I love my Bitches Gotta Read Facebook group. They are truly my bitches and I love seeing what everyone is reading, what they are enjoying, and what they are throwing across the room. This week there were many different discussions, one of which was about books that you had put off and had finally read and were thankful for it.

I think about books I’ve put off all the time. A few summers ago I finally said “Bitch, you are going to read The Stand” and I did and now people can’t be like YOU HAVEN’T READ THE STAND WHAT? Alas, my “wish it was on my to be read list” is just as crazy as my actual TBR list.

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series

I’ve talked about this before, but when I was younger I managed to make it through the first two books (Gunslinger and Drawing of the Three) but my brain kept telling me to stop because it wasn’t time. So now that the 3 book series is now complete at 7-8 books it’s always in the back of my mind as an achievement I would like to unlock at some point.

Les Miserables et al.

This is my favorite musical. It was one of my must-dos when we went to London along with seeing Stonehenge and not walking so goddamn much. But the book, ugh. IT IS SO BIG. I even downloaded the e-book and that percentage just wouldn’t move. I have a lot of trouble with classic classics, due to both the rich language and the length of most of them. Count of Monte Cristo falls into this category too, and I love a good revenge story. The Jane Austen stuff too, and the Brontes’ work.

A Man Called Ove

I have taken this book out of the library and then returned it. My grandmother sent me a copy for me to have. I have started this book at least 7 times and I have thrown it down in a flurry of tears every time. I am not sure if it’s due to my past experiences losing loved ones or fear of losing more or if I see myself reflected too truthfully in Ove and the kindness the other characters show him cuts too deeply – I cannot read this book right now. I know I need to, I know I will love it and it will stick with me, but it can’t even be on my TBR pile.

The Wheel of Time Series

Oh Robert Jordan, you couldn’t even stay alive long enough to finish writing this series, someone had to finish it for you. I wish I had someone to finish it for me, because OMG. I feel the same way about reading the Game of Thrones series; since the books are truly different from the show I do want to read them, but later. I always get through the first Wheel of Time book, and then I stop. Then like 2 years later I read it again to remember the two million characters I need to keep track of, and then I stop. Maybe the next time I’ll stick with it.

Lord of the Rings Series

Stephen Colbert loves this shit and every time he nerds out about it I want to read the books to have something in common with him. I have to admit that I have never even cracked these books. I have read The Hobbit, but attempting the LOTR trilogy always felt like it would be such a trudge, but its place in the fantasy classics makes it something I should read, so it sits next to other things I should read but just am not ready to yet.

Summer is always the best time for me to knock out some of these series. I also find success by just picking one thing to do and getting it done. I think this summer will be either the Dark Tower or LOTR, but we’ll have to wait and see. What books do you have on the back burner?