These are the best books that I can't BELIEVE I almost gave up on and am very thankful I did not.
If you know my tastes well, you might be thinking, "
Whaaaa? But you LOVE this series! If I have to hear you bellow about HECTORRR one more time I might strangle you!" And it's true, I dearly love Hector and I dearly love Elisa and I dearly love this series, but the first book is not this series strongest installment. I'm SO GLAD I gave it the chance to grow, though, and now it's one of my favorite fantasy series around.
Ooo, boy, the very beginning of this book and I were not friends. The writing was gorgeous, and the worldbuilding was unique, but there was SO FREAKING MUCH OF IT. I loved Nyx's character and clung to that hoping the rough and info-dump-laden beginning would smooth out. And it did!
This one is mostly my own fault, not the book's. I kind of assumed I wouldn't like this, because it's not the kind of book I typically read, but I ended up sticking with it and loving it.
So... I kind of hated the beginning of this book. I thought it was very silly, and if I hadn't been on a lazy beach vacation, this would have been DNF city. And then all of a sudden I found myself caring. I found myself engrossed and attached and
CURSE YOU, LEGOLAS. I blame you.
It's no secret that I'm obsessed with this series. I binge-read it in December and my whole entire life for a week was
Roar the world that Rossi created. But I did have a tiny bit of a tough time in the very beginning of this book. We're thrown into Aria's world with very little information and little to attach ourselves to, but characters are dying and terms are being flung at our heads and WHOA. Slow down, there. But then this book really takes off, and Roar shows up, which makes everything better.
Yep. I thought the beginning of this book was super boring and Tris was super flat. It wasn't until she hopped her first train and the book switched to the Divergent compound that I got really interested.
Oh, this book. I want to punch my past self in the face. I did not want this book. I did not like the cover, I was freaked out by the synopsis (GIANT BUGS NONONO), and I was totally wrong. I was skeptical of this book's total lack of marbles (ie this book is certifiably nuts), but I ended up super enjoying it. What a fun acid trip of a read.
Cue the
Ellis and
Meg screaming in three... two... ONE. This series is one of my obsessions. It's one of my favorite series of all time. I ship Gansey and Blue with the power of a thousand suns. I am willing to off whoever I need to off to get my hands on
Blue Lily, Lily Blue. So what is
The Raven Boys doing on this list? Well, I first attempted to read this on audiobook. And audiobooking is just not for me. I could not focus, I would get annoyed with the pacing, and I felt detached from the characters. I switched to print mostly as an experiment to see how different it would be. VERY DIFFERENT. Verrrry different.
To me, the beginning of this high fantasy is a total garbled mess. Incomprehensible worldbuilding and alternate realms and oh dear gods above what is happening? But then it hits a point where things start to become clearer, and a ship starts to build, and I boarded the ship and sailed off into the readerly sunset.
What books did you almost give up on?
Posts
I AM SCREAMING ABOUT THE RAVEN BOYS LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN.
ReplyDeleteAPPARENTLY I ALSO NEEDED TO CUE THE GABY YELLING OBVIOUSLY ONCE I SWITCHED TO PRINT EVERYTHING WAS PERFECTION OKAY
DeleteI'm a littl bit the opposite of you with Divergent in that I was into it at first, but then wished I'd put it down :-)
ReplyDeleteI had the same feelings toward Fire and Thorns - probably my fault because I knew the ship didn't really start until the second book, so I was impatient to get there. Very glad I finally decided to binge the series because HECTOR.
ReplyDeleteI remember thinking Under the Never Sky started a bit like a Melina Marchetta book - a little confusing - but thankfully it doesn't take long to get settled in.
The PLT series is one of my favorites - glad you stuck with it! :)
I'm reading Cruel Beauty soon, so I shall keep your comments in mind! I was pleasantly surprised by Pushing The Limits. Great list! :-)
ReplyDeleteI was sure I was going to hate Pushing the Limits since I usually detest contemporary ya novels so I get where you're coming from. I ended up loving it too :)
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT post
-Kimberly @ Turning the Pages
Bahahahah, I totally called that we'd both have "The Burning Sky" on our lists! Thanks God we rode it out though, cause it's great!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
I actually did give up on Girl Of Fire and Thorns but I'm constantly hearing such good things about it that I kinda want to try it again. Great list!
ReplyDeleteI really loved Divergent and I thought everything was interesting! I understand if it was really boring to you. A lot of people said that the training part thing was dull haha!
ReplyDeleteJillian @ My TTT
I so agree with Under the Never Sky, the first third didn't blow me away but when I finally got some answers, shit got gooood! I own Pushing the Limits and think I might like it, and I'm considering trying the Divergent series soon, but I'm still wondering on that front. I like your banners and the books you've chosen Gilly, great post! :)
ReplyDeleteI had the urge to put down Divergent too. I just wasn't quite enjoying it but glad I didn't and I did end up reading the entire series!
ReplyDeleteI am currently stopped in the middle of the audio book of Raven Boys. It has been stuck there for almost a year now. I keep avoiding going back. I really just am not an audio book person, but it was free! Maybe I need to just suck it up and buy a copy.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Grasshopper Jungle, but not too long ago I read Winger by Andrew Smith and it's one of my favorite books! Have you read that? I don't think it is at all like Grasshopper Jungle, but if you like Smith's writing, I think you would like Winger. It's SOOOO Good!
ReplyDeleteI love Pushing the Limits. I wasn't really expecting to like it either because i thought it would be too melodramatic, but boy what I wrong. Katie McGarry is an automatic read author for me now.
Nice picks. I love the entire Under the Never Sky series, such an amazing first book and series overall. Happy you stuck with that one. I have to admit to not being a fan of Cruel Beauty at all, it just didn't work for me. Divergent was a great book for me, loved when it got to the Divergent compound and all of the training. I have Grasshopper Jungle but haven't got to it yet, it does look good but I am a little nervous. Nice picks :) Here's my TTT.
ReplyDeleteOoh yeah I gave up on Under the Never Sky after...eh the first 30 pages or so? Yeah. I wasn't feeling it. I don't know. I have the first two books so maybe I should give it another go.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear you had a hard time starting some of these because I did too... and some I gave up on, but I'm tempted to try them again now, like the Burning Sky.
ReplyDeleteTHE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is one of those I gave up on... I'm tempted to go back and try it now, though.
ReplyDeleteHECTOOOOOOORR
ReplyDeleteI will have you know that I am calmly accepting the fact that you almost DNFed TRB (though this is mostly because I already went WHUT a bunch before typing this comment)(not judging, if i’d started with the audio I probs wouldn’t have loved it as much simply because I would’ve missed 90% of the book due to my inability to listen)
I am glad you didn’t DNF these entirely as I know many of them have brought you great joy.
HECTOR HECTOR HECTOR <3 I absolutely loved the Fire and Thorns series when I finally read it in its entirety this year. I almost didn't continue since the first book was solid, but I wasn't super invested. THANK GOODNESS I DID.
ReplyDeleteAlso, The Raven Boys is absolutely brilliant. I love Maggie Stiefvater.