I absolutely love getting recommendations from people who know what I like in a book. Getting a good recommendation is, more often than not, getting a book you're guaranteed to like. And I have great friends who give me amazing recommendations. Here are ten of my favorites!
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore (Graceling #1): I'd definitely heard of this book before Sky @ Sky's Reading Corner recommended it to me, but it had been on my list for so long that I was starting to wonder whether I'd ever get around to it. But she kept talking about how amazing it was, and then she got me a copy for my birthday, so I had no excuses. And I LOVED it! I can't believe I almost missed out on it!
THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini: Another recommendation from Sky. (This time, she bribed me with fries so that I'd read it in one sitting. Long story.) I'd never really read anything like this, so I wasn't sure whether I would like it, but it was so beautifully crafted that it took my breath away.
ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE by Tamora Pierce (Song of the Lioness #1): Yet another recommendation from Sky! Though I have to also give credit to Avery @ The Pages are Bookining, who's been telling me to read Tamora Pierce for as long as I can remember. I probably would have liked this more if I'd read it in middle school, but it was still such a fun book.
HAWKEYE, VOL. 1: MY LIFE AS A WEAPON by Matt Fraction: I definitely owe Avery for this one - not only did this introduce me to how wonderful Hawkeye is, it got me absolutely hooked on comics! If I hadn't read this, I probably wouldn't have read Ms. Marvel, or the Star Wars comics, or Captain Marvel, and I can't even imagine that.
HURT GO HAPPY by Ginny Rorby: Yet another book from Avery! This is so underrated - it's a beautiful story, it made me feel so many things, and it has a chimpanzee. What's not to like?
THE FRIDAY SOCIETY by Adrienne Kress: And now we've moved on to recommendations from people who don't have book blogs. I actually need to reread this one - I can't believe it's been almost four years since I first read it! As for why it's so great, I'll let the book speak for itself: "An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns - and the heroines who use them all."
THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir: I'd heard a lot about this book before it was recommended to me, but I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to read it. Frankly, I find space terrifying, and the idea of being stranded on Mars didn't sound like it would make for a fun book. But then I actually read it, and it wasn't just fun - it was actually funny. Definitely not what I was expecting!
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman: I watched this movie before I even knew it was a book. Personally, I think this is one of the few cases where the movie is actually better than the book - but I loved the book, too. It took me a long time to read it, but I'm so glad I did.
LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan #1): Here's another series that I need to reread. It's such a fascinating concept - World War One, but with machines versus animals. It doesn't hurt that both of the main characters (but especially Deryn) are amazing.
BLOODY JACK by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #1): I'll be the first to admit that I have very mixed feelings about this series as a whole - it gets repetitive, the later books just aren't that interesting, and yet the first books are so great! I can't remember why this was recommended to me, but I'm so glad it was.
What are some books you've read because of recommendations? Have any recommendations led you to new favorites? What about recommendations that you haven't liked? Tell me in the comments!
THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini: Another recommendation from Sky. (This time, she bribed me with fries so that I'd read it in one sitting. Long story.) I'd never really read anything like this, so I wasn't sure whether I would like it, but it was so beautifully crafted that it took my breath away.
ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE by Tamora Pierce (Song of the Lioness #1): Yet another recommendation from Sky! Though I have to also give credit to Avery @ The Pages are Bookining, who's been telling me to read Tamora Pierce for as long as I can remember. I probably would have liked this more if I'd read it in middle school, but it was still such a fun book.
HURT GO HAPPY by Ginny Rorby: Yet another book from Avery! This is so underrated - it's a beautiful story, it made me feel so many things, and it has a chimpanzee. What's not to like?
THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir: I'd heard a lot about this book before it was recommended to me, but I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to read it. Frankly, I find space terrifying, and the idea of being stranded on Mars didn't sound like it would make for a fun book. But then I actually read it, and it wasn't just fun - it was actually funny. Definitely not what I was expecting!
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman: I watched this movie before I even knew it was a book. Personally, I think this is one of the few cases where the movie is actually better than the book - but I loved the book, too. It took me a long time to read it, but I'm so glad I did.
BLOODY JACK by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #1): I'll be the first to admit that I have very mixed feelings about this series as a whole - it gets repetitive, the later books just aren't that interesting, and yet the first books are so great! I can't remember why this was recommended to me, but I'm so glad it was.
Recommendations...recommendations EVERYWHERE!I'll never be able to keep up. *cries* It's always great to have a friend's rec before reading, though. Personally, I really like the look of The Friday Society and of course The Princess Bride and Alanna are high on my list. Ever grows the TBR!
ReplyDeleteElisabeth @ Inkspelled Faery
I'm always so behind on books that people have recommended to me! And on reading in general, actually. I love The Friday Society - it's so underrated!
DeleteHow are those steam punk novels? they seem very action packed and I've seen those covers around!
ReplyDeletePlease check out our TTT
I loved both The Friday Society and the Leviathan series! I think that The Friday Society had stronger characters, but that the plot of the Leviathan series was absolutely fascinating - and each book was better than the last one!
DeleteMore to add to my ever growing tbr pile! :D
DeleteI totally agree about The Martian! It's terrifying to imagine being in his situation and I was really surprised by the humor,too. I really enjoyed the book and I am glad to hear that you liked it as well!
ReplyDeleteThe Martian was definitely a good surprise! I'm not in a rush to read more books like it or anything, but I'm glad I went out of my comfort zone a little bit.
DeleteI'm still kind of ashamed I haven't read The Princess Bride since I've watched the movie COUNTLESS TIMES AND IT IS PURE WONDERFULNESS.š And also I want to read the Martian because I've heard it's so funny!! And I love funny books. ;D
ReplyDeleteThe book is so good! I don't think it's QUITE as good as the movie, but then again, is anything?? And The Martian is definitely funny!
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