5 Books with Surprising Plot Twists

Plot twists are funny creatures. On one hand, I enjoy putting together all the puzzle pieces and figuring out what’s going to happen before it does. On the other hand, I don’t. Honestly, I don’t fully understand why. Maybe there’s something appealing about an author who could outsmart me. Or a story that is strikingly original.

Whatever the reason, I love a good plot twist that hits me like a bus. Not an “oh, that’s cute” twist but one that makes me want to scream, “WAIT, WHAT!?!?!” Unfortunately, they’re not very common, especially after you start reading widely enough that you can see the patterns before they’re complete. Which is what makes a good plot twist, especially one that was hinted at throughout the story, all the more enjoyable.

The following books contain plot twists that surprised me. Not all readers may share the same sentiments. I’ve done my best to keep this post spoiler-free.

 

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

This story is set on an island and written in letter format about the letters of the alphabet and how they influence a particular society. Although the blurb claims Ella as the main character, the book is actually told from several perspectives, and it works quite well. The way the climax wrapped up was both surprising yet incredibly satisfying.

 

Supernova (Renegades, #3) by Marissa Meyer

You think you know how superhero stories go, do you? Actually, you probably do. The Renegades trilogy plays with some of the usual tropes of good vs. evil while the lines between the two are blurred. Meyer threw in in some unusual powers, but overall, I found the books to be rather predictable. Until I hit the epilogue at the end of book three. I’m still reeling. I need a sequel or a novella or something! Please!!!

 

The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson

When the series was rebranded for YA, the book was renamed Mistborn. Honestly, I like the original better.

Most every Sanderson book has surprised me in one way or another. This one surprised me in a plot-related way that I didn’t quite expect. In other words, I’ve read so many trilogies with the big bad villain, that I just knew how this story was going to play out. Right? Wrong. Absolutely delightful. Not to mention his latest book in the sequel series (Bands of Mourning) changed everything I thought I knew about The Final Empire. Six books later, and Sanderson is still surprising me!

 

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Two women—a spy and a pilot—embark on a mission in Nazi-occupied France. Not only is the writing style engaging, but one of the plot twists I didn’t see coming until the moment it happened, which is uncommon for a first-person novel. To make it even better, it’s first person told by two different women, and I never had difficulty telling them apart. There’s just so much to enjoy about this book, although it did rip my heart out.

 

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

This book. Zappia has such a way of writing neurodiverse characters that I really appreciate her contemporaries. This one in particular had a twist near the end that I didn’t expect. I’ve read other reviews where other readers were apparently smarter than I was at the time of reading and could see the twist coming. Whatever the case, the reader in me is still very pleased with the execution.

 

So there you have it! Sure, there are other books that have surprised me, but some of them I don’t remember well enough to talk about or the twist felt too contrived to mention.

 

Let’s chat! What are some books with plot twists that surprised you? Have you read any of these! (Please, if you can, keep the comments spoiler free!)

 

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7 of my Go-To Authors

For a while, I didn’t used to understand what it was like to have a go-to author. I didn’t understand why people would see a new book pop up by a certain author, and they’d immediately add it to their To-Be-Read list or maybe they’d even buy it without having read it first. What madness was this?

After I read more extensively, though, I noticed certain authors starting to pop up again and again in my stack. And when I found myself in a reading slump, I’d go to the library and grab something by one of those authors even if I hadn’t even read the description. I’ve even bought books I’ve never read before and actually liked them. I broke my own rules because the books were by certain go-to authors.

This post is by no means an extensive list. I have more go-to authors. The number seven just looks good on the blog.

The following authors are organized alphabetically by last name.

 

 

1)     Akemi Dawn Bowman

Her debut novel, Starfish, was so, so good! A contemporary YA novel about Kiko who likes creating art but struggles with social anxiety. I found the story to be super relatable. The characters were well-developed, and while I didn’t want to believe narcissistic people like Kiko’s mother could exist, I have a family member like her.

Two years ago, Bowman released an equally well-written book, Summer Blue Bird that ripped my heart out. And it was set in Hawai’i! It was probably the first book I’ve read that captured the setting and culture perfectly!

I have yet to read her latest novel, Harley in the Sky, but I’m super excited! Though I haven’t actually bought any of her books yet, they’re on my list.

2)     Orson Scott Card

Like many sci-fi fans, I discovered his work through Ender’s Game. I actually saw the movie first, then read the book. I thought it was okay. Until I read the rest of Ender’s Saga where there are multiple alien species and an AI and more moral dilemmas, and I just fell in love with the series as a whole.

Though I haven’t enjoyed the The Shadow Series books half as much as the Ender’s Saga because they lean more toward political than fantastical, I still like how it explores Bean’s perspective. Ender’s Shadow in particular helped me come to terms with the fact that one doesn’t have to be the most intelligent person to make a difference and that it’s okay to accept one’s limitations. I’ll probably end up reading the rest of The Shadow Series eventually.

 

3)     C. S. Lewis

I grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia, but it wasn’t until college that I was introduced to his other works of fiction and nonfiction. His sci-fi trilogy is okay. Not great as far as sci-fi goes but interesting as far as a religious study. The others that I’ve really enjoyed have been The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce.

In his collection of essays, God in the Dock, I really enjoyed his logical arguments. They made me think about questions I’d never asked and helped me come to terms with others I’d struggled with for a while.

