This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, asks us to question our TBR and ask, "Am I sure I want to read that?" The official topic description reads: Top Ten Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read (books you may have bought but aren't sure if you are into it anymore, books you wanted to read but heard mixed things about, hyped books you aren't sure about --- basically any book that has you going, "TO READ OR NOT TO READ?"
1) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I thought I wanted to read this and I'm sure its very good but I've recently realized that contemporary YA just isn't my thang. I'm also not sure I really want to read a book in which the primary descriptor of it is that it is incredibly sad.
2) Anything by Ernest Hemingway
After reading a bit of fiction about him in The Paris Wife (by Paula McClain), I was totally put off by his persona and personality. The descriptions of his writing style and themes also don't attract me. If I'm honest though these are pretty superficial reasons for shunning his books.
3) Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
This is a book I do think I will end up reading but I will need to psyche myself up for it. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read but it is imbued with such a deep melancholy and loneliness that I suspect is part of all of Robinson's books. However that is not perhaps a fair assumption so I owe this Pulitzer Prize winning book a chance. Also it is set in my current home state of Iowa which piques my interest as well.
4) Mr Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
I snapped this up at the library book sale, knowing nothing about it, because I love Julia Quinn. I have since checked things out and this is one of if not the lowest rated of her books and it is a different perspective re-telling of another of her books. Kind of a little experimental thing she was trying out. They are meant to be read together but most folks found this too redundant and that the conceit just didn't really work. So I'm torn as to whether I should just give it a try, if I should pick up the companion book or if I should just not bother at all.
5) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
I own this book but have not read it nor seen either of the movie versions but I have heard ALL of the hype. It's made me feel a little meh about it but I think I will eventually read it.
6) Rabbit Run by John UpdikeA few years ago in a fit of wanting to read all the things and be the most well rounded reader of all time, I bought several of the books in the Rabbit series from a used book store. Now, years later I'm just not sure they will be my cup of tea and why push myself to read something I'm less than excited about when there are so many other things out there to read?? In the description of the book it says this: "Original, graphic and merciless, Rabbit, Run will be admired and hated with equal intensity." This just makes me feel tired. But he is an iconic American writer....
7) Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Speaking of iconic writers, Robin Hobb is one in the fantasy genre. I bought this and the next book in this series because I was so sure I would love it. I tried reading this once and got about 40 pages into it before putting it down. Now I'm wondering if I really won't like the books or I just wasn't in he right mood when I first picked it up.
8) Anything by Jonathan Franzen
This is sort of ditto the Hemingway thing. I feel like anytime I hear anything about him he's being pompous and pretentious. It's turned me against reading his books but for all I know he's just not good with the speaking in public.
That's it for me. Do y'all have any books on you're TBR that you are unsure of? Any of the above that you think I should change my mind on?
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