Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a different prompt and book bloggers, like me, share top ten lists.
This week is a chance for us to share 10 books on our Fall reading list. I seem to be completely lacking in review books for November and December, so I’m going to take the opportunity to play catch-up and read some of the books that have been sat collecting dust!
1. Under a Dark Summer Sky by Vanessa Lafaye
What is it about: “Huron Key is already weighed down with secrets when a random act of violence and a rush to judgment viscerally tear the town apart. As the little island burns under the sun and the weight of past decisions, a devastating storm based on the third-strongest Atlantic Hurricane on record approaches, matching the anger of men with the full fury of the skies.”
Why I want to read it: Touted as The Help meets The Perfect Storm, set in 1930’s Florida, with a hint of a love story and highly recommended by Tamara (who coincidentally hooked me up with a copy), I think I’m going to like this one!
2. Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel
What is it about: “On a cool October morning, Lauren Wilder is shaken when she comes close to striking Bo Laughlin with her car as he’s walking along the road’s edge. A young man well known in their small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, Bo seems fine, even if Lauren’s intuition says otherwise. Since the accident two years ago that left her brain in a fragile state, she can’t trust her own instincts—and neither can her family. Then Bo vanishes…”
Why I want to read it: I’ve been reading a bunch of mystery/thriller type books recently, and this one sounds like it is right up my alley. I’ll be reading Crooked Little Lies for BookSparks #FRC2015.
3. The Martian by Andy Weir
What is it about: “Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death.”
Why I want to read it: I’m not a huge fan of science fiction but I’ve been tempted to read The Martian since it’s publication last year. Now that the movie is almost here, which I really want to see, it’s about time that I read the book.
4. Ruin Falls by Jenny Milchman
What is it about: “a suspenseful follow-up to her critically acclaimed Cover of Snow, Jenny Milchman ratchets up the tension with this edge-of-your-seat story of a mother determined to find her missing children.”
Why I want to read it: Because it’s the only one of Jenny’s novels I have left to read.
5. The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft
What is it about: “When a massive police presence arrives to control the 12-hour stand off, the women in Jeff’s life are pushed to their breaking points. Based on the author’s harrowing personal story, The Far End of Happy is a powerful novel about the way one man’s spiral towards life’s violent conclusion tests the resolve, love, and hope of the women he will leave behind.”
Why I want to read it: This book was popping up everywhere in the run up to it’s publication and I definitely had that feeling of being left out.
6. Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff
What is it about: “In the heart of America, a metropolis is quietly destroying itself. Detroit, once the richest city in the nation, is now its poorest. Once the vanguard of America’s machine age—mass production, automobiles, and blue-collar jobs—Detroit is now America’s capital for unemployment, illiteracy, foreclosure, and dropouts. A city the size of San Francisco and Manhattan could neatly fit into Detroit’s vacant lots.”
Why I want to read it: The whole downfall of such a rich city is definitely an intriguing topic to me.
7. Sweet Forgiveness by Lori Nelson Spielman
What is it about: “The Forgiveness Stones craze is sweeping the nation—instantly recognizable pouches of stones that come with a chain letter and two simple requests: to forgive, and then to seek forgiveness. But New Orleans’ favorite talk show host, Hannah Farr, isn’t biting.”
Why I want to read it: Readers and authors whose opinions I trust have adored this book. Plus dark secrets are always fun to read about.
8. Welcome to Braggsville by T. Geronimo Johnson
What is it about: “A literary coming-of-age novel for a new generation, written with tremendous social insight and a unique, generous heart, Welcome to Braggsville reminds us of the promise and perils of youthful exuberance, while painting an indelible portrait of contemporary America.”
Why I want to read it: Shannon’s review brought Welcome to Braggsville to my attention. THen I saw it everywhere! I snagged a copy at BEA, and now it is up for the National Book Award.
9. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
What is it about: “From the author of the internationally bestselling ‘A Man Called Ove’, a charming, warmhearted novel about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmother’s fairy tales.”
Why I want to read it: Backman’s debut was a HIT across the globe, and it has been on my wishlist for a while, so when I was at BEA this past May and the publicist from Atria Books was talking about his next book I just knew I had to grab a copy. I’ve heard good things and am really looking forward to reading.
10. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker
What is it about: “Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker delivers a humanizing account of the true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island and presents the first detailed look at the shadow world of online escorts, where making a living is easier than ever, and the dangers remain all too real.”
Why I want to read it: When I need to get a non-fiction fix I usually gravitate towards true crime and biographies. Being in the North-East, this mystery was all over the news for quite a time and I have heard great thinks about Kolker’s reporting in Lost Girls.
I’m super light on November and December review books as well! And, I’m really looking forward to it…will do Nonfiction November and use Dec to try all the books on my “must try before end of the year” list.
I loved The Martian and I’m not into sci-fi either! Tara at Running N Reading loved Under A Dark Summer Sky. I tried Welcome to Braggsville back when it came out, but I couldn’t get into the language…the style is really different. AND – I just sampled A Man Called Ove, loved the sample, and hope to get to it soon.
Sarah’s Book Shelves recently posted…Top Ten Books on My Fall TBR 2015 List & Tuesday Intro (A Place We Knew Well)
Great list. I loved The Martian. I hope you like it, too.
Aj @ Read All The Things! recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall TBR
I’ve been so happy to see Braggsville getting so much attention! It looks like you have a great stack for Fall – happy reading <3
Shannon @ River City Reading recently posted…Negroland by Margo Jefferson