4 Books I Initially Disliked but Came to Enjoy

I was talking with one of my bookwyrm friends the other day, and we ended up on the topic of books that we once liked that the more we thought about them, the more we disliked. Which is an unfortunate part of being a reader. But then again, there’s always the reverse—books that we originally didn’t like but came to enjoy.

Normally, I don’t reread such books. If I didn’t like it the first time, why on earth would I read it again? The reasons differ, but usually it’s because I see the book in another light, whether it be from a sequel or a film adaptation. So I may give the book a second chance.

The following list is not to be confused with books that I’ve started, didn’t finish, and came back to. That’s a whole ‘nother list for a whole ‘nother time.

Books are organized by author’s last name.

1) Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

This one may come as a shock considering how much I rant about how much I enjoy the series. But actually, when I first watched the movie, I thought it was okay. When I first read the book, I thought it was rather dull. When I read the rest of the series, I was hooked. I like the way the later books developed various alien species and explored concepts like religion, morality, and the meaning of sentience. 

Only after I finished the series could I go back and appreciate the original story, Ender’s Game, for its military strategy and psychology. 

2) Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I read this one as a teenager and disliked it. Then I did a terrible thing. One of my best friends bought a copy, and I asked her why she would do that? Didn’t she know how dark it was? Fast forward a couple years, and I gave the book a shot again and enjoyed it. I even went on to read the rest of the trilogy, and I bought it. 

For me, I feel like there should be the phrase: “Don’t judge a book by your teenage impression of it.” Nowadays, if I find one of my reader friends enjoys a book that I didn’t care for, I may state my opinion on it, or I may not. Most of all, I try to offer some sort of encouragement and not influence their decision. 

3) A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

I can’t say I read this one as a teenager and disliked it. No. Rather, I read it as a teenager and hated it. Hated is a word here that means I thought the book was incredibly depressing and why would any stable person want to read the entire series? 

Fast forward to my time studying for my M.B.A., and the Netflix adaptation came out. I gave it a try and reread the first book, then the rest of the series. Suffice to say, I’m not stable. The series itself is something you either enjoy tolerate, or you hate. I tried to get my sister to watch it with me, but she hates it. 

4) The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

I hope nobody hates me for this one. I read a lot when I was a teenager, but not near as much as I read now. Very rarely did I read lengthy epics. Though I was a fan of the Lord of the Rings films (extended editions only, thank you very much), I had a hard time getting into the books. It wasn’t until after the fellowship left Rivendell that I claimed the book really picked up and got interesting. 

Now, after several years, I’ve decided to reread the books and am loving The Fellowship of the Ring. The pace may not be your typical YA novel, but it’s in no sense dull. If anything, I don’t remember the book being as suspenseful as it is. I find myself constantly asking, “How are Frodo and company not dead yet?” That being said, I’ve also come to enjoy all the poems, especially after memorizing the films and the songs and being able to place where the lines originally came from. 

While a lot of the songs are included in the films, some of the more obscure ones have been done by YouTubers. If you haven’t listened to Peter Hollens’ Lord of the Rings and Hobbit songs, you should do so now. My personal favorites are all of them “Gollum’s Song,” “Into the West,” and the “Hobbit Drinking Medley.” 

If I’m going to be completely honest, though, I don’t make a habit of rereading books I initially dislike. More often than not, they don’t end up on my bookshelf, except for the brief time that I check them out from the library. I suppose you could say this list is an exception. But it’s also a reminder that sometimes opinions change. While there are plenty of books that I didn’t care for as much the second time around, it’s exciting when I find a new treasure in a book I didn’t used to like. 

Let’s chat! What are some books you initially disliked and came to enjoy? Have you read any of the ones I listed? How often do you reread books? 

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Similar posts: 7 Popular Sci-Fi Novels I Enjoyed; 8 Popular Fantasy Novels I Enjoyed; and The Joys of Rereading

2019 Books in Review

This year was a good one for reading, and I’ve found that I definitely enjoy setting my goal for types of books rather than number. I still managed to read a lot, 92 in total, which is close to what I would have picked for a number goal anyway. For a full overview of all the books I read this year, check out my Goodreads list.

