The To Be Read Shelf: also known as the shelf-of-books-that-I-have-yet-to-read-for-whatever-reason. Here's a quick tour of the thirteen books that live on this shelf.
More monstrous classics! These are Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. They are Barnes & Nobles Classics. As you can see in the photo, I've already started Les Mis. It's really good. And huge. I need to push myself to finish it.
I found Gone by Michael Grant at a used bookstore a couple of years ago. I've put off reading it because it's a big commitment to get into such a big series (there are six thick books!). I also have Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - both of which sound really intriguing.
At the top of this stack we have The Happy Prince and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde (I've read The Happy Prince, but just not the other stories), which I also found at a used bookstore a while ago. Then we have the fourth book in the Artemis Fowl series. Next, we have The Little Bookroom which I purchased at Hatchard's - the oldest bookshop in London, and one of the most beautiful that I've been to. At the bottom we have Patricia St. John's The Victor. It's one of the only Patricia St. John's that I have yet to read.
Next we have books #2 and #3 in the Chaos Walking trilogy. The first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, was amazing and traumatizing. I'm excited to read these, but also a bit terrified.
Lastly, we have The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson. I really enjoy this author's fairytale retellings. I bought this one so that I can bring it on the airplane with me next week. I'm looking forward to reading it!
Hope you enjoyed the tour! There's quite a lot of books on here, but I shall conquer it. Hopefully.
So, are there any books on this shelf that you think I should get to really soon? Do you have a TBR shelf? Are you also daunted by the size of Charles Dickens' books? Let me know!
Love,
Hannah
P.S. Did you catch my vlog last week? If not, feel free to check it out!
Such lovely books! Those clothbound Penguins are gorgeous. I only have two of them (Cranford and Jane Eyre), but I'd own them all if I could. Of these, I've only read Bleak House and The Princess Spy. I have that exact copy of Wives and Daughters waiting to be read. :)
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens' books are so intimidating! I love the mini-series adaptations of his stories, but I've only ever actually read one of his novels: Bleak House. I enjoyed it, but it took me nearly a month, which is probably why I haven't picked up anything else by him yet! (I think I'll try Little Dorrit next, since that's my favorite Dickens mini-series that I've seen so far. Matthew Macfadyen!)
I don't have an actual TBR shelf (mine are mixed in with my already-read books), but I do have a list of all of the books I own but haven't read yet. I won't tell you how many there are because it's embarrassing. Over the past two or three years, I've bought a lot of cheap books (thanks a lot, Book Outlet and Goodwill), so my TBR is out of control. My goal this year was to focus on dwindling it, but somehow that hasn't happened, despite the fact that I haven't actually purchased many books this year and I've been trying to read from the ones I already own...
I love the clothbound classics, too! Wow, I'd love to own Jane Eyre in that edition. I love the BBC adaptations of Dickens' books, too!
DeleteDon't feel bad about an overwhelming TBR - just think of it as your own library full of new books to read! :) But I do understand that it's rather intimidating.
Thanks for commenting, Kristin!
Your clothbound classics are absolutely gorgeous! I love it when the covers of classic books have a simple vintage-y pattern on their cover and really soft color schemes because it perfectly sets the tone for reading them. I really want to read both Bleak House and Les Miserables, even though they are both so thick. If anything, I know I will always come away inspired to write, because that always happens when I read a classic.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I feel about antique-esque editions! It fits perfectly. And you're right, classics are inspiring <3 Even though they're often hard to get through, they're usually worth it.
DeleteThat's the most beautiful TBR shelf I've ever seen. I think you'd like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
ReplyDelete*gasps* Wow, thank you, Lydia! Ooo, I should put that one on my summer reading list.
DeleteI love the first two books, so pretty! And I understand the intimidation of reading Les Mis, for I have often contemplated reading it but decided that it would take me far too long!
ReplyDeleteI have more of a virtual to-read bookshelf, otherwise known as my Goodreads account, full of promising books to delve into!
Goodreads is just awesome, isn't it? My to-be-read shelf on there is outrageous. Thanks for commenting, Hannah! <3
DeleteDelicious looking book list! Bleak House is the only Dickens novel that I have not read, so I'd really love to hear how it goes for you. I dunno why I've had such a mental block about it.
ReplyDeleteMiddlemarch was REALLY hard for me. I brought it with me on a cross-country road trip. Due to having absolutely nothing better to do for hours and hours upon a time, I slogged through the first half of the book with much complaining. My sisters kept looking at me like I was crazy "seriously? why do you keep reading whilst constantly complaining to us about how much you hate it?" You know what is funny? I am SO GLAD I got through to the end. By the time I finished, I absolutely loved it. The ending was not what I expected. MM definitely wins the prize for hardest to get started with but most rewarding to finish!
LES MISERABLES is on my ultimate tip top favorite list. It is big though. YOU CAN DO IT!
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is one of those books that I feel forever changed me. I'm not sure how, but I'm sure it did.
