Books from My TBR I Aspire to Read in Spring 2022

Penned byHannah
17 Comments

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using that link, a small commission is made from the sale. There are no additional costs to you. Thank you for your support!

Look, friends, I might have a problem.

That problem might come in the form of review copies from way back in the day that either the release date slipped through or, more accurately, life happened and it was a rough time. Books weren’t exactly my priority. At some point a few years ago, I decided I was going to go and hold myself accountable by writing a post on book series I should attempt to finish because I’m forgetful, or more accurately, I got busy with other books so I conveniently forgot. Somewhat succeeded, somewhat failed, but I finished 4 books?

So with this week’s Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader, I’m holding myself accountable again with a list of books I aspire to read this Spring. It’s a bit ambitious since I probably won’t look at this until later, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. And there probably won’t be ten books because realistically I don’t think that’s possible for me (I also didn’t break any rules or bend them to my will so this is probably the one rule I will bend). That said…

Behold, my Spring 2022 TBR

Since one of my goals for 2022 is to clear out my ARCs, what better way than to form my Spring 2022 TBR based on some review copies I should clean up? I will definitely try to read other books for sure to balance things out and give myself a break, though.

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly

a-brilliant-night-of-stars-and-ice-rebecca-connolly

Based on the remarkable true story of the Carpathiaβ€”the one ship and her legendary captain who answered the distress call of the sinking Titanic.

Shortly after midnight on April 15, 1912, the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, wakes to a distress signal from the Titanic, which has struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Though information is scarce, Rostron leaps into action, determined to answer the call for help. But the Carpathia is more than four hours away, and there are more questions than answers: Will his ship hold together if pushed to never-before-tested speeds? What if he also strikes an iceberg? And with the freezing temperatures, will there be any survivors by the time the Carpathia arrives?

Kate Connolly is a third-class passenger on Titanic, and she is among the last to receive instruction and help after it hits an iceberg. Despite the chaos of abandoning ship, Kate is able to board a lifeboat, though after seeing the Titanic sink into the abyss and hearing the cries from hundreds of people still in the water, she wonders if any rescue is even possible.

Told in alternating chapters from both Captain Rostron and Kate Connolly.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Amazon

I’ve always been fascinated by the Titanic, so of course, any book involving the ship that was believed to be unsinkable (but ironically did anyway) immediately piques my interest. A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice isn’t exactly about the Titanic, though β€” it’s actually from the perspective of the Carpathia, the ship that answered the distress call.

RELATED: A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice ARC review

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

a forgery of roses jessica s olson scaled

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From Sing Me Forgotten author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop

Cover? Absolutely gorgeous.

Synopsis? “An artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies” and resurrection? Gothic fantasy murder mystery? I’mβ€”

Part of me absolutely hesitated to get a review copy for this, but the need was great (and also I’ve been really selective and submitted a few other old reviews, so I should reward myself with just one book).

RELATED: A Forgery of Roses ARC review

When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles

when-night-breaks-janella-angeles

The competition has come to a disastrous end, and Daron Demarco’s fall from grace is now front page news. But little matters to him beyond Kallia, the contestant he fell for who is now lost to this world and in the hands of a dangerous magician. Daron is willing to do whatever it takes to find her. Even if it means embarking on a dark and treacherous journey, risking more than just his life, with no promise of return.

After awaking in darkness, Kallia has never felt more lost. Especially with Jack by her side, the magician with who has the answers but cannot be trusted. Together, they must navigate a dazzling world where mirrors show memories and illusions shadow every corner, one ruled by a powerful game master who could all too easily destroy the world she left behind β€” and the boy she can’t seem to forget. With time running out, Kallia must embrace her role in a darker destiny, or lose everyone she loves, forever.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop

Where Dreams Descend was absolutely beautiful with Angeles’s hauntingly descriptive and beautifully atmospheric writing, so of course, the moment I saw the sequel, I had to put a library hold on it.

Unfortunately, every single time the hold is available, I’m knee-high in other books or I don’t feel like reading at the moment (whether in general or fantasy), so I just hit the “Deliver Later” button on Libby. This book’s been on hold since September 2021, friends. I think it’s high time I clear out some of those super old holds… but I think this is the oldest of the list.

Suns Will Rise by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

suns-will-rise-jessica-brody-joanne-rendell

AN HEIR. A RENEGADE
A CONVICT. A CYBORG
A DÉFECTEUR

FIVE REBELS. ONE REVOLUTION.

It’s been three months since the Patriarche was beheaded, leaving behind no heir. From the outside, Laterre seems to be flourishing. General BonnefaΓ§on has cleaned up the streets, fed the hungry, and restored peace while the next leader is decided upon. But dangerous rifts threaten to shatter the planet from within.

