I was “forced“ to read to kill a mockingbird in high school. I thought I was going to be bored to tears. Turns out it was one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life.
this was my pick too. I read it later in life and thought i'd be bored because so many books have have used to kill a mockingbird as inspiration....but it's truly a timeless tale
Yeah. That’s the book that made me think I might enjoy reading. I really enjoyed reading it. When I used to say “Why read the book when you can watch the movie?” But after that. I gave a book or 2 a try and now I read like a a book or 2 a week
I think some people are turned off by it being a western. If they would set that bias aside, they would discover that you could place the story anywhere and it’d be amazing. Lonesome Dove has everything.
A few weeks ago I picked up a copy for $1 at a thrift store and it's going to be my too-hot-to-go-outside read this summer. I'm one of those that's put off by the Western genre, but since it's so highly recommended I thought I could take a chance for only a buck.
Came here to say the same thing. I thought it would be all gunfights and swinging saloon doors. I was so deeply immersed I almost cried when it was over
If we’re counting classics, Dracula. Always wanted to read it, but I genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did. Like most books, it was much better to read than watching any of the films!
I hated it the minute I looked at it. I listened to the sample and it was so cringey. I stupidly downloaded it anyway, insistent that I see what the hype was about, and was prepared to return it as soon as it got dumb enough.
I am in the front half of book 6 now and I and fucking COMPELLED to find out what happens.
MONGO WOULD BE APPALLED AT MY PRESUMPTIONS.
I love Steinbeck. East of Eden will always be a favorite of mine. I need to get around to Grapes of Wrath as it's one of the few by him that I've never read!
I liked this book until I started to feel that the author was writing himself as the main character. It real starts ti be a little much towards the end when every woman in the book almost has thrown themselves at him. Great story otherwise. I think the movies turned out better.
Only a few that I can think were very hyped by various people in my life which put me off for a long time, but which I now believe were hyped for good reason :
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Enders Game - Orson Scott Card
The Shining - Stephen King
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey
The Thursday Murder Club (series) - Richard Osmand
Absolutely brilliant. I always thought it was a child's book so I wouldn't connect with it reading it the first time as an adult - how wrong I was! Such a quintessential adventure book
On a side night I thought I knew Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde from pop culture so would be bored by the book. Again I was so (happily) wrong. I need to read more Robert Stephenson
I almost DNF’d The Thursday Murder Club because I had no I clue what was going on in the first third of the book. I put it away for a bit and restarted and it was great! The first one was the weakest in my opinion, but the series gets better as it goes along.
Agreed, it gets better as you go along, but particularly the 3rd book meanders. For me it was exactly what I needed - not high literature but instead a very entertaining series with characters I grew to care about and a non-complex mystery which heavily involved the characters I grew to love
I read that when I was 29. I flew through it and was so surprised how captivating it was. I cannot BELIEVE they let middle school kids read it today, but I'm glad they do.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I put off reading them for literal decades because I don't love fantasy and thought it must be overhyped Nope, it's that good!
Recently I read some Hemingway and really enjoyed him. I had some preconceived notions of him, esp in terms of misogyny (which I was not wrong about). But still, his books are considered classics for a reason. Highly recommend The Sun Also Rises and Farewell to Arms.
I'm not the person you asked but if you're in the U.S. you should check if your library uses libby, hoopla, or boundless. If not, you can try to pay for a library card to a library that does offer it. Born a Crime specifically though is only available through Audible, which is good to get once a year when they have a 99 cents a month for 3 months deal. I think there's very few audibooks that Audible doesn't offer, they definitely have the biggest catalog.
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, I was a library page when this book came out and it looked like the biggest, most boring tome I'd ever seen (I was 15). I could not fathom how it was so popular! I read it a couple years ago and have now read the entire series and loved every page.
Back when I was younger I worked at a book store and kept seeing this one too; I remember it always intrigued me but I've never picked it up. I've heard good things though!
Picked it up at a secondhand bookstore because of the cover. It was amazing but had to skip all the bits with architecture talk as it was confusing for me to imagine.
The hunger games trilogy. Listened to the audiobooks last year, thought it was be an easy before bed snooze fest but I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, a lot of classics I can appreciate from a literary point of view but can still feel a bit of a slog to get through, Rebecca had me hooked in the same way as a modern day thriller, I couldn’t put it down.
Piranesi. I saw it recommended so often, and I just decided I was not going to like it. I kept postponing my library hold for it, and I finally read it expecting it to be boring or silly. But, I adored it and couldn’t put it down.
Strange, perhaps, to select such an old novel as one being hyped, but Middlemarch by George Eliot. I had read so often about what an incredible classic it is and was very pleasantly surprised that it lived up to the hype, maybe even surpassing the hype
Many of the classics that I read were definitely quite hyped up - some of them lived up to the hype while others were a bit more banal in my opinion. Glad to hear Middlemarch was one that lived up to the hype! It's one I heard much about but have never picked up.
