Hi and welcome to the reading world!
Today is another Top Ten Tuesday post, which is as always hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is a freebie, and for the past freebie weeks I’ve participated in I typically make and share my own tags! This week’s edition is a winter themed freebie I’m calling the Snowflakes and Stories Tag.
You can check out my Making Waves Book Tag in 2021 and 2022, Books with the Holidays Tag and my Bookish Romantics Tag to see those. Let’s get into the tag!
Ice Blue: blue on cover
“Elegant and gritty, angry and funny. Staples’s work is emotional without being sentimental. Dennis unmakes something in us, then remakes it, a quilt of characters that embody this town, this place, which sleeps but doesn’t dream, or it is all a dream we want to wake up from with its characters.” —Tommy Orange, author of There, There On an Ojibwe reservation called Languille Lake, within the small town of Geshig at the hub of the rez, two men enter into a secret romance. Marion Lafournier, a midtwenties gay Ojibwe man, begins a relationship with his former classmate Shannon, a heavily closeted white man. While Marion is far more open about his sexuality, neither is immune to the realities of the lives of gay men in small towns and closed societies. Then one night, while roaming the dark streets of Geshig, Marion unknowingly brings to life the spirit of a dog from beneath the elementary school playground. The mysterious revenant leads him to the grave of Kayden Kelliher, an Ojibwe basketball star who was murdered at the age of seventeen and whose presence still lingers in the memories of the townsfolk. While investigating the fallen hero’s death, Marion discovers family connections and an old Ojibwe legend that may be the secret to unraveling the mystery he has found himself in. Set on a reservation in far northern Minnesota, This Town Sleeps explores the many ways history, culture, landscape, and lineage shape our lives, our understanding of the world we inhabit, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of it all.
This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples
Published by Catapult on March 3, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Indigenous, Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay, Fiction / Magical Realism
Pages: 224
Snowstorm: isolated winter setting
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife. Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts--paper, cotton, pottery, tin--and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after. Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget. Rock Paper Scissors is the next exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Published by Flatiron Books on July 25, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Family Life / Marriage & Divorce, Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic, Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological
Pages: 384
“Feeney lives up to her reputation as the “queen of the twist”...This page-turner will keep you guessing.” —Real Simple
Think you know the person you married? Think again...
Cozy Night In: cozy read
An Instant New York Times Bestseller The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes. *This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'* After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is. If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone. But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed. “Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. Legends & Lattes is a low-stakes fantasy that delivers exactly what's advertised: a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read.”—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Published by Tor Publishing Group on June 7, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Gaslamp, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Pages: 288
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2022
A Library Reads Pick
An Indie Next Pick
A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee
Hat and Mittens: a trilogy you recommend
Katherine Arden’s bestselling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice. Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil. Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales. Praise for The Bear and the Nightingale “Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.”—The Washington Post “Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Stunning . . . will enchant readers from the first page. . . . with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Utterly bewitching . . . a lush narrative . . . an immersive, earthy story of folk magic, faith, and hubris, peopled with vivid, dynamic characters, particularly clever, brave Vasya, who outsmarts men and demons alike to save her family.”—Booklist (starred review) “An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale . . . The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully layered novel of family and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.”—Robin Hobb
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Published by Random House Worlds on January 10, 2017
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Literary, Fiction / Magical Realism
Pages: 336
“A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of Uprooted
Ice Skating Rink: a story featuring a large cast of characters
Dear Reader, Enclosed are documents relating to the events surrounding the Fairway Players' staging of All My Sons, and the tragic death of one of its members. Another member is currently in prison for the crime. We have reason to suspect that they are innocent, and that there were far darker secrets that have yet to be revealed. We believe that the killer has given themselves away. It's there in writing, hidden in the emails, texts, and letters. Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth?
