Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Can’t Believe I Read

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I Read

This is possibly the worst book I've ever read. It was required in my first year of high school and I found the violence utterly disturbing. I know it's a classic and I know it has a powerful message. Still dislike it. 

There was not a single character in this book I liked. Some were slightly less despicable than others, but the whole town was a bunch of rotten people. It was well-written, but I couldn't get over how I couldn't relate or like a single person. 

This was an interesting book and well-researched, but its style turned me off. Long narratives that interrupted characters' conversations and the characters relaying events as if they were a third-party narrator instead of war participants made it a long read for me. 

Ridiculously funny, but the vulgarity and obscenities made me realize I wouldn't read anything else from this author again. I think I'm too old for raunchy. 

This is a biography of Rose Wilder Lane, Laura and Almanzo Wilder's daughter. In this book, the author feels like setting straight the record on Lane's contributions toward her mother's classic children's books. His view of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her writing ability irritated me. I'm shocked I finished it.

Decent book overall, but really felt more like non-fiction than fiction--possibly because it's based on true events. I think the largest challenge is it just wasn't my kind of story...it had a great ending, though.

This is one of the few books I had to abandon simply because I couldn't take it anymore. I bought it so I could learn more about the 12/21/2012 prophecy (curious minds like to read about different things), but it really was just the author pontificating about the evils of capitalism, fascist Christianity and Islam, and the destruction of our planet.

I can't believe I even attempted this one considering the characters and the subject matter. Simply did nothing for me. Even though I tried to make it through to the end three times, that just didn't happen. 

Ask me my favorite genres and science fiction will never make the list. Because I knew the authors and because every once in a while I look to step outside of my comfort zone, I read this short story collection. I loved it. 

This is another one of those books I never thought I would read. It takes place in New York City. The main character, Arissa Illahi, is a Muslim artist and writer working in the city. Her husband goes to work in the World Trade Center on September 11 and never returns. Suddenly, Arissa finds her world turned upside down and that people treat her differently since the terrorist attacks. Saffron Dreams is a deeply touching novel that won numerous awards. For me, it's a book whose main character was different from me in some ways, but so like me in others. The writer truly made you feel her pain and loss. 

What are some books you can't believe you read...or maybe couldn't even finish?