Possible Future Classics

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Possible Future Classics

It's interesting to think about what modern books will stand the test of time and become books that are considered classics. I don't think you can just go off of popularity because there are books considered classics now, that were not well loved when they were published. Though this is not always true. Here are ten books I believe could be considered classics in the future. 

1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

    -  I think Madeline Miller's writing alone could make this be considered a classic in the future. Greek Mythology is a quite popular subject and has been since the myths were originally being performed. This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and I believe it will continue to have a long lasting impact in literature. 

 

2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke 

    - Inkheart to me is one of the best children's books from my childhood. Cornelia introduced a world in this book which feels like it can hold up along with the other children classic favorites. 

 

3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

    - William Goldman had such a unique way of writing that stood out throughout this novel. The fake abridgment aspects of the plot were so clever, especially when he used them when he was telling the story. His book is a classic in fantasy and humor. 

 

4. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

    - Night Watch is definitely considered one of Terry Pratchett's best books, for good reason. It just recently had a Penguin Modern Classic edition published and I hope all of Terry's books are lauded for the rest of time. But if I had to pick one which could be considered a future classic it would be this one. 

 

5. Brian Selznick's books

    - Brian Selznick writes and illustrates some of the most beautiful books I have ever read in my life. I don't know which of his books I would even pick for this list because they are all just that great. His books I believe will at least be considered as Children's classics in the future. I highly recommend reading his works. They are great for all readers, not just younger ones. 

   

6. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 

    - Susanna Clarke's writing is absolutely incredible and I would honestly be surprised if this is not considered a classic one day. This is a strange little novel with such an interesting mystery. 

 

7. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

    - If this is not already considered a horror classic, it ought to be. I have been a fan of the movie for many years and finally read the book this October. I had the time of my life reading it. Anne Rice's writing is phenomenal and utterly devastating at times, especially when I learned the grief she was dealing with when she wrote it. 

 

8. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

    - Persepolis is Satrapi's graphic memoir of growing up and coming of age in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. It is one of the most stunning graphic novels I have ever read and is very impactful. Satrapi does a great job relaying such heartbreaking aspects of her story, while adding in a level of humor. There are so many incredible graphic novels I have read over the years and this is one I know will be considered a classic in years to come. 

 

9. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

    - Told in a stream of consciousness narrative, we follow Oskar and also his grandparents. Jonathan Safran Foer has a writing style like no other that I have ever read. The perspectives are authentic and add to the heartbreaking story he is telling. I connected to each of the characters but to Oskar the most. He broke my heart, especially with that powerful ending. I would have been around the same age as Oskar when 9/11 happened and I cannot even begin to imagine what he goes through in this book. The grief that he, his mother, and grandmother have to go through was something that was reflected well in this narrative. This is a story that touched my heart when I read it and I know I will always remember it. 

 

10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

    -  I believe this is considered a classic to many people for science fiction and humor. This to me will have long-lasting impacts on literature and will stand the test of time. Douglas Adams's writing was special. 

November 2025 Mid-Month Reading Update 🦃

 

WWW Wednesday- 11/12/15

I decided to start doing the WWW Wednesday Meme on my blog every week. It was formally hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and has been revived by Taking on a World of Words. The meme has you answering three questions: What are you currently reading, What did you recently finish reading, and What do you think you'll read next?

Have a great rest of your week!  

🔖 What are you currently reading?

- Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher: I have been reading this the last few days. It is different than what I have read from T. Kingfisher but I'm highly enjoying it. There is a mix of fantasy and cozy horror. I love the found family elements in this. Cannot wait to see how it ends.

 

- Days Like These by Brian Bilston: A poetry collection with a poem for every day of the year. Brian Bilston writes such humorous poetry and I am highly enjoying reading this book. The poem for today is "Not Reigning but Drowning." It is poem about King Canute who was the king of England, Denmark, and Norway. Before each poem Brian gives a little bit of information about each poem. This has been one of the most interesting collections of poetry I have ever read and one of the funniest. 

 

- A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis: A collection of quotes from The Chronicles of Narnia with some questions about each. I'm enjoying going through the quotes. Definitely, a great year to read these since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe turned 75 years old this year. The quote for today is from The Last Battle. 

 

🔖 What did you recently finish reading?

- Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery: I absolutely loved it. Here is a link to My Review. I will also review this book in my monthly reads post on November 30th. 

🔖 What do you think you’ll read next?

-  Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood or A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: I'm debating between both of these books. They are both ones I want to read this month. 

 

The First 10 Books I Randomly Grabbed from My Book Shelves

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

The First 10 Books I Randomly 

Grabbed from My Book Shelves

For this week's Top Ten Tuesday, I closed my eyes and randomly picked 10 books from my shelves in my office. This was a fun prompt for this week that got me talking about some books that I never do. Here are those ten books. 

1.  In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

    - read March 2023

    - This is one of the most interesting retellings of a classic story I have ever read. It is a science fiction reimagining of Pinocchio with a human living among androids. 

 

2. Crossings by Alex Landragin  

    - read September 2020

    - Crossings can be read in two different ways, you can either read straight through or through the Baroness sequence (which is an alternative chapter sequence). I chose to read the book through the Baroness sequence. I love when a book has a different way of reading it and Alex Landragin did an incredible job interweaving this story. 

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte  

    - read July 2025

    - The most recent of any of the books I read on the list and it is definitely one of my favorites. Jane is one of my favorite characters in literature. I love her spirit, wit, and strong personality. Even from a young age she's always speaking her mind. She and Mr. Rochester made this book for me.  It is one of the best classics I have ever read. 

 

4. Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell 

    - read December 2022

    - Rainbow Rowell was one of my favorite authors in my late teens and twenties. She wrote many of my favorite books from that time period including Fangirl, Carry On, Landline and Attachments. This is a collection of many of her short stories over the years, quite a few of them are set in the worlds of her books. Most of the stories are very good and brought me so much joy to be back in the worlds that I always loved. Also, most her standalone ones were just as great. 

 

5. Honesty by Seth King 

    - read April 2020

    - A beautifully heartbreaking new adult m/m romance. Seth King's writing is absolutely stunning to read and perfectly encapsulates first love and heartbreak. I have yet to read the sequel to this book, but plan on doing so someday.  

 "There's nothing wrong with chandeliers." 

6. The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang 

    - read January 2024

    - This book will not be for everyone especially since it is very explicit. I adored this interwoven Asian-based story. It follows three different timelines of two men whose lives have been intertwined for centuries. We follow them through 4 BCE, 1740, and present-day Los Angeles. Slowly, along with the characters, we learn how they are connected to each other. Their romance was both beautiful and heartbreaking. It was quite hard to read at times because their love is quite destructive and painful. I’m a sucker for a tragic love affair, especially ones that make me cry. Add stunning writing and fantastical aspects to make a book I couldn’t get enough of. 

Reincarnation stories have always drawn me in, and I knew I had to read this beauty as soon as I found it. It was intriguing trying to figure out who was who in the different time periods. I’m glad we kept going back and forth between each of them, and loved seeing how all the pieces fit together to tell their story. It felt like a puzzle, and I enjoyed how their identities were not always obvious. 

7. Darius the Great Deserves Better (Darius the Great #2) by Adib Khorram 

    - read September 2020

    - Darius the Great is Not Okay is one of my favorite young adult books that I have ever read. I had connected with Darius's journey in ways I never would have expected going into it as a twenty-six year old woman. The sequel was just as great. Darius's family is one of my favorite aspects of this series, especially this book. If Adib Khorram ever decides to return to this world, I would definitely read it.  

8. Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani and illustrated by Julia Iredale 

    - read March 2023

    - One of the best short story collections I have ever read. Most of the tales in this book are retellings of fairy tales, but it also includes a Peter Pan retelling. Julia Iredale's illustrations were stunning and fit so well with the darkness of each of the tales. Soman Chainani took these well-known tales in such interesting ways, along with the diverse casts of characters. My favorites of the collection were based on "Beauty and the Beast," "Hansel & Gretel," and Peter Pan. 

 

9. Gris Grimly's Tales from the Brothers Grimm written by Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm and illustrated by Gris Grimly  

    - I have read the Grimm fairy tales many times over the years. Most recently in November 2022.

    - Gris Grimly's editions of the classics are some of my absolute favorites because I adore his illustrations. They add a creepy vibe to these stories that fits so well. I also have his editions of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Hocus Pocus by A.W. Jantha, and A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. 