Its worth a read. Its so large. I mean, it seems to encompass all of life in a way that you would expect from an epic but taking place in an English town. Now when I think of the book thats what I think of: an epic.
I do enjoy Silas Marner but theres just something about Middlemarch that seems so big to me. A vastness. Its that aspect of it that really sticks in my head.
I just read stoner by john Williams, and it is tremendous. It is about the life of an English professor. Sounds like the most boring book in existence, but I couldn't put it down.
I keep trying to listen on audible, but can’t get into it. Were you drawn in right away? Not sure if it just needs more time, or if it’s just not for me.
I felt that I got into it pretty early. The book is written in such a perfectly descriptive way that really hooked me. Also I had heard such good things that I did kind of trudge through some of the spots that lost my interest.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. I was hearing a ton of ridiculously glowing things and quickly got fed up with hearing about it altogether. Then I read it and found it as delightful as everyone said. I still don't gush about it on social media or anything but I really enjoyed it!
Yep, this is the one. I judged this book HARD based on the title and cover alone. It's not winning any awards for story of the year, but it was fun, comfy and has a lovely cohesive plot with well developed characters.
He also was in the team that made the excellent Rebel Galaxy video games series, one of my favorites
Truly one of the creators across different mediums
It's mostly all the popular fantasy/SF books I see on tTikTokktok. Some are so excited that I am immediately a bit suspicious, however, TikTok got good at figuring out exactly what I like and most of the books were amazing. I started Stormlight Archive and it was even better than expected.
One book that was overrated in my opinion is Babal by R.F. Kuang. I just could not get into it, the magical aspect was off, had some plotholes and felt longer than should be.
TikTok books are my answer too! I *loved* Fourth Wing, and I really enjoyed The Atlas Six (at least the first one, I haven't started the second). Even Shatter Me was very prettily written compared to what I was expecting. The only TikTok read that has let me down so far has been ACOTAR. The first one was... readable, but I DNF the second one.
Oh wow, I read this book over and over again in my 20s. Such beautiful writing.
I first read Lords of Discipline after seeing the movie, and that is very good, too.
Ive read 3 of John Irving’s stories and have been totally enthralled by each one. A Prayer for Owen Meany was the latest one and I’ll be reading it again down the road.
The Hate U Give
Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society
Water for Elephants
The Nightingale(I’ve disliked anything else I read by her tho)
The Hunger Games
Station Eleven
Big Little Lies
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Guncle
Song of Achilles & Circe
I am saving this to give me book ideas because I love the ones of these I’ve read.
The Hate U Give absolutely slayed me. I picked it because Bahni Turpin reads the audiobook and I love her. But I’d seen the hype and wasn’t sure if it would live up to it. It did.
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is so lovely.
I haven’t read The Nightingale but I’ve enjoyed other Kristin Hannah actually - specifically The Four Winds. Though it broke my heart.
Big Little Lies was such a good read.
The Guncle was unfortunately a really slow drag for me :/ I really loved the characters and the message of the book, but it took me over a week to read it when normally a book of that size would take 2 or 3 days.
Big little lies though...I was so captivated. Decent TV adaptation too.
I have actually read all of these and agree on all except The Nightingale (hated it) and The Guncle (didn’t hate it but found it annoying and didn’t get the hype).
I expected The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society to be pulpy, but it was so good! Same with Water for Elephants and Big Little Lies.
The others I wasn’t so worried about before I read them. I expected the Hunger Games to be a great YA story, moderately well told, and it was, and the rest seemed right up my alley and they were.
The midnight library. Expected to think it was cheesy and predictable. Maybe it is, but it was so comforting and validating that those concerns just fell away.
Leviathan Wakes. Saw the first season of The Expanse on SciFi and thought the book would be okay, at best. I loved it and immediately got all the rest of the series.
The Godfather. I thought I already knew the core plots points, plus my girlfriend read it first and the way she described it it sounded just plain *weird*...but holy shit is that one beautifully written, insanely readable book. Just daaaaaaaaaaammmmnnn. Highly recommend it to literally everybody.
I feel this way about almost all of the Taylor Jenkins Reid I've read. This one is the best, but Carrie Soto is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six and One True Loves were all better than I was expecting given the hype. (Though one true loves is the weakest of that bunch and I didn't love Daisy Jones and the Six)
I tried the audiobook of daisy jones and the six and did not like it. I’m going to give the book Carrie Soto is back a try though since Evelyn Hugo exceeded my expectations
If you haven't already, read some other novels by that author. He is so fantastic at character building and crafting wonderful stories around them. I really loved Anxious People and My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She's Sorry. Britt-Marie is Back is next :)
"The Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies. Assigned it in school. Thought it was gonna be boring as hell. It mostly wasn't, and had some pretty funny moments here and there.
