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 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is “Books I’ve added to my TBR and forgotten why” BUT I tweaked the theme and went for books that I have added to my TBR because of my fellow blogger friends! And even better, I will DISH ! As in NAME the blogger responsible for my never ending TBR!
Hope and Other Punchline by Julie Buxbaum because or ….Tanya @girlplusbooks
Sometimes looking to the past helps you find your future.
Abbi Hope Goldstein is like every other teenager, with a few smallish exceptions: her famous alter ego, Baby Hope, is the subject of internet memes, she has asthma, and sometimes people spontaneously burst into tears when they recognize her. Abbi has lived almost her entire life in the shadow of the terrorist attacks of September 11. On that fateful day, she was captured in what became an iconic photograph: in the picture, Abbi (aka “Baby Hope”) wears a birthday crown and grasps a red balloon; just behind her, the South Tower of the World Trade Center is collapsing.
Now, fifteen years later, Abbi is desperate for anonymity and decides to spend the summer before her seventeenth birthday incognito as a counselor at Knights Day Camp two towns away. She’s psyched for eight weeks in the company of four-year-olds, none of whom have ever heard of Baby Hope.
Too bad Noah Stern, whose own world was irrevocably shattered on that terrible day, has a similar summer plan. Noah believes his meeting Baby Hope is fate. Abbi is sure it’s a disaster. Soon, though, the two team up to ask difficult questions about the history behind the Baby Hope photo. But is either of them ready to hear the answers?
Glitterland by Alexis Hall because of Olivia @oliviascatastrophe
The universe is a glitterball I hold in the palm of my hand.
Once the golden boy of the English literary scene, now a clinically depressed writer of pulp crime fiction, Ash Winters has given up on love, hope, happiness, and—most of all—himself. He lives his life between the cycles of his illness, haunted by the ghosts of other people’s expectations.
Then a chance encounter at a stag party throws him into the arms of Essex boy Darian Taylor, an aspiring model who lives in a world of hair gel, fake tans, and fashion shows. By his own admission, Darian isn’t the crispest lettuce in the fridge, but he cooks a mean cottage pie and makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it’s like to step beyond the boundaries of anxiety.
But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can’t see past the glitter to the light. Can a man who doesn’t trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can a man who doesn’t believe in happiness ever fight for his own?
Romanov by Nadine Brandes by @sophiesreadingcorner
The history books say I died.
They don’t know the half of it.
Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them, and he’s hunted Romanov before.
Nastya’s only chances of saving herself and her family are to either release the spell and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya has only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction to Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her.
That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness because of Bex @mummyisreading
Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta because of Wendy @birdiebookworm
I’m dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.
Taylor is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and deal with Jonah Griggs – the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.
And now Hannah, the person Taylor had come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor’s only clue is a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother – who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road.
The moving, joyous and brilliantly compelling new novel from the best-selling, multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca.
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum because of Mel @meltotheany
When August learns that his best friend, Jack, shows signs of degenerative hallucinatory disorder, he is determined to help Jack cope. Jack’s vivid and long-term visions take the form of an elaborate fantasy world layered over our own—a world ruled by the Wicker King. As Jack leads them on a quest to fulfill a dark prophecy in this alternate world, even August begins to question what is real or not.
August and Jack struggle to keep afloat as they teeter between fantasy and their own emotions. In the end, each must choose his own truth.
Getting Schooled by Emma Chase because of Angy @collectorofbookboyfriends
Head of the class…
Garrett Daniels has this whole life thing figured out.
The cocky, charismatic former high school star quarterback is an idolized football coach and “cool” teacher in the hometown where he’s not just a golden boy—he’s platinum. He has good friends, a great house on the lake, and the best damn sidekick a man could ask for: Snoopy, the albino beagle.
Then…Callie Carpenter comes home.
And knocks him right on his tight end zone.
Back to school…
Callie has a pretty sweet life herself…on the other side of the country. But circumstances—that she’d prefer to never speak of again—have brought her back home, helping out her parents and substitute teaching at her old high school.
Now she’s facing bickering, raging hormones, constant gossip, awkward weirdness, and drama galore…and that’s just the teachers.
Just like old times…
When Garrett offers to show his former high school sweetheart the secrets of his winning teacher ways, Callie jumps at the chance—and then has to stop herself from jumping him.
Good friends are all they can ever be.
Or…these teachers just might end up getting schooled—hard—by love.
Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven because of Mogsy @bibliosanctum
A dragon shapeshifter and a healer with power over the earth fight a corrupt empire in this thrilling and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.
Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it’s far more than what it seems.
Dragas haven’t been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They’re wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him–unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.
Unbeknownst to both, the Empire’s twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire’s machinations and his own lethal birthright.
Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score because of Corina @thebrowneyedbookworm
“You may be faking the relationship, but you’re not faking the orgasms.”
