Let’s talk about anything bookish!
Halllooooo everyone! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to write my TTT post last week so I am doing one RIGHT NOW! It’s unusual, I know but I really wanted to write this post so much! Well, last week was pretty hectic since it was Pierre’s last weekend before leaving for the Gulf of Mexico so we spent time binge watching BBC’s Sherlock!
This topic is near and dear to me because I have discovered awesome books by just picking it up! Which brings me to the discussion at hand. I’ve only just recently (about 3 years now) started reading young adult books. The first foray I had in returning to reading them was when I picked up Twilight after hearing a LOT of things about it – it wasn’t all that, in my opinion.
At that point, I stopped looking into YA. That is, UNTIL I picked up These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner. I was sucked in and haven’t looked back. It is interesting to note that prior to reading These Broken Stars, I hadn’t heard anything about it. I had seen it floating around the blogosphere and the bookstore, but I never really sought out to read the reviews or even find out what it was. I read the blurb and thought it was super interesting because – sci-fi and space. I WAS RIGHT!
[Tweet “Picking books on a whim is the best way to discover awesome reads! #ILoveReading”]
- Because you have no idea what the book is about, you aren’t tainted by everyone’s views. It’s like going into the book without any idea what to expect. For some, it is daunting but for the most part, it is very interesting! I mean, I want to be surprised once in a while!
- Sometimes reading reviews on a book can make you NOT READ the book. By going into it unaware (yikes!), you might read something that you don’t normally read! To be honest, I wasn’t really a fantasy reader until I read Graceling!
- Browsing bookshelves is something that I love! It’s a form of therapy for me and by going into a bookstore OR the library and just browsing, you get to discover a favorite read! As a side note, I browse books WITHOUT checking my phone and reading reviews! I love the excitement of it!
- ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis – I thought this book was YA contemporary. A sub-genre that I normally don’t read. BUT I kept seeing the blasted thing every time I went to the bookstore. It was practically screaming my name! Also, how can you NOT sing along every time you read the title?! I was SUPER PSYCHED when I finally picked it up and read the blurb! I got an ebook copy instead (I was at a point where I didn’t want to buy physical books) and read it! I enjoyed it. Although it didn’t become a favorite, but it steered me in the right direction and I picked up These Broken Stars.
- THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE by Heidi Heilig – I might have had my blinders on the last few months because this book wasn’t even on my radar! When it came out, I saw the cover on my audible email and I was entranced! If you look closely, you will see a girl’s partial face in the water/wave smack dab in the middle of the cover! I didn’t see it initially BUT when I did, it stayed and I HAD TO READ IT (or listen to it). I LOVED IT! Yay to #DiverseBooks
- MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza – This book is more contemporary than sci-fi but I have been seeing the cover floating around and the title was catchy too so decided to borrow it from the library. OH HO!! A female android?! THIS BOOK WAS FREAKING AWESOME!
- GRACELING by Kristin Cashore – I loved the cover so much and decided to give this book a go. This is probably my first high fantasy YA book and I WAS HOOKED! This book paved the way for me to enjoy fairy tale retellings and other high fantasy books!
- THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER by Megan Shepherd – I was in the midst of a retelling kick when I saw this book at the library. It’s a retelling of The Island of Dr. Moreau, featuring Dr. Moreau’s daughter. I read the blurb and since it sounded like a gothic historical YA book, I decided to get the audio and listen to it. THIS SERIES has been my favorite of all classic retellings!
- DOROTHY MUST DIE by Daniele Paige – On my birthday, a couple of years ago, I spent the afternoon at a bookstore in LA and decided to purchase a copy on a whim. It IS another classic retelling and it mixes Frank L. Baum’s writing and a few elements from the movie The Wizard of Oz….and THE TITLE THO! I mean, it just screamed BUY ME PLEASE! BTW I enjoyed this book so much!
Do you read books on a whim? Which books have you read?
I haven’t read any books on a whim lately because I’ve been going crazy with ARCs lol, but I do sometimes see a blurb or even just, like, part of a blurb, and I’ll be immediately like, “I NEED THIS BOOK!” and I just don’t even care what the reviews say because I know I’m going to read it anyway even if all the reviews are horrible lol. And I think when I got back into reading after being away from it for a while the books that got me back into it were kind of whim reads. Well, they were free ebooks, but I didn’t really put much thought into my decision since I didn’t even know what I liked anymore, and those turned out fantastically! Sometimes when you’re drawn to a book, you just gotta go for it!
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That’s true, Kristen! It’s just interesting to note that some of the best books most of us have read, were because we thought the blurb sounded good! I also have a thing about hyped books because I go into it with so much expectation and then I’m ultimately disappointed by it… 🙁
I’m the worst when it comes to judging a book by its cover – I will often pick up a book based on a beautiful cover alone!!
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You and me both, Nicole! hahaha although I have had pretty good results with this! 🙂
I do this especially on Netgalley! I always see books that look interesting and I think it’s probably not a bad idea to try new things. Although then I end up with *too* many books but still. I enjoy it?!
I should probably finally read These Broken Stars. I’ve seen it around so many times but still haven’t read it! Also Madman’s Daughter looks really good! And and and should I just read all of these?
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YES YOU SHOULD! These Broken Stars because Tarver Merendsen…and Madman’s Daughter is darker and more gothic! Soooo goood! and a little creepy!
I don’t exactly read books “on a whim” but, well… How I do it is I just keep on adding books on my TBR after checking their synopsis and maybe at least one review on Goodreads and still thinking I want to read it. Then, moths later I’d forget what that book is all about and see it on my TBR list, and then I’d just pick it up and read it because I have nothing else to read. Maybe my way is different but, well. xD
I’m really scared of reading books without knowing what they’re about so I really rarely ever read books on a whim. I can’t even remember the last time I did it. xD Maybe one day I’ll do it just for fun haha. Great post!
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Thanks, Mara! I think I’m not 100% clueless about what the book is all about, only clueless about what the buzz is. I look at Goodreads and see the star rating average, read the synopsis and pick it up. I agree that it is a little scary but there was a time when I didn’t even look at Goodreads and basically based every decision I made by the cover or the blurb! LOL
I honestly am terribly slack at picking up whim-reads these days…I USED TO BE BETTER AT IT, I SWEAR. But ahhh the TBR and the recommendations pile up! It doesn’t actually worry me though?? Because I’d rather spend my limited-reading-time on a book I know I’ll enjoy. 😛 Although about 3 years ago, when I REALLY got into YA, all my favourite books where picked-up-on-a-whim. 😀 I wouldn’t have discovered Maggie Stiefvater if I hadn’t!! WHO IS NOW MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR. *shrieks happily*
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OHHH CAIT HOW COULD YOU?! LOL Kidding aside, I do get what you mean! I try to read books that I know I would like, but I also try to keep my options open because you never know! 🙂
I know you like Stiefvater…I stalk your Instagram! LOL I just couldn’t get past her Mercy Falls series…maybe I’ll try her books in the future, though!
Great post! I used to read just about everything on a whim, and only started being more strategic about what I read in the last couple of years. Even still, I try to make sure I still have several “whim” pick-ups, usually driven by sales and whatnot. Most recently, I listened to Radiance by Grace Draven COMPLETELY on a whim, and I was very pleasantly surprised 🙂
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