 

10. That Way Madness Lies edited by Dahlia Adler

    - read March 2023

    - Another one of the best short story collections I have ever read. This is a collection of stories from many different genres including: fantasy, contemporary, science fiction, horror, etc. They are all based on Shakespeare's plays and one of his sonnets. My favorite from the entire collection is called "Elsinore" by Patrice Caldwell, which is a take on Hamlet and Dracula. I have read the story twice, within the collection and by itself. It is one of the best short stories I have ever read and I have read ton of them over the years. 

 

October 2025 Reads

 🎃 October Reviews 👻

October 1st-31st

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope you have a great and spooky day. 

October has been one of the best months for books yet. I found so many new favorites in the 18 books I read throughout the month. Cannot wait to see what I find during November and December.

Book 147: The Salt Grows Heavy

By Cassandra Khaw

Read October 2nd

Pages: 106

Release Year: 2023

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An eerie and beautifully written story that shows a very dark version of mermaids. Oh my goodness this was so good.

Book 148: Lifetime Passes

By Terry Blas

Read October 2nd

Pages: 160

Release Year: 2021

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This story hit very close to home for me. When I had first heard about this book years ago, I thought it would be a darkly funny graphic novel. It was in part, but I did not expect to see how heavy it would become.

 

Book 149: The Sword in the Stone: Arthur's Magical Kingdom 

By Gabriel Valentin

Read October 6th

Pages: 80

Release Year: 2026

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One of my favorite movies growing up was always Disney's The Sword in the Stone. It is what originally got me into King Arthur tales and is still a favorite of mine. This is a continuation of Arthur's story, as he learns what it takes to be a king and how magic cannot solve all of life's problems. 

I enjoyed the introduction of Madam Mim's niece and seeing the lessons that Merlin taught Arthur throughout the story. This was a stunning graphic novel that is perfect for fans of the original movie. I hope we get more graphic novels from this world. 

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

 

Book 150: You Are Odysseus

By Laura Jenkinson-Brown

Read October 3rd-7th

Pages: 726

Release Year: 2025

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I grew up loving choose-your-own-adventure stories, so anytime I find adult versions of them I have to pick them up. You Are Odysseus gives the reader the opportunity to choose what Odysseus's voyage home will be like after the Trojan War. There are so many twists you can take on your pathway home that makes this a book such an enjoyable experience. I obviously did not get through every single choice but I enjoyed each one I took. 

This will be a book I know I will pick up many times to have new adventures throughout Ancient Greece. A perfect book for fans of Greek Mythology who would like to help choose the story elements from their favorite tales. I would love to get more books like this based on mythology.

Book 151: Johnny and the Bomb 

(Johnny Maxwell # 3)

By Terry Pratchett

Read October 8th-9th

Pages: 256

Release Year: 1996

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Another great book in the Johnny Maxwell series. I loved the time travel aspects in this story and how Terry played with them throughout. His writing is always so clever. He had me snickering to myself many times during this entire book.

Book 152: The Phantom of the Opera

By Gaston Leroux

Read October 11th-13th

Pages: 360

Release Year: 1910

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An absolutely brilliant novel. It was quite different than I expected but so much better also. I loved listening to this book the last three days, especially the ending. The Phantom is such a famous character who I have seen in various adaptations over the years. I'm glad I finally read the book.

 

Book 153: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse

(The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse #1) 

By Charlie Mackesy

Read October 14th

Pages: 128

Release Year: 2019

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October 14, 2025 reread: 
I adored rereading this beautiful book. 

January 8th, 2020 review: 
One of the most poignant and beautiful books I have ever read. This reminded me of Winnie the Pooh with its insightfulness. I really needed this book right now. I recommend it to everyone.

 

Book 154: Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse, and the Storm

(The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse #2) 

By Charlie Mackesy

Read October 14th

Pages: 128 

Release Year: 2025

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A wonderful continuation to the boy, mole, fox, and horse's story. They go through many hard and vulnerable patches throughout the book, but stick together. It has so many beautiful and insightful messages just like the first. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I adored reading this book with all my heart and cannot wait to get it for my own collection.

 

Book 155: Slade House 

By David Mitchell

Read October 15th

Pages: 

Release Year: 2015

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A strange and creepy book that is a collection of short stories that are all connected by the Slade House and the Grayer twins. Each section of this book is narrated by a different character and the stories build off of each other in clever ways. Every nine years, people are led into the Slade House by various means and never come out again. 

