Today's Topic
Top Ten Books I Like More Than I Thought I Would
1. Heartless by Marissa Meyer- It's not that I didn't expect to like this-- but I was wary because HYPE!! And because I loved her previous series so hard. Then I read Heartless and loved it just as much :)
2. Those Girls by Lauren Saft- I had seen a lot of negative reviews for this book, so I was kind of expecting it to be MEH. The thing is, I really really really liked it.
3. Me & Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews- I was expecting this to be sad, but it was FUNNY. I also hadn't heard that much about it, so I didn't think it would become a favorite, but it IS one of my favorites now.
4. Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles- I had mediocre experiences with 2 of this author's other books, so I didn't have big hopes for this. I was so happy I decided to stick with her though because I did really like this book.
5. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson- I liked The Sky is Everywhere, but it didn't make a HUGE impression on me. I definitely was not expecting what I got with IGYTS-- definitely not.
6. The Diviners by Libba Bray- I don't read a lot of historical fiction, so when this came up as a book club book, I didn't know if I would be into it or not. I LOVED IT!!
7. Cinder (#1) by Marissa Meyer- HYPE!!! Plus a cyborg?? I didn't think it would be my cup of tea at all!! It was so good!
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- I didn't read this until 2 years ago because until then I was SO sick of hearing about it. Finally when the hype died down, I decided, why not?? But I still wasn't expecting to like it because if everyone else likes it-- I usually don't.
9. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas- Okay, so I LOVE a good mystery, but at the time I read this I was having a hard time finding ones that were A+. I wasn't expecting much from this--- and then !!!!!! It was so great, and I'm still trying to find something to equal it in the YA Mystery category.
10. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight- This is categorized as Adult, and since I really don't read a ton of Adult, I just didn't know if it would work for me or not. It read very much like YA (thanks to a partial YA character narrator), and it definitely did work for me.
What books did you like more or less than you thought you would??
Great list. I haven't read any of these books but dangerous girls sounds right up my alley. I'm definitely adding it to my TBR! I really want to read the diviners too, I keep putting it off for some reason! This post has not been good for my TBR list 😂!
ReplyDeleteYes to Dangerous Girls, for obvious reasons!! I also absolutely adored Dangerous Boys!! I would definitely recommend if you haven't read it yet! I also really enjoyed Heartless!! I loved the subtelty and the way the darkness slowly crept in around the edges rather than blatantly showing it! I would not complain if Meyer revisited and created a sequel to this book! I was actually disappointed with Those Girls - it might have actually been a dnf - but I can't remember! I'm glad to see you enjoyed it though!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Dangerous Boys yet, but I do have it on my kindle!! So glad to hear it was good!!!!
DeleteI was really curious about Those Girls but I let the reviews get to me. I'm happy to hear that you liked it. I need to read Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl! The Diviners was a surprise for me as well. I don't read historical all that much either.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Cinder. I went into that book not expecting to like it at all but its one of my favourites now! I hope you have many more surprisingly good reads :D
ReplyDeleteI read Cinder (and the rest of the series) because I was seeing it everywhere. I didn't really have any expectations, but I ended up loving all of them. I came across Reconstructing Amelia a couple years ago, and I just could not put it down, I loved it so much!
ReplyDeleteCinder made my list too! I really didn't think I was going to like it at all, but I am hooked now. I bought Heartless but haven't gotten a chance to read it yet.
ReplyDeleteSame with The Hunger Games! I was so late to the game on that one but finally gave in because it's just one of those books you have to read. I wasn't expecting to love it at all but, of course, I did! I read the whole series in 3 days. Also, whenever anyone mentions TFIOS to me I always come back by telling them to read Me & Earl & the Dying Girl. So much better! And I'm dying to read Dangerous Girls. I've heard a lot of great things about that one!
ReplyDeleteI definitely liked Cinder and I'll Give You the Sun way more than I thought I would. Dangerous Girls so lived up to the hype!! Great list!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Dangerous Girls around and thinking it sounded really intriguing, but then never read it. I may have to get it. I like a good YA mystery. And I've never read The Hunger games- can you believe it?? That needs to happen. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha that was so me until 2015! Everyone was SHOCKED that I never read it since I read so much YA. I just don't like to read books that EVERYONE and their mother read.
DeleteGreat list! I've had my eye on Reconstructing Amelia for a while now and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll Give You the Sun has been sitting on my shelves for ages and I think it's time for me to pick it up since I've been hearing so many great things about it. You can check out my TTT here: http://bookladysreviews.blogspot.gr/2017/02/top-ten-books-i-thought-i-would-like.html
ReplyDeleteElena @ Book Lady's Reviews
Yes to both, they're fab!!
DeleteI didn't expect to like Heartless either, especially since the only other book of hers I've read is Cinder and I wasn't keen, but I really enjoyed it. Glad you liked The Hunger Games more than expected. Oh and Dangerous Girls! Probably the best YA mystery I've ever read. It's the benchmark I measure them all against now and I've yet to find one to measure up!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/top-ten-tuesday-97/
DGs is totally the YA Mystery benchmark for me!! It was everything I want in YA Mystery.
DeleteI'll Give You the Sun and Cinder were both unexpected for me too. Even though lots of people raved about them, I just wasn't sure they were for me. They were.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I need to read Heartless, Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl, and The Diviners still but I'm glad they were great for you! Sadly I'll Give You the Sun was the opposite for me, though I wanted desperately to love it.
ReplyDeleteI think it took my over a year to pick up Cinder because I did not think it was my kind of book. I ended up really loving that series. Sometimes reading outside of your comfort zone really pays off.
ReplyDeleteIt took me several years to break down and try Cinder. I had no idea the goodness that was waiting for me!!
DeleteI actually liked The Hunger Games less than I thought I would, but because of that I loved Catching Fire and Mockingjay MORE than I thought I would!
ReplyDeleteHi! Same for me about Hunger Games!!! :)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
Leslie
I loved Heartless, too!! It was so cute and I usually have trouble with retellings. Plus, MACARONS. < 3 I read The Hunger Games, around the time I heard it was going to become a movie - I was a senior in high school, lolz - and literally, all the books were on-hold in my school library. Rabid people. I brought the book as soon as I could and loved it, which is something I never do tbh. Ohhh! I still need to read Dangerous Girls!
ReplyDeleteYES READ Dangerous Girls!! You won't regret it! Also, I'm so glad you liked Heartless! We always seem to like and dislike the same books :)
DeleteI loved Dangerous Girls. It was a real hidden gem for me. :-) I wish it was more popular!
ReplyDeleteIt really should be more popular!
DeleteThe Diviners sounds great - I need to try it. :)
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Always Me
SO (so) glad to see both of Marissa's popular books (series) on your list, Michelle. I feel like the "only" reader who has as yet to read the popular series by Sarah J. Maas. Someday... I will. And the good news is, the longer I wait, the less the wait is between books! :D
ReplyDelete