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
11,151 membres
687 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
18,666 membres
881 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
9,196 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
5,311 membres
400 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
16,512 membres
442 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 34.57
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:41 AM
- 11 Members
- erinclark, kxn11, dewasus1, Cecrow, MaryKay1822, kamgem, pussreboots, Yarnucopia, pacificquest, maewharton, Craftybilda
9
43,173 membres
1,748 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
4,463 membres
226 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
25,480 membres
433 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
9,077 membres
515 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
3,152 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
12,795 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
17,189 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
43,574 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
41,099 membres
1,046 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 19.34
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 6 Members
- timspalding, sundancer, CKHarwood, larocco, RMiller30, ConantheLibrarianJr
20
9,696 membres
202 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
26,972 membres
774 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
2,490 membres
162 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 16.18
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:22 PM
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, librookian, magneticvoyager, nancjones, Vegas_Fiber_Arts
24
52,778 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
7,746 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
6,751 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
19,369 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
3,377 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
9,054 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
5,820 membres
108 critiques
4.1
Score 11.25
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 12:48 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, MaryKay1822, Bethlehem_PL_NH, ManWithAnAgenda
33
13,913 membres
351 critiques
4.2
Score 11.03
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:51 PM
- 4 Members
- cherpy, Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom, steller0707
34
3,012 membres
194 critiques
3.8
Score 10.7
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 12:23 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, amanda4242, noveltea, kara.shamy
35
50,356 membres
450 critiques
½ 4.5
Score 10.31
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 4 Members
- timspalding, kleo, dewasus1, Patricia.Ralston
36
2,796 membres
169 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
107,018 membres
984 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
2,943 membres
88 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 10.04
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:36 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, PitcherBooks, TechThing, VioletL
39
20,567 membres
795 critiques
4.2
Score 9.91
Ajouté 2022-08-16, 06:10 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, PitcherBooks, MaryKay1822, RMiller30
40
5,259 membres
150 critiques
4.2
Score 9.87
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 03:42 PM
41
5,780 membres
334 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
4,864 membres
62 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 9.74
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:27 PM
- 3 Members
- aprille, ahef1963, maewharton
43
5,470 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
3,838 membres
200 critiques
4.2
Score 9.23
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:27 PM
45
5,695 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
1,152 membres
28 critiques
4
Score 8.98
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:53 PM
48
- 3 Members
- Moomin_Mama, knerd.knitter, CDVicarage
49
868 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
3,472 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
7,372 membres
163 critiques
3.8
Score 8.42
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:38 AM
- 3 Members
- CDVicarage, Cecrow, dougb56586
53
3,988 membres
226 critiques
4.2
Score 8.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:20 PM
54
1,586 membres
81 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 8.17
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 10:01 AM
- 3 Members
- erinclark, tina1969, Bethlehem_PL_NH
55
39,456 membres
1,271 critiques
4.1
Score 8.05
Ajouté 2022-08-14, 10:27 AM
56
973 membres
70 critiques
4.2
Score 8
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:08 PM
57
- 3 Members
- 3togetready, terran, kxn11
58
12,484 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
7,706 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
19,057 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
26,262 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
4,426 membres
252 critiques
4.1
Score 6.4
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 07:48 AM
69
de Donna Tartt
20,310 membres
556 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
8,700 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
17,377 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
5,507 membres
191 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:58 PM
- 2 Members
- raidergirl3, barefootsong
84
de Hiro Arikawa
1,487 membres
93 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-20, 09:54 AM
85
de Hans Bemmann
482 membres
8 critiques
½ 3.5
Score 5.42
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:34 AM
87
3,858 membres
199 critiques
½ 3.7
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:17 AM
- 2 Members
- noveltea, BornAnalog
88
de Elton John
1,236 membres
41 critiques
4.2
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:23 PM
89
72,093 membres
1,168 critiques
3.8
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 07:17 PM
90
- 2 Members
- CDVicarage, darsaster
91
11,664 membres
831 critiques
4.1
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:17 PM
- 2 Members
- knerd.knitter, barefootsong
92
de Jon Krakauer
14,069 membres
313 critiques
4.2
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:29 PM
- 2 Members
- MaryKay1822, ahef1963
93
de Amor Towles
3,351 membres
169 critiques
4.1
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:32 PM
- 2 Members
- terran, Bethlehem_PL_NH
94
1,981 membres
110 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:31 PM
- 2 Members
- perennialreader, Her_Royal_Orangeness
95
1,255 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
1,793 membres
61 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 5.02
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 08:44 AM
- 2 Members
- aprille, perennialreader
100
5,455 membres
182 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 4.87
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 05:35 PM
- 2 Members
- cbl_tn, perennialreader