Tuesday 21 February 2017

TTT (8) - Books I Loved More/Less Than I Thought I Would

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Follow the link to know more about the meme and join up! 
This week's topic is Top Ten Books I Loved More/Less Than I Thought I Would. Their post this week can be found here. There will be a Top Ten Tuesday hiatus until March 7th afterwards. You'll find the reasons on their blog.
I've been considering just putting together a list of books that disappointed me, because I've found one thing now that I'm in my 30's: books and films rarely blow my mind anymore. I think after you've reached a certain age, you have seen most plot twists and most scenarios played out in all different ways. Every time you see something for the first time, you're impressed, especially if executed well... and then after a while, all you think is: been here, read this before. But every now and then a book still manages to leave me with a hangover.

Books I liked Less Than I Thought I Would

  
 
  • I feel like I'm probably not fair towards Sarah J. Maas book series. The books are definitely good. And technically, I'm not really the audience anymore. However, I do enjoy some YA a lot, so let me try book 4.
  • The Book Thief is one of those that everyone seems to love, except for me. I just really didn't like the narrator. He's what ruined the story for me. I don't want to spoil here, but for some reason that narrator and me did not get along.
  • Ender's Game. Ender is the best. Even at the age of 6 he can do it all. Flawless main characters bother me a lot. Nonetheless this is a sci-fi classic.
  • The Handmaid's Tale is another classic. Written in 1985 it shows the terrible future that awaits us women if suddenly our rights get taken away. I thought the world and concept was really interesting but I was bored by Atwood's book. Sorry.
  • Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children is on the edge of being YA. I thought it was probably more directed towards the younger segment of that age bracket. The photos were a cool idea, but the story was boring.

Books I liked More Than I Thought I would

  
 
  • Flowers for Algernon is a sci-fi classic from the 60's about a young man who has an IQ of 68 and desperately wants to fit in. He participates in an experiment to increase his IQ and... well, saying more would give the story away. Visceral. A short read and one that punched me in the  gut.
  • A Gentleman in Moscow. It's getting pushed in all shop window's in London and I love to see that. It's such a wonderful, heartfelt tale. It gave me happy feelings.
  • Red Rising. Wow, these books have made me yell at various things in my house like a pillow and a radiator.
  • The Raven Boys. I expected just another YA adventure but it's mostly a series about friendship and it's lovely.
  • The Promise of the Child. Complicated and dense but worthwhile because the world building is spectacular. It's thousands of years into the future and humanity has evolved into different species that are now spread across the galaxy.
I hope everyone is having an excellent week. I'm still mostly coughing. Stupid cold.

15 comments:

  1. Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, Sarah J. Maas and Maggie Stiefvater books are on my TBR but I am not getting to them for some reason. I gotta check out Maggie Stiefvater's books soon.
    Here's My TTT

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    1. Also new GFC and Bloglovin' follower here!

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    2. Thanks for following :) I followed back! And I hope you're having a great week!

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  2. Flowers for Algernon is incredible. I've read it a couple times and it's totally amazing.

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  3. Glad you loved The Raven Boys! The Book Thief is one of my favourite books, but I know it's hit or miss, I gave it to my sister and she was not a fan!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/top-ten-tuesday-97/

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  4. I'm glad you like the raven boys, I'm thinking about starting that series soon and I was a bit worried because of all the hype surrounding it but my mind is eased now!

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    1. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but it's such a sweet tale about friendship and so very different from the usual YA that I really fell in love with it. I hope you'll like it :)

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  5. I'm one of those Book Thief fans, but I tend to like WWII stories anyway. I haven't read Flowers for Algernon since high school, but remember loving it.

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    1. It's a great book :) I'm glad you enjoyed the Book Thief! Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. I had the same experience with The Handmaid's Tale and Miss Peregrine's. Funny I bought red Rising thinking it was an Angel and demons book because of the wings. What a surprise! LOL it was a DNF first and then when I tried again. BOOM! FIVE Supernovas! :)
    Raven Bys is my nemesis. I can't get through that book and I have no idea why I keep trying. It's like I'm obsessed with it! :)

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    1. I'm sure not every book is for everyone, just give up and never look back :)

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  7. I was expecting to love Throne of Glass (based on the hype) but came away somewhat disappointed. Same with Miss Peregrine's. I haven't continued with either series. Unfortunately I felt the same about The Raven Boys and never continued that series, either. I remember reading Flowers for Algernon in high school (assigned reading) and being heartbroken at the turn in events.

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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    1. I can definitely understand if that gave you the same feeling. I guess, I just liked the depiction of friendship and it resonated with me :) Have a great week!

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