Books On My Summer TBR || Let NetGalley July Begin!

Posted June 28, 2022 by Sammie in #amreading, book list, NetGalley, reading challenge, TBR, top ten tuesdays / 36 Comments

It’s that time again: when I present you with a list of utterly irresistible books that I have every intention of reading soon, and we both pretend that I’m most definitely going to follow through with it.

Because these books sound amazing, and who doesn’t want to read amazing books?! I’m pretty sure I’m doing this whole system wrong somewhere. Hmm. Let’s break it down again.

Step 1: Buy all the books.
Step 2: Read all the books.
Step 3: Don’t die before all the books are read.
Step 4: ????
Step 5: Profit? (Well . . . probably not, since you’ll be buying all the books . . . )

Okay, so there are maybe one or two flaws in my ingenious plan. But it’s still a pretty solid plan, right? Except I know myself, and even though I always go into these lists with the very best of intentions, I inevitably end up wandering off and reading whatever passing book catches my fancy. What can I say? I have a terribly short attention span.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is books on my summer 2022 to-read list. I decided to put a bit of a unique spin on it, and I’ll be listing only outstanding books on my NetGalley shelf, because I’ll be participating in NetGalley July with a group of other book bloggers.

Full disclosure: my NetGalley ratio is currently below 50% . . . mostly because I forget to cross-post my reviews there after I post them on my blog and Goodreads and Amazon. It’s a lot of copying and pasting to remember! So my goal, of course, is to copy and paste all the reviews I’ve done and then spend July reading some of the books I’ve overlooked during the past year and a half I was in grad school.

So this week’s post is dedicated to all the wonderful books that I was super interested in and just didn’t have the time to read when they released. Here’s to looking forward to these amazing books (and hopefully more) in the next couple months!

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My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My Contrary Mary

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?

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Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.

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Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.

Why I Want to Read:
  • History + Fantasy = *chef’s kiss*
  • Renaissance France is probably the most perfect setting ever
  • Shapeshifting royalty? Okay, I’m game
  • Comedic fantasy is always a win in my book (see what I did there?!)
  • Sign me up for conspiracies and treason!
  • (. . . I maybe could have worded that one better . . . )
First Lines:
Imagine, if you will, dear reader, the Louvre in Paris, France, in the days before it became a museum: an enormous marble palace stretching along the banks of the Seine. Then imagine a garden behind that palace, a large expanse of meticulously upkept greenery, fountains, and courtyards. In the back of one such courtyard was a . . . butt. No, dear reader, not a backside-type butt, but an archery butt, which is the thingy with the bull’s-eye on it that archers shoot arrows at.
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The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky

The Wolf in the Whale

A sweeping tale of clashing cultures, warring gods, and forbidden love: In 1000 AD, a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies as war breaks out between their peoples and their gods-one that will determine the fate of them all.

“There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale.”

Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people.

But the gods have stopped listening and Omat’s family is starving. Alone at the edge of the world, hope is all they have left.

Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she meets a Viking warrior and his strange new gods, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world…or save it.

Why I Want to Read:
  • Based on Inuit and Viking mythology
  • Who doesn’t like wolves?
  • And whales, too, I suppose . . . but mostly wolves
  • The cover looks gloriously steeped in mythology and makes me hopeful
  • Honestly, doesn’t everything about that synopsis sound amazing?!
First Lines:
On the darkest day of winter, when the weakened Sun cannot even pull herself above the horizon, a man stands vigil upon the snow-covered roof of his sod home. He is the angakkuq, the shaman, and his eyes must never leave the sky as he watches for two bright stars that herald the Sun’s return. But on this night, Ataata’s gaze strays.
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The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning

The Princess Will Save You

When a princess’s commoner true love is kidnapped to coerce her into a political marriage, she doesn’t give in—she goes to rescue him.

When her warrior father, King Sendoa, mysteriously dies, Princess Amarande of Ardenia is given what would hardly be considered a choice: Marry a stranger at sixteen or lose control of her family’s crown.

But Amarande was raised to be a warrior—not a sacrifice.

In an attempt to force her choice, a neighboring kingdom kidnaps her true love, stable boy Luca. With her kingdom on the brink of civil war and no one to trust, she’ll need all her skill to save him, her future, and her kingdom.

Why I Want to Read:
  • That cover is fierce AF and I am aaaaaall about that
  • Forget prince in shining armor . . . if you want the job done right, do it yourself!
  • I’m all for princesses who can save themselves
  • . . . well, and others, too, I suppose. The more, the merrier.
  • I love female characters who take their future into their own hands
  • Sorry, ultimatum what? I can’t hear you over the shininess of this very pointy sword
First Lines:
The whisper and clang of steel rang out over the foothills of Ardenia, a princess and a pauper meeting swords.

