Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Surprised Me

Hi and welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday Post! I honestly thought I had already done this topic years ago, but I can’t find it anywhere, so I think I’m mistaken. However, the topic Books that Surprised Me (in a good or bad way) sounds familiar and actually did ring a bell. Hence I can’t find it anywhere, I’m not going rogue this week! I’ll list all books that surprised me, no matter in a good or bad way.

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 Good

  1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – I didn’t like it at first attempt but devoured the series whenever I gave it a second chance.
  2. The Selection by Kiera Cass – I know I know, this is definitely not good in terms of quality, and I definitely wouldn’t rate it like I did back in 2016. I was completely new to the YA books as an age range and therefore missed lot of hypes. I didn’t expect to like this entire series, but surprisingly I did!
  3. Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian – I left this book on the digital shelf and TBR alike for more than seven years. Despite reading less and less YA, this book really surprised me in the end. It took a while though. Read my review here.
  4. The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley – Everyone and their mother read this series back in summer 2018 and I couldn’t stay behind. I was a little sceptical, but after kind of a rough start, I enjoyed it and read the rest of the series.
  5. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara – I read this book back in 2020 when I think Booktok wasn’t such as big as it is now. I have to admit that I considered DNFing this book on multiple occasions, because I found it not moving forward. Well, once it picked up, I devoured it.

The Bad

  1. Phantasma by Kaylie Smith – Despite so many positive reviews and many bloggers loving this book, I had to DNF it. I thought I would enjoy it myself, but it feels like a Kingdom of the Wicked rip off and I didn’t care for neither characters, nor plot.
  2. To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara – Whereas I really enjoyed A Little Life, this book was such a disappointment. I mean, it’s so long and the story is confusing as can be. Such a bummer.
  3. Book Lovers by Emily Henry – Books about books are often pretty decent, but this one wasn’t. It’s too similar to Beach Read, another title by this author. Storyline and characters could be picked up and easily be placed in that novel, so I was so incredibly disappointed. Click here for my review.
  4. Final Girls by Riley Sager – Despite the premise sounding promising, this book was boring. I’m sorry. Or not.
  5. Listen To Me by Tess Gerritsen – I remember being so, so excited for a new book in the “Rizzoli & Isles” series when this one was announced, but that happiness and excitement rapidly faded away when I started this book. It wasn’t as intriguing and nerve-wrecking as the other books about Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles. I was actually pretty bored and underwhelmed.

What books surprised ou in a good or ad way?


Comments

20 responses to “Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Surprised Me”

  1. Book Lovers was the first book I read by Henry, so that could be why I enjoyed it so much. Her last two have both been DNF for me. As such, I won’t keep reading her books.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/the-ks-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-k/

  2. Athena @ OneReadingNurse Avatar
    Athena @ OneReadingNurse

    The Selection was like brain candy reality TV though, not great but I couldn’t look away and devoured the first trilogy 😂 thanks for dropping by earlier!

  3. I have a few books of your selection on my TBR, such as A Little Life. I am still not brave enough to pick it up hah I also have The Hunger Games and The Selection! Hopefully they will be good surprise to me too 🙂

  4. A Little Life sounds interesting.

  5. I really thought I’d done this topic before too lol My TTT

  6. Poinsettia Avatar
    Poinsettia

    I was surprised by The Hunger Games as well. It wasn’t something I’d typically read, but I really enjoyed it! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you.

  7. The Selection was definitely a fun surprise for me back when I read it. And Final Girls was my first Riley Sager…and a DNF

  8. I remember also loving The Selection when I read it in 2016!

  9. Great list! I love The Selection!! It’s not the best written, agreed. There’s just something about it that is so likeable and easy to read!

  10. I was disappointed by Book Lovers. I had such high hopes for it, but it was just average for me.

    Have a great week!

  11. Fab list! I didn’t enjoy The Selection as I’m not a fan of the love triangle!!!

  12. Interesting list! I actually read The Selection! And it was a surpirse that I stuck with it. Very out of my comfort zone.

  13. My SIL cannot say enough good things about the Seven Sisters books. I must try them just so I can say I tried them.

  14. I find Emily Henry’s books quite similar as well, so I’ve decided that if I’m going to read or listen to them they’re going to be library loans from now on.

  15. Fun list! I did enjoy Book Lovers, but I admit that some of EH’s set-ups and characters can start feeling too much alike at times. A work friend strongly recommended A Little Life, but I’ve never been able to convince myself to read it. Too long, and it sounds too dark for me!

  16. I just finished the final Seven Sisters book in the last week!

  17. Emily Henry’s books are usually a hit or miss for me. I enjoy her earlier books more than her recent ones. Have a good day!

  18. Good idea to divide your list into good and bad surprises. I read The Hunger Games with a book club ages ago and was also pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think I would like it. Not my genre.

  19. It’s funny because I didn’t love The Hunger Games the first time I read it either, but I’ve reread it over and over since the first time and love it more every single time.

  20. I felt the same way about To Paradise.

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