2015, meme, top ten tuesday

[Top Ten Tuesday] – #58 – Top Ten Books I Will Probably Never Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.

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This Week’s Theme:
Top Ten Books
I Will Probably Never Read

Initial Thoughts:

You know—I really don’t enjoying saying “never” but I think with my speed of reading and the number of new releases per season, I just have to face the truth that so many of the books that I own (or yet to own) will never be read.

(I’m waiting for some Bieber cameo to remind me to Never Say Never…)

Melina Marchetta – Jellicoe Road

I’ve tried (oh have I tried!). It just isn’t happening.

John Green – […Anything?]

—Insert all of your fangirl/boy rage here—.

I’m sure he’s a wonderful writer and his personality from the bits I’ve seen on YouTube is nothing but genuine coolness. I’m just not [at this moment in time] interested in what’s available. Maybe it will change; maybe it won’t.

GRRM – A Song of Ice and Fire Series

I’m committed to the show and that’s about it. The only reason I’d read the series is to pinpoint my main ship because in all that is garbage in this world and in all that has shattered my heart from the story, I wouldn’t be able to fully devote my attention to the read. Not to mention that I don’t do well with adaptation-to-book reading (see: not completing Harry Potter series). Either way, I have Westeros.org for all my needs lololol.

Michelle Cohen Corasanti – The Almond Tree

Newbie blogger status was like, “oh, look, free giveaways (especially with amazing odds!)” –signs up for everything—yeah, I feel bad. I think it was at a time when I thought I should “challenge” myself to diversify my reading (which I still am trying) but there’s a difference in diversifying based on interest and for the sake of doing so.

Elizabeth Richards – Black City

Hmmmmmmm. How did I come to own this vampire dystopia anyways? That seems to be the question of the hour for so many of these picks.

E.L. James – 50 Shades of Grey

BUT—would I watch the film? Sure. It’s way less of a time investment than reading and I’m sure it’s a brainless experience.

Markus Zusak – The Book Thief

You know, I opened Goodreads for this choice and noticed 4’s and 5’s across the board from friends only. That’s pretty convincing. Historical Fiction and me aren’t best buds though.

Lucy Maud Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables

How to be Canadian: “[  ] Read Anne of Green Gables” – Uh oh, it’s unchecked (and will probably remain unchecked). That means I’m failing at this Canadian thing, right?

Orson Scott Card – Pathfinder

For some reason I have second book and not book 1… (probably an impulse cheap buy that I didn’t bother to look at which part of the series they were.)

Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird

Hello, I welcome all of your rage (again). Had academia not introduced me to the rage-inducing Catcher in the Rye or almost-close-enough-to-rage-inducing Lord of the Flies, I doubt I’d read them for the sake of its merit. So sorry to everyone—and I mean EVERYONE—who seems to have enjoyed this book. I’m only being realistic here.

Afterthoughts:

I’m sure there are plenty of other choices, namely “classic” Classics, which I can’t see myself investing time into experiencing. Many of these were super cheap purchases so it’s not a huge loss of investment by not reading them (that being said, perhaps I should just donate them).

Do you end up giving away books you know you won’t read?

Or do you keep them in your shelving with the hopes that one day you might get around to it?

I mean…I guess there’s a reason why you purchased them to begin with, so there’s that hope I guess that maybe my mind and tastes will change.

Cheers,
Joey

 connect: afterthoughtAn // twitter  |  anotherafterthought // goodreads

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71 thoughts on “[Top Ten Tuesday] – #58 – Top Ten Books I Will Probably Never Read”

  1. I just purchased Black City last week @ Hastings (for $3.99…) , not knowing it was a vamp-dystopian esque kind of book (until I looked it up at home) -.-‘ Genius move on my part but it was total impulse buy cuz I’m a big sucker for cheap, pretty, hardcover books… Anyways, I figured I should probably pick it up before my interest for the book completely dies out…

    I’m one of those people who hoards all their books, hoping that they would eventually read it one day… Yep, story of my life in a single sentence…

    Awesome list!