Left. Right. Cross. High cut. Mid-cross. Hanging perry. Stab.

“You’ve been practicing,” the princess accused the boy with a laugh that played across the little meadow they called theirs.
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We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson

We Ride the Storm

In the midst of a burgeoning war, a warrior, an assassin, and a princess chase their own ambitions no matter the cost in Devin Madson’s visceral, emotionally charged debut.

War built the Kisian Empire. War will tear it down.

Seventeen years after rebels stormed the streets, factions divide Kisia. Only the firm hand of the god-emperor holds the empire together. But when a shocking betrayal destroys a tense alliance with neighboring Chiltae, all that has been won comes crashing down.

In Kisia, Princess Miko Ts’ai is a prisoner in her own castle. She dreams of claiming her empire, but the path to power could rip it, and her family, asunder.

In Chiltae, assassin Cassandra Marius is plagued by the voices of the dead. Desperate, she accepts a contract that promises to reward her with a cure if she helps an empire fall.

And on the border between nations, Captain Rah e’Torin and his warriors are exiles forced to fight in a foreign war or die.

As an empire dies, three warriors will rise. They will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood.

Why I Want to Read:
  • This title always makes me think of the song “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”
  • Being plagued by the voices of the dead sounds like an interesting plague
  • (Certainly more so than the coronavirus!)
  • War and the fall of empires always promises an interesting time.
  • What exactly does it mean to ride the storm?!
First Lines:
They tried to kill me four times before I could walk. Seven before I held any memory of the world. Every time thereafter I knew fear, but it was anger that chipped sharp edges into my soul.
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Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Son of the Storm

In the ancient city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness—only he doesn’t want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city’s immigrants are sworn to secrecy.

But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn’t exist, he’s put on a collision course with Bassa’s darkest secrets. Drawn into the city’s hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. And the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire.

Why I Want to Read:
  • Forbidden stories are the best stories
  • Magic that shouldn’t exist is always interesting
  • (But also, I am of the opinion that magic should always exist)
  • World inspired by West Africa
  • That absolutely gorgeous cover!
  • Wait, is that a legitimate reason? Heck, I’m going with it anyway.
First Lines:
The weary Sojourner Caravansary stood at the corner of three worlds.
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A Dragonbird in the Fern by Laura Rueckert

A Dragonbird in the Fern

When an assassin kills Princess Jiara’s older sister Scilla, her vengeful ghost is doomed to walk their city of glittering canals, tormenting loved ones until the murderer is brought to justice. While the entire kingdom mourns, Scilla’s betrothed arrives and requests that seventeen-year-old Jiara take her sister’s place as his bride to confirm the alliance between their countries.

Marrying the young king intended for her sister and traveling to his distant home is distressing enough, but with dyslexia and years of scholarly struggles, Jiara abandoned any hope of learning other languages long ago. She’s terrified of life in a foreign land where she’ll be unable to communicate.

Then Jiara discovers evidence that her sister’s assassin comes from the king’s own country. If she marries the king, Jiara can hunt the murderer and release her family from Scilla’s ghost, whose thirst for blood mounts every day. To save her family, Jiara must find her sister’s killer . . . before he murders her too.

Why I Want to Read:
  • I don’t know what a dragonbird is, but I definitely want one.
  • Or two or three.
  • You know what? A whole herd of dragonbirds.
  • Wait, is it a herd? Or a flock? Or maybe a hoard? Hmmm.
  • I’m very pro-assassin on the whole
  • Hunting down a murderer also sounds rather thrilling
First Lines:
My shoulders stretched the silk of my split-skirted zintella dress as I wrenched myself up to the highest branch that would still carry my weight. A mother dragonbird in the rainbow-covered nest above cawed and flapped her wings in an attempt to drive me away. I stilled, waiting until the long-tailed, kitten-sized bird stopped panicking. But time was running out. I’d need to get the feather straight from the nest.
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The Thirteenth Cat by Mary Downing Hahn

The Thirteenth Cat

A thriller about bravery, unexpected friendship, and sinister cats.

Zoey loves spending the summer with her Aunt Alice, and her aunt’s new house is the perfect place to cozy up with a good book. But she’s unnerved by the overgrown forest next door, which is creepy even in the daytime and full of eerie sounds at night. Worse, there are rumors in town of a dark force in those woods. And Zoey can’t deny that the wild black cats who live there seem to be watching her.

When she encounters a mean old woman who claims to be their owner, Zoey realizes there’s more to the cats than meets the eye. But little does she know that the closer she comes to discovering their secret, the more danger she’s in . . .

