Hey guys! Hope everyone is well;) I thought it would be fun to compile a list of books that I enjoyed way more than I expected to, as that is one of the best types of reading experiences. I’ve read quite a few books that I ended up loving despite having low expectations. Here some of them are:
ugly love
New adult romance has never been something I was interested in, and it isn’t necessarily something I will ever gravitate towards. However, I picked Ugly Love up on a whim and ended up enjoying it pretty much all the way through. The emotional aspect of the story was not something I expected, and that, coupled with likable characters, made this an excellent read.
the girl of fire and thorns
YA fantasy is my thing, but slower-burn reads are something I hesitate with. The whole Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy does have a slow pace, which did result in some boring sections, but I LOVED it way more than I thought I would. Book one especially was super great, with an incredible underdog main character and excellent political atmosphere.
proxy
This was a book I had on my shelves for a while, but was never top priority. However, I suddenly had an urge to read a dystopian book, and Proxy is the one I chose. What a surprise. I thought I would like this for entertaining purposes, but I was so much more emotionally invested in the story and the characters than I’d been in most other dystopian series. Usually the dystopian genre is pure entertainment; this duology was a step beyond that for me.
war storm
I absolutely loved the first two books in the Red Queen series, so that is why I was devastated by how much I was bored by King’s Cage. I disliked that book so much that it took me forever to get around to the conclusion. However, when I finally did, I liked it so much more than I thought I ever could given King’s Cage and the mixed reviews I’d seen. In my opinion, War Storm was quite a masterpiece with intricate characters and an incredible balance between tense political maneuvers and action sequences.
queen’s song
This isn’t a book, but a short story. However, I just had to include it, mainly because I read and loved it so recently. After King’s Cage, I never thought I’d ever pick up Broken Throne, which is the short story compilation Queen’s Song is in. However, after loving War Storm I picked up the bindup starting with Coriane’s story. I had never been crazy interested in the Cal and Coriane storyline, so the fact that I was so emotionally connected to this story, especially given how short it was, is incredible. It was heartbreaking, intense, and a worthwhile supplemental read to the series.
and then there were none
I could’ve included The Abc Murders on this list also, as it was a required reading book that I never thought I would enjoy. However, I was blown away by And Then There Were None, a book I thought I’d either love or hate. This was such an incredible read–a masterpiece in my opinion.
the pillars of ponderay
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I did not expect to ever love the sequels, especially given the fact that the books are middle grade. The Pillars of Ponderay is one of four books that I consider my ultimate favorite reads of all-time, and I NEVER thought that was possible before reading it. I loved every second of it; it was magical, mystical, and thrilling.
skyscraping
Skyscraping was only the second book I’ve read told in prose, and although I’d really liked the first one I’d read, that one was way more popular than this one. Either way, Skyscraping is a hidden gem. It is an emotional, raw, and insightful look at a life devastated by HIV.
my sister’s keeper
This was another required reading book, so I naturally expected to dislike or barely tolerate it. The synopsis was not something I was particularly interested in either. However, this was another book I was emotionally touched by. It was a heavy read, but one I was totally enthralled in. An excellent novel.
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