I’m linking up with The Broke and The Bookish to talk about ten books I have considered reading, but which I am unsure about. I have loads of those! At the end of this post, please participate in my poll by vetoing one book!
1. By the King’s Design by Christine Trent
This book isn’t really me and the only reason I started reading it (currently on page 54) was because I won it in a giveaway. Oh, and I love history. But Regency era has never really done it for me (I don’t like Georgette Heyer either), and the book involves romance and dress-making (which both work in some settings, a la Lola and the Boy Next Door), but so far… Meh. So I don’t know. But I won it! I usually make a point of reading books that I win…
2. The Zombie and the Moon by Peter Merrington
I bought this book because a) the cover is fantastic and b) it’s by a South African author and printed by Jacana, one of my favourite publishers and c) it was on sale.
In the fetid depths of a Jamaican prison, the half-caste bastard son of an 18th-century Jamaican sugar planter is turned into a zombie and banished to the diamond-hungry colonies of the Cape. Thwarted by an unrequited love, he unleashes a dire curse, which reverberates across continents and generations. An eclectic tale, woven with folklore, fairy tales, and magic, this narrative draws urban shaman Malibongwe Ngingingini and his beloved apprentice, Anna Persens, into a quest to heal their land of the zombie’s curse: a foul emanation of fog and narcolepsy. Guided by Maria Juanita, the shape-shifting Sister Moon, Malibongwe and Anna’s journey takes them from Cape Town to Great Bushmanland and on to the mystical deserts of New Mexico and voodoo-fueled New Orleans.
So it sounds pretty good. But the writing style is just… annoying. I like different writing styles but this one just… I wanted to type in an example but even that annoyed me.
3. America Pacifica by Anna North
I actually don’t have any reason not to read this, except that I read a few bad reviews and I’m a little over post-apocalyptic novels.
Eighteen-year-old Darcy lives on the island of America Pacifica, one of the last places on earth that is still habitable, after North America has succumbed to a second ice age. Education, food, and basic means of survival are the province of a chosen few, while the majority of the island residents must struggle to stay alive. The rich live in “Manhattanville” mansions made from the last pieces of wood and stone, while the poor cower in the shantytown slums of “Hell City” and “Little Los Angeles,” places built out of heaped up trash that is slowly crumbling into the sea. The island is ruled by a mysterious dictator named Tyson, whose regime is plagued by charges of corruption and conspiracy.
4. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
This is one of those books I missed out on simply for cultural reasons. I don’t think it’s translated to Afrikaans and even if it were, it is simply not one of those seminal books in childhood as it is for English children. I bought it a while ago (as part of a beautiful cloth-bound collection) and started to read it but I was having some trouble with it. You know, kiddy books… but part of me thinks I need to know what the book is like.
5. Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful.
I think it sounds great but still I chose not to request it on NetGalley so… does that mean something? I’m scared it’s just another dystopian… or a badly done version of The Handmaid’s Tale… or something.
6. The Last of the Huguenots by Nancy Okes
Stiff-necked, sternly devoted to the family name and upholding French traditions in the remote outpost of the Cape, Mme. Mesnard could truly be called the last of the Huguenots. Her granddaughter Louise has every bit as much of the Mesnard spirit and her grandmother’s training stands her in good stead through the turbulent and exciting adventures that befall her… Through it all, Guy Trevelyan’s words stay in her mind: You belong here; you are part of the world. French by descent, but no longer French, she comes to realise she is truly a daughter of the Cape.
Some reasons to read this book: I’m intrigued by the French, I love History, GeekBoy is of French descent, my family was potentially of French descent before they fled to Germany, and I enjoy books set in South Africa.
Reason I haven’t read this book: I tried it about ten years ago and couldn’t get into it, and have just never picked it up again. Also, it seems that nobody has heard of it, and it only has one rating on GoodReads.
7. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
(And Paper Towns for that matter.) I really quite enjoyed TFioS and Alaska, but I’m always wary of reading too many books of a single author. I tend to get a little… tired.
8. Unwholly by Neal Shusterman
Yeah… I’m not one of those people who obsesses about finishing a series. I loved Unwind (it was creep-tastic) but I am just not sure if I should read the rest. It has pretty good reviews though, so… thoughts?
9. The Education of the British Protected Child by Chinua Achebe
Mh. I’ve been wanting to read more by him and I got this collection of essays. I started reading them and they just seemed a little bland. Maybe I’m not intellectual enough?