I also delved more into the joy of audiobooks and e-books while traveling, and when I reached my new library, I found all the books! Okay, not all of them, but my new local library has nearly four times the selection of my last library and that’s not counting inter-library loans and all the book clubs. There’s just so, so many options to explore!

Goal: 1 Book 700+ Pages

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson—I know I said 700 pages, but this beast lies in the 1,200-page range. I had started reading Middlemarch but got bored, then my local book club had a theme “books outside of your comfort zone”, and I figured a thousand-page novel should fit. I really enjoy Sanderson’s works, and if you don’t mind a long narrative and are into fantasy novels, the world-building and the characters are excellent!

Goal: 2 Novels that were Adapted into Movies

White Fang by Jack London—one of my favorite books from when I was a kid. I used to listen to the audiobook over and over, and more recently, I read it while my own dog lounged about. Though she’s quite domesticated, she’s got the alpha personality and some standoffish traits like White Fang. If you enjoy the book like I did, don’t bother with the latest Netflix adaptation.

Anne of Avonlea (Anne of Green Gables, book 2) by L. M. Montgomery—This series is such a joy! While it’s been a while since I’d read the first book, I feel like I’m still familiar with the story, so it wasn’t hard to pick up where the last book left off. After I read the main trilogy, I’d like to re-watch the adaptations with Megan Follows.

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga, book 1) by C. S. Forester—I remember enjoying the show Horatio Hornblower when I was in high school, and I only just recently found out it was based on a book series. All eleven of them. Not sure I’ll make it that far. This one was a big of a struggle to get through.

Goal: 3 Classics

To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham inspired by the novel by Harper Lee—this totally counts. Or maybe I should list it as a book made into a movie made into a graphic novel? Send help.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy—a little predicable considering how familiar I am with some of the tropes and a movie based off a book based off this book. (Yes, I’m talking about Zorro.)  But still an enjoyable story.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo—technically several movies were based off this one, but it’s definitely a classic. Not nearly as good as Les Mis, though.

Goal: 5 Books I Own

Rulers and Mages and Healers and Warriors (The Order of the Twelve Tribes, book 2 and 3) by Daley Downing—I started off liking the third book best of the series, but then the plot took a twist I didn’t particularly care for.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan—good story, but I honestly don’t remember it very well.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness—also has a movie based on the book, but that’s such a broad category. Who’s counting? This was a wonderful reread, and I liked it even more the second time! If “liked” is an appropriate word for a book that made me cry. Twice.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson—I actually read this book three times this year. Once at the library as an impulse read, and again after I bought it at the bookstore. And they’re going to make a movie! Bring it one 2022!

A Conspiracy of Stars (Faloiv, book 1) by Olivia A. Cole—I reread this one before starting on the sequel, and I liked it even more than I remembered. Sci-fi fantasy is fun!

Goal: 5 Books Published in 2019

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee—kinda disappointing.

An Anatomy of Beasts (Faloiv, book 2) by Olivia A. Cole—technically I own this one, too, but it came out this year! Also, I totally thought it was a duology, but that ending needs another book. Wow, did I call that wrong. A trilogy perhaps? AaaAaahhhh! I need the next book!

The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews—ended up liking this book a way more than expected. Sweet yet heartbreaking, Drews creates well-developed characters I found myself routing for.

Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca—an interesting concept, a contemporary Shakespeare retelling, just not the book that spoke to me.

Sounds of Deceit (The Terebinth Tree Chronicles, book 3) by Hannah Heath—the third installment of a collection of short stories leading up to a novel. I can’t wait!

Again, but Better by Christine Riccio—I wanted to like this one. I really did. Alas, I did not. I expected a contemporary and got… a fantasy? Yeah, that was weird. So unrealistic too.

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim—lacked the depth that I was looking for, and it felt like the same girl meets boy and oh, look! They fell in love. Again. Somebody save me from the romances.

Strange Waters by Kyle Robert Shultz, E.B. Dawson, Hannah Heath, Beth Wangler, Nate Philbrick, J.E. Purrazzi, and K.L. + Pierce—probably my favorite Phoenix Fiction Writers Anthology (see book review).

