Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. This week’s prompt is Changes In My Reading Life, but I didn’t feel like I had enough changes to fill a whole post, so I scrolled through past prompts and chose to take a look at: Books that have been on my TBR the longest.
The Popsugar Reading Challenge list for 2020 was just announced yesterday! (You can find an in-depth look at my completion of this year’s challenge here!) The announcement is an event that is almost as good as Christmas for me because it means I can start planning my reading out for next year’s challenge. 😉 I’m hoping this post will bring to light some books that need to make the cut for next year’s reading. (All of these books are ones I already own.)
(Click on the title for the synopsis on Goodreads.)
I’ve read the first two books in this series, but never picked up The Return of the King. I’m a little embarrassed by that fact. I need to wrap this series up someday.
I managed to read Persuasion this year, so hopefully I can get to Mansfield Park next year.
I feel like Memoirs of a Geisha is a book everyone adds to their TBR. Have you read it? Should I?
I fully intended to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn this year, but I didn’t. Maybe in 2020.
I’ve wanted to read Doctor Zhivago for so long. It seems like the perfect winter read!
Another one I’ve been wanting to read is The History of Love. Have you read it?
I’ve heard such wonderful things about The Blue Castle. I must read it next year!
I’ve heard In the Heart of the Sea is a must-read!
I read An American Marriage by Tayari Jones last year, but I’ve had her previous book, Silver Sparrow, on my TBR longer.
I can’t believe I own this entire series but still haven’t picked it up. Convince me to read The Game of Kings next year!
Have I included any of your favorites? A book you hated?? Let me know in the comments!
I’ve heard amazing things about The Blue Castle, too (that cover is gorgeous!) and Memoirs of a Geisha and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn are two I’ve heard amazing things about. Great list!
Hopefully I can get to them this year! Thank you for stopping by! <3
The Game of Kings does sound interesting.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
If I recall, I came across it on a ‘series you’ll be obsessed with’ list. But I’ve never met anyone who’s actually read it. 😉
Thank you for sharing your list!
Ok hi please stop what you are doing and read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn IMMEDIATELY. It is so wonderful and beautiful and perfect. I read it every few years. I also really loved History of Love.
I know!! It’s terrible that I haven’t read it yet. It was my mother’s favorite book when she was young as well. I need to pick it up soon! You’ve convinced me to do it. 🙂 And thank you for letting me know you loved The History of Love too.
The Return of the King was a satisfying ending to that trilogy. (I struggled to finish it, too, but the last few chapters were marvellous).
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and The Blue Castle were amazing stories as well. I highly recommend at least giving them a try.
My TTT.
Taking a look at the reading challenge list for next year, I think I’ve found a place for all three. Hopefully I’ll be able to cross those off my TBR soon. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your list!
I think it was last year when I finally picked up my final Jane Austen novel. I feel very accomplished. I hope you get to Mansfield Park soon. It wasn’t my favorite, but I always appreciate Austen’s wit.
I believe Mansfield Park would be my final Austen novel as well. That’s how I felt about Persuasion. It wasn’t my favorite, but I could still appreciate her style!
Thank you for stopping by!
You really should finish The Lord of the Rings ;-).
Dr. Zhivago isn’t on my reading list, but I would like to tackle War and Peace at some point. I’ll try it in English first (I speak some Russian and French, but a book not that well yet).
I’m planning on tackling The Return of the King next year! I’ve found a spot for it on my reading challenge, so hopefully that will force me to pick it up. 😉 War and Peace has also been on my tbr for a long time.
That’s awesome that you speak (at least) three languages! I took French in college, but I’ve definitely forgotten most of it. 🙂
Somehow I haven’t read one book on your list? and they all should so good! I’d be sure to go add a few on my TBR now?
Here is my TTT
https://diaryofablackcitygirl.wordpress.com/2019/11/19/teaser-top-ten-tuesday-19-11-19/
🙂
Thank you for stopping by and for sharing your list! <3
I haven’t read any of these, but I do have memoirs of a geisha and the lord of the rings series still on my tbr. I should make one of these lists sometimes too, though I’m not sure I want to know how long some of the books have been on my tbr :p
Ha! I was a little hesitant to take a peek as well. But I think I’ve found places for most of these on my reading challenge for next year, so hopefully I can cross them off my list!
Thank you for stopping by!
