Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Never Want to Reread

Ten Books I Never Want to Reread

So, this is my first time participating in TTT since it has moved over to That Artsy Reader Girl (and dusting off this neglected blog in the process). If you're reading this, hi there - I think your'e doing a great job! This was a really interesting one that got me thinking - there are lots of different reasons why you might not want to reread...

1) A Little Life - this book just about did me in. I would not recommend it to anyone who has a fragile state of mind in any way, or is easily triggered. I know in one sense I'm tempted to read it again, but it wouldn't be for positive reasons.

2) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - this book was really popular and I requested an ARC, thinking it to be another YA book that would be a fairly easy read. It made me very angry. That Artsy Reader Girl shares my thoughts on this book; it is completely inappropriate and basically glorifies suicide at the same time as making people think that suicide is the 'fault' of individual actions. Read her review here. (I wasn't coherent enough to write one).

3) The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - this is slightly different. I loved this book so, so much that I'm scared to read it in case it isn't as good the second time round. Do you find this with books? It was just a fantastic read in every way, and I don't want the possibility of ruining it!

4) Unless by Carol Shields - Same reasons as the Poisonwood Bible. I found it incredibly moving, but I know some people who read it for a book group, and for one of them it was a reread, and they said it felt so flat on rereading! Nooo! I'll just live with my memories of the first read.

5) Game of Thrones (1) - I did enjoy this book but it was just SUCH hard work! I made extensive notes while I was writing it so that one day I can get round to reading the sequels without rereading... It's a great book, but it's not amazing enough that I want to put so much energy into it a second time round.

7) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - I imagined rereading this and getting more from it second time round but, realistically, I don't think I want to. The mystery's gone.

8) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins- this was billed as 'the UK's answer to Gone Girl' which is the kind of comment I hate because it sets it up to be something else. A book is it's own book. You can suggest 'if you liked this, try that' but making it so directly linked to Gone Girl made it just fall a bit flat. I didn't enjoy it as much directly because of the comparison and that isn't fair to the author because it was probably perfectly good, just not in comparison. I don't care enough about the characters to reread.

9) Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen - this was set for my book club to read and... well, I just didn't have the right sense of humour for it. It really divided our book group: half were literally unable to speak because they were laughing so much, and the rest of us were kind of shrugging. It wasn't that I didn't get the jokes: I could see where it was meant to be funny, but it just didn't do it for me. Disappointing, silly drivel.

10) The Martian by Andy Weir - I was so disappointed by this book! I was really hyped to be reading it and it just wasn't for me. There was so much science - I like science! But this felt like reading someone's workings out for answering physics/maths questions. The premise was great. The execution just made it boring. I haven't seen the film - anyone recommend it?


What about you? What books would you not want to reread?

Top Ten Tuesday: Unique Book Titles

Been rather neglecting this blog for a while and I decided to come back with a Top Ten Tuesday after reading some really funny titles over on Broke and Bookish, and then I saw a good one at a swap shelf... well, the universe was telling me something! So, here are my top ten unique book titles (although other people have come up with some of the same, and some much better!):

1) An Almond for a Parrot

This is the one I saw on a random swap shelf - and the first thing I wanted to know was: do parrots eat almonds? First port of call was the parents (being vets), but they didn't know, just said they ate cashews. useful lot. Good old internet it is then... Yes! - they do. So maybe not that an exciting title after all...

2) Managing a Dental Practice the Genghis Khan Way

Just... weird. Brought out in 2016 and the paperback version is over £30?? What is so special about this book??

3) People with Long Ears

Okay, so this book is actually an old book about donkeys, but it sounded weird before I knew that!

4) The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

This isn't a children's book - apparently a very surreal, funny book about just about everything - intelligent dogs, zombies, hurricanes, leviathans, devils... And it's the first in a trilogy. I guess there's something for everything? Or perhaps there's everything for no one...

5) Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining

I think this is actually a supposedly sensible book about 'the problem of America's fraying family fabric' and how juvenile delinquents are taking over and we need to stand up to them or something like that. Anyway. 

6) Does God Ever Speak Through Cats?

I have to say this is not something I have ever considered before. My cat is sitting on my lap as I type, and she has nothing to say on the topic. Apparently David Evans does though!

7) Turtles All The Way Down

Obviously, this is one that I actually intend to read because John Green is awesome. But where does the title come from? Interestingly enough, it's actually expression is a well-known phrase (not to me). It's the equivalent of 'what came first: the chicken or the egg?' It refers to the 'defect of infinite regress in any philosophical argument, and widely accepted in Indian philosophy. There you go then. Might be a clue as to what the book's about. (I haven't read the blurb or any reviews yet because I want it to be a surprise.)

8) Teach Your Wife to be a Widow

I'm still not quite sure whether this is a joke or not. I think it must be. But then it was published in 1953 - it doesn't sound like a very 1950s joke (says she who was born in the 90s). Difficult to get hold of in the UK, and on amazon US there's a reviewer who says: 'only purchase if your wife is both capable of a capital crime and willing to accept the consequences.' That means it's a joke, right? Right?

9) The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories

Reviewers have found this book 'strangely sensual and alluring' and 'not as alluring as the title would have you believe.' And how alluring is that exactly...?

10) Nuclear War: What's In It For You?

No Amazon reviews at all, so don't know if this is a joke or not. I'm assuming so...

So, there we have it: my top ten unique book titles. Not as good as other people's: go check out the fun at The Broke and Bookish. 

Cheers! xx

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters We'd Love to Revisit as Adults

Linking up to TOP TEN TUESDAY at the Broke and Bookish

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

Today's topic is: Ten Childhood Characters You'd Love To Revisit As Adults (i.e. a novella or something to see what they grew up to be) -- you could always just pick YA characters you've read recently you wouldn't mind revisiting in 10 years or so. Or you could pick 10 characters and guess what you think they'd be doing in 10 years or 20 years. OR you could go the other way and wish for coming of age stories for adult characters you love. 

Giving the Top Ten Tuesday Thing another go... see what I can come up with!

1) Nancy, Peggy, Titty, Roger, Susan and John from the Swallows and Amazons series. Just a quick look in to see how they're all getting on!

2) Susan from the Narnia series. Her character, for me, and the way she behaved was completely heart-breaking. I'd love to see her as an adult, and realise that it was real after all.

3) Matilda from Roald Dahl. I have such hope for her as an adult :)

4) Garnet from Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson. I guess I'd like to see Ruby too, but Garnet's my favourite.

5) Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice. Just to see her again - I love her!

6) Everyone from Harry Potter. 'nuff said.

7) Jo and Meg from Little Women.  I know we see them more grown up, but I'd love to see how their lives panned out.

8) Georgia Nicholson. I would love to see what kind of adult she turns out to be!

9) Becky Morley from Out of the Ashes.  It's actually my favourite Michael Morpurgo book, I think. Such a heart-breaking story, set during the height of the foot and mouth crisis, which was such a huge deal for anyone in rural areas, dreading it wouldn't come. (We had goats, which we planned to hide. Even though it was a bad idea.) Anyway, if you haven't read it - go ahead!

10) Richard or any surviving characters from The Secret History. Such an amazing book, made a big impact on my reading life.

So, there we have it! While writing this list, I'm not completely sure I'd like to meet any of them again. I thought of ten that would be very interesting to read as older characters, but I'm not sure I really would want to know if given the chance. A book is a completed thing. So, really, my answer is none of them :)

But that would've been a very boring post.

Go check out other people's choices at The Broke and the Bookish! It's fun seeing others' choices, particularly the difference between US and UK bloggers.