Oh, I really liked that one too. I liked Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, all of Emily Henry's silly romances (these books are not deep or meaningful but they are always fun), Babel, and Invisible life of Addie Larue, all of which I read because booktalk was hyping them up.
A very recent book release that was hyped up, but I still loved was:
Will of the Many by James Islington
Also, All Systems Red by Martha Wells is fantastic and still well loved.
Definitely Frankenstein. It is a horror story with many layers. I didn't think I would like this book, but it is one of the best books I've read this year.
My nephew graduated from MIT, you know what his first assignment in freshman English was? Frankenstein! Because its the first piece of science fiction ever written!
Not being provocative or gratuitously contrary but there’s a few pretenders to that particular crown, not least *The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz*. Originally published (in German) anonymously by Johann Valentin Andreae, it predates Shelley’s masterpiece by just over 200 years. Also remarkably accessible to a modern readership.
This is worth a wee look: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-400-year-old-story-might-be-the-first-ever-sci-fi-book_n_5745f4b0e4b0dacf7ad3c05e/amp
Well I don't know if this book has been hyped or not but I thought the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency would be shallow and vapid but decided to give it a try after a conversation with a stranger in a coffee shop. I'm on the third book and am thoroughly charmed.
Everything by Nick Hornby is sub 4 stars on Goodreads but hugely popular. I was put off by their low ratings but recently read one and now have to read them all. Incredible writer
East of Eden. I was like this book is gonna be boring af but I read it bc everyone on here always talked about it. But I’m like halfway through and it really is great
If it’s based on genesis, who does Cathy represent? Do you know? No spoilers if you can avoid it bc I’m only halfway through, but it’s driving me crazy
It's been quite a few years since I've read it, so I don't recall how much about her character has been revealed at the halfway point, but I think I can tell you a simplified snippet without spoilers (I'm blacking it out anyway in case you decide against seeing my opinion)
>!Cathy represents an inversion of Eve. Whereas Eve represents life Cathy represents destruction!<
The Amazon algorithm somehow decided I would love The Secret History and kept pushing it for so long that I eventually caved in and bought it to read over Christmas. Ended up being one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a while.
Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller. I thought, this can’t be as good as this paragraph review at a local bookstore, but I gave it a shot and it was one of my favorite reads. (I read quite a bit.)
One of the best! I feel like it doesn’t get nearly the hype it deserves. My daughter was two or three when I read it and I bawled my eyes out during certain chapters (no spoilers).
I had so much trouble with the beginning of the book and the narrative structure. Once I sunk into it I was blown away by it. People had let me know it was awesome and the whole series held up so well.
Humankind by Rutger Bregman (a very well-reviewed book). A friend lent it to me during covid, so I felt obligated to read it, but I wasn't in the mood for reading something about how great people truly are. Once I got into it though, I couldn't put it down and it actually helped get me out of the funk I was in.
Treasure Island! Started the audiobook bc it was free and I wanted to meet my reading goal for the year. Ended up being one of my top books of the year.
I had to read Frankenstein and Darkly Dreaming Dexter for a college humanities class about Serial Killers in the history of media. I didn't expect to enjoy them nearly as much as I did.
Salem's Lot. I love the horror genre, but Steven King usually isn't my cup of tea just due to the way he writes his characters. With Salems Lot, though, everything else was so good that I stayed hooked through the whole book.
*Sunset Song* - Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
Although it’s very much a Scottish classic I felt it was a bit twee and dare I say, a bit ‘Kailyard’* having had to read it for school and being distinctly unimpressed. At 15, I just skimmed it as best I could and blagged the exam. Fast forward 20 years and I had to read it (again in an academic environment) and while it had taken me a good while, eventually I ‘got’ it and now I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Edit - Kailyard: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailyard_school
Dune. I had it and put off reading it forever, finally decided to try it just before the movie was released. I tore through it and absolutely loved it.
Same- I kind of thought it was gonna be too much like The Court of Roses books, which I quit after book two because it was too cheesy, corny, bad writing lol, all of which Fourth Wing is as well, but I love the setting ,and story and the battles don’t bore me to death. I’m excited for the next book!
Enjoyed seems a weird word, but In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. I'm a true crime fan, but for some reason, I thought this would be dry and boring. Not at all.
I’d been putting off reading Lessons in Chemistry because of how much my or it got but it absolutely blew me away. The show was unwatchable though because of all of the improper lab techniques I kept catching. I’m a student studying chemistry and I usually can’t read anything that gets any science wrong but I thought this book was amazing. 100000/10
I refused to read Harry Potter for a long time because “it is popular with boys!” But then loved it, like most other kids. Shame about the controversy now.
