Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!
Every year I find myself making seasonal TBRs, usually made up of books that suit the season (floral books for spring, ghost stories for autumn etc.), but this year my summer TBR consists of two kinds of books: books I'm just in the mood to read right now, and books that have been on my TBR for far too long.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: I'm ashamed to admit I still haven't read this and I definitely should have by now. I've been hearing amazing things about the new adaptation, but I want to read the book first and I'm determined to cross it off my TBR this year.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: Greece always makes me think of the summer, probably because I was lucky enough to go to Crete with my parents several times during my childhood early teens, and yet I don't think I've ever actually read any fiction set in Greece. I've been in an Ancient mood recently - the warmer weather makes me want to watch films like Troy and Pompeii - and I've heard so many brilliant things about this book that I think it's about time I read it.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: Greece always makes me think of the summer, probably because I was lucky enough to go to Crete with my parents several times during my childhood early teens, and yet I don't think I've ever actually read any fiction set in Greece. I've been in an Ancient mood recently - the warmer weather makes me want to watch films like Troy and Pompeii - and I've heard so many brilliant things about this book that I think it's about time I read it.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón: This has been on my TBR for years. Years. Every year I say I'm going to read it and then I never get around to it, but I've been lucky enough to have several city breaks over the past couple of years so I'm definitely in the mood to read a book set in Barcelona now that the weather's warming up. One of my colleagues read this recently and loved it, so I'm hoping I love it too!
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng: This is another book that's been on my TBR for at least a year or so, and this past year I've been trying to make more of an effort to read books set in Asia written by Asian authors. I know so little about Asia thanks to my history lessons at school being so Britain-centric but there's nothing stopping me from doing my own research, and I learn as much from fiction as I do non-fiction. This book, in particular, sounds really interesting to me and I'm looking forward to getting to it.
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant: So I went to Florence last year and it's become my favourite European city. It's the first time I've come home and felt homesick for the place I've left, and now I want to revisit it as much as I can in fiction. I picked up my copy of The Birth of Venus in the Uffizi Gallery giftshop after having just seen the real Birth of Venus painting - how could I not? - and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng: This is another book that's been on my TBR for at least a year or so, and this past year I've been trying to make more of an effort to read books set in Asia written by Asian authors. I know so little about Asia thanks to my history lessons at school being so Britain-centric but there's nothing stopping me from doing my own research, and I learn as much from fiction as I do non-fiction. This book, in particular, sounds really interesting to me and I'm looking forward to getting to it.
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant: So I went to Florence last year and it's become my favourite European city. It's the first time I've come home and felt homesick for the place I've left, and now I want to revisit it as much as I can in fiction. I picked up my copy of The Birth of Venus in the Uffizi Gallery giftshop after having just seen the real Birth of Venus painting - how could I not? - and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: This book has been everywhere and I still haven't read it, but I want to get to it this year. I love the idea of exploring how a family's history, of being enslaved or of being involved in the slave trade, can impact a family throughout the generations, and I think this is going to be a very eye-opening and important book.
Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi: I read my first Oyeyemi last year, White is for Witching, and unfortunately I didn't like it, but I want to give her another chance because I think she writes beautifully. This book follows a male writer who keeps killing off his female characters, only for one such character to turn up at his door. I'm looking forward to it!
Florence in Ecstasy by Jessie Chaffee: More Florence! This is a very recent release and I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into it.
Stay With Me by Aọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀: I've heard brilliant things about this debut novel and it's another one I'm hoping to get to fairly soon, especially as I think there's a good chance it's going to be the winner of the Bailey's Prize this year.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini: Like The Shadow of the Wind, this book has been on my TBR for far too long and I've had countless people recommending it to me, so it's about time I bloody read it. I've heard amazing things and I'm sure it's going to make me cry, but I'm looking forward to reading it.
What did you talk about this week?
What did you talk about this week?
I so want to read Song of Achilles too! Unfortunately I recently read a post which spoiled the whole thing without warning. *weeps* So I'm kind of not as excited as I was? But still will DEFINITELY READ IT SOON!! 🎉🎉 Good luck with this TBR!! It all looks so good!
ReplyDeleteOh no, it sucks when that happens! I have a feeling I already know what's going to happen at the end if it's anything like the Achilles legend, I had to read The Iliad in my first year of university, but I'm really looking forward to seeing the story play out from Patroclus's point of view. =) Thank you, I'm hoping to read lots of these this summer!
DeleteHandmaid's Tale is amazing and I keep thinking I'd like to revisit it on audio...I hear Claire Danes' narration is great. And I really enjoyed Song of Achilles as well! I do have to confess, in response to Cait's comment, that I'm not sure I think it can be "spoiled" because if you've read The Iliad in high school or college you know how it ends, but I found the joy of this particular book was in the telling and not so much in the story, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had to read The Iliad at university and I'm fairly familiar with the legend (I quite like the film Troy, though I know a lot of Classicists and Ancient Greek fans despise it) but I'm really looking forward to seeing the story from Patroclus's point of view. =)
DeleteAwesome choices! I want to read so many books on your list! I have read Homegoing and The Handmaid's Tale this year and I absolutely loved them both! I hope you'll enjoy all the books you mentioned! Have a great week and happy reading!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you enjoyed both of those books! I'd like to get to them soon. =)
DeleteI sometimes put books I've been meaning to read for a while on my summer TBR too! Great list, Jess!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chrissi! ^_^
DeleteInteresting list! I like to put books I've been meaning to read on my summer list as well, but sometimes I just like to read books I haven't read in a while too. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think there's something about the summer that makes us readers really want to conquer our TBR piles.
DeleteLooks like an excellent list! Hope you enjoy The Song of Achilles; I remember liking that one.
ReplyDeleteThanks! =)
DeleteTHE SONG OF ACHILLES IS INCREDIBLE, OH MY GOODNESS. But be warned: you will want to have a large box of tissues with you at all times while reading. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a "maybe" read for me, so I look forward to hearing your thoughts. :)
ReplyDeleteEllie | My TTT
I've heard from so many people that it's brilliant but it'll make me cry, so I am prepared! I'll make sure I have plenty of tissues and comfort food. Hopefully I'll get to A Thousand Splendid Suns soon and I'll definitely review it when I do. =)
DeleteOooh a lot of these titles are new to me but I really, REALLY want to read The Song of Achilles :D It sounds brilliant and devastating which seems to be my thing LOL! Good luck with your TBR list^^ xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Micheline! =) Everyone's comments are definitely making me want to bump The Song of Achilles up to the top of my TBR pile.
DeleteThe Handmaid's Tale is excellent - happy reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks! =)
DeleteThe Handmaid's Tale made me so angry...but I think that was the point she was making. When I reviewed it I was basically like, "here's why I both recommend and don't recommend this book." It has a good message, but man did it make me so angry!!! I'm interested to hear what you think!
ReplyDeleteI think that's why I still haven't read it yet, because it's going to make me angry - I definitely need tl read it soon, though!
DeleteSo many books in common. I don`t know why, but I prefer reading historical fiction/heavy books during summer. For whatever reason, they are not as depressing. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and "Shadow of the Wind" are high on my TBR, hopefully, I will get to them soon.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.carmensreadingcorner.co.uk
I know what you mean! There's something about the summer that demands a longer read. =)
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