Monday, January 10, 2022

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Recent Additions to My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl.


The Top Ten Tuesday topic this week is the Most Recent Additions to My TBR. Here's a peek at my recent finds:


The Classified Dossier: Sherlock Holmes & Count Dracula
by Christian Klaver
The first in a stylish new series, in which the worlds of Sherlock and the uncanny collide.

Sherlock Holmes is dead. His body lies in a solitary grave on the Sussex Downs. But Dr. Watson survives, and is now given permission to release tales in Sherlock's 'black box', those cases that are, dear reader, unbelievable - for their subject matter is of the most outré and grotesque nature.

Beginning with 'The Adventure of the Lady's Finger', Holmes and Watson discover a dark, uncanny world beyond their imagining. It starts with a victim whose flesh reacts adversely to silver and sunlight, whose blood does not thicken when exposed to oxygen. And then a Transylvanian nobleman arrives at Baker Street demanding Holmes's assistance in the kidnapping of his beloved wife, Mina. [Goodreads Summary]

Demon Riding Shotgun
by L. R. Braden

Possessed by a demon since she was eleven years old, Mira Fuentes maintains a fragile alliance with the snarky soul who shares her body. Together they hunt down unstable Rifters-- demon-controlled humans bent on causing chaos in the mortal realm. But when a routine hunt leads to a powerful Rifter with plans for Baltimore, Mira quickly finds herself in over her head and at the top of the city's Most Wanted.

Recently retired from the PTF after losing his partner, Ty Williams now works for the Baltimore PD and keeps his distance from cases involving magic. But when a person dies of clearly magical causes and the PTF doesn't have any agents to spare, Ty is the closest thing the department has to an expert. Saddled with a new partner he doesn't want and a mountain of self-doubt, it's his job to track down a suspect who looks suspiciously like the one-night-stand he brought home from the bar last night.

Mira will have to set her trust issues aside and enlist the help of a man determined to uncover her secrets if she hopes to learn the identity of the demon's host and prevent the human race from becoming meat puppets for the denizens of the Rift. 
[Goodreads Summary]

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
by Matt Cain
Albert Entwistle is a private man with a quiet, simple life. He lives alone with his cat Gracie. And he’s a postman. At least he was a postman until, three months before his sixty-fifth birthday, he receives a letter from the Royal Mail thanking him for decades of service and stating he is being forced into retirement.

At once, Albert’s sole connection with his world unravels. Every day as a mail carrier, he would make his way through the streets of his small English town, delivering letters and parcels and returning greetings with a quick wave and a “how do?” Without the work that fills his days, what will be the point? He has no friends, family, or hobbies—just a past he never speaks of, and a lost love that fills him with regret.

And so, rather than continue his lonely existence, Albert forms a brave plan to start truly living. It’s finally time to be honest about who he is. To seek the happiness he’s always denied himself. And to find the courage to look for George, the man that, many years ago, he loved and lost—but has never forgotten. As he does, something extraordinary happens. Albert finds unlikely allies, new friends, and proves it’s never too late to live, to hope, and to love.
[Goodreads Summary]

Dear John: Love and Loyalty in Wartime America by Susan L. Carruthers
Are "Dear John" letters lethal weapons in the hands of men at war? Many US officers, servicemen, veterans, and civilians would say yes.

Drawing on personal letters, oral histories, and psychiatric reports, as well as popular music and movies, Susan L. Carruthers shows how the armed forces and civilian society have attempted to weaponize romantic love in pursuit of martial ends, from World War II to today. Yet efforts to discipline feeling have frequently failed. And women have often borne the blame.

This sweeping history of emotional life in wartime explores the interplay between letter writing and storytelling, breakups and breakdowns, and between imploded intimacy and boosted camaraderie. Incorporating vivid personal experiences in a lively and engaging prose – variously tragic, comic, and everything in between – this compelling study will change the way we think about wartime relationships.
[Goodreads Summary]

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful adventure set in California's San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate.

But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
[Goodreads Summary]

 

Seven-Year Witch (Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #2) by Angela M. Sanders
Finding your feet in a new job isn't always easy. That goes double for Josie Way, who's settling in as Wilfred, Oregon's, new librarian--and has just discovered she's a witch. But will her fledgling powers be enough to save her from a spell of murder?

While Josie develops her witchcraft with the help of letters left by her grandmother, there are other changes happening in her new hometown. A retreat center is being built at the old mill site, and rumor has it that the location is cursed. That piques Josie's interest almost as much as Sam Wilfred, handsome FBI agent and descendent of the town's founder...