David Mitchell's eerie writing kept me intrigued to see what would happen next and I loved the interlocking narrative. He is a writer I have been wanting to read for years. I'm glad I chose to read this book. It is an interesting take on a ghost/haunted house story and I enjoyed the elements of that throughout. As the book continues on though, it becomes so much more. I look forward to checking out his other books especially The Bone Clocks, which I heard this is connected to.

 

Book 156: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 

(The Chronicles of Narnia #2) 

By C. S. Lewis

Read October 16th

Pages: 189

Release Year: 1950

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October 16th, 2025 reread:
Today is the 75th anniversary of the release of this wonderful book. I highly enjoyed revisiting it again. The Narnia books will always feel like home to me and make me think of childhood joy, which I think we could all use in our lives. Such a beautiful story. 

April 2020 reread: 
It's like going back down memory lane. I don't remember precisely when I first read this book. I'd say in fourth or fifth grade in our library class. All I know is that I remember falling in love with this book and begging my grandmother to get the full collection for me for Easter when I saw it at Walmart. I really don't remember how many times I have read this over the years, but it still is a favorite of mine after all this time. 

This time around was just as magical. Aslan was always a favorite character of mine and he still is. The scene with him, Lucy, and Susan is just as heartbreaking as it was when I was a kid. Still can't stand Edmond after all these years. I really love the professor a lot especially his conversations with the kids. This reread of the series has been great so far.

Book 157: For the Rest of Us: 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons

Edited by Dahlia Adler

Read October 15th-17th

Pages: 304

Release Year: 2025

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A wonderful collection of short stories that all focus on various holidays. I like how they went in order by how they fall during the year. You could either read them all together or read them when their holidays are. 

My favorite stories were the ones that went into detail about the holidays. Many of the stories focus on difficult topics such as homophobia, coming out, racism, Covid, mental health, and death of family members. Even with these heavy topics there is still a cozy feel to many of the stories in this book. If you like reading about holidays and want to learn a bit about many different ones this might be a collection for you. 

Below, I will give my star ratings for each story and a little information about what I thought of them. 

~ Lunar New Year: "This is how it's always been" by Kelly Loy Gilbert- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - This story hit hard for me. 

~ Valentine's Day: "P.S. I (Don't) Love You" by Laura Pohl- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - Such a cute story. I love the friendship in this one. 

~ Holi: "Holi Hai!" by Preeti Chhibber- ⭐⭐
   - I wasn't a big fan of this story. 

~ Nowruz: "A New Day" by Abdi Nazemian- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - I loved how we get a bit of information about Nowruz in the beginning and then we see the family celebrating. 

~ Eid: "Without a Plan" by Karuna Riazi- ⭐⭐⭐
   - I enjoyed the aspect of the main character in this story trying to find her purpose. 

~ Passover: "Elijah's Coming to Dinner" by Natasha Díaz- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - This had a interesting premise.  

~ Juneteenth: "Hill Country Heartbeat" by Candace Buford- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - I love how we really got to know the main character and her family in this one. 

~ Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah: "Making Up is Hard to Do" by Dahlia Adler- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - I love how this focused on so many different events that Jewish people celebrate between September and October. 

~ Diwali: "The Return" by Aditi Khorana- ⭐⭐⭐
   - I didn't love this story. 

~ Dia de los Muertos: "Honor the Dead to Honor the Living" by Sonora Reyes- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - I highly enjoy stories focused on the Day of the Dead and I love how this story handled this topic. So sad and beautiful. 

~ Winter Solstice: "'Tis the Damn Season" by A. R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
   -This story was absolutely beautiful. 

~ Christmas/Hanukkah: "Merry Christmukkah, Loser" by Katherine Locke- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   - I highly enjoyed this story, especially the dynamic between the two main characters. The idea of judging the holidays was clever. 

~Kwanzaa: "Habari Gani" by Kosoko Jackson- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  - Definitely my favorite from the entire collection. This was a hard story for me to read because of the subject, but it was stunning. 

I definitely want to check out some of these writers' other works, especially Kosoko Jackson. 

*Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

 

Book 158: Higher Magic

By Courtney Floyd

Read October 18th-19th

Pages: 432

Release Year: 2025

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Higher Magic is a fantasy story that feels very much rooted in a world similar to our own if we had magic. It shines a light on a very prevalent mindset in academia, that people who need accommodations are often considered lesser. I love how this novel not only shows how ridiculous this way of thinking is but also the characters fighting against it. 

Dorothe Bartleby is a grad student in her university's Magical department, who failed her first attempt at her program's qualifying exam. She has intense anxiety which is one of the reasons she failed the exam. During the story, she is trying to prove how magic in classic literature changed the world. She is meant to use Digimancy, which is using computers and magic to prove her point but it backfires on her. She creates a talking skull named Anne, who narrates Bartleby's inner thoughts as if she were a heroine in a Jane Austen novel. The humor that came from Anne's commentary was comedic gold. Also, I loved the magic system in this book and how it dealt with ghosts. So clever! 

Along with worrying about her upcoming exam, Bartleby is dealing with various Magical students who are disappearing from campus after they ask for accommodations for their disabilities. She works with her friends to fix the problems with Anne and figure out what is happening with the students.

I found that the novel balances the mystery of what is happening with the students well with the other aspects of Bartleby's life. As someone with anxiety problems, I related a lot with Bartleby's struggles. Her journey was one I enjoyed following. She's bright and deeply passionate about becoming a mage, even if she sometimes believes that she will never be as good as her peers. I also loved following Bartleby's friends and love interest, James. Their friend group was strong and I really enjoyed their dynamic throughout the book. 

This is a slower-paced novel, which was perfect for me. I love getting to know a world and characters deeply. Higher Magic was such a wonderful debut and I will definitely check out Courtney Floyd's future novels. 

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.* 

 

Book 159: Northanger Abbey

By Jane Austen

Read October 20th-22nd

Pages: 320

Release Year: 1817

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I had such a great time reading this book, especially Catherine's self-delusion and assumptions. Jane Austen's satirical novel was such an enjoyable time.

 

Book 160: The Cinnamon Bun Book Store 

(Dream Harbor #2) 

By Laurie Gilmore

Read October 24th-25th

Pages: 348

Release Year: 2024

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This book was mixed-bag for me. I love the idea of the bookish scavenger hunt quite a lot, but these characters drove me crazy. So many of their problems could have been fixed if they just talked. The ending was very cute with what Noah does. I am still loving the small town vibes and definitely will be continuing with the series. Just wish I enjoyed this as much as the first.

 

Book 161: A Witch's Guide to Burning 

By Aminder Dhaliwal

Read October 22nd-25th

Pages: 400

Release Year: 2024

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I love the style of this graphic novel so much. It uses a mixture of prose, comics, and illustrations to create Singe, Yew-Veda and Bufo's story. A Witch's Guide to Burning is an allegory for recovering from burnout and the self-care needed to do so. Aminder Dhaliwal did a brilliant job showing Singe's journey and I highly loved this story.

 

Book 162: The Way to a Beautiful World

By James Norbury

Read October 29th

Pages: 176

Release Year: 2025

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Another beautiful book from James Norbury. His illustrations are stunning and go along perfectly with the message he is trying to convey throughout the book. There are many lessons that Tiny Dragon and Big Panda learn throughout their adventure including: dealing with loss, fear, loneliness, depression, and being content. 

It is a great book for any reader. I love that it has many ways that it can also be read shown in the How to Use this Book Guide at the beginning of the book.

 

Book 163: Interview with the Vampire 

(The Vampire Chronicles #1) 

By Anne Rice

Read October 28th-30th

Pages: 346

Release Year: 1976

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I have known the story of Interview with the Vampire for a very long time from the movie and am happy to have finally read the book. This was so thought provoking and I loved the way Anne Rice chose to write it. I wasn't planning on picking up the other books in this series but after finishing it, I know I have to at least read the sequel.

 

Book 164: Hooky Volume 3 

By Míriam Bonastre Tur

Read October 20th-30th

Pages: 400

Release Year: 2023

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It has been three years since I read the second volume and three years have past in the story. Hooky Volume 3 was a great ending to a series I have highly enjoyed over the years. Beautiful conclusion to Dani, Dorian, Princess Monica, Nico, Damien, and Prince William's story.