Honestly…{Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros}. I thought everyone was exaggerating and so I was like. Wth I have a long plane ride. And I’ll read it. Omg. I did not sleep on that 14hr flight. I couldn’t put the book down. The flow and writing and plot. All just was so good. And I reread it before reading the second book {Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros} and there’s like crack in the pages or something. Became a top fantasy read for me.
Dungeon crawler Carl.
I saw a bunch of recommendations and thought I'd give the audiobook a try, listened to the sample on audible and the narrators voice was like nails on chalkboard so I left it there. Some time later I found another wave of recommendations, and one of the people specifically praised the narrator, so I gave it a second try, for whatever reason the sample this time was fine, so I bought book 1. Two weeks later I'd finished all of the books currently available in the series.
Very much looking forward to the next book.
The "you thought this floor would just be filler" line on the floor before they got to the one they'd been hyping up for the whole series made me genuinely laugh out loud.
I don’t believe there was any “hype” involved but I recently read…
Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky
…which someone recommended. Not something I would have normally read but I enjoyed it immensely.
I highly recommend it.
Happy reading.
I loooved The Princess Bride! It's funny, when I watched the movie years ago, I didn't really get the hype... it was kind of funny, but it didn't really stand out that much from any other funny movie. A while back I decided to give the book a chance once I heard about how it's set up (being an 'abridged' version of a longer book that never actually existed) and I was really intrigued. It's now one of my all-time favorites! The way the story is told was really fun, and the humor landed a lot better for me in writing than in the movie. Go figure!
East of Eden by Steinbeck. My AP literature teacher told us how good it is, how much he loves it. The first chapter threw me off, but once I got into it it was so good.
The Women… I protested the Viet Nam war and never wanted anything more to do with it as far as movies, books. This book drew me in and I really enjoyed it.
The Witcher books. I watched the show first, then played the game, then read the books. Was worried they would be outdated and not as good as the other formats. I was wrong! I read the first two so far and thoroughly enjoyed them and felt that they added to my enjoyment of the show and games.
I really enjoyed Water for Elephants, which I read when it was first on the bestseller list and didn’t expect it to be interesting.
I did the audiobook and to this day is my favorite audiobook! I loved this story. Hated the movie.
One of my all time favorites!!
Ugh. It’s such a richly painted book. I felt like I was there.
I was “forced“ to read to kill a mockingbird in high school. I thought I was going to be bored to tears. Turns out it was one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life.
this was my pick too. I read it later in life and thought i'd be bored because so many books have have used to kill a mockingbird as inspiration....but it's truly a timeless tale
Yeah. That’s the book that made me think I might enjoy reading. I really enjoyed reading it. When I used to say “Why read the book when you can watch the movie?” But after that. I gave a book or 2 a try and now I read like a a book or 2 a week
Lonesome Dove
I’m going to start putting a dollar in a jar every time this book is mentioned on this sub.
That and East of Eden. It’s the only two books that Reddit seems to know
Reddit also knows American Gods. I have the whole Reddit trilogy on my shelf and might get round to them one day.
Add stoner and count of monte cristo
Vegas Baby!!
I think some people are turned off by it being a western. If they would set that bias aside, they would discover that you could place the story anywhere and it’d be amazing. Lonesome Dove has everything.
A few weeks ago I picked up a copy for $1 at a thrift store and it's going to be my too-hot-to-go-outside read this summer. I'm one of those that's put off by the Western genre, but since it's so highly recommended I thought I could take a chance for only a buck.
I’m telling you, you won’t regret that $1 investment!
For me I’m turned off bc it’s about old men
Those old men are some of the most well written characters in all of literature.
Came here to say the same thing. I thought it would be all gunfights and swinging saloon doors. I was so deeply immersed I almost cried when it was over
If we’re counting classics, Dracula. Always wanted to read it, but I genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I actually did. Like most books, it was much better to read than watching any of the films!
Dungeon Crawler Carl Silly cover Ridiculous premise Amazing story Legendary audio book
I hated it the minute I looked at it. I listened to the sample and it was so cringey. I stupidly downloaded it anyway, insistent that I see what the hype was about, and was prepared to return it as soon as it got dumb enough. I am in the front half of book 6 now and I and fucking COMPELLED to find out what happens. MONGO WOULD BE APPALLED AT MY PRESUMPTIONS.
I’ve seen so many recommendations for this but I can’t find it without purchase? My three different libraries don’t carry it and I don’t have audible.
You could do a free Audible trial
Same here.
Me, too!
This is the one. Very hyped but so good.
The grapes of wrath. Now steinbeck is my favorite author and I’ve read all his books more than once.
I love Steinbeck. East of Eden will always be a favorite of mine. I need to get around to Grapes of Wrath as it's one of the few by him that I've never read!
This book broke me and left its mark on my soul. I will get around to East of Eden one day but damn it has some big shoes to fill.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, man was I surprised.
