Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This is one meme I can get on board with - I LOVE lists! I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

Top Ten Books I Liked More/Less Than I Thought I Would

Today, we're going to look at the books that either didn't meet my expectations or far exceeded them. Luckily, it was harder to come up with the books that I liked LESS. But, I've narrowed both lists down to five apiece.

Books I liked MORE Than I Thought I Would

1. Moon Called (Mercedes Thompson #1), by Patricia Briggs

Urban fantasy isn't typically what I go for in a pinch. I've found some of the books in this genre confusing and without a romantic entanglement, they don't really grab me. I read Moon Called when it was gifted to me by a friend. Despite the lack of romance (that comes in later books), it most certainly did grab my interest immediately, and not only was the world not confusing, I found it utterly fascinating. The Mercy Thompson series has become one of my favorites. 

2. Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1), by Beth Revis

Although I enjoy watching sci-fi (Trekkies unite!), I didn't really think I'd enjoy reading it. I was in need of a new audiobook and saw Across the Universe at my library. I decided to try it. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. This is a fascinating series that I can't say enough good things about. 

3. The Demon King (The Seven Realms #1), by Cinda Williams Chima
High fantasy is my least favorite genre. I picked up The Demon King for two reasons - first, I had just finished Chima's The Heir Chronicles and loved it. I wanted to read more by her. And, second, I loved the cover. I was so surprised when I loved it as much as I did. I fell in love with all the characters and the story - wow. It was absolutely incredible. 

4.  Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2), by Robin LaFevers

I just finished this last week, and was shocked at how awesome it was! I liked Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1), but I did have some problems with it. I wanted to see the series through, so I picked up Dark Triumph, albeit a bit reluctantly. It was so amazing, I'm still thinking about it a week later. 

5. The Selection (The Selection #1), by Kiera Cass

I had heard a lot of mixed reports about The Selection. It seemed that readers either loved it or hated it, and I had no idea which side of the fence I would fall on. Then, I was gifted a copy of it by a friend. Even then, I was reticent. Finally, after two other friends read it and liked it, I gave it a go... and found myself firmly on the "loved it" side of the fence. I absolutely fell in love with America and Maxon (go Maxon!), and already have The Elite (The Selection #2) pre-ordered.

Books I liked LESS Than I Thought I Would

1.Covet (The Fallen Angels #1), by J.R. Ward

The reason I picked this book up to begin with should be self-evident. It's THE WARDEN. And, I'm a gi-normous fan of her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I knew that her Fallen Angels series was a spin-off that also takes place in Caldie. I figured it would be a slam-dunk. But, I don't know. The magic just wasn't there. Maybe it's the lack of the Brothers' presence (although there are a few cameos by a few different Brothers). Maybe it's the lack of anything vampy. It just was most definitely not the same and not what I had expected.

2. Reached (Matched #3), by Ally Condie

I loved Matched (Matched #1) and Crossed (Matched #2). So much so that, as soon as Reached was available for pre-order, I clicked that button. And, although Condie's beautiful writing was still present, the story just fell so flat for me. I was kept wanting so much more at every turn. I wanted more emotion, more action, more character development, and more of an epic, sweeping ending to the main love story. And, since it ended the series, I didn't think that was asking too much. 

3. Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1), by Sylvain Reynard

Look at that cover! You would expect passion and blistering heat and a great love story. Meh. Not so much in the passion and blistering heat department. There is quite a love story there, and yes, it's touching most of the time. But, after awhile, I kinda wanted Gabriel and Julia to get mad at each other and say some things they didn't mean. Because it got a little sickeningly sweet after awhile. I wanted them to have mad sex. Or make-up sex. Hell, any sex at all would've been great. Instead, I just got "meh."

4. Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3), by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound suffered the same fate as Reached. It was the final installment in a series that I had grown to love. So, I put it atop a pedestal and expected very great things from it (which I had ALSO pre-ordered after finishing Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)). Instead, we were left with an extremely unfulfilling resolution to the love triangle. Some very interesting characters who were introduced in books 1 and 2 were barely mentioned. And all of it just left me feeling completely cheated.

5. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins

Oh yeah. I went there. I know this is a beloved series. I know it's also now a blockbuster movie juggernaut. But, let's be serious for a minute. The Hunger Games - EPIC. Catching Fire - AMAZING. Mockingjay - erm, not so much. It was so rushed, that I felt that so many important things were left out. It was the most depressing, with Katniss being a zombie most of the time. She did things completely out of character that I didn't buy for a second. And that epilogue?? So frustrating (and I was totally Team Peeta all the way, so it wasn't that).