Should Be Reading

(Link in meme-roll)
Musing Mondays

Are there any "raved reads"–books that everyone seems to be talking about–that you’re hoping to get read this year, yourself? What books are they, and why are you hoping to read them? Is it because you want to say you’ve read it? Or, would you have chosen to read it, even if you’d discovered it yourself, and no one was raving about it?

I have to preface this by saying that, over the years, I have not had good experiences with reading books that "everyone" is reading, or that "everyone" loves. Snow Falling on Cedars? Blergh, read 50 pages, nothing happened except I was bored to death. Cold Mountain, same thing. Twilight, anyone? (shoot me in the eye, please!) I did finish that because I wanted to know how Bella got out of the mess she was in, but the metaphorical/symbolic stuff was like wading through molasses.

However, there are a few books that have been out for awhile that I would like to read, because they sound interesting. Swamplandia! keeps getting mentioned as a fun read, and Bossypants (though the cover is HIDEOUS), and The Swerve. There is a YA book that sounds good too, but I'm drawing a blank on the title; it's about a circus, I think.