Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Thankful Freebie,” but because I have a couple of TTT posts in my drafts I didn’t get a chance to share, I am going to post one of those. This posts’s topic is “Books On My TBR I’m Avoiding Reading and Why” and lo and behold, I didn’t have to change a single one of these on my list because I am still avoiding them all. Covers are linked to Goodreads.
1. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera – I’ve learned to space out my Adam Silvera books because he just loves to rip out readers’ hearts and stomp on them. I do really want to get to this one before the year ends. Stomp away, Adam, stomp away.
2. Jade City by Fonda Lee – I love fantasy and I’ve been getting into more adult fantasy lately, but this one is so thick and every time I look at it I think of all the other books I can get through during the same period of time.
3. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez – I think my expectations for this one are just so high which is why I’ve now been avoiding it for years.
4. Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West – I’ve been terrible at picking up Kasie West novels lately. Maybe I’m just in the mood for something different in terms of the contemporaries. I’ve had this one for a while and started it a couple of times, only to get that nagging feeling that I’m not going to like it. I might skip it all together if I’m honest.
5. Vicious by VE. Schwab – Another book I’ve avoided. I am pretty sure I will love it and yet it just sits there on my shelf looking all sad.
6. Now I Rise by Kiersten White – I loved And I Darken and have no excuse for putting this off other than I haven’t been in the mood to see these characters suffer. It’s now been so long I’m in need of a reread before picking this one up.
7. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik– I’ve had high expectations for this one because of how much I loved Uprooted, but a couple of other bloggers who have similar taste said they didn’t enjoy this one as much which has me hesitant to pick it up.
8. Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco – I put this one off last year and there’s just been so many other books to pick up, I think I’ve forgotten my love for this duo. I really do plan on reading it and finishing off the series, but probably not until next year.
9. Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda – So me avoiding this one goes something like this…”I just don’t want to say goodbye, okay? And I have no idea if this is the actual end, but I’ve always assumed as much and that’s why I’ve avoided it. What is this? People talking about a volume four? I’m laughing rn because I am so dumb, haha.”
10. Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta – The only reason I’ve avoided this and the next book is because I know I need a reread of Finnikin and I have to be in the mood for it and that just hasn’t happened.
Have you been avoiding any of these as well? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.
A Kernel of Nonsense 
I haven’t read any of those books either. I liked the first book in the Marchetta series but never read on. My TTT list
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It was really good and I need to finish the series soon.
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I quite enjoyed “Love Life and the List,” but I think lots of readers didn’t like it as well as some of Kasie’s other novels. But then, so far, I’ve enjoyed all of Kasie’s books. If you do read it, hope you enjoy, Alicia!!
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Thank you!
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I haven’t picked up Now I Rise yet either, and I think it’s also because I know I’ll need a reread of And I Darken. I can barely remember any of it.
My TTT
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I’m guilty of that too, haha.
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I’ve been meaning to read a Kiersten white at some point and just never have yet. Also Monstress. and Jade City. Yup, I wanted to read that so bad when it came out, but… just hasn’t happened yet. *sigh*!!
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So many books, so little time.
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I got caught up with Monstress and I think there is much more coming I’m still avoiding And I Darken haha
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I am now behind on Monstress. That’s alright. I still haven’t read Elizabeth Frankenstein.
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I always think these types of lists are so fun to read, though avoiding books is not that fun. All the reasons people are put off by books, scared to start them or saving them for later. I have been putting off Crooked Kingdom because everyone is always VERY emotional talking about that one and I don’t want it to end. Also all the Song of Ice and Fire books beyond the first one, just because they are so loooooong 😂
My TTT: https://thenightisdarkandfullofbooks.wordpress.com/2019/11/26/top-ten-tuesday-18-book-bloggers-im-thankful-exist/
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Crooked Kingdom is so good, but I can understand why you might avoid it.
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I do plan on going for it soon! 🙂
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You have some wonderful books you’ve been avoiding.:-) I know what you mean about Jade City. It’s huge. Happy reading no matter which book you start next!
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It’s so big and I think the sequel is just as huge which has me hesitant yet again.
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I’m avoiding Adam Silvera’s books for the exact same reason. I don’t consider myself to be a particularly emotional person, but I do think I need to be prepared to have my heart ripped out of my chest as viciously as I’ve been told he does.
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Yes, always prepare yourself for Adam Silvera’s novels.
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Great list! Please do give Spinning Silver a try! I absolutely adored it, it’s one of my new all-time favourite books, and I do think it’s a better book than Uprooted. There’s so much about women’s empowerment and self-worth and it’s brilliant. I keep putting Jade City and Vicious off, too!
