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The second half of 2025 feels so far away, but it will begin sooner than I think.

It’s interesting how slowly winter seems to pass by versus how quickly summer happens, at least in my experience. Do you feel the same way about the warm seasons where you live?

I once again have another Top Ten Tuesday blogger to thank this week, so stay tuned.

Let’s see what I can come up with for this list.

1. Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

Release Date: September 2

Why I Want to Read It: Books about foster care often pique my interest.

2. People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

Release Date: September 9

Why I Want to Read It: This looks like an adorable summer romance.

3.  The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy

Release Date: September 16

Why I Want to Read It: There is nothing like reading a novel about friendships and how they evolve over many years.

4. Alchemised by SenLinYu 

Release Date: September 30

Why I Want to Read It: Memory problems are one of the scariest issues the human body can have in my opinion. What a great premise for a story.

5. Cinder House by Freya Marske 

Release Date: October 7

Why I Want to Read It: Cinderella was one of my favorite fairy tales as a kid, and I love reading retellings of it.

6. The Last Spirits of Manhattan: A Novel by John A McDermott

Thank you to Susan @ BlogginBoutBooks for blogging about this last winter.

Release Date: October 14

Why I Want to Read It: Two of the quickest ways to make me want to read something is to describe it as a ghost story and as something based on a true story, so this is floating up to the top of my TBR list.

7.  Isn’t It Obvious? by Rachel Runya Katz

Release Date: October 21

Why I Want to Read It: Romance readers of Top Ten Tuesday, can you believe I picked two books from that genre this week? If any of you read them, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

8.  I’ll Quit When I’m Dead by Luke Smitherd

Release Date: October 14

Why I Want to Read It: Fitness-themed horror is not something I think I’ve read before, but I can totally see how it could be a thing.

9. Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews 

Release Date: October 28

Why I Want to Read It: Ooh, this cover looks scary. Plants can be a threat for sure, and not just for those of us with seasonal allergies.

10.  Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Release Date: November 11

Why I Want to Read It: Ms. Kingfisher has so many books coming out this year. I tried to refrain from including all of them in the TBR lists last week and this one, but I had to indulge one more time.

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This looks like it’s going to be a fabulous summer of reading! Here are the titles I’m most excited for and why I can’t wait to read them. If no release date is included, this means they’re already available to buy or hopefully even borrow from your local library if you have one.

I discovered two of them on other Top Ten Tuesday TBR posts earlier this year, so I will be thanking those bloggers individually later on in this post.

Isn’t it awesome when this blog hop introduces you to new books that are right up your alley?

1. The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice by Margaret Killjoy

Why I Want to Read It: This is a horror series I haven’t started yet, but maybe I will feel the urge to get started now that the third instalment has come out?

2. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victoria E. Schwab

Why I Want to Read It: Scary vampires are the best kind of vampires if you ask me.

3. These Heathens by Mia McKenzie

Why I Want to Read It: History is something I enjoy reading about through both fiction and nonfiction means.

4. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Release Date: July 29

Why I Want to Read It: A cozy mystery? Check. A fun title? Check. A food-related plot? Check. This is exactly the kind of stuff I like to read.

5.  The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman

Release Date: August 12

Why I Want to Read It: Everyone needs a good tearjerker sometimes. (Or at least I do!)

6. Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

Release Date: August 19

Why I Want to Read It: T. Kingfisher is a must-read author for me.

7. The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand by Christopher Golden

Release Date: August 19

Why I Want to Read It: I loved The Stand and would like to revisit that universe, especially since Mr. King has fully authorized this spinoff.

(This cover was too large to upload, but the link below includes it)

8. The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Canaz 

Thank you to bookwormnai for this recommendation.

Release Date: August 25

Why I Want to Read It: What a scary premise it has, from the epidemic to the demonic possession.

(This cover has not been released yet)

9. Secret Lives of the Dead by Tim Lebbon 

Thank you to BooksBonesBuffy! For this recommendation. 