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    1. I feel like that’s what I paid for this book too, when it was on sale, and it was like “dystopian-esque. alright. I dig dystopian” then when it actually came time to check up on Goodreads…one of the categories was vampires. Yeaaaaaaaah…damn. I’m not saying it’ll be bad but I kind of associate (most times, at least) dystopian with contemporary post-apocalyptic settings NOT speculative-fiction. So, we’ll see how it goes if/when it happens.

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  2. I have the same feelings about some of the books on your list and I too hate saying never because you never know but I can say right now yes I feel that way

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    1. Mood reading does that to you.
      On the day of the impulse buy: “yeahhhhh, much excites!”
      An hour later: “New shiny book I have yet to own!”

      Commitment issues I tell you. But if I do happen to be surprised by one of these if I actually happen to read it then I’ll be kicking myself in the butt for waiting so long haha. Such is life I guess!

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  3. Hah, there are quite a few people saying anything by John Green. Fascinating. I’ve read and enjoyed two of his books, but I mean… if it’s not for you, it’s not for you.
    As for Anne of Green Gables: I read it for the first time a few years ago. It was okay. It’s a kids’ book though. Honestly, I just don’t think it’s that awesome unless you are a kid when you first read it. Nothing wrong with it, just not gripping for a somewhat adult to read.

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    1. I’ll be honest. Right until this moment that I write this comment, I actually didn’t know the premise of the Anne of Green Gables story. I just figured: “oh, CanLit, I guess that’s just Canadians doing Canadian things” — WHICH LOL I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. I’m plagued with superficial opinions I tell you.

      In terms of Green, I just think that if I were interested in contemporary/realistic-fiction, there would be so many other options that come to mind first than his hyped books. This isn’t to say they’re bad of course but perhaps just not my cup of tea.

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  4. Haha, I’ve actually started giving away/selling the books I know I’m never going to read or have read and no longer want. Mostly because I need shelf space for my new impulse purchases…

    I think I’m about done with the Classics as well, unless they’re books I already enjoyed and will reread again. I am so, SO sorry that Catcher in the Rye was one of your school reads. It was truly rage inducing when I had to read it myself.

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    1. My Academic reads could have been worse (although I don’t know if the likes of Gatsby is better or worse). But yes, Holden and I would not be friends under any circumstances whatsoever. Ugh.

      Where do you normally donate your books (just out of curiosity)? Libraries? Not-for-profits?

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      1. I’ve been donating my books to the school where I work. The upper-grade librarian has been having a field day with my YA books that’s for sure, lol. For the non-grade level appropriate books, I’ve usually found friends or coworkers willing to take books off my hands.

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          1. I guess the filtering depends on the school. I’m kind of glad mine is a bit more liberal, even if it is a private school, lol. In any case, the librarian hasn’t turned me down yet, so I’m taking that as a good sign!

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              1. Oh goodness. I’D NEVER LEAVE IT. Although this does give me an idea for what I might decorate my classroom door with in September…hmm….

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  5. Totally with you on many of these, esp GRRM who made my list too! The Book Thief though…it’s sooo good, and I’m not that big on HistFic either. I think you’d like it. It’s narrated by death – what’s not to like!?

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  6. I can only high-five everyone who lists Fifty Shades for this week’s TTT.

    I’m sorry to see a The Book Thief and To Kill a Mockingbird on your list, though. (Full disclosure: I loved Catcher and Lord of the Flies, too. However, i read them out of choice and not for academia, thankfully.)

    My TTT.

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    1. I won’t hark too much on Fifty Shades. I just know it’s not for me but welcome everyone who enjoys that kind of fiction to read about it.

      It’s sort of a love-hate revelation regarding Classics for academia. On one hand, I guess I appreciate being given the experience (because in retrospect, I don’t think I’d find myself reading it outside of school). But then I also didn’t enjoy the read so it makes me weary of similar books in that genre.

