#books on my tbr

[torpublishinggroup]

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune is a queer sci-fi novel about found family, government conspiracies, comets, and bacon.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything. He returns to his family’s cabin to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It's not. Inside is a man named Alex, who is more attractive (and dangerous) than he has any right to be. And with him is a mysterious ten-year-old girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past or fight for a future he never thought possible.

[freshpickle]

I'm just a girl trying to get through all the books she wants to read

[televinita]

Ten Random Books From My Physical TBR: Round 3

a.k.a. "a random number generator picks unread titles from my book catalog and I explain why I haven't read them"

(I just felt like playing again and saw this half-done in my drafts. still no cover images)

International Velvet - Bryan Forbes

Well, I have to read National Velvet first, don't I? (also I have just at this moment confirmed for the first time that this is a novelization of the movie, and was never actually a proper book sequel. Still wanna wait though since I assume it draws something from the original)

2. Forever Free: Elsa's Pride - Joy Adamson

For one thing, I've only read the first book in this trilogy of nonfiction about rewilding a lioness, and I probably need to reread that before I continue even to the second (and this is the third). Still, good stuff.

3. A Tale of Two Besties - Sophia Rossi

A young-end-of-YA novel about two incoming freshmen, 100% being saved for precisely when I want a bright, light-hearted story about high school freshmen. I've been in that mood before and it's harder than you'd think to find books that match. Publishers are mostly allergic to characters over 13 but under 16.

4. Moonrunner - Mark Thomasan

At this point I'm actually scared to read this Australian boy-plus-wild-horse book. I've owned its beautiful pristine self since 2010 or 2012, and it's been on my bookshelf in the original horse-book shelf all that time; my shelf will look wrong if I ever take it off but...what if I don't like it?? I mean, I'm sure I will...but what IF.

5. The Law of Loving Others - Kate Axelrod

I'm honestly not sure why I haven't read this yet; every time I pass it I'm like, oh yeah, that looks like a super-solid YA read, better than most of what I could find at the library these days...

6. Unwanted Girl - MK Schiller

Oh, this is a '23 acquisition and immediate albatross around my neck 'cause like, it's not going to be great, it's self-published, but because it's self-published I will never be able to read it again without buying it (for more than the $1 I already spent), and I am just intrigued enough by the way this summary pinged my brain with "solitary/reclusive writer-dude falls for his delivery girl, is drawn to help her when he learns she also wants to write a novel" (also there appears to be a bit of age difference, my immediate weakness). But it's gotta be cast properly, or the characters won't outweigh the writing. And so, we wait.

7. Elephant Bill - J.H. Williams

I read Bandoola in a college, which is a sequel to this; I'd like someday to read the original.

8. Sit! Stay! Speak! - Annie England Noblin

Woman inherits a house (and adopts a puppy), sold.

9. A Bird in the Hand and a Bear in the Bush - Judy Hughes

A 70s memoir of one of the earlier wildlife rescues, if I recall correctly.

10. Kessa - Steven Levenkron

Sequel to The Best Little Girl in the World, which I was obsessed with in my brief looking-for-(th)inspo days. I didn't know the sequel existed until I saw it a couple of years ago. I've lost most of my enchantment with the original and this looks meh, but curiosity compels.

[milliexxreads]

[jenijro]

My dumbass be like “oh give me more podcast recommendations” knowing damn well I have at least 500 other podcasts to listen to

[bookishfreedom]

it’s beginning to look a lot like bookmas 🎄⭐️

[unoccasionallyshiki]

My mum when she sees my latest impulse purchase.

[liriostigre]

those posts and memes and videos of people saying they buy and buy books but they never read them (you know those that are like "me buying a new book: 😃, the 50 unread on my shelf looking at me: 👁️👁️. or those 100+ physical tbr booktube videos. or some bullshit like that) piss me off so much because i WISH i could afford books—the books i want to read! i read everything on my phone and all of them illegally downloaded. and no, i can't borrow books from the public library because i live at the end of the world in a small forgotten town with no local public library. i'm messing up my sight with so much screen time because i love reading while those consumerist fools can't even fathom what it's like to value things!

[torpublishinggroup]

"Interstellar Guide to the Planet Earth" by TJ Klune

By the end of this guide, you will have been given the tools in order to safely and carefully visit Earth. If you should have further questions, please see Glorbak the Destroyer of Worlds, who will be happy to answer any inquiries you may have.

Remember: Exploration is the key to survival!