When Sam's soon-to-be ex-wife, Fiona, goes missing at the same time that a bloodied weapon is found, Josie enlists her witchy insight, and her cat familiar, to clear Sam's name. But then the mill project's architect is found dead, and it's clear that someone has been drawing up a vicious plan. Now Josie will have to divine her way out of fatal mischief, before this deadly trouble turns double...
[Goodreads Summary]

The Circus at the End of the Sea by Lori R. Snyder
A vibrant and enchanting debut novel about an orphan girl who discovers a magical circus, perfect for fans of Kelly Barnhill and Rebecca Stead!

Maddy Adriana knows that magic is real. All her life, her heart has pulled her towards things too perfect to be ordinary. One day, that tug leads her to a magical street circus, hidden in plain sight among the canals and boardwalks of Venice Beach.

For the first time in Maddy’s life, she finally feels like she belongs. But the circus is in grave danger. Maddy will need to confront the frightening side of magic, as well as her own deepest fears, if she’s to have any hope of saving the place she dreams of calling home.

This unforgettable debut shows readers the magic of following your heart and finding where you belong.
[Goodreads Summary]

The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel
In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, two people from different cultures are drawn together by fate and the freedom of music...

1940. Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi's club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz—but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man.

As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever.

From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege,
The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption. [Goodreads Summary]

How to Book a Murder (Starlit Bookshop Mystery #1) by Cynthia Kuhn
Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Kate Carlisle, in award-winning author Cynthia Kuhn’s series debut, small-town bookseller and literary event planner Emma Starrs is out to close the book on a killer intent on crashing the party.

To help save her family’s floundering Colorado bookstore, Starlit Bookshop, newly minted Ph.D. Emma Starrs agrees to plan a mystery-themed dinner party for her wealthy, well-connected high school classmate Tabitha Baxter. It’s a delightful evening of cocktails and conjecture until Tabitha’s husband, Tip—hosting the affair in the guise of Edgar Allan Poe’s detective C. Auguste Dupin—winds up murdered.

In a heartbeat, Emma and her aunt Nora, a famous mystery writer, become suspects. Emma is sure the party’s over for Starlit events, until celebrated author Calliope Nightfall, whose gothic sensibilities are intrigued by the circumstances, implores the bookseller to create a Poe-themed launch event for her latest tome. Throwing a bash to die for while searching for additional clues is already enough to drive Emma stark raven mad, but another shocking crime soon reveals that Silvercrest has not yet reached the final chapter of the puzzling case.

Someone in this charming artistic community has murder on the mind, and if Emma cannot outwit the killer, she and her beloved aunt will land behind bars, to walk free nevermore.
[Goodreads Summary]

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
“I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions—much good it did me.”

So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on tales about the might and benevolence of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the devout and the wise. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.

Desperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With this power, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen, determined to carve a better world for herself and the women around her.

But as the evil from her childhood stories threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak—and what legacy she intends to leave behind.

A stunning debut from a powerful new voice, 
Kaikeyi is a tale of fate, family, courage, and heartbreak—of an extraordinary woman determined to leave her mark in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come. [Goodreads Summary]

Have you ever read any of these books? If so, what did you think? What books recently made it onto your TBR pile?

© 2022, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

56 comments:

  1. These all sound like books that should be read. I hope you get to them all. My TTT list

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    1. Anne - I am sure going to try. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  2. Holmes and Dracula? Damng, that's going straight to my tbr! And The Light from Unvommon Stars sounds wonderful. I am so excited for Kaikeyi too!

    These are the books I added to my collection most recently.

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    1. Michael - I hope you enjoy Holms and Dracula if you read it. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. I haven't read any of these books, but I am tempted,especially by The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and Dear John.

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    1. Margaret - I am looking forward to both of those as well. The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle sounds like such a heartwarming story. Thank you for visiting!

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  4. What an amazingly eclectic selection. I'm by no means a fan of the Holmes & Watson stories but the thought of the worlds of Sherlock and the uncanny colliding really appeal to me.

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    1. Felicity - Thank you! Yes, Sherlock and Dracula seem like an interesting combination, don't they? Thank you for stopping by!

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  5. I was just looking at Kaikeyi the other day and was thinking about adding it to my TBR! I keep seeing it everywhere and it does sound really good! Light from Uncommon Stars also looks great! I hope you enjoy all these books 😃

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    1. Dini - I am so excited about reading Kaikeyi. It sounds so good! Thank you for visiting!

