I’ve seen prediction posts from other bloggers, and I tend to shy away from them for one simple reason: I’m pretty bad at guessing.
I mean, when it comes to plot points in books and movies, I’m golden. Nail it more times than not. I even have this uncanny ability to know who’s going to die, because it’s always the character I like the most. So much so that my family always asks early into the movie who I like so they know not to get attached to them.
But when it comes to everything else? Pffft, forget it. Couldn’t guess my way out of a paper bag.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is books on my summer 2019 TBR … but I actually just did a post like that when I joined the #20BooksofSummer challenge. So if you want to know my summer TBR, go read that post.
Instead, I thought it would be fun to try to guess what books will probably be five star picks out of the ones I plan on reading this summer (not all of which are on that list). Who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky and actually guess a few right? I’ve got a good feeling about these books.
Obsidio
Illuminae and Gemina were both five-star reads for me. I’d be pretty amazed if this book didn’t land itself on that list, as well.
The Wolf in the Whale
I love, love, love anything based on Inuit/First Nations/American Indian myths. Throw some Vikings into that, and I’m really not sure how this can go wrong.
Gideon the Ninth
“Gideon the Ninth is the most fun you’ll ever have with a skeleton,” or so says the blurb, and I’m down with that. Lesbian necromancers sounds like the sort of fun I need in my life.
The Graveyard Book
I mean, it’s Neil Gaiman, so it’s a good bet that it’s going to be at least a four. I don’t exactly know what to expect from this book, but it sounds both creepy and endearing, and if I’m honest, I’d probably read a nutrition label if Gaiman wrote it.
The Boy Who Steals Houses
A Thousand Perfect Notes was a solid five from me when I read it last year, and I really have no doubts on this one. Aside from Obsidio, this is probably my safest prediction of this whole list. I’d also be more than happy to bet that it’ll make me ugly cry, because Cait eats the tears of her readers for sustenance. You know, when she’s not eating cake.
The Sign of Nine
I’m sort of cheating here, because this is another pretty safe bet. As book four of a series where the last two books both received five stars from me … yeah, unless something went horribly wrong, I suspect this will be the same.
City of Ghosts
Middle-grade is often hit or miss for me, but I’ve really enjoyed Schwab’s other writing, both YA and adult, so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that I’m going to love this one, too.
The Lady Rogue
Will I love this? Who knows? But it sure sounds like it ticks all the boxes. I’m all up for a little historical fantasy adventure. Theodora and Huck sound like they’ll make a fun pair. I’m sure they won’t let me down.
Shatter the Sky
Lesbian. Dragon. Riders. Come on. Not only is there a damsel in distress, but a princess in shining armor. Riding a freaking dragon. Who can resist that?! Will it be a five-star read? Don’t know. But I definitely think it has promise to be just that!
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
I’m on the fence about how much I’ll enjoy this book, because I’ve been burned recently by books that feel similar and were a let-down. But I’m willing to try again. Always. What has me so convinced is two-fold: one, Nina sounds like a fun, sarcastic character with a totally reasonable aversion to talking to other people. And two, we have an awful lot in common, clearly, which makes me like Nina more already.
I have really high hope for Gideon the Ninth too, I hope we both give it 5 stars😊
I know a lot of people seem to be looking forward to that one, so there’ll either be a lot of new fans or a lot of disappointed people. xD No pressure! lol.
Yes to the ugly crying on The Boy who steals houses ESPECIALLY if you have anyone close to you with autism.
Some of the feelings hit a little close. Great list 💜
Nope, I just have a distant (younger) cousin with autism. But there are always plenty of other things I can relate to in Cait’s books, so I’m not worried about that. I’m sure she’ll do a fine job with destroying my feels lol.
You will break for Sam completely. Ugly crying, heart breaking, raging, hoping it’s wonderful in how wretchedly it tussles your emotions!!
It’s only slightly worsened by the fact that we share a name. xD Ah well. I’m sure the emotional pain will be well worth it.
Yes Sammy Lou’s Story is one that will cling to my heart. 💔
I need to get to obsidio and Gideon the Ninth I can’t wait for the release. the boy who steals houses sounds good.
I have an ARC of Gideon the Ninth, but I’m trying to hold off until closer to release, because if I read it now, I can’t shout about it yet anyway, so what’s the point?! xD I just started Obsidio, and it’s soooo good already.
Oh, I wish I had an ARC of it! Ok, I’ll get to it soon 🙂
I’ve just read Illuminae and loved it, so I can definitely see Obsidio being 5 stars.
I’d have a hard time writing a prediction list. Some books I was expecting to not like that much really surprised me and then some I’m sure I would love just didn’t work!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Since I read it, it’s been my goal in life just to convince people to read it. xD It’s a very enjoyable goal, I have to say.
That’s the problem with prediction lists! Until I actually sample part of the book, there’s really no way to say with certainty. Even with authors I love, sometimes there are books that are misses for me. But it’ll be interesting to see how many of these I’m right on. :3
Hopefully all of them!
Oh, I should have put The Boy Who Steals Houses on my list this week, too. It looks so good.
Based on what I know about you, I think you’re going to LOVE The Graveyard Book, Sammie. Fingers crossed that I’m right about that! 🙂
My TTT.
I hope you enjoy TBWSH! Cait’s bragged (unapologetically I might add) about how it’ll shred emotions, so that should be fun. Just fair warning. 😉
Oooh, I hope so! That makes me so excited to read it. 😀 I’m already halfway done with Obsidio, so I should be picking it up this week. :3
I’ve been seeing Gideon the Ninth around the web but I didn’t know what it was about but lesbian necromancers??? Sign me up! Hopefully it does end up being a five star read for you!
Lesbian dragon riders? Sign me the heck up! I’m adding that to my list right now.
