Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read. I love my bookish friends, but I don’t always read what they tell me to! Here are the ones that have been recommended to me the most often — or have been pushed on me with the greatest force. And maybe someday I’ll actually read them… at least a few, anyway.
1) The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman: I have no doubt that I’d love these — but the collection is just so huge that it feels overwhelming to even think about starting.
2) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett: I’m truly a fan of Neil Gaiman, and I’ve liked the little I’ve read by Terry Pratchett. It’s not that I’m avoiding Good Omens. I just never seem to get around to it.
3) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: I’m certain that I will love this book, and I really do want to read it. However, I’m trying to stick to my resolution not to start any more series until I know that all volumes are available, or at least pending with a definite publication date. So I’m continuing to wait on this one.
4) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: I’ve read (and loved) other books by Marquez, and I know this one is supposed to be his masterpiece. I read about half of it many, many years ago, then got interrupted by life distractions and never went back to it. But I’ve been told repeatedly that I must.
5) The Beka Cooper books by Tamora Pierce: My daughter is a huge fan of Tamora Pierce, and has been urging these books on me for years now. I really do plan to read them, eventually.
6 & 7) The Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons and the Into the Wilderness books by Sara Donati: Fellow Outlander fans have been pushing these books on me for a while now, but to be honest, I’ve really never felt interested in starting either one.
8) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: Everyone keeps telling me to read this one… and so far, I just don’t want to.
9) Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: This has been recommended to me by several people, and I’m finally going to read it for a book group this fall! I’m really looking forward to it.
10) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub: No excuses. I absolutely trust the friend who says I have to read The Talisman. And I swear, I will! Sooner or later.
Have you read any of the books on my list? Which ones should get top priority… and which should I not even bother with?
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Bookshelf Fantasies 
I recommend Me Before You whenever I can. It’s just one of my favourite books of all time. I also enjoyed The Bronze Horseman and Into The Wilderness.
I’m really looking forward to Me Before You. In fact, it’s my book group’s book for November, but I think I may need to read it sooner! Glad to know you like the two historical novels on my list. Maybe someday…
I definitely recommend Good Omens! I love Pratchett’s humour and Gaiman’s knack for story telling!
Everyone I know who’s read it tells me how funny it is! I’m sure I’ll like it — don’t know why I’ve waited this long!
Good Omens is excellent, hopefully you get around to it soon. One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of my favourite books of all time, but it did take me ages to read it.
Thanks! Of the books on my list, I think I should bump Good Omens up to the top. Every time I think about going back to One Hundred Years, it just seems like so much work! But I’ll do it sooner or later.
I have the same problem with Into the Wilderness!! Step away from 100 Years…. I love Marquez, but that one is really hard to get through.
Ooh, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hear such mixed advice on 100 Years. Maybe if my book group ends up picking it, I’ll finally do it!
I prob should have had The Goldfinch on my list too. Fail.
LOL. I have a feeling that one is going to be sitting on my TBR list for a long, long time. 🙂
I’ve read Me Before You and The Goldfinch (both of which people kept recommending to me too). I really liked both of them, but they weren’t like my favorite books. I’m glad I read them though!
Good to know! So I don’t need to rush right out and read The Goldfinch? 🙂 Thanks.
I mean I liked it, but it was so long that it just felt like this huge commitment. It took me forever to get through it.
I began reading Donati’s series many years ago, and enjoyed the first few volumes. For me, the series fell flat somewhere in the middle, as the only characters that engaged me were the original two who had faded into the background. It became one of my abandoned series. I began Marquez years ago, got hopelessly lost, staggered out gasping and never went back. And I decided that your idea of not beginning new incomplete series made sense in light of the several that I’m already waiting on.. except for that whole Harry Dresden thing I wrote you about. 🙂 I’ll watch to see if any of these eventually make it to your “hurrah!” list.
Thanks for your input on Marquez and Donati. Based on what you’ve said, as well as on reviews that I’ve read, I really don’t feel compelled to start the Donati books. And I just don’t think I have the energy to wade into yet another series at this point! I really, really do want to read the Rothfuss books, but I know I’ll just end up frustrated if I end up having to wait years for #3.
Oh, man, I wonder when that third novel in Rothfuss’ series will be coming out (if it is still indeed a trilogy). In the meantime, there’s book 2.5 that’s coming out this autumn, lol…
If you ever find yourself wanting to read Simons’ book, I’d recommend reading only The Bronze Horseman 🙂 I read it a few years ago and loved it. Read the second book and…well, didn’t like it so much (and I heard the third book was pretty rubbish).
I read the first volume of Sandman and absolutely loved it! Been meaning to read the rest of the years but yeah, so many other things to read too! xD
I got the first volume of Sandman as a gift a couple of years ago and still haven’t read it… and I’m falling behind on a couple of other graphic novel series at the moment, so it’s hard to really think about starting yet another. Hmm, is it worth it to only read The Bronze Horseman? Does it work as a stand-alone? Or will I end up feeling like I’m missing something? I’ve heard such mixed advice about the series as a whole.
The name of the wind is one I’m dying to read but have told myself to wait until I’m done getting caught up on the game of thrones series before starting another massive fantasy series. I’ve been doing that too! (Waiting until all installments are out). I’ve been binge reading series’ a lot and I’m quite fond of it. Waiting, is not something I’m fond of. lol
Ugh, the waiting is awful. I raced through all of the Song of Ice & Fire books once I got started… and now what? Years of waiting. So, maybe we should start a support group for people who want to read The Name of the Wind but are afraid to get started!
Tamora Pierce is on my TTT, too. I haven’t read anything by her, but everyone says she is amazing. I’m hoping to get to Alanna soon.
Ooh, I’ve read the Alanna books — they’re really good! My daughter is a huge fan of almost everything she’s written. The Alanna books surprised me. I thought they’d feel much more like middle grade books, and they really didn’t. Definitely worth it!
Good Omens is definitely a satire that I’m planning to read (eventually) even if I haven’t dabbled into anything Pratchett has written. It just sounds like loads of fun and I’m sure you can’t go wrong with it cause the Gaiman himself is involved!
Cheers,
joey via. thoughts and afterthoughts
I know, I don’t see how it go wrong with Gaiman and Pratchett in charge! I really do need to check it out. 🙂
I definitely feel ya on The Name of Wind and Neil Gamon in general. Great list! Happy Tuesday! 😀 My TTT
Thanks! Happy Tuesday to you too!