Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that asks bloggers to create Top Ten lists on a variety of bookish topics. I love/hate making this particular list each year (click here for last year’s list). On one hand, I love seeing which books from the previous year still hold my interest and it forces me to clean up my TBR list a bit. On the other hand, I get panicky about all the previous year’s releases I missed and wonder if I’ll ever get to them. I’ve read a measly one book from my 2014 Releases I Missed list to date.
A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
I first heard about this short story collection on an episode of the Literary Disco podcast and seeing it pop up on tons of “Best of 2016” lists sealed the deal.
Hammer Head by Nina McLaughlin
Another podcast pick (I think it was Book Riot this time)…and I can identify with McLaughlin’s struggle with wanting to change careers.
Negroland by Margo Jefferson
Shannon at River City Reading included this memoir on her Best Nonfiction of 2015 list.
The First Bad Man by Miranda July
Julianne at Outlandish Lit’s review (and the amazing quotes she shared) made me want to read this debut novel.
The Lake House by Kate Morton
I’m keeping this one in my back pocket for when I need a fast-moving, dysfunctional family page turner.
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck by Sarah Knight
The title of this spoof on Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up makes me laugh (and feel better for not asking myself if every item in my house sparks joy).
The Marauders by Tom Cooper
A blogger review of this post-BP oil spill Gulf Coast novel got me interested back in February when it first came out…then an appearance on a “Best of 2015” list (I have no idea which one…or which blogger wrote the aforementioned review…need to eat more blueberries!) re-ignited my interest.
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton
Ann at Books on the Table described this novel as “Harper Lee meets Pat Conroy”. Say no more…it’s tippy top on my list of backlist books to get to.
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Catherine at Gilmore Guide to Books included this novel about a Communist spy on her Best Debuts of 2015 list, which reminded me that I’d added it to my TBR list awhile back and then promptly forgot about it.
The Wonder Garden by Laura Acampora
Tara at Running N Reading loved this debut collection of linked short stories about the dark side of suburbia.
Tuesday Intro
Every Tuesday, fellow blogger Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where bloggers share the first paragraph of the book they are currently reading or thinking about reading soon.
I’m almost halfway through this debut coming of age novel and adore it so far!
Plot Summary from Amazon (adapted for length)
Welcome to Spencerville, Virginia, 1977. Eight-year-old Rocky worships his older brother, Paul. Paul is happy to have his younger brother as his sidekick. Then one day, in an act of vengeance against their father, Paul picks up Rocky from school and nearly abandons him in the woods. Afterward, Paul disappears.
Here’s the first paragraph (from an uncorrected proof):
Paul was my half brother. But I never called him that. This was partially out of loyalty – for I remained devoted to him, despite everything – but mostly because it didn’t seem quite enough, having only half of one brother. So I never thought of him that way.
Would you keep reading?
Thanks for sharing your list. I’ve been curious about The Lake House. Only Love Can Break Your Heart sounds good. I hope you enjoy it.
How did I miss hearing about Negroland? It sounds like a book I’d love.
The title of your current read has the Neil Young playing on a loop in my head, lol.
Ha – that’s where the title was taken from, but I don’t remember that song! Need to listen to it online.
I read a very good review about The Sympathizer last year. The Lake House may be another good one since Kate Morton seems to write stories that become book club selections.
I would continue reading Only Love Can Break Your Heart; its beginning sounds promising.
I’m now finished with Break Your Heart and I really loved it! Reminded me of My Sunshine Away a bit.
Thanks so much for the shout-out; I loved The Wonder Garden so much that I’d really like to read it again. I’ve got a couple of short story collections to read, so I’m hopeful I’ll have good luck again. A Manual for Cleaning Women is definitely on my list!!
Oooh – that’s high praise! Looks like I’ll need to get to it!
Secret Wisdom of the Earth was one of my favorite books from 2015 and likely for a long time to come.
I love that opening and hope to get to this one soon.
I’ve heard that from a couple other bloggers as well – how did I miss it?! I’m definitely planning to get to it this year.
The intro of your current read has my attention… I wish I could read more. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on that one.
LOVED it (finished it yesterday) – definitely give it a shot…I’m hoping it’ll get some more attention!
I recently finished A Manual for Cleaning Women and unlike other short story collections I’ve read, this one I couldn’t stop reading. Partly some of the stories are very short, partly because they are very autobiographical, but mostly because of Lucia Berlin’s fascinating way of writing!
So glad to hear that as short story collections are usually tough for me too!
The Sympathizer *almost* made my list today as well… and it’s definitely one I’m hoping to get to soon. I have a hunch it’ll be in the Tournament of Books this year, so that will be all the incentive I need!
I like your teaser and have not heard about this book. Will seek out more info. And, yes, I have The Lake House and want to read it this year. At some point.
I almost included the Sympathizer too. Why are there just SO many books! I need to read Negroland as well. I hope you get to the Lake House – I loved it.
I know, right?! Too many damn books!
Hammerhead and Negroland are definitely on my list of books to read. And I’m glad to read that I am not the only one who is NOT wondering about how much joy the items in my house are spreading.
Haha – cheers to you for not talking to your socks either!!
