July 2, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This is one meme I can get on board with - I LOVE lists! I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

Top Ten Most Intimidating Books


1. An Echo In The Bone (Outlander #7), by Diana Gabaldon - The Outlander series is one of my all-time favorites. But, honestly, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6) didn't really grab me like all the others did. There's so many characters to keep track of now, Jamie and Claire's relationship isn't as passionate as it once was (they're pushing 60 - what do you expect?), and the book was BIG (980 pages). I'm sure An Echo In The Bone will be no different. That, coupled with the fact that there was a two-year span between release dates of ABOSAA and AEITB, a re-read of ABOSAA would be in order. And, I just don't think I'm up for that.


2. The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3), by Rick Riordan - I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf since November, and for some reason I'm having a hard time getting to it. The biggest reason is because it's now been 18 months since I read The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2), I forget a lot of what happened, and I don't have time for a re-read. (Note: I've actually just started this in audio format, and while I do forget a lot, it's not as bad as I thought it might be.)


3. Hopeless (Hopeless #1), by Colleen Hoover - I've heard A LOT about Hopeless. I've heard it's fantastic. I've heard it's gripping. I've also heard it's really sad. I can do sad sometimes. But, I have to psych myself up for it and prepare my emotions for the onslaught. I'm a very emo person, so these types of books usually hit me hard.


4. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1), by George R. R. Martin - I'm not a huge high fantasy fan, but I've heard so many awesome things about this series. The ratings on Goodreads are incredible. I mean, it was made into a television series, for crying out loud. But, it's a very big book. And, as I mentioned, high fantasy has been hit or miss for me.


5. The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkein - I really want to read this book. My husband read it and really loved it. But, I tried to read it once, and didn't get too far. It wasn't all that exciting. I know - blasphemy. But, I really want to get through it. I want to try again. But, you know, once you try and fail, it's a little harder to get back on the horse, eh?


6. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas - I don't read nearly enough classics. Actually, I don't read any. And, that's a travesty. I'd love to read one, and I love The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo's story. This book is nearly 200 years old. AND, it's French (well, originally it was French - it's been translated, obviously). I don't know if I'll succeed in getting through it, but I really need to at least try.


7. Rot and Ruin (Benny Imura #1), by Jonathan Maberry - Watching zombies on TV is one thing. Reading about them is another. Well, to me it is, anyway. I've now read two zombie books, and I think they were sort of zombie-lite books (Warm Bodies and Something Strange and Deadly). Jonathan Maberry is a fellow Pennsylvanian, and I met him twice now. I've heard great things about his Benny Imura series. And the covers are GORGEOUS. But still - it's zombies. I dunno. We'll see.


8. Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2), by Ilona Andrews - I have several good friends who swear the Kate Daniels series is completely awesomesauce. I read the first book in the series last summer, and honestly? It was okay. It was complicated and confusing and not what I expected. I have the second and third books already on my shelf, but I haven't been able to bring myself to read them yet. I hear the series gets better with each book. I truly want to give it another try.


9. Finale (Hush, Hush #4), by Becca Fitzpatrick - I love the Hush Hush series. I'm going to be so sad to see it end. And, that's the main reason why I've held off on reading Finale. I don't want it to end! And, now it's been so long since I've read the other three that I forget a lot of what happened. But, I really do want to experience Patch and Nora's HEA, so I need to make Finale a priority.


10. Allegiant (Divergent #3), by Veronica Roth - Along the same lines, Allegiant will bring to a close one of the most popular dystopian series of all time. Divergent was amazing. Insurgent was... well, not amazing, but good. And, now I'm beyond curious and excited to see what the ending will bring. And a little nervous. I want it to be good so badly...

16 comments:

  1. Love your list Krista!
    And yep, I stopped reading Outlander by book 6? I didn't even finish book 6 - all the magic was somehow lost so I didn't really got into the story anymore.

    I am however, 100% certain that you will LOVE Hopeless! Seriously, it will be amazing and you'll love it!

    Oh and yes I am widely intimidated by Games of Thrones... I mean sooo many books soooo many pages - when shall I read these in between all the other books sitting on my shelf?

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    1. Oh, Danny - sadly, I had a lot of trouble getting through Outlander #6 too. It makes me feel bad, because I love the first books SO MUCH. :(

      And, you know, I have a feeling that I'll love Hopeless too. I really do need to just suck it up, grab a box of tissues and read it. :)

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  2. A Game of Thrones is SO GOOD! I am a fantasy fan, but this series is somewhat light on the fantasy and focuses more on all the intrigue and the sweeping epic tale. It is HUGE, but totally worth it!
    And The Count of Monte Cristo is simply amazing! I hadn't expected to love it as much as I did, but seriously, for all its size, it never gets boring!

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    1. I've thought about getting A Game of Thrones in audiobook format. Maybe that will help. I really have heard such great things about it.

      Thanks for checking out my TTT!

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  3. Too much hype on Rick Riordin's = pressure = intimidated.

    Here's my Top 10

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    1. The high-pressure books are very intimidating, no?

      Thanks for checking out my TTT!

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  4. I also have The Mark of Athena sitting about (on my brother's eReader), waiting for me to read it. I'll likely marathon it though when the fourth book comes out later this year...

    I love The Hobbit and A Game of Thrones and I hope to read The Count of Monte Cristo next month! xD

    My TTT

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  5. I'm so with you on Rot & Ruin. I'm afraid to start that series because I really don't want some romanticized version of zombies! I want death and fear and decay! I hope we get what we hope for ;)

    Thanks for dropping by my blog, Krista! I'm your newest follower.

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  6. Ohhh! Yes, I still haven't read The Mark of Athena! I bought it for my brother when it came out.....but then I kind of freaked out and didn't read it when he gave it to me....And I totally agree with Allegiant! SOOOOOO SCARY!!! Nice list! :)

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  7. Oh, The Hobbit is a really good choice for this list. I feel exactly the same way about it! And Game of Thrones.

    Sadly, I did not love Hush, Hush... I gave up after book 1.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT!

    - Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl

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  8. I actually tried and failed to read Game of Thrones, multiple times. I just don't have the patience for a books of its magnitude, but someday I will read it. Good list.

    -Mari @ The Sirenic Codex

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  9. The Count of Monte Cristi is one of my all time favorite books, but I totally admit it took me three tries before I got into it and was able to finish it. I Actually only took that book on a flight from Seattle to London, non-stop and it was all I had to read.

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  10. So you should definitely read Hopeless, it's one of my all time favorites. It is really sad, but it's somehow also not. The really sad part isn't until about 60% of the way into the book and then everything happens so quickly that I feel like I never really had time to brood over it.

    I would also recommend The Count of Monte Cristo. It's not a "me" book at all, but it's also one of my favorites.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  11. So many people have had Game of Thrones on their list.. I'm kicking myself for not even thinking of it!! TOTALLY would be top of my list! Rot & Ruin.. I hadn't even heard of it but we're doing it for our Brunch Book Club read this month so I guess I'll see what it's all about! :)

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

    Michele | TTT

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  12. Oh, The Mark of Athena broke my heart. SO good. And you really don't need to "remember" too much, aside from the fact that Percy's been missing for six months and there's a huge prophecy that's going to require the two camps to join together. :)

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

    ~Merin @ Read and Reviewed~

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  13. I tried reading the Hobbit before the movie, but I also thought it was kind of boring. I gave it another try after seeing the first movie and it was much easier to get through. I really enjoyed it, but it didn't make my favorite list.

    I just finished Magic Burns and it was MUCH easier to read than the first one. I'm still not hooked on the series, but I am very interested.

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