Why I Want to Read:
  • All cats are sinister. That sounds horribly redundant.
  • But also, okay, I’m very curious.
  • That cover is deliciously creepy and I am all about this.
  • Our young patrons seem to really enjoy this author
  • Summer is always a good time to read horror books
  • (To be fair, it’s always a good time to read horror)
First Lines:
Last fall, my Aunt Alice moved from a Boston suburb to Bexhill, a small town in Vermont. For the first time she had enough space for me to spend my summers with her instead of going to camp. Mom was delighted. She knew how much I hated camp, but even though I was almost thirteen, she didn’t think I was old enough to spend my summers alone in Brooklyn while she worked. What could be better for me—and safer—than a summer in a small town?
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She Who Rides the Storm by Caitlin Sangster

She Who Rides the Storm

In this atmospheric YA fantasy that is Wicked Saints meets There Will Come a Darkness, four teens are drawn into a high-stakes heist in the perilous tomb of an ancient shapeshifter king.

Long ago, shapeshifting monsters ruled the Commonwealth using blasphemous magic that fed on the souls of their subjects. Now, hundreds of years later, a new tomb has been uncovered, and despite the legends that disturbing a shapeshifter’s final resting place will wake them once again, the Warlord is determined to dig it up.

But it isn’t just the Warlord who means to brave the traps and pitfalls guarding the crypt.

A healer obsessed with tracking down the man who murdered her twin brother.

A runaway member of the Warlord’s Devoted order, haunted by his sister’s ghost.

A snotty archaeologist bent on finding the cure to his magical wasting disease.

A girl desperate to escape the cloistered life she didn’t choose.

All four are out to steal the same cursed sword rumored to be at the very bottom of the tomb. But of course, some treasures should never see the light of day, and some secrets are best left buried…

Why I Want to Read:
  • What is up with all these riding of storms?!
  • Is this a new phase that I missed? And how do I sign up?
  • This cover gives me life.
  • I love me some high-stakes heist plots
  • Why does no one ever learn not to disturb ancient tombs?! Read a book, people!
  • I love archaeologists as characters (and archaeology in general)
First Lines:
When Anwei stepped into the trade advisor’s private study, she smelled death. The odor burned in her nose, the dregs of it seared into the ornate desk chair, the walls. It was rank in the very air.

“Don’t touch anything,” she whispered to her partner, Knox, as he slipped through the window to stand next to her.

“I thought the point was to touch things.”
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The Head of Mimir by Richard Lee Byers

The Head of Mimir

The young Heimdall must undertake a mighty quest to save Odin – and all of Asgard – in the first heroic fantasy novel set in Marvel’s incredible Legends of Asgard

It is a dark time for Asgard. The Allfather is trapped in a bewitched Odinsleep, inspiring an all-out assault from the Frost Giants. They evade the gods’ defenses with uncommon ease, as if guided by augury. Heimdall, a quick-witted young warrior still finding his place amongst Asgard’s defenders, believes it no coincidence that Odin lies enchanted and that the Giants are so well-informed. Sneaking into Odin’s inner chambers, he discovers that the severed head of Mimir, a great source of wisdom, is missing. Accompanied by his sister, Lady Sif, Heimdall must quest across the Ten Realms to retrieve it, lest mighty Asgard fall.

Why I Want to Read:
  • Norse mythology is cool AF
  • Do you not see that fierce dragon on the cover getting its slay on?
  • I love the Marvel world and mythos
  • I’m super curious to learn more about Heimdall as a character, in general
  • Yes, save Asgard, please. This feels like a worthy enough quest
  • (I mean, until Ragnarok, I suppose . . . seems like a waste to save it just to be destroyed, though)
First Lines:
The sun of Asgard gleamed on the armor and blunted double-handed swords of the boys and girls facing one another in pairs around the grassy field, each duo with an adult referee hovering to oversee the bout and award points. Some of the children looked tense as drawn bows, others were confident and relaxed, and still others grinned with the excitement of competition. Massive, with a bushy beard the tawny red of fox fur, clad in a scarlet doublet trimmed with cloth of gold, Volstagg was one of the parents relegated to the ring of spectators around the tourney area.
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Cathedral of Bones by A.J. Steiger

Cathedral of Bones

Simon Frost lives in a curious place, where magic is used by the very best Animists to do wondrous things—like call upon imps, wraiths, and all manner of monsters to right wrongs, deliver justice, and accomplish feats no human could achieve.

Simon Frost is not one of those Animists, though he’s been trying to become one for years.

When a plea arrives from a distant hamlet, preyed upon by an abominable monster, Simon sees the opportunity to finally prove his worth.

But upon arriving in the tiny village, Simon finds not just a monster but a key to his past—and a pathway into an unbelievable future.

Why I Want to Read:
  • Still very much a fan of magic, which should always exist (see above)
  • Monsters are fun (though I assume this probably isn’t literal)
  • But maybe it is. Who knows?!
  • The cover has a delightfully magical Victorian London look/feel
First Lines:
Simon Frost was very young, perhaps six, when his mother left on a pilgrimage to visit a Gaokerena tree in the mountains. Her destination was far away, on the western fringe of the Continent, near a tiny town called Splithead Creek. She planned to spend a week meditating at the foot of the tree, her consciousness entwined with its roots and branches.