The Appeal by Janice Hallett
Published by Viper on December 31, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Epistolary
Pages: 464
Sledding: a fast paced read
Five killers on a bullet train from Tokyo are competing for a suitcase full of money. Who will make it to the last station? An original and propulsive thriller from a massive Japanese bestseller. *SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING BRAD PITT AND SANDRA BULLOCK* Satoshi looks like an innocent schoolboy but he is really a viciously cunning psychopath. Kimura's young son is in a coma thanks to him, and Kimura has tracked him onto the bullet train heading from Tokyo to Morioka to exact his revenge. But Kimura soon discovers that they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard. Nanao, the self-proclaimed 'unluckiest assassin in the world', and the deadly partnership of Tangerine and Lemon are also travelling to Morioka. A suitcase full of money leads others to show their hands. Why are they all on the same train, and who will get off alive at the last station? A huge bestseller in Japan, Bullet Train is an original and propulsive thriller which fizzes with an incredible energy as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwinds to the last station. 'Entertaining...high-speed...with lots of twists and turns...it has a Tarantino-meets-the-Coen-Brothers feel to it' The Times Readers can't stop reading Bullet Train! 'Original, quirky and highly entertaining' 'A dark-humoured, twisty thriller that's a lot of fun' 'One of the most addictive thrillers I've ever read... smart and cinematic' 'What an original novel! Exciting from beginning to end' 'A whole lot of darkly comic fun' 'A thrilling ride' *FILMING HAS JUST WRAPPED ON THE MOVIE STARRING BRAD PITT AND SANDRA BULLOCK, FROM THE DIRECTOR OF DEADPOOL 2 AND ATOMIC BLONDE* Bullet Train was originally published in Japan with the title Maria Beetle.
Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka
Published by Penguin Random House on April 1, 2021
Pages: 432
Polar Bear: White on the cover or animal on the cover
Soon to be a major Netflix original series! Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Published by Orbit on May 1, 2008
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Collections & Anthologies, Fiction / Fantasy / Dragons & Mythical Creatures, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
Pages: 384
Geralt the Witcher -- revered and hated -- holds the line against the monsters plaguing humanity in this collection of adventures in the NYT bestselling series that inspired the blockbuster video games.
Geralt is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.
But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good...and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
Andrzej Sapkowski, winner of the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement award, started an international phenomenon with his Witcher series. The Last Wish short story collection is the perfect introduction to this one of a kind fantasy world.
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the LakeSeason of Storms
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Cup of Hot Chocolate: Cover matches your favorite mug, mine is green with flowers!
From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic. They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him. But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published by Tor Publishing Group on April 27, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Pages: 352
Movie Night: A book that’s been adapted or you think should be adapted
A lush, sweeping queer historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Husband Material—perfect for fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton, Evie Dunmore, and Lisa Kleypas! Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become. As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
Published by Grand Central Publishing on May 24, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Transgender, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ+ / Transgender
Pages: 384
When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.
Curled Up by the Fire: A romance
In Alisha Rai’s second novel in her Modern Love series, a reclusive investor goes viral, shoving her into the world's spotlight—and into the arms of the bodyguard she’s been pining for… OMG! Wouldn’t it be adorable if he’s her soulmate??? I don’t see any wedding rings Breaking: #CafeBae and #CuteCafeGirl went to the bathroom AT THE SAME TIME!!! One minute, Katrina King’s enjoying an innocent conversation with a random guy at a coffee shop; the next, a stranger has live-tweeted the entire encounter with a romantic meet-cute spin and #CafeBae has the world swooning. Going viral isn't easy for anyone, but Katrina has painstakingly built a private world for herself, far from her traumatic past. Besides, everyone has it all wrong...that #CafeBae bro? He isn't the man she's hungry for. He's got a to die for. With the internet on the hunt for the identity of #CuteCafeGirl, Jas Singh, bodyguard and possessor of the most beautiful eyebrows Katrina's ever seen, offers his family's farm as a refuge. Alone with her unrequited crush feels like a recipe for hopeless longing, but Katrina craves the escape. She's resigned to being just friends with Jas--until they share a single electrifying kiss. Now she can't help but wonder if her crush may not be so unrequited after all...
Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai
Published by HarperCollins on April 21, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Multicultural & Interracial, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 400
If you’d like to do this tag, feel free to leave your answers in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by!
Rae
A Lady for a Duke will be an amazing movie, the story was so sweet but also realistic