Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This week, the topic is Books on My Summer TBR. I have a bunch of books on my to-read list this summer, from ARCs to already released novels that I just haven’t read yet. Let’s check them out!
Title: The Jasad Crown
Author: Sara Hashem
Series: The Scorched Throne #2
Page Length: 400
Pub. Date: July 15, 2025
Publisher: Orbit
Synopsis: Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad’s greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group’s trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.
In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father’s desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he’s sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father’s army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin’s beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.
War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she’s fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn’t just want to survive. She wants to win.
The fugitive queen is ready to come home.
Title: Falling Into Place
Author: Allison Ashley
Page Length: 319
Pub. Date: Aug. 19, 2025
Publisher: Montlake
Synopsis: Accountant and freelance personal stylist Carly Porter, daughter of a compulsive gambler, knows the personal cost of a bad bet. But when she partners with her best friend, Sasha—publisher of a floundering fashion magazine—Carly can’t resist. The highly publicized makeover of an Oklahoma City bachelor could boost sales and be Carly’s ticket to her dream profession. The bachelor in question is none other than Sasha’s older brother, Brooks.
Hardly the party boy Carly remembers from high school, Brooks is now an antisocial, work-obsessed physician still struggling with a devastating loss. But if it means helping his sister, he’s in. It’s Carly’s job to get him out of those lived-in scrubs, style him to the nines, and bring Brooks back to life. But so far, the only real connection is between Brooks and Carly—and falling for a client could cost Carly the career she’s worked so hard for.
To move forward, they’ll both have to overcome their painful pasts. And whatever the risk, maybe even take a chance on love.
Title: Love Walked In
Author: Sarah Chamberlain
Page Length: 352
Pub. Date: Sept. 2, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Synopsis: He has a struggling bookshop. She has a knack for bringing bookstores back to life. As soon as she walks into his store, all bets are off…
Mari Cole’s whole life is her dream rescuing and revitalizing indie bookstores. Friendship? Love? No thanks. After a hard childhood, she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone. Besides, books have never let Mari down the way people have.Then she gets the offer of a rescuing Ross & Co. Once the most prestigious independent booksellers in London, the store is a shadow of its former self and needs an expert outsider to turn things around. But the offer turns out to be a double-edged Leo Ross, the store’s new owner, is as cold and hostile as the British winter.
For as long as he can remember, Leo Ross has known his future is becoming the next generation to run Ross and Co. He’s sacrificed almost everything he cares about, but the bookshop is still failing on his watch, and now there’s an obnoxiously cheerful American woman convinced that she’s going to magically make everything better. Leo’s life is difficult and messy enough as it is, and he doesn’t want her help.
When Mari and Leo are forced to work closely together to bring the store back to life, Leo’s icy surface thaws to reveal the passionate man underneath. As the cold winter gives way to the possibility of new beginnings, Mari begins to see that true love could be even better in real life than in the pages of a book. Can they put their pasts aside and learn to let love in?
Title: Gabriela and His Grace
Author: Liana De la Rosa
Series: The Luina Sisters #3
Page Length: 384
Pub. Date: Aug. 26, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Synopsis: A scandalous arrangement between a hellion heiress and destitute duke reveals truths that neither can outrun….
As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.
For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.
When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?
Title: Arcana Academy
Author: Elise Kova
Series: Arcana Academy #1
Page Length: 576
Pub. Date: July 22, 2025
Publisher: Del Rey
Synopsis: Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.
Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.
In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.
Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?
Title: The Chosen Queen
Author: Sam Davey
Page Length: 352
Pub. Date: June 3, 2025
Publisher: Diversion Books
Synopsis: Igraine, destined mother of King Arthur, takes center stage for a powerful, feminist retelling of Camelot.
The stories of Camelot do not begin with the sword in the stone—but rather with a twisted chain of murder, magic, and deceit.
Igraine is happily married to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, even though his withdrawal from the Mysteries and the Goddess have created a strain between them, as well as friction between her and her mentor, the Lady of the Lake. While they are visiting Uther Pendragon, King of Britain, at his castle, Uther makes it obvious to the entire court that he desires Igraine to be his queen. Later, he grabs her in the hall, and when Igraine informs Gorlois of what happened, he gathers his people and abruptly leaves the festivities, later declaring war on Uther. England has only recently found peace, and Merlin pleads with Gorlois to pledge allegiance to Uther. But Gorlois’ pride will keep him bent toward war, no matter the cost to his people.
Igraine bravely assumes the role of leader at Tintagel Castle, encouraging the women left behind to continue working the fields to show their devotion to the Goddess and instructing her two daughters to harness their own powers. She plans a grand summer solstice celebration, inviting their allies. On the eve of the solstice, Gorlois unexpectedly returns to Tintagel. But it is only after she lies with who she thinks is her beloved husband that Igraine learns the full extent of the devious plot of Merlin and the Lady of the Lake.
Igraine is chosen by the Goddess, by the Lady of the Lake, by Merlin, by Uther Pendragon . . . but in the end, she will choose her own fate.
