TTT | Books to Read in a Day

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly topic hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week she provides a topic, and you are free to use that topic and/or variations of that topic to make your top ten list. A full list of the weekly themes can be found here.

I want to preface this by saying I am a fast reader. I’ve always been a fast reader, and then around middle school my grandma signed me up for a speed reading course. It was all down hill from there. So, some of these may not necessarily be read in a day if you are a slower reader, and that is OKAY! I sometimes wish I read slower. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad or guilty for savoring books.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Published by Random House Publishing Group on November 28, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Literary, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General, Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover

Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor.
 
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
 
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.

---

Heart Haunt Havoc by Freydis Moon
Series: The Gideon Testaments #1
Published by Freydis Moon on Februay 7, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay
Pages: 156
Format: Paperback

Laced with romance, gothic imagery, Catholic mysticism, diaspora, and horror…

When lonely transgender exorcist, Colin Hart, finds himself challenged by an unruly haunted house in Gideon, Colorado, he’s kept awake by ghosts, demons, ghouls, and the handsome nonbinary homeowner, Bishop Martínez. Unlike the simple hauntings Colin is accustomed to, Bishop’s house is a living beacon, attracting a plethora of inhuman creatures, including a vengeful wolf-headed spirit who might be the key to quieting their sleepless nights. But as a heartbreaking mystery unravels, Colin comes face-to-face with the past Bishop tried to bury, opens a closet full of bloody skeletons, and trips into an accidental romance.

As paranormally skilled as Colin might be, this particular haunting may be too messy for him to handle…

---

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Soldier #1
Published by Tor Publishing Group on July 12, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Horror, Fiction / Occult & Supernatural
Pages: 160
Format: Hardcover

A gripping and atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” from Hugo, Locus, & Nebula award-winning author T. Kingfisher

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

---

Trick Shot by Kayla Grosse
Published by Kayla Grosse on November 1, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Holiday, Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ+ / Bisexual
Pages: 194
Format: eBook

Leo McKnight, identical twin to a famous hockey player, finds himself caught up in a case of mistaken identity on Christmas Eve.

When Leo unexpectedly bumps into the captivating Riley at the airport, he's both amused and intrigued by her assumption that he's his renowned brother. Embracing his mischievous side, Leo decides to play along, relishing in their flirty banter and clever exchanges.

But as fate would have it, their flight gets canceled, and Leo seizes the opportunity to spend more time with Riley. With a devilish glint in his eye, he invites her to spend the night at his penthouse. With an intriguing woman, his best friend Jace, and a whole night of possibilities ahead of them, Leo has all the ingredients for what promises to be a memorable Christmas Eve.

In "Trick Shot," a spicy MMF Christmas novella, Leo, Riley, and Jace embark on a passionate and unconventional romance that challenges societal norms. As they navigate their desires and explore the boundaries of their connection, they discover that love knows no bounds, especially during the enchanting holiday season.

So snuggle up with a cozy blanket, indulge in a cup of steaming hot cocoa, and allow the magic of Christmas to transport you into this sexy novella.

---

The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
Published by Sourcebooks on September 27, 2022
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Action & Adventure / Survival Stories, Young Adult Fiction / Horror
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback

An island oasis turns deadly when a terrifying legend threatens to kill off visitors one by one in this haunting novel from the highly acclaimed author of The Girl from the Well and the Bone Witch trilogy.

Pristine beaches, lush greenery, and perfect weather, the island of Kisapmata would be the vacation destination...if not for the curse. The Filipino locals speak of it in hushed voices and refuse to step foot on the island. They know the lives it has claimed. They won't be next.

A Hollywood film crew won't be dissuaded. Legend claims a Dreamer god sleeps, waiting to grant unimaginable powers in exchange for eight sacrifices. The producers are determined to document the evidence. And they convince Alon, a local teen, to be their guide.

Within minutes of their arrival, a giant sinkhole appears, revealing a giant balete tree with a mummified corpse entwined in its gnarled branches. And the crew start seeing strange visions. Alon knows they are falling victim to the island's curse. If Alon can't convince them to leave, there is no telling who will survive. Or how much the Dreamer god will destroy...

---

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
Published by Roaring Brook Press on April 20, 2021
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Pages: 288
Format: Audiobook

“A little sweet, a little sharp.” —Booklist, starred review

High school nemeses fall in love in Kelly Quindlen's She Drives Me Crazy, a queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston.

After an embarrassing loss to her ex-girlfriend in their first basketball game of the season, seventeen-year-old Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, Irene Abraham, head cheerleader for the Fighting Reindeer.

Irene is as mean as she is beautiful, so Scottie makes a point to keep her distance. When the accident sends Irene’s car to the shop for weeks’ worth of repairs and the girls are forced to carpool, their rocky start only gets bumpier.

But when an opportunity arises for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex—and climb her school’s social ladder—she bribes Irene into an elaborate fake- dating scheme that threatens to reveal some very real feelings.

---

All the Feels by Olivia Dade
Published by Avon on October 26, 2021
Genres: Fiction / General, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Fiction / Romance / Workplace
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback

Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Wealth. A starring role on the biggest show on TV. But the showrunners have wrecked his character, he's hounded by old demons and his future remains uncertain. When all that reckless emotion explodes into a bar fight, the tabloids and public agree: his star is falling.

Enter Lauren, the former therapist hired to keep him in line. Compared to her previous work, watching over a handsome but impulsive actor shouldn't be especially difficult. But the more time she spends with Alex, the harder it is to hold on to her professionalism, and her heart . . .

When another scandal lands him in major hot water, and costs Lauren her job, Alex becomes determined to keep his impossibly stubborn and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can. On a road trip up the California coast together, he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves . . .

---

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
Published by Simon and Schuster on March 17, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / Romance / Science Fiction, Fiction / Science Fiction / Time Travel
Pages: 224
Format: Hardcover

From award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone comes an enthralling, romantic novel spanning time and space about two time-traveling rivals who fall in love and must change the past to ensure their future.

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading.

Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, becomes something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean the death of each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win. That’s how war works, right?

Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space.

---

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
Published by Tor Publishing Group on February 4, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Science Fiction / Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Fiction / Science Fiction / General, Fiction / Science Fiction / Military
Pages: 176
Format: Hardcover

In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.

“That girl’s got more wrong notions than a barn owl’s got mean looks.”

Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her—a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda.

The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing.

---

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Published by Penguin Books on February 6, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Gothic, Fiction / Horror, FICTION / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / General
Pages: 182
Format: Paperback

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers--and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

---