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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books on My Summer 2026 To-Read List
I have a whole bunch of books I hadn’t read from past TBR lists, but I decided to try not repeating them for this one even though many of them remain unread and still on my TBR.
I ended up with a full list of women authors, with many of the books touching on feminism and women’s issues, completely unintentionally, but I’m not mad about it. Hopefully I am able to read as many of these as possible this summer. Excited to see what everyone else is planning to read!
Top Ten Books on My Summer 2026 TBR
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston – I read a couple of Ashley Poston books recently and fell in love with her stories. This is her newest release and I’m excited to read it!
The Ides of April by Lindsey Davis – I love stories set in ancient Rome and I have a whole separate TBR filled with books in this category. This one looked good and I thought it’d be a good one to start with.
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill – I’ve seen some rave reviews about this book and my interest is piqued. Dragon women, right up my alley!
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North – This was on my radar a long time ago but I forgot about it until recently when my bookclub friends were talking about it and renewed my interest in it.
Venco by Cherie Dimaline – Witches and magical realism, how can I resist! I’ve been on the library waitlist for a while now, and I believe it will be ready for me this summer!
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood – A book I had read before and loved about women’s friendships. I’ve been meaning to reread this and hopefully I can get to it this summer.
The Shippers by Katherine Center – Another new one I’m excited for! I’d read anything by Katherine Center!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston – I’ve read 10 Blind Dates by the author and enjoyed it more than I expected to. It’s a completely different genre but I’m curious what this one will be like.
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang – I recently read Blood Over Bright Haven and omg it was so intense. This book is the more popular one by the author so I’m looking forward to reading it.
Eve by Cat Bohannon – Nonfiction about how the female body shaped science and history throughout the years. It sounds absolutely fascinating!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Bookish Wishes
I’m lucky in that I have the best public library in the world and I can easily get access to most books I want to read. I also have very limited physical shelf space so I tend to buy almost exclusively ebooks or audiobooks at the moment. I only buy physical books now when it’s a book I really love and/or need to reference easily, so I didn’t have a lot of books for this topic. I’m excited to see what everyone else is wishing for though! I’m going with books beginning with H this week.
Top Ten Books Beginning with H
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – One of my favorite series ever! I’ve read it a million times and keep getting something new out of it.
Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman – This is the most heartwarming, wholesome series I’ve ever read, and I love the characters Nick and Charlie so much!
The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan – Reread this quite recently and it hits different the second time, but it’s still so good and haunting.
Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King – One of the King’s books I have yet to read or even watched the movie adaptation. I hear it’s really good and I’m probably going to try to get to this asap, but there are always so many books on the TBR!
Her Majesty’s Wizard by Christopher Stasheff – This is book one of the series Wizard in Rhyme and I remember loving them when I read them years ago. I hope I have time for a reread soon!
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski – This is one book I had to get a physical copy of because it’s so trippy and the format of the words and pages are part of the story. It was a buddy read and I absolutely enjoyed both the experience of reading it and of discussing it with others.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones – I honestly don’t remember if I read the book first or watched the movie first but I loved both. I also need to read the rest of the series because I haven’t yet.
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher – One of my favorite Kingfisher books, it’s got all the creepy vibes and I have fond memories of reading it completely creeped out of my mind.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons – I bought this one and its sequel recently and plan to read them soon. I read The Terror some time ago by the author and was told I needed to read this one too.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson – The film adaptation by Mike Flanagan was so good and this book has been on my TBR since I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle some years ago. I cannot wait to be scared!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books with Handwriting on the Cover
This topic was harder than I expected to curate because some of these “handwriting” fonts look so neat, but then I remember that there are people in real life who have handwriting that look neater than actual typed fonts. I frequently watch art journaling videos and despair of ever getting my journal to look as good as the ones I see! I did manage to find ten books to fit the topic though, and I’ve read all but one of them. Have you read any of these?