1.   You meant to travel to the HUMAN LAND OF DEARBORNE MICHIGAN, but because of the bending of space and time, you accidentally ended up in the dark place known as TALLAHASEE FLORIDA. Do not fret! Though Florida is considered an area where dreams go to die (also see THE HUMAN LAND OF TEXAS), there are many wonderful things to discover, such as bugs, humidity, reptiles and HUMANS called JESSICA who chew loudly while running a business called a NAIL SALON. This is used to sharpen the talons of humans, and to paint them different colors. Though not much is known about this tradition, it is thought that it grants powers to the HUMANS who visit this establishment.

2.   Oh no! While exploring the HUMAN LAND OF NORTH YORKSHIRE ENGLAND, you happen to see a GREY disguised as a chimney sweep. As you are well aware, GREYS are an odious species whose entire way of life is built around anal probing. Though we have a treaty with the GREYS, it is important to remember that anal probing does not provide any scientific and/or medical knowledge. Given that the GREYS have the technology to do non-invasive full body scans, it’s unknown why they continue to proceed through the back entrance. If you come across a GREY preparing to do just that, please remind them that it is against RULE 5#$7^45J to proceed with anal probing without the expressed permission of the one being probed. Consent is important no matter what part of the universe you are in!

"Interstellar Guide to the Planet Earth" by TJ Klune

3.   HUMAN HOLES. Though it may seem disgusting to an elevated species, HUMANS evolved to have multiple holes in their bodies. Do not be scared! These are imperative to their survival. We have already discussed one hole (the anus), but did you know that humans have several more? The most diabolical is the hole in the top parts of their bodies, otherwise known as a MOUTH. Inside the MOUTH is a wet piece of muscle surrounded by shards of bone that pierce through the flesh. This is, as far as we can tell, a “feeding hole”, the bones used to break up sustenance, and the muscle inside swirls it around. In addition, there are glands in the MOUTH HOLE that create lubrication. It is unknown if this lubricant is poisonous. If you should see a HUMAN leaking lubricant from its MOUTH HOLE, it is either a) hungry or b) getting ready to attack. One line of thought is that the lubrication allows HUMANS to breathe fire, though no evidence of this has been noted.

4.   Most HUMANS have communication devices they carry around with them at all times. Interestingly, these devices seem to have an unintended consequence: not one of them could survive without it. If, on the off chance, you find yourself surrounded by a mob of HUMANS CARRYING TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS, tell them you are going to take their communication devices away. Most likely, they will crumble and dissolve into LEAKING LUBRICANT FROM THEIR EYE HOLES, begging you not to do what you said. Some have suggested that the HUMAN’S life forces are tethered to these devices, and if they are taken away, there is a chance the HUMANS will turn feral.

5.   And finally, the most important: DO NOT ASK HUMANS WHO THEY VOTED FOR. On Earth, people “choose” their leaders on a special day filled with love and celebration and good feelings. However, the HUMANS elected are oft considered “really bad at their job” and “unable to speak in coherent sentences.” In a fascinating turn of events, the HUMANS appear to be rare creatures who are somewhat advanced, but also continually make terrible decisions just because they’re mad about certain things that have no basis in reality. If you do make the mistake of asking a HUMAN who they voted for, chances are you will be stuck in a conversation that will last as long as the life of a star. The only way to get out of said conversation is to announce you voted for the other leader running in the election. This will most likely incense the speaker to say things like, “DAMN YOU, YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT YOURSELF” before leaving. Congratulations, you survived an encounter!

[televinita]

Ten Random Books From My Physical TBR: Round 2

1. A Hundred Pieces of Me - Lucy Dillon (2014)

Once upon a time I read Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts and it knocked my socks off; adult fiction could be full of animals and be good?? Then I read Walking Back to Happiness and it wasn’t quite as good, but I’d already decided to read all of her books. That was in 2014. But the plot of this sounds more inherently interesting, so I do fully intend to continue when I want a dose of comforting British women’s fiction full of dogs and no gross scenes.

2. The Blue Roan - Adelaide Leitch (1971)

A horse story I bought when my beloved antiquarian bookstore closed down. I know nothing about it. But there’s also a less than 5% chance I won’t like it. (it’s possible for old horse books to be bad GOLDEN MARE, but very hard to be worse than 3 stars, if that)

3. Dear Bill, Remember Me? - Norma Fox Mazer (1976)

This author is hit-or-miss but I’ve read a lot of her work. Why not short stories. (answer: because 70s teen lit is low on my priority list if not animal-centric, though I know at some point I will want a hit of exactly that in the same way I enjoyed Sixteen for 80s fic, and this book will serve me well. Plus it’s one of those pocket-size paperbacks.

