Top Ten Tuesday: I Thought I'd Like MORE/less Than I did.

Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like MORE/Less Than I DID

brought to you  by the Broke and the Bookish

Jeni's Picks:

1. On the Island by Tracy Garvis Graves: I was skeptical about this book.  It's about a 30 year old woman and a 16 year old boy that get stranded on an island and fall in love.  I was surprised because I ended up really liking this book.  I've lent it out numerous times and everyone looks at me weird when I tell them about it, but they all come back and say they thought it was an enjoyable read.

2. The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle: A neighbor recommended this to me.  I wasn't too excited to read a book about aliens, but I soon found out this wasn't really about aliens.  It was about two people helping someone that had become isolated due to a life changing event.  I really liked how the friendships grew.  It was a wonderful book.  I'm so glad my neighbor recommended it.

3. Fever by Lauren DeStefano: I'm not sure why I loved her book, Wither.  Maybe because it felt so different from everything else I have read.  Wither worked for me, but Fever did not.  I hated it.  So many elements in this book just didn't work for me.  The prostitution and voyeurism were just too much.  I was so disappointed I really thought I would love this book.

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson: How did this series get so popular?  Between this violent rape, torture, and murder scenes I just didn't get the hype.  I hated it.  It wasn't boring, it was disturbing.  I pushed through but I wouldn't recommend this book and I didn't continue with the series.

5. Going to Far by Jennifer Echols: I have read so many blogs that just rant and rave about Jennifer Echols books.  I tried Forget You and hated it so I thought I'd give her another try and read Going to Far.  It was better, but not by far.  I think I would've liked it better if the character Meg was older.

Emily's Picks

6. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I was surprised that I liked this book.  It was so different from the first book I read of his, Stardust.  I loved the idea of a different city under a city.  The main character, Richard was like-able and human in a very un-human world. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to give Mr. Gaiman a try.

7. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks. This book actually surprised me.  I love fairy tale stories, but I have never loved the Little Mermaid, and have avoided mermaid stories. I tried a free book and it left a fishy taste in my mouth.  But this book surprised me.  I liked the characters in it. I like my characters to have believable flaws, and I liked where this story was heading.  And I didn't mind that it was about mermaids.  And that is saying a lot.

8. A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz. This book was a Amazon deal or I wouldn't have picked it otherwise.  But I was very glad I did.  It is rated for a younger audience but the Author did such a wonderful job creating the atmosphere that I forgot who the target audience was.  I love ghost stories, but this isn't your typical ghost story.  It's about the sneaky Spiritualist who were swindling bereaved loved ones out of money. And how they would go to great lengths to do so.

9.The Rook by Daniel O'Malley.  I hated this book.  I wrote a review about it, which can be found here. It did not live up to expectations at all.

10. Sunshine by Robin Mckinley. I have been a huge fan of Ms. Mckinley every sense I first read about the hero, and a crown. Her fantasy novels are imaginative and lyrical.  She took a gamble in my opinion in this book.  Let's just say Ms. McKinley should write another Damar book and not try Urban.