Today, I decided to do the Intimidating Book Tag. The original creator of this has unfortunately deleted their video, but the place I first saw this tag was on Emily Fox's channel. Here are the books on my TBR that I find intimidating, whether they're big books, books I'm afraid to read for different reason, or books I'm scared I won't like!
1. What book have you been unable to finish?
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
This book isn't even intimidating to me, but it's one that I started a while ago when I was writing, and I decided to put it down when I took a break from writing. Save the Cat is a non-fiction book about writing and the structure of novels. It was originally written as a screenwriting guide, but this version of the book was created for authors. Unfortunately, I just haven't made the time to pick this back up or start writing again and it's the latter that's intimidating me right now! Hopefully, this will at least give me the kick I need to start looking into it again!
2. What book have you yet to read because you just haven't had the time?
La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
This is one of those books that I just haven't made the time for. La Belle Sauvage is a new series but it's also a continuation of His Dark Materials trilogy by the same author. I loved His Dark Materials growing up but I've heard not great things about the new trilogy. I would also like to re-read the original trilogy before moving onto this in case I've forgotten anything but that would take more time so I just haven't got around to it yet. Let me know if you've read and enjoyed this series so far; maybe it'll make me pick it up sooner!
3. What book have you yet to read because it's a sequel?
Oathbringer Part 2 by Brandon Sanderson
This is one I feel really bad about because it means I pretty much stopped mid-book and haven't continued. I adore this series so much. The only reason I stopped was because I moved house when I finished Oathbringer Part 1 and was so busy that I didn't pick up the second part. Now it's been 2 years and I worry I've forgotten everything, so again it would mean re-reading the first 5 books before getting to this one and Rhythm of War. I swear I will get round to it, but I have so many new books that I want to read, and this series is nowhere near finished yet so I feel like I've still got some time. This is a hard series to explain but it's an epic high fantasy series following a large cast of characters during a time of political upheaval (I may have just described a lot of fantasy books). The magic system is incredible (as with all Sanderon's books) and the characters are very memorable (we love Kaladin and Dalinar here).
4. What book have you yet to read because it's brand new?
The Black Coast by Mike Brooks
I only picked this book up a couple of weeks ago and I'm so excited to read it. I don't even know too much about this book except that is the start of a series filled with war-dragons, armoured knights, sea-faring raiders, and dangerous magic and battle scenes. Honestly, that's all I really need to know to think I'll enjoy this book as it has so many tropes that I already love.
5. What book have you yet to read because you read a book by the same author and didn't enjoy it?
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
I have the very unpopular opinion of not really enjoying Sabriel by Garth Nix. For those who don't know, Sabriel is something of a classic in modern fantasy (written in the early 00's) and I just didn't read it when I was a child. I ended up reading it last year and because I had no nostalgia (and maybe the magic system just wasn't for me), I found it to be a just okay read when I thought it was going to get 5 stars. So now I feel slightly worried to read this book that's also by Garth Nix despite hearing really good things about this book. This book is set in a slightly alternate London in 1983, and Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin. Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops. Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.
6. What book have you yet to read because you're just not in the mood for it?
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
I bought this book immediately after it came out a couple of years ago thinking I was going to read it straight away. I loved The Night Circus by the same author so I was sure I'd love this one. However, I've heard a lot of people say this book is very slow and that you have to be in the right place for it. This has just led me to put it off repeatedly even though I know I'll probably love it because it's about a book within a book and gives me the vibes of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, which is one of my favourite books. This book is about Zachary Ezra Rawlins, a graduate student in Vermont, who discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth.
7. What book have you yet to read because it's humongous?
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
I don't think this one needs too much of an explanation. It's not the longest book on my TBR, but it's probably the longest book I own that's in a series where every other book is over 1000 pages. It's also not my usual genre so I don't even know if I'm going to like it, but I bought it because the premise sounded interesting and everyone seems to love at least the first book. The year is 1945 at the start of this book and Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord... 1743.
8. What book have you yet to read because it was a cover buy that turned out to have poor reviews?
The Sisters Grimm by Menna Van Praag
I was really interested in this book when it first came out and my sister very kindly bought me it for my birthday a couple of years ago. I recently noticed that it has a pretty low rating on Goodreads (3.24) but I'm hoping I'll like it regardless of that! This is the story of four sisters Grimm – daughters born to different mothers on the same day, each born out of bright-white wishing and black-edged desire. They found each other at eight years-old, were separated at thirteen and now, at nearly eighteen, it is imperative that they find each other once again. In thirty-three days they will meet their father in Everwhere. Only then will they discover who they truly are, and what they can truly do. Then they must fight to save their lives and the lives of the ones they love. Three will live, one will die. You’ll have to read on to find out who and why…
9. What is the most intimidating book in your TBR pile?
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
This is a pretty standard answer I think. The Eye of the World is the first book in Robert Jordan's enormous Wheel of Time series that's currently 14 books long and still going. Although the author passed away, it's now being continued by Brandon Sanderson, who is one of my all-time favourite authors. This is a huge epic fantasy series and each book is pretty long (around 800 pages). The main thing that makes this intimidating is that I've heard people say it only starts to get really good when you're a few books in and then that there are some books that are really boring (somewhere around 7-9), which just makes me hesitant to pick it up. It is also really beloved though so I know there must be some merit to the story and characters. In the first book, when their village is attacked by terrifying creatures, Rand al'Thor and his friends are forced to flee for their lives. An ancient evil is stirring, and its servants are scouring the land for the Dragon Reborn - the prophesised hero who can deliver the world from darkness. In this Age of myth and legend, the Wheel of Time turns. What was, what may be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
So, those are the most intimidating books on my TBR. What are the books on your TBR that you find intimidating? Let me know below!
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