Top Ten Tuesday #42: I Read Them, Now I Want to Buy Them

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that was created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish but is now managed by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic:

Books I’ve Read That I’d Like in My Personal Library

I decided to participate in TTT this week because I like the topic. (It was submitted by Annemieke at A Dance with Books.) I even have a “Get It Soon” Goodreads shelf for books I borrowed, read, and liked. The most recent addition to this shelf was…

Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend

The second in the Nevermoor series, a middle-grade fantasy series about a girl who everyone thinks is cursed. I liked the first book, Nevermoor, because it eased my wistfulness for more Harry Potter stories, but I loved this second book because it’s here that the story really becomes it’s own thing. The world it’s set in is so odd, silly, dangerous, and intriguing that it easily cemented me as a fan. I’d like to get a copy of Wundersmith and Nevermoor, but I’m waiting for the paperback version (while hoping for different covers because I’m not a fan of the art).

The Journey by Francesca Sanna (illus.)

A children’s picture book about a family seeking refuge in a new country because their homeland is ravaged by war, which has claimed their father. It’s such a good read that many readers today will be able to relate to since much of our news cycles talk about immigrant and refugee crises. The illustrations are simple yet appealing. I love it for the shapes used and how colorful it is. I highly recommend it (and seriously need to get myself a copy soon).

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

I read this novel about this time last year and loved it so much. It’s a charming romance novel set in a small Southern town filled with quirky characters who all add to the story’s charm in some way. The story is about the Waverley sisters who’ve been estranged for a couple years. The Waverleys are an old family and are known for their garden in which grows an apple tree that supposedly can foretell the future. I loved the writing and the characters and consider the story a favorite. I need my own copy.

Normal by Warren Ellis

A sci-fi, techno-thriller novella about a guy who was recently committed to a mental institution called Normal Head that accepts futurists, scientists and social scientists who think professionally about the future, who are depressed by their job. This is one of the oddest books I’ve ever read. It was an interesting read and funny but odd and made me wonder what commentary Ellis was making about our present society. I’d like to get my own copy and reread it.

The River by Alessandro Sanna (illus.)

A children’s picture book about a town situated by a river. Sanna is an Italian painter and illustrator and his talent shines through in this book. I loved it. The book is sectioned by seasons, and we see what happens to the river and the town in each season. The artwork is amazing and is what I love most about the book. It’s also why I’d like to own. This is another one I’d like to revisit.

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio book, actually, but I’d love to own a physical copy. It’s a steampunk proper romance set in the Victorian period, I believe, but incorporates supernatural elements because there are vampires, werewolves, witches, and other such beings in the world.

Described as “Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast,” the story is about a botanist named Lucy Pickett who’s visiting the manor where her cousin resides to help care for her and figure out the cause of her cousin’s mysterious illness. Lucy encounters the lord of the manor while there. Romance ensues and there’s also a mystery involving a ghost and possible murder. I enjoyed it so much that I’m now listening to the second novel, Kiss of the Spindle, which is inspired by Sleeping Beauty.

The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri

A fantasy novel set in a small town in southern Italy about four friends who made a pact after graduating high school to meet up in their hometown once every year but when the story begins, one of the friends is missing. The others search for him and learn that their missing friends had some bizarre interests. I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was intriguing and made me wonder if it’s actually fantasy by its end because the fantastical elements are very subtle. I love the story for the writing — so descriptive — and how atmospheric it is. It really brought the setting to life for me. I keep intending to get myself a copy but keep forgetting to.

Here by Richard McGuire (illus.)

This is one of the most interesting comic books I’ve ever read. It’s about the passing of time, and it depicts that by focusing on one room in a house and showing what happens there at different times, such as what that space looks like now and what happens there as well as how it looked in prehistoric times and what happened there then. It’s very interesting and is one I highly recommend.

Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez (illus.)

A middle-grade fantasy graphic novel about a girl whose whimsical drawings come to life at night. It’s such a sweet story. I loved it for it’s message about creativity and inspiration as well as for the vibrant, colorful illustrations. I really appreciate Alvarez’s artwork in this.

Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher

A memoir about the author’s battle with bipolar disorder. This was such a good read that was often uncomfortable for me because of how descriptive Hornbacher’s writing is. The writing is compelling and through it you get a semblance of what Hornbacher has experienced due to being bipolar. I think it’s an important read, but it can be triggering for some readers.

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Let me know if you’ve read any of these books.

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