Release Date: August 26

Why I Want to Read It: It sounds deliciously scary.

(The third time was not the charm today! This cover was also too large to upload, but the link below includes it).

10.  Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Release Date: August 26

Why I Want to Read It: Ms. Kuang is also on my list of authors I immediately check out when they release something new.

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Here are ten books I’m looking forward to checking out this spring. Some of these titles have already been released, and I’m including the publication dates for the rest.

1.Woodworking  by Emily St. James 

Why I Want to Read It: Being closeted in a rural area is difficult, and I like reading stories about characters who figure out how to make it work.

2. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Why I Want to Read It: Faeries are always interesting to read about.

3. Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Why I Want to Read It: It’s been a while since I read anything that had clowns in it. How fun!

4. rekt by Alex Gonzalez

Publication Date: March 25

Why I Want to Read It: Some parts of the Internet can be dangerous, especially for people who are already struggling. I’m rooting for the protagonist already.

5.  The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson

Publication Date: March 25

Why I Want to Read It: I need more cozy fantasy in my life.

6. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Publication Date: April 1

Why I Want to Read It: Ms. Jimenez has been on my TBR list for so long that now I have multiple books from her I want to read. One of these days I will finally read her work.

7.  Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

Publication Date: April 22

Why I Want to Read It: This sounds deliciously scary.

(This cover was too large to upload, but the link below will show it).

8. The Names by Florence Knapp

Publication Date: May 6

Why I Want to Read It: I love books that give a character some sort of dilemma in an early scene and then split off into different timelines to show how each decision would affect their lives.

9. Old School Indian  by Aaron John Curtis

Publication Date: May 6

Why I Want to Read It: Characters who spend their last few weeks looking back at their lives can have such profound things to say about what’s really important.

10. Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

Publication Date: May 13

Why I Want to Read It: I’ve sometimes wondered how the world would be different if everyone was capable of feeling deep empathy for others. Would it change the harmful decisions people can make?

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Making TBR lists is so much easier than reading the books on them!

It’s sort of like having a meal that consists of all of your favorite foods.

The temptation to put more food on your plate than can easily fit into your stomach is strong.

Luckily, books don’t spoil if you put off reading them until your literary appetite returns.

Here are some of the 2024 releases I previously blogged about for Long and Short Reviews, have not read yet, but do hope to read eventually.

1. The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

2. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

3.  Eruption by Michael Crichton

4. Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz

5.  Januaries by Olivie Blake

6. Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

7. You Like It Darker by Stephen King

8. We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

9. Somewhere Beyond the Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #2)  by T.J. Klune

10. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

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I enjoy the challenge of doing this annual post so soon after the winter TBR post. It encourages me to keep looking for books and try not to repeat any of them.

In lieu of adding a stock photo to this post, I’ll let the book covers speak for themselves.

1. Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 

Release Date: January 14

Why I’m Interested: Magical realism and cozy mysteries are two genres I’d like to read more of this year.

2. Three Wild Dogs by Markus Zusak

Release Date: January 25

Why I’m Interested: I love stories about rescue dogs finding good homes.

3. Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry

Release Date: January 28

Why I’m Interested: This is a slice of history I knew nothing about.

4.Under the Same Stars  by Libba Bray

Release Date: February 4

Why I’m Interested: Multiple-timeline stories are so interesting!

5. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Release Date: March 4

Why I’m Interested: March seems like a great month to read a novella about the dangers and joys of interacting with the Fae. This is a time of year where the weather swings rapidly where I live. It can be mildly warm and sunny in the morning only for a snowstorm or ice storm to hit in the afternoon, for example. Likewise, faeries can be just as unpredictable!

6. Malinalli by Veronica Chap

Release Date: April 11

Why I’m Interested: This is not a legend I was already aware of, so I’ll have to read it before checking out the retelling. I enjoy comparing originals to retelling.

