I Read a Lot, but these 20 Books Surprised Me

Reading Instruction

Like many language arts teachers, I read a lot. I can spot a red herring from page one, and I know that when a gun appears in Act I, it has to go off in Act II. However, these books surprised me!

Some of these titles threw curve balls I did not expect while others failed to meet my expectations. Not all of these books are recent, and some of them I read for the first time years ago. However, each one provided a unique and unexpected reading experience!

This post this post may contain affiliate links. Please read the Terms of Use.

These YA Books Surprised Me

As a high school teacher, I read a lot of young adult novels. From time to time, I can get burnt out on YA. Plus, as I get older, the characters and their problems seem less relatable. However, these 4 books pleasantly surprised me!

First, The Foxhole Court is my favorite book on this list! The first in the All for the Game series by Nora Sakavic, The Foxhole Court introduces an exhilarating sport and a series of vivid characters. This series also has a wide appeal: it’s for those who miss The OC, those who love dark academia, and those who loved the Quidditch scenes in Harry Potter. Have I gushed enough yet?
Next, Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas is nothing like The Foxhole Court. I adored The Hate U Give (it’s one of the 5 books I wish I’d read in high school). Needless to say, I did not think Thomas could top that one. So the surprise here is that Concrete Rose continues the story of Garden Heights without being repetitive and providing readers with another incredible title.
Finally, Sweethearts by Sara Zarr and For the Record by Charlotte Huang both surprised me because I read them so quickly. I tore through both of these books in about one night each. To say that these books surprised me is almost an understatement! I also discovered both of these books during reading slumps, so they each hold a special place in my heart!

Surprising Mysteries

As a teenager, I went through an ardent Nancy Drew phase. Plus, I grew up in the Golden Age of television when the Olsen twins were solving mysteries in The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley. Obviously, I’m a top-notch armchair sleuth, but these 3 mystery books surprised me!

First, Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward was more comedy than mystery, and I did not expect it. I love nearly everything Lutz has written, so I knew she had some one liners, but I did not expect the riotous cast of characters in this novel. At times, it seems like Lutz and Hayward chose their twists by rolling the dice, but that just makes the story all that more memorable and audacious.
Second, Leda and the Swan by Anna Caritj is only part mystery. I’m not totally sure how to classify this book, but it’s also part self-discovery and part women’s lit. The main character Leda wakes up after a party and struggles to remember the previous evening. From there, everything unravels, and the novel ends with Leda going on a trip that I absolutely did not expect.
Finally, The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd is actually the book that inspired this post. I just finished the novel, and I was surprise at how predictable I found it. For me, the big reveal fell flat, and most of the characters lacked distinct features.

Surprising Fiction Titles

These are thee books I read last year, but I still think about each one a weird amount. Of the titles on this list, these books surprised me in some of the most memorable ways.

I read The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan first. This book is the sequel to The Royal We, both of which are charming and romantic. Both of these books riff on the relationship between Prince William and Kate Middleton. However, The Heir Affair also focuses more heavily on the Prince Harry-esque character, and it is his actions and choices in this novel that really surprised me. The book doesn’t really have a Meghan Markle, but there are other royal figures that charm, delight, and surprise.
Shortly after The Heir Affair, I read In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. Based on the summary, I thought this was a book about romance and time travel. While this is a book about love, it is not really about time travel. Nevertheless, it’s a book with an engaging main character and provides a raw emotional punch.
I love Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing. Prep and American Wife are among my favorite books. However, Rodham surprised me by being underwhelming. A retelling of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s life (what if she had never married Bill?), this book stumbles in every area. It’s too long, its pacing is off, and it’s hard to separate the characters from their real-life counterparts. Even while I was reading the early parts about Hillary in college, I always imagined her in pants suits. I do think that this book would have an excellent playlist.

These Classic Books Surprised Me

It always shocks my students to learn that I don’t love every classic (Huck Finn, anyone?). In fact, some classics are just not my cup of tea (Chaucer’s sense of humor does nothing for me). However, these 3 classic books surprised me in the best way!

First, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott surprised me by being such a quick read. For a novel with hundreds of pages, this book moves quickly. I also did not expect to find each character so endearing. Like everyone, I adore Beth, but I also think Marmee may be my favorite character. I have not seen the most-recent movie adaptation, but it’s definitely on my to-watch list!
It also surprises my students to learn that I did not finish Pride and Prejudice the first or second time I read it. In fact, when I talk to my students about the novel, I tell them they have to make it through the Christmas scenes for the story to really grab you. To this day, the closing scenes between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine include some of my favorite dialogue! Check out my favorite activities for teaching Pride and Prejudice.
Similarly, students are also surprised that my favorite Jane Austen novel is actually Northanger Abbey, mostly because they have never heard of it. For me, this is Austen’s best satire. Her send up of Gothic heroines is excellent.

Fantasy Books Surprised Me

Fantasy is my favorite genre. I love adventures following a mismatched gang of reluctant heroes, abandoned orphans, and shy warriors! Since I read so much fantasy, it was a pleasant shock when these books surprised me!

First, Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey surprised me in a couple ways. First, I thought this was a mystery about a magic school, and it is, but it is also way more than that. Second, this book was recommended to me countless times, but the cover put me off, so this was an instances when my instincts about a book were totally wrong.
Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas was another time when my instincts failed. I love dark academia! I’ve read it all: The Magicians, A Deadly Education, If We Were Villains, The Atlas Six, Ninth House. So when Catherine House was recommended to me in the same vein, I jumped in. However, this is a listless book with a similarly listless main character. If the school calendar did not advance, then the plot would not either.
Finally, The Rook by Daniel O’Malley is my most re-read book on this list. I probably re-read The Rook at least once a year. This book surprised me by merging fantasy, horror, mystery, comedy, and tentacles in such a captivating manner. The sequels Stiletto and Blitz are good, too, but this first book does the best job mixing office politics with supernatural disaster.

Surprising Nonfiction Titles

First off, it is surprising that any nonfiction titles made this list. In general, I prefer to spend my reading time suspending disbelief and chasing dragons. However, from time to time, a nonfiction book grabs my attention. These 4 titles fit the bill, and each of these books surprised me:

First, The Island of Lost Maps by Miles Harvey was an accidental discovery. It was a clearance book misshelved at the bookstore, and it fell into my cart. This is a book about cartography theft, and it took me down a rabbit hole of mystery, conspiracy theory, and art that I did not suspect.
Second, The Shift: The Next Evolution in Baseball Thinking by Russell Carleton and Jeff Passan was a book that surprised me in how it connected to my classroom. I love baseball, and I love teaching, but I did not expect a book on the former to become professional development for the later. In fact, this book affected me so much that I wrote an entire post about how baseball made me a better teacher.
Token Black Girl by Danielle Prescod is a book I picked up because there is a Barbie doll on the cover, and I felt like Barbie was the theme of the summer. Based on the title, I expected the book to be about racism, and it was. However, I did not expect to learn so much about the fashion industry and disordered eating. It was an honest, fascinating read and one that has stuck with me. Prescod is working on a second book, and I an excited to read it!
Finally, We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu is my current read. So far, it has been surprising in its comedy. I knew Liu was funny, but some of his allusions are just perfectly designed for my age group.