It’s time for another Top Ten list from That Artsy Reader Girl. Today’s topic is my fall TBR. I don’t generally choose books based on the season (except at Christmas time), but I do keep a short list of the next 5-10 books I want to read out of the longer TBR. For over three years now, I’ve had a system for how I choose the next 5 books from my full list to move up to the top. Each next 5 books will include (not necessarily in this order):

1 book recommended to me by family/close friends OR a book that was self-published
1 book I own
1 book to continue a series
1 book that’s amongst the oldest on my full TBR list
1 book that’s an ARC, if needed (and it always is)

This keeps me from having any books on my TBR list too long, leaving a series sitting too long before going on to the next book, or ignoring books I’ve acquired for myself in favor of books from the library. And I’m not much of a mood reader. This system keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by my overall TBR (which is considerably small compared to most people). Using the system, here are the first 10 books I expect to read this fall (it’s just a coincidence that so many of them are mysteries, but it sure does work out well for the season).

1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Recommended to me by my sister – She’s recommend many good books to me over the years. She also works in the teen section of her local library, a county away from where I live, and chose this to be the book for the teen book club for October. My 13-year-old daughter will be attending that book club and is reading this book now, and I enjoy reading books along with her when I can.

2. The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun
A book I own – I’ve picked up almost all of the books from this series at thrift stores. Though it’s also the continuation of a series (I have a lot of series in progress at any given time, so often more than one book in a set of 5 next up on my TBR are the continuation of a series I’m reading).

3. The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans
A book to continue a series – I’ve had my ups and downs with this series, but I’m 6 books in, so I’m invested now. Though the end keeps getting further away, because the author keeps writing new books…and that’s considering that this one, #7, was clearly billed as the “last book of the series” when it first came out.

4. ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt
ARC from Netgalley – Though this book is set during Christmas, I’ve read another book from this same series that was also set during Christmas, and it wasn’t what I’d call a Christmas read. It just happened to be set during that time. So though I normally prefer to read Christmas books during Christmas, I also like to read Netgalley ARCs before or close to the time they’re published, and this one is set to be released in October.

5. Abby’s Letters by Dana Romanin
A book that’s amongst the oldest on my full TBR list – This is the oldest book on my TBR, put there 3 years ago. It’s definitely time I read it.

6. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
A book I own – I picked up a copy of this book at a thrift store. I’ve never read it, but it seems to be one of the most well-known Holmes stories, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the hype is all about.

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Recommended to me by my sister – She’s asked me multiple times if I’ve read this series, and renewed the suggestion after hearing that I’d recently read and liked The Hunger Games series.

8. The Viper’s Nest by Peter Lerangis
A book to continue a series – My husband brought home the entire (main) series that he got for a good deal at a thrift store. I remember this series being a big deal when it was first out, though at the time, I didn’t buy the hype. I’m more than halfway through, though, and it’s been a decent series overall.

9. The Event by Whitney Dineen
A book that’s amongst the oldest on my full TBR list – I got a free digital copy of this self-published book 3 years ago, and it’s been waiting on me to get to it ever since.

10. Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly
ARC from Netgalley – I don’t know why cozy mysteries always have to feature a dog, a cat, or some kind of food, but this wintery book might just end up perfectly timed to read as the weather is turning cold outside.

Have you read any of these? What do you plan to read over the next few months?