Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Surprised Us

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Surprised Me (in a good or bad way)

It was tough to narrow down our list for this installment of Top Ten Tuesday. There have been so many books we’ve read even in the last year or so that we thought we’d hate but loved, or that we were really hopeful for but hated. Thanks to That Artsy Reader girl for continuing on the Top Ten Tuesday tradition!

In a good way:

1. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I started this one expecting just a Hunger Game spin-off. But it turned into something completely different and addicting. I’m already itching for the third one to come out. ~I

2. Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Though it’s less known than Bronte’s Jane Eyre, it’s right on par with it. ~I

3. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. I thought this novel would seem dated, but it is far from dated. I loved it. ~I

4. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. I knew very little about this one going in, and it ended up being one of my favorite books of all time. ~P

5. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. I’m always wary of older fantasy for some reason. This one actually felt ahead of the times and told a brilliant and unusual story. ~P

In a bad way:

6. The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. I really enjoyed Moriarty’s others, but this one was a bit stretched. The mystery didn’t totally hold up. ~I

7. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. Thinking that this would be similar to A Handmaid’s Tale but maybe a bit more modernized. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. ~I

8. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Two of my favorite authors co-writing a book. How could I not be extremely excited? The humor fell flat and the story got stuck in a boring eddy. ~P

9. Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I listened to the hype, and I found myself entirely uncharmed by the arrogant and protagonist. This book made me feel nothing. ~P

10. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. I don’t have anything nice to say about this book. I didn’t get the characters or their motivations, the setting, the plot, and least of all the jokes. That’s the nicest way I can phrase my dislike for this one. ~P