It’s already the second day of the second week of the eighth month of the year! With everything that has been happening lately, one forgets to notice how time has been flying so fast. Oh well, Tuesday also means one thing, a Top Ten Tuesday update!

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Books I Loved But Never Reviewed.

Before I start, I want to issue a caveat. I do love the books on this list and I am seriously considering writing a review on them. Unfortunately, I’ve read some of these books about a decade ago. Haha. I didn’t forget how they made me feel but I forgot some of the important elements. Anyway, it is something I have to consider. And before I blabber on, let us start the list!

David Copperfield and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Easily two of the most recognizable literary titles, David Copperfield and Great Expectations were amongst the works that introduced me to English literary classical works; the first one is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. These two books nearly mirror each other as they relate the growth, adventures and misadventures of young boys in Victorian England – David Copperfield in David Copperfield and Pip in Great Expectations. They are exemplary works that define the Bildungsroman genre. They also made me appreciate Charles Dickens’ literary ensemble and the English classical literary oeuvre in general.

P.S. I’ve read the three English classics mentioned here back when I was in university. I was elated to discover this new world, away from the Sheldons, Higgins Clarkses, Steeles, Robertses, Collinses, Sparkses, and Grishams that characterized my early reading years.

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The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I am crossing the English channel with French master storyteller Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. This book is a classic and has inspired many works and writers, amongst them is the Philippine National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. It is the reason why I read the book. I was a history buff back then although I am no longer sure if RIzal was indeed inspired by this French classic; my memory is rusty. I remember being intimidated by the book but my perception changed when I got immersed in the suspenseful narrative. Contrary to my expectation, it was quite a pleasurable and easy read.

The Kite Runner, And the Mountains Echoed and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I guest it’s very obvious how much I love Khaled Hosseini’s writing for I am putting all three. Haha. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed his vivid and descriptive writing which painted a grand picture of Afghanistan before my eyes. He wrote about his country of birth, its diverse people and colorful culture. In each book, he portrayed a different facet of Afghanistan in a nostalgic and powerful manner. There are two things for sure: first, his books made me appreciate a different side of Afghanistan beyond what is being portrayed in the news; and second, his writing made me explore other Afghan and Arabic writers. This exploration into the Arab literary world proved to be a very prolific one. They are the natural embodiment of Scheherazade.

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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Just like the first three books in this list, I read Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha through our College Library. During that time, the novel’s movie adaptation was just released (I am not sure) and is making many a spectator raise their eyebrows. I simply joined the band wagon and I am glad I did. It is a very nostalgic read that transported me to a different era, a different place. It also made me understand and appreciate a different side of Japanese culture, far from the samurais it is usually associated with.

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Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities is another read from over a decade ago; you see, I started doing book reviews in mid-2017, when I have already read over 500 books. Bonfire of the Vanities is one of my favorite books. It had wit and satire and spades. I can remember laughing at the callousness of some of the scenes. I also liked A Man in Full. Although it has been a decade since I last read any of Wolfe’s work, they’ve left so much impression on me that I endeavor to read more of his works.

A Woman of Substance

A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford

And I am really going with books I’ve read from about a decade ago. HAHA! I simply adore Emma Harte’s story in A Woman of Substance. Of all the books from the series (I’ve read four), this banger of an opener was very memorable and I still keep thinking of it until today. It has got the right mix of bleak and bright elements, of hope and of helplessness, of destitution and of opulence. I must say I love family sagas and A Woman of Substance is among them.

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Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

I love the entire Harry Potter Series. From the wonderful characters to the amazing world-building, it is no surprise that many fell in love with the series. It was no simple dive into fantasy, as it gave morals about friendship, family, loyalty, and a bevy of positive attributes.

Sidney SheldonSince I started doing book reviews a bit late, there are a lot of books I loved which I was not able to do a review on. The works of Sidney Sheldon, for instance, are among my early favorites. I liked that each of his book is unique and tackles a different subject. Doomsday Conspiracy is about alien invasion; The Other Side of Midnight was set in the Second World War; Tell Me Your Dreams touches on Dissociative Identity Disorder; Master of the Game is about a young poor girl who builds her own empire ala-Emma Harte. The list goes on. Maybe I will write reviews on some of his works someday, just not today since I am drowning in about 20 book review assignments. LOL. Some are even long overdue!

Among other books I love I haven’t reviewed yet are Paulo Coehlo’s Veronika Decides to Die and The Alchemist; Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie;Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince); John Grisham’s The Firm and A Time To Kill; Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook and A Message in a Bottle; and Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Brothers Karamazov.

So that’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed my Top Ten Tuesday list. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week. As always, enjoy reading and keep safe!