Spring Reads

So this Tuesday just gone (as in, yes, three days ago) the Top Ten Tuesday topic was spring reads, which I didn't even realise was coming up and I was really sad I missed it because, planning the books I'm going to read next? Kind of my favourite thing. So, I made a pile of books (in fact, I had a pile of 'books I want to read soonish' so I just added to it) and I guess these are the books I'll be reading in the coming months unless, you know, something else comes up. Or I can't be bothered. You know, the usual.

Let's look at the books, shall we?

Shiny, Shiny Books

So, I'm planning on reading:

Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto- I sort of chose this because it's tiny and will fit in my bag well? But also because I read Kitchen last year and it was AMAZING and I'm kind of slowly collecting all the Yoshimoto but apparently not reading it. Changing that, right now.

Torch by Cheryl Strayed- I'm slightly on the fence about this one, because I think it's a semi-autobigraphical novel about a woman who's just lost her mother and I'm like CAN I HANDLE THIS? And the answer is, maybe. I'm not sure. But I love Strayed and I definitely want to give it a go.

The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson- I've been thinking a lot about Jansson recently because there's a new biography about her out that seems awesome (had to pull myself away from it in Waterstones the other day) but when I was talking to Bex about her I realised that I've only read one of the Moomin books, lots of the comic strips and none of her adult fiction. This changes this spring (maybe).

The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro- I've become uncomfortably obsessed with Munro of late, and by obsessed I mean, I've been buying her books and not reading them and this almost definitely needs to change. I figure if I read one and don't like it, then at least I'll know not to buy more. God help us all if I DO like it...

Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs by Jeremy Mercer- This is about Shakespeare and Co, a bookshop in Paris, and Ellie put it on her list this week which reminded me I really want to read it, and THIS Ellie was the original recommender and hearty lover of this book. A book about a bookshop full of books, what could be better?

The Trial by Franz Kafka- Another book, another first- I feel like I've been told I'll like Kafka, and I feel like there isn't a reason for me not to, based on things I've heard about him. So yeah, this'll be fun!

Man Walks Into A Room by Nicole Krauss- I've read both The History of Love and Great House and I love Krauss's writing even if her stories don't necessarily stick in my brain that well. I didn't know this even existed though, so when I found it in a charity shop (about a million years ago, obvs) I had to buy it. No idea what it's about, excited to wallow in the writing.

Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger- I have been obsessed with this book for a long time now, and I don't really know why. I don't know what it's about, but I think I'm just drawn in by the idea that I could like a JD Salinger book, and I've been planning to read this for a loooong time. The time is now (ish. Probably. I don't know.)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alborn- I don't remember buying this, or why I bought it, but it's been on my shelves a reaaaally long time now and my housemate-friend keeps telling me it's awesome and I'm like 'ok, I'll try it.' Now I'm actually planning on trying it. Let's see how it goes.

World War Z by Max Brooks- The time for World War Z is now. Alley, take note. This had better be good.

Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski- I bought this because Bukowski was a person I had heard of and I thought, why not? Then I read this one poem he wrote and I'm pretty sure I cried over it and now it's really important I read all his words. This seems like a good place to start, right? 

So yeah. Spring reading. I may read these or I may just ignore that book pile and read whatever. I never can quite tell what I'll do, but I like to have a book pile laying around, always. What are you reading in the nearish future?