The books of his that I really want to read/reread include The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and Reflections on the Psalms.

After my undergraduate degree, I went on a C. S. Lewis trip to Oxford and got to see where he lived, worked, and talked with his fellow writer friends. His life is an inspiration.

 

4)     L. Nicodemus Lyons

In college, my mom introduced me to the author and her books. I got signed copies of her first series Alliance, and read them all during midterms week and fall break. The themes and characters are great, and the amount of research that goes into each book is fantastic!

She recently finished her second series, Allegiance, and I’m super excited to read the conclusion! I feel a little bad because I’ve been struggling with e-books lately, but all the books are out in paperback now. I just have yet to but them.

 

5)     Brandon Sanderson

I was culling my TBR one day when I came across The Final Empire on Goodreads. After rereading the blurb, I thought I’d give it a try and soon found myself reading anything and everything by Sanderson. So far, I’ve stuck to stories set in the Cosmere (the Mistborn books and The Stormlight Archive) and the Skyward series. I think I’ve figured out who is the character who shows up in all of the Cosmere books, but I may have to go back and reread some of them to double check…

I’m not branching out with the rest of his books just yet because I’m waiting for the release of the untitled Skyward book 3, The Lost Metal (Mistborn, book 7), and Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archives, book 4). Seriously, Sanderson writes so many books, and some of them are doorstops. I wouldn’t be surprised if he one day wrote a book longer than Les Miserables at 655,478 words.

6)     Elizabeth Wein

Wein first introduced me to one of my favorite character tropes—female pilots. Code Name Verity has such details about flying that you just know Wein knows what she’s talking about. She’s even a pilot herself. Though Code Name Verity is by far my favorite, her other historical fiction novels Rose Under Fire and The Pearl Thief are worth reading.

Doing research for this post, I just discovered her latest historical fiction novel, The Enigma Game, comes out in November! Or it’s already out for those of you in the UK. *puppy eyes* Maybe I can get it on Book Depository now… Apparently it’s another novel featuring one of the characters from Code Name Verity, and I’m ecstatic!

 

7)     Francesca Zappia

Her debut novel Made You Up hooked me when I first picked it up. A contemporary story about a girl named Alex who struggles with schizophrenia with great themes and plot twists. Last summer, I was equally enamored with Eliza and Her Monsters, another contemporary featuring Eliza who struggles with social anxiety.

Though I wasn’t a huge fan of her latest novel, Now Entering Adamsville, as I’m not really a fan of ghost stories, I’m eager to see what she writes next!

 

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Let’s chat! Who are some of your go-to authors? Have you read any books by the authors I listed? Which is your favorite? Any books join your TBR list?

 

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Book Review: Skyward

“People need stories, child. They bring us hope, and that hope is real. If that’s the case, what does it matter whether people in them actually lived?”

This book was both inspiring and entertaining, and wow, just wow. Since I started reading Brandon Sanderson’s books last year, I’ve been hooked ever since. This one, however, has got to be my favorite so far. The writing style is clear, the characters are compelling, and the plot me had me on the edge of my seat. I ended up finishing the book in two days.

Book: Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Young Adult, Science-Fiction, Fantasy

My rating: 5/5 stars

One-word description: g-force

One of the reasons I enjoy Sanderson’s works is because the details of his world building are so rich, and the plot is so compelling. I really felt like he knew what he was talking about when he described space flight, especially with the added g-forces and coordinates.

He certainly did his research.

Yet, with Skyward, the story never bogged down like it seemed to with a few of his Mistborn novels. Sure, I found the beginning of Skyward to be a bit of a downer, but it picked up after the first fifty pages or so. That’s not to say that the rest of the book was completely happy—I don’t trust Sanderson with my favorite characters—but rather that I couldn’t help but read the rest of the book.

Another reason I enjoy Sanderson’s book is because of his ability to write multiple genres. The Mistborn trilogy is adult fantasy, The Alloy Era is its companion series but also a mystery/western, and Skyward is of course science fiction with a touch of fantastical elements.

Apparently female pilots are one of my favorite character types. They. Are. Epic. In this book you’ve got Spensa (callsign: Spin) who will gladly crash her simulated ship into her flightleader just to spite him and who talks like a hero of old. Then there’s Morningtide, Freyja (callsign: FM) who likes to point out and defy the status quo, Hudiya (callsign: Hurl) who is enthusiastic to no end, and Kimmalyn (callsign: Quirk) who’s a little on the timid side but makes an excellent friend.

It would be a shame not to mention the humor and the AI, and the AI’s quirky sense of humor. Oh yeah, and Cobb (callsign: Mongrel) is another of my favorites as he is probably the best teacher in the flight school, though he can be a little confusing. At one moment, after their first experience actually flying, he tells them, “That […] was somehow the most embarrassing and inspiring display I’ve ever seen out of cadets! You should be ashamed. And proud.”

That’s when I decided he was one of my favorite characters.

My only complaint right now is the way the cover design made Spensa’s hair look black, not brown. Like excuse you, cover designer, no. Wow, am I picky or what?

Interested in Skyward? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these books: A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, and Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

Let’s chat! Has Skyward made it to your to-be-read list yet? Have you read it yet? Have any sci-fi recommendations?

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