The Red Scar is killing anyone with a legitimate claim to the Regime, while the Vangarde and their freed leader are preparing to overthrow it.

Then, it’s revealed that the Patriarche had a child in secret. A missing heir…

Alouette is the general’s prisoner, interrogated on the whereabouts of his renegade grandson. Marcellus is desperately searching for her, knowing she’s the key to the Vangarde’s plan, but unaware that he’s being hunted by a determined new cyborg. Meanwhile Chatine grows restless, living with a rebel group she doesn’t fit into. Until an old friend solicits her help to save his DΓ©fecteur community from a mysterious, new threat. A threat that will tie them all together.

When the general makes an explosive play for power, allegiances will shift, rebels will become leaders, barricades will rise, and the tinderbox of Laterre will finally ignite, launching a revolution five hundred years in the making.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop

I’ve been secretly hoping my library would get a copy of Suns Will Rise, the third book in the System Divine trilogy, for the longest time and finally saw it on Libby a couple of months ago! Thankfully not sitting as long as some of my other holds, but it’s definitely been very friendly with the “Deliver Later.” Finally, I’m going to get closure on one of my favorite Les Mis retellings.

(Side note, if you like the thought of Les MisΓ©rables in space, you might want to read Sky Without Stars, which is the first book.)

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

the-atlas-six-olivie-blake

The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world’s six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation – and here are the chosen few…

– Libby Rhodes and NicolΓ‘s Ferrer de Varona: inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds.
– Reina Mori: a naturalist who can speak the language of life itself.
– Parisa Kamali: a mind reader whose powers of seduction are unmatched.
– Tristan Caine: the son of a crime kingpin who can see the secrets of the universe.
– Callum Nova: an insanely rich pretty boy who could bring about the end of the world. He need only ask.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society’s archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop
  1. I’m a sucker for full cast audiobooks. I love 1-2 narrators, but nothing beats a full cast and production with all the bells and whistles.
  2. Jayati has been bullying me on a regular basis to read The Atlas Six since she first read it last year. (Everyone has also been talking about this a lot, but Jayati is the primary reason.)
  3. I think I’ll really like this. (But I say that about every book I pick up, buy, or add to my TBR.)

RELATED: The Atlas Six review

K-Pop Confidential and K-Pop Revolution by Stephan Lee

k pop confidential stephan lee

In this novel about chasing big dreams, a Korean-American girl travels to Seoul in hopes of debuting in a girl group at the same K-pop company behind the most popular boy band on the planet.

Candace Park knows a lot about playing a role. For most of her life, she’s been playing the role of the quiet Korean girl who takes all AP classes and plays a classical instrument, keeping her dreams of stardom-and her obsession with SLK, K-pop’s top boyband-to herself. She doesn’t see how a regular girl like her could possibly become one of those K-pop goddesses she sees on YouTube. Even though she can sing. Like, really sing.

So when Candace secretly enters a global audition held by SLK’s music label, the last thing she expects is to actually get a coveted spot in their trainee program. And convincing her strict parents to let her to go is all but impossible … although it’s nothing compared to what comes next.

Under the strict supervision of her instructors at the label’s headquarters in Seoul, Candace must perfect her performance skills to within an inch of her life, learn to speak Korean fluently, and navigate the complex hierarchies of her fellow trainees, all while following the strict rules of the industry. Rule number one? NO DATING, which becomes impossible to follow when she meets a dreamy boy trainee. And in the all-out battle to debut, Candace is in danger of planting herself in the middle of a scandal lighting up the K-pop fandom around the world.

If she doesn’t have what it takes to become a perfect, hair-flipping K-pop idol, what will that mean for her family, who have sacrificed everything to give her the chance? And is a spot in the most hyped K-pop girl group of all time really worth risking her friendships, her future, and everything she believes in?

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop

So maybe I’m cheating a little here because I’m on the blog tour for K-Pop Revolution next month, which is the sequel, so by default of not reading the first book, I have to read the first one. But technically it’s going to be read this spring and if I’m going to finish anything at all, it’ll at least be one book. This is basically a gimme.

On a serious note, I’ve heard a lot of good things about Stephan Lee’s debut novel and as someone who loves reading books set in the music industry and enjoys listening to K-Pop regularly*, K-Pop Confidential has been on my radar for a hot minute.

RELATED: K-Pop Revolution ARC Review

A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown

a-psalm-of-storms-and-silence-roseanne-a-brown

Karina lost everything after a violent coup left her without her kingdom or her throne. Now the most wanted person in Sonande, her only hope of reclaiming what is rightfully hers lies in a divine power hidden in the long-lost city of her ancestors.

Meanwhile, the resurrection of Karina’s sister has spiraled the world into chaos, with disaster after disaster threatening the hard-won peace Malik has found as Farid’s apprentice. When they discover that Karina herself is the key to restoring balance, Malik must use his magic to lure her back to their side. But how do you regain the trust of someone you once tried to kill?

