I've noticed the 10 before the end posts rolling out lately, so I thought I'd organize my TBR a little bit out of the vibes abyss to put together by hopeful 10 before the end of 2026. The end of the year is coming up so fast, and I'm hoping to get even more books read than this, but here are the books I'm prioritizing right now. A lot of these are recommendations from friends or books I've bought recently and have been itching to start reading. Also, my current library loans are getting plenty of real estate
This is my current read. Is that cheating? But Helen was the first book I wanted to read from this year's Booker list, and because of the library gods, it ended up being one of the last that I'll read. This quirky novel feels like a perfect follow up to having read Life of M just before, and I need some short books for balance.
2.
Havoc by Tom Kristensen
This is a bit of a deviation for me as I don't tend to read a ton of Danish modernists, but I was recommended this one after my trip of Copenhagen, and then it also got my boss's stamp of approval. As I inch towards one day reading Ulysses, I figure I'll start here first.
I stared longingly at this book in all of LaLa Book's posts around it coming out, so I was thrilled when the publisher sent me an e-book of it. I love essays about pop culture, "taste," and the things that make us. I typically read my nonfiction as audiobooks, so when it's in print, it always takes me longer to get through. I've read a few of these essays so far that were great, so I need to get this off my "current reads" before the year is out.
4.
Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
Another seconded friend-rec. One of my very best friends, Adri, stopped at Ruskovich's new book of short stories and stared at it longingly when we were doing a bookstore browse the other day, and when I said I hadn't read Idaho yet, she said it's one of the most fantastic books. I've also had a professor rec this and another friend who loved it, so I need to finally read it while I have the library copy.
5. Milkman by Anna Burns
Again, I've been meaning to read Milkman for a while now, and I guess in the sweep of Booker energy, I'm going to go back to winners from years before as well. Mostly, this is just a coincidence of my library hold coming in.
I went to a book talk for this one a month or so ago, and I haven't gotten around to reading the book, but I bought a copy, and it sounded fantastic, so I need to catch up on books that I've gotten at launches this fall so that the pile doesn't grow into the new year.
And yet another friend recommendation. A friend that's not easily wow'd totally blown away and saying I would like it. When I posted about buying it on Substack, I got so many people telling me how important the novel is to them, so my curiosity level is super high.
See: reading books I got at events. Also, since I'm not going home to Wyoming for Christmas this year, I feel like this'll be a good read when I really start missing home.
I bought this in June. Shamefully, still haven't read it. It's been recommended to me by three friends who have vastly different tastes, and now that I sell at least five copies a day of it at work, I need to read it. I have no interest in the show, but I'm very curious about the book. After reading The Secret History in like 3 days, I'm feeling cocky about conquering big books.
I got this memoir for my birthday, and like I said, nonfiction in print tends to fall to the wayside of my TBR, but this is one that I feel like would be perfect to end the year with.
Also, in December, I want to take on a giant, chunky classic that I wouldn't otherwise. Maybe Middlemarch, maybe Tolstoy? Do I go in on Ulysses.
This is my current read. Is that cheating? But Helen was the first book I wanted to read from this year's Booker list, and because of the library gods, it ended up being one of the last that I'll read. This quirky novel feels like a perfect follow up to having read Life of M just before, and I need some short books for balance.
This is a bit of a deviation for me as I don't tend to read a ton of Danish modernists, but I was recommended this one after my trip of Copenhagen, and then it also got my boss's stamp of approval. As I inch towards one day reading Ulysses, I figure I'll start here first. 
I stared longingly at this book in all of LaLa Book's posts around it coming out, so I was thrilled when the publisher sent me an e-book of it. I love essays about pop culture, "taste," and the things that make us. I typically read my nonfiction as audiobooks, so when it's in print, it always takes me longer to get through. I've read a few of these essays so far that were great, so I need to get this off my "current reads" before the year is out.
Another seconded friend-rec. One of my very best friends, Adri, stopped at Ruskovich's new book of short stories and stared at it longingly when we were doing a bookstore browse the other day, and when I said I hadn't read Idaho yet, she said it's one of the most fantastic books. I've also had a professor rec this and another friend who loved it, so I need to finally read it while I have the library copy.
Again, I've been meaning to read Milkman for a while now, and I guess in the sweep of Booker energy, I'm going to go back to winners from years before as well. Mostly, this is just a coincidence of my library hold coming in. 
I went to a book talk for this one a month or so ago, and I haven't gotten around to reading the book, but I bought a copy, and it sounded fantastic, so I need to catch up on books that I've gotten at launches this fall so that the pile doesn't grow into the new year. 
And yet another friend recommendation. A friend that's not easily wow'd totally blown away and saying I would like it. When I posted about buying it on Substack, I got so many people telling me how important the novel is to them, so my curiosity level is super high.
See: reading books I got at events. Also, since I'm not going home to Wyoming for Christmas this year, I feel like this'll be a good read when I really start missing home.
I bought this in June. Shamefully, still haven't read it. It's been recommended to me by three friends who have vastly different tastes, and now that I sell at least five copies a day of it at work, I need to read it. I have no interest in the show, but I'm very curious about the book. After reading The Secret History in like 3 days, I'm feeling cocky about conquering big books. 10. Home Economics by Caitriona Lally
I got this memoir for my birthday, and like I said, nonfiction in print tends to fall to the wayside of my TBR, but this is one that I feel like would be perfect to end the year with.
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