Carol

Summer 2021 TBR #toptentuesday

June 15, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Summer 2021 TBR

Summer TBR #TopTenTuesday

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top ten tuesday

I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl: Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Summer 2021 TBR.

With all the books that are on my radar on a given day, it’s nice to pick out a few for an official TBR. Ten still leaves room for library holds that come in, occasional ARCs, or some mood reading.

One question you may ask is “Are these beach reads?” Many readers have differing opinions of what comprises a beach read: some want light and fluffy, some look for thrillers/suspense/mysteries, some seek out escapist reads, while others like to tackle large tomes or serious content during the summer when they have more time. It’s my opinion that any book you read at the beach is a beach read (just like a body at the beach is a beach body). For my summer reads, I look for the types of books I look for all year: memorable, thought-provoking, and unputdownable.

Keep in mind that I’m not yet recommending the books on this list…..check back often though because I will provide updates and links to reviews as I read them. For now, these are the reads that are on my summer 2021 reading radar.

I hope this summer is enabling you to reclaim your normal lives and that lockdowns are easing and COVID numbers are decreasing. Here in California, life is gradually getting back to normal….I’m cautiously optimistic.

Because I suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out), I’ve already read a couple of books that I had on my brainstorming TBR list…..including Project Hail Mary. If you haven’t read it yet, put it (the audio version if at all possible!) on your TBR before the movie comes out! ***UPDATE: My review of Project Hail Mary here.

And….Happy Winter reading to my friends and followers in the Southern Hemisphere!

*Titles are Amazon affiliate links.

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny (cover) Image: a darkened pine tree with burst of colors radiating outward from behind it

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny

(pub date: 8/24/2021)

#17 in the Chief Inspector Gamache/Three Pines series (mystery/detective)
It’s a highlight of my summer to look forward to a new Penny release. Do you have a series installment that you look forward to each year?
***UPDATE: 3 Stars. Good story but not one of my favs of the series.

Gold and Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi (cover) Image: white text against a dark blue background

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi

Asian-American fiction, family drama, adoption
***UPDATE: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5). Page-turning and compelling. My review of Sparks Like Stars here.

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian (cover) Image: a woman in a red dress and white collar and white bonnet looks faces away from the camera

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Historical fiction
***UPDATE: 2 Stars DNF at 60%. Goodreads review here.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (cover) Image: black and white text on a rd background

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Nonfiction, memoir.
***UPDATE: 3 Stars. Good but definitely sad.

Olympus Texas by Stacey Swann (cover) Image: white text over the graphic image of a large tree with leaves

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

Dysfunctional family drama (with a nod to Greek Mythology.
***UPDATE: 3 Stars. Well-written but bleak. Not reviewed.

Tokyo Ever After

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

YA contemporary romantic comedy
***UPDATE: 4 Stars. Enjoyable and page-turning. Not reviewed.

4 ARCS (advanced reader copy)

Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (cover) Image: two girls sit on a wing of a plane

The Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (pub Date 6/27/2021)

***UPDATE: 5 Stars. Checks all my boxes for enjoyable histfic. My review of Radar Girls here. (my fav on this TBR list)

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Virginia Murray (cover) Image: a young woman in a long red dress stands along the banister of a set of grand stairs

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray (pub date: 6/29/2021)

***UPDATE: 4 Stars. Historical Fiction. Interesting. Full review of Personal Librarian here.

Yours Cheerfully by A.J. Pearce (cover) Image: 2 young women sit on a low wall reading one newspaper

Yours Cheerfully by A.J. Pearce (pub date: 9/10/2021)

***UPDATE: 4 Stars. Light and enjoyable WW11 histfic. My review of Yours Cheerfully here.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel (cover) Image: the back view of a woman wearing a red coat overlooking a landscape with planes flying overhead

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel (pub date: 7/6/2021)

***UPDATE: 4.5 Stars. Compelling and page-turning histfic. My review of Forest of Vanishing Stars here.

QOTD!

What’s on your Summer TBR? 

Updates:

Spring 2021  TBR
Winter 2020/2021 TBR
Fall 2020 TBR

Looking Ahead:

I’m excited about my third annual “ONE Great Summer Read” post coming July 9, a collaboration of TWENTY blogging friends each offering one reading recommendation for a not-to-miss-book.

One Great Summer Read

Find last summer’s post here.

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Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

The book covers are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

© ReadingLadies.com

42 comments

  2. Always nice to see that other people have long TBR lists, as well. I have so many that I decided to do “summer” books on my TTT.

    Reply

  4. Nice list Carol. I agree, everyone’s idea of a beach read is different. Mine is fluff: romance, comedy, and Christmas (I love Christmas in July). The only one of these I have read is Sparks Like Stars and I liked it a lot. I do have a few of these on my TBR, but not sure if I will get to them this summer or not.

    Reply

  8. Looks like a great list, Carol! I am a series reader, so there are several series installments I am looking forward to. Also, there are a few new series by loved author’s coming out that I am looking forward to. I am still waiting for The Invisible Husband of Frick Island from the library. I look forward to reading something by Kate Quinn over the summer as well. I generally don’t make a list, except mentally, because for some reason as soon as I put something on a list it is the last thing I want to read 🤨.

    I look forward to hearing what you thought of your summer reads!

    Reply

    • I think you’ll enjoy Personal Librarian ….I’ve already started it! Im happy to hear you are enjoying the Gamache series! Im hopping over now to read your post.

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  11. I don’t do beaches – hence no beach reads for me and given the current travel restrictions I think I’d have to classify my reading this summer as “garden reads”. Not that it makes any difference what they’re called because I never change my reading habits with the seasons.

    So this summer I have been reading the Louise Penny which is set in Quebec in December -and as always has lots of snow. Posting my review tomorrow…

    Reply

  13. What a great list Carol!! Writing several into my library request list book!! I’m reading Marie Benedict’s The Only Woman in the Room. So far, it’s great– and just finished her Lady Clementine (that I think you recommended!) Happy Summer!!

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  14. Definitely Louise Penny, Elly Griffiths… and I always look forward to a new Adrian McKinty. I would love to get my eyes on the Louise Penny and the Chris Bohjalian. ❤📚

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    • I try to be rather selective with my arcs (I.e. books I’d read anyway)……I’ve only been disappointed a couple of times. I have quite severe FOMO…thus arcs! 😂😂😂

      Reply

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