Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024


Let's get started!

Dirrayawadha by Anita Heiss (July) - I really enjoyed this authors last book, and after meeting her in person last weekend, I am definitely even more keen to read this one.

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (August) - I only heard about this last week but I immediately added this to my list. I loved her last book and this one sounds just as good!

A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin (July) - I have this book to read in the next couple of weeks, perfect for a post for Paris in July!

The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley (August) - OMG! A new Susanna Kearsley book. I am ready!

Tonight by Nagi Maehashi (October) - Nagi's first cookbook, Dinner, was my cookbook of the year for 2023 and we still cook at least one thing from it every week, if not more. I am already saying that I expect this new cookbook to take that honour this year! 

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (September) - I went and listened to Toshikazu Kawaguchi speak at Melbourne Writers Festival last month. He announced that this book was coming so I immediately pre-ordered the audiobook. I have listened to the previous books in the series on audio so there was no reason to do otherwise with this new book.

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci (October) - Remember last February when I went a bit crazy over Stanley Tucci? Of course I have pre-ordered the audio of this book! When I listened to Taste, it was almost like he was whispering in my year!

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai (October) - I really enjoyed the first book in this series and can't wait to read this one!

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T J Klune (September) - I suspect that this book might appear on a few lists this week!

A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber (July) - I really enjoy Heather Webber's books so I am hoping to get to this book soon!

Are any of these books on your list this week?

Top Ten Tuesday - Water, water everywhere!

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Water (This can be covers with water on them, books with bodies of water in them, titles with bodies of water in them, etc.)

I did a water themed TTT post a couple of years ago, but it turns out I have read ten more books with water related titles since them so there is no duplication.

Second Chances in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen - To be fair I could have had 7 books just from this series as the word Bay is in every title. (review)

Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash -  With a bonus lighthouse playing a key role in the story. (review)

An Island in the Sun by Kate Frost - Islands are surrounded by water so they totally count. This one is set on the Portuguese island of Madeira. (review)

Far Across the Ocean by Suzie Hull - A part of this book was set in Madagascar which is quite an unusual setting. (review)

The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - Loved this book!

An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan - This is set in the very far north of Scotland

The Custard Tart Cafe by the Sea by Isabella May - I promise you the words by the Sea are really on the cover! You just have to look closely! (review)

Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak - This is set in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus

A Granite Springs Christmas by Maggie Christensen - Another big series by Maggie Christensen which is set in the fictional town of Granite Springs

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber - I like a book with a touch of magical realism! (review)

Maybe I will have another set of watery books in a couple of years time. 

Six Degrees of Separation: Friendaholic to Forever in Blue

 

Welcome to this month's edition of Six Degrees of Separation, which is a monthly meme hosted by Kate from Books Are My Favourite and Best.  The idea is to start with a specific book and make a series of links from one book to the next using whatever link you can find and see where you end up after six links.  I am also linking this post up with The Sunday Salon, hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz. 

 

This month's starting point is Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day.

The last book that I finished reading was The Silver Ladies Do Lunch by Judy Leigh which is all about lifelong friendships in a small village near Oxford. I reviewed this book a couple of days ago.

The word lunch made me think of the Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland, which in turn made me think of the Renoir paintings we saw when we were in Paris, but let me get back on track.

I really enjoyed the books I have read by Susan Vreeland so I am going with another of her books, Clara and Mr Tiffany, which is all about the creation of Tiffany glass lamps. (My review)

Another book with the word glass in the title is Sea Glass by Maria V Snyder

This then links to The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune through the word sea

For my final link I have chosen Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares because cerulean is a shade of blue. (My review)

I don't always try to link back to the starting point but given that Forever in Blue is the fourth book in the Sisterhood of Travelling Pants series which is all about friendship, I think it ties back nicely.

Next month the starting point is Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel.

This week....

I'm reading....

It's been a big reading week here. I think I finished five books which is pretty much unheard of these days. Normally I am lucky to finish one book a week.

So, what did I read?  Firstly, I read Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas. I picked this book up because I thought it was another book which I needed to read for a blog tour this week. Only problem is that the book that I needed to read for the blog tour was similarly titled A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey. However, before I realised my mistake I was at least a third of the way through Escape to the French Farmhouse and I was really enjoying it, so I kept going.

I then thought I needed something a bit different before I read another French Farmhouse book. I have been meaning to read House on the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune for the longest time and it seemed to be a good time to read it. I really enjoyed it and I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

After that genre change, I was ready to read the correct book for the blog tour, A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey. I will be posting my review for this book in the next couple of days. It will be a good one!

Finally, I received the Amazon First Reads email yesterday and one of the options was a short story by Alice Hoffman. It's somewhat shocking, but I have never read Hoffman, even though I do love some magic realism. The story is called The Bookstore Sisters, and it is very short, but I really enjoyed it. Going to have to make an effort to read more by her. At least there are plenty to choose from..

Finally, after the gritty realism of Working Class Boy by Jimmy Barnes, I needed a palate cleanser, so I am listening to The Stand In by Lily Chu, narrated by Philippa Soo. It is a much lighter listen. I already know that I am going to listen to more by Lily Chu!

I'm watching...

I was looking at the films available for the British Film Festival and I noticed a documentary titled Lancaster about the role that Lancaster bombers played in WWII. It said that the documentary is from the makers of Spitfire. Now, my hsband loves Spitfire planes and so I had to go and find that documentary film so that is what we watched on Friday. I have also bought tickets to go and see Lancaster on the big screen.

Life

Not a lot to tell this week that I can think of.

Max

It's fair to say that Max has settled in quite well. We have had him for just under a month now, and he keeps us mostly entertained. Every now and again he gets in trouble but we are quick to forgive him. This week he has learnt how to entertain himself with a tennis ball. It's better when we throw the ball for him, but he can move the ball around enough to chase it himself. He has also learnt to tip his water bowl over. Lucky we have tiles.

In this photo you can see two of his favourite things.....socks and dried leaves.

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Fancy Fonts

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: September Link Up

Weekend Cooking: What I Baked In My Kitchen in September

Six Degrees of Separation: Notes on a Scandal to The Last Queen

I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I havent read but want to

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the topic is Authors I Haven't Read but Want To! To be fair, I could have done many posts just on this theme, but let's start with these authors and just one book from their backlist that I think I shoud read.

Maggie O'Farrell - Hamnet is the  book that is calling me the most. I have purchased this on audiobook but haven't even downloaded it yet.

Karen Brooks - I own this one too.

Santa Montefiore - I currently have this book out from the library. We'll see if I actually read it.

C S Harris - I have owned this book for at least ten years....never read it.

Elizabeth Wein - I have lost count of how many times I have had Code Name Verity recommended to me, but I still haven't read it.

Carly Schabowski - I love this cover so much!

Fiona Davis - I am pretty sure when I do finally read Fiona Davis, I will love her.

Elin Hildebrand - and same for this author!

Fredrik Backman - One day I will get to this book

T J Klune - This book has been calling my name for a couple of years.

Would you recommend any of these authors to me, and if so, which of their books should I start with?