Tuesday 12 March 2013

Top Ten Books on my Spring 2013 TBR List


I'm a somewhat sporadic participator in Top Ten Tuesday, but every now and again I see a topic that I can't let pass by.  Plus, I've been reading some chunksters lately so my blog feels a little neglected and in need of a bookish post!  The topic this week is 'top ten books on my spring 2013 TBR list'.  My picks aren't new necessarily new releases, they're just books I want to get to soon.


1. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier - I was so excited to receive a copy of this book through Netgalley!  Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures is one of my favourite historical fiction novels, so I'm looking forward to her new story, about the Quakers in 1850s Ohio.
2. The Rape of the Nile by Brian M. Fagan - This is an old book (1975) about a topic that fascinates me - the rush to find and loot Egyptian artefacts in the 18th and 19th centuries.  I'm interested in Egyptology and have spent many a day at the British Museum in front of the Rosetta stone, but should we really have these artefacts?  Did the early archaeologists and treasure hunters/looters do more harm than good?

  

3. My Promised Land by Ari Shavit - Israel fascinates me, so I'm looking forward to this title, which promises to be part biography, part history and part politics.  Another Netgalley copy, this one is published in May.
4. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin - I am 100 pages from the end of A Feast for Crows at the moment.  I will NEED to read the next book asap.  After Dance with Dragons it's going to be a long wait for the next book in the series to be published.

  

5. On Gold Mountain by Lisa See - I love Lisa See's fiction books so I'm excited to read this non-fiction account of her family and their emigration to the USA.
6. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - This is the classic I'm in the mood for at the moment.  This may change before I get to it, I'm very fickle with classics.

   

7. Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson - I've heard so many good things about this book but only recently picked up a copy.  It'll be my first Atkinson.
8. The Lullaby of Polish Girls by Dagmara Dominczyk - This one is a new release, about three friends coming of age after migrating from Poland to America due to political upheaval.  I'm looking forward to it as I've never read anything about Poland really, be it fiction or non-fiction.

  

9. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - I am in a fantasy mood lately.  When I lived with my parents, I read up to book 7 in the Wheel of Time series but then just stopped.  I feel the urge to read it again but it's been so many years I will need to go back to the beginning.  This is going to fill the hole that will be left when I finish Dance with Dragons (hopefully!).
10. Conquistadors by Michael Wood - I've been teaching my year 6's about the Aztecs this term and we spent a week on the discovery of Tenochtitlan by Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors.  Now I want to find out more and this book seems perfect for the task.

So at the moment, these are my reading plans.  It'll be interesting to see how many of them I actually read, as I read on whim and change my mind constantly! I'm anticipating that the announcement of the longlist for the Orange Prize/Women's Prize on Wednesday will change my plans somewhat, as it usually brings all sorts of wonderful books to my attention.

What are your reading plans for this Spring?
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27 comments:

  1. Anbolyn12 March 2013 at 02:46

    A great variety of books here! I'm looking forward to the new Elizabeth Strout novel as I loved Olive Kitteridge and Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Fowler. And I am now also greatly anticpating the Women's Prize longlist!

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 19:51

      I've not read anything by Elizabeth Strout but I have a review copy of Z that I'm looking forward to reading. Lets keep our fingers crossed for awesome books on the longlist!

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  2. Anonymous12 March 2013 at 08:23

    Like most of your books on your list, especially The Scarlet Letter! (It's on my list too)

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  3. Cath12 March 2013 at 11:36

    I too want to read The Last Runaway, it sounds fascinating and I love TC's books, my favourite being Falling Angels.

    I've just put The Rape of the Nile on my Amazon wishlist. I'm into Egypt at the moment (just got Lifting the Veil: Two Centuries of Travellers, Traders and Tourists in Egypt by Anthony Sattin from AM) so am eager to get hold of more books on the country. Thanks for the rec!

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 19:57

      I love Chevalier too, hopefully this book is up to her usual standard.
      Thanks for the rec, Lifting the Veil sounds interesting. I'll have to look it up :)

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  4. Riv12 March 2013 at 12:16

    Every time I go to book shop, I make a quick round to the shelf where all the "Wheel of Time" books sit. Then I pick up "The Eye of the World" and browse it for the n-th time. Wish I could make up my mind :) Luckily, I finished "A Dance With Dragons" earlier this year, so TECHNICALLY I could pick up new fantasy series, but I can't decide, as there are so many that look yummi ("Outlander", one of Robin Hobb's...)

