Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read.
I’m sticking to books that have gotten a lot of attention (and praise, adulation, etc.) in recent years, so you won’t find any classics on this list. In alphabetical order:
The Book Thief and The Fault in Our Stars are both on my TBR list, and I hope to read at least one of them before the year is out. I don’t think I’ll ever read A Game of Thrones, despite my love of high/epic fantasy.
I’m not planning on ever reading The Girl on the Train, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, or Gone Girl. But while we’re here – what’s the deal with all the “girl” titles, anyway? I find the impersonalization/objectification rather disturbing. Not to mention that all of the title characters are women, not girls.
I might read The Hunger Games someday, but I definitely plan to read The Martian this year – as soon as I can squeeze it in!
I have both Outlander and Throne of Glass on my TBR list, but I don’t know when I’ll get to them.
HONORABLE MENTION
City of Bones and Wild are two more titles I might – just might – get around to someday.
So what are your top ten unread “hyped” titles? And do you think you’ll ever read them?
Lory @ Emerald City Book Review
You’re right about the girl books – another disturbing title trend (along with all the “wife” books). No plans to read any of those! I want to check out Outlander and The Book Thief though. Wild is worth reading too, I would say (I have not seen the movie).
Lory @ Emerald City Book Review recently posted…Ten Hyped Books I Haven’t Read
Lark_Bookwyrm
I do plan to read The Book Thief, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Martian. And possibly Outlander, City of Bones, Throne of Glass, and Wild as well, if I ever get around to them!
Danya @ Fine Print
I used to be a huge fan of George R.R. Martin, but honestly I just got tired of the truly insane amounts of death, maiming, and assault that take place in that series. Plus it’s a huge commitment, so I can see why you’d avoid it. Your so right about the “girl” titles! It also really bothers me when the book title follows the format of “the ____’s daughter.” Especially since the fill-in-the-blank almost always references the title character’s father.
Danya @ Fine Print recently posted…Review: Blood Cross by Faith Hunter
Lark_Bookwyrm
“the truly insane amounts of death, maiming, and assault” – love the phrase! Yes, it’s that exactly that is keeping me from reading GRRM. Especially his penchant for killing off major POV characters. If I want that level of death, duplicity, and political machinations, I’ll stick to reading history. (I do reserve the right to change my mind someday… but I doubt I will.)
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
Shockingly we have a very similar list :). I actually enjoyed Gone Girl but it was seriously twisted. I’ve heard Girl on the Train isn’t quite as dark so I’m looking forward to that one but The Girl with the Tattoo is definitely on my no list. I no I’m in the serious minority but Cheryl Strayed just doesn’t work for me. I tried her Dear Sugar book (can’t remember the title) and ended up DNF’ing it and then tried Wild and only made it a few chapters in. I hope you enjoy it more than me and that you get to some of these soon!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Top Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read
Lark_Bookwyrm
Shocking, I agree! LOL. No surprise; we often have similar tastes. 🙂 I’m really on the fence about Wild but I suspect I won’t ever get around to it. But I do hope to get to The Martian soon. I haven’t read any true SF in ages, but The Martian seems like something I can really get into. I also really want to get to The Book Thief and The Fault in Our Stars, even though I’m pretty sure they will both make me cry.
Vanessa
Outlander’s been around for eons (okay, 24 years) and I started reading that series shortly after Drums of Autumn came out. I still like Outlander itself, and I’ll re-read parts of it occasionally (skipping over large chunks of unnecessary violence and whatnot) but the further along I read in the series, the less interested I became in the characters and/or plots.
I read the first chapter or so of Hunger Games, and just couldn’t get into it.
However, Throne of Glass actually sounds somewhat interesting.
As for the others on your list…well, I’ve decided most of the “omigosh you have to read this!” books nowadays are:
1. driven by amoral/unstable characters (I don’t mind an antihero here and there, but please, give me somebody to root for/identify with)
2. set in some dystopian society (the world’s a mess. I get that. That’s why I read–to find a place where the good guys eventually win)
3. just plain depressing (I dislike having my emotions mucked about with for no good reason, so I really don’t find tear-jerkers an enjoyable read).
