Fifteen Books I Need to Read Before I Move
So for the last couple of weeks I’ve been looking around at
the stuff I can get rid of so I don’t have to pack it. It’s been a trying
experience. Canvasses? Too expensive. Fabric? Too pretty. Clothes? Ha. Video
games? DVDs? Not planning on paying for television, so that’s a big not gonna
happen. Furniture? Well, sure, I could go with a little living on the floor I
suppose, surrounded by piles of my crap.
But as I looked around at all my absolutely necessary junk
my eyes drop on an obvious demon in my path. My book case. Or should I say,
book cases.
They take up a lot of room. I’m a big tree killer, and I
love reading print books, and buying them rather than getting them from the
library. A part of that is me fighting for my fellow authors, but a bigger part
of that is I think they’re pretty, and looks always get me. I can’t pass a
mirror without losing half an hour out of my day.
As I glanced through the shelves, I realized that there’s a
lot that I’ve been packing around for the last few years and it’s just… not
really necessary.
I set out to rid myself of the slack. I removed of all the
books I’ve read and knew that I wasn’t going to read again, all the ones I thought
I should read, but really wasn’t going to happen, and put the books that I knew
and loved (or were just so damn attractive I couldn’t possibly dismiss them) aside in one remaining shelf to
keep.
But then I found myself with a problem. There, across my bed
and my cat, was a pile of questionables. They weren’t books I wanted to keep,
but they were ones that I wanted to read, and, by the means in which I read, I
really benefited from not having the mere two weeks a library would offer. I
owned them now, I should read them now. And then
get rid of them.
So my answer was simple. I’d read them all before I left, and
then I wouldn’t have to pack them with me. “Which books were they?” you yawn?
Oh, let me tell you.
1.
Game of Thrones.
What is it?
Fantasy novel, about 800 pages in length. Lots of death and
sex.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
It’s not
mine. The book belongs to my brother and needs to be returned. And I definitely
want to read it; I’ve gotten really into it. Plus, if I wait until post-move, I
will have forgotten everything and need to read the first 500 pages again and I might never get through it.
How far I’ve gotten:
Further
than half way.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Game of
Thrones is told in multiple points of views, and some of the characters I just
can’t be forced to listen to. I’m reading along intently, devouring every word,
and then, BAM Caitlyn. Go die, Caitlyn. So I decide I’m done for the night, and
I continue to be done for several nights afterwards. And, this last month, I’ve
gotten a negative association with the series, and picking it up brings up bad
thoughts—it’s not a cheery book anyway.
So I’ve been kind of avoiding it.
2. The
Host
What is it?
Young adult, science fiction/romance novel. Aren’t they all?
Aliens burrow into everyone’s head save for the one girl who didn’t have enough
of a personality to get it taken away.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
Also not
mine. And as a fair-weather fan of Stephanie Meyer, I feel like once I get into
it, I would probably enjoy it. The parts I’ve read so far were fine. And
honestly, analyzing and picking apart Meyer’s works has always been a blast for
me. Mostly because everyone knows what you’re talking about and has an opinion
on it, which is rare in books.
How far I’ve gotten:
First
hundred pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
That’s the
thing. I don’t even know. I remember
thinking it was fine, and I got past my anti-commitment stretch, so I should
have finished it in a day and been done with it. But no. It didn’t bore the
hell out of me, but apparently, there wasn’t enough going on for me to keep
going with it.
3.
American Gods
What is it?
Neil Gaiman’s urban fantasy novel. Man gets released from
prison to lose everything he cares about and then… magic happens. That’s as far
as I’ve gotten.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
Actually, this
is a book that I kinda just want a reason to commit to. I love Neil Gaiman, and
people have boasted about this book, so I believe that if I can just devote
myself to it, I’ll probably like it. I doubt that I’ll be giving this copy up,
because it was given to me as the most romantic gesture I’ve ever gotten from a
guy trying to win me over. Nothing happened—his sentimentality was ruined by
the fact that he lived a thousand miles away meaning it was an attempt at a
quick lay, but I have to say that giving me a Neil Gaiman book is probably the
best way to almost get it.
How far I’ve gotten:
Fifty
pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Don’t
really know what I’m hoping for. Shadow’s life sucks at this point in time, and
I don’t see it as getting any better. I know it will, and that it will involve
magic, but where I am, he’s just lost what’s important to him, won’t ever get
it back, and yet kinda just has to get over it. There’s not even horrible
things happening to make me want him to get back to the status quo.