His father was opposed to the journey, unsurprisingly. There was a long argument.
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Stay Fierce, Sammie

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36 responses to “Books On My Summer TBR || Let NetGalley July Begin!”

    • Sammie

      You know, I hadn’t even noticed until you said something. Hmmm. Maybe that’s just the mood I’m in lately? Hard to go wrong with a good book about a storm haha.

      That’s a very good point. How many dragonbirds does it take to not make a dragonbird lonely, hmm? Think my husband will buy that we need 10 dragonbirds because that’s the perfect number of companionship? xD

      Reply
  5. Dini @ dinipandareads

    I’ve just been thinking about my woeful NG rating, ha! 🥲 I also have The Princess Will Save You on my NG to-read list and I never got around to it either. It does sound good but I feel like I need to find the motivation to read it now, lol… I wonder if maybe you want to buddy read it? Might be fun if you’re up for it!
    Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…#TopTenTuesday: Possible Summer ReadsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Sammie

      We need to make a club. The Woeful NGers. xD

      YES! A buddy read sounds fabulous. Twitter, like usual? I have a physical copy of the book, but I might try to get a digital copy if you let me know when you want to read it. If the first book goes well, we can even consider buddy reading the sequels, too. xD

      Reply
  7. Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!

    I’m not sure what my NetGalley rating is, though I review the books as I read them. And typically, around the book’s release date. I have a HUGE pile to get through this summer. Did you know that you can upload your review to NetGalley, and from there, it can share your review with your Goodreads? I think it also connects to Amazon.

    I hope you enjoy all of these when you get the opportunity to read them all!

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/summer-2022-tbr-10-books-i-hope-to-read/

    Reply
    • Sammie

      Oooh, you’re one of those people that actually has a good rating?! I never understand how people do it. I’m so not organized enough. xD

      I did, but my Goodreads reviews always look different. I didn’t know that it linked to Amazon, though! That might be a lot easier, if I can cross-post to there. Save considerable time, too. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks!

      Reply
  9. Wendy

    I’ve spent six months getting my NetGalley rating above 80%! It’s tough to do. These books all look amazing! I hope you enjoy them all. And I’d love to go book shopping with you!

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I’m so impressed by people that are able to do that. xD My goal is to eventually be able to keep my ratio up lol.

      Ha, you say that now, but if you ask my hubby, you’re making a horrible mistake! xD He now just sits in the car and naps whenever we stop anywhere that has books LOL.

      Reply
  10. Janie

    Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment on my TTT – I lovvvve your opening because if that isn’t a whole mood, I don’t know what is! It’s exactly what happens to me every time I make one of these lists. I’ve only heard of My Contrary Mary from your list which doesn’t bode well for me because I feel my to-read shelf on Goodreads getting longer by the second. I enjoyed it and there are also cameos from the Jane series in it! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sammie

      RIP to your TBR shelf. xD I didn’t realize there were cameos from the Janes. I love when authors do that. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Michael

    I’ve tried the Princess Will Save You Now multiple times and it never quite connects with me. I hope you enjoy it. I’ve heard good things from those who did finish it.

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I’ve seen some mixed things about it. I guess it’s one of those that you either connect with and love or just don’t feel and move on. It’ll be interesting to see which end I fall on!

      Reply
    • Sammie

      Ugh, yes, same. The struggle is real for mood readers. xD It’s sometimes hard to explain to someone that I can love a book one month and DNF it two months down the road lol.

      Reply
  16. Susan (Bloggin' 'bout Books)

    This is a great goal! I need to follow suit because my current NG ratio is like 3%. Oops. I usually only post reviews to NG after I write full ones for my blog, but I think I need to copy my Goodreads reviews there just in case I never actually get around to reviewing the books on my blog. I never thought of doing that before, so thanks for the idea!

    Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

    Reply
    • Sammie

      Well, I feel a teensy bit better about my NG ratio. But . . . only a teensy bit. xD you’re welcome! Hope it helps.

      Reply
  17. Hannah

    These all sound amazing, but The Wolf in the Whale especially! What an interesting mix of myth there. Enjoy these, and don’t worry… I too will be veering off list before the week is up! I think that’s the name of the game for bookworms in a lot of ways.

    Reply
    • Sammie

      Right? That’s what caught my attention immediately, too. It’s a combination you don’t see very often.

      Bookworms are very good at veering from predetermined paths. Who would’ve guessed? xD

      Reply
    • Sammie

      I’m in a stormy mood, and so is my state, because we’re supposed to have thunderstorms for the next five days now. xD I blame the weather.

      Reply

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