Welcome back to our weekly Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

March 13: Books That Surprised Me (in a good or bad way)

We’ve all had that read – you pick it up not expecting much but are blown away by the story. Or, you pick it up and it’s not what you expected at all – but in a bad way. Maybe it’s an unknown-to-you author that you wonder how you missed. Or, it’s a beloved author, but you just aren’t getting the hype.

I like to Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive, so most of my books will be on that side of the fence this week.

Shall we?

Full of Surprises

The Good Surprises

• The Good Daughter by Karen Slaughter – This was a random audio book selection at the library for me. Holy cow. I just finished listening to it – what a page turner!
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell – Another random library selection. I’d never heard of Rainbow Rowell when I picked it up. Instant love.
• Life After Life by Kate Atkinson – What a great concept to relive your life over until you get it right.
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry – I saw many mixed reviews on this one before I picked it up. I loved it.
• The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear – I won this book on Goodreads when it came out. I had no idea how much I would love Maisie Dobbs.
• Twilight – I reluctantly caved and read this after Breaking Dawn was released and I knew so many Harry Potter fans who were obsessed over it. Turns out I could not put it down.
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – I didn’t expect this book to be so funny!
• Missing Joseph by Elizabeth George – Many moons ago, I was looking for something to read the summer before I went to college. I wanted something different than the cozy mysteries I’d been reading. And my love for the Scotland Yard mystery (and the Inspector Lynley series) was born.

The Not-So-Good Surprises

• Peter Pan by J.M. Berrie – I grew up watching the Disney cartoon version, so actually listening to the book was a little shocking. Disney definitely made some changes. Although it was narrated brilliantly by the fabulous Jim Dale.
• Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll – This was a great book, but the big secret from her past was really hard for me to read about, it’s a sensitive subject for sure.

What about you? What book was a pleasant surprise? Or a not-so-pleasant one? Sound off below, and link up to your own TTT if you’ve got one!