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The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
I figured I should just go ahead and get this one out of the way. I don't have a clue why I haven't read it yet - I read Looking For Alaska and I loved it. Everyone loves this book, and everyone loves John Green. And yet...I've only read one book. Like 8 years ago. And in other news, a bus full of 16 year olds spoiled the ending of this book and it's totally the reverse of what I was expecting (if you've read it you know what I mean. Probably.) So I still don't know when I'll work my way up to reading it. I'll probably get to his other books first haha
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale was one of the most amazing, influential books I have ever read. It is by far my favourite dystopia, and I also loved The Blind Assassin which is a totally different sort of writer. Clearly I love, love, LOVE Margaret Atwood...so why haven't I read one of the most lauded dystopias ever...written by the author of my favourite dystopia?
The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson
I have only heard fantastic things about this book. It's fantasy. It has a nonstandard heroine. It has basically the set up that sounds like I'll love it. ...still haven't read it.
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
I don't know anything about this book. Except that there's a really smoking love triangle apparently. And it's addicting.
On the Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta
I didn't mention it on the blog (I don't think?) but I FREAKING LOVED The Lumatere Chronicles. I will read anything by this author, regardless of genre. Give it to me now.
Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
So, vampires are rarely my thing. And the cover features an Angelina Jolie lookalike. And yet...I know SO many people who are totally into this series. I need to just go judge for myself!
The Blue Castle - L.M. Montgomery
This appears to be everyone's favourite not-Anne story!
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
The concept seems awesome, a lot of people I whose opinions I respect really liked it. Also Tamora Pierce gave it 5 stars and an awesome review (from what I could tell. I skimmed)
Eleanor and Park - Rainbow Rowell
I know, I know! This is even worse that TFIOS I think. I loved Fangirl, and hello this features like the only white/asian relationship with the same gender/race set up as my boyfriend and I! It also has all the marks for a contemporary/historical fiction? novel that I'll love
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
Ok I can honestly be excused a little bit for this one because I honestly thought it was a 50 Shades of Grey sequel. Which considering what it's actually about it well...embarrassingly offensive lol
Leave me a link in the comments so I can go check out your list!
TFIOS is on my list, too. And for what it's worth, I really loved The Blue Castle.
ReplyDeleteHmm, Vampire Academy is one of my favorite series EVER (in the top 10). I LOVE it, Rose, Lissa, Christian, Sydney, and Adrian are some of the characters that are closest to my heart. and then you can read Bloodlines which is just as good.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in my opinion, you HAVE to get past the first two books. And it's hard. They are only mediocre. (Also, the movie is terrible.) Depends on how much time you are willing to commit to VA! I think it's totally worth it... but I know from experience that bloggers have limited time to spend on long series so it might be a pass for you.
I really need to read Eleanor and Park as well. Fangirl was my favorite book of 2013 so I should love it :D
Eleanor and Park is pretty good. And I totally need to get around to reading Vampire Academy.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
I loved TFIOS, but if you don't, that's okay because there's actually a large subcommunity very opposed to John Green. You wouldn't be alone. However, if you loved LfA, you'll probably love TFIOS.
ReplyDeleteOryx was so slow and painful for me, but I want to try again. I love The Handmaid's Tale too, but I don't know. I think I might try again on audio. Or maybe I was in the wrong mood? For Atwood, I'm willing to give it another go.
Okay, so warning: some people love GoFaT right from the beginning, but I actually don't like the first book. I've read it twice and just no. However, books two and three get progressively better. Even if you don't like one, KEEP GOING.
Also, I'm weird on Shatter Me. Again, I didn't like the first book, but the latter two were really funny and steamy at parts. I actually am quite glad I read it.
Oooh, I have a copy of The Blue Castle to read also.
And you can totes trust that Tamora Pierce's opinions are for reals. I love that. Of course, you can do that if you're Tamora flippin' Pierce.
Hahaha, your E&P reasoning is pretty flawless. I'm dating a Korean boy too. Oh, the reason it's marked contemporary and historical is that people define those differently. It's set in the 1980s, which to some people is still contemporary and to some people is historical. For me, if it was written more than roughly ten years after its setting, then it's historical.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh, this is a good list! I haven't read Eleanor & Park (or any RR), anything by Margaret Atwood, or anything by Melina Marchetta besides the totally amazing Lumatere Chronicles. Sigh - need more hours for all of the books!
ReplyDeleteYeah I think most people's criticisms say that the book feels pretentious, and LfA didn't bother me on that front (I'm too much of a sucker for pretty writing), so I'm feeling hopeful.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm willing to work my way through any Atwood novel NO MATTER WHAT! I started trying to read The Robber Bride and it was pretty hard to get into, so I ended up giving up after a few chapters. But I will prevail!
That's good - especially with Shatter Me since it seems to have some pretty divisive reviews. I'll definitely make sure I finish the series then regardless of how I feel on the first books.
I didn't know you were dating a Korean! Yay us lol! Yeah I think I'd consider 1980's is historical (it probably helps that they were before I was born haha)
*shamefaced look*
Yeah I think it might be one of those books I don't read until someone shoves it in my hands haha
ReplyDeleteWell hopefully I get to it soon so I can read your review (if you write one)!
I am also a sucker for pretty writing. I actually readily agree that Green is pretentious, but I enjoy that so okay.
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty large collection of her stuff now, but I've only read a handful. Must fix this (though honestly probably post-blogging).
