Top Ten Tuesday: Recently Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Recently Read!

This week we are supposed to feature our last ten reads. I wanted to twist it a bit. Therefore, I am sharing the last ten books that really surprised me.  

• Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize by Margo Rabb - This was a YA mystery, which was really heartwarming. I didn't expect to care more about the main character's personal journey than the actual mystery. 
• Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne - This one was getting lukewarm reviews, so I was hesitant to read it, but I LOVED it! Probably her most heartwarming book to date (and you all know I love a warm heart). 
• That Second Chance by Meghan Quinn - I always read a Quinn book when I want to laugh. As expected, I laughed a lot as I read this book, but Quinn made me cry too, and I was not expecting to be hit with that sort of emotional impact. 
• Fade into the Bright by Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Schwartz - This was more uplifting than I expected. I mean, it's about something sad and heavy, but it was very hopeful. 
• Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock - My love for this book shocks me. Yes, I do think the author is a brilliant writer, but my luck with short story collections is hit or miss, and these were a bit on the bleak side, which is also, not my thing. Still, I loved it!

• Mistletoe in Paradise by Jill Shalvis - One might call me novella-averse. I am rarely satisfied by a novella, however, I adored this one. I am a solid Shalvis fan, but I was still surprised how complete the story felt to me. 
• The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston - Fact: I tried listening to this audiobook and DNFed it. It just wasn't grabbing me, but because I had since read and loved Elston's This Is Our Story, I thought I would give it another go. I was immediately fully engrossed in this tale, and it ended up a 5-star hit for me. 
• The Map of Tiny Perfect Things by Lev Grossman - Another short story I took a chance on, and it far surpassed any expectations I had. I think I picked it up, because people were talking about the adaptation. I was really impressed with how much Grossman accomplished in this short book, and he left me thinking about being more present and appreciating those small "miracles" we encounter every day. 
• Prepped by Bethany Mangle - I always thought doomsdayers were out there, yet, I was fascinated by this peek into their world. 
• Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler - I am not an outdoorsy person, but the way Morganthaler wrote about the excursion in this book had me almost wanting to climb a mountain myself. I found all the details really interesting and enjoyed that part of the book way more than I thought I would. 

What's a recent read that surprised you?
Let us know in the comments!