I did this exact post a while back. After I decided to focus on those books and was able to get them off my list. I hope this post does that for you. 🙂
Oh yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
History of Love was Krauss’ break-out novel, and I loved it. I went back and read her previous novel “Man Walks into a Room” and it was great. I’ve been a fan ever since, and I think I’ve read everything she’s written!
Oh yay! Thank you for letting me know. I need to try to read this one in 2020!
I tried Tolkein’s books ONCE and I couldn’t get past page 30. I just could not haha.
I wish you luck with these books! Hopefully they’ll shift into your read pile soon 🙂
Ha! Yes, they can be a struggle. And if I had tried to read the first one and hated it, I would have put it down for good. But since I read the first two, I’m thinking surely I can make it through the last one just to complete the series. While they do get a bit too wordy sometimes, there is a great story inside all those words. 😉
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my all-time favorite book. I hope you get the chance to read it!
Awww… I’m loving all the endorsements. I’m determined to read it in 2020!
Haha- omg, I’m so ashamed all of these seem like classics and I haven’t read a single one. And Memoirs of a Geisha is not even on my list.
That being said I love a reading challenge and I’m super excited about this year’s prompts! I skipped last year because I was not excited about them at all. They were pushing me out of my comfort zone but not in a good way? If that makes any sense. Good luck! And have fun planning.
I agree! I think this year’s prompts are better than last year’s. I’ve been planning, and I’m excited about all the books off my tbr that are fitting in so nicely! 😉 Good luck to you too!
I, too, need to read Memoirs of a Geisha. I think it appeals to a lot of people because of what it’s about and it’s on a lot of lists of “must-reads.”
And I hope you read Jane Austen and Tolkien! 🙂
I think I may actually tackle it next year. One of the prompts on my challenge for 2020 is a book set in Japan. I would say that’s a sign I should read it. 😉
Hopefully I can get to the other two as well. Happy Reading and thank you for stopping by!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been on my TBR for a very long time too.
I’m planning on finally reading it next year. I’ve written it in on my reading challenge for 2020. Hopefully that will make me commit. 😉
Happy Reading!
Good luck with pop sugar! I tried it this year, but found it too hard to keep up momentum on in.
Thank you! <3
Happy Reading and thanks for stopping by!
I really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha, but I also read it what feels like forever ago and I’m not sure it would stand up to the test of time. Still, I remember it being beautifully written and very poignant.
Mansfield Park was probably my least favorite Jane Austen, but still worth a read!
This is a great list! There’s a couple of books in there that might make it onto my 2020 TBR, as well!
Thank you so much for your thoughts! I’m hoping I can at least knock half of these off my tbr next year. Fingers crossed. 😉
And I’m so glad you found some that you might add as well. Happy Reading!
Northanger Abbey was the last of Jane Austen’s books I needed to read, and I finally got to it this year. Hope you can knock Mansfield Park and the rest of these off your TBR soon!
I reread Northanger Abbey this year as well. I’d forgotten most of it. But I would love to be able to say I’ve read all of Jane Austen! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is amazing! And I loved REturn of the King and Memoirs of a Geisha too. I need to read The Blue Castle as well! Good luck with all of these — great selections.
Oh yay!! I’ve made a spot for all four of these on my reading challenge list for next year, so hopefully I can get to them. It would feel like quite the accomplishment to finally cross them off my list. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by!
I’ve had Memoirs of a Geisha on my tbr for ages as well – one of these days!
I’ve found a spot for it on my challenge for next year, so hopefully I actually get to it! 😉
Thank you for stopping by!
Okay, I’ll admit, I don’t know how you could leave the Lord of the Rings between books two and three. When I read them for the first time, I couldn’t stop reading until I knew that Frodo was safe. (This was also long before the movies, though, and even before I could have read a synopsis on the internet. 😉 )
I read Persuasion this year and yet still need to read Mansfield Park also! I hope you have fun with Popsugar 2020. I’m going to be playing along as well, but this year I’ve decided that I’m not going to plan anything ahead of time: I’m just going to find prompts for the books I read as I go. (That might not last all year, though.)
Ha! I don’t know how I did that either. Generally, I can’t stand leaving series unfinished. Especially when I already own the whole set. But I did see the films first, which probably affected my reading. ?
I can foresee a day when I don’t plan as well. It would be nice to just spend a year mood reading. But next year’s list seemed to be made for my tbr. ?
