These days, I tend to steer clear of forming any sort of definitive tbr plans/lists. Simply put: I’m a creature of whims and suck at them. Which I suppose makes me a moody goose, but it keeps my reading palate varied and spontaneous. I enjoy the surprise reads around life’s corners, the kind that can’t be planned.
But since I’m also a Top Ten Tuesday virgin and there are a handful of books I’m eager to devour in the near future, this post feels oddly well-timed.
Thus, an exception! With a twist! Here are the Top Five books (not ten) I’m hoping to read this summer.
Top Ten Tuesday was originally created in June 2010 by The Broke and the Bookish. In January 2018, it was transferred to That Artsy Reader Girl. At its heart, TTT was born out of a desire to bring readers together and a shared love of lists. Please check out her blog for more TTT topics!
My Happy Marriage, Vol 1.
Author: Akumi Agitogi
Illustrator: Tsukiho Tsukioka
Genre: Shojou, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Square Enix Manga
Born talentless to a noble family famous for their supernatural abilities, Miyo Saimori is forced into an existence of servitude by her abusive stepmother. When Miyo finally comes of marriageable age, though, her hopes of being whisked away to a better life crumble after she discovers her fiancé’s identity: Kiyoka Kudou, a commander apparently so cold and cruel that his previous would-be brides all fled within three days of their engagements.
With no home to return to, Miyo resigns herself to her fate—and soon finds that her pale and beautiful husband-to-be is anything but the monster she expected. As they slowly open their hearts to each other, both realize the other may be their chance at finding true love and happiness.
A Magic Steeped In Poison
Author: Judy I. Lin
Genre: Fantasy, Mythologyy
Audience: Young Adult
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.
When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.
But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.
Six Rooms
Author: Gemma Amor
Genre: Horror, Gothic
Audience: Adult
Publisher: Cemetery Gates Media
For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.
When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.
But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.
Strange Beasts of China
Author: Yan Ge
Genre: Science Fiction, Magical Realism
Audience: Adult
Publisher: Tilted Axis Press
In the fictional Chinese town of Yong’an, human beings live alongside spirits and monsters, some of which are almost indistinguishable from people. Told in the form of a bestiary, each chapter of Strange Beasts introduces us to a new creature – from the Sacrificial Beasts, who can’t seem to stop dying, to the Besotted Beasts, an artificial breed engineered by scientists to be as loveable as possible. The narrator, an amateur cryptozoologist, is on a mission to track down each breed in turn, but in the process discovers that she might not be as human as she thought.
On These Black Sands
Author: Vanessa Rasanen
Genre: Pirate Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Audience: New Adult
Publisher: Crab Apple Books
He doesn’t mind killing people… he just prefers to do it on his own terms. But the pirates have no say in who they kill on this island. The council orders. The pirates obey.
This arrangement has kept Declan from setting foot on these shores for years…until a bit of bad luck forces him to return. But it may prove a lucrative stop, if the rebel’s information is true.
Find the dagger. Escape this life. But only if this damn stowaway doesn’t ruin everything first.
There you have it, folks! A short, but adventure-packed tbr list of stories to savor this summer. I deliberately kept expectations low because I want reading to be a genuine act of pleasure. It should be fun and stress-free, with no pressure to force myself to hit a goal.
As you can see, I’ve been trending more towards novellas, romance, light novels, and shorter adult stories.
If you have any recs for any of these, please let me know in the comments 
Now…
What’s your TTT?
I also avoid TBRs these days – I swear that as SOON as I decide a plan for reading, those books are literally the last things my brain wants to read. Being a slave to mood reading suits me much better, which was hard for my Type A brain to get a handle on!
Six Rings sounds really interesting, can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!
Have fun with your tbr!
That’s usually what I do; 5books for 3months, when I could theoritically read 9+, so it allows me as a moodreader to go and get various other books while being able to get to those I picked 👍🏼
Kristina recently posted…June’s Wrap up! ✻
I love making super small goals like that because they’re so much easier to do. Like, no pressure. I think my last Goodreads challenge (in 2020? 2021?) was one book 😀 I read over 50. So, sometimes it’s nice to have very low reading expectations!