Summer TBR List

I've got a lot of books on my summer TBR list this year!  The list includes new books I'm excited about as well as some older books I want to reread.  I've loaded up my Sony e-reader with some of each, so I can read them while we're on vacation. I read fairly quickly, but we've got a very busy summer planned, so I'm not sure I'll actually get through the whole the list.  Here's a sampling -- this is only partial; I'm sure I'll be adding to it as the summer goes on.  (Genres presented alphabetically.)

Fantasy and SF:

Shadow of Night (Deborah Harkness)  As I already made clear earlier on this blog, I'm wildly excited to read the sequel to Harkness's debut novel,  A Discovery of Witches.  Unfortunately, it looks as though I will be on vacation and out of reach of bookstores and the Internet on July 10 when the book is released, so I won't get my hands on a copy until about a week later. I expect to devour it when I finally get my hands on it, though!  (Reviewed 7/31/2012)

Home from the Sea (Mercedes Lackey)  Lackey's newest book in the Elemental Masters series features selkies; I'm looking forward to it far more than the last book, which was loosely based on the Donkeyskin fairy tale, which is not one of my favorites.  (requested from library) (Reviewed 8/03/2012)

Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.  It's high time I dipped into this series, and I have the perfect excuse: the Summer of Discworld challenge over at Tales of the Marvelous!  I've already signed up. (paperbacks)

First Rider's Call, The High King's Tomb, and Blackveil (Kristin Britain)  I read and enjoyed Green Rider this spring, and have been trying to find time to get back to the series. (paperback, hardcover, and library, respectively)

The Temeraire series (Naomi Novik)  On the recommendation of our daughter, we're borrowing the audiobooks from the library for our trip.  (library audiobook)

The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien)  Obviously, I have to reread this before the first movie comes out in December!  We may choose to listen to Rob Inglis's recording, since we'll be driving a lot this summer. (paperback, audiobook, and on my e-reader.  What can I say? I love Tolkien.)

The Last Unicorn (Peter S. Beagle)  It's so long since I read Beagle's lovely fantasy, I can barely remember it... which makes it a good time to get reacquainted. 

Stardance (Spider and Jeanne Robinson; review here)  I've loved this book since I first read the novella in Analog magazine, back in high school.  (Yes, I just dated myself.)  It's been at least six or seven years since I read it last, so I bought the e-book for summer vacation reading.  (The e-book is only available through Baen Books; you have to buy the whole trilogy, but it's only $6, which is a bargain as e-books go.  I'll be honest; I don't think the second and third books are as strong, but I'll probably reread them anyway.)  (paperback; on my e-reader)

   

General Fiction:

The Casual Vacancy (J. K. Rowling)  I'm not sure from the descriptions whether I'm going to like, love, or hate The Casual Vacancy, but it's clearly one of the summer's must-read titles, if only to find out what Rowling can do when she's not writing Harry Potter.  (requested from the library)

Mystery:

Pirate King (Laurie R. King)  I actually bought this when it came out, but haven't read it yet.  I've read each of the books in this series about Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes to my daughter over the last five or six years.  When Pirate King came out, we were in the middle of a series by another author, so we've been holding on to this one.  With Garment of Shadows due out in September, I guess we'd better get busy! (hardcover, though I may get the e-book to take on vacation)

In the Shadow of the Glacier (Vicki Delany)  The debut of a new series, this mystery features a young female constable and a hard-edged police sergeant in British Columbia.  Since our family plans to vacation in the Canadian Rockies, I thought this might be a good choice.  (on my e-reader; free promotional book)

Cast On, Kill Off (Maggie Sefton) The latest in Sefton's series of knitting mysteries.  (requested from the library)  (Reviewed 7/20/2012)

Annette Blair's Vintage Magic series.  I've been looking in vain for these in the local used bookstores, but I've begun thinking I may need to order them online or get the e-books. 

 

 

 

Romance:

The Proposal (Mary Balogh) I've been waiting for Gwen's story for a while.  If you've read any of Mary Balogh's novels, Gwen is a secondary character in both One Night for Love and A Summer to Remember; the latter is one of my all-time romantic favorites. (library book) (Review 6/11/2012)

No Longer a Gentleman (Mary Jo Putney)  Putney's historical romances make great summer reading, so I've been saving this one for vacation. (on my e-reader)

Sunrise Point (Robyn Carr) The latest in Carr's popular Virgin River series, and another one I've been saving for summer vacation.  (on my e-reader)  (Reviewed 7/23/2012)

YA Fantasy:

Magic Under Stone (Jaclyn Dolamore)  The sequel to Magic Under Glass! (library)  (Reviewed 7/16/2012)

The Goose Girl (Shannon Hale)  Our daughter has been encouraging me to read this for several years, and I haven't gotten around to it.  I've loved several of Hale's other YA fantasies, including The Princess Academy and The Book of a Thousand Days.  (on my e-reader)

Anne Crompton Eliot's books:  I have two or three titles by Eliot on my e-reader; I got them during promotions, when they were either free or at $1.99.  They look intriguing; if I have time with all the other reading I've got planned, I'll give them a try.  (on my reader; free/discounted)

Princess Academy: Palace of Stone (Shannon Hale)  Hale's sequel to The Princess Academy isn't due out until August 21, so putting it on my summer reading list is pushing things a bit.  It's one I'm anxious to read -- anxious, because I hope it's as good as the first book but wonder how it can be.  (Requested from the library, so it's doubtful I'll get a chance to read it before next fall.)

Updated 8/03/2012 to include links to reviews on this blog.