There are so many books I very nearly didn’t read.
And look, this is just the stark reality: when there are so many stories to consume (and we know we can’t get to them all) some books will be passed over. Someone’s got to be ✨sacrificed✨. It’s so very sad. Siri, pls play Hurts by Emeli Sande.
Now is when I probably should list all the books I have decided not to read, but if I do that someone will say “nO CAIT UR MISSING OUT” and I’ll add it back to my TBR. That someone, btw, will probably be me.
So instead I’m going to list books I tried to toss from my TBr…I really did try…but I failed and read them anyway. And I’m so glad I did!
Which just proves!!! I need to read everything !!!! h e l p
CITY OF BONES
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I read this back in 2014 which is basically the era when we still had to grind wheat by hand to make bread. It is that long ago. I was a lot more picky with my reads back then and sent things back to the library if they didn’t captivate me. This one just…kept running out of loan time? I read, maybe, a chapter?
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: Ok so hear me out but — THE MOVIE. For once I watched the movie first and loooooved it (possibly because Simon and Jace were such a terrific hate/bromance) so I went and devoured the whole book…and then the rest of the series. Fastfoward to now where I have so many Shadowhunter books and multiple editions and will argue for 14 hours about how pure Mark Blackthorn is. Just give me the chance, u coward.
CINDER
(shhh I’m aware this is a photo of Winter but I don’t actually own Cinder haha…ooops)
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I read the first chapter and it didn’t make sense. Like this was back in 2013 and who knows where my brain was at. Clearly under reconstruction. So I sent it back to the library ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: I think my little sister threatened my life? 🤔 That sounds like a familiar circumstance anyway. Also this was unusual because back then I was the explorative reader while she trawled along behind me. So lucky for me, I have a terrifying little sister I guess.
You Know Me Well
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I remember when it came out my eyes sort of glazed over the blurb and blanked out on the cover. Which I stand by — it’s not a particularly enthralling cover.
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: Umm, don’t judge me ok? But look, I’m behind on my Goodreads goal. So I was in the library (this is just last week, by the way) and saw this on the shelf and it was SMALL and I thought “Brilliant, I can knock through that in a few hours and tick it off my goal.” Like…no, I shouldn’t be reading just for the numbers. But I did and I ended up loving this super cute queer friendship story 💛 So that feel when your shallowness pays off.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: This is for sad, smol reasons but…it was super expensive. I’m talking like over $30 Australian dollars and I just was like ahhhh 😫I’d recently lost a freelance job and I wasn’t sure I could justify that much on a book I wasn’t sure about.
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: Um the price came down. 😂And can we pause for a minute and say THANKS, BOOKISH UNIVERSE, because I love this book so freaking that my heart is just a mess of feels. I read it this week and 5!!! STARS!!! All the stars. I’m crying. It meant so much to me and had my favourite romance of shy-withdrawn-anxious kid falls in love with the sunshiney-sparkling-will-annoy-you-into-friendship kid.
PACIFICA
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I’d read another book by the author and hadn’t…clicked with it. So when this one turned up vaguely amongst the book community I was more like: “eh, probably won’t.” Plus it was dystopian and I’m a bit over dystopian because finding love while the world ends doesn’t make sense to me. You know what I’d be looking for?? No a frikkin’ boy. I’d be searching for chocolate and somewhere to take a comfortable nap. Gee.
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: Good news! I got sent it for review hahahahh. (THANKS, TOR TEEN 😘). Better news: I absolutely adored it and it was unique as well as had epic friendships (like “I’ll die for you bro” sort of friendships) and trash sea pirates and riots and beautiful writing and not sure if anything matters but Ross and Adam and Marin.
TRULY DEVIOUs
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I don’t even have a good reason tbh. I just looked at it and felt like a lazy noodle flopping languidly off the table and becoming one with the carpet. Obviously a valid reason to flake on a book. I just don’t think it caught my attention + I didn’t hear anyone rave over it originally?
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: Ok my friend @cosyreads raved about it and then the sequel came out and I felt mildly left out. So I actually ordered it with a gift voucher, but the lovely Aussie bookstore said, “Hey! It’s gonna take 2 months to get to you for no discernible reason!” And I couldn’t threaten to stab a company with a butterknife through a laptop, so I got it out from the library. And I LOVED IT. I headcanon Stevie is thoroughly autistic — and it’s just quirky and murdery and fun to read.
Last Night I Sang To The Monster
➢ WHY DID YOU NEARLY SKIP IT: I couldn’t find it in print anywhere in Australia!!! I really like Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Aristotle & Dante is just one of those books that stole my whole heart. But this an older book, 2009, so I also wondered if maaaaybe I wouldn’t like it?