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  7. I’m with ya on To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it in school and have NO desire to revisit that. Nope. But, I tend to feel that way about all classics.

    lololol, I just want you to read 50 for all of the entertainment I would get from your rant/review. I know it would make me smile.

    I donate books I know I won’t read. I don’t like hoarding things or keeping books that I have lost interest in, and that I’ve probably purchased way cheap from a used bookstore. Most of the physical books I own are ones I’ve already read and keep for sentimental reasons, with VERY few actual books I haven’t read. I do own a few classics in case my daughter gets forced to read them in school someday. That would include a copy of TKAMB! 😀

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    1. If anything, I should just read Sylvia Day instead. So to at least it holds more “credible merit” and I’m assuming it’s more well written. (NOT saying it will be though).

      Honestly though, if I am to hear about a plain Jane (Ana/Bella) complaining about her ugliness when she’s secretly a beauty and other random shit regarding her super rich beau (Christian/Edward)…I at least, hope to some higher power, that the writing will keep be entertained because I know I’ll be like “LOLTHISPLOT. LOLTHISDIALOGUE. LOLEVERYTHING” because as much as I do love my MTV-style shenanigans, reading about these kinds of romances takes much more effort than watching it. But that’s just me.

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  8. Actually I think you’d be able to read 50 shades of grey quicker than watching the film. I did! Read the first 3ish chapters properly and then after that it was so repetitive that I skim read it and finished it quickly xD

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  9. It’s unfortunate that you didn’t like To Kill A Mockingbird though I guess it’s just not for everyone. I can’t bring myself to read The Book Thief. I feel as if it’s hyped too much. Though maybe someday I will give it a chance.

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    1. Oh I actually haven’t read TKA Mockingbird! It’s one that I’m not sure if I’d enjoy (for reasons of similar academic Classics not being my cuppa). I know a lot of people enjoyed the experience though; not to mention the hype around Lee’s sequel is bananas!

      It’s most likely that if I ever get interested in The Book Thief, I’ll probably default to the film!

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      1. Oops my mistake. In my previous comment I meant to say it’s unfortunate that you aren’t going to give TKAM a chance. I personally loved the book, but like you mentioned it’s not your cup of tea which is definitely understandable. Not everyone is going to like the same books.
        As for The Book Thief, I may just do the same. To avoid wasting my time, I’ll just get the condense version by watching the 2 hour film.

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  10. Disappointed by To Kill A Mockingbird but I can totally see where you’re coming from, Catcher in the Rye was the most infuriating novel I ever read and I didn’t even study it
    I’ve tried 3 times now to read the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami (I love his other word)
    So we all have a few bookish skeletons in our closets I suppose

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    1. Ah, I actually haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird! It’s not something I’m sure I’d enjoy (but if I end up reading it and am pleasantly surprised by the experience then I will surely eat my words of hesitance).

      However, Holden may take the cake for the kid who I would, during high school, change myself from a nobody to a bully (figuratively, of course) just to slap some sense into him. It was a slow, painful burn studying that book in school *shudders*.

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  11. I have so many opinions… *clears throat*

    I’ve heard AMAZING things about Marchetta, so it’s definitely on my TBR. John Green – I enjoyed TFIOS, not so much Paper Towns, and I’m struggling to be motivated to pick up more of his work as I hear it’s quite formulaic and meh in general. Hell yes to his online persona though. As for A Song of Ice and Fire, well, I went ahead and bought all the books that are already released when they went on sale. They all sit and stare at me, mocking me for even considering reading them. I had to move them into the spare room. Where they will stay until I have the courage to confront them. I kind of refuse to watch the TV show until I’ve read them though. Pft. 50 Shades. You know my views on this. No doubt every list ever will have that on it today. I stand strong in my enjoyment of the series. The Book Thief I picked up, read half of it, and put it down. I will finish it, but it probably won’t be my favourite historical fiction, and personally I’ve read others that are more… gripping? For me anyways. Don’t give up on historical yet, there are good ones out there! Anne of Green Gables is like a right of passage. I think I read the first one years ago, but it’s another I want to get to someday (and read all EIGHT of them). As for TKAMB, up until a week ago, that would have had ZERO emotional response from me. I read it last week. J, YOU HAVE TO READ THAT BOOK. It’s short. It was amazing. I LOVED IT!