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  6. Great list! Light from uncommon stars is also on my TBR, I hope you'll enjoy it!

    Here's my TTT for today

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    1. Crystal - I hope you enjoy it too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  7. I'm not familiar with any of these, but they all sound great.

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    1. Deb - I hope they will be--a little something for any mood I might be in. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  8. So many of these recent additions seem good. Looks like a great 2022 in books for you.

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  9. Ooh that Dracula/Sherlock crossover sounds so interesting!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/01/11/top-ten-tuesday-350/

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    1. Jo - I think so too! Such an unusual combination. Thank you for visiting!

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  10. There are some wonderful sounding books in here! I hope you enjoy them when you get the chance to read them.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/11-netgalley-arcs-ive-been-approved-for/

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  11. The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle sounds like such a sweet story.

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    1. Tanya - I think so too. I am really looking forward to reading it. Thank you for stopping by!

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  12. Sherlock Holmes and Count Dracula sounds really fascinating! I hope you read it soon - I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

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    1. Eustacia - I agree! I am curious to see how the author makes that happen. Thank you for visiting!

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  13. I am adding Albert Entwistle and Seven-Year Witch to my TBR.

    I swear—Tuesdays are deadly for my reading list!

    My list is here: https://fiftytwo.blog/2022/01/11/top-ten-tuesday-ten-authors-who-deserve-more-love/

    Happy TTT!
    Lori

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    1. Lori - I hope you enjoy both of those! I'm with you. My reading list is overflowing. Thank you for stopping by!

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  14. Light From Uncommon Stars looks and sounds great! Also love that cover!

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    1. Stephanie - I am excited about Light From Uncommon Stars. Thank you for visiting!

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  15. Wow - SO COOL to see The Circus at the End of the Sea as part of this amazing list; thank you! I actually just discovered Light from Uncommon Stars at my local indie and picked it up immediately, and can't wait to read Albert Entwistle and Kaikeyi. Thanks so much for this!

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    1. Lori - I am looking forward to reading The Circus at the End of the Sea. It sounds like something my daughter and I would both really enjoy reading. I hope you and I both like Light From Uncommon Stars. I could not resist it either. Thank you for visiting!

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  16. Sherlock Holmes & Count Dracula sound like an interesting book.

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    1. Marianna - An interesting combination of characters to be sure! Thank you for stopping by!

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  17. What an awesome collection of new books to read! The secret Life of Albert Entwistle immediately caught my eye. Maybe it's the cat... But there are 2 more books with cats!

    Happy TTT!!

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    1. Mareli - That is a charming cover--and the cat helps. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  18. Sherlock Holmes and Count Dracula?! I'm adding that to my tbr right now!

    Check out my TTT

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    1. Lauren - I hope it will be good! Thank you for stopping by!

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  19. What a list! I like the idea of How to Book a murder.

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    1. Wendy - I can't resist a bookish-themed cozy mystery. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  20. A couple of books I'd love to read so must look them up. All new to me as well.

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    1. Mystica - I hope you enjoy them if you decide to read them! Thank you for stopping by!

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  21. A very eclectic list, Wendy. Several on here look interesting. I like the look of the Cynthia Kuhn book and have enjoyed other books she has written. Enjoy all of these new additions.

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    1. Carla - Thank you! A little something for every mood. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  22. Lovely list! I have Kaikeyi on my TBR too😁

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    1. Tammy - I hope you and I both love it! It sounds so good!

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  23. I hope you enjoy them! I've seen Light From Uncommon Stars everywhere lately. The cover is beautiful!

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    1. AJ - I love that cover. I hope the book will be just as good as it sounds. Thank you for visiting!

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  24. So many fun books! I'm off to add them to my own TBR list. ;D

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    1. Lark - I hope you enjoy whichever ones you decide to read!

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  25. Looks like a great list of books. Those cozies, in particular, caught my eye. Hope they're all great reads for you. :)

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    1. Suzanne - Don't they sound fun? I can't wait to read them!

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  26. What an eclectic mix of books, they sound like great reads.

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  27. The book that really jumps out at me from this list is Dear John. What an interesting topic! I hope that you enjoy all of these!

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    1. Carole - It really caught my eye too. I hope it will be good!

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    1. Sarah - It does sound good, doesn't it? I look forward to reading it!

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