7.  The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

 Release Date: April 29

Why I’m Interested: One of my favorite newer urban legends is the one about staircases in the woods and the terrible things that will happen to you if you find one and climb it. Wendig is also one of those authors I try to read but then get too scared and DNF his work. Maybe this time I can actually make it to the end?

8. Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

Release Date: May 6

Why I’m Interested: It’s refreshing to read books about people finding healing at the end of their lives.

9. Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

Release Date: May 29

Why I’m Interested: I only know a little about this topic and would like to learn more.

10. Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

Release Date: June 24

Why I’m Interested: Once again, I don’t know if this will be too scary for me, but I’d like to give it a try.

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Winter is a time of year when I tend to get a lot of reading done due to how snowy and cold it can be outside.

Here are ten books coming out this winter that I’m looking forward to checking out. If no release date is included, that means that title is already available to buy or hopefully even borrow from your local library if you have one!

1. Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchinson

Why I’m Interested:  I’m too much of a city person to ever want to live off grid in the middle of nowhere, but I do enjoy reading about such things! (See also: that old fable about the city mouse and country mouse who take turns visiting each other and realize that not all mice like to live in the same sorts of places!)

2. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping  by Sangu Mandanna 

Release Date: December 24

Why I’m Interested: The plot sounds cozy and sweet.

3. Heavenly Tyrant (Iron Widow, #2) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Release Date: December 24

Why I’m Interested: The first book in this series has been on my TBR list forever. Maybe the sequel coming out will convince me to finally read it?

4.  Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Release Date: January 14

Why I’m Interested: Mr. Hendrix writes such attention-grabbing books that I always keep an eye out for what he’s come up with next.

5 .Something Like Fate: A Novel by Amy Lea

Release Date: February 4

Why I’m Interested: This looks like a cute romance.

6. Raised By Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn

Release Date: February 4

Why I’m Interested: The blurb made it sound like a thoughtful graphic novel about dealing with loneliness.

7. Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin

Release Date: February 11

Why I’m Interested: The fabulous title. How could I not want to read something this playful?

8. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Emily Wilde, #3) by Heather Fawcett

Release Date: February 11

Why I’m Interested: Just like with answer #3, this is a series I’ve been meaning to read for a while now and am hoping to find the time for soon.

9. Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

Release Date: February 11

Why I’m Interested: We all go through hard times in life eventually. What interested me about this tale is how many different conflicts and difficulties the protagonist had to deal with at once. It’s difficult when that happens, but I have hope that she’ll get through all of them.

10. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com (Cosmic Chaos, #1) by Kimberly Lemming (black

Release Date: February 18

Why I’m Interested: Cheeky, self-aware titles are the best, and this one looks like it will be great fun to read.

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Some of the books on today’s list have already been released this month. I’ve included the release dates for the rest of them so that you will know when to look for them if they also appeal to you!

In lieu of sharing a stock photo in this post, I’ll let the covers speak for themselves. Aren’t they neat?

1. Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

Why I’m Interested: It’s nice to see more books being published about people who live in rural places.

2. Luminous Beings

by David Arnold

Why I’m Interested: This sounds so good.

3. Somewhere Beyond the Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #2)  by T.J. Klune

Why I’m Interested: I’ve been meaning to read this series since it was still a standalone novel. Someday I will read it.

4. This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa 

Why I’m Interested: I love stories about the dangerous side of space travel.

5. This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story by Julio Anta 

Release Date: October 1

Why I’m Interested: The cover is eye-catching and already seems to tell a story.

(This cover was too large to upload, but the link below contains it)

6. If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

Release Date: October 15

Why I’m Interested: It’s so fun to find books about writers going on writers’ retreats.

7.  Januaries by Olivie Blake

Release Date: October 15

Why I’m Interested: This sounds like a wonderful hodgepodge of storylines.

8. Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

Release Date: October 29

Why I’m Interested: I can’t wait to be scared by it!

9. She’s Always Hungry: Stories  by Eliza Clark

Release Date: November 12

Why I’m Interested: November is such a dark and dreary time of year due to the overcast skies, time change, and weak sunlight where I live. I might as well read a lot of horror then!

10. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Release Date: November 19

Why I’m Interested: I recently reviewed a book for Long and Short Reviews about how to use wild plants as food as well as natural remedies. That experience makes me curious to learn more.

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All of my answers are from September and October. There don’t seem to be many releases scheduled for November yet, but I do look forward to seeing what shows up for that month later on!

1. Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz

Release Date: September 1

Why I Want to Read It: This looks like a lighthearted read.

2. Compound Fracture  by Andrew Joseph White

Release Date: September 2

Why I Want to Read It: There aren’t a lot of books about LGBTQ+ people living in rural areas from what I’ve seen. What a refreshing change of scene.

3. Luminous Beings by David Arnold

Release Date: September 3

Why I Want to Read It: Three words  –  wild goose chase. What a fun thing to read about.

4. Somewhere Beyond the Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #2)  by T.J. Klune

Release Date: September 10

Why I Want to Read It: T.J. Klune is a great storyteller and someone I always take note of when she releases a new book.

5. This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa 

Release Date: September 10

Why I Want to Read It: Scary space travel is right up my alley.

6. Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio 

Release Date: Septmber 24

Why I Want to Read It: Night shift work is so interesting to me. The fact that this is set in a cemetery makes it even better!

7.  This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story by Julio Anta 

Release Date: October 1

Why I Want to Read It: The cover looks amazing. As the blurb wasn’t yet available when I wrote this post, that is all I have to go with at the moment. Isn’t it cool when a cover can do that for a reader?

(This cover is not available at the moment)

8.  If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

Release Date: October 15

Why I Want to Read It: The premise is delightfully silly. Sometimes you just want to read something that would never happen in real life (or at least I do!)

9. Januaries by Olivie Blake

Release Date: October 17

Why I Want to Read It: I’ve built up a reputation on Long and Short Reviews as a reviewer who loves requesting anthologies. There’s nothing like reading short stories from a variety of writers. It’s such a great way to quickly get to know many authors in the same genre and see if you want to read more from them.

10. Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

Release Date: October 29

Why I Want to Read It: This is another horror tale I think might be perfect for Halloween. I love getting scared during spooky season.

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Here are ten books I’m looking forward to checking out this summer. If a release date hasn’t been included, that title is already available to purchase or maybe even request from your local library if you have one!

1. It’s Only a Game by Kelsea Yu

Why I Want to Read It: I’m fascinated by stories about people who must assume new identities.

2.  Eruption by Michael Crichton

Why I Want to Read It: Crichton has a long history of writing exciting thrillers that make great vacation reads.

3.  The Ghost of Us by James L. Sutter

Why I Want to Read It: Would I ever go ghost hunting in real life? No, but it is fun to read about in fiction.

4. We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Why I Want to Read It: Since this going to be turned into a Netflix film soon, I want to get to know the book’s version of events first.

5. How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive by Craig DiLouie

Why I Want to Read It: Fellow horror fans, don’t you wish you could give advice to some horror film characters? I feel like more of them would survive if they were aware of this genre in advance and took some basic safety precautions.

6.  Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba

Release Date: June 25

Why I Want to Read It: This sounds like such a playful and lighthearted read. Sometimes one needs a little of that in my opinion!

7. Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez

Release Date: June 25

Why I Want to Read It: The main character sounds like such an interesting person. It’s not easy to come out of the closet or to feel torn between two different cultures.

8. Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu

Release Date: July 30

Why I Want to Read It: This sounds like an exquisite novel full of strong character development and thoughtful commentary on life.

9. Dance of the Starlit Sea by Kiana Krystle

Release Date: August 6

Why I Want to Read It: A Greek myth retelling is right up my alley.

10. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Release Date: August 6

Why I Want to Read It: Kingfisher is one of those authors I always check out when they release something new. Also, I love fairy tale retellings even more than Greek mythology ones!