Top Ten Tuesday | My Winter 2020 TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week’s theme is all about the books on our winter TBR! I’m a mood reader, and this year has been such a strange one. I feel I have lost all sense of concentration. Normally, I love chunksters or complex reads, but I haven’t been able to focus on such books. However, light romances and mysteries have felt too trite for me.

With this record, I struggled to create a reading list, but at last made one, which I hope to complete. They are all long-ish, complex books, but I hope they will capture my attention for the next two months.

1. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth – I watched the mini-series on Netflix in November, and it was so delightful that I thought I should try the book. I am now close to midway of this book, and expect to be reading it for the rest of this year.
2. At home by Bill Bryson – I thought this was the perfect book to end the year. I enjoy Bryson’s travelogues and his writing style so I expect to like this one too.
3. A house for Mr.Biswas by V.S.Naipaul – This book came highly recommended by a colleague of mine whose judgement I respect. I haven’t read any of his books before and I have to say I am slightly intimidated. But still, I hope to enjoy this book. I do think it will take longer than this winter though.
4. Swing time by Zadie Smith – This is an impulse. I read one Zadie Smith novel ages ago, and it was very meh. But she’s one of those writers that gets so much acclaim that I want to try her again and see if she is a better fit for me this time.
5. To sleep in a sea of stars by Christopher Paolini – I really enjoyed his Inheritance Cycle series of Fantasy books. So, when I learnt he has now ventured into science fiction, I got quite curious. The book has pretty good reviews as well, so I am really looking forward to it.
6. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel – Of course, I have to read the last book in Mantel’s Cromwell series, even if it is to just enjoy Cromwell getting his comeuppance. First two books reviewed here and here.
7. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood – I’ve been putting off reading this book for the longest time. The Handmaid’s Tale was note perfect for me and I am hesitant to spoil my impression of the book by reading something that may not come up to that standard. I also have put off watching the TV series because of just this reason.
8. Macbeth by Jo Nesbo – In the middle of all these heavy books, I need something lighter – a palate cleanser of sorts. And I think Nesbo’s standalone book featuring Inspector Macbeth would be a good choice. It’s also one of a series of books called Hogarth Shakespeare – modern day reinterpretations of Shakespeare’s plays. Sounds interesting, and Macbeth has always been my favourite Shakespeare, so I am quite curious to see what Nesbo does with this theme.
9. Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman – I am actually reading this book now in tandem with A Suitable Boy, and it’s just a fine book. Really liking this one.
10. Normal People by Sally Rooney – This book has been on my TBR for ages but I just have not been motivated to pick it up. Maybe this winter, this book will appeal to me more.

What books are you looking to read? Which books on my TBR would you recommend I read first, any you would suggest I drop?