TTT: Surprised How Much I Liked These Books

Top Ten Tuesday: Surprised by how much I liked these books 

1. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky --- It shouldn't have surprised me since this classic novel is at the top of most lists of best book lists but I was shocked by how much I liked this book.

2. The Wedding People by Alison Espach -- I don't usually go in for romance novels. I was genuinely surprised by the plot and how much I cared for the characters. A strong woman emerged from a beaten down one.

3. The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown -- I like Sci-fi in small doses so it surprised me how much I liked this sci-fi thriller. I didn't want to put the books down and it had felt like ages since I'd felt that way about a book.

4. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf -- Why does it shock me when classics are just that, classic!

5. Shakespeare: The Man Who Paid the Rent by Judi Dench -- I expected to "like" this book but I wasn't expecting to be bowled over by it. An actress talking about her craft does not sound that thrilling, but it was a joy from start to finish.

6. James by Percival Everett -- Best book of 2024, hands down! I laughed. I cried. I got super angry. And I've been talking about it ever since.

7. Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshanathan -- The winner of the Winner's Prize in 2024, about the war in Sri Lanka. I don't generally like war books but this book was on another plane, simply mesmerizing.

8. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara -- Another war book, this one about the Battle of Gettysburg during the US Civil War. This novelization of an actual event really brought the real characters and action alive.

9. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See -- I have liked everything I've read by this author so I am not sure why my expectations were low for this book which not was simply a fantastic story but shed light on women in medicine in ancient China. So interesting.

10. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer -- a book about Indigenous practices regarding nature, harvesting practices, and plants. Doesn't sound like the type of book which would land on a list like this, but it is nothing short of phenomenal. (I read the YA version.)

-Anne