top 8 book picks: building my tbr for summer
a look at what I am reading next
I don’t consider myself an avid reader, but I dabble. I love books and I love visiting local book stores and spending hours taking in all the latest novels on display. I have hundred of photos of book covers on my phone, every time one catches my eye I add it to the mental list of books I might like to read one day.
Problem is, I am not the kind of person who can read several books in a month to keep up with them all. I consider myself a fast reader and yet my personal best is finishing a novel in 24 hours. I think if I read any faster, I probably won’t be able to take it all in and enjoy it as much.
So lately I have been struggling to get back into reading even though I have a tbr list as long as my *allergies* and finding the time and motivation has been tough. I started the year strong with a few classic novels but once I started reading My Dark Vanessa, I lost all momentum.
Previously, when I have written a listicle, it’s been a current wish list or a favourites. This month I wanted to try something new because honestly, nothing is really “sparking joy” right now. If someone asked me about my wish list, it would be a new mattress and a lawn mower. Not quite as glamorous as you would hope.
I went down a kindle/kobo rabbit hole on YouTube and it got me thinking about all the unread books I currently have on my shelf and the high hopes I had for reading them all this year. I also have a pile of non fiction books in my tbr but I decided to leave them out for the time being. If that is something you would be interested in, let me know and I might share it in another post!
Underground Railroad
Number one on my current reading list, The Underground Railroad is a historical fiction novel by American author Colson Whitehead. This novel was recommended to me by a friend when I asked for some reading suggestions because I know she knows good books. The story follows Cora, a slave in the South during the 19th century, who makes a bid for freedom from a Georgia plantation using the Underground Railroad which the novel depicts as an actual rail transport system.
Howls Moving Castle
After watching the Studio Ghibli film for the first time recently (don’t judge, I am a late bloomer), that same dear friend mentioned earlier strongly suggested that I also read the book for extra depth on the storyline and themes. I have held onto this book for too long and now is the time! Also worth noting that I have since caught up on other Studio Ghibli films and as a black cat owner, Kikis Delivery Service is everything to me.
Little Fires Everywhere
I purchased this book in 2022 when I first moved to Nashville. I didn’t have a car and I would walk to a local university book store just to *feel* something and get lost amongst the books. I picked it up along with a few others that I have since read but never got around to starting this one. I will be honest, I have no idea what it is about…but I think it is meant to be very mysterious.
The Familiar
Another gift from my dear friend who has so much more faith in my book taste that I do. We love a little historical fantasy. Thus far, all I know is that it is set in the Spanish Golden Age. I hope there is magic and or witches mentioned. 10 bonus points if a black cat shows up as a familiar.
Book Lovers
My first foray into the Emily Henry universe and I am not sure what to expect. I don’t know whether to have high expectations based on everyone else’s adoration for her work or a mild scepticism for modern romance. In my mind it is giving early 2000’s rom-com where everyone works for a magazine/publishing house. I wouldn’t be mad if it was similar to 13 going on 30 or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
Clearly, I love any fiction about witches. I can’t help it. Last year, one of my favourite reads was Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood and now I just want more. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic has been described as Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls in a cozy witchy romance…literally, say less.
The Dead Romantics
Another book that I picked up several years ago and since then Ashley Poston has published several. Initially I was taken by the spooky romance vibes. It reminded me of a series by Meg Cabot that I loved as a pre-teen (The Mediator series, anyone?). It also reminds me of the TV show Not Dead Yet, about an obituary writer who can communicate with the dead before she publishes their story in the local newspaper. Again, I love a spooky romance so I hope it lives up to my expectations.
Magnolia Parks
Magnolia Parks has been on my radar for several years now and I have been surprised by its sudden success. It has truly taken off and Jessa Hastings now has 7 books published at the time of writing this post. I know the Magnolia Parks series is very much Gossip Girl but set in London, which I am sure fans of Gossip Girl love. I was not really a fan the show or the book series - I find messy, unnecessary drama uncomfortable and frustrating - but I do want to give Magnolia Parks a try and at the very least least support an Australian author.
If any one is curious, once I read a few of the above, I would love to do an update and let you know my thoughts as I try to discover what kind of reader I am and what books are able to catch my attention the best. The romance genre became a gateway to get me back into reading a few years ago but now I feel I am ready to move on towards slightly more “elevated” fiction. I love reading a romance book as a palette cleanser in between heavier novels because I am very sensitive to a lot of themes and like most people, I like to use books as an escape (hence, the unfinished My Dark Vanessa).
Will I realistically read all these books in one month? Absolutely not. Will I read them all this year? Maybe, but also unlikely for me. However, I am travelling in the month of August and I do love to have a book as a travel companion so I may fly through the above faster than I expect.
Feel free to share your own tbr in the comments and let’s talk about what books you have loved so far this year or if there are any that I should add to my growing tbr list.
welcome to life on record.
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Gonna be reading that practical magic meets Gilmore girls book for SUREEEE