Top Ten Tuesday: The 10 Most Intimidating Books

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a great way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Most Intimidating Books

1. Watership Down by Richard Adams - Have you seen the size of this book? I mean, seriously. It's daunting. However, it's also amazing, so pretty much you need to read it.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Everyone and their mother loves this book. I'm not even kidding about that. It took me almost two years to even try it because I was certain I'd be the only one who didn't love it. Fun fact...it was great.

3. Dark Song by Gail Giles - This is one of those issue books that I love so very much, but it is dark, people. Trust me. I mean, this is a no-holds-barred take on an abusive relationship and details rape, violence and so much more...but it's well done.

4. The Once and Future King by T.H. White - We had to read this in junior high, and now that I'm successfully out of school (for many years), I can admit I didn't read it. I BSd the shit out of that subject. I want to read it, guys, but it's a classic...and it's massive.

5. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - I love issue books. I've said it time and again. That said though, books that involve eating disorders and could be triggering for me. This one is exceptional, but it took me forever to actually read it.

6. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan - Have you ever read a book that's so good that it actually surpasses your ability to read it? This is that book. I kid you not. It's beautiful, it's so artistic and it's poetic, and I don't think I'm good enough to read it.

7. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott - I grew up reading books that were probably too old for me. I read Little Women when I was six. That said, I've never made it past that book because I'm sure that Little Men and her other works just won't live up to that perfection.

8. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I can't bring myself to read this book. I've wanted to read it forever. It's on my shelf, guys, but I just can't. I've seen the film, and it's a classic. What if I hate it?!

9. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes - I've had an ARC of this forever. I opened it, I read the cast of characters from the different kingdoms, and I closed the book again. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mindframe to remember all these players, but I'm worried I'll dislike a book I should love.

10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - This book is so. freaking. big. Like 816 pages big. But more than that, I loved the movie. What if I become one of those people that loves movies but hates books?! It's a legitimate fear, guys. 

37 comments:

  1. So glad you ended up loving Anna!

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    1. Me, too! I was certain I'd hate it haha I'm glad I wasn't the one person in the whole world that missed the boat ;)

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  2. I clicked on this link specifically to see if Anna Karenina was on it!! LOL Because I wanted to read it - got it at the library - and returned it unopened on its due date! lol

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    1. Hahahahaha Carolyn, I SWEAR...I want to read it SO bad, but I just can't do it! Can you please convince me?!

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  3. I used to force my students to read Watership Down (yes, I'm one of *those* teachers). About half adored it and half loathed it. But they read it -- and it was by far the biggest book most of them had ever read! And I loved GWTW but hated the follow-up. Still like the movie best (I think it might be the only movie where I can say that).

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    1. Gahhh my sister read GWTW and said it was the best book she's ever read. What is wrong with me?!

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  4. How could anyone not love Anna! (and the French Kiss, that is). I haven't read Anna Karenina due to the size(and the tiny text in my copy). But I'll get to it some day. Maybe!

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    1. Anna Karenina, I fear, will always be that book that I want desperately to read but never do lol

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  5. I believe Shadow and Bone as well as Les Miserables would be on my list. Les Mis is huge and S & B has been nagging me forever.

    Thanks for sharing, love! <33

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    1. Melanie! You MUST read Shadow & Bone! I think you'll really love it!

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  6. I tried reading anna K this year ...nope never made it to 100 pages. It could have been the prose or ?? I have no idea :(

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    1. You made it further than me, Julie! I made it 0 pages haha

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  7. I've still got to read Anna and the French Kiss for the reasons you've stated...I'm worried! Glad you enjoyed it though :) I've also wanted to read Anna Karenina for so long, but never found the time. It was on my reading list for my English Lit degree but I never got round to it! Oops.

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    1. hahaha I feel like half the books I had to read for university course and such were never actually read by me ;)

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  8. Anna Karenina is on my list! I'm way too intimidated to even begin that book! Fab list.

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  9. Anna and the French Kiss is one I've been intimidate by for awhile now too. I was just gifted a copy a few weeks ago. I need to make it a priority this month. I'm so curious as to what all the hype is about!

