So this post is inspired by a previous Top Ten Tuesday prompt all about books you can’t believe you read. I’ve just simply added to that to be books I can’t believe I read and enjoyed. These are books that are maybe from one of those taboo genres, a book totally out of my comfort zone, or books that I just would not like today. I thought it would be fun to look back at my books and laugh at myself or reminisce about some favorites! Let’s get into it!
TWILIGHT – Honestly, is this list really complete without featuring good ‘ole Twilight? I read this book in high school and quickly became obsessed. I read books 2 & 3 in one weekend. Over a decade later, it’s actually embarrassing to even say this is what got me into reading. Even the other day, I was telling someone I read mainly YA and the person said “oh, like Twilight?” and I reluctantly said yes with a cringe on my face. Yikes. 😆
THE COINCIDENCE OF CALLIE AND KAYDEN – This was my first ever romance novel and I was so nervous to even read romance because…stigma, I suppose. While I’m glad I branched into a pretty fun genre to read – if I remember correctly, this is a slightly problematic love story. Alas, I enjoyed it enough to read the sequels AND continue with the romance genre. Which brings me to…
IT AIN’T ME, BABE – Oh man, The Hades Hangmen. I found this series on Instagram and since I was looking for a new romance and it reminded me of Sons of Anarchy, I picked it up. Oohhhh man. These are pretty messed up books. Each one gets darker and harder to read, yet I keep reading them, and I don’t know why. There’s a pretty big cult following for this series on Instagram so if you’re into Dark Romance, check out Tillie Cole, she’s all about it.
THE SELECTION – I read this in a few hours and then quickly read the next two, but to be honest, I didn’t actually like it? Well, okay, I did at the time, but looking back…not so much. I remember rolling my eyes at her name – America Singer facepalm. It’s basically the Bachelor and just not that great anymore.
SAGA, VOL. 1 – This one is on the list because it was my first graphic novel, also because the cover kind of threw me off. I didn’t think I’d dig it but it’s so weird and entertaining that I can’t believe I haven’t continued with the series yet!
CLOCKWORK ANGEL – Ok, ok, I can sum up why I can’t believe I read this one and enjoyed it with one sentence: I ended up continuing & wasting my time with the terrible trilogy. In fact, I DNF’d the last book because while reading there was a scene where the MC is running away/in the middle of a battle and Clare took more than a paragraph to talk about how MC’s dress was getting muddy 😐 Just…no. I put it down after that since I was really struggling with it anyways.
DRAGONS OF AUTUMN TWILIGHT – I’ve talked about this book in the past so I’ll keep this simple: This is NOT a YA Fantasy, so reading this proved that I would like Non-YA Fantasy books with no romance.
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS – To be frank, I think I only liked this one because everyone else was liking it. All other John Green novels I’ve read, I’ve hated, and the movie for this one wasn’t even good. I think I was just following the trend/hype but, I don’t actually like the story or Green’s writing at all.
What are some books that you were surprised you liked? Any you were embarrassed to like? Or books that you would hate today?
23 Comments
Same for me! I really started reading regulary around the Twilight era in highschool. haha Also read The Selection Series and The Coincidence of Callie and Cayden. Definitely still trying to get over the stigma of reading romance novels, but I really enjoy them.
MY TTT: https://delightfulnarratives.com/2019/07/30/top-ten-tuesday-books-that-made-me-swoon/
Romance novels are just super awkward to read for some reason. Like I’ll usually read another book while reading that so if people ask what I’m reading I don’t say the romance ? That’s so weird to do!
I love all that is John Green. He can do no wrong by me. Sorry, not sorry. TID is still my favorite of Clare’s series. And, I liked The Selection. I read the second set of books in the series as well as the first.
hahah that’s awesome! I’m glad you like him. I just never get into any of his books >.< I read the first three for The Selection but once it went to being about her daughter (right?), I started it but gave up lol
Your comment on Twilight 😂 😂 😂 I just got recommended Tillie Cole, specifically Hades Hangmen series! I’m scared to dive in lol But the ending of the infernal devices series is so wonderful!!! 😭 I think I’d be the same with TFIOS. If I read it now for the firsr time, I’d probably cringe all the way through.
