This week’s Top Ten Tuesday on The Broke and the Bookish is “Top Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn’t.” I really need to start working on these sooner so I give myself more time to think about my answers.
1. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
I think if this hadn’t been so short, I wouldn’t have finished it. Not because it wasn’t good – it was excellent – but rather because I just knew something bad was coming and I was scared. I’m a total literary pussy.
2. Prodigy by Marie Lu
Mostly I had the box set and I didn’t want the trilogy sitting on my shelf staring at me accusingly forever, and I knew that if I didn’t read through it now, no way was I going back and starting again. So it was a now or never sitch.
3. The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski
I started this book and then stopped it. Not quite sure why. So every time after that when I picked it up I either tried to start from where I’d left off, which didn’t work because I’d forgotten everything, or tried to start over and got bored because I’d already read that bit. Finally just grabbed it, sat down, and read until I got past the bit I’d read. Then I couldn’t put it down, and it’s now one of my faves.
4. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
This didn’t end up being what I expected. The beginning was great, but then it got all weird and meandery and acid-trippy and vaguely pointless and I got progressively less interested in it. By the end it felt like when I would have to finish a book in high school.
5. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
I still don’t know what I think of this book. It wasn’t terrible, but there were a lot of bits that nearly lost me. I’m really not sure if I’ll ever get around to reading the rest of the series.
6. The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
My parents went through this phase where they made me read one book a month that was outside of my normal comfort zone. I think they were worried about Nancy Drew brain damage or something. At any rate, this was before I was really much good at figuring out which books would appeal to me, and I had a lot of false starts. But this one I had to finish. And while I know my parents had the very best of intentions, this is one time they really didn’t do me any favours.
7. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
This book is HUGE. I tried this a few times before I finally made it through. It’s definitely not a genre I’ve come to have a lot of interest in, but I’m still proud that I made it all the way through. But I won’t be repeating the experience.
8. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
It took me a little while to really enter Anne’s world, and I nearly gave up so many times. But I stuck with it, and I will be forever grateful that I did.
9. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
I actually did abandon Atlas Shrugged never return. I did finish The Fountainhead, and I’m glad I did. The thing about Rand is that she was an amazingly talented writer – her books will swallow you whole if you let them. But they’re not really comfortable places to live. They’re a very interesting social representation – unique in my experience – but so cold and unforgiving that by the end of the book I felt kind of like my insides were iced.
10. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This was the first full-length book I ever read. It was so so hard, y’all. I nearly didn’t become a reader. But I stuck with it, and of course at a certain point that magic happened and I couldn’t put it down. So it’s thanks to this reading experience that I learned to love reading as much as I do.
There are probably better examples, but that’s what I’ve got for this week! What about you guys? Link or share in the comments! //<![CDATA[ var sc_project=10144299; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="82f610c9"; var scJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://secure." : "http://www."); document.write("”); //]]>
Yeah, I read it and I *still* don't get it. I hope you like it too! It wasn't really for me, but I think that's mostly because it wasn't what I expected!
Yeah, I read it and I *still* don't get it. I hope you like it too! It wasn't really for me, but I think that's mostly because it wasn't what I expected!
Hmm… I'm not going to go so far as to say that it's the worst book in a generation – because, you know, I haven't read them all – but I also wouldn't recommend going back to it. If you read the first third of it, you read most of the good bits.
Hmm… I'm not going to go so far as to say that it's the worst book in a generation – because, you know, I haven't read them all – but I also wouldn't recommend going back to it. If you read the first third of it, you read most of the good bits.
I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty sad. But also really good, so I'd say as long as you go into it prepared, it's worth it. Going to check yours out now!
I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty sad. But also really good, so I'd say as long as you go into it prepared, it's worth it. Going to check yours out now!
Me too! Definitely need to do a re-read at some point though, because I've forgotten a lot. It's not that it's slow to start – more that I didn't allow myself to get into it too much because I wanted to save it. (I am also that person who saves all my good cards when I'm playing crazy 8s and ends the game never having used them…) I think if you put in a few chapters to start, you'll have no problem getting into it. Basically, the slow start was me, not the book!
