This was supposed to be a Top Ten Tuesday post, but I haven’t had the time recently to post on the correct day! So I thought I’d share this on a random day instead. I tried and failed to actually rank these in some kind of order (they all look amazing) so they have ended up in a general list instead. But, hey it’s still a list! Bloggers love lists.
After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell - I’m very much looking forward to reading a third novel by the amazing Maggie O’Farrell. Her entire back list has been re-released with gorgeous new covers, and this makes it even more exciting to read After You’d Gone, a novel that her fans always praise. It tells the story of Alice Raikes and her family. She had just arrived in Scotland when something happened that caused her to return to London almost immediately – and then she slips into a coma. Alice’s family gather around her and their histories are slowly revealed and concealed. I love O’Farrell’s writing and have high expectations for this one.
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters – This is one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2014 (it is published in August) and I was very, very happy to receive an early copy from Virago. I’ve read all of Sarah Waters’ books except Tipping the Velvet (which is also on my TBR) and have loved all of them. The Paying Guests tells the story of a young woman and her mother whose lives are completely changed when a young married couple move in with them as lodgers. I’ve read the first couple of pages of this and I can’t wait to dive in!
The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland – this is also published in August 2014, and my copy has been sitting on my shelf for a little longer than planned – but it is going to be my next-but-one read. Set during the “troubled” reign of Richard II, the novel depicts the Peasants’ Revolt and the difficulties faced by the family of wool merchant Robert when a widow and her daughter charm their way into his home and disrupt his entire family. As the title suggests there is also a bit of witchcraft (or at least suspicions of it) as well, and after reading The Crimson Ribbon earlier this year I’m looking forward to what this novel may hold. And I love the cover!
The Awakening by Kate Chopin – Originally published in 1899, this is being reissued in August 2014 by Canongate and they very kindly sent me an early copy. It’s a book I’ve been aware of for some time but have not got around to reading, but it is firmly in my sights for this year. I haven’t read any ‘old’ literature for a while and I’m looking forward to getting lost in the world of 19th century feminism.
The Lonely Hunter: A Biography of Carson McCullers by Virginia Spencer Carr – I consider Carson McCullers to be one of my favorite writers, but really I’ve read relatively little of her work. When I first discovered her I read two of her novels and left a third unfinished when I had to relinquish recreational reading for required reading – but I loved them all. I’ve also read a few short stories and poems, and several of her books are on my TBR. She was not only a great writer but also a fascinating person and she lead a very eventful and interesting life, which I can’t wait to read about. It’s been a while since I read a biography, and I’m looking forward to spending time with this one.
2013 University of Georgia Press edition (image: goodreads.com)
Tracks by Robyn Davidson – I have to admit I only heard of this when the recent film adaptation was advertised, but I instantly wanted to read the book as well as see the film. After having enjoyed Wild and Travels with Myself and Another so much, I want to read more travel writing, and I liked the independence and bravery of Robyn’s trek across Australia. I also don’t think I’ve read much set in Australia, so that appealed to me as well. I plan to read this before I see the film (which looks excellent) and hopefully it will live up to expectations.
2013 Bloomsbury UK edition (image: goodreads.com)
The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan – This has been on TBR since it came out, but I’ve ramped it up the list now that it’s out in paperback. Amy Tan is one of those writers I’ve always heard of but never read anything by, and her latest book sounds like something I would enjoy. It also appeals to me because it is historical and because I have not read anything (I think) that is set in China. This novel has a family saga, China, America, and a story spanning fifty years – I can’t wait to read it.
2014 Fourth Estate paperback cover (image: goodreads.com)
Hellboy in Hell, vol. 1: The Descent by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart – This may seem like a very different choice for my TBR, but I’ve read a fair amount of Hellboy and absolutely love it. I also loved the films – no one else seemed to, which I just didn’t get! I essentially want to read every single Hellboy book ever, but there are so many that I had to pick one. And this is a new one, published in May this year. Hellboy in Hell is a bit different as this time around Hellboy is dead, and so his whole story arc has changed. This is also the first book illustrated by Mike Mignola (his wonderful creator) for some time, which is very exciting as I adore Mignola’s artwork. I could literally spend a whole day reading Hellboy – and a whole lotta money buying the books. I’ve never reviewed any on here, but I think I will from now on.
2014 Dark Horse cover (image: goodreads.com)
The Meat Tree by Gwyneth Lewis – I want to read this because it is a retelling of Welsh myths, and I’m a bit Welsh, and it also just sounds really interesting. The myth in question is the Blodeuwedd Mabinogion, and the Seren Books website describes the book as: “An elderly investigator and his female apprentice hope to extract the fate of the ship’s crew from its antiquated virtual reality game system, but their empirical approach falters as the story tangles with their own imagination. By imposing a distance of another 200 years and millions of light years between the reader and the medieval myth, Gwyneth Lewis brings this tale of a woman made of flowers closer than ever before, perhaps uncomfortably so. After all, what man can imagine how sap burns in the veins of a woman?”
(image: serenbooks.com)
Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth – Sticking with the fairytale/myth theme, this is described as a retelling of the story of Rapunzel (the actual fairytale, not the Disney version (Tangled) – which I have to say is also amazing). Set during the reign of the Sun King Louis XIV, Kate Forsyth weaves together the stories of three women – Charlotte, a storyteller exiled from court; Selena, an artists’ muse terrified of time; and Margherita, trapped in a tower with her unruly hair… It sounds like an intriguing and original book, and I think (hope!) I’ll enjoy it a lot.
Allison & Busby 2013 cover. (image: goodreads.com)
So that’s the best of my TBR… what about yours??