So I will continue to avoid reading them 😛
Not sure what other titles are out there… I’ve had a very difficult time reading fiction lately, mainly because so much of it feels like … like I’ve been promised a really good steak dinner. Everyone tells me it’s the best cow they’ve ever tasted, and I’m just going to LOVE it. But when I finally get to sit down to eat it, it turns out to be nothing more than a Big Mac 🙁
Lark_Bookwyrm
I really understand where you’re coming from, and it’s why some of these will remain unread. I usually avoid depressing/tearjerker books, but my daughter loved TFIOS, so I will probably read it anyway. I tend to shy away from too many dystopians; I can take an occasional one, if I think it’s going to come out OK, but not a lot of them. And I’m with you on avoiding the amoral/nasty characters for the most part.
You might take a look at The Martian. It’s straight SF, and I gather the main character is rather MacGyver-ish and also has a sense of humor, and I’ve been assured by people I trust that I will be OK with the ending, so I’m definitely planning to read it.
As for being promised steak and getting a fast-food burger, I know the feeling. I have read a few blow-me-away wonderful books in the last two or three years, but not as many as I’d like. I think you and the young J would love A Snicker of Magic, though. I don’t know that I’d call it steak, especially since it’s middle-grade – but it’s delicious!
Vanessa
I think I’m really avoiding TFIOS because it would likely hit too close to home–my sister died of cancer at an early age.
A Snicker of Magic sounds delightful–I’ll definitely look that one up (I enjoy the MG-level books as much as J does). If not steak, then at least a yummy protein bar?
And in looking up The Book Scavenger (which isn’t available at the library yet. Bummer), Amazon suggested another book that I immediately purchased for J, just on the strength of the title and blurb alone:
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer.
At first I thought it was a non-fiction book that Amazon was suggesting based on our other chicken book purchases, but then I saw it was juvenile fiction. I mean, doesn’t this sound perfect for my daughter?
“Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse….
And then more of her great-uncle’s unusual chickens come home to roost. Determined, resourceful Sophie learns to care for her flock, earning money for chicken feed, collecting eggs. But when a respected local farmer tries to steal them, Sophie must find a way to keep them (and their superpowers) safe.
Told in letters to Sophie’s abuela, quizzes, a chicken-care correspondence course, to-do lists, and more, Unusual Chickens is a quirky, clucky classic in the making.”
It should arrive today…I’ll let you know how it is 😀
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m so sorry about your sister, Vanessa. {{{HUGS}}}} Of course you don’t want to read TFIOS!
Unusual Chickens sounds absolutely perfect for your daughter! I’d love to hear how she – and you – like it. And I’m delighted you’re going to give Snicker a try – Book Scavenger too. (I might suggest it to CRRL as a title they should buy.)
Vanessa
oh, and the hold list for The Martian isn’t too bad at CRRL–it said I was number 10 on 19 copies, so it shouldn’t be that long of a wait. A Snicker of Magic is actually longer–I’m number 20 with only 10 copies. And I’m still waiting for a copy of Pioneer Girl: I put a hold on it on November 13, 2014! And I’m still number 15 with only 6 copies in circulation 😛
Lark_Bookwyrm
Oh, good to know about The Martian! I put it on suspend about a month and a half ago, because a) I was swamped with work and ARCs and b) I was afraid it would come in while I was on vacation. I was further up the list at that point – I think they added a few more copies, too. At this point, given I’ve got to be away for all of August as well, I’ve suspended it until Sept. so you’ll probably get to it before I do! Thanks for the reminder about Pioneer Girl; I’d like to read that one, too. Off to put a hold on it!