➢ WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND: I found it for sale🤭and then I snabbled it up. And then I read it. And then I LIKED IT. It feels more like adult lit, to be honest, and it’s about an alchoholic teen (I think he’s 18 or 19) in a rehab camp and it has found-family and soft healing, but it’s really a gutwrenching heartache of a book. Obviously I recommend it now — if you can find it. 👀Moral of the story: If you like an author, just go ahead and read everything by them. JUST in case.
| WHAT DO YOU THINK |
tell me a book you nearly didn’t read? or is there a book you’re tossing up whether you should read now? 👀tell me and I’ll convince you mwhahaha.
I almost didn’t read shadow of the fox-Mainly bc I really didn’t hear ANYTHING about it…but then the sequel was coming out this week so I started shadow and…let’s just say…it’s stabby and dark and magical and yeah I’m 100% hooked and now have to get the sequel!
Confession: I have never finished the Lunar Chronicles! I’ve read the first chapters of Cinder, Cress, AND Winter, and couldn’t make heads or tails of the world, so I ditched a series others are still flailing over! And honestly, I have no regrets! Cyberpunk is one of those genres that is absolutely hit or miss with me, so I truly am not going to beat myself up over that choice!
Honestly, I’m surprised that you almost didn’t finish City of Bones! I truly enjoyed the first couple of books in Mortal Instruments. And the movie is underrated! The TV show was downright terrible! 2 episodes was more than enough for me! But the movie has great actors that fit the characters, and even the parts that stray from the book don’t put a hamper on the faithfulness of the adaptation – it still feels like the original story!
I almost didn’t finish Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black – I returned it to the library *twice* before finally reading the whole thing, and it was worth it! Maybe it was my mindset – or more likely the fact I didn’t like the author’s debut novel – but I was really hung up on giving that one a try. I’m still not excited about trying anything else she’s written, though I do like her style, so never say never!
I also almost didn’t read Cinder, like it just didn’t appeal to me but it was 2017 and learned about Renegades and wanted to read that so I read Cinder and loved it, and when I actually read Renegades I did not love it. I liked the book I didn’t think I’d like and disliked the book I thought I’d like.
I also almost didn’t read The Scorpio Races but then I needed an audio book to listen to while cleaning my room and it was the only one OverDrive had available and I am eternally thankful for that
I have a whole stack of books I’ve had for over a year and haven’t read. Being at university was terrible for my TBR. It grew like a goddamn beanstalk. This is why it’s been so easy for me to get by buying barely any books this year.
Great blog post! I read the first chapter of Cinder last year and I was confused. I haven’t picked it back up again, though I do plan to do so eventually. It’s good to know I’m not the only one who wasn’t too keen on the first chapter.
Imagine if you hadn’t read Cinder!!!! Woah. Then I never would have read it, and never would have tried the other books I was judging by the cover. Thank goodness for your sister forcing you to read it!!
I almost didn’t read City of Bones too. I felt like I was really really late into the Shadowhunter business so I got discouraged. I ended up enjoying the books and hating Jace + Clary so right now I’m still stuck at book four and tbh I just want to skip to TDA (I’m so terrible please don’t kill me).
I want this to be a longer comment but my mom is now screaming at me to go to sleep so BYE FOR NOW. Great post as always xoxo
Wow, I’m glad your sister threatened you with Cinder. My friend basically made me read it too. And I can’t imagine why I didn’t sooner now ;p
keturahskorner.blogspot.com
I have the whole Lunar Chronicles series because my mom bought Cinder for me, I read the first chapter and was confused, so she read the whole series and loves it! So I guess I need to revisit it. I am currently in the middle of Truly Devious! I LOVE LOVE Maureen Johnson so I know I will love this, but it IS taking me awhile to get fully in it. I have never read City of Bones or (gasp) Harry Potter, However, now as a teacher, I feel I should break down and read it!
I’ve read the first two (but mostly because I think everyone has – also, I’m basically late to every party…) Adding the other 5 to my ever-growing TBR. If you could do a post where you don’t recommend books, that would help me out immensely!! Or maybe just ones I have already read (except then I might reread them, and I really only have time to reread The Scorpio Races and Carry On every year… don’t tell the other books, they are getting jealous).