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
hahah The Hades Hangmen is kind of addicting. Some of them are better than others and it does start to get a little repetitive. You’ll start having favorite couples/characters so if theres a book that focuses on your least favorite character, it will be hard to enjoy it lol. Mainly, though, its just dark with some really messed up scenes in it that make it sort of uncomfortable to read. Although, Tillie Cole actually studied the topics in university and interviewed a lot of women, so I can appreciate that at least.
I remember seeing the Callie & Kayden book everywhere in my early blogging years. I’m super picky about romance, but I did read a few that I LOVED that I don’t think I would LOVE now (like PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry).
Honestly, I think that’s how I found out about the Callie & Kayden books lol. There are some romance books that I enjoy but then when I see discussions or read reviews about them I’ll be like … oh yikes, okay didn’t really think about that >.< (usually the ones with slightly problematic relationships) haha but they're addicting!
I sooo felt the same about The Selection. IT TOOK ME MONTHS TO SORT OUT HOW I FELT ABOUT IT. I enjoyed it but also hated it but also loved it and devoured it and and I was like ??? OKAY??? WHICH IS IT??? (But I do look back fondly on and generally love in terms of entertainment value. It was kind of like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. That’s the saying, right?)
I always feel kind of embarrassed about the fact that Twilight was a big contributing factor to reigniting my interest in reading and bringing YA books into my life. So I relate 100%
Right?! Like I STILL like it? But also, not really? I don’t know hahaha It was a quick read that was just fun to read but the story was…ok? lol
And yeah..Twilight. Then the movies just made it worse lol
There are books that I read and enjoyed in my teen years – and even a few years ago – that I know I wouldn’t enjoy today. Twilight is definitely on that list 😂 Then there are the good surprises like The Smell of Other People’s Houses. I remember you talking about DRAGONS OF AUTUMN TWILIGHT before. I’m glad you enjoyed it; it’s on my TBR!
Exactly! Like, I don’t think I actually enjoyed Divergent, especially considering I DNF’d the last one? Yet I always said I liked it? haha If you read Dragons, I hope you like it! It gets mixed reviews but I do enjoy it 🙂
Your comment on TFIOS was so spot on, I only liked it because everyone else was liking it too! That’s also the case for Twilight. I really enjoyed the Selection trilogy, I think it’s just a fun series ahaha. I refuse to read the sequel trilogy though.
I actually did finish the Selection trilogy and I’ll agree, its fun haha. I tried the first book in the second one but I DNF’d it >.<
I love this post!! I think I made myself think I liked The Fault in Our Stars because of how much everyone else loved it (but I really didn’t enjoy the book haha). And I feel the same way about The Selection — I have no idea how I liked the book so much only a few years ago, because now it makes me want to gag 😅
HAHA basically same for TFIOS. I remember I made my mom watch the movie and she was like … that was so stupid. And I defended it. WHY lol
I was the same about Saga! AND Callie & Kayden, actually! But I did really love Saga, so much that I have them all. And I honestly don’t remember if I read the sequel of C&K? But even so, it did surprise me! I did like TFIOS, but I wasn’t really surprised by it haha. Such a fun topic, I need to tackle this one of these days!
I believe I read the sequel to C&K but then the NEXT one was about different characters in the book and I didn’t care…If I remember correctly haha
Oh man, I feel the same way about The Selection series. I couldn’t stop reading it because it was so entertaining but I never actually liked it? It is such an embarrassing and awkward series. And I remember reading TFIOS during the huge craze before the movie came out and I liked it but did not understand why it was so popular? John Green books have never really clicked with me at all.
Yep, agree with all of that haha. Green’s books really don’t click with me either. I tried THREE and gave up lol
I love this tag I wanna do it! Saga is so good check out Monstress too.
Ohhh is Monstress similar? I’ll look into it!
Different. Artwork is amazing!