Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Eight Books I’m Not Sure I Want to Read.
I’m limiting this to books I own, ARCs, and books I know I should read but I’m really hesitant about. (In other words, there’s nothing here I definitely don’t want to read – that’s a whole ‘nother category.) As usual, they’re in no particular order.
- The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. Because heartbreak. Need I say more?
- Deep Blue, by Jennifer Donnelly. I have a review copy, but the reviews I read haven’t been great.
- The Stolen, by Bishop O’Connell. I want to read this because it’s urban fantasy featuring a mother, not a young, single woman. (Well, OK, she may or may not be young and single, but at least she’s a mother; that’s rare in fantasy.) I’m hesitant because the plot revolves around her child being stolen by fairies, and the disapearance or death of your child is every mother’s nightmare — including mine.
- Crucible of Gold (Temeraire #7), by Naomi Novik. Does it sound crazy to say that I love this series so much, I’m a little afraid I won’t like this one? (Maybe less crazy when I add that #6, Tongues of Serpents, wasn’t quite as good as the first five.)
- Precious Bane, by Mary Webb. My mother’s been after me to read this for decades, and I keep resisting. You know how you resisted spinach and other vegetables when you were a kid, just because your parents made you eat them? That’s how I am with this book. (I like spinach now. I should probably try the darn book.)
- Cover of Snow, by Jenny Milchman. I won this from the Jungle Reds blog, and I really, really should read it. But I’m worried it will turn out to be more the disturbing kind of mystery than the ultimately-comforting kind.
- Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. Everyone raves about it. It’s got lots of things I love – historical fiction, Scotland, a main character adjusting to a culture not her own. It’s just… she’s married, and then she time travels and falls in love with someone else. And I don’t know if I can get past that.
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman. I love Stardust, and Gaiman is a phenomenal writer. But he’s also got a reputation for being creepy or disturbing at times, and I don’t do too well with creepy and disturbing.
I’m going to leave it at eight books for today. I’m sure there are more, if I go digging through my unread shelves downstairs, but these are the ones that stand out at the moment. It’s a lot easier to come up with books I don’t want to read, than the ones I kinda-sorta do want to read but I’m not sure about!
Katherine P
We had 2 in common and another (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) that was almost of my list. Glad to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to read Outlander and The Fault in Our Stars. I don’t think I want to read The Stolen either even though a lot about the plot appeals to me. I have a hard time with that kind of plot.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I probably will read The Fault in Our Stars, but I am not really looking forward to it. I’ll probably try The Stolen, too, because I do have an ARC, but yeah, the plot is a bit of a trigger for me – something I should have thought more about before I requested it. As for Outlander, I may just wait and watch the series once it’s on Netflix.
Hadas
Ooh The Fault in Our Stars was great though. You might laugh a lot more than cry, but the tears are a good cathartic experience imo.
I have Outlander on hold from the library. TBH the first ep did not draw me in, but maybe the books are better than the tv show! Experience has taught me they usually are. (you can see the first ep for free on Starz’ YouTube channel)
Jan @ Notes from a Readerholic
I think I just lost my comment. (If not just ignore this one!)
Good list, Lark! Anyway, I would have a lot of the same books on my list, but I don’t actually own any of these books except Outlander which I read a long time ago. I remember liking it, but also agree with your reasons for not wanting to read it. I have the first Temeraire book, but haven’t read it yet.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Hadas, thanks for the heads up on the first Outlander episode. I don’t get cable, so I thought I couldn’t see any of them yet. I’ll give it a try.
Jan, thanks for stopping by! Oh, and give that Temeraire book a try – just keep going, because it takes a little while to get into it. Once Temeraire is more grown, and once Lawrence realizes Temeraire is an individual and a friend, the book really takes off.
nessili
Outlander is … I don’t know. I like the concept, and Gabaldon is considered the godmother of historical fantasy, but it gets extremely graphic with some things, and I just don’t like reading crud like that. I still re-read the first book from time to time (I only got as far as The Fiery Cross in the series before I said “Enough”), but I skip over the gratuitous/graphic parts. Makes for a much shorter–and more enjoyable–read (For the record, I do the same thing with Red Storm Rising, only there I skip all the technical parts and the dull plot threads 😀 )
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Thanks, Nessili! Good to know you liked it enough to re-read it sometimes.
Anna (herding cats-burning soup)
Ahh the Outlander ones. Yes. I hear you on that. I have it. I just haven’t been able to talk myself into it even with all of the raves.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I did buy the Kindle book when it went on sale, so if I ever get past my hesitation and decide to try it, I can.
Stephanie Shepherd
The Fault in our Stars made my list as well for basically the same reason. I have tried reading Outlander twice and just kinda hate it so I support your policy of unsureness about it.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Do you know, you’re one of the first people I’ve run into who didn’t like Outlander? That relieves my mind; I couldn’t believe that everybody loved it.
Mel@Thedailyprophecy
The fault in our stars is a beautiful story. I agree, it’s sad, but it has a hopeful tone to it as well. Deep blue was so boring *yawn* I remember really liking the first 3 books from the Outlander series, I need to reread them so I can finish the series some day.
Mel@thedailyprophecy
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I probably will read The Fault in Our Stars someday. I just need to start when I’m in a good place, I guess. Thanks for stopping by!
Berls
I started reading the fault in our stars one day while waiting around somewhere – I forget – and now it’s on my absolute must read soon list. I thought it would be so depressing but the part I read – so like two chapters – was surprisingly funny. So I mean, yeah, we know it’s going to be depressing but I think it will be in a good way 🙂 Outlander’s the only one on your list I’ve read and like everyone else who’s loved it, I’m going to say- yeah,you have to. I know the marriage thing seems difficult to get around, I know I thought it would be, but I think Diana Gabaldon handled it marvelously. This is not a situation of a person who cheats and doesn’t care. It’s complex and beautiful 🙂
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
That’s kind of what my daughter said about TFIOS. I will read it, I promise. I just need to be in a good place before I start it. As for Outlander, it’s good to have your perspective on it, especially since you worried about the same issue. That reassures me somewhat.
Jenea Whittington
I am one of the holdouts for The Fault in Our Stars too. It is such an emotional read and I’m not sure if I would make it through it without being a blubbering mess.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I don’t mind crying over a book now and then, but this one has the potential to both devastate me and kick my anxiety up a notch. But I’m going to read it. Eventually.
Bishop O'Connell
Granted, I’m probably more than a little bias, but I can promise you that the author of The Stolen isn’t a monster. It’s a hard topic to tackle, a child being kidnapped, but that was the idea. In poetry and folk lore, it’s like running away to the circus. While it isn’t a picnic with the manson family, neither is it all cupcakes and tea.
*spoiler alert*
The little girl doesn’t get hurt or killed.