Top Ten Books with Handwriting on the Cover
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris – A book I really enjoyed, more than I thought I would. I’d love to read more by the author.
Falling into Place by Amy Zhang – I’ve read this book a couple of times and loved it. The language is so lyrical and it was just beautiful to read.
Room by Emma Donoghue – This was a bookclub book from a long time ago and I remember getting a lot of solid discussion out of it. It still lives rent free in my head.
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb – Another book that haunts me. I read this so many years ago and completely forgot all the details, but I remember that it destroyed me and that’s why I’m hesitant to reread it but I kinda still want to!
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes – Yet another haunting, heartbreaking book. So well-written though! It’s so fascinating to see Charlie’s evolution and deevolution on paper.
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan – I love bookish books and this one was so fun to read. I can never resist titles that feature books and bookshops.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – This was such a sweet love story. I love the sequels as well, and the film adaptation, although I don’t remember if I’ve watched them all.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe – I will always recommend this book and this author! Her books have such great female YA protagonists, and the stories are so well-written.
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver – The only book on this list I haven’t read. I want to, but I know it’s going to be a difficult read and I haven’t been in the right headspace for that.
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read
Some of these books have been on my TBR forever. Some of them are recognizable classics or pop culture books that people talk about all the time and I feel like I should read to understand. All of these are books that I can’t believe I’ve never read, but I do intend to read them eventually!
Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison – I got it mixed up with The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, which I read when I was a lot younger, and was very confused when people talked about it and I was like…”wait, what? When did that happen in the book?”
Watership Down by Richard Adams – There is so much praise for this book and I keep meaning to read it but I haven’t yet.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – I’ve tried reading it many times but haven’t been able to get through it because it hits so close to home. I’m not sure if I should let it go or push through.
The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkien – I actually did try listening to this on audiobook, narrated by Andy Serkis. I loved what I heard thus far, but I couldn’t finish it at the time because I listened to it to sleep and Serkis’ Gollum voice scared me awake! I intend to try it again soon!
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – Any book by Palahniuk, to be honest. I don’t know why I haven’t read any.
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King – As a self-proclaimed King fan, I am ashamed that I haven’t read this series. In fact, there are still a whole bunch of King books I have never read! The shame!
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – I have used the “catch-22” reference a few times in my life but I have never read the book.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – I know the basic story and I already love the vibes, but I’ve just never read the book. I think I might have read an abridged children’s version once though.
Beloved by Toni Morrison – One I really want to read but I read some reviews saying it was bleak and a difficult read so I’m a little hesistant.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson – This is another story that’s been told and adapted so many times in pop culture but I’ve never read the original.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Book Titles That Describe Me/My Life
This topic was really tough for me but I managed to find enough book titles to describe me and my life, although I’ll probably come across better ones immediately after posting this and then I’ll be kicking myself for not thinking of those! 😂 I also reserve the right to add to/change this list or make a new list some time in the future because my life and I are definitely still changing too!
Top Ten Book Titles That Describe Me/My Life
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong – I used to read tarot and numerology professionally.
The Piano Student by Lea Singer – I’m currently learning to play the piano!
The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – I mean, my husband has no idea how many hidden books I’m keeping secret from him. Shhh!!
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris – So my written English is pretty good, but my speech and accent can be iffy, especially when I’m overly excited or nervous.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – I procrastinate a lot! But I’m trying not to as much!
Songs for Other People’s Weddings by David Levithan – I used to be a wedding singer and I also performed for corporate events and in pubs.
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung – I’m an introvert and need my quiet time! I’m sure many of you relate.
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson – I identify as a happy person, even when I’m not happy, in which case I make myself happy by force of will!
Survival of the Sickest by Dr. Sharon Moalem – I have a family history of cancer and diabetes and have survived both myself. Probably a longer story here but for another time.
