Almost Missed Out on Awesome
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!
So, I struggled with this week's topic - Top Ten Books I Almost But Down But Didn't. If I'm not enjoying a book, I don't usually have a hard time putting it down. It's rare that I get to the point where I almost put a book down and then change my mind. So, I put a little twist on it, but my first four picks do still fit the original topic.
Top Ten Books I Almost Didn't Read
1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - I ended up falling in love with this series, but it was rough going for me at first. I actually picked it up a few times before I was able to really immerse myself in the story and enjoy the writing. It seemed so weird and over-the-top with all the strikethroughs and flowery language!
2. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - I truly almost put this book down, despite having heard so much praise for it. This story is really complex and expertly crafted, but it's hard to see that in the beginning. However, the end result was totally worth the confusion I felt for the first 100 pages!
3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - This series immediately throws you into this new, unknown world. With a lot of unfamiliar terms and very little description of the way the world works, I had a hard time getting into the story until I started falling in love with the characters. From then, I was hooked!
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - I love historical fiction and stories set during WWII, but this one was a real challenge for me. The research is incredible, but it feels so dry for a long time. And then everything finally starts coming together and forms a beautiful and moving story with one of the best examples of friendship!
5. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - This was one of those books I always heard bloggers talking about, but the summary just sounded so weird to me! Combined with the strange cover, I wasn't sure I'd connect with this book. When I finally read the series, it ended up being one of my very favorites!
6. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I read the Twilight books when they were at the height of their popularity, and I kind of judged these books based on my feelings on that series. I'm so glad I got past my distrust of vampires and finally gave these a shot. They were totally addicting and just really fun reads!
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - I know, I know. I've talked before about how I avoided the Pottermania and didn't read this series until a few years ago. I had no interest in reading about magic and wizards, but I had no idea what I was missing out on. These books are amazing, but you probably know that.
8. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I'm so glad I got past my initial skepticism when it came to this series. I don't really like books with strange creatures or monsters, and the whole angels versus demons thing made me nervous. But wow, this series completely won me over!
9. All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry - While this cover really does work for the story once you've read it, it scared me when I first saw it. I thought this was going to be a horror story! It ended up one of my absolute favorite reads in 2013. The book is so moving, which I definitely didn't know to expect based on the cover.
10. Heist Society by Ally Carter - I don't hate this cover, but I thought it seemed kind of juvenile. After a few positive reviews around the blogosphere, I took the plunge and had so much fun with this series! They're so much smarter than the covers led me to believe.
11. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller - I feel like this cover does this book such a disservice! The story is so much more than the romance, and I hate how the cover doesn't communicate the depth and complexity of what's inside. Plus, this story would appeal to guys, but I think the cover might make them shy away.
12. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Bless this book's heart. The story, writing and characters are all amazing! But the cover makes it seem cheesy, and I had no interest in reading it for a long time. I'm glad I didn't trust my initial impression because it's such a great read. I was happy when these covers got redesigned.
Ooh I really enjoyed some of those books - so glad you pushed through :-) DOSB and The Girl of Fire and Thorns especially!!
ReplyDeleteTanya Patrice
Girlxoxo.com
I struggled with Code Name Verity at first too. It was so plane heavy at first and I was honestly super bored. But I had heard so many good things that I forced myself through it and I am so so happy I did. That book is simply incredible.
ReplyDeleteI almost passed on HP too. Then one day, I found a copy in my desk at work (left by the previous secretary) and I was hooked.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Code Name Verity on a lot of lists today, and it made mine too! I felt I was all alone when I started reading it and thought it was so slow! Now I know that apparently everyone felt the same way!
ReplyDeleteI actually did DNF Under The Never Sky, but I actually totally disliked all the characters (except Roar... who can dislike him?) which is why I ultimately gave up on it.
This would have been such an interesting TTT topic to do! I like the twist you did for the topic, especially the ones about the covers. I would never have picked up Anna and the French Kiss either, based on that cover. It was only after my BFF told me the story was good that I finally read it -- and promptly fell in love!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Jellicoe Road and Code Name Verity. So hard to continue at first, but fortunately both are so, so worth it by the end. :)
ReplyDeleteSomething Like Normal's cover definitely doesn't make me want to read that. But hopefully I still will eventually. And the cover for All the Truth That's In Me just disappoints me. So much potential for something interesting! Something better than what it looks like - a contemporary book focused on kidnapping or lies? (That's what I thought at first.)
I love the twist you came up with! I have a lot of similar feelings - Under the Never Sky was a bit of a jolt to get into, but then I got so completely wrapped up in the story and the characters that I couldn't put the book down even if I wanted to. It's one of my favorite series, so I'm glad you stuck with it too! It took me a really long time to finally read Fire and Thorns, as I heard mixed things about the first book, but everyone was right - the next two books are totally worth it. Hector. <333
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting you mention UTNS in this post because while I liked it the first time I read it, I tried rereading it and struggled so much with the first chapters. I might give it another try, because I still want to read TTEN and ITSB. I also never had any interest in reading Anna and the French Kiss (ew, that cover!) and Vampire Academy (ew, vampires!) but I'm so glad I did!
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