Top Ten Tuesday: Books outside my comfort zone that I have enjoyed recently

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Link up here

So, this is going to sound bad, but I don't go out of my comfort zone in books very often. I know what I like, and I like what I know. I can't keep up with my tbr as it is, so, even though I know there are 10 gazillion wonderful books out there that I've never looked at, I'm okay with sticking to my favorites. 

That being said, I didn't really discover a love for fantasy series until, well, last summer. Seriously guys. I was obsessed with contemporary and romance stories. Sometimes I'd delve into paranormal... but fantasy kind of intimidated me. So, this is basically going to be a bunch of fantasy novels, with a few others tossed in. I can't say they're no longer mhy normal genre... but this time last year I would have laughed if I'd been told a few of my favorite series were high fantasy.

The Husband's Secret 16034235 12458287 60510 The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1) 10194157 The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1) Passenger (Passenger, #1) Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) 9680718

1. The Husbands Secret by Liane Moriarty - This is the only book that is just basic literature. I read this because Moriarty was so highly recommended... and it was pretty good. I don't read a lot of Austrailian author's or general literature (chick lit?) drama? I don't know... but if there isn't a fantastic love story it's not my normal pick, so this was out of my normal.
2. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - the one that set it off. This is how little I paid attention to fantasy... I'd never heard of this book until last June. I literally saw it on Goodreads and bought it on a whim knowing nothing about it. Now, this series is one of my absolute favorites... right next to Harry Potter.
3. The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley - This is by one of my favorite authors, but I'd put it for so long. The book is about a girl that is ripped into a fantasy world that is completely primitive... think Aladdin meets Ghengis Kahn. Yeah, I had no interest. But, I wanted to read the rest of the series so I picked this one up, and I ended up completely loving and adoring it.
4. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - another fantasy series that I really enjoyed and didn't expect to. I had a challenge on Goodreads that led me to read this one, and, no surprise, I loved it.. I need to read the rest of the series but I want to buy them in hardcopy first.
5. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - Like I said, fantasy wasn't my thing until recently and I've been eating it up the last year.
6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - I actually tried to read this one a couple years ago when it first released. It didn't happen. I think I got about 15 pages in and got bored... So glad I picked it back up because I love this whole series and want a Nikolai spinoff... Ms. Bardugo, if you read this, please make it happen.
7. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh - I just didn't think I'd like this... I did't think the Arab culture would keep my interest since I know so little about it. I was wrong though... this book had me by the heart. No doubt it will be one of my favorite reads of 2016.
8. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - I'd heard of Bracken before, but I put off the Her Darkest Minds series because I don't typically read much dystopian. It got so repetitive after the Hunger Games fandom that I have been off of it for awhile... but I digress. I had heard wonderful things about Bracken, so I decided to try her new series even though I'm not usually a big historical fiction reader. I loved it. The time travel, the research, the everything was great in this book.
9. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - I picked this up because the documentation style peaked my interest. I'm not a sci-fi reader. It's a slow process to enter into it. Anyways, I loved this book.
10. Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout - If you have read back on my blog, you know I'm kind of a big Armentrout fan. Despite this... I had zero interest in this series. Like zip, zilch, none. It just wasn't for me... I was certain of it. But, then last week I was trying to read Glass Sword and decided I wanted something more romantic (since it was the day before Valentine's Day and all)... so I chose this one at random. Yeah, I was wrong about it not being my style. I think I love this series more than the Lux series. I devoured it.. like read all 5 books and 3 novellas in less than a week. Then, I started rereading the Lux series for no reason (I'll finish the 4th book today). So yeah, for the last 1.5 weeks I've been stuck in a Armentrout vortex. I tried to pick up a few other books, but I think I'm stuck reading her for a while thanks to this series... Now I can't wait for The Power which releases today! I've heard Alex and Aiden make an appareance and well, I love them! 

Okay, sorry for the fangirling on the last one, but guyssss I literally can't get off her books right now and I put this series off for years, what is wrong with me!?!?


Like I said, this was basically Alexis does fantasy. I tried to throw a few other books in there for you as well though. Have you read any of these books? I'd love to hear from you... maybe I'll pull my head out of Armentout's books this week long enough to respond... *shuffles feet guiltily for lack of commenting or posting the last week or so*



6 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh what an amazing list!!! I am so happy to see a bit of fangirling over the covenant series because that series is ~amazing~ Throne of Glass is right next to Harry Potter in my book too. These are all amazing picks!
    here's my TTT!

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  2. I really love your list! I own Shadow and Bone , I did not read it yet , but I read Six of Crows and it was amazing! and Excellent book. I got addicted to it haha.
    Halfblood was just OK for me, I thought it sounded a lot like Vampire Academy.
    Poison Study was sooo good! I need to finish the series.

    My TTT.

    Also, feel free to check out the last week of our
    giveaway!

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  3. Great list! I really want to read The Winner's Curse and Poison Study this year! Hopefully I'll be able to get to them soon!

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  4. Glad you enjoyed Throne of Glass! I love that series too.
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/23/top-ten-tuesday-45/

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  5. OH YAY!!!! Love your list!! I ADORED Poison Study so I am so happy you enjoyed it as well! Passenger was good for me was well! I had no qualms about Half Blood, TW&TD or Shadow and Bone! The Winner's Curse is one I am hoping to start soonish! Great picks!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  6. i am looking so forward to reading Passenger and Wrath/Dawn soonish! :) My TTT

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