As the fabric holding Sonande together begins to tear, Malik and Karina once again find themselves torn between their duties and their desires. And when the fate of everything hangs on a single, horrifying choice, they each must decide what they value mostβ€”a power that could transform the world, or a love that could transform their lives.

Goodreads
Left Bank Books
Bookshop

Family, friendship, court politics β€” A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is everything I could ask for in a fantasy. Plus there’s a soft boi and Nadia is just cute and precious I swear I might cry if any harm comes to her. Maybe that’s why I haven’t gotten around the sequel just yet.

(I also sort of ran out of books to add to this list so I may or may not be grasping at straws just a little bit, aka going into my TBR tag on Libby.)

The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee

the-jade-setter-of-janloon-fonda-lee

Fonda Lee returns to the world of the Green Bone Saga with a new standalone novella.

The rapidly changing city of Janloon is ruled by jade, the rare and ancient substance that enhances the abilities and status of the trained Green Bone warriors who run the island’s powerful clans.

Pulo Oritono is not one of those warriors. He’s simply an apprentice jade setter with dreams of securing clan patronage and establishing a successful business. His hopes are dashed, however, when a priceless jade weapon is stolen from the shop where he works.

Now, Pulo has three days to hunt down the thief, find the jade, and return it to its rightful owner if he wants to save his future prospects, the people he cares about, and his very life. The desperate mission will lead Pulo to old vendettas, vast corruption, and questions about everything and everyone he thought he knew.

Goodreads
Amazon

The Green Bone Saga is one of my favorite series, and I highly recommend reading them if you haven’t yet! The Jade Setter of Janloon brings us back to the world and is set two years before Jade City, but I’m thrilled to jump back into the world Fonda Lee created after reading Jade Legacy. Like K-Pop Confidential, this is probably another gimme since this is a quick read, but I also don’t have a blog tour deadline so we’ll see how that goes.

Let’s talk!

What are you planning on reading this spring? (or if you’re on the other side of the world, fall?)

spring-2022-tbr-pin
The usual small ones felt blurry so I’m trying a different size, IDK.
Blogger at  β€’  Read More Posts

Hannah has a penchant for chaos, which is probably how she ended up blogging since 2012. That, and she was probably too expressive for her parents to handle, so it had to go somewhere. She can be found occasionally at The Arts STL. If you’d like to fuel her boba addiction or just enjoy her posts and want to support her, stop by her KoFi or Buy Me a Coffee!

17 Comments

  2. Good luck with getting caught up. I’m on a mission to get my NetGalley ratio to 80% but I have so many books on there that are years old…so I end up just requesting new ones and reading/reviewing them quickly. 🀣

    I have mixed feelings on The Atlas Six…I thought all the characters were awful privileged people but I did like the story. I’m torn over continuing the series.

    1. Good luck on getting to 80%! I’ve honestly given up on some of my oldest ARCs from there that are from years ago – a few of them I’ve never touched, but there’s also been a very small handful I do read later on.

      I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy The Atlas Six as much as everyone else did! If you do decide to read the sequel, I hope it’s a much better experience.

  5. I was kind of disappointed with A Psalm of Storms and Silence, I liked it, but it wasn’t as good as A Song of Wraiths and Ruin for me. I meant to read Where Dreams Descend last year, but I was in a horrible reading slump all year and decided to put it down and come back to it when I was feeling more like reading. Hopefully later in the year!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/15/top-ten-tuesday-359/

    1. Oh no, I’m sorry to hear A Psalm of Storms and Silence wasn’t as good as the first one! Unfortunately, that’s what I’ve been hearing from others as well, which is an overall disappointment, but I also want some closure too.

      I hope you’ll get to Where Dreams Descend as well! Reading slumps are dreadful to go through.

  7. I’ve had The Atlas Six on my shelf for a few months, I need to read it too! Great list, hope you enjoy them all.

  9. ahhh I hope you enjoy all of these, they look amazing!! and the atlas six has been on my tbr too!! the plot seems SO SO INTRIGUING, I really need to get to it soon eek!!

  11. I should also read The Atlas Six and The Jade Bone saga…but I doubt it will be in Spring. At least not this Spring, I want to try and make progress on my reread of the Iron Fey series and also read a contemporary here and there. Maybe I’ll find some courage from somewhere and pick up the second book in The Bone Witch series since that would be a nice series to finish this year. Along with some other books that are just judging me silently on my bookcase haha.

    1. I’m also judging you from across the pond… (JK, you’re still one of my favorite people. ❀)

      You should absolutely finish the rest of The Bone Witch trilogy and read The Green Bone Saga, with Jayati and I bugging you about the latter.

Comments are closed.