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 20:02

      The WoT books are good - I only stopped reading it originally when Robert Jordan passed away and it looked as though they would never be finished. I'm really excited to pick them up again but it is a big commitment!

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  5. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz12 March 2013 at 14:29

    What a great variety of books!

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  6. JoAnn12 March 2013 at 17:13

    Excellent mix of books on your list! I have an audio copy of #1 that I hope to listen to this spring... hope you like #6 more than I did.

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 20:04

      Did you not like the Scarlet Letter? I've read When she Woke (Hilary Jordan's modern retelling) and that made me want to get to the original.

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  7. Hanna @ Booking in Heels12 March 2013 at 19:06

    Yay! I love this topic! I'm halfway through writing my own list, but I got distracted with stalking everybody else's.

    I have a proof of The Last Runaway too. I've loved every single one of Tracy Chevalier's books, especially Remarkable Creatures so I hope this one is as good. I have to admit that the subject matter doesn't really appeal, but maybe she'll change my mind :)

    Ooh, The Rape of the Nile sounds wonderful! Definitely read and review it so I know whether to buy it or not :) *pokes into action* GO GO GO!

    I read The Scarlet Letter last year, or the year before. I actually really liked it, but I know quite a few people that didn't. Possibly it's one of those books that you have to be 'in the mood' for.

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 20:05

      Ooh, I'll be off to check out your list soon!
      I've liked all Chevalier's books too, although I think Virgin Blue is her weakest. The subject matter is irrelevant with Chevalier, I'll always pick it up.
      Rape of the Nile is on hold, I'm number 1 on the list so I should be reading it very soon :)

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  8. J.L. Neyhart12 March 2013 at 19:54

    I like your list. The Scarlet Letter is a great choice!
    I haven't read it since high school so probably time to go back and re-read it!
    My TTT list is here.

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 20:08

      I've never read it at all, although I have read Hillary Jordan's When She Woke. Hope I like it :)

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  9. Anonymous12 March 2013 at 19:58

    Soon you'll be in the sad Game of Thrones Club. The waiting is painful. Thank goodness for the show right now. Though watching makes me want to reread...Enjoy the book 5 insanity! http://wp.me/pzUn5-1rG

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    1. Sam (Tiny Library)12 March 2013 at 20:09

      I know - there's not even a release date, is there? I tried to delay the inevitable by having a gap between books 3 and 4 but that didn't really work out!

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  10. Anonymous12 March 2013 at 20:11

    You'll love Atkinson! I read three on the Jackson Brodie series but just recently picked up Behind the Scenes too. Maybe we'll read it in the same month!

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  11. Anonymous12 March 2013 at 20:44

    I'm a fan of Tracy Chevalier's books...one of the only contemporary non YA author I enjoy! I hope this one is a good one :)

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  12. LBC12 March 2013 at 23:36

    Since it is my blog's namesake, I am obviously in favor of reading The Scarlet Letter. I hope you enjoy it. I'm interested in the book about Poland as well.

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  13. Ann Summerville13 March 2013 at 01:20

    I like the cover of The Last Runaway. I'd probably pick it up for that alone.
    Ann

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  14. The Relentless Reader13 March 2013 at 01:50

    That might be the only book by See that I haven't read, I'll look forward to hearing what you think of it.

    Ahhh, The Scarlet Letter :) I re-read that one not too long ago. Such a great book :)

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  15. JoV13 March 2013 at 10:32

    I like to read On Gold Mountain too but there are so many great books on your list and with the longlist announced, I think my reading plan is disrupted!

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  16. Anonymous13 March 2013 at 13:33

    I would love to read the Conquistadors as I've always been fascinated by this history of the Aztecs and Hernandez Cortes

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  17. Anonymous13 March 2013 at 17:10

    You've got a great mixture of choices here. While you're looking to finish it in spring I am looking forward to starting George R R Martin's epic A Song of Ice and Fire. Wish me luck! And happy Spring reading :-)

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  18. Athira14 March 2013 at 23:07

    You have a wonderful list here! I haven't heard of some of the books, so I'll have to check those out. I am hoping to read another of Atkinson's books soon - Life After Life.

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