Lindsay
Oh my, you have some great books on here! “The Martian” was fantastic and I highly recommend it. I docked it a half star because there was a little too much science-y talk, but it’s still one of my favorites from last year and one of the most memorable books I’ve read in the past few years. I recommend it all the time! Why are you not planning to read any of the “girl” books? I liked all three, though I read “Gone Girl” right after it came out and before everyone and their sister was talking about it, so I didn’t have any preconceived notions. Also, “The Hunger Games” was great! Have you seen the movies? And “Outlander”! The book was totally enthralling and I really like the show! (It’s worth watching for the stunning scenery alone!)
I have also read “The Book Thief,” “The Fault in Our Stars” and “City of Bones.” I liked the originality of “The Book Thief” but I didn’t get all the fuss about “Fault” and “City.”
Lindsay recently posted…16 Hyped Books I Haven’t Gotten Around To Reading Yet
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m really looking forward to reading The Martian – whenever I can get hold of a copy! The waiting list at the library is unbelievable.
I’m not planning to read the “girl” books because while I love Golden Age mysteries and cozies, and even the romantic suspense of Jayne Ann Krentz and Nora Roberts, I’m not a big fan of thrillers or “dark” mysteries. In the case of each of those titles, I’ve read or been told enough about the book/plot to know that I’m going to find it more uncomfortable than rewarding… and while I’ll venture out of my comfort zone occasionally, none of these really appeals to me enough for that. I may get around to The Hunger Games at some point; my daughter was impressed with it, as she was with TFIOS.
Thanks for stopping by!
Jan
I have some of the same books on my list, Lark. I did read Outlander and may have read Throne of Glass if it’s the first book in that series. I plan to read The Martian, but haven’t yet!
Jan recently posted…Hyped books I’ve never read
Lark_Bookwyrm
I figured you would either have read The Martian or be planning to! 🙂 Throne of Glass is the first in that series. Did you like it?
kimbacaffeinate
I have read all of these except Wild and John Green. I have yet to read any of his books. I thought I was the only one..lol
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Flight from Death by Yasmine Galenorn
Lark_Bookwyrm
Nope! I haven’t read his books either. Yet.
Suzi Q, The Book Dame
I am curious why people choose to not read the books that they do. I will never read Wild, and will probably never read The Book Thief. I read The Fault in Our Stars and hated it. I will read Girl on the Train at some point since I received a copy. Gone Girl was so hyped that I was scared that it would be a big disappointment, but I love suspense and ended up being head over heels for the book. The movie followed the book perfectly.
Suzi Q, The Book Dame recently posted…Boring and Repetitive: Murder with a Twist by Allyson K. Abbott
Lark_Bookwyrm
Well, I tend to read mostly fantasy, romance, and mystery, with a dash of science fiction and historical fiction thrown in, so my options are pretty wide-ranging – but I tend to avoid anything depressing. As for the three mystery/thrillers on my list: I love classic Golden Age mystery (Sayers & Christie, for example), some historical mysteries, and cozies and contemporary British mystery, but for some reason I don’t enjoy psychological thrillers, and I definitely don’t like really dark and violent mysteries. (It probably has to do with raising my anxiety levels too high.) So that pretty much cancels out the three “girl” titles.
Heather @ Random Redheaded Ramblings
Game of Thrones is amazing but took me several months of constant reading in the days before I started blogging to finish it!
The Martian – you must read!!
The Girl on the train, I’m listening to the audiobook on my drive home, it is ok so far.
I have read Outlander back in 1999, I can be precise as I read it on a plane journey from Brisbane to Heathrow but just couldn’t get any further in to the series.
The Hunger Games, I still love, I actually read all three books in one go and then went back to the beginning to read them again.
Wild is good too, though I couldn’t help wondering why the hell she went travelling all alone by herself, I’m not brave enough.
As for the others unless my TBR pile shrinks dramtically not like to read them!
Have a good time if you do read any of them!!
Heather @ Random Redheaded Ramblings recently posted…REVIEW – Tropical Wonderland by Millie Marotta
Lark_Bookwyrm
“unless my TBR pile shrinks dramtically not likely to read them!” I hear you on that one! My TBR/want-to-read list is frighteningly long. Sometimes I just want to throw in the towel, erase the list entirely, and start over from scratch.