This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is all about new books added to your bookshelf. Obviously I talk about those in my Stacking the Shelves post, but I thought I’d highlight some of the ones I’m most excited to get round to — some of which I didn’t showcase yet in my last post, since I split my Christmas haul into two posts!

Without further ado and in no special order, let’s go…

1. Solo Leveling (light novel), by Chugong. I’ve actually got all eight volumes, between Christmas presents and using my trade-in credit at Bookshop.org. I’ve started on these already (I’m onto volume three today), and I’m tearing through them. I know the story from reading the manhwa, but it’s fun to see it fleshed out a bit and presented in a different format.
2. The Wolf and His King, by Finn Longman. This is a retelling of the lai ‘Bisclaveret’, by Marie de France. I studied it during my first undergraduate degree, so I’m really excited to see someone playing with it. Maybe I’ll even try to email the lecturer who introduced me to Marie de France’s work and ask if he’s checked it out! It sounds like it should be great fun for fantasy fans in general, as well.
3. Craft Land: In Search of Lost Crafts and Disappearing Trades, by James Fox. I happened across this and was curious about it, and then saw someone else’s review on Litsy, so I ended up adding it to my wishlist, and someone got me it for Christmas. I’m pretty eager to dig in, it looks like fun.
4. The Isle in the Silver Sea, by Tasha Suri. This is getting great reviews, and promises a Sapphic Arthurian story? I’m in, in, in. Funnily enough, I bought this for my sister for Christmas, while my wife bought it for me. We even unwrapped them at pretty much the same time.
5. After Hours at Dooryard Books, by Cat Sebastian. I love Cat Sebastian’s work in general, and seeing the enthusiasm of several friends about this one makes me think I should jump in sooner rather than later.
6. Like: A History of te World’s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word, by Megan C. Reynolds. Linguistics isn’t necessarily my thing, but I’ve enjoyed books like Because Internet, and this one sounds interesting. I try not to be prescriptivist about it, even while I find some of our verbal tics pretty lazy.
7. Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What To Do About It, by Cory Doctorow. It’s been a while since I read anything by Doctorow, but this seems like an important one right now, with enshittification hitting so many of the apps and services people use.
8. The Keeper of Magical Things, by Julie Leong. I loved the other book in this world — it was one of my highest rated books of last year — so I’m eager to get to this soon as well. I hope it’s magical in just the same small sort of ways…
9. Brigands & Breadknives, by Travis Baldree. I could’ve got a review copy, but I knew I wouldn’t get round to it in time. Now I can hopefully dig in guilt-free when the right moment arrives! I’ve loved the other two in this series, though Legends & Lattes was the favourite.
10. Cat Tales: a History, by Jerry D. Moore. Digging into the history of the relationships between cats and humans sounds like a lot of fun. It was a bit of an impulse add to my wishlist, but I’m glad I got a copy, I’m really curious now!

That’s just a taster, of course — I was really spoiled this Christmas. Looking forward to see what other people have been snagging for their shelves!

It’s been a minute since I participated in Top Ten Tuesday, again, but I always like the TBR ones! So here’s my winter TBR… which is not really themed, because I don’t go for that much.

1. The Palace of Illusions, by Rowenna Miller. This is kinda seasonal, since it’s Nutcracker-inspired, and I’ve got started on it already. I’m not very far into it, but I’m very curious about the magic, and how it all relates to the Nutcracker.
2. We Could Be Heroes, by PJ Ellis. A romance between a guy playing a superhero who sounds like the equivalent of Superman or Captain America… and a drag queen? Sounds fun, I’m curious! Again, this is on my December TBR and I’ve actually started it already, but I’ve only read two chapters. I think the guy who plays the superhero is about to show up at the drag show, and I presume sparks will shortly fly for some kind of meet-cute.
3. Strange New World, by Vivian Shaw. This is the latest in a series I love, so I’m keen to jump in, and it’s part of two reading challenges I’m in. I didn’t expect a sequel given that the last book was so apocalyptic, so I’m quite curious where it will go.
4. The Otherwhere Post, by Emily J. Taylor. I know very little about this one, but picked it up to review for Postcrossing’s blog since it involves magical mail. I did start reading it, and the multiple worlds idea — and the postal workers who are the only ones who can slip between them — is pretty intriguing.
5. After Hours at Dooryard Books, by Cat Sebastian. I’ve heard a couple of glowing recommendations for this, and someone just bought me a copy, so it’s quite high on my list! I generally love Cat Sebastian’s romances and find them very satisfying anyway, so the praise is just the cherry on the cake there.
6. Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs, by David Hone and Mark P. Witton. Yeah, I know, this is an abrupt switch in gear, but y’all know me! I love my non-fiction too, and I really liked David Hone’s The Future of Dinosaurs and The Tyrannosaur Chronicles. His work is very readable, but thorough; I know very little about spinosaurs, so I’m extra interested to get into it, especially since I’ve been reading the Dinosaur Sanctuary manga. Who knows when that might feature some spinosaurs?!
7. Solo Leveling, by Chugong. I read the manhwa adaptation earlier this year, so I’m curious about the original! I’m told there are some differences in the story, which sounds intriguing, and also I usually find novels a bit easier to follow than visual media. Again, just got gifted a copy of the first volume, so it’s an excellent time.
8. Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, by singNsong. I’ve heard great things about this series, so I want to dig in and give it a go. I got gifted this as well, so I want to dig in ASAP.
9. The Wife Comes First, by Lv Ye Qian He. The first volume is out as of today, and I’m curious about this one from the summary — it sounds like an interesting idea for a romance, with some fun court politicking, without being a many-volumes long investment like some other danmei I’m interested in. I’m not sure if I’ll get it for Christmas, since it’s not in stock currently in most places and Bookshop.org says a few days for delivery (which often means they don’t actually have copies yet)… but maybe I’ll get it for myself after Christmas if not.
10. Thrice Married to a Salted Fish, by Bi Ka Bi. Another danmei I’m curious about! I read the preview, and I’m dying to know what’s going on, I must be honest. Again, I don’t have a copy yet, but might get it for myself if Santa doesn’t bring it.

Curious to browse other people’s lists when I get the chance! Hope everyone’s having a good December so far.