Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Excited to be participating in Top Ten Tuesday again! I thought today’s topic was particularly interesting – books I almost put down but didn’t. This is actually quite rare for me. What’s more common is when I decide NOT to read a book, and eventually wind up reading it due to positive reviews or recommendations.

So…#1-5 are books I almost put down but didn’t.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – I’d been wanting to read this book, after all the hype on Twitter and about the upcoming movie. But the first few pages left me wondering whether I should put it down and maybe try again later. I think Death’s narration took some getting used to, but I came to appreciate it. (The Book Thief is one of my favorites, and I believe it’s beautifully written.)

2. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen – I remember feeling uncomfortable about Annabel’s less than perfect life, and about her sister’s anorexia. But I pushed through, and of course loved the characters’ growth and transformations.

3. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin – Recommended to me by a friend, I began reading the book and was bored by the first several pages. This book is so dense!

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling – My dad and I read every Harry Potter book but this one together. For some reason, I was convinced Order of the Phoenix was too dark, or too scary, or something, so I considered putting it down. So glad I didn’t.

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Again, bored by the first few pages. I thought maybe I wouldn’t enjoy the book as much as everyone else did. Silly thought.

#6-10 are books I almost didn’t read but did.

6. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer – Vampires? It was an immediate ‘no way’ for me. And then I started a new school and the girls in my Literature book club chose to read Twilight. Needless to say, I rushed to the bookstore for book 2 the minute I finished.

7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – I have a strict policy against cancer books. I have a cousin with cancer, and so all cancer-related books/movies/etc were immediately banned. But I picked up TFIOS in the bookstore and couldn’t stop reading – it wasn’t really a “cancer book” because it was about so much more than that. And I loved the book for it.

8. The Host by Stephenie Meyer – I should have learned my lesson after Twilight… The aliens were a turn-off for me, but I really wanted to see the movie, so I read the book and fell for the romance.

9. The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith – When I discovered Robert Galbraith was a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling, I thought (just as I had with Casual Vacancy) that I wouldn’t read the book because I didn’t want it to change my opinion of her in any way. But that’s silly, because you can’t compare mysteries to YA fantasy.

10. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead – Again with the vampire snobbism. Luckily I got over it.

Looking forward to checking out other TTT posts!

Have you read these novels? Share your thoughts!