Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Check out upcoming Top Ten themes on Jana’s blog!
Every year I write up this “Post of Shame” and share with you the ten books I really wanted to read the previous year but just couldn’t get to. Usually these “regret” posts consist of all review books, but this year there are actually three on the list that I didn’t receive for review, but I really really wanted to read them anyway. I haven’t set any reading challenge goals yet this year, so maybe one goal can be to read all ten books on this list by the end of the year. Challenge accepted!
Review Books I’m Sorry I Didn’t Read:
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. Technically I didn’t request this, so I shouldn’t feel as bad as I do, but damn, I’ve heard really good things about Suri’s debut and I want to see for myself what all the fuss is about!
Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller. This is a review request that came out back in April, and I was simply overloaded with too many review books, and something had to fall by the wayside. I’ve read some amazing reviews, though, so this is high on my priority list:-D
The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi. I had hoped to read this in November during the Sci-Fi Month event, but I didn’t have time. The reviews I’ve read were sort of just OK, so I guess I’m not in a hurry to read this, but it’s the second book in a series and I do want to be ready for the next one when it comes out.
You Die When You Die by Angus Watson. I missed this when it came out in 2017, but the publisher was kind enough to send me a copy a few months ago anyway. I do intend to read this when I have a lighter review commitment month!
The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri. Readers really seem to love this book, so it’s unclear why I never read it. I definitely want to try this year, though.
Stronger, Faster and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton. This came to me unsolicited, but when I started reading reviews I knew I had to read it for myself. Unfortunately, there just wasn’t time last year, but I will try again in 2019.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. This showed up on a bunch of “best of” lists last year, so I’m very sad I didn’t read it.
Purchased Books I’m Sorry I Didn’t Read:
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I mean, come on!! The final book in one of the best YA series to come along in a long time! Personal books always get pushed away in favor of review books, and that’s something I’d like to change this year.
Muse of Nightmares of Laini Taylor. Another book I couldn’t snag a review copy for, but I bought it anyway because damn, I love Laini Taylor and this series!!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells. Finally, I bought all four Murderbot books with the intention of doing a binge read, but that just didn’t happen. Maybe this year??
I only just got round to reading Empire of Sand, and it’s very good – well-written, and (a bit like City of Brass) I love how the world is infused with responses to traditional Western criticisms of Islamic cultures. And it stands alone, hooray! (there is a sequel coming, but the first one leaves you in a place where you don’t _need_ a sequel)
I’m still v curious about Blackfish City – I haven’t got a copy yet, but I still mean to!
Seven and a Half Deaths is very well-constructed but… eh. It lost a good deal of my sympathy with the unnecessary / wanton nastiness it directed at the physically disfigured and the fat characters. The ethical question posed by the ending is a good one for a feisty debate tho 😉
I’m definitely leaning towards reading Empire of Sand first:-)
I am AGHAST that you didn’t read Murderbot! but impressed at your foresight in collecting all four novellas before starting because my god, I was in agony waiting for each one to come out. I’m so excited for a full-length novel, but WHENNNN will it reach my eyeballs, aaaaagh.
in case you didn’t gather from all the hyperbole, this is a really good series!
Ha ha, I am also aghast that I haven’t read them! I’m sure once I read them I’ll be equally excited about the upcoming novel!
also, I loved Illumine (5/5), loved Gemina (4/5) and Obsidio just…ugh. it was a 3/5 at last count and I stalled before finishing. so. that’s me.
Oh too bad about Obsidio! I’m still going to read it:-)
I hope you enjoy it!
I don’t think I could keep track of the books I regret I did not read. It would be sad. And a lot of work (such a long list). But I did read All Systems Red and thought it was very good. I guess I regret not having read the rest of the series so far.
It was hard to limit my list to 10, but hopefully seeing this list in writing will give me some motivation to actually catch up and read these books:-)
Why, yes, several on your list are languishing in my queue. I did read and love All Systems Red, aaaaaand the rest of Murderbot is still in the queue, as well. I got no discipline.
Well, at least you’ve started the Murderbot series! It’s so hard to keep up when they come out so close together.
Whoa – you’ve got four Murderbot novellas? Well you’re in for a fabulous binge-reading experience at some stage in the coming year, Tammy:)). And I hope you love Muse of Nightmares – it wasn’t quite the awesome read that Strange the Dreamer was for me, but it brought something different to the story all the same. Like you, I love her writing!
I will hopefully be able to do the Martha Wells binge read. I cannot wait!
Same here. I never read the books that I intended to read. I always get sidetracked by new releases.
It’s so easy to get side tracked, oh well!
I’ll have to look for the Twitter poll. I totally forgot about Evelyn Hardcastle. I blame new releases! I swear the ones I’m interested in come out too fast!
It’s true, it’s almost impossible to keep up. You read faster than I do too, so if you have problems, we’re doomed, lol.
Great list, Tammy! The 7 1/2 Deaths is a favorite of mine from last year. I hope you’ll get a chance to read it. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Oh so good to hear! Just about everyone raves about it so I’m very much looking forward to finally reading it:-)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and Obsidio were awesome and I hope you love them!
