Pleasant Surprises: Books That Exceeded Our Expectations
- Description
- Our List of the Month this August is devoted to those pleasant surprises that come into our reading lives—books that exceeded our expectations, and ending up providing far more enjoyment than we thought they would. Each participant may vote on ten titles.
1
11,129 membres
685 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 88.26
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 05:14 PM
- 25 Members
- dara85, erinclark, knerd.knitter, raidergirl3, terran, LDVoorberg, MaryKay1822, deldevries, bogopea, Bethlehem_PL_NH, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, rmarcin, saraLucilleIngram, clunardelli, HH_Library, Alexandro69, Tadams862, VioletL, finnleyjames, RMiller30, conhauf, rvd0359, moc2902, dandalf
2
- 17 Members
- timspalding, raidergirl3, perennialreader, Localhostess, nancjones, nagasravika.bodapati, bookmuse56, CKHarwood, larocco, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, saraLucilleIngram, ErinBraam, HH_Library, VioletL, ConantheLibrarianJr, dandalf, Craftybilda
- Explications
- perennialreader: I don't read much in the way of Science Fiction but read a review and thought I would give it a try.bookmuse56: I could not put down this book and it felt so real to me and I kept wondering what I would in the various situations.ConantheLibrarianJr: Great "hard" Science Fiction. The book reminded me that if you are marooned on Mars, humor is your most important survival skill.
3
- 12 Members
- kxn11, magneticvoyager, RBeffa, elkiedee, nancjones, ominogue, bookmuse56, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, saraLucilleIngram, pacificquest, VioletL, dandalf
- Explications
- elkiedee: I had no particular expectations of this book but picked it up because it was shortlisted for an award and it was excellent.bookmuse56: I fell in with the writing, the time period, and the characters - perfect for armchair travelers.
4
18,767 membres
880 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 40.89
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 07:07 PM
- 13 Members
- 3togetready, terran, deldevries, RBeffa, bogopea, nagasravika.bodapati, kara.shamy, pacificquest, HH_Library, somca, conhauf, rvd0359, dandalf
5
- 13 Members
- dara85, magneticvoyager, noveltea, Dammie, HeatherMoss, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, Yarnucopia, steller0707, darsaster, pacificquest, VioletL, RMiller30, dandalf
6
de Dodie Smith
9,187 membres
294 critiques
4.1
Score 39.45
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 03:40 PM
- 13 Members
- erinclark, CDVicarage, kxn11, dewasus1, HeatherMoss, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, ManWithAnAgenda, saraLucilleIngram, pacificquest, HH_Library, Ann_R, RMiller30, dandalf
7
de M. R. Carey
5,306 membres
399 critiques
4
Score 37.47
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 02:53 AM
- 13 Members
- timspalding, anglemark, erinclark, magneticvoyager, PitcherBooks, nagasravika.bodapati, kara.shamy, HeatherMoss, CKHarwood, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, saraLucilleIngram, pacificquest, moc2902
- Explications
- anglemark: I don't like zombie stories. Color me surprised at how good this book was!
8
de Betty Smith
16,500 membres
441 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 30.57
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:41 AM
- 10 Members
- erinclark, kxn11, dewasus1, Cecrow, MaryKay1822, pussreboots, Yarnucopia, pacificquest, maewharton, Craftybilda
9
43,143 membres
1,747 critiques
4
Score 29.18
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 08:05 PM
- 10 Members
- pgmcc, knerd.knitter, deldevries, perennialreader, JuliaMaria, nagasravika.bodapati, Dammie, HH_Library, finnleyjames, ConantheLibrarianJr,EMS_24 ,Thelamon1
- Explications
- EMS_24 : It's all about expectations and what you like in a bookperennialreader: Not my kind of book at all, but I took a chance and have read the whole series, even the ones by David Lagercrantz. Just love the Lisbeth Salander character.JuliaMaria: Ich habe die Serie erst gelesen als der Hype vorbei war - und war dann traurig, dass ich sie nicht doch früher schon für mich entdeckt hatte.ConantheLibrarianJr: Powerful. What Solander goes thru is horrific, but she proves she is more than just a heroine. She is a survivor!
10
4,450 membres
225 critiques
4
Score 28.31
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 12:09 AM
- 9 Members
- mahsdad, magneticvoyager, LDVoorberg, nancjones, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, saraLucilleIngram, pacificquest, VioletL, conhauf
11
12
25,458 membres
431 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 25.13
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 03:58 AM
- 8 Members
- Minthe, CDVicarage, amanda4242, deldevries, nagasravika.bodapati, CKHarwood, pacificquest, ElizaAnderson
13
de Amor Towles
9,054 membres
513 critiques
½ 4.4
Score 24.9
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 06:34 PM
- 8 Members
- raidergirl3, CDVicarage, LDVoorberg, CarltonC, nagasravika.bodapati, Yarnucopia, steller0707, HH_Library
- Explications
- LDVoorberg: A long book set in Russia?! I kept expecting tragedy upon tragedy but I got the enjoyable, daily happenings of a gentleman in a hotel!CarltonC: I didn’t expect that I would find this as unexpected, seemingly short and warm hearted as it is.