Title: For the Record
Author: Emma Lord
Page Length: 320
Pub. Date: Aug. 12, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Synopsis: Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.
Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.
With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up the old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.
Title: Our Dear Miss H is on the Case
Author: Violet Marsh
Page Length: 352
Pub. Date: March 25, 2025
Publisher: Forever
Synopsis: Georgina Harrington should never have trusted her feckless cousin Percy with her most precious archaeological discovery. But no one would take her academic work seriously if they knew it was hers and not her male cousin’s. When Percy goes missing, only Georgina realizes that he is truly in danger. And to find him, she must rely on the help of his infuriating but incredibly attractive best friend.
Although Alexander Lovett is always up for an adventure, he vows to keep his distance from Georgina, who is on his insufferable parents’ list of suitable brides for a future duke. He’s a grown man who can pick his own wife, thank you very much. But he’s surprised to find himself falling for Georgina’s surprisingly bold initiative and independent thinking that save them from more than one deadly scrape. Yet as a simple kidnapping grows into a threat to the monarchy, their smoldering attraction might be snuffed out before it ever has a chance to ignite.
Title: By Invitation Only
Author: Alexandra Brown Chang
Page Length: 368
Pub. Date: Sept. 2, 2025
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Synopsis: Every year, a hand-selected group of young women travel to Paris to make their debuts into high society at La Danse des Débutantes, the most exclusive debutante ball in the world. Being wealthy, royal, or famous gets you into the pool of potential debutantes, but only La Danse decides who is truly worthy of attending.
Chapin Buckingham, the daughter two Hollywood legends, is one of the lucky few chosen to attend. Chapin’s not usually a society girl, but she has her reasons for wanting to be crowned Debutante of the Year. Her chances seem good…until a fellow debutante creates a PR nightmare that has the eat-the-rich cohort calling for La Danse’s cancellation.
Enter Piper Woo Collins. As the daughter of an EMT and winner of the International Science Fair Prize with a profile in Teen Vogue, Piper is the perfect, down-to-earth person who could restore La Danse’s reputation. But Piper isn’t interested in becoming a debutante—until they offer her a college scholarship…if she wins Debutante of the Year.
In competition for the crown, Piper and Chapin have every reason to clash. But at La Danse, everyone wants something. Piper and Chapin might just need each other to go from pawns in a game to ruling the board…
Title: Mistress of Bones
Author: Maria Z. Medina
Page Length: 336
Pub. Date: Aug. 5, 2025
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Synopsis: An epic and romantic debut adventure fantasy, where a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister gets embroiled in bigger, world-ending plans instead
It’s been thousands of years since the gods lifted the continents into the air so humanity could thrive, chaining the lands down with their bones and turning them into Anchor.
Azul del Arroyo doesn’t care about gods or Anchor; she cares about being responsible for her sister’s death and getting her bones from the capital so she can bring her back to life. Again. But in her way stands the Emissary of the Lord Death, who will do anything in his power to stop her, because a necromancer like her shouldn’t exist—no matter how alluring.
As Azul and the Emissary’s cat-and-mouse game leads them to the dangerous Court of Cienpuentes, their fate becomes entwined with a count who begrudgingly works for a child king, a faceless witch who transforms Anchor into dreams she can peddle, and a long-lost half-brother with a secret of his own. It’s a time of enlightenment, of rapiers and scientific prowess, in a country where Anchor ceased to be something worth revering a long time ago, and people have forgotten the gods’ sacrifice.
But the gods haven’t. Because the gods want their bones back, and they’re not opposed to becoming players in their own game.
Swashbuckling, grand, and tragically romantic, Mistress of Bones is a can’t-miss debut about love, about loss, and, of course, about death.
Are any of these on your TBR? What are you reading this summer? Comment below!!
I have seen a few I need to add to my TBR. haha. Do you have Arcana Academy?? I have an ARC of that one if you want to BR!
I have the ARC. Absolutely!!
Yessss!!!
None of them
Can two books that were started in May count? Because still in the middle of James and Islands of the Blessed
Totally counts!!
I haven’t read any Elise Kova in forever (ten years ago?). I read her first book, Air Awakening, and thought it was okay. I do want to read The Jasad Heir. Mistress of Bones sounds delightful so I’ll definitely add that to my pile.
Nice! I hope you enjoy them. They both sound great!
Great list! I hope you enjoy them! None of them are on my tbr. I’ve been in a fantasy mood most of spring but I feel like it shifting toward horror/thrillers for summer.
Nice! I hope you have some great reads!!
I’ve read the arcs for The Jasad Crown, Arcana Academy and For the Record and enjoyed them all! Great list!
Oh, that’s so good to know!! Now, I’m even more excited to start them. 🙂
You have a very nice mix of books here, Julie. There are a couple of the romances that I will be adding to my TBR shelf. I hope you enjoy all of these.
Thanks, Carla! I’m glad you found a couple new ones!
Fantastic list, I’ve just added three of the titles to my TBR and am especially intrigued by The Chosen Queen out of those ones. Mistress Of Bones was already on my TBR and is another I really cannot wait for. I hope you enjoy all of these 🥰