Pleasant Surprises: Books That Exceeded Our Expectations
- Liste du mois
- Août 2022 (see all)
- 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
11,404 membres
691 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
19,213 membres
889 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
9,302 membres
298 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 Betty Smith
16,770 membres
445 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 37.93
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:41 AM
- 12 Members
- erinclark, kxn11, dewasus1, Cecrow, MaryKay1822, kamgem, JohnChic, pussreboots, Yarnucopia, pacificquest, maewharton, Craftybilda
8
de M. R. Carey
5,423 membres
401 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!
9
43,610 membres
1,748 critiques
4
Score 33.18
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 08:05 PM
- 11 Members
- pgmcc, lahochstetler, 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
4,653 membres
227 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
de Amor Towles
9,451 membres
524 critiques
½ 4.4
Score 27.94
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 06:34 PM
- 9 Members
- raidergirl3, CDVicarage, LDVoorberg, CarltonC, JohnChic, 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.
12
13
17,261 membres
911 critiques
4
Score 25.49
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:11 PM
- 9 Members
- erinclark, lahochstetler, CDVicarage, noveltea, kara.shamy, rmarcin, pacificquest, RMiller30, dandalf
14
25,979 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
15
3,168 membres
94 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.
16
12,977 membres
339 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
17
- 7 Members
- Minthe, magneticvoyager, cherpy, Yarnucopia, steller0707, Patricia.Ralston, conhauf
18
de Yann Martel
43,972 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
41,577 membres
1,052 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 19.34
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 6 Members
- timspalding, sundancer, CKHarwood, larocco, RMiller30, ConantheLibrarianJr
20
9,833 membres
206 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
27,236 membres
781 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
2,889 membres
178 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 16.18
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:22 PM
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, librookian, magneticvoyager, nancjones, Vegas_Fiber_Arts
24
53,307 membres
1,306 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
7,828 membres
659 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
6,788 membres
286 critiques
4.1
Score 14.54
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 11:21 PM
- 5 Members
- merrystar, msemmag, Patricia.Ralston, VioletL, RMiller30
27
50,905 membres
453 critiques
½ 4.5
Score 14.31
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 5 Members
- timspalding, kleo, dewasus1, JohnChic, Patricia.Ralston
28
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, bookmuse56, rmarcin, saraLucilleIngram, HH_Library
- Explications
- bookmuse56: Just a wonderful read that I finished in one sitting!
29
19,549 membres
1,250 critiques
4.2
Score 13.52
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 04:30 PM
- 5 Members
- raidergirl3, MaryKay1822, Patricia.Ralston, darsaster, HH_Library
30
3,535 membres
249 critiques
3.8
Score 12.5
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 04:42 AM
- 4 Members
- igorken, pussreboots, steller0707, DoomLuz
31
- 4 Members
- ominogue, ahef1963, steller0707, finnleyjames
32
9,175 membres
192 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.
33
de Pat Conroy
5,867 membres
111 critiques
4.1
Score 11.25
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 12:48 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, MaryKay1822, Bethlehem_PL_NH, ManWithAnAgenda
34
14,044 membres
352 critiques
4.2
Score 11.03
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:51 PM
- 4 Members
- cherpy, Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom, steller0707
35
3,170 membres
198 critiques
3.8
Score 10.7
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 12:23 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, amanda4242, noveltea, kara.shamy
36
2,834 membres
173 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
108,626 membres
987 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
2,974 membres
89 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 10.04
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:36 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, PitcherBooks, TechThing, VioletL
39
20,694 membres
798 critiques
4.2
Score 9.91
Ajouté 2022-08-16, 06:10 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, PitcherBooks, MaryKay1822, RMiller30
40
19,272 membres
400 critiques
4.1
Score 9.87
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:39 PM
- 3 Members
- JohnChic, Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom
41
5,330 membres
152 critiques
4.2
Score 9.87
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 03:42 PM
42
5,948 membres
340 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.
