It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.
I think this week’s topic is particularly interesting: Top Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read
When I was thinking about which books to add to this list, these questions needed to be answered:
1. Hyped by who? I checked out favourites and 5 star books from various fellow book lovers’ blogs and Goodreads accounts. Some of these books keep cropping up again and again. So I paid attention.
2. What kind of hype? I am not looking just for latest and greatest but for titles that speak to me. Personal recommendations are always my favourite kind of hype.
2. Never read and so . . . ? And so, do I plan to one day read these titles? Yes! I chose books that I want to one day read. There are some popular books out there that I would never want to read for various personal preference reasons. These ten titles here are books that will hopefully one day migrate from the land of To Read to the land of Read.
Listed alphabetically by author:
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I had coffee with a friend a few weeks ago and she convinced me that this was a must read and then I saw Andrew Smith’s comment on the cover. And then I started hearing about this book everywhere.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
22 of my Goodreads friends rated this book 5/5. I love this author. Why haven’t I read this book? This question weighs so heavily that I just requested it from the public library.
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
I will admit to being a little bit of a chicken when it comes to paranormal stories. I am not sure if I have yet recovered from Libba Bray‘s The Diviners but I had a chance to hear Holly Black here in Vancouver and found her charming. I have read Doll Bones three times. Feeling brave enough to try this one. Having a beautifully signed copy makes this title all the more enticing.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
See that 25 year anniversary sticker? Makes it even more ridiculous that I haven’t yet read this book. This is the book I keep hearing favourite authors talk about as influential.
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Dessen is another YA author I have not read. My almost 13 year old daughter is moving fast and furious into the land of YA – I think I need to run out a little ahead of her and learn about some authors I have yet to pick up that she will likely be drawn to. Have seen lots of love for this title.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
This book has been read in my house in the long ago time when both my husband and I read novels to our children (now it is just me) and I missed it. It’s a book that I absolutely want to read. Because I am convinced that DiCamillo can do no wrong. So often I hear from DiCamillo fans that this is a favourite.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
So many reader choice awards. So many of my reading PLN rave about this book. And (ahem) I have not read any Gayle Forman titles. Admitting it is the first step to changing it, yes?
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Yes, Patrick Ness. And no, I haven’t read it. That must change.
The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
I have read and loved two titles by Quick – this one has the movie hype so I figure it is time to read it! I even own a copy.
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
There's a Book for That 
Ahhh, I want to read so many of these too!! I’ve read 3 Matthew Quick books, but I’ve only seen the movie of Silver Linings Playbook and I NEED TO READ IT TOO. If it’s as good as the movie, then I’ll be happy. 😉 I also have Sarah Dessen and Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda on my list too. *hi fives* I’m seeing Simon EVERYWHERE and I just need to get onboard this hype and find out what the fuss is about. I’m monstrously curious. Here’s my TTT!
Me too! In fact, I just requested it at my library. It’s time! Isn’t Quick fantastic? I have to get this one read. Then I can see the movie!
I give my vote to Mango and Speak. Well worth reading.
Here’s my TTT post!
Both are titles I know I will read for sure. Thanks for further convincing me! 🙂
I’ve only read If I Stay and it was ‘okay’. The movie made me much more emotional which is extremely rare in book-to-movie adaptations! Great list 🙂
My TTT!
Thanks Amber – I figure it is absolutely a hyped book when the movie has happened!
I own Speak and Mango and also want to read both of them. I had to laugh when I saw the Holly Black title. Several years ago we did Doll Bones as one of our Mock Newbery titles. It was the only time I’ve let my kids opt out of a title, but I explained to them that I don’t do creepy. You’ve read it three times? Maybe I’ll go there. Liked the Miraculous Journey…but not my favorite DiCamillo title. The Knife of Never Letting Go – highly recommended by a librarian friend, must get there one of these day. Loving this meme, but dangerous for my addiction to books!
Doll Bones isn’t super creepy! Really. I read it once on my own, once with a student book club and we listened to it as a family on audio. This is a dangerous meme, I agree!
The Knife of Letting Go made my list too, but for a different reason. I love Sarah Dessen and although I haven’t read her new one yet I’m confident I will like it. Speak is well worth reading, great author and this is one of her best.