Supernova (Renegades, book 3) by Marissa Meyer—I got my sister hooked on the first book, Renegades, then she got her boyfriend hooked, and he’s not even an avid reader. So yeah. All superheroes! I’m still deciding which is my favorite book in the trilogy, but Supernova has an excellent ending with some staggering plot twists. I should’ve seen them coming.

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins—this book was one that made it to my TBR simply because a dear friend recommended it and lent me a copy. Wow, was it amazing or what! A powerful story about blood and found families, the fight against assault and human trafficking, and culture, this one is a must-read for fans of contemporary YA.

Starsight (Skyward, book 2) by Brandon Sanderson—I’ve been on a huge Sanderson kick lately! From Hero of Ages (fantasy) to The Alloy of Law (western fantasy) to The Way of Kings (fantasy) to Skyward (YA sci-fi) to its sequel, Starsight. They’re just so engrossing! And Doomslug comes back!

Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia—I enjoyed Zappia’s other contemporary YA novels, but this one just wasn’t for me. Ghost stories just aren’t my thing.

If I’m completely honest, I try to read recently published works each year anyway, so this one wasn’t much of a challenge. But it was fun to mention!

Goal: 1 Book Published Before 1800

The Art of War by Sun Tzu—not my usual read, I will admit, but there are so many stories and shows that mention it that I just had to find out what it was all about. And sure, it was an interesting study. If I was more into military strategy, I could see its value, though some of the points seemed obvious. The book led to some interesting discussions with my dad. Overall, the book was a good change of pace and mental exercise.

Goal: 3 Nonfiction Books

March: Book Two and Book Three by John Robert Lewis

Background Noise: Poems, Vignettes and Word Explosions by Danielsen Jerry—poetry! Check out my book review here.

God in the Dock by C. S. Lewis—amazing! While some of the transcriptions didn’t seem as logical as the essays, I really enjoyed reading Lewis’ theological arguments. So fascinating and intellectually stimulating.

The Pilgrimage: A Contemporary Quest for Ancient Wisdom by Paulo Coelho—eh, not my cup of tea.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau—why is his last name so hard to spell? A book full of great insights and an interesting perspective on life and simplicity.

Look me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison—more engaging than I had anticipated. Definitely recommend, especially if you want to better understand the autism spectrum.

The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman—honestly forgot this book was nonfiction until I was reading it. I might have preferred reading a first-hand account more because I felt like the narrative jumped all over the place.

Looking for Me by Betsy R. Rosentnthal—such a good little book based on the life of the author’s mother. Also a novel in verse!

I’ve enjoyed reading nonfiction this year. Who knew?

Overall: 20/20 Types of Books

Look, I actually did it this year! *throws confetti* *accidentally knocks over TBR stack* *shrieks*

Other Notable Books

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes (see book review)

Kids Like Us by Hilary Reyl (see book review)

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

Skyward (Skyward, book 1) by Brandon Sanderson (see book review)

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Let’s chat! What were some of your reading goals this year? Did you meet them? Any books I read make it to your TBR or Read lists?

Similar posts: 2019 Reading Resolution, 2018 Books in Review, and 2018 Reading Resolution

2018 Books in Review

This year, I set out to read 17 types of books, the main goal being quality over quantity. As far as numbers go, I read 100. As for how many of those books actually met my reading goal, you’ll just have to read and find out!

Don’t worry, I’m not going to be talking about books I didn’t enjoy unless they happened to be a part of my goal. Books that earned a five-star rating are marked.

1) At least one poetry collection. (Not a novel in verse.)

A Boy’s Will, North of Boston, and Mountain Interval by Robert Frost.

Turns out I like selected poems from Robert Frost. There’s maybe one or two of the poems in these books that I remember aside from the famous “The Road Not Taken.” I prefer “Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening” from his New Hampshire collection, but I didn’t make it that far in the complete works.

2) Two rereads.

Yes, I own several books with movie covers, and yes, I like them. Judge me.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (5/5 stars), A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5 stars), Methuselah’s Gift by Mary Elizabeth Edgren (5/5 stars), Stardust by Neil Gaiman, and The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis (5/5 stars).

I think I like rereading books! Maybe I can calm down now? What is this “calm” I write of?