I like how you did this prompt. Because we all know not all the books we read will be 5 stars unless we are psychic or just are really good at picking books like that.
I also have never heard of The Wolf in the Whale but I added that to my list as well. Thanks so much for that recommendation! I hope most, if not all, of these are 5 star reads for you.
Obsidio was awesome! Love that trilogy so much. Middle grade tends to be hit or miss for me as well but City of Ghosts was SO good I preordered the sequel. Happy reading!
I sort of, you know, casually read half of Obsidio today, so … I hear you about it being good. And it’s for sure going to be five stars. xD
I’m so glad to hear that! I can’t wait to pick it up. I have some ARCs to get through for early July before I read City of Ghosts, but I’m hoping to squeeze it in after that, since it should be a pretty quick read. :3
Oh gosh, Wolf in the Whale is one of my top 5 reads so far this year, I hope you love it! The Inuit culture mixing with Norse gods aspect is fantastic and the romance is so so well done. <3 And I am SO not ready for Shatter the Sky and Gideon the Ninth!!
Oooh I’m so glad to hear that! I’m super eager to read it. I should’ve read it sooner, and I feel really bad that I didn’t. But it’s worth waiting for good things. 😉
Ah, I didn’t include Illuminae on my summer TBR list, but I should have! It’s about time that I finally read that book. I loved The Graveyard Book, so I think your 5-star prediction is very much on target!
Yeeees, I very much recommend Illuminae! So worth the read. I hope you love it. And yay! I’ve heard really good things about it, and honestly, I’m not sure I can go wrong with Neil Gaiman, anyway. xD
TBWSH was sooooo gooooood! I actually thought it was 1,000 times better than A Thousand Perfect Notes. (See what I did there? XD ) Not that ATPN was bad or anything, but I just loved it a lot more, so I hope you do too! 🙂
Oooh, well that’s interesting! I look forward to picking it up all the more now, considering I loved ATPN. xD
Hope you enjoy Obsidio! I really want to read The Boy Who Steals Houses and I think it’d be a 5-star read for me as well. It sounds so good and I’ve honestly only been hearing great things about C.G. Drews’ books! Happy reading 🙂
Thanks! I’m loving it so far. I read Cait’s debut, A Thousand Perfect Notes, and it was really good. Can’t recommend it enough (though TW for abuse). So I have high hopes for this second book. 🙂
I’ve heard a lot of great things about her debut as well. Definitely want to read that one too 😍 Happy reading!
Great twist! I LOVED The Graveyard Book. I hope you will do too.
Thanks! I’ve seen so many people say that, and now it’s got me excited to read it. 😀 I’m actually starting it today. :3 Can’t wait, after hearing how much everyone seems to love it.
City Of Bones was a 5 star read for me and I enjoyed The Graveyard Book as well (4 stars for me). I’m reading The Boy Who Steals Houses later this week (hopefully) and I fully expect it to be a 5 star read as well after loving A Thousand Perfect Notes.
Oh, I’m glad to hear that! I just started The Graveyard Book, and I’m enjoying it so far, but I’m not very far in. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you think of TBWSH when you’re finished, since you’ll get to it before I do. :3
I’m sure it will be just as good as A Thousand Perfect Notes. 🙂
I can’t help but fangirl over Neil Gaiman he’s just amazing and the graveyard book is magnificant, I’ve heard talks of a movie being directed by Ron Howard in the works. The beginning is crazy just mind boggling but yeah its definitely creepy and endearing and full of amazingness.
Oooh, really? From what I’ve read so far, it’d make a pretty interesting movie.
So it’s been purchased by Disney but is trapped in a cycle of rotating writers who can’t quite nail the content apparently so I’m not sure what’s going to happen, maybe they’ll end up doing a miniseries special for their streaming network or maybe it’ll end up on the big screen it’s in a limbo now from what I just saw
Ugh, I dislike the idea of Disney’s streaming network. xD I already have enough subscriptions that I won’t subscribe, and then I know I’m going to miss stuff, because who doesn’t like Disney? lol. Hopefully, they find a writer that does it justice and move it along as a movie. 😛
I read The Graveyard Book a while ago now but I do remember it being quite good so hopefully you’ll think so too! I want to read City of Ghosts too but it’s fairly far down on my list at the moment because I want to read the villains series first because it looks really good.
Thanks! I don’t think I’m enjoying the Graveyard Book as much as I’d hoped (it’s great for what it is, but it feels a bit … disjointed?). Oooh, I highly recommend the Villains series! They were sooo good, and I’m more than a little in love with Victor. 😉 I hope you enjoy them.
Sorry to hear it wasn’t as good as you hoped, and I’ll make sure to pick Villains up asap then!
So with you on The Lady rogue! It sounds like it is going to be so good!
Ooh I’ve been wanting to do a post like this, but I’m so bad at predicting how I’ll feel about something. I can relate so much to the struggle of knowing who’s going to die and stuff haha. Why is it always our faves? I really hope you love Obsidio 🙂 Illuminae and Obsidio were solid 5 stars for me. Gideon the Ninth is one of my most anticipated 2019 releases, and I also think it’s going to be a 5 star read. I’m really interested to see what you think of The Wolf in the Whale. I keep considering adding it to my TBR, but I’m not sure yet. I also really want to read Shatter the Sky and City of Ghosts. Good luck with these, and I hope you love them all 🙂
It’s clearly a curse. Or a conspiracy. Or a … curspiracy? conurse? well, it’s something. Obsidio was for suuuuure a 5-star for me. Oh gosh, I loved it so much. 😀 I’ve really only heard good things about The Whale in the Wolf from people I know, so I do have high hopes for that one!
Good luck with your summer reading!
I loved The Boy Who Steals Houses.
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