Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. You can find upcoming topics at their Top Ten Tuesday page.


1. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

Every time I am asked what my favorite novel is, I say Crimson Petal without hesitation. This book blew me away when I first read it, and I have never had a book draw me in like this one did before or since. However, it's been six years since I've read it and my memory is getting hazy. I can only remember some little details of the characters now and not much else. I have to reread it soon so that I can have the pleasure of reliving the experience, and also so that I can start talking it up to my friends and have something more to say than "It's amazing! Read it!"



2. Abarat and Days of Magic, Nights of War  by Clive Barker

I love everything about this series. The characters are amazing, the fantasy world is fascinating and unique, and the original artwork is beautiful and the icing on the cake. The third book, Absolute Midnight, is coming out in April (well, hopefully it is--the release date has been pushed back about nine dozen times), and I definitely need to reread this series before then.




3. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Fantastic book! At the time I was reading this book, I hadn't added a book to my favorites list in what felt like years, but I added The Namesake immediately after finishing it. Gogol is one of my favorite characters in literary fiction. Plus, I was a huge fan of Russian literature before I even read this book, and I love how big of a part Russian lit played in this novel. It made me want to reread Gogol's short stories (so I guess I'm unofficially adding that collection to this list).

4. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

This book always makes it on my top five favorites list, no contest. I knew I had found a new author that I could read everything by him and love every single book. I want to make a confession to you all, though--I only read the first 2/3 of this book. I don't know what happened. I think I just got distracted and before I knew it, the book was due back at the library and I returned it unfinished. I planned to get back to it as soon as possible once I finished the huge stack of books on my nightstand, but I never did. I bought my own copy a couple of years ago. Now I just need to find the time to read it again, all the way to the end this time.


5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I had to read this book for my ninth grade English class and I hated it. However, so many people say it's their favorite Dickens, and I just want to see if my feelings have changed about it or not. I may have just been too young to enjoy it or it could have been the fact that I was reading it for school under a deadline or it could have been because I thought Estella was such a b****. Regardless of why I disliked it the first time, I want to give it a fair shake before I definitively say whether or not I hate this novel.

6. An Alchemy of Mind by Diane Ackerman

I've already read this novel three times (I think that's the most I've ever read one book), and I will be rereading it again (and again). This book started my obsession with all things neuro. And I am so jealous of Ackerman who gets to travel all around the world, observing different species (I mean, she actually plays with baby seals. I want to do that!). I almost stole this book from my high school library. I figured no one would miss it seeing as that I was the only person who had checked it out the entire four years I was there. My conscience wouldn't allow it then, but now I regret not doing it. It would have made a nice souvenir.

7. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

This novel made me want to get out my pen and write and write and write (or, more accurately, get out my laptop and type and type and type. This is the 21st century after all). I never had a book inspire that kind of desire to create before. I'll be looking towards this book as my muse for some time to come.

8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This is another book that was assigned reading in my ninth grade English class. This one, however, I loved. But since it's been nearly seven years since I read it, all that I know of P&P comes from the Keira Knightley movie (which I also love). I want to get reaquainted with the book now and not rely so much on the film adaptation, no matter how well it may have stayed true to the novel.

9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This is the first classic I can ever remember reading for pleasure. My public library had a really pretty pastel pink Oxford World Classics Hardcover, and I fell in love with it (both the story and the lovely pocket-sized book). I now have my own miniature-sized Jane Eyre, which I will have to make time to read real soon since I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't watch the movie until I do, and I really want to watch the movie.


10. Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

It's been a year since I finished The Awakening, and I've been dying to go back and read this series all over again ever since I closed that last book. I love Chloe. She's one of the best, most down-to-earth heroines in YA lit. And Chloe and Derek's relationship is so different from any of other romances that I've come across in the genre. I think this is a series that I can read again and again and not get tired of it.



I could add a bunch more books to this list. I'm really enjoy rereading favorites, though I don't reread more than two or three books a year. It's just so hard to make the decision to read a book I've already read, no matter how much I love it, when there are so many amazing unread books out there. Rereading is particularly a problem for me because so many of my favorite books are really long, which is the main reason why I still haven't gotten to The Crimson Petal and the White (894 pages) and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (613 pages) yet.

22 comments:

  1. If you're a P&P fan, you HAVE to watch the miniseries with Colin Firth as Darcy - it's fantastic. I really want to reread The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle as well, I can hardly remember it. I've always been curious about Crimson Petal but its size scares me a little - maybe someday! Great list.

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  2. Your list totally reminded me that I borrowed The Thirteenth Tale from a friend and haven't ever read it. I need to get on that ASAP because everyone always raves about it so much!

    My Top Ten list is over here if you'd like to stop by!

