Teaser Tuesday & Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Enjoyed Recently That Weren’t My Typical Genre/Type of Book
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
“Tell them they must earn the respect which everyone else receives by default. Tell them there is a standard for acceptance; that standard is simply perfection.”
N.K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. They created the meme because they love lists. Who doesn’t love lists? They wanted to share these list with fellow book lovers and ask that we share in return to connect with our fellow book lovers. To learn more about participating in the challenge, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!
This week’s topic: Ten Books I Enjoyed Recently (last yearish) That Weren’t My Typical Genre/Type of Book (or that was out of your comfort zone)
This one was a bit tough because, even though I read many speculative books, I don’t consider many genres/books to be “not my type.” It’s more about how the story is presented more than what the story is about.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
I’m not a huge fans of zombies, so my enjoyment of them in any media is very limited. However, I asked for recommendations for zombie fiction earlier last year and most people recommended this book. I concede that it was a very engaging read. Well played, book reading community.
Persuasion by Jane Austen
I don’t have anything against Jane Austen. In fact, I enjoy reading classic literature very much, but while I enjoyed the little Austen I’ve read, before Persuasion, I can’t say that I loved anything she’s written. This was suggested to me last year when I needed a classic romance read for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. Loved it. Anne was a heroine I could get behind.
The Martian by Andy Weir
I’m not a huge fan of survival anything even when it’s paired with a genre that I love such as science fiction. I hadn’t had too many plans to read or watch this, but everyone kept insisting that I’d enjoy it. I listened to the audiobook to mainly prove everyone else wrong, so imagine my surprise when I actually did enjoy this book.
Star Wars: Deceived by Paul S. Kemp
Despite reading comics and being a fan of the movies and games, I hadn’t read a Star Wars novel until last year (Fatal Alliance). It was based on the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic and has ties to the Knights of the Old Republic games. Both of which I’m a huge fan of. I wasn’t exactly blown away by that first novel I read, so I went into this with expectations lowered significantly and ended up loving this book.
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Fantasy Young Adult books and I have a torrid relationship. When this popped up as a book club read, I almost decided to skip it. However, I am glad that I didn’t. This was a very imaginative take on The Wizard of Oz, and while it faltered in some places, I found myself mostly entertained by this book rather than rolling my eyes every three seconds and cursing myself for reading another YA fantasy book.
The Bees by Laline Paull
I’m still trying to figure out how a story about bees, actual bees, managed to sucker punch me in all my feelings. It’s the damnedest thing, and I don’t think I’ll ever figure this one out.
You by Caroline Kepnes
Well… this was a book. I still can’t figure out if I enjoyed this so much I hated it or I hated it so much I enjoyed it. This book is unique in that it takes place from a stalker’s point-of-view as he integrates himself into his victim’s life using social media among other things. He’s not your usual creepy stalker that most books portray. Instead he’s relatively handsome and seems “normal,” and wow, this book…
Absolutely True Lies by Rachel Stuhler
I used to be a big fan of chick lit way back when. I guess, maybe I still am, but I’ve grown out of things like Bridget Jones’s Diary and the like. This was the first book I’d read in a long time that I would categorize in that same light vein. It was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed most of this book, but a character’s sudden turn into a monster and that convoluted ending ruined it a little for me. But up to those two points, I was into the story. It featured the kind of trash I live for.
The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes
This was mainly a surprise because I hadn’t cared too much for Weekes’ entry into the Dragon Age franchise, The Masked Empire. However, I thought he was a solid writer, and I decided to try this out on a whim since it wouldn’t be tied to a gaming franchise. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun this story is. It was full of everything that usually turns me off to books like this, but it was done in such a way that I couldn’t help being charmed.
Yeah, that’s only nine books, but I ran out of steam at the end trying to rack my brain. Have you enjoyed any books that you wouldn’t typically read?
The BiblioSanctum 
it’s always nice to try something different
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I agree it definitely is, and I’m often surprised by how much I do tend to like things I didn’t think I would.
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I have The Martian on my list as well this week! Although for me, it’s because I don’t often read science fiction. I’ve had The Palace Job on my to-read list for quite a while now, but haven’t gotten around to it. I’m definitely more inclined to pick it up now. And I need to read You soon. I was thinking of getting an audiobook of it?
Great list!
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The audiobook for You is amazing. I highly recommend it. The narrator managed to capture the character so well. I’m sure the narration is a huge part of the reason that I want to read the second book.
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Oooh nice teaser! And great picks! I LOVED Dorothy Must Die! Though it was pretty much a me read anyway! LOL! I bought The Girl with a Thousand Gifts some time ago after hearing good things. I still need to read it though! Glad to hear you enjoyed it though!
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
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Dorothy Must Die was a fun book. I did not expect to like it even one bit. I highly recommend The Girl with All the Gifts. Amazing story… to be a zombie story. LOL.
