TTT: Top Ten on My Summer TBR

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR list

1.  The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman...highly rated and sounds like a great book club pick!

2.  The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld...blurb claims that "it combines the empathy and lyricism of Alice Sebold with the dark, imaginative power of Stephen King."

3.  Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse...this is one of those "I can't believe I haven't read this yet!" books.

4.  Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl...I really enjoyed Night Film so I can't wait to read Pessl again!

5.  The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson...I've been meaning to read this for years!!

6.  The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli...I've heard nothing but good things and it is just sitting on my shelf begging for me to crack it open!

7.  The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer...This has been on several TBRs that I've published on the blog.  It will happen.  I will read this book g'dernit!

8.  The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline...I love novels that bounce back and forth between a historical and modern day setting.  This book sounds like another good book club pick!

9.  Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin...sounds like a fun beach read - magical realism/historical fiction/fantasy/romance - whoa!

10.  Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts...because my mother recommended it and we have pretty much the same taste in books :)

Towering TBR: Biographies, WWII books, and other fiction

Image: Parada Creations

This 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 that are all over the place!

The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff...it's time I read a new graphic novel!

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr...a story during WWII that has received rave reviews (I can't seem to escape these WWII books)!

Gemini by Carol Cassella...a doctor who has a Jane Doe patient in a coma tries to uncover Jane's past.

The Scarlet Sisters by Myra MacPherson...I love reading histories of scandalous women!

Noggin by John Corey Whaley...the premise sounds way out there but I'm intrigued.  Especially since there was such an uproar about A.J. Jacobs' review.

The Bielski Brothers by Peter Duffy...someone was describing this book (can't remember if it was IRL or not) and this true story just really intrigued me.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts...my mother is insistent that I will love this book.  Mothers are always right so of course it lands at the tippy top of my 1,000+ TBR list.

Monday Miscellany: Dream spaces

I want this living area!!

Contemporary Living Room by Melbourne Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers C.O.S Design

Contemporary Deck by Melbourne Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers C.O.S Design

Contemporary Pool by Melbourne Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers C.O.S Design

Contemporary Deck by Melbourne Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers C.O.S Design

Other

TTT: Artworthy Covers

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top Ten Covers You'd Frame as Artwork.

1.  Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

2.  The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle

3.  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

4.  The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

5.  Duplex by Kathryn Davis

6.  Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

7.  Eli the Good by Silas House

8.  Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai

9.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs...creepy but cool!

10.  I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Monday Miscellany: Yard updates

Hey folks!  The Monday Miscellany segment on the blog is where I take off my reader glasses and share some non-bookish musings.  This week I want to talk about the improvements that we've made so far this spring!

Remember this??

Front yard:

• As you can see we've really purtified our mailbox!  Now I just need to add some sweet potato leaf and flowers in the mailbox planter.
• We re-did all of the plant beds.  They are now filled with hostas, heuchera, hydrangea, and a sprinkling of other ornamental plants and shrubs.  Also, my hubby spread all of the mulch himself this weekend - what a feat!
• Killed the dandelions and re-seeded the lawn...I think our neighbors will be thankful not to look at our horrendous lawn anymore!
• We removed the giant smoke bush that blocked our living room window...I was hoping to save this and re-plant it elsewhere but we weren't able to :(
• Next up, paint that door red!

Anyone else spring cleaning or spring landscaping?

In Honor of National Poetry Month: A Bookish Poetry Excerpt

TTT: Top Bookish Things I'd Like to Own

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, this week's topic: Top Ten Bookish Things I'd Like to Own (besides books).
1.  Literary tights - so cute!

2.  Bathtub book caddy

 

3.  Book-shaped pillows, perfect for my future reading nook!

4.  Jane Austen temporary tattoos - how fun!!

5.  Cute mini bookshelf necklace

 

6.  Alice in Wonderland Scarf (I actually already own this thanks to a wonderful friend who bought this for me as a Christmas present)!

7.  Literary Lites...I have some of these in blue for our bathroom but I want more!

8.  Holden Caulfield Thinks You're a Phony t-shirt!

9.  These Harry Potter rings would make adorable presents!