It really is all about Kenji. He's not really in book one and it's tedious. The metaphors also get less chickawhut as time goes on.
That's a fairly new development. A little over four months now. He thinks my obsession with kdrama is laughable, but whatever. I was born in the late 80s, but I still think it's historical, because Rainbow was writing about the PAST not the current time period.
TFIOS in my opinon was Good, but I didn't adore it. I actually liked the movie better (blasphemy right?). I liked Fire and Thorns too, it was a great series! You know I loved VA, but it definitely takes a few books to really get into it. Also I LOVE E&P. I hope you read that soon! Great list - good luck :)
ReplyDeleteGirl of Fire and Thorns: I think you will like this series overall, but the second and third books are definitely better than the first. It feels a little on the younger YA side, but I think you would like a lot of the messages.
ReplyDeleteShatter Me: Unless you REALLY love Love Triangles, I would suggest skipping this series. I really like the first and second book, but the third made me angry. Also, the author does a complete personality switcheroo which drives me insane. I hate the trend of having to read a novella to "understand" a character. A novella should not make me feel completely different about a character. UGH! I'm getting all worked up again! LOL
VA: RIGHT? Totally Angelina Jolie!! It bothers me. SO. much!
Between Shades of Gray: Really good, definitely worth the read - especially if you like WWII stuff like me.
The Knife of Never Letting Go: Ok, I am officially recommending this! Yes, the writing is unique, but it totally goes with the story. And I think you will like the how it is done. And it is a lot more thoughtful than most YA Dystopian/Sci-Fi, which I think you will appreciate.
Ooo I really want to read The Knife of Letting Go too!. The only books I've read on your list, and can rec to you AGAIN, is TFIOS (because it's still awesome even though you already know the ending. Trust me, the lines in there will get you). and also Eleanor and Park! I promise you won't regret reading the both of those!
ReplyDeleteThere should be a club for people who must be locked in a bare room with only TFIOS so that we will be forced to read it. On second thought, it doesn't sound like a terribly fun club:0).
ReplyDeleteI've been doing surprisingly well with MG and borderline MG books so I don't think that will bother me too much. Plus with my diversity/fantasy thing, this has definitely been bumped up my list!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm really iffy on this one because the things people seem to love about it...I'm not convinced I will? (Namely love interest things). I'll probably pick it up if I just see it hanging around the library. (And you, my friend, are perhaps really not a candidate for the ToG series then haha - I think the novellas are actually really important to the character development)
Every time I see the covers I'm like...is that her? Or isn't it? And I spend so much time thinking about that and how I ordinarily don't like vampires that I've never spent any time convincing myself to read the book lol
I think you might have been the one who recommended that for me actually, and I'm looking to read more historical fiction. I'm coming to the conclusion that perhaps the reason I don't read nearly as much historical fiction is because a. it feels less prevalent in YA, and b. I tend to gravitate towards the 1500-1800 range, which can be a bit limiting.
I've heard some mention of the weird dialogue, but I don't think it will bother me? But everything I've heard about it definitely makes me feel like you're right and I'll really love this!
John Green really does have some truly beautiful writing. And I definitely need to read E&P asap!
ReplyDeleteAka a room full of crazy sobbing people hahahaha
ReplyDeleteToG being Throne of Glass? I love that series. I haven't read the novellas, but I feel like even if I did, it wouldn't really CHANGE a character's character. You know what I mean? Like, Warner is presented in this particular way in the first book, but then by the last book we're supposed to think he's this completely other thing. And you only know he is this other thing because of his novella. I don't agree with novellas completely changing everything like that. Character development - cool. Changing the main plot of the series - not okay. Also, I think you will have problems with some of the love interest stuff on top of that. That being said...I kind of want you to read it now so I can see what you think! HAHAH!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to jump on The Knife of Never Letting Go bandwagon. Go and read now!!
ReplyDeleteI find that a lot of books are better when the hype has died down a bit. Maybe look up Eleanor and Park and TFIOS in a year or so? (I enjoyed them both, by the way.)
I've heard good things about The Girl of Fire and Thorns, like the MC was different from your generic heroine, yet I still wasn't convinced. Maybe someday. LOL at the scorching love triangle, I'm not sure about that, I do love this series but the love triangle wasn't really good one for me. But I loved the other guy and it's pretty obvious who the girl really liked.
ReplyDeleteThat's true - that does sound completely different then. I think the ToG novellas are the first time I've ever found novellas important to the series (but they're really the first time I've read novellas, so maybe all novellas are like that haha), but really it just fleshes out some things, it doesn't change them. Well if I do read the series - I'll post a review, so we'll see whether it's a giant rant or not haha
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I can get a library copy, it's done!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm hoping that will be the case. I think I just feel too much pressure as well as put too much pressure on the book haha
See, I don't know if I'd do as well shipping the wrong guy! That was my biggest issue with Goong/Princess Hours. I need my ship to...float? Swim? And I feel like I'm wary of the series because I have a tendency to like the underdog too much. Notable exception: The Hunger Games. Definitely was a Peeta shipper the whole time!
ReplyDeleteTFiOS made me cry like a baby in public, if you're into causing yourself pain I definitely recommend it (truly, it's a bit great. I thought everyone was lying but turns out they weren't lol)
ReplyDeleteMost of the rest are on my TBR list which is getting a bit out of hand now lol I plan to read Eleanor and Park SOON (well...within the next six months?)
Yeah, I tend to be a bit of a masochist when it comes to my books, so it's only a matter of time before I get to it lol
ReplyDelete