    See. I told you I had opinions. 😀

    My TTT: http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2015/05/05/top-ten-tuesday-books-ill-never-read/

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    2. First off: WHERE ARE YOUR LINE BREAKS?? (Unless you wrote this on your phone, then you can be forgiven.)

      I hope you do considering watching Game of Thrones while you read it. Just be careful to not get the urge to binge the entirety and leave the reading part hanging.

      I think some opinions on Fifty Shades is misguided slander (that being said, I’m sure I somewhat fit into this category as well). But I wouldn’t mind giving the movie a watch–not so much the books though, unfortunately. Time commitments and all.

      Goodreads says TKAMB is 350ish words. THAT IS LIKE THE AVERAGE BOOK FOR ME. Not short at alllllll. I’ll defer it until I get, maybe, you know, older and more sentimental or something to want to read something of that calibre and not “kid” books.

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      1. LOL I was excitable, when I’m excitable I don’t take line breaks. Just like when I’m excitable I don’t breathe when I talk 😀

        My plan was to read and then watch, so I’ll be 35 by the time I get to the show then…

        I’d say unless you have a particular interest in reading the books, you could just do the movie. It was better than I was expecting, but the book has much, much more detail.

        TKAMB was much more accessible than I was expecting, in fact, is it not considered YA? It wasn’t that long, my copy was 309 pages, and I have to say, it may have been the storyline, but I read it quickly because I couldn’t put it down. Super character driven, super great read for anyone with opinions. I loved the characters!!! DO IT! R x

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  14. Oh, my! To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites. BUT, in my defense, perhaps that’s because I was the one teaching it in school. lol The others…meh. They don’t appeal to me, either.

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    1. Edited: I admit that I did read FSoG. The writing was 5th grade at best, the acts were to be abhorred, but my heart went out to the main character for the torture he experienced.

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  15. I’ve tried to read The Book Thief before and I still have a copy so I’m thinking I might read it when I get around to it one day but it’s really not caught my attention yet. I hadn’t even thought of it when making my own list.

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    1. I know the “maybe one day” reasoning very well with so many of my owned books haha. I read the synopsis of The Book Thief upon writing this post and I do admit that it sort of caught my attention (again?) but not enough to warrant my incredibly slow-reading. Deferring to the movie is highly likely (although even watching it seems a bit daunting with so many other films I need to get around to viewing!)

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  16. While I love John Green’s books and think I’ll love Jellicoe Road, I don’t think you’re missing that much by not reading them anyway. Probably. (I haven’t read The Book Thief, which my friends tell me I am missing out on, but I will probably never read it for the same reason as yours.) And I’ve tried – and failed – to read 50 Shades. Couldn’t get past the first two chapters, and gave up after a few tries.

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  18. I do love The Book Thief but it took me a while to get used to. The writing style is very unique!

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  19. Your last pick! Haha. I’m with you on that one. I’ve never read To Kill A Mockingbird and for the longest time I thought I should, given its literary merit and all. But every time I picked it off my sister’s bookshelf (she studied it for Lit), I’d read the first page and realize all over again that nope, I don’t think I can do this. (Also, this statement made me read the first page, adding to the innumerable times I’ve done this and given up.)

    I read Jellicoe Road way before I knew of Melina Marchetta’s popularity. I must say, I didn’t get it at first. It’s only half-way through that I started connecting with it. In the end I liked it but I can see why anyone would abandon the book — I almost did too.

