Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: Upcoming Releases I’m On the Fence About (these are the books you need help deciding if they’re worth adding to your TBR or not.)

Ooooh, whoever came up with this topic knows the way to your girl’s heart: Help with indecision! Please do help, friends! Here are a few books I am on the fence about!

The Deceivers by Kristen Simmons ♦ Because okay do I like con artists and/or elite schools? Not usually. But I do like Kristen Simmons, and I really like the cover and sometimes that’s good enough. I will let you guys decide.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy ♦ Sometimes I don’t like retellings. Fine, more often than not. Ditto wizards. And also, a few people I know were underwhelmed. But then we’re back to pretty covers and lots of good rep, so.

The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez ♦ Okay this cover is unfortunate. Also, could it be too science-y? To the point where Shannon will be confused? But then, the concept sounds cool!

Beware the Night by Jessika Fleck ♦ I don’t even really have a reason, just that I kind of like the idea and I am kind of unsure about it. Do your thing, friends.

Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter ♦ It does sound delightfully dark and messed up! But the reviews have not been kind so far. Even if it appears that Leigh Bardugo is on the cover.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He ♦ Before you all raise your pitchforks, I want to fall in love with this! But is it possibly too high fantasy for me? The blurb scared me a little because there’s a bunch of magic and guys… someone just reassure me or something, yeah?

The Afterward by E.K. Johnston ♦ Pretty much ditto above. What the heck is a “godsgem” anyway? I don’t know if I feel like learning new stuff.

Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum ♦ I can’t decide if this will be too heartbreaking? Not heartbreaking enough? Send help.

Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins ♦ People seem to love this, and admittedly it sounds good. But… what if I don’t like mythology-based books? I mean, I am not saying I don’t, I am legitimately asking.

Tarot by Marissa Kennerson ♦ I genuinely have no idea what this is about yet I somehow kind of want to read it? Anyone who has want to give it a vote of confidence (or, no confidence as it may be)?

And here is a poll if you feel like voting on these! I wanted to embed it, but wow it was huge and no one likes that. 

Would you read these? Have you read these? Let us discuss them!

Posted February 5, 2019 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Top Ten Tuesday , / 31 Comments

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31 responses to “Decide If I Need These in My Life, Please!

  1. The Deceivers I can go either way. I don’t generally like con artists stories but I do like boarding schools, so… 50/50. Never- Contented Things SHOULD be good- I mean it’s got the title down- but I’ve heard nothing so IDK. Lol about Bardugo though. The rest of these I don’t know. I’ve been so picky with new stuff lately seems like. Just read the Gone World- trust me.

    Ooh voting.

    • Oddly, I like neither con artists OR boarding schools, so why am I eager to read this? I seriously just think author and cover ha. Oh you need to see the reviews of Never Contented Things, holy CRAP. It’s already got like, a 3.08 on Goodreads and it isn’t even out yet, eep.

      I am definitely going to read The Gone World! The PB came out today so I am going to get it now that you reminded me!

  2. I feel like I want to like con artists and/or elite schools, but I rarely do??? THE DECEIVERS does have a cover that makes me want to read it though. HOPE AND OTHER PUNCH LINES almost made my list too. I didn’t LOVE love the one book I read from this author, so I am still kind of meh about reading her books??? This didn’t help at all, I know.

  3. Wow! There’s only one book here that I have my eye on and that’s Souls in Darkness! I love a good mythology retelling! Especially one that’s similar to The Beauty and the Beast!! Lol! The rest are either totally new to me ones or ones that I am seeing around a bit lately!

    Can’t say whether you should read them or not due to that fact, but I will say go for Souls in Darkness if you like Greek/Roman mythology and/or The Beauty and the Beast fairy tale! 😀

    Here’s my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower 🙂

  4. lol I am the same with Tarot.?Like it’s on my list of “will definitely want” but like??? Read the blurb? Who me. What a fun and odd idea. Anyway. I also really really want Once & Future, and I have eARCs of Never Contented Things and Descendant of the Crane so I’ll yell if they’re good!! I’m curious about the Afterward but tbh haven’t actually liked anything from that author yet, whoops.?But I just???want to read everything??? It is a curse.

