Towering TBR

This new segment on the blog came about because my desire to read new books vastly outstrips my ability to dwindle down my TBR list...oh, to have more free time!  Anyways, these are some new additions to the good ol' TBR:

Rootless by Chris Howard...a blogger somewhere recommended this and based on their description of the book I new I had to add it to the TBR.

The River King by Alice Hoffman...I've read her before and want to see what else she has in her repertoire!

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer...this one made the list thanks to positive hype.

A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes...the premise of quirky history-themed short stories engaged me enough to add it to the pile.

Paris by Edward Rutherfurd...if I ever travel to Paris I am definitely reading this before or during my trip!

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Sequels Ever

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top Ten Best Sequels Ever.

1. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss...this sequel I actually liked better than the first novel in the series which never seems to happen - but Rothfuss just keeps getting better!

2. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley...love McKinley's strong female protagonists and this story was one of my faves growing up.

3. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis...I didn't even realize this was the 2nd book in a series because it stands alone so well.

4.  The Crowded Shadows by Celine Kiernan...I really loved this lesser-known YA fantasy trilogy and the second installment had me glued to my couch flipping pages like mad.

5. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness...if you're a regular reader of my blog then you know that I absolutely LOVE this trilogy!

6. The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart...who doesn't love the Arthurian legend?  This series knocks my socks off!

7. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman...one of the best YA trilogies out there (IMHO) and the second book is amazing.

8. The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig...such a fun series filled with intrigue and romance!

9. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander...one of my fave authors as a kid, this second book in the Chronicles of Prydain is fantastic.

10. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson...this thriller trilogy had me staying up well into the wee hours of the morning!

Aaaand I'm Back! No Really, I Am.

So, the dust has settled from these crazy last few months and...what was I thinking that I could fit blogging into my schedule??  I wish that I was that organized but it was just NOT happening :)

On the Ponte Vecchio with the hubs

What has happened in the time I've been away? Welp, I took a fabulous trip to Rome, Venice, Florence, and London.  I also moved to new city (helloo Indianapolis!) the day before I left for Europe - talk about stressful!  Since then, I have been busy with smaller weekend trips and getting settled into our new house.

Of course, throughout this time I've managed to fit some reading into my schedule.  The reviews for these books should be coming shortly:

As you can see from my previous post, I really wanted to read some historical fiction set in the European locales I'd be visiting.  Unfortunately, I always start packing my books early (it's a lengthy process in our house) and I had already sealed away the few books I owned that would fit my reading wants.  I definitely want to check out some of the books that y'all recommended.  Oh, and when I was in Florence EVERYONE was talking about the newest Dan Brown book as it apparently is set in Florence.  So I may have to check out that sucker too!  Be on the lookout for some new reviews, TTTs, and Towering TBR posts!