10. The Time Travelers’ Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I have wanted to read this since if came out, but then I watched the movie and now I’ve been delaying the reading of it. I thought the movie was good but apparently to readers the book is a gazillion times better. I just wonder if it is worth reading after seeing the movie?
Feel free to elaborate on your veto choice, or tell me which of these books you think I should definitely find time to read!
Whispers Unto the Aether 
I have UnWholly on my list as well—it seemed kind of like an unnecessary sequel, you know? Unwind felt very open-shut to me.
Yeah, I was surprised to hear there was a sequel as well. Meh.
I completely understand what you mean about getting tired by reading too many books by a single author. I think I burnt myself out on Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult. I really enjoyed Paper Towns by John Green. I liked it more than TFIOS and Looking for Alaska.
I think The Time Traveler’s Wife makes more sense as a book than a film. If you liked the movie then I’d recommend the book. It flows better. Happy reading 🙂
Thank you! I’m really keen for Time Traveler’s Wife now. It seems to be the most loved choice!
Your book tastes are so obscure I couldn’t even give you advice on what not to read!
Obscure? 😛 Hah. I like to think of it as diverse 😛
Only Ever Yours sounds really really interesting. I think I might actually have to pick it up.
It kinda does right? If it’s done right!
Darn…I voted wrong on that poll. I voted NOT to read Unwholly but but but I actually think you should read it! I’ve only read Unwind too, but I need to reread Unwind because I’ve forgotten everything, which is kind of making me put of Unwholly. I couldn’t be bothered rereading I guess. BAD ME. I haven’t read a lot of these, actually! I DO love John Green a lot. I recommend Paper Towns over An Abundance of Katherines. 😉
Hah, it’s alright 🙂 I don’t re-read either, meh. But I can remember it more or less. Okay, I’ll look into Paper Towns too then! Thanks!
It would be easier if your poll was the other way around! The only one I’ve read and can whole-heartedly recommend is The Time Traveler’s Wife. Excellent book, and I enjoyed the movie.
My TTT: http://confessionsofabookgeek.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/top-ten-tuesday-books-that-give-me-indecisive-syndrome/
I know, but I can’t imagine excluding NINE whole books. I don’t want to pick the one to read next, I just want to figure out which one I should forget about 😛 You’re the second one to recommend Time Traveler’s Wife, so I’ll keep that one in mind!
I never read a John Green book. I’m just not sure about him. At All. Here’s my TTT
I will say that An Abundance of Katherines is my least favorite John Green book, but I still enjoyed it. It’s not as “deep” as his other ones, if that makes any sense. It’s great if you’re in the mood for something quirky, light-hearted, and quick.
My TTT: http://nutfreenerd.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/top-ten-tuesday-books-im-not-sure-i-want-to-read/
Okay, well sometimes I want to read light-hearted stuff too, so I won’t give up on it completely.
I say yes to Wind in the Willows. At least the chapter about Toad in the boat. It might be enough to just read that chapter.
Here’s my list of Books I’m Not Sure I Want to Read.
I think I’ve read that chapter! Heh. I’ll keep trying, though.
The Time Traveler’s Wife – yes!!! READ IT! I loved that book so, so much. (I have seen the movie too, but, in my opinion, it.was.awful.)
Okay I’ll get on it then! Thanks!
I totally hear you on getting tired when you read many books by the same author, especially all close together. I did that with John Green’s books, and now they all kind of blend together in my mind and I definitely got that tired feeling. I think an abundance of Katherine’s was decent, but it doesn’t stick out in my mind as anything too special.
Awww. That’s what I’ve been hearing. I think I’ll try it but if it’s no good I won’t finish it.
Off this list I only read Katherines. I read all JG books and disliked Alaska the most. I enjoyed Katherines quite a lot. Paper Towns were good as well. My favorite however is WGWG. Katherines is a cute love story/road trip, and Paper Towns is along the same lines. I think if you liked TFiOS and Alaska, you will like those, too.
Really? I quite liked Alaska so I guess I’m in the clear then. Thank you! Oh, I do still want to read WGWG too!
As with some other people who commented in your post this week, I would recommend reading The Time Traveller’s Wife. If you enjoyed the movie, I think you’ll find that the book fleshes out some events a lot better and, as someone mentioned, flows better as a story 🙂
I will certainly do so – thank you!
I voted for not reading “The Time Traveler’s Wife” because it I ended up severely hating it for various reasons. Having said that though, it is a fun enough read because it does have an interesting plot. I suppose I just have a very love-hate relationship with it!