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Smiling Shelves

Smiling Shelves Soapbox - The Book That Got Away

5/1/2014

10 Comments

 
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Has this ever happened to you? You read an amazing book, return it to the library, and then can never find it again. Because of Goodreads, this will no longer happen to me. But I've only been using Goodreads for a little over a year. And there are two books that stick in my memory as "the book that got away." And yes, they still bother me.

This first happened when I was in middle school. I had read a book from my local library. I remember very little about the plot now, except there was a maze and a castle involved. What I do remember is going out to my tire swing after I had finished reading it. I just swung idly and thought about the book for nearly half an hour. I'm pretty sure this was my first experience of a book hangover. That branch of my library closed several years ago, and I have always kicked myself for not going back and finding that book again.

The second time this happened was only a couple of summers ago. I was sitting in one of the comfy chairs in the YA section of the library. A book caught my eye. I checked it out, devoured it, and immediately requested the other two books in the series. The main character was going to live with her dad because her mom had just passed away. Her dad works at the Renaissance Fair over the summer, so that's where she goes. She discovers that, while there are humans at the Renaissance Fair, there are also many that aren't human. In fact, she herself isn't entirely human.

I know this author has written other books that I would love to read. But I can't remember the title of any of the books I read, let alone the author's name. I have scoured the shelves in the YA section of my library, but I can't find it again.

There are some books that stick with us long after we've read them because the characters or the plot becomes part of us. So much so that we want to experience them again someday. Unless we can never find them again! Then they simply live on in our memory, although we always keep a watchful eye out at libraries and book sales. We live in hope.

Does anyone else have a story of "the book that got away"?
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10 Comments
Jade @ Bits & Bobs link
5/1/2014 03:27:14 am

Oh don't you just hate it when that happens! I wish I had started recording what books I read much sooner than I did. There's this one book that I borrowed from the library a couple of years ago, I remember it wasn't any ground breaking stuff but it was just a fun light read that I'd love to return to from time to time. It was cute and included lots of Audrey Hepburn film quotes and such because the main protagonist was a fan of hers. Oh how I wish I had noted the book down at the time!
:-)

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
5/1/2014 02:23:04 pm

Exactly! It's sometimes surprising what books stick with us, especially those we can't get ahold of anymore. I'm so glad Goodreads exists so I never have to go through this again!

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fiddlrts link
5/1/2014 06:42:04 am

I remember reading a fairy tale about a lost temper in one of my Junior Classics set. I somehow lost the volume it was in, and couldn't find it for years. It wasn't until my 20s and an ebay account that I was finally able to replace it.

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
5/1/2014 02:24:42 pm

I'm glad you were able to find it. I'm sure that was a great moment, and moments like that make the wait worthwhile!

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Sheila @ The Deliberate Reader link
5/3/2014 09:08:30 am

Is the second book you mention Tree Shepherd's Daughter by Gillian Summers?

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
5/3/2014 10:12:59 am

Yes! Yes, it is! Thank you, Sheila! I feel much better now. :)

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Kathy Martin
5/5/2014 01:09:52 am

The first one that got away sounds very similar to a book I have been looking for since I was in seventh or eighth grade. I read it in my Catholic School library and have never seen it since. Good luck in finding those books!

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
5/5/2014 12:31:06 pm

Isn't that frustrating? Especially when we remember so little of it. It's going to be awfully hard to find another copy. There's always hope, though!

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IntrovertedJen link
5/5/2014 03:25:51 pm

I've had several of these but I've identified most of them as friends on Goodreads have read and reviewed them. It's such a relief to recognize a book like that! I just have one left and it's a kids book. I read it in my tiny little elementary school library and I think it was probably published in the 40s or 50s; it just had that innocent, happy family feel. The part that I remember is about a snake (Of course. I'm terrified of them). The baby sister is about to wander too close to one when her older brother sees it and starts telling her to play a game and do what he says. She does and he gets her away from the snake without scaring her to death. The whole family is proud of them both. That's such a weird scene to remember! I think it was part of a series. It drives me crazy that I can't remember what it is!

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Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
5/7/2014 09:19:33 am

The ones from when we were kids are definitely the most frustrating because we remember so little. You remembered more than I did from my childhood "lost book." Isn't it interesting what scenes stick with us? I hope you find it someday!

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    My name is Julie, and I own a lot of books. As in, they are stacked on the floor because I've run out of room on the shelves. And those shelves? There are so many books on them that they smile -- not sag; smile. This blog will cover book reviews and all manner of other bookish things.

    You can contact me at julie@smilingshelves.com.

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