#Top Ten Tuesday #Winter 2019-2020 TBR

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s topic is books we have on our to-be-read-soon list. Some of the books I would like to read in the nex three months have been on my list for quite a long time, others are yet to be released. Here they come (in no particular order):

1 Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

A follow up to The Bromance Book Club, which I really enjoyed, this one deals with Braden Mack and Holly’s sister Liv’s story.

2 Knock on Wood by Leslie Tall Manning

I am a huge fan of Leslie’s writing, so I can’t wait to start this one. I’m sure the story of Billy, who had a tragic accident as a teenager and went into a coma, is going to be emotional and full of love and kindness.

3 Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlaine

I would like to read more historical fiction and this novel with two interwoven stories of Anna dale, an artist in 1940, and Morgan Christopher, a convict, serving a prison sentence in 2018, promises to be a gripping and thought-provoking read.

4 Normal People by Sally Rooney

A story about complex family relationships, first love, friendship, class, and self-destructive behaviour. My friends warned me it is a dark and disturbing read, but the wirting is supposed to be very insightful, so I have very high hopes for this book on my list.

5 You’re not listening by Kate Murphy

This is one of the Travelling Friends Book Club reads. I was very happy to see a non-fiction book included and the blurb sounds very enticing:

Listening has the potential to transform our relationships and our working lives, improve our self-knowledge, and increase our creativity and happiness. While it may take some effort, it’s a skill that can be learnt and perfected. When all we crave is to understand and be understood, You’re Not Listening shows us how.

6 Saint X by Alexis Shaitkin

From Goodreads:

Alexis Schaitkin’s stunning debut Saint X is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.

“Here is a marvel of a book, a kaleidoscopic examination of race and privilege, family and self, told with the propulsive, kinetic focus of a crime thriller. Brilliant and unflinching, Saint X marks the debut of a stunningly gifted writer. I simply couldn’t stop reading.” Chang Rae Lee

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

7 You Are Not Alone by Greer Hedricks and Sarah Pekkanen

I haven’t read their previous novels, but Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have been on my radar for some time now, and psychological thrillers is one of my favourite genres.

The blurb is deliberately vague.

Shay Miller wants to find love, but it eludes her. She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end. She wants to belong, but her life is increasingly lonely. Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Shay would die for them to like her. She may have to.

Well, sometimes it is better to go into reading knowing as little as possible…Especially, if the book comes from these two authors famous for their mind-blowing plot twists.

8 Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobiel

I really enjoy reading about mother-daughter relationships (the more complicated, the better), so I just couldn’t pass this one:

For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold. Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar. (From Goodreads)

9 The Sun Down Motel by Simone St.James

From the book blurb:

The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn’t right at the Sun Down, and before long she’s determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

10 The Map From Here to There by Emery Lord

And I just had to have something form YA fiction on my list. This one focuses on my favourite topics – identity, friendships, family, life choices.

It’s senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing “the rest of her life,” Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be–how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord’s award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life’s most important questions.

These are just ten titles on my ever-growing-and-never-diminishing list of books to read.

What are you reading this winter?