This week’s Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl is books we loved but will never re-read. This is a great topic. We all have those books that are so, so good, but they hit you in such a way that you can never put yourself through reading it again.
- You by Caroline Kepnes – This book was so, so good, but the experience of being in Joe’s head was so disturbing I know I will never be able to read it again.
- Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield – I really liked this book, but the memoir of Rob Sheffield’s relationship and wife’s sudden death was heartbreaking. I’m glad I read it, but I never will again.
- Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming – I listened to this one audio, and listening to Cumming relate the story of his abusive upbringing reduced me to tears more than once. Highly recommended, but only once.
- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara – This one was a difficult read. Long, dense, and a difficult subject matter. If you’re going to read this one, make sure you have a glass of wine or mug of tea or whatever your go – by Erik Larsen-to comfort beverage is.
- Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen – America’s first serial killer. This was a fascinating look at HH Holmes, but unlike some of my other favorite true crime books, I don’t feel the need to re-read it.
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – I’ve actually read this one more than once, but I’m not going to anymore. Not only do I not need to read 45 pages at a time about 18th century herbs, but there’s now a lovely TV show on Starz I can watch if I ever feel the need to revisit this story.
- The Stand by Stephen King – This one was just long. The story was fine, but wow. It was just. so. long.
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed – I liked this story, but I don’t think I ever need to re-read it.
- The Black Swan by Day Taylor – Whoa. You guys. This was the first really long, epic, saga-ish romance novel I ever read, way back in the mid-to-late 90s, and it made me fall in love with the genre. However, like so many romance novels of its genre, it did not hold up well. I started to re-read it a few years ago for nostalgia’s sake, and didn’t make it very far. I’m going to let this one live in my memory and pretend it’s just not available to be read anymore.
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker – another one that was so good, and uplifting, and I loved it, but it was also so heartbreaking that I don’t think I can ever read it again.
That’s it for this week! What about you guys – do you have any books that you love but will never read again?
Outlander is on my list too. I also wouldn’t ever re-read Wild too!
Top Ten Tuesday
I thought I was really going to struggle to create this one, but I found a lot more books that I have no intention of ever re-reading than I thought I did.
The second You book is on my list this week because it felt more flat than the first. I totally agree with you though, this book made me feel unsafe.
I didn’t read the second one. Something about the description had me thinking exactly that – it sounded like it would fall flat and I didn’t want to ruin my memories of the first one.
Ahh YOU. I’ve heard such crazy things about that one. It’s still on my tbr pile. One day. One day.