Rising Strong by Brené Brown – I’m stronger now after having survived my illnesses, and I continue to get up after every fall. I wanted to end the list strong too!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books About/Set In Places on My Bucket List
I’m in so much trouble! My plan for this week’s list was to list a few books for places on my bucket list, as per instructions, and I had a few different places in mind like, I wanted to visit the Colosseum in Rome, the Great Wall of China, Niagara Falls, and so on… Well, I started with Rome and did my search for books featuring Rome, and ended up with SO MANY NEW BOOKS ON MY TBR!
What’s worse, some of them are series! What’s even worse, some of them are LONG RUNNING SERIES with seven or more books!
So obviously I stopped searching for any other books featuring my other bucket list places because I cannot afford this! You’ll have to make do with just books about Rome!
Top Ten Books Set in Rome
From the Ashes by Melissa Addey – The author has written another series, The Forbidden City, set in China that I’m also interested in and have on my TBR. There are four books in this series.
SPQR by Mary Beard – This is nonfiction and seems to be very highly recommended. I’ve already put in a request for it from my library.
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr – This is a memoir that I’m interested in because I have another book by the author on my TBR as well, All The Light We Cannot See.
The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough – The author of The Thorn Birds, with such high ratings for these books on Goodreads, and seven books in the series!
Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow – 25 freaking books in the series! To be fair, I already had this book on my TBR for a while, but I’d forgotten about it and I didn’t know there were 25 books in the series!
Pompeii by Robert Harris – Thank the gods this is a standalone! It might be the only standalone on this list, other than the nonfics!
The Ides of April by Lindsey Davis – 13 books in this series. Not as bad as 25 but still painful on my purse!
Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn – It’s Kate Quinn and I’d been wanting to read more of her books. I didn’t know she wrote historical fiction about Rome, but I am so here for it! Four books in this series.
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff – This is the first of eight books in a series. They were apparently not written as a series but they are categorized as one, so we’ll see.
The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – So this is the only book on the list I’ve read and loved. It’s one of my all-time favorite books and I reread it all the time and recommend it to everyone I can because it’s criminally underrated. It’s also a duology but I haven’t read the second book. If you’re a fan of historical fiction set in Rome and haven’t read any of these books, I highly recommend you read this one!
Have you read any of these authors? What did you think of them? Would you read any of their books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Buzzwords or Phrases That Make Me Want to Read (or Avoid) a Book
I am a sucker for “found family” tropes. If a book has a found family element, I’m probably going to read it, and I’m probably going to cry. If you’re thinking it’s because I have some deep-seated family trauma, you’d be right, but it really doesn’t take a psychologist to tell me that’s why I crave stories about happy found families. Even so, if anyone is looking to adopt an adult woman in her 40s, I’m available. Just saying.😂😭😂
Top Ten Books with Found Family
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers – All the books in the Wayfarer series are amazing! They’re all different stories featuring different characters, but the connections these characters make with each other are so heartwarming, especially considering how they are all different species and come from different cultures. The whole series is just such a gorgeous look into how well different people can get along if we come into our relationships with the intent to understand each other.
Fred, the Vampire Accountant series by Drew Hayes – This series gets better as we get deeper. We meet so many different characters, and we get more and more attached to each one of them as we go. Fred is our unlikely hero, and he’s the one who connects everyone and creates those bonds. It’s wonderful to see.
Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman – Carl and Donut are the best found family duo, but there are so many other characters we meet in this series that become a part of their family as well, and I love every single one of them. You start out not taking this series seriously, but it gets really deep and emotional the more you get into it, while still keeping a sense of humor. There are parts where I literally laugh at one paragraph, and cry at the very next. The next book in the series is coming out soon and I’m planning to reread it all over again.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – I love that the MC was such a grouchy but relatable character. I love how the story progressed, and how all his neighbors loved and cared for him despite his best efforts to discourage them. I watched the movie adaptation with Tom Hanks and ugly cried, and then I read the book and ugly cried all over again even though I already knew the story.