14
3,148 membres
93 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 24.59
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 06:47 PM
- 8 Members
- RBeffa, Porua, elkiedee, Smits, kara.shamy, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, Xotomix, RMiller30
- Explications
- Porua: I rarely read books I know nothing of, from authors I know nothing of. Both were true for this book and yet I not only read and enjoyed it, I actually bought a print copy of it.
15
12,787 membres
336 critiques
4.1
Score 23.43
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 04:01 AM
- 9 Members
- Minthe, erinclark, CDVicarage, LDVoorberg, bogopea, nagasravika.bodapati, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, pacificquest, Yuki-Onna
16
- 7 Members
- Minthe, magneticvoyager, cherpy, Yarnucopia, steller0707, Patricia.Ralston, conhauf
17
17,183 membres
910 critiques
4
Score 22.12
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:11 PM
- 8 Members
- erinclark, CDVicarage, noveltea, kara.shamy, rmarcin, pacificquest, RMiller30, dandalf
18
de Yann Martel
43,580 membres
1,013 critiques
3.9
Score 21.01
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:17 PM
- 7 Members
- knerd.knitter, kleo, dougb56586, Localhostess, kara.shamy, nyowh, dandalf
19
41,082 membres
1,045 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 19.34
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 6 Members
- timspalding, sundancer, CKHarwood, larocco, RMiller30, ConantheLibrarianJr
20
9,692 membres
200 critiques
4
Score 18.9
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 03:53 AM
- 6 Members
- Minthe, MaryKay1822, amy_g, nagasravika.bodapati, HeatherMoss, saraLucilleIngram
21
- 6 Members
- CarltonC, vwinsloe, kara.shamy, nyowh, Algernon11, dandalf
- Explications
- CarltonC: Wowed by the imaginative rewriting of the epic from a different perspective and in such readable prose.
22
26,954 membres
772 critiques
3.9
Score 17.09
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 05:01 AM
- 7 Members
- CDVicarage, amanda4242, Vegas_Fiber_Arts, ManWithAnAgenda, Boand, steller0707, RMiller30,Thelamon1
- Explications
- Boand: Original tales of magic, madness and mystery set in the early C19th. Clarke constructs a fantasy world like no other where customs and fey characters collide. Endless fun and brilliant imaginative twists make this a book to cherish.
23
2,468 membres
159 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 16.18
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:22 PM
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, librookian, magneticvoyager, nancjones, Vegas_Fiber_Arts
24
52,743 membres
1,300 critiques
4.2
Score 15.29
Ajouté 2022-08-17, 12:38 PM
- 6 Members
- dara85, erinclark, MaryKay1822, HH_Library, DoomLuz, dandalf
25
de Alan Bradley
7,734 membres
654 critiques
3.8
Score 14.56
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 04:57 AM
- 6 Members
- raidergirl3, terran, LDVoorberg, PitcherBooks, kara.shamy, Boand,EMS_24
- Explications
- LDVoorberg: You must listen to the audiobook: the narrator makes the series amazing.Boand: Another recommendation of a whodunnit led me to the first of this quirky series and sealed it as one of my all time favourites. What’s not to love about a pesky teenage girl who beats the grownups at their own games, negotiates troublesome sisters and adores her father while they all mourn her mother and saves Britain from evil masterminds.
26
6,746 membres
287 critiques
4.1
Score 14.54
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 11:21 PM
- 5 Members
- merrystar, msemmag, Patricia.Ralston, VioletL, RMiller30
27
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, bookmuse56, rmarcin, saraLucilleIngram, HH_Library
- Explications
- bookmuse56: Just a wonderful read that I finished in one sitting!
28
19,355 membres
1,246 critiques
4.2
Score 13.52
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 04:30 PM
- 5 Members
- raidergirl3, MaryKay1822, Patricia.Ralston, darsaster, HH_Library
29
3,374 membres
250 critiques
3.8
Score 12.5
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 04:42 AM
- 4 Members
- igorken, pussreboots, steller0707, DoomLuz
30
- 4 Members
- ominogue, ahef1963, steller0707, finnleyjames
31
9,048 membres
191 critiques
4
Score 11.66
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 07:01 PM
- 4 Members
- hipdeep, RBeffa, elkiedee, saraLucilleIngram
- Explications
- hipdeep: My only other experience of Hemingway was The Old Man And The Sea, which bored me to tears. But these autobiographical vignettes were captivating.