4. Insurgent
What is it?
Sequel to Divergent,
a Young Adult dystopian novel. A girl lives in a society segregated by
personalities, but apparently she has more than one trait, which is just
unacceptable.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
Also not mine. And I read the first one,
I feel obliged to read the second one. Actually, when I finally got into Divergent, I did finish it in one day,
which is my main test to see how I like something. If I can’t put it down, then
there’s something there, whether I’m logically satisfied or not. I consider how
long it took me to get to the absorption point before I was engrossed, and I
figured it would be the same with the sequel. I’ll like it eventually.
How far I’ve gotten:
Zero pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
I love
Veronica Roth’s blog, and so take what I’m going to say in that vein, I also
didn’t really understand what made me be so engrossed. There wasn’t anything
about it that made me excited. I found out about the series via Goodreads
one-star reviews, and so already know how the trilogy ended. I don’t care too
much about the characters, and a big reason I think is simple existentialism.
5. The
Devil Wears Prada.
What is it?
Contemporary novel the movie was based on, but lacking the
character arch of said movie. (Not even kidding, the commentary told me they added her change in.) A
young idiot struggles trying to be competent in her first ever job, which is
the hardest job anyone will ever have ever.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
Not mine,
and I loved the movie. I also love
bitching about this book.
How far I’ve gotten:
One-third
through.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
The main
character is so stupid. I mean it. She’s a colossal idiot. And she’s not
supposed to be. I cannot stand her, and while I meet a lot of characters I find
dull, there’s not a great deal that I actually hate. She’s the winner.
6. The
Lies of Locke Lamora
What is it?
I guess I would classify it as a fantasy, but it’s not the
typical swords and dragons, and I’m not sure if there even is magic yet. Orphan
boy joins other orphan boys in dark, horrible world. I haven’t really gotten
that far.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I read the
first couple of pages, and I loved it. I’ve read the bad reviews and I think
it’s going to be fantastic. It has the possibility of being a favorite book
that requires keeping, but that may be my wishful thinking, and I’d liked to
find out now if I should lug it around.
How far I’ve gotten:
Page, like,
five.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Other books
took priority. The Lies of Locke Lamora
is great because it’s not dense or trying, but not simple and fluffy either.
Unfortunately, I tend to either go for really
simple or the damn hard books that I’ve been avoiding-for-years these days.
I don’t feel required to read it other than I want to, so I haven’t.
7. Crescendo
What is it?
Sequel to Young Adult romance novel, Hush, Hush. It’s about angels, and one who falls in love with a
human despite wanting to kill her.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
Loved the
second half of the first book, Hush, Hush.
Don’t judge me. This one is also borrowed from a friend, and I’m certainly will
not be paying for it after I leave. I also will not be seen checking it out
from the library. No, this shame is saved for blogging—but I trust it’s just
between us.
How far I’ve gotten:
Sample
chapters in the last book.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
So, I try
not to criticize bo—
Ahem. I
couldn’t even get that one out. I’m sorry.
I try not
to place absolute labels of quality on books because I like diversity, and
sometimes simple fluff is all I damn well want, and I know for a fact that, as
a writer, tapping into your inner desires like that is hard work that shouldn’t
be discouraged just because we prioritize philosophy over fantasy.
But after I
read a scene where class started, the characters talked for a few pages in real time and then class ended, I
couldn’t deny that that was a huge editing mistake, and I couldn’t trust it
again. Add that with the fact that I did not find Patch sexy at all in the
beginning, but actually wanted to kick his ass (and I like jackasses), I’m not entirely confident in the sequel, despite
having my hopes.
8. The
Name of the Wind
What is it?
Fantasy book following a great hero and how he became the
humble innkeeper he is today.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
My brother
owns it. I have heard so many people praising this book, telling me that, while
“there’s some boring parts in the middle,” it is amazing and their favorite
story ever. I feel like if I don’t read it now, I never will.
How far I’ve gotten:
First
hundred pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
I got
pretty far, but then I reached a point where I wasn’t sure what I was waiting
for. The storyline is deliberately vague about who the main character is, and
the questions raised are so unanswerable at this juncture, there’s not really a
point to think about it. It’s getting into world building and background story,
but the protagonist doesn’t really have anything he wants that I want too.
9. The
Mortal Instruments Series.
What is it?