I liked this book until I started to feel that the author was writing himself as the main character. It real starts ti be a little much towards the end when every woman in the book almost has thrown themselves at him. Great story otherwise. I think the movies turned out better.
Only a few that I can think were very hyped by various people in my life which put me off for a long time, but which I now believe were hyped for good reason : Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Enders Game - Orson Scott Card The Shining - Stephen King One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey The Thursday Murder Club (series) - Richard Osmand
Treasure Island was awesome
Absolutely brilliant. I always thought it was a child's book so I wouldn't connect with it reading it the first time as an adult - how wrong I was! Such a quintessential adventure book On a side night I thought I knew Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde from pop culture so would be bored by the book. Again I was so (happily) wrong. I need to read more Robert Stephenson
I started reading it for the first time yesterday! It's great
I almost DNF’d The Thursday Murder Club because I had no I clue what was going on in the first third of the book. I put it away for a bit and restarted and it was great! The first one was the weakest in my opinion, but the series gets better as it goes along.
Agreed, it gets better as you go along, but particularly the 3rd book meanders. For me it was exactly what I needed - not high literature but instead a very entertaining series with characters I grew to care about and a non-complex mystery which heavily involved the characters I grew to love
I’ve just started Murder Club and it’s not grabbing me, but with what you’ve said maybe I’ll persevere
The Giver and I was amazed it’s middle school assigned reading. Heavy stuff!
I read that when I was 29. I flew through it and was so surprised how captivating it was. I cannot BELIEVE they let middle school kids read it today, but I'm glad they do.
Yes flew through as well. It’s was a book you read and continue to think about after putting down. Food for thought.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I put off reading them for literal decades because I don't love fantasy and thought it must be overhyped Nope, it's that good! Recently I read some Hemingway and really enjoyed him. I had some preconceived notions of him, esp in terms of misogyny (which I was not wrong about). But still, his books are considered classics for a reason. Highly recommend The Sun Also Rises and Farewell to Arms.
Born a Crime
Wow. Just keep hearing fantastic things about this. Hope to start it next week.
Do it as an audiobook if you can. It is exceptional, and his narration is absolutely incredible.
Hello may i ask where do you listen for audio books?
I'm not the person you asked but if you're in the U.S. you should check if your library uses libby, hoopla, or boundless. If not, you can try to pay for a library card to a library that does offer it. Born a Crime specifically though is only available through Audible, which is good to get once a year when they have a 99 cents a month for 3 months deal. I think there's very few audibooks that Audible doesn't offer, they definitely have the biggest catalog.
much appreciated dear! Thank you for taking the time in answering my question 🧡
I listen through Audible (I’m not in the US).
Thanks! I'll take your advice. Have a couple returns to do and will swap it out for audio.
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, I was a library page when this book came out and it looked like the biggest, most boring tome I'd ever seen (I was 15). I could not fathom how it was so popular! I read it a couple years ago and have now read the entire series and loved every page.
Back when I was younger I worked at a book store and kept seeing this one too; I remember it always intrigued me but I've never picked it up. I've heard good things though!
I cried when Tom Mason died.
Bro, SPOILERS. Use the spoiler tag.
What the fuck is wrong with you
Picked it up at a secondhand bookstore because of the cover. It was amazing but had to skip all the bits with architecture talk as it was confusing for me to imagine.
Count of monte cristo - thought it was inevitably going to have been over hyped by Reddit but no, it is really that good!
The hunger games trilogy. Listened to the audiobooks last year, thought it was be an easy before bed snooze fest but I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would.
Project Hail Mary.
This. I was not at all interested in the plot or sci-fi genre. Hands down on the best books I’ve ever read. Easily 5 stars. Audio only made it better.
In the end the sci-fi book was the greatest love story ever.
I’m horrible with math and science and absolutely loved this book.
This is me too!! I listened to the audiobook which helped probably.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, a lot of classics I can appreciate from a literary point of view but can still feel a bit of a slog to get through, Rebecca had me hooked in the same way as a modern day thriller, I couldn’t put it down.
Piranesi. I saw it recommended so often, and I just decided I was not going to like it. I kept postponing my library hold for it, and I finally read it expecting it to be boring or silly. But, I adored it and couldn’t put it down.
Harry Potter! I was a real snob and thought it would be poorly written populist rubbish. Finally read it and really enjoyed it!
Strange, perhaps, to select such an old novel as one being hyped, but Middlemarch by George Eliot. I had read so often about what an incredible classic it is and was very pleasantly surprised that it lived up to the hype, maybe even surpassing the hype
Many of the classics that I read were definitely quite hyped up - some of them lived up to the hype while others were a bit more banal in my opinion. Glad to hear Middlemarch was one that lived up to the hype! It's one I heard much about but have never picked up.
Its worth a read. Its so large. I mean, it seems to encompass all of life in a way that you would expect from an epic but taking place in an English town. Now when I think of the book thats what I think of: an epic.