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery – This series probably ignited my love for found family stories. It’s one of my favorite childhood stories, and I still love it today. I love that Anne found love with Matthew and Marilla, and they found love with her. And Anne just kept creating found families all over the place with every next book. This series is pure magic.
Fairy Tale by Stephen King – Stephen King has a surprisingly strong theme of found family in a lot of his stories; The Body, It, The Institute, Joyland, Mr. Mercedes, Dolores Claiborne… just to name a few of the recent ones I remember. I chose to feature Fairy Tale today just because of the dog. I would die for Radar.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune – I was resistant to reading this book at first because of the hype at the time, but I’m so glad I did because I loved it. I loved how adorable all the kids were, how distinct each of their personalities, and I also loved the adults and the way they were not too old to learn new things. The magic, the whimsy, the love for each other, my heart melts all over again thinking about it.
Rook and Rose series by M.A. Carrick – This series has higher stakes compared to some of the other ones on this list, but the found family story is just as sweet and heartwarming. There’s so much richness to the world-building and magic system, and so much thought and nuance to the characters and their motivations. I love how the found family find each other here, the way they learn to love and trust each other, everything that they go through together… It’s one of my favorite stories.
The Wild Robot series by Peter Brown – I didn’t know this was a book when I first watched the animation, but I loved it already even then. Then I saw that it’s not just one book but a series. I read them all, and I love that even a robot could have a found family, that they would love so much and be loved so much. Oh no, I’m tearing up just thinking about it!
The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells – Well, here’s another robot with found family. Murderbot is a little more stoic than the Wild Robot, but no less lovable, kind, and caring, even if it doesn’t realize that about itself. It warms my heart because if Murderbot has family who loves it, there must be hope for me, right?!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books on My Spring 2026 to-Read List
Some of these books have been on my TBR for years! I’ve featured a couple of them on several TBR lists over the last few years and it’s just embarrassing at this point, but I feel like I’m going to keep featuring them and purposely embarrass myself until I read them, as a motivation for me to finally read them! Hopefully it works? 😅
Top Ten Books on My Spring 2026 TBR
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich – I’ve become a fan of the author ever since I read The Sentence and I’ve been wanting to read more of her books. This one has been on my TBR since it came out in 2024 but I haven’t gotten around to it for some reason. I’ve borrowed it multiple times from the library but kept returning it unread. I ended up purchasing the audiobook so I could listen at my convenience but I haven’t started it yet. Hopefully sometime soon!
In The Woods by Tana French – I came across it while researching Irish authors for last week’s Top Ten Tuesday and I’m very excited about it because it really sounds like the kind of book I’d love, and if so, there are a whole bunch of other books by the author I’d probably read too!
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett – This would be a reread, but I didn’t finish the series the first time I read it, and my intention is to reread to finish the whole series.
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood – This would aso be a reread. I read this book years ago and loved it, but it’s been a while and I think I’ll get a lot more out of it this time around.
Educated by Tara Westover – This book was overhyped at one point which made me hesitant to read it, but it’s been a while and people are still consistently talking about how good it is. So I’ll give it a try.
Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell – This is relatively new on my TBR but it sounds so good and I love a good monster romance!
The Glass Château by Stephen P. Kiernan – I have loved all of the author’s books and I have featured him and his books many times on my blog. I’ve also featured this book on many of my TBR lists but just haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. This is the one book I hope I will have read by the time the next TBR list feature comes around!
Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane – I don’t understand the holdup for me reading this book either. It’s been on my TBR a long time and I just need to get to it.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett – This would be another reread. I loved this book when I read it so many years ago and I’ve just been craving the vibes. I’ve also been meaning to read other books from the author, but somehow just never did.
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Green Book Covers (In honor of St. Patrick’s Day today!)