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    1. Yeah, that feeling of “nope” is never good. Although now I’ve gotten to the point where I just squint my eyes at the cover/spine and I’m like “ha, nice try, almost had me” (I laugh it off but really it’s probably laughing at me for the sunk costs of investment…)

      That seems to be a popular opinion that Jelly Road has a slow opening (maybe) and I think that’s just the hurdle that I wonder if I just push and plow through would I end up enjoying it like you did? I know Savindi didn’t enjoy the read (we were actually supposed to buddy read it–but I bailed after a bit into it. Eeeep.)

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  21. I’m halfway through the audiobook of On the Jellicoe Road as we speak – it took me a LONG time to get into it, but I’m finally seeing some payoff.

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  22. I probably wouldn’t have picked up To Kill A Mockingbird if I wasn’t forced to read it for school. I ended up loving it, though. I watch Game of Thrones, too. Haven’t caught up on the show. I read the first 2 books but haven’t continued. They’re such a big commitment.

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  23. I read The Fault in Our Stars and loved that but I don’t think I’ll enjoy any other John Green books, really. And I’m totally with you (and like everyone else on TTT) about 50 Shades! I won’t even touch it!
    Thanks for visiting my blog!

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    1. Haha sounds like you’re possibly preserving that one good memory of John Green so as to not be disappointed by his other works.

      Although with FIfty Shades being…well, Fifty Shades, it sure has gotten a lot of free publicity this week! (Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing though.)

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  24. Okay, I’m not gonna break out the pitchforks just yet – I tried To Kill a Mocking Bird and it really didn’t work for me so was a dnf. John Green I haven’t read any. 50 Shades – I read the first book and hated it – I watched the film (why? Good question – I obviously enjoy being miserable) – the film is so bad that it’s actually funny. Do not bother. Seriously.
    Lynn 😀

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  25. haha you have some controversial things on this list! But it’s okay! I won’t rage at you. (p.s. My dream ship is Khalesi and Jon Snow, clearly. Oh and Arya and Gendry. But I AM listening to them so I have not watched end of season 4/this season yet).

    Also, I really wish that we didn’t live in separate countries, because I would TOTALLY watch that movie with you. And if you are interested in the story, the Book Thief film was a really great adaptation that captured the essence of the book without having to read 500 pages of historical fiction.

    And yes, I am working on TV. Chill! 😉

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    1. I don’t ship Khalesi and Snow but I can definitely see it happening, sort of, in some weird way–EVEN THOUGH THERE’S A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR A [THEORY] that I will not say!

      Gendrya was so strong season 2. WHAT HAPPENEDDDDD ):

      By movie, I wonder do you mean 50 Shades? LOL. I figure it’s a movie that doesn’t need my full attention and I can definitely be multitasking and play games while I watch it hah.

      CW SHOW RENEWAL IS AMAZEBALLS.

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  26. I had one bag (9 books?) which I bought on impulse from a warehouse sale. Alas, I only read one title (Just After Sunset by Stephen King). So I let the rest go. Did I feel guilty? Not really. There’s SO much I’d rather read. Fortunately, I never did the same mistake.

    As for ASOIAF, man, they demand time and dedication! I mean, I enjoy the books but they’re GINORMOUS. To Kill a Mockingbird and John Green are huge parts of my life but, of course, your opinion is valid. BUT I’m totally on board with you on The Catcher in the Rye! Gaah. That ending was bummer!

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    1. “Let the rest go” as in you donated them someplace or you just let them go get dusty on your shelf?

      NEVER SAY NEVER, LUMI. A SALE IS STILL A SALE. It will find you. It will, dare I say, Follow.

      The books probably demand time and attention but the binge watching felt like a BREEEZEEEEEE. Thank you, for excellent writing and directing, Weiss and Benioff.

      Holden in general was a bummer to my academic experience. It was even more grueling since it was like a 3-4 month study LOL.

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      1. Yes, as in gave them away. Oh, make no mistake, I LOVE SALE. However, I’m having more success now NOT picking something up I know I wouldn’t read or at least give a shot.

        Well, all hail Weiss and Benioff and the writers and the cast! And, uh, 3-4 months? O.O That must’ve been TORTURE!

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