Created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for those who love lists and want to get to know their fellow bloggers. Each week features a new theme, and anyone may participate. This week’s theme is…
Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR List
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. In the past week, this book has skyrocketed to the top of my TBR list, mostly because I’ve heard such great things about Martin Scorcese’s film adaptation. It looks like a beautiful book, one worth owning, so I plan to buy myself a copy at Women & Children First, my favorite indie bookstore in Chicago. Look for a book + movie review sometime in the next week! (#)
Wildwood by Colin Meloy with illustrations by Carson Ellis. I am a long-time fan of The Decemberists, and while I wasn’t terribly impressed by the preview chapters made available prior to this book’s release, I’d still like to read it. Cason Ellis’s illustrations won’t look great on my Kindle, so this is another title I plan to buy in hardcover. (#)
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness with illustrations by Jim Kay. If you think there’s a theme here, then you’re correct, at least for these first three titles. I’m intrigued by the premise of the story, and two book blogs whose opinions I trust (see: one & two) have had nothing but good things to say about it. Plus, the illustrations look beautiful. (#)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré. This is another instance of my needing to read the book before I see the movie. I mean, have you seen the trailer? And true, this isn’t a YA title, but can’t we all agree that the line between YA and everything else is blurry, at best? It’s been a long time since I’ve read a spy novel, and I like the idea of reading a non-dystopia series in the coming months. (#)
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I’ve been meaning to read this book since…2006? And the copy I own has been with me in Washington, DC, Honolulu, HI, and now Chicago, IL. That alone gives it the right to some attention. Beyond that, I’m fairly certain that I’ll love this book, once I get over its intimidating length, and for whatever reason, it strikes me as ideal winter reading. (#)
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Speaking of winter, I’ve been saving this book for the long, cold nights and short, cold days that I’ll inevitably spend nesting in the warmth of my bed. I’ve watched the first season of the HBO show, so I’m (somewhat) prepared for Martin’s tendency to kill his characters, but I’m looking forward to experiencing the story in full detail. Also, I want to be up-to-date when season 2 premiers in April. (#)
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. To be honest, I don’t know much about this book other than that it won the 2011 Newbery Medal, but that’s enough for me. I’d like to have read it before the 2012 winner is announced in January. I know there’s sometimes frustration with book awards, but I like them because they often introduce me to books I might have otherwise missed completely. (#)
A Million Suns by Beth Revis. Across the Universe is one of my favorite reads of the year, and when I finished it back in July, I was immediately anxious to read this sequel. I think that one of the reasons I love this series so much is that it’s much more sci-fi than it is dystopia, and I would love to see YA as a whole veer in that general direction, setting stories in a future of adventure and space travel rather than oppressive and vaguely feudal governments. [To be released January 10, 2012.] (#)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. TBR as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. Based on what little I know about this book, I get the impression that it’s going to be something along the lines of fairytale retelling meets Battlestar Galactica with elements of general YA dystopia thrown in for good measure. I could be wrong, but that sounds awesome. And I love the cover art. [To be released January 3, 2012] (#)
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. A glowing review by Anna Reads is what first brought this title to my attention, and it sounds like a lot of fun. The story sounds like One Day for the YA crowd, but that’s OK by me. I appreciate that the focus is (maybe) on more than just the main characters’ romance, and once again, I love the cover art, however twee it may be. [To be released January 2, 2012.] (#)
What about you? What books are you most excited to read this winter?
YA in the Second City 