Such good reads! I am excited for you.
Awesome! Thanks so much for telling me about how you liked those books! I now really want to get to them sooner. Especially what you said about Middlemarch - I'll make sure I push myself to get to the end!
DeleteI read More Than This by Patrick Ness, and although some of the book was a bit boring, the story line was really good. I recently bought The Knife Of Never Letting Go but I started to read it and found it a bit boring. I might try it again soon though xxx
ReplyDeleteI get ya...it took me a few chapters to get into The Knife of Never Letting Go. It does pick up, though! :) Thanks for commenting!
DeleteYour room and bookshelves are so cute! And I love your photos! What camera do you use?
ReplyDeleteOoh! I might have to try some of these books. Thanks for sharing this with us :)
Thank you so much, dearie! I have a Canon EOS 400D, which I'm still kinda figuring out. :)
DeleteYour photos are adorable! I have to read Les Mis., too. I'm kind of weary of it because I'm getting the same vibe I got from War and Peace, and let me tell you, I got about three-fourths of the way done before I was like, "I'm still very much confused!" The Princess Spy is such a nice book, though. ^.^
ReplyDeletexoxo Morning
Wow, thanks, Morning! Well, what I've read of Les Mis has been really good and not super confusing - but maybe it helps that I already know the basic story pretty well. Good for you for reading so much of War and Peace...that one looks huge.
DeleteThese books are so so pretty!!! xD Especially Les Mis!!
ReplyDeleteI'm SO excited to see it live! EEEP!
anyways, thank you for sharing and I LOVED your vlog too!
You're going to see Les Mis!? That's awesome!
DeleteThanks so much, Evelyn!
Your TBR shelf is adorable. And your stack...oh wow. That's variety!! XD I really loved Gone, but yes, there are a lot of books. I feel like they go fast, though, because they're written simply. I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOU THE PATRICK NESS BOOKS. Gah! Completely traumatised. *cries for the dog*
ReplyDeleteHehehe, thanks :) I completely trust your book-sense, so I should definitely get to Gone soon. YES PATRICK NESS HURTS MY SOUL.
DeleteI LOVE A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Artemis Fowl is amazing too. Good luck conquering your TBR!
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear! Thanks, Alex!
DeleteAhh! Such big and beautiful books, Hannah.
ReplyDeleteI do have a TBR shelf myself. Currently I have some classics on there like... The Prince and the Pauper, Rose in Bloom, the final two books of the Elsie Dinsmore originals, The Little Prince, and a few Narnia books I haven't read yet. =)
Actually, I'm hosting a reading challenge in June for Louisa May Alcott books. Would you be interested in joining me? One of the books I've chosen for myself to read during the challenge is Alcott's Rose in Bloom -- to get it off my TBR shelf finally. Apparently, it has now been 5 years ago since I read the prequel. :)
Blessings,
Tarissa
Hi Tarissa! :) It sounds like your TBR shelf has some lovely books on it. I hope you love Rose in Bloom - it's a great one! Thanks for letting me know about your challenge, and thanks for commenting!
DeleteGahhhh you lucky! I just finished the Knife of never letting go and our library doesn't have books 2 or 3!!!!! I'm in a panic!! HANNAH WHAT DO I DO HOW WILL I WAIT?!?!?
ReplyDeleteSo obviously I'm going to say read those so you can tell me how they are and if I should spend my money on them! ;)) but seriously, your tbr pile is impressive. Go big or go home!
THAT WAS EXACTLY MY PROBLEM! My library didn't have them, so I panicked and asked for them for Christmas :D I'll let you know, girl!!
DeleteYour TBR shelf is BEAUTIFUL! I have yet to read the majority of those books. I love The Knife of Never Letting Go! You'll have to tell me how the next two books are. (-: My list of TBR books on my bookshelf is gigantic. I probably haven't read twenty percent of the books I own. There are just too many good books out there to read! And I have at least four Charles Dickens novels on that I haven't read yet so I understand your struggle. You will LOVE Bleak House, despite how intimidating it looks. I have to admit, the thickness of Les Miserables is the only thing that has kept me from diving right into it. XD I will follow your example, and hopefully get into it this summer. (-:
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elizabeth! :) Glad to hear that you liked Bleak House! That encourages me to pick it up. I do hope you'll give Les Mis a try this summer! From what I've read of it, it's really great. We can push through it together!
DeleteYou have suuuuuch pretty books! I'm drooling over those hardcover versions of Bleak House and Middlemarch! (I have the hardcover les Mis and it is GORGEOUS. I keep it on my dresser where I can look at it every day. :p Let us know if a Tree Grows in Brooklyn is any good! I keep meaning to read it -- I think I started it once, but never finished. oops. haha.
ReplyDeleteBOOKS ARE SO PRETTY, AREN'T THEY? Sure, I'll let ya know! Thanks for commenting, girl! :)
Delete