TTT: The Early Bird Gets the ARC

One of the perks of being a book blogger is gaining access to books before they become available to the general public.  This is especially exciting if a book's written by a favorite author and/or is creating lots of early buzz in the publishing world.  While ARC availability/distribution has changed a lot over the years I've been blogging, I still get a fair amount of them, which is one of the things that keeps this gig exciting!  I'm not the only one whose greedy little heart beats triple time at the thought of hot new ARCs on my doorstep, as is evidenced by today's TTT topic:  Top Ten Books I'd Slay a Lion to Get Early.

Before we get to that, though, make sure you head over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get the low-down on this fun weekly meme.  You're definitely going to want to make your own list every week and join in—it's always a good time, I promise!  It's a great way to spread the love throughout the book blogging community while adding to your TBR mountain chain (because you can NEVER have enough reading recommendations, amirite?).

I have to say first off that I wouldn't actually slay a lion for the following books because (1) I'm not into animal cruelty, (2) I'm a pretty big wimp (Simba would eat me long before I got anywhere close to him), and (3) I'm not that desperate.  I wouldn't be above begging for the following, though:

Top Ten Books I'd Slay a Lion to Get Early

1.  The Witch Elm by Tana French (available October 9, 2018)—Although details have been pretty hush-hush, Book Riot swears the Irish crime novelist's newest will be appearing in early October.  Supposedly, it's a standalone (French's first) about a boy (man?) who discovers a skull on his family's land while he's in town taking care of his uncle.  Honestly, I don't care if it's about how grass grows, I want to read it!

2.  The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (available October 9, 2018)—Publishing on the same day as the above, is Morton's newest.  I adore everything I've ever read by her, so naturally I'd be stoked to get an early copy of this one, which appears to follow a similar dual-timeline plot as all her other novels. 

3.  A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult (available October 2, 2018)—I'm a long-time Picoult fan, so I'm excited about this one.  It's about a desperate gunman who rushes into a women's health clinic and holds the people inside hostage.  I'm down for what sounds like another tense, thought-provoking story from one of my favorite authors.

4.  The newest from Kristin Hannah—Yeah, yeah, I know Hannah just barely published The Great Alone.  I loved that book and The Nightingale, so I'm anxiously waiting for her next big, immersive novel.  I snagged an early copy of The Great Alone, so I'll keep my fingers crossed ...

5.  Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko (available May 8, 2018)—I had no idea there was another book in this fun series coming out until I got an email offering me an early copy of it.  Score!  It's on its way to me as we speak and I'm super excited.  If you haven't read Choldenko's excellent middle grade series about life as a kid living on Alcatraz during the 1930s, you really should.

6.  A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs (available August 21, 2018?)—It feels like I've been waiting decades for this one to come out and it looks like the wait isn't over yet.  Reichs just announced that, because of health issues, she's going on sabbatical and won't be releasing the book when planned.  Bummer.  I have to see what happens next to Tempe Brennan, my favorite forensic anthropologist, so an early copy of this one would be especially awesome!

7.  In Her Bones by Kate Moretti (available September 4, 2018)—This one certainly sounds intriguing!  It's about Edie, a woman who becomes obsessed with the families of her serial killer mother's victims.  When Edie is accused of murdering one of them, she launches a desperate search for the truth in an (probably futile) effort to clear her name. 

8.  When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica (available September 4, 2018)—Kubica's latest is about a woman whose social security number raises some surprising red flags.  As she tries to figure out what's going on, insomnia plays with her mind making her wonder what is true and what is not.  ARC, please!

9.  The Second Life of Ava Rivers by Faith Gardner (available August 28, 2018)—I've read a few books with this premise, but I still find it fascinating: a person who disappeared as a child returns suddenly as a young adult, leaving their family with more questions than answers.  I'm in! 

10.  White Elephant by Emily Raymond (available December 4, 2018)—This one's a heartwarming holiday tale about an intense white elephant gift exchange in which an ugly vase, which was once used as a murder weapon by one of the participants, comes up for grabs.  Who added the vase to the exchange?  What do they know?  I was just kidding about the "heartwarming" part, but still, this one sounds compelling.  I'd be happy to find an early copy in my mailbox!

So, there you have it, ten books I would be stoked to receive early.  Which ARCs are you most coveting right now?  For which others should I be begging my contacts?  Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor.

Happy TTT!