Space Station Mir

Although I am forever catching up on the backlist, I have seen a lot of great books that are going to be released later this year, especially a lot of great sci fi and fantasy. I've also been lucky enough to receive a couple of the books below for review from LibraryThing, so I'll let you know what I think pretty soon.  Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2023 The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord-August 29, 2023 Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer-August 29, 2023 The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa -July 11, 2023 Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft by Fay Abernethy-July 14, 2023 A Gift of Stars by Renée Gendron- Coming Summer 2023

 I love these seasonal TBR lists! Even though I usually don't end up reading all of them, it sets a good mood for the reading season. Plus, I've learned to game it by including books I'm already reading, book club books, and books I already have :-) There are so many exciting books coming out this summer too, and I keep seeing books on other people's lists that I'm adding to my TBR! Case in point, I stole a couple from Jana's list. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Books On My Summer 2023 TBR Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman-This was already on my TBR and happened to be on Jana's too--Gender-bent Cinderella with a Jewish protagonist set in 1830s London--how's that for ticking like 5 of my interests! Roleplaying by Cathy Yardley--Saw this on Jana's list--I love the idea of a book about an older couple that meets online! Horse by Geraldine Brooks--Book club read. Wouldn't have picked this one myself, but I've liked her other books. Last S

It's been a long time since I reviewed a short story. This story, at 15,460 words, is a novelette, whatever that means. I don't often read short stories that aren't on Tor.com or part of the occasional collection. This one, as most shorter fiction that I like, is speculative fiction. It tells a fairy-tale-like story with an intrusive narrative voice I love, reminiscent in tone and theme of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas  and in content, like something out of My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me , although this one isn't tied to a specific fairy-tale (that I know of), though perhaps it contains notes of Chicken Little, if Chicken Little were wise. In any case, go read it now . All authors leave a swath of destruction. We maim and move on. The privilege of the happy ending is accorded to few.

 I'm doing last week's TTT topic since I missed it. Also, although I of course love books and have an ever-expanding TBR list, I'm actually trying to get rid of books to open up more space in my home and hold less literal baggage in my life. Actually, I should probably post books I am looking to let go of because I would like to give them to new homes that want them. That would be my actual wish list! Anyway, on to summer books and Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books or Covers that Feel Like Summer Caribbean Competitors by Poppy Minnix-I got this for review *checks notes* in November 😯but it looks like more of a summer book, so hopefully I'll finally get to it! The Villa by Rachel Hawkins-Sultry, sordid summer secrets. Summer at the Garden Cafe´ by Felicity Hayes-McCoy--haven't read this one yet, but loved the first book! Happy Place by Emily Henry--I enjoyed Book People , and this one has a very summery cover. That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrisey--Adult summer camp! H

  Books Read This Month The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris (April book club read)--Well-written, intriguing, with a surprisingly hopeful ending (and finally, finally historical fiction set after the Civil War--so glad to get away from WWII and mid-war in general).  L.A. Weather by María Amparo Escandón (May book club read)--Terrifying depiction of current climate change in L.A. (as of 2016), and a calendar year in the life of a telenovela-esque family drama. The weather-related secret is the best though. Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham--I read Graham's last book, Talking as Fast as I Can,  since I'm a Gilmore Girls fan, and her writing style is entertaining and breezy. This is a collection of essays about her life in showbiz, ranging from the present to different past eras; a quick, easy enjoyable read.  The Cloisters by Katy Hays--Modern Gothic novel set at one of my favorite museums, the Cloisters. This was absolutely every atmospheric, twisty, intricate R