Top Ten Tuesday: Unexpected Books

This week's is Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is the Top Ten Books that Deceived me, or I've interpreted it as books that were Unexpected, either good or bad when I expected the opposite.  I would like to note that often, this expectation was an incorrect assumption on my part, not necessarily the book's fault.  But that happens too.  Here are a smattering of those books:

Drought by Pam Bachorz 
This is one that I expected to be a sort of dystopian society that was dealing with a scarcity of water, but turned into a kind of paranormal something.  A case of me expecting it to be one thing and it being another.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
I was pretty disappointed by this one, simply because the premise sounded like a fun middle grade fairy tale kind of book.  Turned out to be about an adult and not so fun in the fairy tale department.  A little misleading in its labeling, I think.


It Started with a Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech
This one actually was deceptive in its cover, which gives off a happy fun vibe.  The story is actually really kind of dark and twisted.  Definitely not what I expected, but then again they say not to judge a book by its cover :)

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund
I was really excited to read a sci-fi story about this intergalactic society and an elite school for geniuses.  Definitely didn't deliver on that, since there was ridiculously little mention of anything space-like or sci-fi.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
I think this book came with so many expectations that it was inevitably doomed to not deliver on them all.  Also, the soft blue of the cover and the free bird seemed to imply a lighter sort of story than it gave. 

Sleepless by Cyn Balog
This book just didn't deliver on an interesting premise.  I thought it would be so cool to read about sandmen and the afterlife.  Instead, it was weird and had not enough detail to make it stand up.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
This was surprised me with how good it was.  I expected to have the typical paranormal romance that was ridiculously overdone in the genre.  Much to my surprise, the heroine made interesting choices and I was happy to enjoy it.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Just reading that title, doesn't that give you certain ideas about this book?  It's a mobster book, right?  So. Much. More.  Loved it from beginning to end, even if it was totally not what I expected.


Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
This book was also not what I expected from the description and cover.  I thought that it would be a fairy tale through and through.  I mean, it's a fairy tale retelling, right?  So when the first half of the book discussed realistic problems in a real world, I found myself a little let down.  Still a fabulous book, though.


Plain Kate by Erin Bow
This is another that I had an impression of based on the cover and maybe even the description.  It looked kind of like a light-hearted fairy-tale-esque story, featuring a cat.  It had most of those things, but turned out to have a depth and sincerity to it that made me fall madly in love with it.  So happy to report it exceeded my expectations.

What books were unexpected for you?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd Play Hooky With

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is Spring Fever: Top Ten Books I'd Play Hooky With.  I've decided to interpret this as books I'd like to put my life on hold to read.  Here they are, ones I've been meaning to get to or dying to get to.


Partials by Dan Wells
This one I'm still waiting for from the library, but I've been aching to get my hands on it and start reading!


Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
For my Classic Double Challenge, I've actually been listening to the audio, but it turns out it's abridged and I'd really like to read the whole thing again.  Can't everything just be on hold for a while?


The Agency 3: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee
I've got this one on my kindle, waiting so patiently for me to devour it.  I'm pretty sure I'll finally get to it this week!  I could use something a little different from my usual, like the previous Agency books have been.


Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Still waiting for this one from the library too!  I can't wait to see where Lena goes next.


Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
This one has been so patient, since I checked it out weeks ago to see why it won the Newbery over my beloved Okay For Now.  It's still waiting...for me to have the time.


The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
I got an ARC of this and I was so excited, since I loved Ship Breaker.  I can't believe I haven't just dropped everything and picked it up yet.


Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull
Another library waiting.  I like this interesting new series by Mull and I want to see what happens next.  If only I had this one waiting in my reading pile already.


For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
I'm pretty sure that when I finally get my hands on this, it will jump to the top of the TBR mountain.  Haven't I already expressed my desire to read it?  If you haven't found your desire, check out Angie's review and you will want it immediately.


Starters by Lissa Price
Another patiently waiting kindle book.  I just love the concept, so I'd really like to get started on it soon!


172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
This is another ARC waiting for me and I love the cover as well as the concept.  Seriously, I need more reading hours in the day. 

What books do you wish you could drop everything to read?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Covers of 2012


I'm finally back participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is favorite covers.  I simply couldn't do an all-time favorite top ten, so I narrowed it down to 2012 books.  Here they are, in no particular order:






I discovered I'm a sucker for blues and reds and swirling colors. Also, covers with stars tend to get an automatic spot on my favorites list.

What do you love in a cover? What are your favorites for the year?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Top Ten Tuesday: Not-a-Reader Books

I'm joining Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish again this week.  Today's topic is Top Ten Books you'd hand to someone who says they don't like to read.  I'll be honest, it really depends on the person.  Each one has tastes and interests that hopefully you'll be able to figure out so you can hand them just the right book.  I've tried to give some variety to my list, from young reluctant readers to burnt out too-much-required-reading-in-my-past adults:

MG and YA (and some adult) non-readers:
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
I'm just going to say it.  I have heard a LOT of stories about non-readers picking this up and becoming a reader.  It may not be good literature, but it is a gateway series for many, many people. 

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:
Ditto this one as the series that made many non-readers into hard-core readers.  Hand this to your action-movie addicted friends.  They will get sucked right in.  And then they can enjoy all the dystopian/apocalyptic/post-apoc stuff coming out now.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling:
The movies did a lot for this series, though it didn't need much help.  But many who watched the movies then turned to the books and found a new love.  The first books are short, accessible, and funny.  That should get them addicted, er started.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney:
Seriously, these are funny and have lots of great kid-friendly illustrations to ease anyone into reading.  Hand this off to your reluctant tween readers.

39 Clues series by various authors:
For the kids who are addicted to computers and electronics - this will help them interact with the printed word too.  Plus it has lots of action and puzzle-solving fun.

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz:
If someone's seen a few too many fairy tales or analyzed a few too many folk stories, hand them this for a not-your-usual fare.  They will laugh and gasp in horror and certainly enjoy every minute.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick:
Easy on the eyes and with overwhelmingly few words, this is sure to spark an interest in what else might be between book covers.

For the adult non-readers:
My Sister's Keeper: A Novel by Jodi Picoult:
Readers will be drawn into this emotional and accessible story. And if they love it, there are tons more Picoult they can enjoy on the way to becoming a reader.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold:
This one also packs an emotional punch that will engross them quickly and completely.  It also holds non-stop story to keep them reading to the end.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern:
A surreal trip through a fascinating landscape and with a love story to lure in those itching for a little romance. 

What are your go-to non-reader recommendations?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
 
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