I nearly didn’t read The Gilded Wolves!!! I saw it all over bookstagram back around release BUT I don’t like Historical fiction so I didn’t think it was worth paying MONEY for, but then I entered one giveaway for it and I WON. I’m so glad cause it’s now my baby and I will cuddle it forever and I’ve since read The Star Touched Queen which is also baby and I am obsess and I love Enrique and the rest of my babies and I want to hug them and everyone should read it *breaks down sobbing*
Ahhhh what a fun idea for a post, I love it SO much! I was unsure about Cinder at first, just as well, because I wasn’t certain I would love the book and the genre overall – that was so long ago though and I let myself be convinced by fellow bloggers and… I’m so glad I did, since it’s now one of my favorite series of all times! 😀 It’s so great to change our minds sometimes haha 😀
Wonderful post!! 😀
I nearly didn’t read Radio Silence. I honestly don’t really know why? But I think it may have mostly been a judge the book by its cover situation, the cover just looked so eerie to me that I thought it was something totally different from what it actually turned out to be. I’m actually super on the fence about reading the whole Mortal Instruments series. I tried City of Bones once agessss ago, but only got like a chapter in. I keep on thinking about whether I should try again since it seems like so many people love the series.
I WAS THE SAME ABOUT ALL OF THESE, but sometimes for different reasons like having no reason at all (except Truly Devious, which was Truly Devious and I love that cover and also the book and I’m weak, okay?) and I think we are both terrible. Like, in a fun, we sorted ourselves out (kind of) way! Also, I, too, will argue for 14 hours about how pure Mark Blackthorn is. My son. MY. SON.
So I almost didn’t read A Thousand Perfect Notes because for a while I couldn’t find it and I was poor and I was worried it was gonna be like all music and piano references that I just ??? But then I saw it in a shop just after my student loan came in and I was like um SURE. To say I was glad I read it is an understatement because holy heck I love
“The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic. I won it from the giveaway in 2017. I tried read the first chapter and somehow did not interest me. then I try subscribe to scrib to listen to audiobook and found The Language of Thorns ebook instead, somehow I got hook from reading the ebook and end up loving it
I almost didn’t read Renegades because it didn’t catch my attention, but all the reviews convinced me, and I’m glad I read it! I’m really struggling to finish The Cruel Prince, and I sent The Vanishing Stair back to the library unread, twice. *shrugs*
OH WOW I TOO NEARLY DIDN’T READ CITY OF BONES WELP. AND NOW CASSANDRA CLARE IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE AUTHOR AND I’D READ CEREAL INGREDIENTS IF SHE WRITES IT. but then my friend bought the book and i was bored and flipped through a few pages and then accidentally read the whole series ahahahahahawhyamilikethis
I’m so glad you came round with the Lunar Chronicles. Those books are soooo good. *flops* Also, I have this same situation with all of Cassandra Clare’s books, but I’m just now coming around and am almost done with the Moral Instruments series and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. So no regrets there, even though I’ve gone through hell and high water to get them *pounds head on desk*
I almost didn’t read The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue but I really wanted to read the sequel and I can’t read the sequel without reading the first book. I can’t believe I almost skipped it! They were both amazing <3
This was a fun post to read, it makes me think now of books that I almost passed over because of things like ugly covers or it wasn’t in my usual genre and ended up picking up because of hype or a book rec and ended up kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Like no kidding even some big series, like Harry Potter. Also those feels for real about picking up a book because of page count, I am 100% guilty of this and have picked up a few books from the library purely because they were short.
I love this!
There are so many books I almost didn’t read and when I think about it I am sad because they were actually amazing?
I definitely need to give Truly Devious a go.
Cora | http://teapartyprincess.co.uk/
I feel like your reasons are so legit though! Mine are so dumb, like “bird cover” or “ouch seems long”. And $30 for a book is BANANAS. Don’t get me wrong, authors should be paid for their work (as you for sure agree with hah) but if an average consumer can’t afford the thing, the author isn’t going to make money and like, $30 is like, a small utility bill for goodness sake! Anyway I am glad you found it and that it was as awesome as you’d hoped! I really need to read some of these too, and honestly my excuse with almost all of them is just TIME ugh.
OH I know! I am seriously considering not finishing Nevernight because I cannot get into it. Tell me, Cait- what do I do?
I’m glad I started with Scarlet (which was the first I found at a thrift store) because I read Cinder last and honestly wasn’t impressed and who knows if I would have finished the series?!
OMG YOU ALMOST DIDN’T READ CINDER?!? HOW TERRIFYING. Although I don’t remember what the first chapter is, I’ve heard from multiple people that they haven’t read the series yet because the first chapter didn’t make sense. So. Maybe that is valid. But still. CinDER.