TTT: Too Many Books, Not Enough Money!
I’m striking out on my own for a Top Ten Tuesday this week. In fact, I want to solicit some assistance from you, the reader. So, yes, I encourage you strongly to comment. Commenting is easy this week, since it’s a bit like a multiple-choice question with no wrong answers. I bet you wish you had questions like that on your SAT or A-Levels! Anyway, to the topic of this weeks TTT…
Imagine you’re in Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, or your favorite brick-and-mortar purveyor of literary excellence, surrounded by books, each calling your name. In your hand you have a list of ten books from your To Be Read list. In your pocket, you have just enough cash for one of them. Which would you choose? That’s my dilemma. In fact, that’s usually my dilemma whenever I have the funds for a book purchase: too many books, not enough money! Here’s where you can help me.
The following is a list of ten books from my To Be Read list. I’ve linked to each book on Goodreads so you can read the book description if you’ve not heard of a particular title. If you had to choose one of these books, which would it be? And I’m not just shooting the breeze here, speculating idly to have something to blog about. Whichever book gets the most votes will be the book I buy. And I will read and review that book here on this very blog.
So here are the books:
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Now it’s your turn! Which one of those do you recommend above all the others? I know, it’s a tough choice. But that’s why I’m asking. And this is only ten from my TBR list–there are plenty of others! Just put at least the title in a comment below (even if that’s all you say). The book with the most votes will be my next fiction purchase.
Thank you for your help. 🙂
Even if I had money to purchase them all, how could I read them all? By the time you’r halfway that list, another ten will catch your attention and you’ll be in a bigger trouble. That’s how it is for me, anyway.
I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone (beautiful prose!), and I’m crazy to read Shadow and Bone and Cinder … have heard fabulous things of both.
Not much help lol Sorry!
I know I know… there are always more books… and like I said, this is just 10 of the books on my TBR! But every book purchase is one more excellent book on my shelf, so every little bit helps. 🙂
Thank you for your suggestions. I’ll take this as a vote each for DoS&B, S&B, and CINDER.
My vote would be for The Book Thief.
Thanks, Dale! Your vote is noted. 🙂
Of the books that I’ve read from your list, I’m going to go with DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor. Hands down. Her writing is beyond beautiful! Hers is the only book that I remember going back and rereading lines just to savour them all over again. Her descriptions are phenomenal, and I still find myself wondering how she can do it without going overboard and in so few words. This is one of those books that seriously caused me to question my own ability, but in the end inspired me to write better. Sold yet???? 😀
Thanks, Jaime! OK, so that’s TWO votes for DoS&B! And both votes for the same reason: beautiful writing. That’s a good incentive. One of the things that blew me away with SHATTER ME was Tahereh Mafi’s writing, so that’s a great selling point for me. 🙂
Wow, the funny thing is these are ALL on my TBR list too. And I generally have the same dilemma – it really is a pity that books are so expensive. Sigh.
Anyways I prefer to buy books that are likely to have some sentimental/historical value. Something I want people to see and discuss when they visit me. So of your list, I would pick the Book Thief. That’s my vote.
Thank you so much barefoot_med_student! I noticed the THE BOOK THIEF is an award-winning novel, and I’ve had good experience with award-winning novels (e.g., THE GIVER). I’ve discovered there’s usually a good reason why these books get recognition, and that durability factor you mention is part of it.
So now DoS&B and THE BOOK THIEF are tied at 2 votes each! 🙂
There’s so many I want to read on that list as well. I’ve only read Cinder on your list so that’s the only one I can properly recommend. But it was a fantastic read, a very enjoyable retelling and an interesting take on the story of Cinderella. You gotta love the concept of a cyborg Cinderella alone. It fits into her trademark low status brilliantly!
Thanks, Robin! I’m particularly interest in all 10 of these for one reason or another. CINDER does look to be an interesting read–and I like the premise. So, that’s 2 votes each for DoS&B, THE BOOK THIEF, and CINDER… Mmmm… I didn’t plan for a tie. There’s still plenty of time for people to vote, though. 🙂
Alright I loved loved loved both THE BOOK THIEF and DoS&B but knowing that the sequel comes only in November, I would say go for THE BOOK THIEF now and save DoS&B for October 😛 so that you can read both books close to one another if you do fall in love with DoS&B as I did 🙂
Thank you, Elodie! Another vote for THE BOOK THIEF, pushing it into the lead, though I suppose it’s a sort-of-vote for DoS&B… but not for a few months. 🙂 And I like your strategy. I also prefer to read series books in close proximity to one another–it helps me remember what happened! 🙂
A bunch of these, including the Book Thief are on my list of TBR too. The only book on your list I’ve read is Before I Fall, which I really loved and I’m part way through Daughter of Smoke and Bone. So really based on experience I can say Before I Fall – which I loved!
Ooo… so now BEFORE I FALL has a vote (am I enjoying this too much?)! Thank you Kimberly. 🙂 So, as it currently stands, the voting is:
THE BOOK THIEF: 3 votes
DoS&B: 2 votes
CINDER: 2 votes
BEFORE I FALL: 1 vote
The Other 6: 0 votes
There’s still plenty of time… I’m not book shopping for at least a few days! 🙂
So, I’m going out on a limb here and voting for The Girl Is Murder! I haven’t read it, but the cover and title intrigued me enough to check out the goodreads blurb. It sounds awesome! I love the old-fashioned private eye aspect. Makes me think of Dial M For Murder or even The Maltese Falcon.