Oh cool, now I’m extra excited:-)
Several that I’ve got waiting for me also, including Empire of Sand.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who missed Empire of Sand!
I haven’t read All Systems Red yet either. Hopefully soon!
This is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Hopefully we’ll both find the time:-)
The only one I’ve read is All Systems Red — I liked it a lot, but I think I would have liked it even better if it had been one full-length novel rather than four novellas. I just borrowed The Book of Hidden Things from the library — I’ve heard good things! I’m a Scalzi fan, but haven’t started this series yet (maybe that’s a 2019 goal for me!). Ah, just realized you have 7 1/2 Deaths (etc) on your list — I’m in the minority on this one, but I just couldn’t stand it. Win some, lose some! Good luck with all these!
I have all four Murderbot books, so hopefully if I binge read them, it will feel like one novel:-)
lovely list! I read Obsidio last year and it was awesome, hope you get to read it this year.
Good luck reading all of these, hope you love them!
Marti recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books I meant to Read in 2018 But Didn’t Get to
Thank you Marti! I’m so excited to finally get to Obsidio:-)
I have three of these I need to get to as well, sigh. I read The Book of Hidden Things which I unexpectedly loved! I can not recommend anything Murderbot enough though, so I say start there. Also it’s short so easy to check off the list. 😀
Murderbot is definitely calling me, they might be the first ones I tackle:-)
I’m on the waitlist at the library for Evelyn Hardcastle – everyone seems to have loved it!
Yes, all the reviews I’ve read have been glowing! I hope you get your copy soon:-)
Empire of Sand is one of my big regrets as well, although I hope to be able to fit it into my reading schedule soon. And I managed to read Obsidio recently, although it was not easy because I bought it in printed form (these books cannot be fully enjoyed on an e-reader) and it seems I’ve forgotten how to hold a weighty paper book ! 😀 😀
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…PLANETARY AWARDS: Nominations for the best of 2018
Ha ha! I can’t imagine reading Obsidio in digital! But it sounds like you read the other books that way?
Yes, I did, and I realized that I was missing part of the experience, especially in the pages where some of the scenes are told in small font that curls up on itself like a shell (if I’m making any sense…), or in the drawings of the ships and other images. Once I bought the printed books I could see what I missed before 🙂
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Went to vote in your Twitter poll and realized I’m somehow not following you, oops! That has been corrected. 🙂 As someone who has been working to get through all of Murderbot Diaries, I recommend those (plus they’re nice and short so you can squeeze them in between other reads). Lot of sequels on your list for series I still need to start!
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Murderbot is very high on the list, and I do love the fact that each one is so short. Can’t wait!
Good luck with those! :)Hope you get them read.
Thanks Stormi!
I loved the Angus Watson novel. I just really enjoy his writing.
Lynn 😀
Oh good! I’m so excited, I think the series is up to book three already, right? I’m so behind!
I still have to read that Angus Watson book as well. And now I feel bad it slipped my mind while making my list!
Lisa @TenaciousReader recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – 2018 Shame List (or Books I mean to read last year but didn’t)
It’s killing me because I just know I’m going to love it. I just need to squeeze it in!
The 7 1/2 Deaths and Blackfish are two I meant to read as well! Empire of Sand was so good and I totally recommend it, along with Muse of Nightmares which was so perfect. I just checked out a copy of All Systems Red from my library so I’m hoping to read that soon as well. 🙂 Hope you get to all of these!
I’m so glad to hear you loved Empire of Sand, I’m definitely going to read it in the next month or so:-)
The Book of Hidden Things!!! 😀 I’d love to know what you think of it if/when you read it. 🙂
I will let you know! I really really want to get to it:-)
Muse of Nightmares is the only one from your list that I’ve made it to so far, but there are several on there that I really want to read, especially the Martha Wells books.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books I Meant to Read In 2018 but Didn’t Get To
Get thee cracking on Obsidio now, Tammy! There are some other great ones on here, like Book of Hidden Things, that I think you might like, but the ending of the Illuminae trilogy is one I just KNOW you will LOVE!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Meant to Read In 2018 but Didn’t Get To
Ok I’m convinced! I can’t believe I didn’t just shove everything aside when it came out!
Dang, I have to binge-read the Murderbot books, too! Thank you for reminding me. 😀
Bethany Bee recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I think doing a binge read will be a lot of fun:-)
You Die When You Die looks really good because I have been craving a viking story even sense I read Sky in the Deep <3 Good luck with your reading!
Brittany recently posted…Series I’m Reading
I know what you mean, I really enjoyed Sky in the Deep. I’ve heard so many great things about You Die When You Die, I just need to make the time to read it:-)
The only book on your list I’ve read is 7 1/2 Deaths, which I ADORED! Quite a number of these books are also in my owned TBR pile and uh, we aren’t going to talk about it!
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Blackfish City, that cover just grabs me every time! And no, I didn’t get to it either *woops!*
You soooo need to read Evelyn Hardcastle, Tammy!! It was one of my favourites of last year! And I’m hoping to get to Blackfish City this year. Orcamancers sound like the coolest thing. 😀