10 Books That Have Been on My "To Read" List Way Too Long

I have a horrible habit of adding tons of books to my "To Read" list on a regular basis.  Some of these books are suggestions from Goodreads, some of them are suggestions from other bloggers, and some of them I'll find randomly while looking through my library's website to see what's on order/new/currently available. 

This probably wouldn't be so terrible if I made more of an effort to select books from different areas of my list when I'm choosing what to read next.  Instead, I tend to get distracted by new releases and/or the books I've added to my list most recently and forget all about the books that have been lingering on the list for years.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is all about those books that have been sitting on my "To Read" list way too long.  

I'm embarrassed to say that I could have easily made a list of 50 or more books that have been on my "To Read" list for at least three or more years, but I narrowed it down to the 10 I am most likely to read this year.  




I mentioned this book in a previous Top Ten Tuesday post, and the main reason it made that list is because it's currently sitting at the top of my "To Read" list.  I add books to the list as I find them, so books at the top of the list have been there the longest.  It would not be an exaggeration to say that this book has been on my "To Read" list for over five years.


This book was also featured in the post I linked above for the same reason.  I'm not really sure why I keep putting off reading it (other than maybe the fact that it's a little longer than the average book I read?), but I'd really like to get to it this year.


One of my absolute favorite books of all time is Oryx and Crake.  That book also happens to be the first book in the MaddAddam trilogy.  I also read and enjoyed The Year of the Flood several years ago (which is the second book in the trilogy).  So why have I been putting this one off?  I wish I had an answer for that.  I bought a copy several years ago to complete my trilogy, but then I just never read it.  Luckily, it fits a category for the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge (the next book in a series you started), so that's an added incentive for me to finally mark it off my list!


I can't even remember where I first heard about this book, but it's been on my "To Read" list for several years.  I used to actively search for it any time I headed out to Half Price Books, but I could never find it.  (Why I didn't just order it from Amazon or another bookstore I'll never know.)  I do know that my library has at least one copy, though, so I should be able to find an opportunity to get to it this year.  (I also really want to read Alissa Nutting's newer release, Made for Love, but I want to read this one first.)


About eleven or twelve years ago I read and loved Craig Clevenger's The Contortionist's Handbook.  I reread it again a few years ago, and it was still a five star read.  It's safe to say, then, that I've been dying to read Dermaphoria for many years.  The only problem?  It's not available at my library.  I've been trying to prioritize books I can get for free at the library, but there are some books that I really want to read that just aren't available there.  I have an Amazon gift card that I'm planning to use to purchase this book (and maybe one or two others that I can't get at the library but think I'll love), so I feel pretty confident in saying that I should finally get to it this year.


I can, with 100% certainty, say that I've been putting off reading this book because of the incredibly heavy subject matter.  I like my books dark and fucked up, but there are some books that seem so intense and disturbing that I know I won't enjoy them unless I'm in the right sort of mood.  This is one of those books.  While I can't be sure I'll feel like reading it this year, I'd love to be able to finally cross it off my "To Read" list.


I'll admit that while I'm not usually a fan of books with science fiction and/or paranormal elements (with the exception of time travel because that fascinates me), once in a while I'll take a chance on something that's outside my reading comfort zone if the premise sounds interesting enough.  I think that's what initially led me to add 14 to my "To Read" list years ago.  It may also be the main reason I haven't gone out of my way to actually read it.  Apparently my library has a digital copy of this book, though, so I think I may finally get around to checking it out this year.


I've read a couple of Erin Kelly's novels (The Poison Tree and He Said/She Said), and I really enjoy her writing and storytelling styles.  I can't remember if I added The Burning Air to my "To Read" list before or after I read The Poison Tree, but it's definitely been sitting on my list for several years.

9.) The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

I watched the movie with my mom years ago (yes, she's also a fan of scary books and movies), and I've wanted to read the book ever since.  I usually like to read the book first, but it's not the end of the world if I haven't.  (I just don't like picturing the characters as they were portrayed in a movie/TV show.)  It actually worked out in my favor that I saw the movie first, though, because now I can use it for the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge (a book made into a movie you've already seen)!

10.) The Obscene Bird of Night by José Donoso

I'm rounding out this list with a book that has been on my radar since I first heard about it back in college.  (I graduated in 2006 ... So it's been a while.)  I was always a little on the fence about it (and therefore not as willing to purchase it), but the premise (and title!) really intrigued me.  Apparently it's available at my library ... Who knew?  I'm looking forward to finally reading it.  

Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday!

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