3) Three nonfiction books.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros, The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery, Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey by Simon Armitage, The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper (5/5 stars), and the Bad*** Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer.

Since when do I enjoy philosophy books? 2018 apparently.

Also, I have very eclectic taste in nonfiction. I thought I’d read more serious stuff (like astronomy and art) and ended up reading about octopuses. Yep, it’s octopuses not octopi.

The House on Sugar Beach, A Philosophy of Walking, and The Bad*** Librarians are pretty serious though.

4) Four classics.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (American classic), Kindred by Octavia A. Butler (sci-fi classic; totally counts), The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (children’s classic), Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada (German classic), and Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (American classic).

There I go with the sea creatures again! The Old Man and the Sea explores the joys and trials of fishing, and The Jungle Book even features a story about a sea lion.

5) Five indie-published books.

The Beast of Talesend, The Tomb of the Sea Witch, and The Stroke of Eleven by Kyle Robert Shultz; Colors of Fear and Flames of Courage by Hannah Heath; Embassy by S. Alex Martin; The Crystal Tree by Imogen Elvis; and The Lake of Living Water: A The Firstborn’s Legacy Short Story by Beth Wrangler; Antiheroes by by Kyle Robert Shultz, E.V. Dawson, Hannah Heath, Beth Wangler, Nate Philbrick, J.E. Purrazzi, and K.L. + Pierce; and Masters and Beginners by Daley Downing.

I didn’t mean to pick such short books: the shortest being 19 pages, the longest 356. It just sorta happened. I also think it’s a trend for the indie authors whom I follow to write compact books and short stories. *shrugs*

6) One book published before 1800.

Paradise Regained by John Milton.

Yes, only one. I started it near the end of November, so can you blame me? Having read and wrote on its predecessor, Paradise Lost, for my dissertation, I thought it appropriate to finally pick up this one. Though I wasn’t as drawn to the story as I was in Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained certainly has some excellent principles.

7) One book over 1,000 pages long.

Soooo… I didn’t quite make this one.

Perhaps the longest book I read was Obsidio at 615 pages. The book that felt the longest was probably The Final Empire at 541 pages, and those pages were long. I know neither are thousand-page books, but I did read a total of 29,400 pages this year. In 2019, I’ll start my bigger goals a little earlier, like I did in 2017 with Moby-Dick (Jan. 1 through Aug. 24) and Les Miserables (Oct. 6 through Dec. 12).

Considering how many of my challenges I actually met, I’m pretty proud of myself. Next year maybe I’ll fully meet each goal.

Bonus: Novels in Verse

Audacity by Melanie Crowder, Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough, Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu.

I read my first novel in verse back in 2016, and I’ve been hooked ever since. This one wasn’t an initial goal, but I wrote a whole post on why I like this type of poetry, and I eventually want to write a novel in verse. So I had to read more of them! 

Other Books I Enjoyed

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen (5/5 stars; see book review)

Ender’s Saga by Orson Scott Card (especially Xenocide; bought the series)

A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole (see book review; bought it)

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews (see book review; pre-ordered)

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (see book review)

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan (see book review; want to buy)

The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Beren and Lúthien by J. R. R. Tolkien (bought it)

Looks like I read 16 out of 17 target books. Maybe next year I’ll challenge myself to read more books I actually own. Seriously, not checking out books from the library and forcing myself to read books on my own shelves was hard. Rewarding, but hard all the same.

Let’s chat! What kind of books did you read in 2018? Do we share any books read? What are your reading goals for 2019?

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Similar posts: 2018 Reading Resolution, First Book You’ve Ever Read Challenge, and The Bookish Q&A Tag

The Joys of Rereading

Minimalization can be pretty important.

Sometimes more is less, whether it’s having fewer knickknacks (do I really need 500 bookmarks or twenty-five?) or using fewer words in a story or blog post. Because my family tends to move at least once every three years, I even have to limit my book collection. Books mean weight, and more weight means more money.

This past year, we’ve paired down some more, and I got rid of more books. *gasp* But I only got rid of the books I knew I wouldn’t read again. The ones I bought on impulse and didn’t care for. The books I liked but couldn’t remember enough to want to keep it.