I wasn’t feeling the green book covers so I decided to feature Irish authors instead in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t pay enough attention to where authors usually come from, or even story settings – something I’d like to remedy – so I was surprised to learn about some of these authors’ roots. The first five books are ones I’ve already read, and the next five are books on my TBR I haven’t read yet. Looking forward to see what everyone else has on their list today! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Top Ten Books by Irish Authors
Normal People by Sally Rooney – I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it. I feel like the author is a “journey, not destination” type of storyteller, which I appreciate sometimes, but maybe I needed a little more with this book. I can recognize the author’s mastery while also acknowledging that I may not be the best audience for her work.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde – This is one of my favorite classics. I have read it several times and I always love how creepy and chilling it is. I also really liked the 2009 film adaptation.
P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern – I read this book a long time ago and don’t remember much but I’m pretty sure I ugly cried.
Room by Emma Donoghue – I know I ugly cried with this one. I read it for a book club years ago, and I remember thinking about the book and the discussions we got out of it for a long time after that.
Dracula by Bram Stoker – I only read this book recently but I loved it and now understand why it has such an everlasting hold on popular culture and media. It’s just a really good story with really interesting characters and so much tension.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell – I was very interested in this book but there was so much hype around it that I just kept putting it off. I’m still interested though, and will probably read it eventually.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce – This has been on my TBR forever but I just haven’t gotten around to it. One day, hopefully soon!
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift – I was very surprised to find that I haven’t read this book because I remember reading it when I was a child, but I realized that I was reading an adapted, abridged, children’s version, so it’s still on my TBR.
This Charming Man by Marian Keyes – One of my friends spoke very highly of this author, and then I found this book in a little free library some years ago. It’s been on my shelf a while, and I keep meaning to read it soon.
In The Woods by Tana French – I’m familiar with this author’s name but have somehow never read any of her books. I came across this book while researching authors for this list and it sounds like something I’d enjoy so it’s on the TBR now!
Have you read any of these authors? What did you think of them? Would you read any of their books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Book Titles Featuring Ordinal Numbers
I never realized how few books I’ve read with ordinal numbers until I tried looking for books for this prompt, so I decided to do books beginning with the letter G for my alphabetical prompts instead. I did add a single book with an ordinal number; it’s the only one I’ve read that I can think of! I’m looking forward to finding some good ordinal number books on everyone else’s lists that I can add to the TBR.
Top Ten Books Beginning with G
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper – One of my favorite scifi books by one of my favorite scifi authors. It’s about humans who have migrated to a planet of grass that’s already inhabited by other species. I desperately need to reread this one, it’s been a while.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry – I’ve enjoyed many of Emily Henry’s books and this was the latest one. The premise is similar to TJR’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but the vibes are a lot more lighthearted and I loved it.
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo – My favorite Malaysian author writing about Malaysian Chinese folklore. I cannot recommend this book enough! I reminds me so much of my own family’s history and culture, and it’s just a really good story in and of itself.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell – One of the most popular classics of all time, and one of my favorite books still. I no longer see it as a romance because of how problematic it is now that we know better, but I do still see it as a very important cultural and historical snapshot of the times.
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson – I read this so long ago I honestly cannot remember a single detail about it except that it made an impression on me. This means it’s time to reread!
Gerald’s Game by Stephen King – This was one of the first King books I read and I was completely drawn in by the psychological horror. I remember feeling such awe at the way King tells the story because nothing tangible happens for hours except in the MC’s head, but you can just feel the horror from the way he writes it.
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck – This book was in my father’s library and I read it when I was too young to fully appreciate it. I think it’s time to reread it in my adulthood, I’m pretty sure I’ll get a lot more out of it now.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe – This is young adult but I loved the story and the MC. The author has written several young adult books with really interesting female main characters and I just love them. This was the first one I read, and there’s also a sequel that I haven’t read yet.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown – I’ve probably mentioned a few times now that I’m a huge fan of the author, and I loved this book. I love all her books. They make me feel like I could be a better person, so there’s hope for me yet!
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – My token book featuring an ordinal number. I listened to it on audio and missed a lot of details so I didn’t want to read the sequel until I reread on print and understand what’s happening a little more.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
