Top Ten Tuesday s a weekly meme stated at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they have a specific topic for a top ten list. Link up, visit some new blogs and add to your ever growing TBR list!
This weeks list is all about comfort zones! Which books have you read outside of your comfort zone? I should first explain what my comfort zone is because some of the books on my list most would question because they're absolutely spectacular! Usually I go straight for a Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, or Fantasy novel. On occasion I do go for a plain old romance, or historical romance!
The List:
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Yes I know! How could I not think I'd like this book? but I must admit I judged it by the cover right off the bat. Also I had never read a dystopian novel nor one about kids killing other kids, but a friend of mine swore it was amazing, and it definitely was!
City of Bonesby Cassandra Clare
Once again I know how could I NOT want to read City of Bones? But again I wasn't too sure about the whole angel lore, nor was I crazy about the style of writing. Although all that soon changed as I started to read the book, and now I can confirm I am obsessed with Cassandra Clare and her world of Shadow Hunters!
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
by Alison Goodman
This was an impulse buy because I absolutely LOVED the cover. But once I got home I thought I probably wasn't going to enjoy it as much as I had originally thought. The culture was different from what I was use to reading, and also I was absolutely lost on dragon and asian lore. But as it turned out I couldn't put it down for two days straight!
Hush Hushby Becca Fitzpatrick
Honestly the half naked guy on the cover had drawn me to this book. Angel lore at this point was totally lost on me, and I thought this book was a little too young for me. But I was SO wrong! This is one of my top 5 must reads for anyone! (I can't believe I almost didn't get to experience Patch!)
Pride & Prejudiceby Jane Austen
I read this a couple years ago before I became the romance fanatic I currently am. This book took me by surprise I thought I wasn't going to like it because it was too classical for my liking but that was not true at all!
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares
My cousin gave this to me to read up north camping one year, and I thought "ugh chick lit, I am going to HATE this" - wow I was so naive then, lol. I absolutely loved it! Definitely not my normal Paranormal Romance, haha.
A Game of Thrones
by George R. R. Martin
Not your average fantasy novel, and the only reason I read it was because just recently it was produced into a TV show by HBO, so I wanted to read it before I watched it. I thought it was TOO fantasy for me, but once again I was totally off with my presumptions; and now I am addicted!
Outlanderby Diana Gabaldon
A university friend gave this too me to read while I was sick with the flu, and I thought it was too adult for me; not enough young adult angst, lol. But the historical aspect appealed too me and boy I fell hard for Jamie - he is one sexy highlander! Diana has built an amazing love story that transcends time and war; it is definitely a must read for anyone!
A Great and Terrible Beautyby Libba Bray
This book was a bit of a surprise for me. I thought I was going to like it when I had first gotten it as a present, but then I read the excerpt and thought it was too far fetched for me. I didn't quite understand the storyline or what supernatural being she was trying to portray. But Libba Bray quickly stole many lost hours of sleep once I started reading it! It was spectacular, and mysterious! Not the usual type of book I would read!
The Undomestic Goddessby Sophie Kinsella
I can't believe I almost passed this over one day at the book store. I thought "ugh another chick lit" book! I wasn't a huge fan of the Shopaholic series as every other girl in my grade 11 classes were. Bu I thought I'd give another one of her books a shot, and I definitely loved it! Still the whole "chick lit" genre isn't my forte, obviously there are a few that have broken through my paranormal, Y.A. shield though, lol.
So glad you read and enjoyed these books, thank you also for explaining what your "comfort zone" entails in books. I left my comfort zone to read The Hunger Games and Hush, Hush. I LOVED Pride & Prejudice, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Undomestic Goddess, but those are within my comfort zone :) These are all great titles and you have inspired me and other readers to leave our comfort zones in order to experience unexpected good reads, thanks for that :)
ReplyDeleteP&P was outside of my comfort zone because of all the romance. But what I really liked was Austens wit and social commentary. It was a very sweet book and told a lot about the times.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed quite a few books on your list too - The Hunger Games, City of Bones & Game of Thrones. I haven't read much chick lit in a while - but I really like the historical ones.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, the first two books on your list made me gasp. Those are two of my all time favorite books! I'm glad you liked them :)
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness, I love a lot of the books on your list. The only ones I have yet to read are Outlander, A Game of Thrones and Hush Hush :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I absolutely love all your guys comments! This list was sort of hard to make because as I've gotten older and read more and more I find I do love all types of books and not just one genre but I do tend to go outside of what I like.
ReplyDelete@Kara - Thank you so much for your kind words! I thought I would explain why these books were outside of my comfort zone instead of just listing books. I do love all genre's of books but sometimes you just need a good fantasy or romance or paranormal. I am getting more and more into chick lit as I get older but I think that genre will always be a bit outside of my comfort just because I prefer a different type of romance from an average "human" one, ahaha!
@Trish - I absolutely adore her wit and social commentary! I love history (I am studying it, lol) and I think her books do give a very insightful and delicate image of how women in the victorian age made decisions and how some like today are just as different from their time. But Pride & Prejudice i must agree is very romantic, but sometime a girl needs a bit more of a realistic romance instead of a fairy tale and I think that is exactly what Pride & Prejudice does.
@Tanya Patrice- Thank you so much for your comment. I find a lot of people who read Y.A. are unsure of the type - there is so much out there now a days. I am glad you enjoyed them though :)
@Must Love Books - I have to admit those two books are on my must read shelf in my house so everyone knows how good they are, but still I was so unsure about them in the beginning. I am glad though now I got to experience the pure "awesomeness" of those two, lol. Thanks for the comment :)
So sorry Alexa I had missed your comment when typing my response to everyone else's! I find a lot of people have read the boks on my list, and have loved them; and like myself I absolutely adore most of them but still at the time I was reading them they were outside of my comfort zone. You must read Hush Hush if you are looking for something phenomenal! The characters, the story and the writing is absolutely perfect for a Y.A. reader! Hopefully you'll get a chance to read the series :)
ReplyDeleteI have heard an awful lot about that Hunger Games..may have to check it out! I am a new follower!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Lisa