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
11,026 membres
679 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
18,615 membres
876 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
9,168 membres
292 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
5,301 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
16,432 membres
440 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
43,014 membres
1,746 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
4,438 membres
224 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
25,329 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
8,972 membres
509 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
3,141 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
12,748 membres
335 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
17,141 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
43,474 membres
1,012 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
40,955 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
9,667 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
26,896 membres
773 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
2,370 membres
153 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 16.18
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:22 PM
- 5 Members
- 3togetready, librookian, magneticvoyager, nancjones, Vegas_Fiber_Arts
24
52,631 membres
1,298 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
7,767 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
6,731 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
19,282 membres
1,242 critiques
4.2
Score 13.52
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 04:30 PM
- 5 Members
- raidergirl3, MaryKay1822, Patricia.Ralston, darsaster, HH_Library
29
3,385 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
9,024 membres
188 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
5,799 membres
108 critiques
4.1
Score 11.25
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 12:48 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, MaryKay1822, Bethlehem_PL_NH, ManWithAnAgenda
33
13,870 membres
351 critiques
4.2
Score 11.03
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:51 PM
- 4 Members
- cherpy, Bethlehem_PL_NH, gypsysmom, steller0707
34
2,981 membres
191 critiques
3.8
Score 10.7
Ajouté 2022-08-13, 12:23 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, amanda4242, noveltea, kara.shamy
35
50,212 membres
450 critiques
½ 4.5
Score 10.31
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:05 PM
- 4 Members
- timspalding, kleo, dewasus1, Patricia.Ralston
36
2,765 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
106,568 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
2,940 membres
88 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 10.04
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:36 AM
- 4 Members
- kleo, PitcherBooks, TechThing, VioletL
39
20,465 membres
794 critiques
4.2
Score 9.91
Ajouté 2022-08-16, 06:10 PM
- 4 Members
- erinclark, PitcherBooks, MaryKay1822, RMiller30
40
5,235 membres
150 critiques
4.2
Score 9.87
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 03:42 PM
41
5,833 membres
332 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
4,842 membres
62 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 9.74
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:27 PM
- 3 Members
- aprille, ahef1963, maewharton
43
5,418 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
3,882 membres
199 critiques
4.2
Score 9.23
Ajouté 2022-08-08, 04:27 PM
45
5,667 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
1,145 membres
28 critiques
4
Score 8.98
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:53 PM
48
- 3 Members
- Moomin_Mama, knerd.knitter, CDVicarage
49
869 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
3,453 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
7,355 membres
162 critiques
3.8
Score 8.42
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:38 AM
- 3 Members
- CDVicarage, Cecrow, dougb56586
53
3,951 membres
225 critiques
4.2
Score 8.38
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:20 PM
54
1,557 membres
80 critiques
½ 3.5
Score 8.17
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 10:01 AM
- 3 Members
- erinclark, tina1969, Bethlehem_PL_NH
55
39,374 membres
1,269 critiques
4.1
Score 8.05
Ajouté 2022-08-14, 10:27 AM
56
961 membres
68 critiques
4.2
Score 8
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:08 PM
57
- 3 Members
- 3togetready, terran, kxn11
58
12,448 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
7,681 membres
295 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
18,981 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
26,191 membres
500 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
4,403 membres
251 critiques
4.1
Score 6.4
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 07:48 AM
69
de Donna Tartt
20,186 membres
553 critiques
4.1
Score 6.38
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:33 PM
- 2 Members
- Her_Royal_Orangeness, msemmag
70
2,902 membres
63 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
8,670 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.
74
- 2 Members
- Michael.Rimmer, alderwand
75
76
- 2 Members
- dewasus1, barefootsong
77
93 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.
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
17,300 membres
153 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-23, 11:32 AM
82
1,068 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
5,458 membres
191 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:58 PM
- 2 Members
- raidergirl3, barefootsong
84
de Hiro Arikawa
1,451 membres
91 critiques
4.1
Score 5.5
Ajouté 2022-08-20, 09:54 AM
85
de Hans Bemmann
478 membres
7 critiques
½ 3.5
Score 5.42
Ajouté 2022-08-09, 09:34 AM
87
3,819 membres
199 critiques
½ 3.7
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-12, 09:17 AM
- 2 Members
- noveltea, BornAnalog
88
de Elton John
1,213 membres
41 critiques
4.2
Score 5.35
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 08:23 PM
89
71,786 membres
1,160 critiques
3.8
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 07:17 PM
90
- 2 Members
- CDVicarage, darsaster
91
11,543 membres
830 critiques
4.1
Score 5.29
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 04:17 PM
- 2 Members
- knerd.knitter, barefootsong
92
de Jon Krakauer
14,020 membres
312 critiques
4.2
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-10, 09:29 PM
- 2 Members
- MaryKay1822, ahef1963
93
de Amor Towles
3,106 membres
157 critiques
4.1
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-11, 05:32 PM
- 2 Members
- terran, Bethlehem_PL_NH
94
1,957 membres
108 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 5.23
Ajouté 2022-08-19, 03:31 PM
- 2 Members
- perennialreader, Her_Royal_Orangeness
95
1,249 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
1,785 membres
60 critiques
½ 3.4
Score 5.02
Ajouté 2022-08-18, 08:44 AM
- 2 Members
- aprille, perennialreader
100
5,439 membres
182 critiques
½ 4.3
Score 4.87
Ajouté 2022-08-22, 05:35 PM
- 2 Members
- cbl_tn, perennialreader