Ten Reads on my TBR

I don’t know if any of my wonderful book friends have this problem, but my TBR list is a mile long and I don’t see it getting any shorter. These are just a very small fraction of the books on my list.  

On Writing by Stephen King 

This autobiography and guide to writing was introduced to me by my writing buddy a couple of years ago. I’ve been writing on and off for about 10 years with no end in sight. When I bought the book, I had hoped to read it and get inspired. However, since I haven’t read the book yet, I remain stumped in my writing. I hope to read this book by the end of the year and work on my writing so I actually finish one of the three books I started. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 

I found this book at a library sale a couple years ago. I read the symbiosis on the back and thought it sounded like a cute story. 

The main character, A.J. Fikry, is a depressed bookstore owner with a failing business and a dead wife. When he receives a mysterious package at his bookstore, his life starts to look up. He might be able to find new love and find new meaning in his bookshop. 

The Predicteds by Christine Seifert 

I also found this book at a library sale and I was very intrigued by the cover and the symbiosis on the back. The book sounds like a young adult fiction version of Minority Report. 

The main character Daphne is new to the school and she meets the boy of her dreams, Jesse. However, with young love, there is always a problem, and Jesse has a major one. He is a suspect for murder according to the new program of the town that predicts a student’s capability of committing homicidal violence. Daphne will need to solve the mystery to determine if her new crush is a murderer or innocent. 

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin 

Everytime I go to a new city, I will always visit an independent bookstore. When I went to San Diego, I picked up this intriguing looking book right off the shelf! The book features an interesting sounding main character and combines two of my favorite genres, forensic thriller and historical fiction. 

A historical and crime fiction set in King Henry the 2nd’s Cambridge, England. The main character Adelia, which is addressed as the mistress of the art of death and her companion Simon are asked by the king himself to solve the mystery of four children that have been murdered. 

Glitter by Aprilynne Pike

I found this beautiful book on Book Outlet a couple months ago and was definitely an impulse pandemic buy. The cover also reminded me of Marie Antionette who is one of my favorite figures in history. I have also read a great fantasy series from this author a few years ago and was willing to give more of her writing a shot. 

Set in the present day, the palace of Versailles is still living in the past. When people step into the palace, they are experiencing the life of the 18th century. However, when the main character, Danica, sees the young king commit murder, her mother blackmails the king. She makes the young king marry Danica to cover up his crime. Danica wants no part in this dastardly plot and plans to escape using the drug glitter. 

Vicious by V.E. Schwab 

This bookish purchase was purely inspired by scrolling through Bookstagram. I honestly had no idea about this book until I saw so many of my bookish friends raving about it. When pay day came, I snapped it off of Amazon. 

Victor and Eli are college roommates that they begin to experiment with supernatural events to see if people can develop abilities. However, when things go wrong, the two roommates end up enemies and one lands in jail. Written in comic book prose, this tale is a gritty world where powers don’t mean a person develops into a superhero, but could be a villain. 

Nemesis by Brendan Reichs 

This book was another buy from Book Outlet months ago and I thought it sounded so good, especially for $5. 

The story begins with one of the main characters dying and coming back to life every two years without any rhyme or reason. The other main character is dreaming of death and destruction. They come together to discover a conspiracy involving them and their town. 

The Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada 

Another book from Book Outlet that was $4. It sounded like such an interesting show, especially during a pandemic. I also really dug the cover, not going to lie. 

Catarina’s father was working on a vaccine for a virus that has decimated the world. However, the formula was lost with his death, until a lone soldier arrives with enhancements. Catalina will have to work to figure out the clues and create it before the Cartaxus finds out. 

Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes

Alice in Wonderland is my favorite movie of all time. The Walrus and the Carpenter is my ringtone and I know the entire 1951 animated film by heart, word for word. So, any book or retelling of this classic is always always ALWAYS an auto-buy for me. 

Dinah is the princess of Wonderland, but she has no idea what a dangerous and treacherous place her land really is. She just wants to rule for the approval of her father and to marry the boy she loves. However, one day, she is betrayed and her throne is threatened so she will have to dig in deep into the politics of her court and play the game. 

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman 

This is definitely another Bookstagram buy. I’m also in love with Jay Kristoff from the Nevernight Chronicles and the amazing duo of Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman in The Aurora Cycle series. So this book was definitely on my wishlist when I saw it. 

Kady’s day did not start out that great, she had to break up with her boyfriend. However, it only got worse when her plant was invaded and a plague has broken out. The only way she can save the planet is to contact her boyfriend for help. 

All of these books sound so good and I can’t wait to read them soon!