I actually struggled with this topic more than I struggled with last week’s, which is weird for me. Normally picking out my favourite reads is harder than almost any other list, but this one takes the cake. Maybe because I have read a lot of hyped up books during my five years as a book blogger? Who knows.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I refused to read this book when it was first released despite the hype surrounding it. Why? Because I don’t like to read books about cancer, especially when I know that the endings are upsetting. I tried it with Before I Die by Jenny Downham and it was depressing and reminded me of when my nan was ill and I almost couldn’t finish it. Since then, I’ve refused to read books that I know are about cancer, and I really appreciate trigger warnings.
This has been on my bookshelf for the last six years and I really don’t know if I still want to read it. I think it’ll probably bore me, to be honest. But I’m keeping it for now because I am determined to give it a go and then watch that awful, awful movie.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I bought Daughter of Smoke and Bone the year it came out because everyone was shouting about the book and the ship and the main character. Then I never actually picked it up to read it. Partly because Tatum didn’t like it, partly because the ship sounded awful, and partly just because. SOON, though.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
The first Libba Bray book that I picked up was Beauty Queens and it was fucking awful. I do, however, want to give the Gemma Doyle trilogy a go because it sounds epic, and I love history. The Victorian era is not my favourite time period, but at least it’s not the Tudors.
Not gonna lie, I’m a bit scared to read this one because it’s written in verse. I don’t do well with poetry, and I only bought it because Ellen Hopkins is THE author to go to for troubled teenagers/darker YA. I’ll read it at some point, but right now I’m slightly terrified because I really want to love it.
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
I didn’t even know this was a thing until I started getting more into adult fantasy (thank you, ASOIAF/Mistborn) and now I want to read ALLLLLLL the books. I’ve heard that Robin Hobb is the woman to go to if you’re looking for amazing fantasy, so I’m on this.
I cannot escape this bloody book. Everywhere I go, people are talking about it. And the bloody show keeps beating The 100 in the polls BY A HAIR and it’s getting on my nerves. I tried to read the book before the show started but it didn’t work out too well and I got about two hundred pages in. I do want to continue because Tatum loves the books and I suppose I should try to at least finish the first one because the beginning wasn’t bad.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I’M SORRY.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Pretty sure everyone has read this but me.
I put this one on my nope shelf due to that horrible fiasco with the editor and the author, and I’m quite glad I did because it honestly sounds appalling. First, there’s the characters’ names. Then, the story sounds hilariously atrocious but I don’t think I could pick it up just to laugh at it. AND I DON’T EVEN LIKE GIRL IN A DRESS COVERS
A Great and Terrible Beauty was terrible. It was awful, awful, awful! I certainly wouldn’t recommend it. Eragon, however, is a favourite of mine. If you enjoy dragons or epic fantasies, it is a must read. Otherwise it might be a little long and dull. Hope you manage to enjoy at least one of these books! 🙂
Great list! I’m with you with Outlander. I’ve tried to read it so many times, but the narrative is just so dense. Definitely not one of those books that you can take lightly. I also have Ready Player One on my list. I haven’t read it out of laziness, but I need to get to it. I’ve heard wonderful things.
Have a great week!
Honestly, The Selection series were HORRIBLE. I picked up the 1st book (which was kinda fine for me) but I had high expectations for the 2nd book but NO. I’m glad you didn’t read it, the thought of their bad writing and bad development of characters just CAN’T get out of my head!!
Great list. I’ve only read one book on your list, and see a couple I’ve never heard of. I’ll definitely be checking a few out.
I really enjoyed read both Outlander and The Fault In Our Stars. They both lived up to the hype.
I get why you don’t want to read TFIOS but for me it made me realise how precious life is, I didn’t think *cancer* throughout. But hey we’re not going to like and read everything in our lives 🙂 I want to start the Outlander series but the books are so big, kind of remind me of A Song of Ice and Fire- very daunting!
Here’s my TTT if you would like to check it out 🙂 Have a great day!
I just read the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series last month and I LOVED it. Seriously, it’s so beautiful. And the ship was not bad to me. I loved them.
I forgot all about The Virgin Suicides when I made my list! I did include The Fault in Our Stars.
I read Outlander probably 10 years ago, so I don’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure there was lots of romanticized rape/violent sex.
A Great and Terrible Beauty is SO much better than Beauty Queens. I read it as a teen and haven’t re-read in while, but I have fond memories of it. Robin Hobb is my go-to recommendation for adult fantasy, although I prefer the Tawny Man series to The Farseer trilogy, and it’s the one I read first.
I really enjoyed crank, and I love how its written, but it is a lot darker than most YA
I actually quite liked the ship in Daughter of smoke and bone. It has some insta-love tendencies in the beginning, but it becomes more clear towards the ending. I do think the sequels are much better.
I can’t believe I still haven’t read anything by Robin Hobb.
I know understand how you feel about “The Fault in our Stars” – many people despise this topic, including me, but surprisingly I enjoyed it.
I wouldn’t recommend “Eragon”, it is probably one the worst books I have ever read in my life.
I have not read Outlander or The Virgin Suicides either. I am still unsure whether I will read Outlander, but The Virgin Suicides has been on my TBR forever. I read The Selection series and it is just okay. I wasn’t enthralled with it like others. And what was the fiasco with the editor and author? I hadn’t heard anything about it.
I bought Crank way back when as an impulse buy, without even looking inside the book, and I remember sitting in the car with my friends and opening it up for the first time and nearly crying because it was written in verse. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t get on with poetry very well at all, but I gave it a chance and finished half the book that first night. Hopkin’s has a way of writing poetry that doesn’t even feel like poetry (for me at least). This book was intense, but it’s definitely one of my favorites, and it’s the book that led me to devour everything Ellen Hopkins.
I also really loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It was another impulse buy, and I was definitely not disappointed! I hate romance in books, but the relationship stuff in this book definitely took a backseat to all the other awesomeness. I do, however, need to finish the series, which I hope to do before the end of the year. 🙂