I Can't Give These Books a Chance

So I was thinking today about books I will never read (via Top Ten Tuesday's link up) and so many books came to mind.



It got me thinking how strongly I feel about my books. And when I hear of a book that violates things that I hold sacred about my literature, it makes me sad. There are just some things I cannot let slide, especially in books.

I love books. Books in general. But some books I can't bring myself to read. They just sound awful. And I can't justify horrible plots, terrifyingly disgusting characters, directly offensive to me ideas (yeah I'm selfish), or just boring books. Books are meant to be an escape, an inspiration, beautiful, or wake up call, and if they can't deliver on that promise, count me out.

ALERT: if you happen to love any of the books below or I manage to offend you with my humble opinions, I am truly sorry. I believe everyone has the right to love what books they will and I mean no offense by anything below. I will remind you gently that these are simply my own opinions and nothing I say need to be taken as gospel truth or a horribly uneducated bash at something or someone. I'm just stating my thoughts and I would honestly love to hear if you disagree with me! (No hate though please. I am a sensitive Platypus) Leave me a comment or email me! Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled post.

Some books that fall under this list of "books I can't bring myself to read" are:

1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 

I just can't get behind something that is so blatantly silly and about boys. I have read books that are mostly about romance, but with the addition of vampires and such, it just doesn't seem worth it.

2. The Host by Stephanie Meyer

This is mostly because it's the same author as Twilight, which may seem judgmental but with so little time in my crazy life to read books, I don't want to waste any of it.

3. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

You may like this series, which is fine by me. I don't hate you for it. I just have heard some things about it and it's TV show and I just don't think it's the kind of book series for me.

4. Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

I know it's super popular right now but my sister started reading it and just couldn't finish. I hear there was demons and stuff in it? Don't quote me on that or hate me for not doing my research, I just doubt I'll ever have the desire to pick these books up.

5. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This is the one I'll get hate mail for. I would like to read it for the story but I have heard there's a LOT of inappropriate stuff there and while I know that's a realistic addition to a book like this, I'd rather not get it into my mind.

6. The Golden Compass Philip Pullman

I have just heard too much bad about this.

7. How to Train Your Dragon Cressida Cowell

I am aware that these books are for like, preteen boys but might I remind you that technically so is Percy Jackson. I just don't think the boyish humor is going to make even a great story worth it. Plus I've already seen both movies and liked them so I'd hate to spoil that.

8. Looking for Alaska by John Green

Okay before you come at me with baseball bats and rakes, let me just remind you of all the reasons I've given above that stop me from reading books. This one kind of goes along the same lines as Perks of Being a Wallflower. I just don't know if it'd be worth it. Plus, my sister read it and didn't automatically shove it into my arms so she must not have felt that strongly. And she has excellent taste in books.

9. Messenger by Lois Lowry

This is the third book in the Giver Quartet and honestly, I got kind of bored with the first two. I thought they were excellently written and good books! I just never felt the need to pick up this one. So I guess there isn't really a good reason for this one, just not gonna read it.

10. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

My goal once upon a time (15th birthday perhaps?) my goal was to read all of this since not very many had. I got it for my birthday and since I was reading other books at the time, my sister took it and tried to read it. Well I'm 18 now and she still hasn't returned it. I think she thinks it's always been hers. My goals have changed and I just don't think I'll ever get to it.

What do you think? Any books on this list you think I should give a chance? Agree with any of my decisions? Are there any on this list that you've read and thought were wonderful-or regretted reading them?

Stacking the Shelves #1//The Book Jackpot

So guys. I hit the book jackpot this week and I honestly don't know what to do with my life right now. All I want to do is read, which is generally a good thing but man I need to do real adult-y things (like go to work-blah).

I have 10 new books in the past 3 days for about $5 total! 5 were 10 cents each so that totally blew my mind! Three are non-fiction and one is a book that I found in my room that someone gave me and I totally forgot about though. That counts as new right? 

1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Oh am I excited about this book. I can't remember ever hearing anything good or bad about it, I just remember hearing about it (selective memory, that's me!). The cover is beautiful and the blurb is SO intriguing! I dearly hope this one doesn't disappoint.

2. Everlost by Neal Shusterman

I found this at goodwill yesterday and despite having never heard of it before, I picked it up and was instantly determined to buy it. It has potential to be fantastic but I can also see it being not so good. So we will see.

3. Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

I love love love Shannon Hale. And the first book in this series is one of my favorite books ever so I hope this one lives up to it's predecessors!

4. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

I know a lot of people have read and loved this book so I decided to give it a go! 10 cent books can't steer me wrong right?

5. The Lost Years of Jane Austen by Barbara Ker Wilson

Oh man. If ever a book had potential it's this one. I love Jane Austen books and a book about her written in her style? Oh yes please!

6. Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss

I wasn't so sure about this one. It was only 10 cents so I figured it was worth trying!

7. If We Survive by Andrew Klavan

This is the one a friend gave me that I never read. I finally read the blurb and I don't know why I didn't read it before! It looks so good! Sometimes I'm really dumb you guys. 

8. Houses that Change the World by Wolfgang Simson

This book looks so powerful! I can't wait to read it!

9. Do You Know Who I Am? by Angela Thomas

I adore books like this. They make me think and oftentimes I forget to think about what matters so this is good!

10. A Way out of No Way by Andrew Young

Not sure what I think about this author but the book looked so good I couldn't pass it up! I love studying this era.

I put a poll in the sidebar of my blog for you to vote on which book I should read first (of the fiction variety)! I couldn't add it to the actual post but do make sure to go vote! 

This post is part of a weekly link-up, head over here to find the original post! 

So what books are new to you all? Have you read any of the ones I picked up this week? What do you think of buying books at second hand stores?

Anyone? By Angela Scott//I'm Mildly Scarred Forever

I think I need a therapist.

I finished the book Anyone? by Angela Scott last night at about...ohhhh 2:30 am.



I got the book on my kindle app (I'm too cheap for a real kindle) cause I thought "Hey! Mildly interesting looking book for .99 cents!" Mildly interesting-ha! 

The end of the world? That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….
…Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.
Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.
Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.
But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?

I was totally enthralled by the blurb and I was not disappointed. 

The book doesn't give us any time to get to know Tess before things happen and there is almost no back story to her. As much as I thought it would be weird, I kind of liked it. It felt like, when it's the end of the world, I don't care about who she was. I need to know who she is now. And that's what I got.

I was surprised though because I figured she would stay in her bunker the whole time for some reason. Silly assumption, I know. 

When she leaves the bunker to find her town in ruins and no one in sight, I was super terrified for her. That's one thing this book does very well. It pulled me in and I felt everything. Even the bits that it didn't tell us her exact fears and emotions at the time, I felt like I was there. 

Eventually she finds someone to help protect her. I was not sold on him at first. As soon as interaction with others entered the book, Tess seemed less and less realistic. The things she said and thought didn't sound like something a real person would say and think. Even some of the decisions she made seemed entirely forced and plot-based.

That didn't stop me from being hooked till the end, but it did make me question the author's credibility for a while.

Pretty soon though, the plot picked up speed and gathered SO MUCH depth. Oh my word. So crazy.

I started to question everything the book had told me. Heck I questioned Tess' sanity for a LONG time. Still do actually.

The end though. The END.



I had to read the words "the end" about 5 times before I resigned to the fact that it really was over. And THEN, searching for a sequel I found na-da. The reviews on amazon acted like it was the end and most were unsatisfied with it.

FOR GOOD REASON. GAH.

I was pretty distraught until I found these words at the very end of the blurb:

 Watch for the second book in the Anyone? series, Anyone Else?, coming in 2016.

2016??

I literally had to stop and think of what year it was in the hopes that 2016 was next month. It's not by the way.

But oh the relief that these thousands of questions I had would be answered eventually! I have many theories. One involves a piece of poisoned sardine. (But I'm pretty sure that isn't it.) 

BY THE WAY. I totally had a dream that I was the main character in this book (with a completely different spin obviously cause my imagination)! I don't know if I have EVER dreamed (dreamt?) about a book so kudos Miss Scott!

All in all, I thought it was a great book with just enough "edge of your seat" suspense to keep it exciting while keeping with the "how would we survive in the apocalypse?" stuff to satisfy a girl who is mildly interested obsessed with the "what did they eat? what did they wear? What did they pack?" logistics. Yay planning! 

I will definitely be keeping up with the release date on this sequel they're promising. I dearly hope it doesn't disappoint. This series has great potential and I would hate to see it wasted.

Have you read Anyone? What did you think of the end? Do YOU like books that make you question the sanity of everyone in them? I sure don't.