Downsized, broke, and dumped, 38-year-old Marley sneaks home to her childhood bedroom in the town she couldn’t wait to escape twenty years ago. Not much has changed in Culpepper. The cool kids are still cool. Now they just own car dealerships and live in McMansions next door. Oh, and the whole town is still talking about that Homecoming she ruined her senior year.
Desperate for a new start, Marley accepts a temporary teaching position. Can the girl banned from all future Culpepper High Homecomings keep the losing-est girls soccer team in school history from killing each other and prevent carpal tunnel in a bunch of phone-clutching gym class students?
Maybe with the help of Jake Weston, high school bad boy turned sexy good guy. When the school rumor mill sends Marley to the principal’s office to sign an ethics contract, the tattooed track coach, dog dad, and teacher of the year becomes her new fake boyfriend and alibi—for a price. The Deal: He’ll teach her how to coach if she teaches him how to be in a relationship.
Who knew a fake boyfriend could deliver such real orgasms? But it’s all temporary. The guy. The job. The team. There’s too much history. Rock bottom can’t turn into a foundation for happily ever after. Can it?
Warning: Story also includes a meet-puke, a bouffanted nemesis, a yard swan and donkey basketball, a teenage-orchestrated makeover, and a fake relationship that gets a little too real between the sheets.
Good Boy by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kenedy because of Astrid @thebookishsweettooth
Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody – absolutely nobody! – can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.
Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor, and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.
But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone got grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?
Caution: May cause accidental aspiration of tea or coffee. Do not read in a public place where loud laughter is inappropriate. Contains hot but hilarious hockey players, puppy cuddling and a snarky pair of underwear.
Have you read these books?
Thanks for reading!
Romanov was my favourite read of last year! Pretty much all my current book buys are because of bookstagram!
I know bookstagram is awful for our wallet Katie!
What a fun feature! I think most of the recommendations I get come from bloggers too after all hahah Romanov looks and sounds beautiful! 😀
Well Lashaan that’s also the goal when blog hopping right?
I’ll gladly take the “blame” for Hope and Other Punch Lines, but it can actually be traced back to Sam, since it was she who convinced me to read it. 🙂 In fact, she even mailed me her hard cover copy! It was simply wonderful. I can also say that I loved Getting Schooled and Good Boy. Loved those!
Hahah yes take the blame LOL
There are so many books on my list that I have as recommendations from others! That Emma Chase book is one mine as well!
I love how you outed the recommenders!!!!
Romanov was so good!
Quite a varied list of choices, Sophie, and love some of the cover artwork, that alone wi\ould have me buying the books. 😀
Hehe then my work is done Alex!
You have such a great list here, and I ADORED Getting Schooled, that book is so so good. I do love Grace Draven so I am so pleased you had a fun time with Dragon Unleashed. And girl….that blogger PEER PRESSURE is real. LOL
I know LOL
Haha, I love learning about new books from blogger friends! Of course, I also add so much I really need a better system of remembering to read them 🙂 I’m so happy I was able to put Dragon Unleashed on your radar, but also don’t forget the first book Phoenix Unbound, whee! 😀
I have read Phoenix Unbound also thanks to you Mogsy!
Romanov looks so good! And I loved reading your twist on the topic!
Thank you Kaya!
Oh! I’ll also throw my name behind Discovery of Witches! SO GOOD!
I just saw a review for Dragon Unleashed, and have added it to my list! It looks good!!
Bwahaha I began listening to it today Em!
Jellicoe Road and A Discovery of Witches are both really good. Several of the others are on my TBR because of blogger recs too, probably the same people, lol.
Fingers crossed I’ll love them Suzanne!
I listened to Good Boy and enjoyed it. Was it a 5-star book for me…no, but it was fun
That’s what I hope it will be for me too Tracey 😉
The only book on your list I tried was A Discovery of Witches, which sadly turned out to be one of my very rare dnfs.
I hope that won’t happent to me Kim!
I DNF’d The Discovery of Witches years ago and had given up on the quest for Ashmole. Lol. But I had considered giving it another go since I feel like I’ve matured in my reading.
Hope you enjoy these!
My TTT: https://thebeachyreader.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/top-ten-tuesday-books-ive-added-to-my-tbr-and-forgotten-about/
Gigi I began listening to A Discovery of Witches yesterday and so far I love it!
I’m definitely gonna give it another go!! So glad to hear you’re enjoying it Happy Reading!!
I loved Hope & Other Punch Lines. (Fact: I sent Tanya that book, so I was glad she liked it too). I added Jellicoe, because so many people raved about it, and I was glad it lived up to the hype
I know I saw your gift on Tanya’s post LOL
I loved Romanov! I also love that cover of Glitterland
Hanna Romanov has been very pushily recommended LOL
I love your take on this topic! I have a list of books and who recommended them to me <3
Thank you Brittany!