Inspired by the Top Ten Tuesday meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (I know, I’m a day late) I felt the need to pare down my intimidating TBR list of 800+ books on Goodreads to something a little shorter, a little more able to fit on a single post-it note when trotting off to the library, and a little more prioritized for the fall season. I hate reading books that I wanted to read but are in the way of me reading that other book that I REALLY wanted to read. It’s not nice to do to the books or to me.

Technically, it’s supposed to be a list of ten books but…I failed. The shortest I could make it was fifteen.

I noticed that when comparing last year to this year, I read twenty-seven 5-star books in 2012 while in 2013 (which is soon coming to a close) I only read thirteen 5-star books. I don’t think this is me getting stingy with my 5-star ratings, but rather a symptom of not prioritizing those books that I drool over at the thought of. So, here’s a chance to squeeze in all the books that I think I’m going to enjoy the most before the end of the year:

Book #2 in a Series

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. Following up probably one of the most amazing books I’ve read in years. OMG THIS CAME OUT YESTERDAY. Excuse me while I hunt a copy down. And read it for the next twelve hours straight.

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood. Book 2 in an alternate history New England…with witches! (Be still my heart.) I was eagerly anticipating it’s publication in June…and then I just let it pass me by.

Book #3 in a Series

Allegiant by Veronica Roth. Won’t be published until October. Taps foot impatiently.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver. One of my absolute favorite series of all time. Cap that with the fact that it’s written by one of my favorite authors of all time! I think I’ve been putting this one off like Harry Potter 7, which I didn’t finish until nearly six months after it was published, because I wanted to push off the final chapter until the last possible second. Also, this is comp title research for the WIP.

Sever by Lauren DeStefano. Partially for comp title research for the WIP, but mostly just because I have to know how this fantastic series ends!

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier. Not published yet. Saucy characters and great time travel adventures. I’ve been waiting for more than a year for October 2013 to roll around and finally deposit this book in a bookstore!

Historical Fiction

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters. I’ve been wanting to read this historical fiction since before it was even published, but I just never picked up a copy. Changing that ASAP!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Everyone in the world loves this historical fiction and I’m ashamed I haven’t read it yet since it sounds so amazingly fantastic.

Writing Research

Breath: A Lifetime in the Rhythm of an Iron Lung by Martha Mason. A memoir and research for my own WIP.

Eve by Anna Carey. YA comp title research for my WIP.

Living with Polio by Daniel Wilson. Historical non-fiction and some research for the WIP.

Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic that Remains One of Medicine’s Greatest Mysteries by Molly Caldwell Crosby. See the above. (Also…doesn’t this title grab your interest and not let go?)

Stand-Alone Awesomeness

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Everyone else in the world, it seems, has read and recommend this to me. Time to jump on the bandwagon. Also, so I can see the movie!

The Year of Shadows by Claire Legrand. Ghosts+an orchestra? Obviously, this book is for me! Loved her first book and was so excited about this one I went to the bookstore and bought it the first week it was out. I honestly believe Legrand is writing some of the best new middle grade fiction there is right now, of Roald Dahl and Cornelia Funke (two of my other favorite middle grade writers) caliber.

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey by Fiona Carnarvon. Publishing in November. Obviously have to do SOMETHING to hold me over until the new season, since I already read Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey!

What’s on your to-read list this fall?