8 Of The Most Unique-Sounding Books Sitting in my TBR Piles
Today's Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. The prompt:Top Ten Of The Most Unique Books I've Read. Since I have a scary amount of books sitting on my tbr shelves (I'll show ya later) and some of them have been sitting there forever, I figured I'd use this space to highlight some of those that caught my eye because I thought they were unique in some way. Maybe this post will even get me to take a few off the shelf and actually read them?!
Click on any cover to be whisked away to the Goodreads page for each title.
Bloody Fabulous: Stories of Fantasy & FashionLace.
Leather.
Open collars over exquisite collarbones.
A single red drop on paper-white cuffs.
From the brocade extravagance of the Unseelie courts to the ubiquitous leather of supernatural detectives to the old-fashioned good taste of wealthy vampires—we are as familiar with fantasy protagonists’ attire as we are with their paranormal deed. Tales of tormented designers and well-dressed vampires strut into the spotlight in this anthology of fantasy tales focusing on the world of fashion and its intersection with the uncanny.
Why I bought it? It looks pretty unique sitting there on top of my pile of books in the living room? Seriously though, I don't think I've ever read a complete novel about tormented designers before and I've read a lot of these kinds of things. It could be bloody fabulous or dreadfully dull. I'll be sure to let you know, if I ever read it!
Vampires in the Lemon GroveA dejected teenager discovers that the universe is communicating with him through talismanic objects left behind in a seagull’s nest. A community of girls held captive in a silk factory slowly transmute into human silkworms, spinning delicate threads from their own bellies, and escape by seizing the means of production for their own revolutionary ends. A massage therapist discovers she has the power to heal by manipulating the tattoos on a war veteran’s lower torso. When a group of boys stumble upon a mutilated scarecrow bearing an uncanny resemblance to the missing classmate they used to torment, an ordinary tale of high school bullying becomes a sinister fantasy of guilt and atonement. In a family’s disastrous quest for land in the American West, the monster is the human hunger for acquisition, and the victim is all we hold dear. And in the collection’s marvelous title story—an unforgettable parable of addiction and appetite, mortal terror and mortal love—two vampires in a sun-drenched lemon grove try helplessly to slake their thirst for blood.
Why I bought it? Vampires and lemon groves? What two things don't go good together? That title just called my name & the blurb was too weird to resist.
Happy Hour of the DamnedHenry's rollicking debut novel is a wonderfully fresh, brutally hysterical paranormal romp that is filled with bloodsuckers, horny--and horned--devils, werewolves, celebrities, and PR-obsessed shape shifters.
The Unhandsome Prince
And they lived happily never after...
Caroline's plan to live happily ever after has hit a snag. She's spent months mapping the swamp, building tadpole nets, and kissing every wriggling frog she could get her hands on, and one has finally turned into a prince. Unfortunately, Prince Hal is not, as promised in the fairy tales, particularly handsome. In fact, he's kind of dorky-looking.
Why I bought it? A prince who isn't gorgeous? Sounds fun to me. I'm sick of girls getting what they want! You kiss a frog, you probably deserve a wart or two or at least a geeky dude.
Zombiesque
From a tropical resort where visitors can become temporary zombies, to a newly-made zombie determined to protect those he loves, to a cheerleader who won't let death kick her off the team, to a zombie seeking revenge for the ancestors who died on an African slave ship-- Zombiesque invites readers to take a walk on the undead side in these tales from a zombie's point of view.
Why I bought it? Told from the zombie's point of view?! I always wondered what went on in all of those undead heads. Here's my chance to find out.
Get Off the UnicornOpen these pages and discover 14 remarkable stories of fantasy by a grand master of the genre. A wonderful writer, as well as successful and beloved by fans across the world, Anne McCaffrey has created an exciting collection of telepaths, secret gifts, dangerous missions, dragonriders, and more.
Why I bought it? Why would anyone want to get off the unicorn? I need to know.
Moloka'i
This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai'i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place---and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Here her life is supposed to end---but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.
Why I bought it? This whole setup just sounds fascinating to me and unlike anything else on my shelf.
The Nymphos of Rocky Flats
Skewering sexual myths, conspiracy fables, and government bureaucracy, The Nymphos of Rocky Flats reveals the bizarre world of the undead with a humorous slant and a fresh twist.
Why I bought it? Well, wouldn't you?!
I'm stopping at 8 because I can go on for days and we all have other stuff to do. Here's a peek at the towers from which I culled these titles. Ooof what a mess! Have you read any of these? Worth keeping or should I ditch a few?
Ah book towers! :) Looks like some good stuff. So Get Off The Unicorn (interesting title) is a short story collection? It's amazing how little McCaffrey I've read! And Bloody Fabulous looks pretty, well, fab too ha ha. Seriously though nice list!
ReplyDeleteI have enough towers to fill a used bookstore! I haven't read a lot of McCaffrey either but I'm sure I have a whole bunch of them in the house somewhere :)
DeleteLOL I own Happy Hour of the Damned. It was irresistible for sure.
ReplyDeleteSo many books call to me . . .
DeleteThose are some great stacks of books you've got there. The Radleys is on my TBR pile, too. And I have to say, I wouldn't mind reading Zombiesque or The Unhandsome Prince; they sound like fun. Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteI have so many great books needing to be read. Why can't there be more hours in the day?
DeleteThese definitely sound interesting!! WOW to the stacks of books. I see one called Geek Love that totally calls to me lol. I need to check it out :)
ReplyDeleteGeek Love is the only one in those stacks that I've actually read. It is my all-time favorite book and I have copies all over the place. Read it. It's disturbing, engrossing and so, so different than everything else.
DeleteI see Dark Lover over yonder. Have you read it? Love that series!
ReplyDeleteNope, had it FOREVER and thought I lost it until you just pointed it out, lol.
DeleteI love your stacks of books. I used to hide paperbacks all over the house in any space I could find. I love picking up strange books and would definitely read some of the books that made your list.
ReplyDeleteI used to have them everywhere but did a big Marie Kondo declutter and try to keep the bulk of them downstairs because the piles have a way of growing and taking over all of my available living space.
DeleteMan, we share quite a few books in common when I'm glancing at your towers. Would love to help you out and say I've read some but...... I do own The Nymphos of Rocky Flats (and it's sequel I think) and really would love to make time for it. I also own Vampires in the Lemon Grove. Great post and such beautiful stacks.
ReplyDeletelol, I am not at all surprised to learn that we share tbr books.
DeleteMy bookshelves are ready to collapse with the amount on each of them...I so want to tidy them! I think next month needs to be a 'clear the shelf' challenge to get some of them to new homes... When I get them nice and organised I plan to take some photos...right now you can't see the titles as I've had to turn all the piles sideways to fit more in...
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your project. I keep meaning to clean mine up too but it never happens. Some of those piles are two/three layers deep!
DeleteThat Lemon Grove one does sound like it has a lot of UNIQUE stories! Temporary zombies, that is also unique. Have you ever read Braineater Jones? If you want a zombie POV, you might like it. It's a kind of disgusting, funny, detective based read though, not a serious zombie apocalypse kinda thing.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what Nymphos is about from that blurb, but I do like the cover!
I have read Braineater Jones! I listened to it on audio and it was hilarious. I think I need to read all of these sooner rather than later.
DeleteI own a copy of The Radley's and I can't wait to try it. :) Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Always Me
I hope you enjoy it Lauren. It sounds like a lot of fun.
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