I really want to read Speak. Loved Impossible Knife of Memory.
Enjoy Speak, Carrie. I am jealous that you are going to be able to read it for the first time–I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again.
You will definitely like Edward Tulane, and I would love to hear your thoughts on Chaos Walking.
I, too, need to read Grasshopper Jungle! It is on my #mustread list, so I hope to get to it this year 🙂
Great list!
Maybe we’ll be comparing notes on Grasshopper Jungle soon! Speak is on its way to me – requested from the public library.
I feel exactly the same way about Speak! I’m hoping to pick it up this summer. Simon vs is such a sweet and enjoyable read! If I Stay was just okay for me, I was expecting more because of how much people were raving about it. Grasshopper Jungle is definitely an experience, but if you have read and loved Smith before, I think you will like it.
Thanks for stopping by the The Local Muse
I look forward to reading Speak although I am sure it will be emotional. I have heard even for Smith fans that Grasshopper Jungle is kind of wild. I loved Winger most of all. Heard Smith speak this spring. Such an interesting man.
Read Speak! It’s fantastic.
Thanks for sharing!
Here’s my TTT
My $30 giveaway ends soon so check it out.
I plan to! So glad so many are giving it such high praise!
I enjoyed reading both Speak & The House on Mango Street! Nice list of books. 🙂
Here’s a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/07/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-hyped-books-ive.html
Hoping to get to both before the summer is done.
I completely forgot about The House on Mango Street! I need to get that one read as well! I haven’t read Gayle Forman’s stuff yet either. I see so many mixed reviews that I can’t decide if I want to go there! Happy reading! 🙂
I must admit that the Forman and Dessen titles are the ones I am least excited about – but thinking my daughter will gravitate to these titles and I like to always be able to talk books with her.
Hi! It’s funny…Kellee and I strayed from this TTT topic because we were worried it would be a list of trendy books. Your post proves we could have done it well! You have some very high quality books here. I’ve read most of them, and I don’t know which I would recommend you start with first because there are so many good ones. I think The House on Mango Street would be my first choice for you. It doesn’t take long to read, and it stuck with me. It was one of my favorite books to teach. The kids didn’t complain about the work load, and we were able to do some fabulous things with the text.
As an aside, I completely agree with your comments about both Divergent and Legend on my blog. You are spot on! I was equally shocked at how much I fell in love with Legend. 🙂 Last night, Kellee and I were just having a dispute about the other books in the Divergent series.
Thanks for this comment Ricki – I first thought I would end up making a list of Twilight like (sorry Stephanie Meyer) books but then I thought that “hyped” for me is from my amazing book community who always steer me very right! In making this list, I ended up requesting 3 titles from the library – House on Mango Street, Speak and Simon. I own 3 of the others and so if I just get to 6/10 on this list, I think it will be pretty good! We shall see . . .
Patrick Ness also made it to my TTT list today, because I’m embarrassed that I haven’t read anything by him yet. He’s like supposed to be such a great author and I’m excited to see if I agree with the consensus.
Also as a teen, I was obsessed with Sarah Dessen’s novels. By friend and I would read her novel and then name our pretend boyfriend’s after characters and it was our little inside joke. Lame 🙂 I like Dessen’s novels much I chose Saint Anything for my book club book this month and I fully expect to love it!
Glad to hear such positive and nostalgic 🙂 things about Dessen novels. I do need to read one!
I literally just got House on Mango Street from the library. Great minds think alike!
Indeed!
Speak is on my list too! Can’t believe I haven’t read it yet. I think you will enjoy If I Stay and The Impossible Knife of Memory. Happy reading!
Oops! Meant The Knife of Never Letting Go! Both are great. 😊
Happy to hear positive things about If I Stay. I really do want to try and read most of the titles on this list but we shall see . . .
I love DiCamillo as well but haven’t read that one! I will have to add it to my list.
Check out my TTT: https://greenishbookshelf.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/top-10-tuesday-hyped-books-ive-never-read/
My favourite DiCamillo may be Flora & Ulysses – such a joy to read aloud.
Love The House on Mango Street.