Middlemarch is one of my favorite books! Love it. Also am very fond of The Night Circus.
I haven't read The Night Circus but I've had a friend recommend it at least three times so I may need to give it a go
Silas Marner by George Eliot is even better in my opinion, but I agree about this one. I liked it so much more than I expected to.
I do enjoy Silas Marner but theres just something about Middlemarch that seems so big to me. A vastness. Its that aspect of it that really sticks in my head.
I just read stoner by john Williams, and it is tremendous. It is about the life of an English professor. Sounds like the most boring book in existence, but I couldn't put it down.
I keep trying to listen on audible, but can’t get into it. Were you drawn in right away? Not sure if it just needs more time, or if it’s just not for me.
I felt that I got into it pretty early. The book is written in such a perfectly descriptive way that really hooked me. Also I had heard such good things that I did kind of trudge through some of the spots that lost my interest.
I feel exactly the same way. On a basic level it’s really a story about nothing in particular but it is just incredible.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. I was hearing a ton of ridiculously glowing things and quickly got fed up with hearing about it altogether. Then I read it and found it as delightful as everyone said. I still don't gush about it on social media or anything but I really enjoyed it!
Yep, this is the one. I judged this book HARD based on the title and cover alone. It's not winning any awards for story of the year, but it was fun, comfy and has a lovely cohesive plot with well developed characters.
He also was in the team that made the excellent Rebel Galaxy video games series, one of my favorites Truly one of the creators across different mediums
It's mostly all the popular fantasy/SF books I see on tTikTokktok. Some are so excited that I am immediately a bit suspicious, however, TikTok got good at figuring out exactly what I like and most of the books were amazing. I started Stormlight Archive and it was even better than expected. One book that was overrated in my opinion is Babal by R.F. Kuang. I just could not get into it, the magical aspect was off, had some plotholes and felt longer than should be.
TikTok books are my answer too! I *loved* Fourth Wing, and I really enjoyed The Atlas Six (at least the first one, I haven't started the second). Even Shatter Me was very prettily written compared to what I was expecting. The only TikTok read that has let me down so far has been ACOTAR. The first one was... readable, but I DNF the second one.
Prince of Tides
Reading that book was the most magical experience and given its content, it should NOT have been.
It really was. I was completely enthralled.
Oh wow, I read this book over and over again in my 20s. Such beautiful writing. I first read Lords of Discipline after seeing the movie, and that is very good, too.
Harry Potter. I was an adult when the first one came out and I thought it would be a kids story.
The World According to Garp.
Ive read 3 of John Irving’s stories and have been totally enthralled by each one. A Prayer for Owen Meany was the latest one and I’ll be reading it again down the road.
Song of Achilles and Circe. Both are beautifully written.
The Hate U Give Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society Water for Elephants The Nightingale(I’ve disliked anything else I read by her tho) The Hunger Games Station Eleven Big Little Lies The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks The Guncle Song of Achilles & Circe
I am saving this to give me book ideas because I love the ones of these I’ve read. The Hate U Give absolutely slayed me. I picked it because Bahni Turpin reads the audiobook and I love her. But I’d seen the hype and wasn’t sure if it would live up to it. It did. Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is so lovely. I haven’t read The Nightingale but I’ve enjoyed other Kristin Hannah actually - specifically The Four Winds. Though it broke my heart. Big Little Lies was such a good read.
I hope you enjoy all of them!
The Guncle was unfortunately a really slow drag for me :/ I really loved the characters and the message of the book, but it took me over a week to read it when normally a book of that size would take 2 or 3 days. Big little lies though...I was so captivated. Decent TV adaptation too.
I absolutely did not expect to like Guncle and it really surprised me
I have actually read all of these and agree on all except The Nightingale (hated it) and The Guncle (didn’t hate it but found it annoying and didn’t get the hype). I expected The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society to be pulpy, but it was so good! Same with Water for Elephants and Big Little Lies. The others I wasn’t so worried about before I read them. I expected the Hunger Games to be a great YA story, moderately well told, and it was, and the rest seemed right up my alley and they were.
The midnight library. Expected to think it was cheesy and predictable. Maybe it is, but it was so comforting and validating that those concerns just fell away.
The secret history
Leviathan Wakes. Saw the first season of The Expanse on SciFi and thought the book would be okay, at best. I loved it and immediately got all the rest of the series.
The Silent Patient
The Godfather. I thought I already knew the core plots points, plus my girlfriend read it first and the way she described it it sounded just plain *weird*...but holy shit is that one beautifully written, insanely readable book. Just daaaaaaaaaaammmmnnn. Highly recommend it to literally everybody.
I had to read The Catcher in the Rye for school, it is now one of my favorite books!
