I’m a bit late to this Top Ten Tuesday tag, but I thought I’d share some books that I have added recently to my TBR. I’ve become a lot more cautious about buying books these days, but my magpie brain is still fond of shiny new books, even if I’ve developed more self control!
10. Fifty Words for Snow by Nancy Campbell. I saw this in a gift shop recently—essentially, it’s 50 small essays about (you guessed it) different words for “snow,” from different countries. Right up my alley.
9. When Marnie Was There by Joan G Robinson. This was a book I did put on my Christmas list this year. I love the Studio Ghibli movie and am curious how similar the book is.
8. Ultramarine by Mariette Navarro. A literary thriller set on a container ship led by a female captain? The setup of this French novel sounds vaguely like a book I started writing once (I had not heard of Navarro’s book at that time). Hopefully I can find a copy easily.
7. Portraits of a Mother: A Novella and Stories by Shusaku Endo. This is a brand-new publication of some of Endo’s lesser known work, including a semiautobiographical novella (!). I’ve come THIS close to buying it in the store.
6. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I had a copy of DC which I ended up donating when I moved. I still want to read it, though.
5. The Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi. This is an upcoming release from Fitzcarraldo Editions. I know nothing about the author, but I do like the sound of this book, which promises to be a bit of fiction, a bit of fairy tale, and a bit of history.
4. Fraud by Anita Brookner. I’ve been meaning to read another Brookner novel since Look At Me, which blew me away. I don’t know if this is “the one” but a story about a disappearance has instantly got me intrigued.
3. The Mabinogion. Classic Welsh legends (including some King Arthur!).
2. The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. A haunting novel about youth and pursuing one’s dreams. I just listened to Marianne Guevara’s review on YouTube and feel this would be a great read for 2026.
1. Foster by Claire Keegan. I am trying to become more acquainted with contemporary literature, and Keegan’s Small Things Like These was a good (if not quite great) read this past year. Foster, about a foster child, is another novella by her that I would like to try.
Classics Considered 
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