4. The Sorrel Horse - Ruth Nolton Moore (1982)

Yet another vintage horse book I know nothing about. :) At least this one is a fairly slender paperback. One day I will pare this collection down a bit and I doubt this one will be a keeper, but until then...

5. Canyon Winter - Walt Morey (1972)

Morey is one of those animals-and-wilderness authors I really loved in middle/high school so I just sort of made it a habit to collect his books as I saw them. This is a particularly nice ex-library one.

6. In Another Light - A.J. Banner (2021)

This is from the Once Upon a Book Club box I scored at the library sale last year. Saving it for when I’m ready to open all the little gifts along the way, an experience I’m so looking forward to that I keep Saving it for the exactly perfect time (check back in 2027).

7. Wild Traveler - A.M. Lightner (1967)

“ family that vacations out West and finds a coyote pup” sold. This is a very tiny book so it is again part of the “vintage wildlife/pocket-sized” collection.

8. The Golden Mean - Nick Bantock (1993)

Is it not enough to simply own the (near) complete collection of beautiful Griffin & Sabine books and maybe take out the removable postcards and letters from time to time to admire them? Must I actually read all the words? 

9. Yukon Mystery - Joseph H. Gage (1965 copy of a ... 50s? story)

Yet another pocket-sized kids/teen western adventure with a dog. These are REALLY satisfying when I want exactly that. That said, this one’s cover is all scribbled over in pen so unless it’s 5 stars I’m planning to let it go once I read it. Which I haven’t done yet because I don’t want to ~waste~ the adventure.

10. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Ohhh, I know this is an ugly-as-sin paperback from the 80s that I saved during one of my mom's purges of her own collection because I thought I might want to read it someday. which I still might. But I will get it from the library, and then if I love it it I'll buy a pretty edition someday. When I find this particular eyesore it is leaving!

I don’t actually have a third round of this post on deck at the moment, so maybe you’ll be spared (maybe)

[yuneu]

got tagged by @onlyhoax to share 6 books i want to read in 2025 :)

tagging @taylorrswift @schrodingersgirlboss @cinnamon-notes @iftye @parisbytaylorswift @saoirseronansgf 💙

[apaleflame]

the most life saving firefox extension for me (aside from ublock origin) is definitely library extension, if you're browsing goodreads the extension will show you this on the corner of the page:

showing you whether or not the book you want is available at your library, in either it's physical or electronic collection!

[riverofthought]

[bookishfreedom]

do you also buy yourself books as a reward for doing hard things, or are you normal?

[a-ramblinrose]

JOMP BPC || January 18 || Classic: The classics nook on my TBR shelves is full!

[samglyph]

would love a list of your horror novels with women leads recs 👀

Yippee let me go find things so I can add a fun cover picture. These are all books that I’ve read in the last year! Definitely not an exhaustive list

*two of these technically aren’t horror books but I’m including them because I think they’re horror adjacent enough that if you like lighter horror, you’ll enjoy em.

A House With Good Bones by T Kingfisher: I just finished this! It was good! Not too scary imo, but great exploration of generational trauma, and a majority female cast. Also good if you are a bug enjoyer.

Family Business by Jonathan Sims: hey look it’s that guy that did that horror podcast that everyone likes. Family business is fun because Jonny really excels at “lulling you into a false sense of security” and also building a believable cast of characters. I think I’ve seen fewer people talk about this one compared to thirteen storeys, and I know that’s partially cause it just came out in paperback (in the US) but please! It’s good!

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones: this one is for certified weird girls. Jade’s special interest is slashers. She is now in a slasher. I love her so much. Part of a trilogy that I will conquer eventually.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw: (I talked about this one when I was reccing some queer books but I will repeat myself cause it’s good) I support women’s wrongs (eating people) and women’s rights (having situationships with agender plague doctors). Also this one is really short so if you don’t want to commit to a long read like chainsaw Id say try this one out. Very poetic.

Next two aren’t sorted into horror but honorable mentions:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: mushroom horror, good female lead, and a supporting wet cat of a man. I know some of you are going to devour this book so what are you even waiting for. Also I think the author has a new book out that’s actually sorted into horror but I haven’t read yet called Silver Nitrate. Frankly I think Mexican gothic should be counted as horror but I think it squeaks by on some technicalities. I love the descriptions in this book.

The Near Witch by VE Schwab: good folk horror, good quick read, I’m going to be honest I didn’t like the romance and I thought the lead should’ve been aromantic but otherwise pretty good book.