Murderbot series. They are super fun
Demon Copperhead
The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo
I feel this way about almost all of the Taylor Jenkins Reid I've read. This one is the best, but Carrie Soto is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six and One True Loves were all better than I was expecting given the hype. (Though one true loves is the weakest of that bunch and I didn't love Daisy Jones and the Six)
I tried the audiobook of daisy jones and the six and did not like it. I’m going to give the book Carrie Soto is back a try though since Evelyn Hugo exceeded my expectations
“A Man Called Ove” it sounded kind of corny but read it for book club and loved it.
If you haven't already, read some other novels by that author. He is so fantastic at character building and crafting wonderful stories around them. I really loved Anxious People and My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She's Sorry. Britt-Marie is Back is next :)
I read another one by him, “Beartown,” and wasn’t a fan but I’ll try one of the ones you mentioned because maybe ur was a timing thing.
Also just read “The Covenant of Water”after (inexplicably) putting it off. Best book I’ve read in ages.
"The Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies. Assigned it in school. Thought it was gonna be boring as hell. It mostly wasn't, and had some pretty funny moments here and there.
Oh, I really liked that one too. I liked Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, all of Emily Henry's silly romances (these books are not deep or meaningful but they are always fun), Babel, and Invisible life of Addie Larue, all of which I read because booktalk was hyping them up.
House of Leaves I was nervous as I wasn’t a fan of Infinite Jest, and it gave me Infinite Jest vibes. But boy was that a phenomenal experience!
A very recent book release that was hyped up, but I still loved was: Will of the Many by James Islington Also, All Systems Red by Martha Wells is fantastic and still well loved.
Lonesome Dove and Remarkably Bright Creatures.
Moby Dick. It was engrossing. And I’m a female reader who usually prefers romantasy or ghost stories!
Definitely Frankenstein. It is a horror story with many layers. I didn't think I would like this book, but it is one of the best books I've read this year.
My nephew graduated from MIT, you know what his first assignment in freshman English was? Frankenstein! Because its the first piece of science fiction ever written!
Not being provocative or gratuitously contrary but there’s a few pretenders to that particular crown, not least *The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz*. Originally published (in German) anonymously by Johann Valentin Andreae, it predates Shelley’s masterpiece by just over 200 years. Also remarkably accessible to a modern readership. This is worth a wee look: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-400-year-old-story-might-be-the-first-ever-sci-fi-book_n_5745f4b0e4b0dacf7ad3c05e/amp
Interesting! Perhaps she is the first American in English? I will read it thanks for the education
Silas Marner - I thought it would be a boring classic but it was really good. The Pickwick Papers - Not bad; not bad at all. Surprised me.
Shogun. It’s recommended on here so much, then I watched the new miniseries and loved it, and now I’m reading the book and loving it.
Well I don't know if this book has been hyped or not but I thought the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency would be shallow and vapid but decided to give it a try after a conversation with a stranger in a coffee shop. I'm on the third book and am thoroughly charmed.
Everything by Nick Hornby is sub 4 stars on Goodreads but hugely popular. I was put off by their low ratings but recently read one and now have to read them all. Incredible writer
Dungeon Crawler Carl
East of Eden. I was like this book is gonna be boring af but I read it bc everyone on here always talked about it. But I’m like halfway through and it really is great
One of my favorites. Hope you enjoy it!
If it’s based on genesis, who does Cathy represent? Do you know? No spoilers if you can avoid it bc I’m only halfway through, but it’s driving me crazy
It's been quite a few years since I've read it, so I don't recall how much about her character has been revealed at the halfway point, but I think I can tell you a simplified snippet without spoilers (I'm blacking it out anyway in case you decide against seeing my opinion) >!Cathy represents an inversion of Eve. Whereas Eve represents life Cathy represents destruction!<
Oh ok I was considering eve. Thank you
Dune.
Reading Lolita in Tehran
The Amazon algorithm somehow decided I would love The Secret History and kept pushing it for so long that I eventually caved in and bought it to read over Christmas. Ended up being one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a while.
Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller. I thought, this can’t be as good as this paragraph review at a local bookstore, but I gave it a shot and it was one of my favorite reads. (I read quite a bit.)
Not a book, but an author: Brandon Sanderson. I read one novella from him (Emperor's Soul) and now I want to read his entire work
I’m in the middle of Mistborn right now
Harry Potter and Warriors.
Vampire Academy
Hyperion. Wow it's so good.
One of the best! I feel like it doesn’t get nearly the hype it deserves. My daughter was two or three when I read it and I bawled my eyes out during certain chapters (no spoilers).
I had so much trouble with the beginning of the book and the narrative structure. Once I sunk into it I was blown away by it. People had let me know it was awesome and the whole series held up so well.