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That’s so good to hear that you enjoyed Spinning Silver so much. I haven’t heard too many people rave about it.
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Nice list! I’d like to read some of V.E. Schwab’s work. I’d also like to read Uprooted and Spinning Silver, but haven’t had a chance yet. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
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Uprooted is really good and I would recommend it before all the others.
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Your reasons for avoiding these books make perfect sense to me.
My TTT.
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Thank you for your validation.
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Monstress isn’t over yet! There will be more after Volume 4 and it looks so good!
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I feel like such a fool and now I have to work on catching up.
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It’s interesting to read why you’re avoiding certain books. I definitely have a stack that I’m avoiding as well. Some are too long, some deal with topics that are too heavy, some I just don’t feel like reading right now. I’ll get to them all eventually, but for now, I’m avoiding them.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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I think it’s super valid to avoid certain books for whichever reason.
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Vicious is on my TBR too!!! Maybe in 2020…
My TTT:
http://megabunnyreads.home.blog/2019/11/26/top-ten-tuesday-11-26-thankful-freebie/
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That’s what I keep saying…
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I read that Kasie West book. I actually remember loving it with the exception of Cooper. He was the best friend she was in love with and he made me mad. The ending frustrated me a bit. I did enjoy reading it, though. I don’t think it would be horrible if you skipped it, though.
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Thank you. I have a feeling I’m not going to like the love interest, haha.
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I have the EXACT same problem when it comes to lengthy SFF books, I know I will likely enjoy it but keep thinking how loooong it’s going to take me! That said, I read both Jade City and Jade War this year and they were FANTASTIC. Do it!!
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Haha, I’m glad I am not alone. I do want to get to it soon. I’ve had the book for almost a year now. Maybe in the new year.
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Great post!
A book I’ve been wanting to read for awhile now is Alias Grace, but I keep putting it off because it’s quite a long book. Hopefully this year I’ll get around to reading it because I really want to watch the Netflix series adaptation.
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I hope you get a chance to read it. I haven’t watched the adaptation myself.
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Oh gosh, I AM SO WITH YOU ABOUT AVOIDING (whoa, caps) Adam Silvera’s books (or, you know, pacing yourself, but you know what I mean) for that reason. You gotta prepare yourself for emotional reads! Haha. I hope you love all of these when you get to them, though.
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Yes, pacing is a good word for what I do with his books. Thanks so much!
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I loved Vicious! I’m also avoiding They Both Die At The End. I’m a bit rebellious when it comes to hyped books. That one has been on my shelf forever.
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Adam Silvera really writes some heart wrenching books and I’ve loved all of his books, he’s definitely an auto-buy author for me.
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I haven’t read any of these books yet, but I can’t really say I’ve been avoiding them. There are just too many good books out there!
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I read Kasie West for the first time this year, and I feel like I wasn’t as enamored as other people are with her books!
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Jade City is hands down one of my favorite recent fantasy novels. I listened to the audiobook and the production was fantastic. 🙂
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I keep hearing this from other people.
I must get to it soon.
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Jade City is one of my all time all time favorite books, but I admit that its length is super-intimidating – still it’s worth reading and so is Jade War. I can hardly wait for the third novel. Spinning Silver was not as good as Uprooted, imo, but it was still very enjoyable and engrossing. I hope you’ll enjoy all these novels!
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I am going to have to get to Jade City sooner rather than later. Thanks so much!
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I used to be interested in Vicious, but after reading more of Schwab’s books, I’ve decided not to bother with it. I loved both Uprooted and Spinning Silver. I think it’s hard to love Spinning Silver quite as much as Uprooted because it’s a similar experience and you might be more partial to whichever book you read first.
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Like you, I look at chonky novels and sigh, thinking how long it will take, how many novellas or memoirs I could read in the same time (memoirs tend to be faster reading for me). But, this year I read The Snow Queen Cycle, and it’s been worth it. Not only are the books long, but the font is tiny and there isn’t much dialogue, so the pages are dense.
Would you like to buddy read Spinning Silver with me? It’s on my list too. We could simply read at the same time and post our reviews on the same day and link each other. It would be a nice way to connect 🙂
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I wouldn’t mind buddy reading Spinning Silver with you! It would probably have to wait until next year though. Are you still on Twitter? I usually do buddy reads over DM.
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Definitely next year. I’m not on Twitter because I got rid of my social media (I’m still on Goodreads, and you can message me there). My email is grabthelapels@gmail.com. It would be nice to know someone is right there with me as I read a chonky book!
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