43
4,938 membres
63 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 9.74
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:27 PM
- 3 Members
- aprille, ahef1963, maewharton
44
5,654 membres
363 critiques
4.1
Score 9.71
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 06:21 PM
- 3 Members
- Her_Royal_Orangeness, msemmag, barefootsong
45
de C. S. Lewis
17,730 membres
153 critiques
4.1
Score 9.5
Ajouté 2022-08-23, 11:32 AM
- 3 Members
- hipdeep, SF_fan_mae, msemmag
- Explications
46
de Donna Tartt
20,762 membres
553 critiques
4.1
Score 9.42
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:33 PM
- 3 Members
- lahochstetler, Her_Royal_Orangeness, msemmag
47
26,583 membres
505 critiques
4.2
Score 9.38
Ajouté 2022-08-30, 10:38 AM
- 3 Members
- lahochstetler, 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.
48
de Naomi Novik
4,015 membres
198 critiques
4.2
Score 9.23
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:27 PM
49
5,791 membres
265 critiques
4
Score 9.14
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 04:03 AM
- 3 Members
- Minthe, TheDivineOomba, CKHarwood
50
- 3 Members
- Micheller7, raidergirl3, CDVicarage
51
de Thomas King
1,163 membres
28 critiques
4
Score 8.98
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:53 PM
52
- 3 Members
- Moomin_Mama, knerd.knitter, CDVicarage
53
877 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.
54
55
3,519 membres
197 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.
56
de Peter Høeg
7,427 membres
164 critiques
3.8
Score 8.42
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:38 AM
- 3 Members
- CDVicarage, Cecrow, dougb56586
57
4,187 membres
228 critiques
4.2
Score 8.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:20 PM
58
1,699 membres
80 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 8.17
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 10:01 AM
- 3 Members
- erinclark, tina1969, Bethlehem_PL_NH
59
39,750 membres
1,272 critiques
4.1
Score 8.05
Ajouté 2022-08-14, 10:27 AM
60
- 2 Members
- dara85, PrueGallagher
61
1,027 membres
67 critiques
4.2
Score 8
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:08 PM
62
- 3 Members
- 3togetready, terran, kxn11
63
12,576 membres
190 critiques
4
Score 7.75
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 10:54 AM
- 3 Members
- Localhostess, Dilara86, msemmag
64
204 membres
47 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 7.36
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 09:02 PM
65
7,912 membres
296 critiques
4.2
Score 7.26
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:24 PM
- 3 Members
- steller0707, nyowh, VioletL
66
- 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.
67
68
- 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!
69
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.
70
- 2 Members
- cbl_tn, Patricia.Ralston
71
de Ruth Ozeki
4,521 membres
256 critiques
4.1
Score 6.4
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 07:48 AM
72
2,963 membres
63 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 6.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 11:27 AM
- 2 Members
- souloftherose, Patricia.Ralston
73
- 2 Members
- terriks, Patricia.Ralston
74
- 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.
75
de George Eliot
8,809 membres
120 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.
76
- 2 Members
- Michael.Rimmer, alderwand
77
78
- 2 Members
- dewasus1, barefootsong
79
100 membres
2 critiques
4.1
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.
81
- 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.
82
- 2 Members
- aprille, Patricia.Ralston
83
1,092 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.
84
5,686 membres
193 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:58 PM
- 2 Members
- raidergirl3, barefootsong
85
de Hiro Arikawa
1,571 membres
93 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-20, 09:54 AM
86
de Hans Bemmann
492 membres
8 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 5.42
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:34 AM
88
4,032 membres
202 critiques
½ 3.7
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:17 AM
- 2 Members
- noveltea, BornAnalog
89
de Elton John
1,277 membres
43 critiques
4.2
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:23 PM
90
73,221 membres
1,167 critiques
3.8
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 07:17 PM
91
- 2 Members
- CDVicarage, darsaster
92
12,063 membres
833 critiques
4.1
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:17 PM
- 2 Members
- knerd.knitter, barefootsong
93
de Jon Krakauer
14,239 membres
317 critiques
4.2
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:29 PM
- 2 Members
- MaryKay1822, ahef1963
94
de Amor Towles
3,531 membres
174 critiques
4.1
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:32 PM
- 2 Members
- terran, Bethlehem_PL_NH
95
2,060 membres
111 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:31 PM
- 2 Members
- perennialreader, Her_Royal_Orangeness
96
1,286 membres
21 critiques
½ 3.6
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:38 AM
97
- 2 Members
- TechThing, ManWithAnAgenda
98
10,013 membres
184 critiques
4
Score 5.14
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 09:15 PM
99
- 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.
100
de Zane Grey
1,831 membres
61 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 5.02
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 08:44 AM
- 2 Members
- aprille, perennialreader