32
de Pat Conroy
5,819 membres
108 critiques
4.1
Score 11.25
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 12:48 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, MaryKay1822, Bethlehem_PL_NH, ManWithAnAgenda
33
13,909 membres
351 critiques
4.2
Score 11.03
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:51 PM
- 4 Members
- cherpy, Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom, steller0707
34
3,005 membres
193 critiques
3.8
Score 10.7
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 12:23 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, amanda4242, noveltea, kara.shamy
35
50,321 membres
450 critiques
½ 4.5
Score 10.31
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 4 Members
- timspalding, kleo, dewasus1, Patricia.Ralston
36
2,791 membres
168 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 10.31
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:26 PM
- 3 Members
- anglemark, saraLucilleIngram, Tosta
- Explications
- anglemark: A nice surprise after the boring feelgood The long way to a small, angry planet
37
106,932 membres
981 critiques
½ 4.4
Score 10.07
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:06 PM
- 4 Members
- timspalding, MaryKay1822, Bethlehem_PL_NH, Patricia.Ralston
38
de Walter Moers
2,942 membres
88 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 10.04
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:36 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, PitcherBooks, TechThing, VioletL
39
20,550 membres
794 critiques
4.2
Score 9.91
Ajouté 2022-08-16, 06:10 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, PitcherBooks, MaryKay1822, RMiller30
40
5,251 membres
150 critiques
4.2
Score 9.87
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 03:42 PM
41
5,773 membres
333 critiques
3.9
Score 9.85
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:35 AM
- 4 Members
- Localhostess, kara.shamy, BornAnalog, steller0707
- Explications
- BornAnalog: One of the few books that everyone talked up to me, and then it actually delivered. And then some.
42
4,860 membres
62 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 9.74
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:27 PM
- 3 Members
- aprille, ahef1963, maewharton
43
5,457 membres
360 critiques
4.1
Score 9.71
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 06:21 PM
- 3 Members
- Her_Royal_Orangeness, msemmag, barefootsong
44
de Naomi Novik
3,825 membres
200 critiques
4.2
Score 9.23
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:27 PM
45
5,688 membres
263 critiques
4
Score 9.14
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 04:03 AM
- 3 Members
- Minthe, TheDivineOomba, CKHarwood
46
- 3 Members
- Micheller7, raidergirl3, CDVicarage
47
de Thomas King
1,151 membres
28 critiques
4
Score 8.98
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:53 PM
48
- 3 Members
- Moomin_Mama, knerd.knitter, CDVicarage
49
867 membres
15 critiques
½ 3.7
Score 8.63
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 04:52 AM
- 3 Members
- Localhostess, Boand, conhauf
- Explications
- Boand: As a Londoner born and bred the Thames is part of my heritage and consciousness. Ackroyd weaves a wonderful historical journey covering millennia as well as miles as he follows the river from source to sea. It’s a really fascinating and captivating book which was a joy to read. For those who are interested there is also an accompanying TV series with highlights from the book and wonderful camera work.
50
51
3,466 membres
196 critiques
3.9
Score 8.46
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 08:16 PM
- 3 Members
- perennialreader, bogopea, kara.shamy
- Explications
- perennialreader: I did not like Eat, Pray, Love but someone recommended this one and I actually like it.
52
de Peter Høeg
7,368 membres
163 critiques
3.8
Score 8.42
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:38 AM
- 3 Members
- CDVicarage, Cecrow, dougb56586
53
3,980 membres
226 critiques
4.2
Score 8.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:20 PM
54
1,583 membres
81 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 8.17
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 10:01 AM
- 3 Members
- erinclark, tina1969, Bethlehem_PL_NH
55
39,445 membres
1,271 critiques
4.1
Score 8.05
Ajouté 2022-08-14, 10:27 AM
56
970 membres
70 critiques
4.2
Score 8
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:08 PM
57
- 3 Members
- 3togetready, terran, kxn11
58
12,475 membres
189 critiques
4
Score 7.75
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 10:54 AM
- 3 Members
- Localhostess, Dilara86, msemmag
59
203 membres
47 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 7.36
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 09:02 PM
60
7,698 membres
296 critiques
4.2
Score 7.26
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:24 PM
- 3 Members
- steller0707, nyowh, VioletL
61
- 3 Members
- Boand, steller0707, conhauf
- Explications
- Boand: A book that has a split dual timeline and an irresistible story of star crossed lovers. Byatt’s writing intrigues and compels across different centuries and compares how social mores shape our lives bringing joy, heartache and sorrow.
62
63
19,047 membres
403 critiques
4.1
Score 7.04
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:39 PM
- 2 Members
- Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom
64
- 2 Members
- nancjones, AbigailAdams26
- Explications
- AbigailAdams26: I had no fixed ideas going into this book, and certainly did not expect it to be one of the best middle-grade novels I have ever read!