  5. Great list! I’m not really into the Arthurian legends – I find Arthur and Merlin really boring tbh – but I do still want to check out Once & Future because it sounds so different. I’m planning to read Amy Rose Capetta’s The Beautiful Death this month, so if I enjoy it I know I’ll be picking up Once & Future. Tarot sounds like it could either be really interesting, but I’m suspicious that the publishers have given it such a rubbish, early 2000s cover? I also wish I was excited about Descendent of the Crane, I want to read more Asian-inspired fantasy, but something about the synopsis just isn’t grabbing me.

  6. I actually really enjoyed The Deceivers. It was just fun and twisty. Not too deep but I couldn’t put it down. I feel the same as you about Once & Future. In theory, I like the idea of it but when I really sit down and think about it, I’m worried it’s just not for me.

  7. I see quite a few books here that are gaining some hype. I hope Never Contented Things is good mainly because of that cover. I’ve loved it since I first saw it. Hope you enjoy these if you do decide to grab them.

  8. I have an arc of Descendant of the Crane, and I’m planning on reading it this month, so I’ll let you know how it is! My coblogger just read The Deceivers and she loved it!

  9. I love Buxbaum. I read her adult and YA books. I’m a fan and hope to get her newest book as well. I liked the deceivers. The concept was interesting as well the characters and all the cons. I am looking forward to seeing where the series goes.

  10. Beth W

    Once again you’ve found books I never heard of before. Huzzah for you expanding my TBR pile/list (which you do basically weekly TBH).

    Descendants of the Crane has a bird on it, so I’m not sure if that’s for you. XD (I’m on board, though- I always love discovering Asian-inspired fiction, especially YA)

    I think The Tesla Legacy sounds intriguing, with the potential to pave some new ground, but something about that blurb has me a bit nervous about the execution of that potential. It doesn’t sound hard-science, to me, so I don’t think that would lose your interest.

    Beware the Night doesn’t sound like new ground at all (I see these themes a lot on classic science fiction and fantasy), but something about the blurb makes me think the execution might be particularly well done….maybe. And I’m always in for “hey, Good isn’t necessarily good, it just has better marketing” (like Banewreaker by Jacqueline Carey).

    Never-Contented Things….I’m in, *if* the author does the whole cruel fairies thing right (a la Holly Black and basically all of Irish folklore). The one person I know who read this rated it a one star, though, which has me a bit nervous. The author wrote Vassa in the Night, which I want to read, but also Lost Voices, which I did not care for.

    Someone on Goodreads likened The Afterward to The Belgeriaid, so I’m there.

    I’m curios about The Tarot. Not sure if it will be awesome for people who don’t know anything about tarot, but wouldn’t it be cool if it was a great fantasy, and then just has layers of clever added to it if you know tarot?

    Soul in Darkness is my favorite Greek myth made flesh so it’s my favorite and I’m internally squeeing to read it.

    • Dude, the crane thing almost had me crossing it off my TBR! I seriously don’t want to dismiss Tesla just based on the cover, and I fear that is what I am doing at this point? Oops?

      You know… I think you’re right about Beware the Night. I think it is getting the kibosh. As for Never-Contented, I feel like people either “get” this author, or they really, really don’t? I have Vassa, which I do want to read, so maybe I will try that first and see if it is my thing?

      I actually got a copy of Afterward in the mail so I am glad, now I am in too!

      I hope that is EXACTLY what Tarot is! Val read it and said she still doesn’t know what it is about so… not too hopeful ?

      Oh YAY I hope you LOVE Soul in Darkness! I have read SO many great reviews that I will probably end up reading it too, so fingers crossed!

  11. I’m on the fence with The Tesla Legacy too. On one hand, that cover, yikes, super 90s-ish. Also, the description is a little meh. On the other hand, I LOVED K.K. Perez’s Sweet Black Waves, so… we’ll see what happens. If I see enough good reviews I’ll go for it.

  12. So I’m a bit of a shallow person who doesn’t read blurbs to avoid spoilers, and judges almost solely on the cover. So get ready for your poll results to get skewed because I like pretty pictures and aesthetically placed colors ?

  13. I’m somehow so nervous about Descendant of the Crane and everyone hyping up this book so, so very much is making me so nervous, too… so you’re not alone ? And… well I’d say, read Beware The Night if you like the ideaaa, who knows maybe it’s a sign that you’ll love it 😀
    Happy reading! <3

  14. This week is like a book enabler’s meeting. Put all the books on your TBR! Actually, I don’t know. I’d like to read Descendent of the Crane and Once and Future. I haven’t read any of these yet though, so I don’t know.

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