I have A Manual for Cleaning Women on my giant tbr list as well, but it didn’t make my Top Ten Tuesday list. I hope we both enjoy it!
A Manual for Cleaning Women is near the top of my TBR list. I also have The First Bad Man in a stack to read. Had not heard of The Wonder Garden- dark side of suburbia- yes, please. I wonder if it is anything like American Housewife: Stories, which I hope will be in my mailbox today. Love the cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart!
If you’re interested in Wonder Garden, check out Tara at Running N Reading’s review….she loved it! And Break Your Heart was fantastic – finished it yesterday!
YES – that spoof sounds right up my alley. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has to resist the urge to laugh at the thought of going through my utensil drawer and asking myself, “does this spatula truly spark joy?”
Ha – yep – pretty much!
The title for Sarah Knight’s book made me laugh out loud. I may have to look for that one. Some days that is my attitude too. 🙂 You’ve got a great list of books–which I know is not what you need to hear since you’ve yet to read them. I know the feeling though. Maybe we’ll get to them this year after all. We can hope. I have heard good things about Only Love Can Break Your Heart so far. I hope you are enjoying it, Sarah. I do like the intro you shared. Now I’m wondering more about Paul.
I hope you have a great week!
Finished Break Your Heart yesterday…and it was fantastic. Excellent Southern coming of age story with great writing!
That song is now playing in my head…LOL. I do like the sound of the book and I’m definitely curious.
Here’s mine: “MISSING PIECES”
Thanks for the mention! It’s always hard to go back in time and read backlist books, isn’t it? But often so very worth it!
It’s definitely been worth it for me…of my 10 backlist reads in 2015, half were either 4.5 or 5 stars for me! Need to focus on this high percentage reading more!
Looks like we both missed many of the same 2015 books. And now 2016 is starting out with such a bang. I absolutely want to read Only Love Can Break a Heart!
Def read Break Your Heart – finished it yesterday and it’s fantastic! I hope it’ll get some more attention!
I wish this list forced me to clean up my TBR — instead, I find myself adding books from other people’s lists to my to-read! Yikes! Obviously everyone has different reading tastes, but I would read “The Lake House” (not Morton’s best, but still a good book) and skip
“The Marauders.” I checked out your list from last year and I say you should most definitely read “I’ll Give You the Sun.” I’m not a huge YA fan, but it was shockingly good and made it on my best-of-the-year list for 2015. “Goodnight June” was just ok, you’re not missing much there.
Thanks for the advice! I have to admit Marauders was probably lower down that top 10 list compared to some of the others. And – still haven’t read I’ll Give You the Sun, but would like to!
I like the sound of Only Love Can Break Your Heart – that opener is a good one! I do hope you get around to reading The Lake House, I thoroughly enjoyed it
I missed all of these except Life Changing Magic. Ugh. One day!
Ha – glad I have a partner in crime them! So which did you like better – Tidying Up or Not Giving a F*ck?!
You know, I never did read Tidying Up. I didn’t feel tooooo compelled to because my mom made me do the yearly cleaning out things we need or maybe not (should’ve hyphenated that) more than once per year growing up, so it’s kind of stuck with me. Do you think it’s one I’d still appreciate or would add to my obsessive need to clean out?
Just reading the blurb of Only Love Can Break Your Heart made me want to check this book out. The opening clinched it. I love the voice of the narrator. I’m off to find it.
I really love your list. And thank you for sharing the first paragraph of the first chapter of the book you are currently reading. I’ve post my own Top Ten list on my blog.
The First Bad Man has been on my list since its release, but I don’t know where in the ole reading queue it will fall. You should definitely read The Secret Wisdom of the Earth; it’s a modern classic to be sure!
Oh, keep reading Tarkington. I’m really eager for my library to get the order for that one in. Of course, then I have to wait weeks for my number to come up in the holds queue – that’s my new mantra, by the way – forever waiting in the library holds queue. haha
Love the intro – I’d read more and I’m very curious about The Wonder Garden as well.
I should have included A Manual for Cleaning Women on my list too! It sounds amazing.
I’d like to get to The Lake House sometime in the not too distant future. I can never put down Kate Morton’s books once I get started on them.
The Lake House is a great choice for fun mystery reading. It gets a bit over the top, but Morton almost always manages to surprise me with her twists and she creates worlds so vividly.
I would keep reading for two reasons: the most important is that you say you’re adoring it so that’s a good sign for me and the other is the phrase in the excerpt ‘despite everything’- pulls you in.
The Sarah Knight spoof sounds hilarious and just about perfect. I really need to get to that one.
I am SUCH a bad Kate Morton fan for not reading her latest! I usually read her when they first come out but somehow this one got pushed to the side.
I just picked up Negroland from the library, I think because of Shannon’s post too. I’m hoping to get to it this weekend!
A. Manual. For. Cleaning. Women. A MANUAL FOR CLEANING WOMEN. DO IT. Then you can read The First Bad Man to get you out of your inevitable book hangover!!
But yeah I meant to read Negroland and The Sympathizer too. Oops.
Yeah I missed these books as well. I’d like to read Negroland and the Scotton book. But the Sympathizer looks good too.