I hope you enjoy all these when you get to them!!
Brittany @ Perfectly Tolerable recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Books I HAD to Have Immediately but Still Haven’t Read
I’ve been doing my best to get the best of both worlds… but I’m in a corner at the moment, haha.
Great list! I loved A Sorceress Comes to Call, and Some Desperate Glory is one I still have on my TBR too.
I love T. Kingfisher and I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy this one — so sure I ended up with two copies at one point, haha — but I just need to… get round to it. Somehow.
One of these days I absolutely have to pick up Strange New World too!
I wish I’d jumped on it the moment it arrived, but now I’ve got to figure out how to fit it in, haha.
We all have those books, I know I have too many to count. I like that goal. I did a monthly challenge earlier in the year to read 12 books that I owned. I listened to 3 audiobook, read 3 ebooks and 3 physical books. I need to do it again.
Carla@CarlaLovesToRead recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday July 28, 2026: Ten Book I Had to Have Immediately, But Haven’t Read Yet #TTT
I have all owned books on my 20 books of summer list and stuff like that, but it’s also a mood reading thing. Having a challenge forcing me if I don’t want to will just mean I hate the books.
Ooh, do try to give A Sorceress Comes to Call a read as soon as you can! That is my favorite of hers!
I’m sure I’ll love it, just… gotta make time and catch the right mood!
I’m a mood reader too. Like your showcase! Happy Reading
Angela (Angel’s Book Nook) recently posted…Cover Reveal: Fated to the Pumpkin Prince by Rebecca L. Garcia
One day I’ll get to them, hehe.