Tammy’s Top Ten Fall 2013 Releases

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and this week’s is one of my favorites. I love highlighting the season’s upcoming releases that I’m most excited about, although it’s very hard to narrow it down to only ten books. (But hey, I’m a rule follower, so I do!) I define “Fall” as the months of September, October and November, so all my choices will release during those months. Here is my list of Fall 2013 releases that I’m most excited about, in order of their release date (click on the covers to go to Goodreads):

Scorched by Mari Mancusi. Released September 3 2013 (Sourcebooks Fire).  I fell in love with this awesome cover as soon as I saw it, and then fell in love with the story idea. Plus I’ve read some great reviews, which makes me more anxious than ever to read it. A girl, two boys, and a dragon. This is one love triangle I’m not afraid of… I have Scorched in my Amazon cart, and I’m just waiting for payday to push the “Buy now” button!

Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff. Release date: September 17 2013 (Thomas Dunne Books). I adored Stormdancer, and now the second book in The Lotus War series is finally out…I was fortunate enough to win an ARC in a Library Thing giveaway, but I’ve also got a pre-order copy on the way from Amazon. I’ve been warned that Kinslayer is dark, maybe even darker than Stormdancer, but that’s OK.  In case you haven’t been reading this blog, I kinda like dark…

Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Release date: September 24 2013 (Tor). Oh you guys…I just finished Vicious yesterday, and I’m still recovering. I was lucky enough to join an ARC tour that Victoria is hosting, and I read it as fast as I could (in the midst of my daughter’s thirteenth birthday weekend and lots of other stuff) so I could pass it along to the next person on the list. This is definitely on my top ten list for the year, no doubt. My review will be up later this week. You are going to love Vicious!

Dr. Sleep by Stephen King. Release date: September 24 2013 (Scribner). A sequel to The Shining, you say? Of course I want to read it! In case you’ve been hiding under a rock (or maybe you just aren’t a Stephen King fan), Dr. Sleep releases next week. I don’t know when I’ll be able to read it, but I’m aiming for October sometime. This is a slim book by King standards at only 544 pages, so I have no excuse…

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis. Release date: September 24 2013 (Katherine Tegen Books). I’m so excited that I have an e-ARC of this book, and it’s next on my list to read. I’ve been reading glowing reviews from other bloggers, who are also praising it because it’s a dystopian novel without any supernatural elements. Plus look at the gorgeousness of the cover!

The Abominable by Dan Simmons. Release date: October 22 2013 (Little, Brown & Company). I am a huge Dan Simmons fan, and I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by him. I did, however, just read a negative review of his latest from a trusted source. It made me hesitate a bit, but I’m still going to read it for myself. I believe the reviewer was disappointed in the lack of supernatural elements, but Simmons is still a great story-teller, so I’ll give it a try.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Release date: October 22 2013. (Little, Brown & Company). This was a recent Waiting on Wednesday pick. I know I’m repeating myself, but Tartt’s first book The Secret History is one of my all-time favorite books. I find it refreshing for an author to actually take her time writing each book. Especially in the current young adult market, when authors are expected to crank out a book every year (or more!), The Goldfinch will be published ten years after Tartt’s last book, The Little Friend. Makes you think every word will be just right.

Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone. Release date: October 29 2013 (Tor). I was lucky enough to meet Max at San Diego Comic Con and get a signed ARC of this book. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to read the next installment in this series. Although Max did tell me that my two favorite characters don’t make an appearance this time, they will be back for book three. If you love urban fantasy and gorgeous writing, you need to read these books. Start with  Three Parts Dead.

The Deaths of Tao by Wesley Chu. Release date: October 29 2013 (Angry Robot Books). I absolutely loved The Lives of Tao, which is about a guy who just happens to have an alien life form sharing space in his body, who talks to him in his head and gives him advice based on a thousand years of life experiences. Chu is hysterically funny and manages to combine humor, emotional angst, and a history lesson all in the same story. I’m looking forward to more of Tao’s adventures.

This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink. Release date: November 14 2013 (Dial).  I was initially drawn to this beautifully done cover, but after I read that this book is about voodoo, I knew I had to read it. I’ve never read this author before, but she seems to be getting lots of really good reviews. Honestly, I want a big poster of this book cover to hang in my office!

So, do you have any of these titles on your top ten?