Top Ten Tuesday - Books I liked more/less than I thought I would

I don't know how to go about today's TTT topic. I generally go into each book thinking "boy I hope I like this book," so I think I'll approach it more as "books that were better/worse than I had hoped they would be, rather than what I expected. I try not to go in with high expectations... just in case! Is that pessimistic of me? Or realistic? Bah, I never know...

BOOKS THAT WEREN'T AS GOOD AS I HOPED THEY WOULD BE

 

 

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I really just... couldn't get into this book. I'd maybe have given it a 3/5 stars at the time if I had been reviewing but it seemed like a big copy cat of a bunch of other books (LoTR, HP, etc.) It wasn't bad, and the world building by this kid is beyond comprehension, but still. I was hoping for some awesome high fantasy wonderfulness, and I didn't get it. It has been almost a year since I've read it and I am dreading picking up the next one (especially since I cant remember what happened in the first).

 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

I was convinced I would love this one, just based on the reputation this book and the following trilogy have, but I could NOT get into it. I finished reading it right before I started blogging again and if I had posted a review, it would've gotten 3/5 also. I didnt hate it, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype and I was disappointed with how unsatisfied I felt after reading it.

 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

When I picked this book up, it sounded so awesome, and I was sincerely hoping it would live up to the hype and I actually REALLY didnt like the actual storyline. The backstory and the whole premise of the book is what I did like, but it took me months to pick up the next book and at that point I barely remembered what happened. Ugh. Solid 2/5.

 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Though I did like this book in some ways, I was a little disappointed with the lack of....more. I don't know - there was something missing and I still cant figure out what it is.  I think part of it had to do with the fact that Tris wasn't as strong of a character as I had hoped she would be (I HATE  weak female lead) and I just cant see what the whole hype is over Tobias. I feel like I cant feel their chemistry or their flame... I don't know. Maybe. Whatever. 3/5.

 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Why oh whyyyy did I make myself suffer through this book. The honest truth is because I DO feel better about having read it because it is a classic and I feel like maybe I understand literature itself a little better, but that book dragged so badly for me. I'm pretty sure I skipped a chapter here and there, and I just couldn't do it. It wasn't even the story so much as the length and tedious writing. Whyyyy did that story have to be so long and pointless. I know that many of you will hate me for what I thought of this book, but I really just couldn't do it. 2/5!!!

Fifty Shades of Grey  by E.L. James
Need I even explain? Anyway, the smut lovers raved about this one and I sincerely hoped I would like it at least a little. I admit the premise was great and as a stand-alone book it might have even passed for good, but I stopped after book two because I just couldn't take the weak female mc and horrible writing. Ugh, this collectively gets a 1.5/5 from me.

 

BOOKS THAT WERE BETTER THAN I HOPED THEY WOULD BE

 

Pandemonium/Requiem by Lauren Oliver

We all know Oliver totally redeemed herself on the last two novels in this trilogy. Some of you actually loved Delirium but as I mentioned above, I clearly did not, and when I finally decided to pick up Pandemonium, and even though I didn't remember some of what happened in Delirium, I was pleasantly surprised. Loved these last two! Collectively a 4.5/5

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Now see, I didn't have low expectations for this book at all, I just didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It SO fresh and unique and the writing is fabulous. I loved the twist on classic fairytales and I cant wait until next year when the next installment finally is released.

 

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

I read these literally just to read them because I heard they were fun and they were reminiscent (slightly) of Harry Potter, and I was intrigued when I heard this comparison. Well - HELLO Mr. Riordan, and thank you for this wonderful ride, but will you PLEASE release the next book because I am dying. These books are so fun and easy to read but super interesting especially if you have a slightly-more-than-mild interest in mythology such as myself. Collectively 4.5/5!

 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I had to do it. I just HAD to, I'm sorry. One, because HP should be on every list ever. Two, because when I finally decided to finish this series a few years back, I was doing it just to see if it was true - is it as epic as they say. I know my obsession with HP makes it seem like I've always had this obsession, but it is not true. When I was a kid, I read up to the middle of book 5 then stopped because I was too cool for school. And when I finally picked them back up (and from the beginning) I knew it was a good thing I waited until adulthood to finish reading them for full appreciation. I was hoping it would be as epic as the hype made it seem and here I am several years later, and  even just thinking about the books, I think I am going to go home and read one of them again tonight. Collectively 5/5!

 

What books did you like more or less than you thought you would?

 

A.