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  3. Ooh, THE THIRTEENTH TALE is so good! I'd like to reread that now too. I've reread P&P recently (and my favorite, NORTHANGER ABBEY) but I'd like to reread JANE EYRE and WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

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  4. I have been wanting to read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (or any Haruki Murakami for that matter). I heard they were all really amazing.

    Nice list. I loved The Thirteenth Tale.

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  5. Oh man, I haven't read any of these...I always cringe when I come to a list where I haven't read a single book! lol Makes me feel like I'm falling down on the job or something, you know? Wait, that's not entirely true, I did read The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong when it came out. I'm setting a goal to read a bunch of classics in 2012, and Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre are at the top of my list.
    Thanks for visiting my blog. Always great to meet another Sarah Addison Allen fan! I hope that when you read The Sugar Queen, you enjoy it as much as I did. :-)

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  6. Great list! I've read some Clive Barker, but not Arabat yet, Wind Up Bird left me so baffled I felt like I had just woken up from a bizarre dream! I don't think the last 1/3 made it any easier!!

    You make a powerful statement for Alchemy of Mind (I've had books I felt that way about too and left them on the shelves anyway)I'll have to look into that one!

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  7. I really have to read Jane Eyre... *sigh* I keep saying it, I just have to do it! I think I need to get around to reading The Thirteenth Tale too. I could definitely read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle again, maybe I'd understand it better second time around!

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  8. Have reread Jane Eyre at least twice and would love to do it again, but have never read Kelly's Darkest Powers trilogy and would love too as I loved her newest book and would reread it in a heart beat.

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  9. I keep meaning to check out The Darkest Powers trilogy and then forget the name when I get to a bookstore. I'll need to jot it down next time. Someday I really need to read Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.

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  10. I haven't heard of the Darkest Power trilogy, but I like your description, I'd love something other than the typical romances we see. :)

    Happy Tuesday,
    ~ Shanella

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  11. I almost picked up 'Crimson Petal and the White' as I know there is a now a movie made of it. I have it on my monster TBR pile, though!

    And I will have t throw 'The Namesake' on there, while I am at it... I studied Russian Lit (of all things) in College!

    Thanks for Hopping By...

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  12. I have some of these on my bookshelf. I guess I need to get to reading.

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  13. Great list! Loved the Crimson Petal and the White as well as the Thirteenth Tale. Both Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice are novels I have reread.

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  14. I think it's nice that you've got so many classics on your list. I really love Jane Eyre and Pride & Prejudice, too.

    I don't know if you should reread Great Expectations; it depends on if you've read any Dickens since. I like Great Expectation, but he wrote a lot of wonderful books, so there's no need to fret about 1 you didn't like - there are plenty more to enjoy!

    I'm a new follower! I really love your blog name and wish I had thought of it. I don't know if it was inspired by the T.a.t.u song, but it's a really cool pun on the phrase.

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  15. P.S. Have you seen the recent BBC adaptation of the Crimson Petal and the White? It was really good. You can probably find it to watch on the 'net or get the DVD if you want.

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  16. @ TG-I've only read A Christmas Carol by Dickens, and I just thought it was okay. I'd still like to read A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist some day. He just has so many incredibly famous works. I'll feel like my 'read' shelf isn't complete unless I can add a few more Dickens' titles to it, even though I didn't really like the first two books I've read by him.

    I just found out about the Crimson Petal movie! I need to check out the trailer if I can find it on YouTube.

    And yes, my blog name was inspired by the T.A.T.U. song! I was wondering if anyone would catch that. :)

    Thanks for following!!

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  17. I have never heard of the Darkest Powers. The cover is so pretty! I may have to look into thato ne.

    http://deadtreesandsilverscreens.blogspot.com

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  18. Great bunch of books! I keep seeing The Darkest Powers popping up over the blogosphere so I may have to check that one out! New follower :) and I love your blog name, very clever!

    here is mine :)

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  19. I loved Pride and Prejudice, though I only finally managed to get around to reading it last summer. And The Thirteenth Tale deserves a reread since it's been entirely too long!

    I really should get working on reading Jane Eyre and the Darkest Powers trilogy.

    New follower, by the way! Hope to see you on my blog :)

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  20. Jane Eyre is on my list as well and Great Expectations would be a good reread. I loved reading P&P for the second time; I really got more out of it.

    Come visit my list at The Scarlet Letter.

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  21. I totally forgot to add Pride and Prejudice on my list! I can never get tired of that book!

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  22. WOW! I think "eclectic reader" may be a bit of an understatement. You seem to have made all interesting choices, so I'm impressed. I'm Jennifer. I found you at Top 10 Tuesday (which I'll be joining in for the first time tomorrow). Your blog looks like it will be full of useful tips and recommendations, so I'm a follower now. I'd be thrilled to have you come check out mine, The Beauty of Eclecticism, and maybe join my first ever attempt to host a reading challenge, which begins on the 5th. Either way, your list is impressive, and I'm looking forward to following your blog.
    JNCL

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