Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Enjoyed but Rarely Talk About

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week, we're talking about the books that we really like but don't seem to make it onto the blog as often as you would think. Some books fit so easily into Top Ten Tuesday categories that I mention them again and again, but there are lots that I love but I've only touched on a handful of times over the years!



The Nine: As a recovering lawyer, I still have a soft spot for books about the legal system, particularly about the Supreme Court. This is a really interesting exploration of the late years of the Rehnquist court and the interpersonal dynamics are fascinating.

Chocolat: It's a little on the cheesy side, but I fell in love with this book when I was a teenager. Vianne Rocher is one of my favorite characters of all time.

So Big: I was completely unexpectedly charmed by this story of a woman who moves to the countryside and falls in love with both it and a farmer. There's a reason it won the Pulitzer y'all.

Lord of the Flies: A lot of people hated this when they read it in school, but I actually really got into it. I revisited it on audio recently and really think it holds up.

The Giver: I read this in middle school, but I'd actually already read it and still remember how excited I was to get to read it for class. I've never had the slightest interest in the sequels but I still adore this one.

The Blind Assassin: This book is one that I finished and immediately started looking forward to re-reading one day because it's so layered and complex and amazing.

The Queen of the Night: To this day I cannot understand why this book wasn't a huge smash hit. I recommend it constantly, it is completely bonkers in the best and most enjoyable way.

The Hours: I thought I knew what I was getting into because I'd seen the movie, which is of course very good but I didn't really get into. The book, however, is infinitely more sensitive and delicately realized.

Stoner: Such a quiet book, about a quiet man, but it made a really profound impression on me.

The Last Picture Show: This portrait of small-town despair is just a wonderful book and I do actually keep meaning to read the sequels because I liked it that much.

15 comments:

  1. Great list! I really like the film adaptation of Chocolat but haven't read the book yet - I need to get to it.

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    1. I did not love the movie, but I think it's because I read the book first and thought nothing could compare!

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  2. I haven't thought about The Giver in years. Great choice there! Have you read the rest of the books in that series? There are four of them I believe.

    My TTT .

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    1. Like I said, I haven't read any of the sequels...I just thought that story was so well-told as is I can't seem to find any motivation!

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  3. The only one of these I've read is Lord of the Flies (assigned in school, but I felt similarly to you), but great thoughts on a lot of books I know by name without knowing anything about them, as well as some books I didn't know existed by big names.

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  4. Oh man, I have The Hours sitting by my bedside right now! I haven't been able to read it yet - I'm still struggling with whether I should reread Woolf's Ms. Dalloway first, or afterwards - but I definitely plan on getting around to it soon. And I have The Blind Assassin on my shelves, too! So glad to hear they come highly recommended. :)

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    1. The Blind Assassin is incredible! I definitely recommend having read Mrs. Dalloway at least once before reading The Hours, but I don't know how fresh it needs to be as long as you have the broad strokes in your memory

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  5. The Giver is a good one! I keep forgetting it. I've read one of the sequels, but I didn't even realize it was a sequel. I keep meaning to go back and re-reading the whole series, and I'm sure I will one day. Great list!

    Here's my TTT post.

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    1. I'm definitely planning on revisiting The Giver on audio one of these days!

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  6. CHOCOLAT is a great book! I enjoyed it and have since read and liked several of Harris' other books. THE GIVER series is interesting. Very discussable. I've actually never read LORD OF THE FLIES. I should.

    Happy TTT!

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    1. I tried another one of Harris's books a long time ago but it didn't hook me...I'm definitely ready to try again. Any particular favorites to recommend?

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  7. I read Lord of the Flies...I don't remember too much about actually reading it, though.

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