Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Books Kimberly Has Never Read


Top Ten Tuesday is the weekly meme hosted by the excellent blog The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is, technically, popular authors I’ve never read. However, that seemed too broad, so I’m narrowing my list to popular books I’ve never read. This list is all about honesty, right? So in the name of honesty, here’s my confession: There are number of these books that I routinely tell people I have read, simply to keep from hearing the lecture. So no shaming, okay guys?

1) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – When this one first came out, an author I don’t respect

endorsed it on a blog post. I couldn't get past that endorsement, so kept putting off reading the book. Then the request list was too long. Then I got dystopia burnout. Then people wouldn't stop talking about it. By the time I was ready to dip my toe back in the dystopia waters, I was so sure the book wouldn't live up to the hype, and now it’s been years and I just don’t care anymore. This one, though? I lie about reading ALL THE TIME to avoid a lecture from strangers.
Rebecca read the first novel, but never felt compelled to read the rest in the trilogy. Shhhh! Don't tell!

2) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – My only foray into John Green’s novels (Looking for Alaska) didn't go so well and I’m resistant to trying again. I’m sure John Green is a lovely person and I’m sure this novel is heart wrenching and beautiful. But he writes a lot of Manic Pixie Dream Girls, and I really can’t stand that trope.
Rebecca also hasn't read. For similar reasons.

3) The Help by Kathryn Stockett – At the height of this book’s popularity, when every book club under the sun was reading it, and the movie was raking in awards left and right, I told every stranger who asked that it was a wonderful book. I still haven’t read it, nor have I seen the movie.

4) Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer – I made it about 100 pages into this book and gave up. I just couldn’t handle it. It was so horrible and I felt like reading it was killing my brain cells. I also never saw the last two movies in the Saga. Apparently a relationship with Breaking Dawn just wasn’t meant to be. Rebecca would like to add that she's never made it through a Stephenie Meyer novel. She tried. Just couldn't do it.

5) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – Technically, I have read two of these books, but I hated them. There is no finesse in these books. Lewis practically beats you over the head with the symbolism bat, and even as a kid I didn’t like it.

6) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – I actually do mean to read this one, but it never seems to happen.
I just never seem to be in the mood for a novel I know will be depressing. Maybe someday…

7) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – Another novel popular with the book club circuit that I decided I wasn’t in the mood to read. I might actually pick this one up before the movie comes out… or I might just skip it all together.

8) Song of Ice & Fire series by George R.R. Martin – Listen. I watch Game of Thrones religiously. I LOVE that show. I even have posters on my wall, t-shirts in my closet, and all those adorable Funko POP! figures. But I think the TV show is exactly why I haven’t yet read the books. I like to be surprised by the twists and turns and deaths and intrigues on the show, and if I read the books, I won’t experience it the same way. I do plan on reading the books, but I might wait until the series finally ends.
Rebecca seconds Kimberly's reasoning and plans to read novels after show is completed.

9) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson – I tried to read this trilogy while waiting in an airport a few years ago, but found the first 50 pages so excruciatingly boring, that I gave up and haven’t tried again. From all that I’ve heard about the trilogy (and the movie), I honestly don’t think they’re for me.

10) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – If I had a penny for every person who told me I simply had to read this book, well, I wouldn’t be rich, but I could take myself out for a nice meal. Unfortunately for them, I pretty much exclusively read fiction. Perhaps this is a failing of mine, but it’s one that probably won’t change.

I hope I’m not the only one who has skipped out on some of these popular titles! 
Come join me in my secret shame.