Books On My “Someday” List

Ah, the “someday” list. You know which books I am referring to. The ones that have been sitting on your TBR (to be read) list for years and you absolutely want to read them, but the moment is never quite now. Maybe they are on the longer side and require a time commitment, or maybe they contain heavier subject matter that calls for the right time and mind set in order to be processed. For me, these two reasons definitely apply, particularly books that deal with topics that are not easy to read about. In these instances, as much as I may hear wonderful things about a novel, it will linger on my TBR for a long time. Another kind of book that tends to make a home on my “someday” list is one that has a whole lot of hype surrounding it. There are many books I have read as a result of hype and most of the time it has not worked out, but that is a topic for another time. Recently, I decided to start tackling my “somedays” and have chosen four books that I have been dancing around for many years.

1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tart

   My desire to tackle this novel came from personal recommendations. I know and have met a number of people that absolutely adore The Goldfinch, and even have it as their favourite novel of all time. One person in particular rereads it every year. Now that is high praise. I liked the sound of the story but was slightly intimidated by the page number, so I put it off for a long time. A few months back I decided to give it a go, and unfortunately my first dive into the depths of my TBR resulted in a DNF. As much as I was interested in the story, the overly descriptive writing style just simply did not click with me. After 200 pages I started to skim so much that it became pointless to continue. While it turned out to not be for me, I am happy to have finally given it a chance. and can now tick it off my list.

2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

   When I hear a book described as beautifully written I immediately want to read it. It is by far the main reason I am drawn to a novel, and why I have wanted to read All the Light We Cannot See. However, I do have a hard time reading books set during war, particularly when the story revolves around children, which is why I have put it off for so long. While the writing sounds lovely I am still not in a hurry to read it, and at this point I am not sure whether I will finally give it a go this year or just accept that it is not going to happen. A part of me is very drawn to this novel, so I will hold on to it for now.

3. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante 

   Oh the hype! I have lost count of how many times I have been told that I MUST read My Brilliant Friend. The story itself sounds fine, although typically I am not one for coming of age tales so it is not something I would gravitate toward right away. But I do have to say that I am very curious. It is that weird feeling of being turned off by the sheer amount of hype, but at the same time being undeniably curious. Which has left me in a “I gotta read this thing” kind of place with this novel. So this is the year I finally read My Brilliant Friend and tick it off my list. Pretty excited about this one. 🙂

4. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

   This novel sounds nothing short of a masterpiece and one of those books that is a must-read for many reasons. I am intrigued by the story, and from the quotes I’ve read the writing sounds absolutely lovely. It is one of those novels that I need to be in the mood for, and while I have thought about reading it from time to time, I have found myself opting to “save” it for later. That ever elusive perfect moment. I am looking forward to exploring this story and will make 2020 the year that I finally do so.

 
Have you read any of these novels? Which books are on your “someday” list? 🙂