I have read three of the books on your list. My favorite of those was definitely The Book Thief. So, that’s my “alternate” choice for ya!
Doesn’t THE GIRL IS MURDER sound interesting? I think it came up on a RTW one time, and so I added it to my TBR (yes, when people recommend books and I say “that’s going on my TBR”–they really do!). So, I’m going to register a vote for TGIM *and* THE BOOK THIEF from you. Okay? Thanks, Daisy!
Aaagh! What a tough list! For me it comes down to CINDER and THE BOOK THIEF. CINDER is easily in my top five of the year, but TBT is currently at the top of my “boy I need to re-read that” pile. We read it in one of my grad school classes and it blew us all away. It’s definitely a YA crown jewel. I guess when push comes to shove, I’d have to rec THE BOOK THIEF–but a lot depends on mood, so if you’re in the mood for something a little more *fun*, CINDER could easily outstrip it.
Thanks for your input Mrs. S. To be fair, since I’m letting others who just can’t decide put in two votes, I’ll do the same for you. So that’s a vote each for CINDER and THE BOOK THIEF. The scoring stands:
THE BOOK THIEF: 5
CINDER: 3
DoS&B: 2
BEFORE I FALL: 1
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
The Other 5: 0
Geeky comment: that table looks nice, do you use a plug-in for that? I always have trouble doing side-by-side images in WordPress.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is my favorite out of this list that I’ve actually read. It’s a gorgeous book, one of my favourite releases of last year.
But there’s also two there I’ve been dying to read: This Is Not a Test and Shadow & Bone.
Geeky reply: I actually hand-code the table with html. It’s not hard to do–just a handful of tags (table, img src, a, td, and tr). Sometimes having a programming background can be useful, and I like that WordPress lets me edit the html. 🙂
And that’s another vote for DoS&B! I’m intrigued with THIS IS NOT A TEST, too… but your vote goes to the one you’ve read. 🙂 Thanks, Emma!
UPDATE: I realized that I allowed Daisy’s vote for THE GIRL IS MURDER when she hadn’t read the book, so to be fair, I should allow your vote for THIS IS NOT A TEST. So I have revised the score. Sorry!
Updated score:
THE BOOK THIEF: 5
CINDER: 3
DoS&B: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 1
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
The Other 4: 0
Thanks for the tip, Colin! It’s been a while since I broke out my HTML skills, this sounds like a good way to stop them getting too rusty. 🙂
Oh, no question. THE BOOK THIEF. So many of these books on your list are wonderful, but they are also at your public library. 🙂 As much as I loved BEFORE I FALL and RUBY RED, I am okay with the fact that I don’t own them. THE BOOK THIEF is a book with impact – can’t think of any other way of putting it. You will be glad to own it. You will see it on the top of a pile of books and run your hand across the cover, remembering how you felt while you read it.
That’s a great reason to recommend a book. Thanks, Sara! 🙂
Updated score:
THE BOOK THIEF: 6
CINDER: 3
DoS&B: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 1
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
The Other 4: 0
SHADOW AND BONE! Easily one of the best books I’ve read all year!
SHADOW AND BONE certainly has received a lot of attention, which is one reason it’s on my list. Thanks, Stephanie! 🙂
Updated score:
THE BOOK THIEF: 6
CINDER: 3
DoS&B: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 1
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
SHADOW AND BONE: 1
The Other 3: 0
The Book Thief. Yes yes yes. You must read it. Although every other one on your list that I have read were good too (cinder, Daughter of S&B, Before I Fall, Ruby Red)
Okay, I might be wrong, but I *think* that’s a vote for THE BOOK THIEF… 😉 Thank you, Melanie!
Updated score:
THE BOOK THIEF: 7
CINDER: 3
DoS&B: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 1
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
SHADOW AND BONE: 1
The Other 3: 0
#1, #3 and #4 are all amazing. All three were five star books for me, and I don’t hand out stars all willy-nilly.
Thank you, Sarah. I’m the same with Goodreads reviews: the book has to be close to faultless to get a 5-star review from me. Adding your votes to the current tally:
THE BOOK THIEF: 8
DoS&B: 4
CINDER: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 2
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
SHADOW AND BONE: 1
The Other 3: 0
I’ve only read one of those books, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED it–DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. I would say THE BOOK THIEF (which I haven’t read, but I hear it’s an awesome and powerful story), however, it’s so popular, and I’m all about helping out new authors, so I’m going to say SHADOW AND BONE because I’m hearing fantastic things about it. It’s on my list!
Let us know what you decide!
DoS&B is clearly a favorite, so if it’s not the one I get, I’ll have to get it soon. But your vote is for SHADOW AND BONE, so that’s where it will go. Thanks, Kris! 🙂
Score update:
THE BOOK THIEF: 8
DoS&B: 4
CINDER: 3
BEFORE I FALL: 2
SHADOW AND BONE: 2
THE GIRL IS MURDER: 1
THIS IS NOT A TEST: 1
The Other 3: 0