Are there any books on your shelves that you keep putting off reading?

[WallabyWay]

For any reason?

I have several but a few come to mind. Olive Kitteridge is one. I bought this on Kindle in 2016 and I still haven't read it. I'm not entirely sure why I bought it because the premise doesn't particularly appeal to me and I don't tend to like books which are set in Maine but I've heard so many people say that they loved it that I really need to give it a go.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is another. It's such a brick and it's not really my genre but it does sound interesting.

Also too many classics to count. I've just rearranged my bookshelves to put all my classics at the front so perhaps that will help.

Which books have you been avoiding?

I tried to start Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell three or four times and just... couldn't. So I gave it away! It just looked impenetrable.

I've been avoiding The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I loved Hunger Games and was given this one as a gift, but... I don't know. The descriptions of it don't make it appealing to me at all. Or worse, I'm worried it will ruin how much I love the originals (which is why I never watched The Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2. Deathy Hallows is one of my favorite books of all time and I'm worried the movie will spoil it for me).

Everyone said I should read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, so I bought it. But it just doesn't look like my kind of book. So I'm pretending it's not there.

Also European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman. I wanted to love The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter but it was so flippin' hard to read. I think the story was good, but the writing style did my head in, so I can't even bring myself to try the next one.

Wolf Hall. I've tried a couple of times and the present tense bit put me off. Determined to finish it one day.

Anna Karenina looked at me for years. I eventually sent her to the charity shop.

Elinor Oliphant wasn't great! Mediocre at best.

The Mirror and The Light - I've read Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies but I just can't bring myself to start it!

I have several books from series I used to enjoy but the author keeps churning out zombie books after they have either lost interest or got too successful for an editor to curtail. Janet Evanovich, Sarah Paretsky, Alexander McCall Smith, Marian Keyes...I see a new book by them and I pick it up but then they aren't worth the time to read.

Olive Kitteridge is great though.

Dune
Lord of the Rings
Sapiens

Infinite Jest. I bought it not long after David Foster Wallace died (2008) and still haven't started it...

Shuggie Bain. Have tried but can't get through more than a few chapters

Therapy by David Lodge. It's been swerving the charity shop bag for years. Not sure why. Also Anna Karanina...still not read it.
I've also had biographies of George Micheal and Marc Almond hanging around for years (survived a house move). Love the artists but can't be arsed to read a book about them.

Agree with pp re Elinor Olephant. I thought it was actually pretty bad, but loads of people raved about it

a song of ice and fire. ive had it ages. i loved the show and think im a little worried ill spoil that. also its a big book

Olive Kitteridge and others in that series are actually really good!

Agree re most Hilary Mantel though, I just can't get to grips with her style.

Shuggie Bain is a horribly depressing book. Don't bother.

Little Fires Everywhere. Is it really worth my time!? Opinions welcome!

I really liked Little Fires Everywhere and loved the TV series too. Read the book first though imo

I have lots, including Girl A, All the Light we Cannot See, Milkman, Essex Serpent, Girl, Woman, Other.
The problem is I see them in charity shops and buy them, but then pop into the library and find half a dozen books which need to be read first.

Me too! On the plan for this winter though 🤞

I couldn't get into Wolf Hall either despite a few attempts. I then saw all three books in a bundle on Audible and I listened to the first two and thoroughly enjoyed them. Usually I prefer the actual book, but that was one occasion when I preferred the audiobook

I have quite a few. So a few years ago, I decided I wouldn't buy any books for a year and just read stuff that I had previously bought and never read. It was the most miserable year of my reading life!! There was a reason I'd left those books unread (am not sure of the reason I bought them in the first place though). So I ditched the guilt, donated to the charity shop/friends/wherever and got in with reading for pleasure again 😊

Oh, All the Light We Cannot See. I got it from my mum but I literally read the first page and was like, "I caaaaaaaaan't..." And now it just sits on my shelf mocking me.

I looked at Essex Serpent in the Kindle store and was like "Woman, do not buy another book in a genre you don't really read." So I haven't. Yet. Maybe I would love it... 🤔

I bought The Night Manager as I'd really loved the TV series but I managed about 10 pages before I gave up, It's still sitting on the bookshelf looking at me.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.

DH bought me that and the first one in that series last Christmas. I read the first. Wasn't that enamoured and can't really be bothered to read the second one. Not really my cup of tea.

Yes, one in particular- Joan Didion's Year if Magical Thinking. I'm a widow, and a friend thought I'd like it. I can't bring myself to read it.

Ok so no joke:

How to stop procrastinating.

I've had it 2 years

Terry Pratchett The Shepherd's Crown. I can't bear the thought that when I finish it there'll be no more to read. So it sits, unread.