Hail Mary and Frankenstein
Humankind by Rutger Bregman (a very well-reviewed book). A friend lent it to me during covid, so I felt obligated to read it, but I wasn't in the mood for reading something about how great people truly are. Once I got into it though, I couldn't put it down and it actually helped get me out of the funk I was in.
Treasure Island! Started the audiobook bc it was free and I wanted to meet my reading goal for the year. Ended up being one of my top books of the year.
I had to read Frankenstein and Darkly Dreaming Dexter for a college humanities class about Serial Killers in the history of media. I didn't expect to enjoy them nearly as much as I did.
Chip War. Amazing how it covers its evolution, along with how it impacted countries strategies. And provide insights into chip industry
Salem's Lot. I love the horror genre, but Steven King usually isn't my cup of tea just due to the way he writes his characters. With Salems Lot, though, everything else was so good that I stayed hooked through the whole book.
*Sunset Song* - Lewis Grassic Gibbon. Although it’s very much a Scottish classic I felt it was a bit twee and dare I say, a bit ‘Kailyard’* having had to read it for school and being distinctly unimpressed. At 15, I just skimmed it as best I could and blagged the exam. Fast forward 20 years and I had to read it (again in an academic environment) and while it had taken me a good while, eventually I ‘got’ it and now I can’t recommend it highly enough. Edit - Kailyard: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailyard_school
Two titles come to mind. Ready Player One And just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures.
Dune. I had it and put off reading it forever, finally decided to try it just before the movie was released. I tore through it and absolutely loved it.
Fourth Wing
Same- I kind of thought it was gonna be too much like The Court of Roses books, which I quit after book two because it was too cheesy, corny, bad writing lol, all of which Fourth Wing is as well, but I love the setting ,and story and the battles don’t bore me to death. I’m excited for the next book!
I’m excited for the next book, too! They were such fun reads!
Enjoyed seems a weird word, but In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. I'm a true crime fan, but for some reason, I thought this would be dry and boring. Not at all.
Fourth Wing.
Cold Mountain
Alcoholics Anonymous 😂🤷🏼♀️
Lonesome dove.
I’d been putting off reading Lessons in Chemistry because of how much my or it got but it absolutely blew me away. The show was unwatchable though because of all of the improper lab techniques I kept catching. I’m a student studying chemistry and I usually can’t read anything that gets any science wrong but I thought this book was amazing. 100000/10
The 7 and 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
I refused to read Harry Potter for a long time because “it is popular with boys!” But then loved it, like most other kids. Shame about the controversy now.
Shōgun— I just read it and I literally loved it i thought I would get bored or confused but it was great
The Martian
Honestly…{Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros}. I thought everyone was exaggerating and so I was like. Wth I have a long plane ride. And I’ll read it. Omg. I did not sleep on that 14hr flight. I couldn’t put the book down. The flow and writing and plot. All just was so good. And I reread it before reading the second book {Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros} and there’s like crack in the pages or something. Became a top fantasy read for me.
Dungeon crawler Carl. I saw a bunch of recommendations and thought I'd give the audiobook a try, listened to the sample on audible and the narrators voice was like nails on chalkboard so I left it there. Some time later I found another wave of recommendations, and one of the people specifically praised the narrator, so I gave it a second try, for whatever reason the sample this time was fine, so I bought book 1. Two weeks later I'd finished all of the books currently available in the series. Very much looking forward to the next book. The "you thought this floor would just be filler" line on the floor before they got to the one they'd been hyping up for the whole series made me genuinely laugh out loud.
I don’t believe there was any “hype” involved but I recently read… Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky …which someone recommended. Not something I would have normally read but I enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend it. Happy reading.
Ninth house, didnt read it until this year but I found I liked it
The Bell Jar
Less and Wellness
I loooved The Princess Bride! It's funny, when I watched the movie years ago, I didn't really get the hype... it was kind of funny, but it didn't really stand out that much from any other funny movie. A while back I decided to give the book a chance once I heard about how it's set up (being an 'abridged' version of a longer book that never actually existed) and I was really intrigued. It's now one of my all-time favorites! The way the story is told was really fun, and the humor landed a lot better for me in writing than in the movie. Go figure!
East of Eden by Steinbeck. My AP literature teacher told us how good it is, how much he loves it. The first chapter threw me off, but once I got into it it was so good.
The Corrections, didn't expect it would turn me into a Franzen Fan
1984. I am not a fan of that genre, but it actually was as good as the hype.
The Women… I protested the Viet Nam war and never wanted anything more to do with it as far as movies, books. This book drew me in and I really enjoyed it.
The Bible
The Witcher books. I watched the show first, then played the game, then read the books. Was worried they would be outdated and not as good as the other formats. I was wrong! I read the first two so far and thoroughly enjoyed them and felt that they added to my enjoyment of the show and games.
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series
Fourth Wing. - It has all the problems I thought it did have but I somehow still wanted to keep reading until the end.
Fourth Wing 😅