My reader goal is to own only books I like. The ones I know I’ll reread and reread again. The ones that are signed. The ones with covers that are falling apart because I read them so much. The ones with notes in the margins.

Then again, minimalization is great… but I’ve never understood people who don’t like buying books because “Why would you want to read it again if you already know how it ends?” To which I like to reply, “Why not?”

So here it is, a semi-brief case for owning books to reread.

1)      Rereading great books means no due date.

I like visiting the library so much, I often leave with way too many books. Every now and then I have to return a book without having even started it. Which then makes me feel guilty for not having read the book and messing up the library’s statistics for books read. At least I don’t have to worry about library fines because military libraries rock and rely more on the honor system. I’m dreading the idea of one day checking out books from a civilian library.

With books I own and want to reread, I don’t have to worry about a due date. Of course, this also means sometimes, they’re harder to start because I feel like I have all the time in the world. Once I get started on a reread, though, I cannot be stopped.

2)      Rereading comes with fewer disappointments.

That’s not to say that your opinion on the book won’t change. Maybe it will. And that’s okay. But when you pick up a book you’ve read before, you know what you’re getting yourself into. If you choose one you gave five stars, you’re probably less likely to wind up giving it two stars upon finishing it again. Whereas books you’ve never read before can be pleasantly surprising or they can be incredibly disappointing. You don’t know.

Rereading is like revisiting an old friend.

3)      Every time you read a book, you have a different perspective.

When I first read The Tale of Desperaux as a kid, I thoroughly enjoyed it. But when I picked it up as a teenager, for some reason, I didn’t like it at all. Then, when I reread it for a class in Children’s Literature during my undergrad, I liked it again. I must have been a weird teenager because my reading tastes have switched since then.

Every time I read a book, my perspective is different though. I don’t just read a book for the sake of reading a book. I read it having enjoyed (or not enjoyed) the book before it. I may pick up a fantasy book after having been immersed in nonfiction. Or maybe I’ll start a middle grade novel one after another and then switch to adult fiction.

Then there’s life. The books I read during midterms weeks are the same books I read after I finished my first graduate degree, but that doesn’t make me the same person. I have more experiences and a slightly different view.

No matter how many times you read the same book, the experience will not be the same.

4)      Rereading helps you discover new things!

When I first picked up The Scorpio Races, I almost didn’t finish it. Say what? This from the person who won’t stop ranting about how good it is. I checked it out from the library during the summer when my professor posted which books we’d be reading for YA fiction the next semester, but I didn’t make it past the prologue. Later, I bought the book for class and read the entirety then, starting from the beginning. I discovered that I could really like some slower-paced books with just a smidge of romance and a lot of blood. Nearly three years later, I picked up the book again, having completely forgotten why I enjoyed the book so much.

Similarly, my family and I have a Lord of the Rings marathon once a year. Because I tend to remember plots pretty well, when I’m re-watching movies, I start predicting what will happen in the next scene before it happens. Before I know it, my mind is three scenes ahead and then I get frustrated because the movie is so slow. With the watching The Lord of the Rings, I started focusing on certain characters, their mannerisms and character development, so by the time I got to the end, I could enjoy the movies as a whole instead of mentally skipping ahead. I like to apply this same focused technique to rereading as well, whether it’s focusing on the writing style, the dialogue, or the character development.

Reading acquaints readers with the plot and the characters. Rereading helps readers get to know them even better. Reading is an introduction, but rereading is a friendship.

5)      Rereading is rewarding.

Sure, it’s fun to have books up on my shelf to look at and show off to all my fellow readers. With all the time I spend collecting my treasured books, what good are they if I don’t actually read them? Going to the library is good, yes. But it’s important to spend time on books you’ve invested money and space to.

After all, rereading isn’t just educational. It’s also fun.

Let’s chat! What’s your stance on reading a book once vs rereading it? How often do you reread books? What’s one book you’ve lost count of how many times you’ve read it?

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Similar posts: The Joys of Reading Aloud, Why This Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations, and The Importance of Poetry: A Journey of Acceptance

Literary references: Kate DiCamillo’s The Tale of Desperaux, Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and Mary Elizabeth Edgren’s Methuselah’s Gift