Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I HAD to Buy... But are Still Sitting on My Shelf Unread

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is fantastic: the top ten books I HAD to buy... but are still sitting on my shelf unread. I'm ashamed to say this week's TTT was much easier than it should be. Sometimes I think I'm a shameful book lover for casting aside books, but sometimes it's just an accident. Here are some that have been sitting, collecting dust for a while:



1. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

I read and absolutely loved The Time Traveler's Wife, it's probably my favorite novel of all time. So of course, as soon as I knew Niffenegger had authored another book, I just had to have it. I read the first chapter or so, got bored and put it down. Since then I've only heard mediocre things about it so I haven't been incentivized to pick it back up again.


2. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

I still really want to read this one. Unfortunately because the copy I have is a beautiful hardbound version, it's huge! Since the book is so long, it makes it difficult to lug back and forth to and from school with me, so it's been collecting dust on my shelf at home.




3. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Unfortunately 1Q84 met the same fate as 11/22/63 - it's just too big and long to be convenient to carry around so I haven't actually gotten to reading it yet. I think it may be a summer or winter vacation read.



4. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht

I couldn't even tell you what The Tiger's Wife is even about anymore, it's been that long since I bought it. I think it was at the top of a bunch of awards lists and when I saw it I knew I had to read it to see what it was about. Whoops.



5. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

I read all of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in one big binge read over winter break a few years ago. Since then I've found it difficult to keep up with and get into the new books in the series that come out every year. I'm always forgetting what happened in the last book.


6. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This was all over the internet last spring and summer. As soon as I bought it though, I pushed it to the side in favor of by the pool chick lit. Since then, it's kind of faded and I never hear anyone suggest it so it's been bumped way down on my to be read list.


7. Where'd You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Confession time! I adore this cover. I bought the book because of the cover. It helps that it was a bestseller too - but I'm not even really sure if it would be a book that I otherwise would have picked up. I still love picking it up and looking at it, even if it's making a nice decoration.



8. The Racketeer by John Grisham

This was another victim of my binge reading habits. When I finally got into John Grisham I binge-read a whole slew of his novels, ending with buying this one. Unfortunately, like all my binges, my interest in Grisham came to an abrupt end and I couldn't even think of reading it. I'll get to it someday I suppose.



9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

I'm the only one in the whole world that hasn't read this one right? I really have no excuse. I was so happy to buy my own copy because it was always checked out at the library. Then I realized how long it was... but unlike 11/22/63 and 1Q84, I even have it in an e-version. See? No excuse.



10.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

I think I felt like I had to buy this one because it's one of those books you're either supposed to read, or had to read for class. I still haven't made it to actually reading it, but it's another one I like to have sitting on my bookshelf so people think I read classier books than I really do. (I'm joking of course... mostly.)







26 comments:

  1. I just added Where'd You Go, Bernadette to the "to be read really, really soon" stack. And I would one day look to read IQ84, but I think it would have to wait for a vacation- it's such a beast.

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    1. I knew a girl who brought it with her on spring break last year and lugged it around, she said it was worth it so I have my fingers crossed!

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  2. 1Q84 is on my list this week too xD Been sitting on my eReader, reminding me every so often that I haven't read it yet xP

    Hope you enjoy The Book Thief and The Paris Wife! I also checked out The Tiger's Wife after it won all those awards. It was interesting enough but I think I need to re-read it again one of these days...

    I hope to read Where'd You Go Bernadette at some point, it sounds fantastic!

    My TTT

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    1. Haha we both have such big plans... literally, that book is ginormous!

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  3. The book thief is just as great as everyone says. Some of my favorite family moments in a book. I hope you get to it soon.

    Marissa @ Rae Gun Ramblings

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    1. Ii always hear great things about it and it makes me sad it's still sitting on my shelf, although I am glad I have it for when the inspiration does finally strike.

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  4. My friends who have read IQ84 constantly tell me how much I should read them, hope you'll get to it soon! Big and bulky books are less convenient to read hmm :/

    Alciia @ Book a World
    My Top Ten Tuesday

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    1. I know, and I can't convince myself to buy it on my Nook when I have a lovely real copy sitting in front of me :(

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  5. Oww I hate the big book cannot come in the bag problem. Both IQ84 and 11/22/63 are brilliant though. So is the Book Thief... Good luck with all your books!

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    1. It's the main reason I'm pro-ereaders, then you can take books with you everywhere, they can serve totally different purposes.

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  6. You've got some fantastic books in your list, The Book Thief is such a modern day classic I highly recommend it!

    I also need to make the time to read Deadlocked, I had borrowed it from the library but didn't get the chance to read it :(

    My Top Ten

    Have a great week!

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    1. Glad I'm not the only one behind on my Sookie reading! Doesn't she have another one coming out again soon?

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  7. I also want to read The Book Thief. Heard it's great. Good luck with your list and happy reading!

    Here's my TTT

    Julie

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    1. Thanks girl! I'll take all the encouragement I can get.

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  8. You have some of my very favorite books on your list! 11/22/63 is worth it -- even though it weighs a ton! (I ended up buying an e-version even though I already had the hardcover, just so I could carry it around w/me). The Book Thief and Bernadette are wonderful too, in very different ways. I didn't love Her Fearful Symmetry as much as I'd hoped to (loved TTW!), but I'm still glad I read it. What a great list! I hope you get to these soon!

    Lisa
    My TTT

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    1. I might have to read Her Fearful Symmetry all the way through just so I can make up my own mind too :)

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  9. At least you have some valid excuses for the books you haven't read. I mean, being big and heavy and tiresome to lug around is a great reason to avoid some books. I might have to start using that excuse to make myself feel better for those books I still have sitting around waiting to be read. (Because really, they make you feel guilty!)

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    1. Haha well, I won't lie I included the ones I knew I had good reasons for ignoring, there are definitely ones I should dust off that I left for no reason at all!

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  10. It took me years to read Speak. I was nervous about the subject matter and all the feels I was sure to experience. But once I started, I couldn't stop. It's a quick read, and it does have an uplifting feeling at the end. I can't recommend it enough.

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    1. All the feels! Yes, exactly. Oh I could use a quick read soon anyway, so that sounds like a good reason not to ignore it to me!

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  11. Most of these are on my TBR list. I've been trying to get my bookclub to read Where'd you go Bernadette and I've been DYING to read some Haruki Murakami. The Book Thief is so very good!

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    1. I LOVE Haruki Murakami, usually it doesn't take this long for me to get to it, so I would definitely recommend him to your book club too!

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  12. I cried when I read Speak. It's so gorgeously written. The prose is phenomenal and so heart-wrenching. It feels like you've only been reading for a couple minutes after reading it, but also like days at the same time? It's just really amazing.

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  13. I see The Book Thief is on alot of these posts! Wow :)
    I love that 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami is on your list. Enjoy reading your list.

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  14. I am so guilty of this with the Book Thief too -- I just HAD to get it after realizing it was such a favorite in the blogging world, but it's still just sitting there...

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  15. I just recently got The Book Thief, but I have had Stephen King's Under the Dome for FOREVER! I hope you get to read all of these soon!

    BTW, I love your blog design! New follower! :D

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