Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum

What surprised me: I picked up this book just to read the chapters about Survivor… and ended up reading the whole thing, start to finish. I did not expect to be that fascinated by a book about TV!

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My review

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

What surprised me: Everything! I am not a sports fan. At all. I picked this book up, way back when, after hearing an interview with the author. I did not expect a book about football to interest me in the slightest, but I just couldn’t put it down.

(And yes, this is my 2nd non-fiction book in a row… I am not usually a non-fiction reader, so any time I enjoy a non-fiction book, it’s pretty surprising!)

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The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

What surprised me: I was under the impression that this book would be more “literary fiction” than what I enjoy, so I disregarded it whenever it popped up on my recommendations list. Once I finally gave it a try, I was immediately hooked.

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My review

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

What surprised me: I misread the synopsis for this book and had a completely wrong impression of what it would be about! It worked out fine — I ended up loving the book — but seeing what the plot actually was was definitely a surprise for me.

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My review

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

What surprised me: The intricacy of the language and world-building. The Goblin Emperor is one of my favorite books, but the first time I read it, the storytelling style was not at all what I expected in a fantasy novel. The use of language itself as a key part of the story was one of the biggest surprises. This book is a masterpiece, and I had no idea before I picked it up and started reading it.

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My review

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

What surprised me: It’s been many years since I read this outstanding book… but I still remember how I gasped out loud at some of the plot twists!

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Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin

What surprised me: With the main character described as someone who hates books, I was prepared to dislike this book (which I got as a “blind date with a book” — otherwise, I probably never would have picked it up). It turns out, the book is delightful, and the issue around hating books is more nuanced than it might seem. And anyway, this is a sweet, upbeat romance — in a bookstore!! — that’s just so much fun.

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My review

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

What surprised me: I was skeptical — did we need another Hunger Games prequel? Surprise! The answer is yes. The story of Haymitch and the 50th Hunger Games pulled me in right away and was impossible to put down.

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My review

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

What surprised me: I suppose I can’t really say this one surprised me — whenever I pick up a John Scalzi book, I know it’ll be amazing. And yet, before reading this one, I just couldn’t imagine how a book about the moon turning to cheese could possible work. But it does! In totally fabulous ways.

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My review

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

What surprised me: Based on the cover, I thought this book would be a bit on the corny side… but it was actually really fun and endearing. I was surprised by how much I liked it!

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My review