Tuesday, November 25, 2014

The Ten Books I Really Want to Read This Winter

What is this madness? The third day and the third post? I didn't plan to make a post today (I've been working on my post on 2015 TBR Challenge instead), but seeing today's topic on my blog feed I simply couldn't resist.
 
So here are the ten books I really want to read this winter (winter = December - March). Hopefully I can cross these all out by the beginning of March.
 
Edit: after I typed the list, I discovered it's pretty... gloomy? Horror, post-apocalyptic, poor starving orphans and creepy non-fiction. It was not deliberate, but I don't really mind. #holidayspirit, eh ;)
 
 

1. Endymion, Dan Simmons (science fiction) - follow up to Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. Will be reading this one in December, I'm beyond excited.
 
2. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel (science fiction -> dystopia/post apocalyptic) - this one seems to be everywhere right now, and since my reading is very much not about current trends, I decided to pick a few just to catch up with all the fuss.
 
3. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens (classics) - Dickens feels somehow winter-appropriate. This is one of the last books I have left to complete my 2014 TBR challenge, so I better get it done.
 
4. Among Others, Jo Walton (fantasy) - a Hugo and Nebula winning novel, I've heard it described as something "different" - well, why not. Colour me intrigued.
 
5. The Road, Cormac McCarthy (science fiction -> dystopia/post apocalyptic) - The Road has been on my to- read list for a while. I haven't read any other McCarthy, though I own a nice copy of All the Pretty Horses.
 
 
6. Bird Box, Josh Malerman (horror) - also this year's release. I don't really know anything about it except for the fact that it's supposed to give you the creeps.
 
7. The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood (speculative fiction) - it is about time. I read Oryx and Crake years ago, and have the both sequels on my shelf, so I really don't know why I haven't already read them. Also, it's been a while since my last Atwood, I think I'm having withdrawal.
 
8. We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo (fiction) - one of the Man Booker Prize nominees this year. I am always willing to give Man Booker books a go.
 
9. The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson (non-fiction -> true crime) - I went over my non-fiction collection and this one jumped out as a potentially good winter read. It was either this or Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking - although who says I cannot read them both.
 
10. The Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls (non-fiction -> memoir) - I think this will be a tough read.
 
If you have read any of those or are planning to, feel free to leave your thoughts :)
 
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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

22 comments:

  1. I wasn't going to participate today either, but I'm loving everyone's lists so much I changed my mind :) My local bookstore had a signed copy of Station Eleven for sale, so I couldn't resist picking that one up -- I didn't put it on my list, but I still do want to read it soon :)

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    1. I liked your list :) It's good to do a Top Ten post from time to time. I read the first chapter of Station Eleven last night, not much has happened yet but the setting is promising.

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  2. Oh, we both have a Dickens book on our lists. I agree, something about Dickens feels winter-y.

    Among Others is something I definitely want to read. Also, I still haven't read any Atwood! I should really read something by her. I was thinking of picking up The Handmaid's Tale, or is there something else you would recommend for a person's first Atwood book?

    Hahaha, I like your gloomy list! Winter-time is so dark, I think it fits!

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    1. Thanks, Maija! Regarding Atwood, I've only read 3 so far and out of those I would recommend starting with The Handmaid's Tale. Oryx and Crake would be good start too, but HT is a classic and not part of series. The Blind Assassin is also excellent book but it's a slow burner and I think suits better to someone who is already familiar with Atwood's elegant prose and can therefore more appreciate it :)

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  3. I love Oliver Twist! Hope you enjoy it :)

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    1. Thanks, o! I'll start it this week I think.

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  4. I've read Year of the Flood and Among Others. I agree that Among Others is different -- but if you like sci fi, fantasy, and "coming of age" novels you'll love it. I've got Station Eleven on my list too. And I always mean to read more Dickens!

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    1. Good to hear about Among Others - I'm pretty confident I'm going to enjoy it. Station Eleven is pretty great so far (about half way in).

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  5. Wow none of these are on my to read list - now I have to scour them more closely to see if there be any treasures in your list!

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    1. I'm pretty confident that a good junk of those will be pretty awesome winter reads.

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  6. What a great list! You've got some that I've enjoyed including McCarthy's The Road, Oliver Twist (of course!) and The Year of the Flood (you won't be disappointed.).

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    1. Thanks, and good to know. I'm especially looking forward to The Year of the Flood.

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  7. This looks like a pretty stellar TBR though perhaps a little on the bleak side. Way to fully embrace the season! Station Eleven sounds really great and I really want to finish the rest of the Hyperion trilogy.

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    1. I started both Station Eleven and Endymion, and both are going really well :)

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  8. Great list! I think winter lends itself well to gloomier reads.

    I'm struggling to resist the Station Eleven hype now too - I think I'll be picking it up pretty soon. I also think I'll be hitting the classics this winter as I'm in the mood for a good one :)

    Enjoy your reading!

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    1. Thanks, Ellie! I'm loving Station Eleven so far. Just finished chapter 6, which was very poetic. Was thinking why are post apocalyptic novels so popular right now. Feels like people are taking into the end-of-the-world moods. Scary stuff.

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  9. I've got Station Eleven to read too. Fingers crossed it's good!
    Cora @ Tea Party Princess

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  10. I really want to read Among Others - I've heard wonderful things about it.
    We Need New Names is worth trying, I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to.

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    1. We Need New Names is not even that long so I'm pretty confident that I'm going to fit it in somewhere. Among Others was on sale for Kindle a little while back so it was like a perfect opportunity :)

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  11. Ooooo Station Eleven. Not my usual kind of thing, but I ended up liking it a lot.

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    1. I'm way into it already and it's exciting stuff, plus some really nicely written passages.

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Leave a comment if you feel like it - it warms my little bookish heart. :)