Happy Reading!!
I remember enjoying Memoirs of a Geisha years ago when I read it. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is excellent too.
Oh yay! Thank you! With all the encouraging words about these two books, now I’m super excited to read them. 😉
Definitely read Memoirs of a Geisha. It’s really good, though also really different from the movie. And if you haven’t watched the movie, then do that too.
Oh ok! Thanks for the tip! I honestly can’t remember if I’ve ever seen it, but I’ll definitely do that after I finish reading it. I’m really excited about it now that you’ve all been so encouraging. 🙂
Happens to the best of us! I recently “cleaned” my virtual TBR shelf and removed the books I no longer have interest in. Agree about Memoirs of a Geisha. I read it for a school work and I’ve forgotten the details of the story. ?
I try to do that at least once a year. It’s probably about time for a cleaning again. 😉
Thanks for stopping by!
I loved Memoirs of a Geisha. Bit afraid to watch the movie though for reasons I can’t explain. The Return of the King was really good as well, my second favorite from the trilogy (didn’t love the Two Towers as much as I should’ve). Of course, I’ve reread neither book so I’m not sure how adult me would feel about them.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t immediately jump to The Return of the King. I can’t remember it’s been so long. 😉
Thanks for the tips!
Oh gosh, I relate to this so hard that I feel attacked. xD I don’t even want to think about the books that have been on my TBR the longest. I feel like that would be a bit depressing.
I’ve read Mansfield Park, but I found it a bit hard to get through. Hopefully, you have a better experience with it. I’m not an Austen person, and I knew that going in, but I still enjoyed it, at least. I haven’t heard of a lot of these, but that just gives me some new things to add to my TBR, so … thanks for that? xD I can hear it growling in the other room. Yikes! 😉
Ha! I thought it would be depressing, but it was actually a bit surprising to discover that they were books I’ve really been wanting to read. So now most of them have made it onto my reading challenge list for 2020. We’ll see if I actually stick to it. 😉
I do enjoy Austen, but I have to be in just the right mood. So I do tend to procrastinate picking her up. And my TBR pretty much growls non-stop! 🙂
I *should* attempt to read more Austen (I adore the adaptations), but just cannot get into the style. Someday maybe I’ll overcome this. Also, I too have heard AMAZING things about “The Blue Castle,” which means I should read it in 2020 as well!! Hope you enjoy all of these – and thanks for the visit last week to Finding Wonderland.
It’s okay if you can’t get into Austen. I have a hard time with lots of other classics. And I have to be in just the right mood for Austen. I’ve penciled in The Blue Castle for next year so hopefully I get to it! Hopefully you can too! Happy Reading and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
From your list I have only read Smith’s book and all of the Lord of the Rings books. I read a couple of Austen books this year but need to read more. Some great choices!
I’m hoping I can get to most of these next year! Everyone has convinced me to leave them all on my tbr. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
Memoirs of A Geisha was one of my favorite reads! It took me to another place in time and was very well written. I would recommend it. I am adding a few of these books to my own to-read list. They sound very intriguing. Thanks for that!
Oh yay!! Everyone is convincing me to pick up Memoirs of a Geisha next year. I’m so excited to read it and mark it off my tbr finally! And I’m so happy you found some books you think you’ll enjoy! ?
The Blue Castle is one of the few Montgomery books that I have not yet! I love her writing and characters a lot.
Oh I hear it’s so good. I must get to it next year! Although I’ve said that the last few years. 😉
Thank you for stopping by!
This is such a great list! My Grandma was just telling me today how Dr. Zhivago is one of her all-time favorites and that I have to read it. Hopefully you’ll get to some of the ones on this list soon! 🙂
I’m hoping to read that one early next year, so fingers crossed I get to it! <3
I highly recommend Return of the King. It just brings everything together so nicely! I love LOTR myself so I hope you finish the trilogy in 2020 🙂
I just reviewed Mansfield Park on my blog last month. I enjoyed it more than I anticipated. I hope you will enjoy it too.
I read Memoirs of a Geisha years ago. I remember it being fascinating, tragic and beautiful.
I would love to read the Blue Castle too. And just more Montgomery in general.
Happy reading!
I currently have them all on my tbr list for 2020! Here’s hoping I actually get to them. 😉 Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. It’s thanks to my fellow bloggers that these books have found a place on my reading log for next year. <3