Young Adult urban fantasy/romance books. A young girl finds out she’s actually a member
of a demonic fighting institution. Has a movie based on it.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I’ve read
Cassandra Clare’s other books, The
Infernal Devices and I fell in love with them. I read the trilogy in three
days, only stopping to go borrow and then buy the next book. (I live in Wyoming
and “going to town” is a process, so it becomes a once a day trip, no matter
how exasperated you are.)
I bought
the first book of this series on my iPad, which adds to the necessity. I’ve
frickin’ paid for it, I guess I better read it. Especially because it’s the
virtual kind and I can’t even write it off as decoration. (Which, in hindsight,
may be what got me into this mess.) The second and third books, however, my
friend owns, and I’m not frickin’
paying for those. I think I’ll like it, but not enough to own it if I don’t
have to, or deal with the library.
How far I’ve gotten:
I don’t
know. Fifty pages?
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Already saw
the movie. Liked it fine, but now I know the plot, and it’s not the kind that’s
really all that rereadable. Romance hasn’t started in yet. Don’t care yet.
Clary is an idiot in a generic sort of way, and I’m really struggling to find
the motivation.
10.
Prince of Thorns.
What is it?
Not really sure. Fantasy of some sort.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I have it.
My brother said it was good. That’s all I know.
How far I’ve gotten:
NO WHERE.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
I have way
too many other books I’m not reading taking up all my effort.
11.
The Throne of Glass.
What is it?
I don’t know if it’s classified as Young Adult, but it
certainly reads like it. The greatest assassin ever is freed from jail and
brought to earn her freedom by challenging other criminals in a battle royale.
Or something.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I, honest
to God, have not one single clue. It has a pretty cover. I mean, damn, that’s a
pretty cover, and I have been fooled into trying to convince myself that
something pretty will improve if I just commit more. It’s a curse.
How far I’ve gotten:
Far enough.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
It bites
like a rabid monkey. Yes, the bad reviews tried to warn me, but they’re always
so wrong.
I don’t
really want anything to happen yet. The main character doesn’t really want
anything to happen either. And, low and behold, nothing has happened.
I think the
moment that took the cake was, however, when she asked for some books to read.
Now, in Young Adult fiction making your character a bookworm is equivalent to
slapping a name tag with “COOL” written in bright red letters and leaving it at
that. But that doesn’t bother me as much as the snotty attitude towards certain
writing styles. Many Young Adult books enjoy raving about the classics and
hypocritically implying the sheer superiority of the “intellectual” based books
over the emotionally charged ones. Throne
of Glass does the opposite in which the two characters bond over the arrogance
of any complicated prose. Annnnd we’re done.
12.
Douglas Adams Biography.
What is it?
If that wasn’t self-explanatory, I don’t know what
self-explanatory means.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I love
Douglas Adams, I love author’s biographies. But it’s big, and I don’t think I’m
ever going to read it again.
How far I’ve gotten:
First
couple of pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Sloooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww
start. I know, a biography? Right? Feel free to be skeptical.
13.
The Night Circus.
What is it?
Dark Victorian fantasy in which two wizards pit their
children against each other, and I guess it all happens at a circus. Or
something.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
I was
really into it for a while. I see myself really into it again. It just requires
more effort than I’m putting in.
How far I’ve gotten:
Halfway?
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
It’s
another game of hating the characters we’re now suddenly following. Bratty
children, cold and personality-less socialites. Get back to the protagonists
please, before I brain myself with this book.
14.
Crossed.
What is it?
Sequel to Young Adult dystopian novel, Matched. The world is highly controlled, including choosing who you
are going to marry. The main character fell in love with another, and he got
taken away. Now she has to find him.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
The first
book, Matched, ended on a note that
really made me interested in the second book. I needed to see what would happen.
How far I’ve gotten:
Thirty
pages.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
What I
wanted to see happen? Hasn’t even really started yet. I don’t get to see the
two lovers together, and I think, if I remember right from the reviews, I’m not
going to see them together for a long time. I’m struggling to care.
15.
The Way of Kings.
What is it?
Fantasy book. Not really sure what it’s about yet.
Why I want to finish
it before I go:
My
brother’s, and I was really into what I had read so far.
How far I’ve gotten:
Couple of
chapters.
Why I haven’t read it
by now:
Way too
easy to put down and forget about.
So, there you have it. I have three months to get them done,
thousands of pages and tens of pounds later, I shall fill my head, lighten my
load, and not feel so damn guilty about being such a quitter. Pray for me.