    TTT @ Krista's Dust Jacket

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    1. It's really good, Krista! It's kind of brainless, but totally sweet :)

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  10. Okay, first of all I looked up the Gail Giles and I'm VERY intrigued because it sounds like something I'd like, which makes me sound a little...off. Also, I read Anna Karenina earlier this year - took me forever - and when I started it I had NO IDEA what it was about, no clue. It was incredibly long and very rambly and luckily I had a great blogger friend to talk me thru it (she'd read it and loved it) otherwise I'd never have finished it. It was my third attempt. BUT I absolutely loved it and one of these days I'll work myself up to watching the movie! The Lover's Dictionary is one of my go-to's. I keep it closeby and randomly just read pages, which is so easy because it is non-linear. David L is just amazing and that book is exactly as good as you say it is. And this is probably the most intriguing and interesting list I've seen today. It makes me want to start at the beginning and work my way through the ones I haven't read. Your reasons are so solid. I love that.

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    1. Gahhhh you make me want to try it, Asheley! Why?! Why must you do this to me?!

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  11. It took me forever to read Anna too, because I was convinced that I wouldn't love it as much as everyone did. So, you can imagine how surprised I was to fall in love with Anna! :)
    The Hunger Games was another series that totally intimidated me. I only started it right before the movie came out in fear that this would be one book I wouldn't love as much as everyone else.

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    1. I think I was still so new to blogging when I started THG, so I wasn't too affected by the hype. Now, I totally get it though!

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  12. Hahahahhahaha I'm laughing so hard at your comment for Anna Karenina. I stay far, far away from big books right now. I think Lord of the Rings would go on mine- I own the edition with all three books combined and it's INTIMIDATING. And every fantasy book too. I'm bad at remembering character names and I'm afraid it'll affect my enjoyment of the book...
    Fab list Melissa!<3

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    1. Haha I'm glad I'm not alone, Shirley! Sometimes it's just too dang daunting, you know?! And yes haha fantasy is awesome, but it is SO involved...you have to know everything and everyone. Yeesh.

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  13. I was definitely intimidated by Anna and the French Kiss for a while too Melissa! Seems silly to be nervous of a cute little YA book, but like you, I was so worried I'd be the only one who didn't fall madly in love with it. So glad that wasn't the case for either of us! Any of the classics intimidate me - Moby Dick, Crime and Punishment, anything like that. Makes me shudder just thinking about having to read those again:)

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  14. "What if I become one of those people that loves movies but hates books?! It's a legitimate fear, guys. " THIS!

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  15. I still haven't read Watership Down but Gone With the Wind is SO GOOD. Seriously, you won't even realize it's so long once you start it because it flies by so fast and the movie conveniently glosses over a few facts, so if you're a fan of the movie (which I love!), you'll adore the book tenfold. :)

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  16. I love Watership Down! It's one of my favorites. I know what you mean about Anna and the French Kiss. I love how you took a different angle on this question than most bloggers.

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  17. You aren't the only one with Anna and the French Kiss... I still haven't read it but I'm thinking I need to do it! Also haven't read Watership Down. Am I ousted from the book reading club? LOL

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  18. You must read Gone with the Wind. The movie is great but the book is so much better. I have read that book countless times! I have not read Watership Down, maybe one day. Tolstoy ... eh skip it. It was long and boring and I didn't care for it. I am glad you loved Anna!

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  19. Great list! I love that you included Gone with the Wind! I really encourage you to read Falling Kingdoms! I didn't think I'd like it, but fell in love with it almost instantly! New follower via Bloglovin!

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  20. Anna and the French Kiss was on my list, too! I'm just like..."everyone loves this book, and there I am...over there...praying I won't hate it." But I've been convinced today, so I'm going to give it a try :)
    Great list!
    ~Becca

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  21. I'm so glad that you gave Anna a chance and that you liked it! :D I was put off by the hype surrounding that one, too, but it was definitely worth it. Little Men wasn't as good as Little Women, but I enjoyed it. (At least when I was in elementary school- I read those books at a young age, too.)

    Awesome list! Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

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  22. So glad you read and loved Anna and the French Kiss! I'm usually worried that if a book is overly hyped I might be the one who doesn't like it, as well. Books that resemble a brick are really intimidating to me. The story must be phenomenal for me to stick around that long. :)

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  23. It's strange that some books are intimidating to us because people make them sound SO good and perfect and the most amazing book ever. But I definitely felt that way about Anna and the French Kiss and ended up loving that one (obviously). And I feel the same way about Lover's Dictionary - I get you, sometimes it's like I don't feel good enough for it! So weird.

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  24. I have only read Anna and the French Kiss from your list, but I LOVED that book too :) And I sort of want to read The Lover's Dictionary but I have a feeling that "I'm not good enough to read it" either :)

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  25. I really do mean to read Anna Karenina this year... or at least attempt to. I know that it's a long one, and I also know that it's written in a style that I'm not very used to. BUT I really want to try it! I shall keep you posted on if I do actually decide to do it :)

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