Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme created by The Broke and the Bookish blog, and now hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s topic is: Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype

 

 

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

I read this powerful and heartbreaking novel in two days. In my opinion, it deserves all the praise it has received and then some.

The Martian by Andy Weir

A little while before the film adaptation was set to come out, I decided to give this buzzed about book a try. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy The Martian as much as I did. It was entertaining, surprisingly funny, and had me on the edge of my seat.

A Tale For the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

It took me too long to read A Tale For the Time Being, but once I did I was incredibly impressed. Ozeki’s novel is stunning, moving, and unforgettable.

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry 

I was dying to read The Essex Serpent from the moment I first heard about it. The more time that passed, the more the buzz surrounding the novel grew. There was so much hype, that I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to my sky-high expectations. Once I finally picked it up last fall, I knew I had no reason to worry whatsoever. The serpent may not be real, but all the hype was.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

I read this last summer when it was first published, and therefore on the beginning side of the hype. Lee’s fun historical romp surpassed all my expectations. It’s been lovely to watch  The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue grow in popularity over the past year too.

 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The effusive praise surrounding Madeline Miller’s debut is what made me want to  pick it up recently. I was instantly hooked and knew that the hype had not led me astray in this case. The Song of Achilles (and Circe too for that matter) was just as wonderful as I had heard. Miller’s classical historical novels are the real deal.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I honestly thought this might be an overhyped YA novel, but I was very happy to be proven wrong. The Hate U Give was as raw, memorable, and impactful of a read as the buzz suggests. I’m so glad I read it in spite of my misgivings and will happily sing its praises to anyone who will listen.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society immediately captured my book loving heart. I’m thrilled it seems to only be increasing in popularity with the release of the film adaptation.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

This beautiful and harrowing apocalyptic novel should be even more popular than it already is. I read Station Eleven several years ago and still find myself thinking about it often.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 

The Night Circus is every bit as magical and entertaining as it is popular. I hope its huge popularity will lead to a really well-done film or TV adaptation soon.

 

Do you agree that these books lived up to the hype?