Me too! Definitely need to do a re-read at some point though, because I've forgotten a lot. It's not that it's slow to start – more that I didn't allow myself to get into it too much because I wanted to save it. (I am also that person who saves all my good cards when I'm playing crazy 8s and ends the game never having used them…) I think if you put in a few chapters to start, you'll have no problem getting into it. Basically, the slow start was me, not the book!
I was prepared for the Outsiders to be an emotional one, so I dealt with it ok. The Fountainhead… well, I was glad I read it, but actually reading it was the emotional equivalent of sitting in a bathtub full of ice water. That's the best I can describe it.
I heard the same thing about Rivers of London, which was why I picked it up. It was a bit like that for the first couple of chapters, but then it just got…. weird. I would have preferred it stuck to the supernatural without bringing in like river goddesses and stuff. Not a fan. But, if that's what you're into, you might like it!
I was prepared for the Outsiders to be an emotional one, so I dealt with it ok. The Fountainhead… well, I was glad I read it, but actually reading it was the emotional equivalent of sitting in a bathtub full of ice water. That's the best I can describe it.
I heard the same thing about Rivers of London, which was why I picked it up. It was a bit like that for the first couple of chapters, but then it just got…. weird. I would have preferred it stuck to the supernatural without bringing in like river goddesses and stuff. Not a fan. But, if that's what you're into, you might like it!
I haven't read A Little Princess since I was a kid, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately, so I think I'm going to have to give it a re-read! The Legend series will definitely be enjoyable if you're a fan of dystopia – I didn't like it as much as the Razorland books, but it's entertaining. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I haven't read A Little Princess since I was a kid, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately, so I think I'm going to have to give it a re-read! The Legend series will definitely be enjoyable if you're a fan of dystopia – I didn't like it as much as the Razorland books, but it's entertaining. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Going Bovine I once picked up and didn't get it. At all. I want to give it another try though! I also have Rivers Of London on my TBR list so hopefully I like it! Great list!
Check out my TTT!
Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination
Going Bovine I once picked up and didn't get it. At all. I want to give it another try though! I also have Rivers Of London on my TBR list so hopefully I like it! Great list!
Check out my TTT!
Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination
Ohhh… Going Bovine was that way for me too. I'm still not sure what I was reading. It's either the best or the worst YA book in a generation – not sure which.
Ohhh… Going Bovine was that way for me too. I'm still not sure what I was reading. It's either the best or the worst YA book in a generation – not sure which.
Nice choices. I really want to read The Outsider's but I am pretty scared to read it as I am scared it might upset me. I struggled with the topic as well so I ended up having to go with the books I wish I had put down but didn't. Nice picks 🙂 Here's my TTT.
Nice choices. I really want to read The Outsider's but I am pretty scared to read it as I am scared it might upset me. I struggled with the topic as well so I ended up having to go with the books I wish I had put down but didn't. Nice picks 🙂 Here's my TTT.
I love Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess – I'm so glad you finished reading them! Good to know that The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow may be a bit slow to start; now I'm prepared for when I start reading it 🙂
I love Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess – I'm so glad you finished reading them! Good to know that The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow may be a bit slow to start; now I'm prepared for when I start reading it 🙂
Great list! I really want to read The Outsiders and The Fountainhead, I think I'm ok with uncomfortable books… I think… lol Marie Lu's trilogy is one I am debating and I was going to get the Rivers of London set when I read it was like Harry Potter for adults… but I might hold off on that one! I read Anne of Green Gables when I was much younger and remember it being a little difficult to get into, but I loved it then.
http://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/top-ten-tuesday-books-ive-put-down/
Great list! I really want to read The Outsiders and The Fountainhead, I think I'm ok with uncomfortable books… I think… lol Marie Lu's trilogy is one I am debating and I was going to get the Rivers of London set when I read it was like Harry Potter for adults… but I might hold off on that one! I read Anne of Green Gables when I was much younger and remember it being a little difficult to get into, but I loved it then.
http://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/top-ten-tuesday-books-ive-put-down/
I absolutely adored A Little Princess. I reread it recently and the magic is still there for me 🙂 I'm starting the Legend series soon, which I'm looking forward to! 🙂
I absolutely adored A Little Princess. I reread it recently and the magic is still there for me 🙂 I'm starting the Legend series soon, which I'm looking forward to! 🙂