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Persuasion is different enough from the rest of Austen books that I notice it seems to speak to those people who don’t generally love. The more mature heroine perhaps? Also I totally feel ya about the complicated relationship with YA..well…anything so your little blurb is the first to spark some interest for Dorothy Must Die!
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I do think the older heroine does help the story, and it just feels less flighty than her other books… That may not be the appropriate word, but I can’t think of any other way to describe it right now. I just know Persuasion was an excellent story. LOL.
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Hmmmm. That’s an interesting topic, “out of our comfort zone” books. I’d probably put The Martian (which I ADORED) on my list if I made one, since I don’t read as much science fiction as I do fantasy. A couple others I thought of off the top of my head:
– The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie (currently reading this – YA science fiction with an LGBT slant, genetically engineered sea monsters, and pirates, and it’s SO COOL!)
– Blue Voyage by Diana Renn (YA travel mystery set in Turkey, well researched)
– This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee (YA historical steampunk that reimagines the story of Frankenstein, probably my biggest reading surprise of last year and one of my favorites of 2015)
– The Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palombo (I don’t typically read historical romance, but a friend wrote this book and I loved the music aspects and enjoyed this very much)
– Tehran Moonlight by Azin Sametipour (set in current-day Iran, a young woman is caught between her culture’s strict traditions and following her heart in terms of career and relationships)
– The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes (YA contemporary with a slight faith / Christian influence, but a beautiful and suspenseful story about three campers who get lost in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee)
Well, that’s more that a couple. *lol* But those are all the most recent “out of comfort zone” books, going back to last year.
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It’s okay. It’s easy to go longer than intended when discussing books. These sounds like some interesting reads, especially the first one and the third one. I’ll have to look into them when I’m freed from my work prison. LOL.
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Oh gosh, you’re still wickedly busy in that area of life? 😦 It should start slowing down soon, though, shouldn’t it?
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I hope so, but I got stuck on a major, major project. I’ve just been trying to balance better with my personal life.
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I’ve been avoiding reading Jane Austen like the plague. I respect her place in literature, but nothing she’s written really appeals to me enough to pick it up. Maybe Persuasion would be a good starting point for me?
Also, I’ve NEVER read a Star Wars book. But maybe if you like this one, it’s something I can talk my little brother into reading?
My ttt: http://brownbooksandgreentea.com/2016/02/23/reading-outside-of-my-comfort-zone/
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Persuasion might be. It features an older heroine than normal for her books and just feels much more mature than her others. Anne is nearing her 30s. I’ve read that it may also be partly biographical, which may account for the more realistic, mature feel than her others.
I loved Deceived. It’s easily one of the best Stars Wars relates media I’ve consumed. If your brother is into reading media tie-in, he might like this book.
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I LOVED this post!!! So fun. And I like the teaser tues idea. I’ll look it up. I’m excited to read your thoughts on Dorthy Must Die. I have it on my list but am reluctant bc I haven’t been sure it would be worth it.
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I didn’t think it’d be worth it at all. But it was fun. However, it was quite the journey and it threw me for a look toward the end which rarely happens, despite its flaws. My review is linked in this post, but beware it is long and derpy. LOL.
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“The Palace Job” was a huge, wonderful surprise for me as well: I had such fun with this book 🙂
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I need to finish the second book and the third. I got sidetracked last year, but this is the year I catch up on a few series… hopefully…
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I am definitely checking out The Palace Job! It sounds interesting 🙂 Great list!
My TTT.
Also, feel free to check out the last week of our giveaway!
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It’s a great series. Pure light fluff and fun. Hope you enjoy it if you decide to read it.
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Persuasion is my fav of hers
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I am so happy someone else has read and enjoyed the Palace Job! It’s so surprising to me since I tried to get into the Dragon Age books, but couldn’t. Yet, when I thought back, I remembered that Weekes had written Palace Job, which I found to be utterly delightful
Here’s my TTT
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I haven’t had great luck with the Dragon Age books either, so enjoying The Palace Job was a huge surprise to me, too. I didn’t care much for The Stolen Throne or The Masked Empire, which are the only two books I’ve read. I plan to try more of them, though.
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Glad the Girl with all the Gifts worked for you. 🙂 The Martian is the only other one on here I’ve read. Should check out some more of these.
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Gah, a whole bunch of these I still need to read. Especially The Palace Job… Good list!
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Kun-kabynalti osu fuir’is.
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Yeah, I sort of struggled with this in terms of I don’t really consider things outside my comfort zone – if I like the sound of it then I’m sold.
The Bees – I’ve had a copy of that – I must go and find it now. I’m totally intrigued.
Lynn 😀
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It was a struggle. At least I made it to 9 books. LOL. I really liked The Bees way more than I expected. I liked the blend of science with the plot to give it a dystopian feel.
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I’ve got copies of The Girl With All The Gifts and You – I’ll have to get to both of these! 🙂
Check out my TTT.
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Oh, Austen! I knew I was forgetting something big on my list!
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I’ve seen The Martian show up a lot today – really need to push that one farther up my TBR pile 🙂 My TTT
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