The Terror of Knowing

Another Tuesday, another Top Ten Tuesday. For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the book bloggers and list lovers, The Broke and the Bookish, and each week they post a topic for bloggers to respond to. This week’s theme is: Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR. As those who have seen my latest TBR efforts might recall, I’ve ditched monthly TBRs in favour of seasonal TBRs – i.e. see my Summer TBR Review and Autumn TBR post. So this week’s topic is fairly easy for me to choose – it’s less easy to actually follow through with but shhh…

Without further ado, let’s see this list…

10. Cogheart – Peter Bunzl (x)

I fell head over heels for this book when I saw it displayed in Waterstones as their Childrens’ Book of the Month – I’m such a sucker for a good display. This book looks beautiful and includes “Murder, mayhem and mystery meet in this gripping Victorian adventure” – I mean why wouldn’t I want to read it?

9. The Girl of Ink & Stars – Kiran Millwood Hargrave (x)

Once again, I’m pretty sure Waterstones showcased this book at some point and it arrived on my radar because of that. This book is, visually, stunning. Seriously, illustrated borders, french-flaps, beautiful chapter headings, every inch of this book has been designed with care and detail… so I can only assume the words which accompany it are equally beautiful (and I’m pretty sure they must be!). As the blurb teases: “When [Isabella’s] closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.” Cartography and adventures and stars – yes, please!

8. Smoke – Dan Vyleta (x)

I first heard about this book from Jean at Bookishthoughts’ channel – but, unfortunately, right after I’d become invested in reading it as a priority, she then reported that the intriguing concept actually wasn’t executed brilliantly. Now, I’m still intrigued by the concept so I really want to read this. I mean, come on, the central promise is: “If sin were visible and you could see people’s anger, their lust and cravings, what would the world be like?” Badly executed or not, that is definitely something I need in my life.

7. Sorcerer to the Crown – Zen Cho (x)

I’ve owned this book since the start of the year when I allowed myself to splurge and just buy the goddamn STUNNING hardcover edition. And since then it has been sitting pretty on my bookshelf (emphasis on the pretty)  unread and neglected which is a shame since it features this absolute gem of a synopsis: “At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers and eminently proficient magician, ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.” I need to get round to this asap.

6. Nevernight – Jay Kristoff (x)

As is always the case – I wanted the black sprayed edges hardcover of this book. I missed the opportunity to get it at my local Waterstones and then, whilst a trip to the Trafford Centre post-interview, I saw they had a copy left and grabbed it, presented it with a flourish to Liz who then promptly urged me to buy it. Because it was Fate that they had one copy left – clearly. (You may have noticed a theme here?) Broadly speaking, I’m lead to believe Nevernight includes some kind of magic and schooling, maybe, but “The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student”. Intriguing, right?

5. [An Ember in the Ashes &] A Torch Against the Night – Sabaa Tahir (x)

A re-read is much needed of the first book in Sabaa Tahir’s series, before I move onto the newly released sequel: A Torch Against the Night. I recall really loving the first novel and the Roman Empire/martial feel of it all so hopefully I will enjoy it as much on the re-read and feel spurred on to continue to the second volume.

4. A Feast For Crows & A Dance With Dragons: Part One and Part Two – George R.R. Martin (x)

I’m in the midst of the #readasoiaf readalong and, though I’m stalling somewhat with A Feast for Crows, I can’t give up now that I’ve got this far through the series. So I need to get on top of reading these books and I definitely need to have read them by the time Winter rolls around so they are high priority on my Fall TBR list.

3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets [Illustrated] – JK Rowling and Jim Kay (x)

I fully intend to collect all these illustrated editions as they are released. (Side note: How on earth are they going to produce the longer books, like Order of the Phoenix? It’s gonna be huge! Not that I’m complaining!) I’m really looking forward to see the second book illustrated and will, of course, be getting my grubby mitts on it as soon as it’s released.

2. [Six of Crows &] Crooked Kingdom – Leigh Bardugo (x)

I adored Six of Crows, it’s a fantasy heist novel set in the Grisha world – who wouldn’t love it? For me Bardugo’s writing has matured a lot since her Grisha trilogy and I am loving learning more about the world, its different races and cultures, and some of the politics informing all of these tensions between peoples. All of that is in the background with the impossible heist (breaking into a famously impenetrable fortress) in the foreground and it’s so, so wonderful that I not only want to read Crooked Kingdom, I NEED to. Luckily for me, today is its release day!

1. [Blue Lily, Lily Blue &] The Raven King – Maggie Stiefvater (x)

I adored The Raven Cycle/The Raven Quarter (I’ve heard it both ways, I’m not sure what the official title is) but it is because I love it that I’m very hesitant to start reading the final book, The Raven King. I’ve somehow managed to avoid most spoilers about the fourth book but I know it’s only a matter of time before I accidentally see something so I really ought to pick it up before that happens. I want to finish this series so badly but, at the same time, I don’t – do you know that feeling? Well, I feel that hard with The Raven King. But enough is enough so it is firmly on the Fall TBR.

That was a peek into my top ten books on my Fall TBR.
Do any of these books feature on your Top Ten Fall TBR Books list?

Comment below/link your own post below if you have one – I’d love to read it!

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