65
22 membres
2 critiques
½ 4.7
Score 6.68
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:09 PM
- 2 Members
- AbigailAdams26, alderwand
- Explications
- AbigailAdams26: I expected to enjoy the artwork here, being an admirer of the illustrator (Frances Tyrrell), but I was surprised to find the story itself so beautifully-written and immensely poignant.
66
26,248 membres
501 critiques
4.2
Score 6.56
Ajouté 2022-08-30, 10:38 AM
- 2 Members
- Patricia.Ralston, elahrairah
- Explications
- elahrairah: My girlfriend said I should read this. It didn't look like the sort of book I would even consider but I did and it was brilliant. It made me realise that there was whole swathes of literature that I was missing out on because of my preconceived notions of what markets were being aimed for by covers, and that I had subconsciously coded whole swathes of literature as aimed at female audiences and ignored it. This was a bit of a shock, because I thought that I was an indiscriminate reader. It is always painful to learn things about yourself that you don't want to be true. I hope that I no longer ignore books that are marketed in a feminine way, and I make an effort to remember this whenever I am considering buying or reading a book. The novel is incredible, by the way.
67
- 2 Members
- cbl_tn, Patricia.Ralston
68
de Ruth Ozeki
4,417 membres
252 critiques
4.1
Score 6.4
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 07:48 AM
69
de Donna Tartt
20,282 membres
554 critiques
4.1
Score 6.38
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:33 PM
- 2 Members
- Her_Royal_Orangeness, msemmag
70
2,916 membres
62 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 6.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 11:27 AM
- 2 Members
- souloftherose, Patricia.Ralston
71
- 2 Members
- terriks, Patricia.Ralston
72
- 2 Members
- elkiedee, ManWithAnAgenda
- Explications
- elkiedee: Read by mistake from the library when I was 14 and I think I thought it was something different, but I really loved this.
73
de George Eliot
8,694 membres
119 critiques
3.8
Score 6.19
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 12:24 PM
- 2 Members
- JalenV, ManWithAnAgenda
- Explications
- JalenV: I picked it because it was a classic, but the characters and their stories were much more interesting than I expected. BTW The Wheat and the Tares chapter is old name for the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds.
74
- 2 Members
- Michael.Rimmer, alderwand
75
76
- 2 Members
- dewasus1, barefootsong
77
94 membres
2 critiques
4
Score 6.04
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:34 AM
- 2 Members
- BornAnalog, alderwand
- Explications
- BornAnalog: Read this argument for an ethics-driven technology sector. . .and then contemplate how far that is from our current reality.
79
- 2 Members
- JuliaMaria, nyowh
- Explications
- JuliaMaria: Geschichten mit Tieren als Hauptprotakonisten interessieren mich normalerweise weniger, deshalb war ich positiv über die philosophische Tiefe des Romans überrascht.
80
- 2 Members
- aprille, Patricia.Ralston
81
de C. S. Lewis
17,364 membres
153 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-23, 11:32 AM
82
1,075 membres
3 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 11:26 AM
- 2 Members
- cpg, Yarnucopia
- Explications
- cpg: Surprisingly successful devotional work.
83
5,492 membres
191 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:58 PM
- 2 Members
- raidergirl3, barefootsong
84
de Hiro Arikawa
1,482 membres
92 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-20, 09:54 AM
85
de Hans Bemmann
481 membres
7 critiques
½ 3.5
Score 5.42
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:34 AM
87
3,846 membres
199 critiques
½ 3.7
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:17 AM
- 2 Members
- noveltea, BornAnalog
88
de Elton John
1,230 membres
41 critiques
4.2
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:23 PM
89
72,030 membres
1,164 critiques
3.8
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 07:17 PM
90
- 2 Members
- CDVicarage, darsaster
91
11,633 membres
830 critiques
4.1
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:17 PM
- 2 Members
- knerd.knitter, barefootsong
92
de Jon Krakauer
14,063 membres
313 critiques
4.2
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:29 PM
- 2 Members
- MaryKay1822, ahef1963
93
de Amor Towles
3,339 membres
169 critiques
4.1
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:32 PM
- 2 Members
- terran, Bethlehem_PL_NH
94
1,973 membres
109 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:31 PM
- 2 Members
- perennialreader, Her_Royal_Orangeness
95
1,253 membres
21 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:38 AM
96
- 2 Members
- TechThing, ManWithAnAgenda
97
98
- 2 Members
- Micheller7, sturlington
- Explications
- sturlington: I thought this was a book about Shakespeare, but it was so much more than that--such a moving depiction of motherhood and grief.
99
de Zane Grey
1,790 membres
61 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 5.02
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 08:44 AM
- 2 Members
- aprille, perennialreader
100
5,454 membres
182 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 4.87
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 05:35 PM
- 2 Members
- cbl_tn, perennialreader