Tammy’s Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR List

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, one of my favorite blog events to participate in. It’s been almost a month since my last Top Ten list, so I’m excited this week’s theme is fairly easy (sometimes the themes just don’t resonate with me, so I skip them).  But there are so many great books coming out this summer, it was actually difficult to narrow it down to ten. Here they are, in order of release date:

Shadows Cast by Stars by Catherine Knutsson. Released June 6th. This book is already out. Just look at the gorgeous cover! The story takes place 200 years in the future, and combines elements of Greek mythology and tales of the aboriginal peoples. Sixteen-year-old Cassandra is immune to the plague, but people are after her blood since it has mystical properties. It’s received some awesome reviews on Goodreads, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

The Taken by Vicki Pettersson. Released June 12th. Here’s another book that’s already hit the shelves. I’ve mentioned it before in another post and I’m still excited to read it. How’s this for a blurb: “He’s a fallen angel. She’s a rockabilly reporter. Together they must solve a deadly string of murders plaguing the mortal and the immortal worlds.” (Goodreads) I don’t care how many books are out there that involve humans and immortals, I’m still not tired of them!

Talulla Rising by Glen Duncan. Release date: June 26th. I love Glen Duncan. I loved the first book in this series, The Last Werewolf (you can read that review here.) I don’t want to say too much about the plot because anything I say really will spoil it if you are planning on reading The Last Werewolf. Let’s just say it’s about werewolves and some nasty things are bound to happen. Plus, Duncan’s writing is luminous and incredibly beautiful, and it’s worth reading for that alone.

Gold by Chris Cleave. Release date: July 3rd. Do I need to mention again how much I love Chris Cleave? That his writing fills me with awe? That his story ideas are so creative, horrible, amazing, heart-wrenching and ultimately satisfying? Gold will surely be all of those things. This time he’s written about the Olympics and two women competing for a spot on the British Olympic team. But it’s not just about that. Cleave’s stories have so many layers, and his characters’ voices are so unique, that I hope you give him a chance, if you haven’t already.

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke. Release date: July 3rd. First of all, I love the cover. The story is set in an alternate universe England in the year 2012. Queen Victoria is undead, and all manner of paranormal creatures roam the streets. Our heroine Xandra is a member of the Royal Guard, and when her sister goes missing, she sets out to find her.  Seems like a fantastic combo of urban fantasy and steampunk!

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. Release date: July 3rd. Lots of books coming out July 3rd! Maybe because of the holiday…Tiger Lily is the story of Tiger Lily from, you guessed it, Peter Pan, told from her point of view. It begins before Wendy comes to Neverland, when Tiger Lily falls in love with Peter. But when Wendy shows up, everything changes. I love stories that give you another perspective on a classic, and this one not only sounds fantastic, but has received some very good reviews.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness. Release date: July 10th. I’ve been waiting for this follow-up since I read the last page of A Discovery of Witches.  The love story of a witch and a vampire, A Discovery of Witches was so unique and concluded with a cliffhanger ending. Second books in trilogies are often disappointing, but this one has seen some good reviews, so I’m hoping for the best!

Auracle by Gina Rosati. Release date: August 7th. Sixteen-year-old Anna can astrally project out of her body. That’s a concept for a novel you don’t run across very often.  She becomes trapped when a classmate takes over her body, and she must rely on her friend Rei to help her get back. Love the cover, and love the idea.

The Black Isle by Sandi Tan. Release date: August 7th.  Another book I’ve mentioned before, The Black Isle is a Chinese ghost story about a girl named Cassandra who can see ghosts. It has lots of historical elements and takes place from the 1920’s to WWII. It looks like a combination of real-life places and events mixed with the paranormal. I believe this is Tan’s first book.

Hearts of Darkness by Kira Brady. Release date: August 7th. It’s hard to tell from the book cover that this is actually a paranormal romance novel. It’s the first in a series, and is the story of a nurse named Kayla Friday who is trying to unravel the secret of her sister’s death. Along the way she runs into a sexy werewolf. Bad things ensue. Does love win out? Probably not in the first book.  This cover says neither “werewolf” nor “romance” to me, but who knows?