Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving
hosted by Broke and the Bookish
10. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
Let’s just say the bad guy wasn’t exactly what I was expecting…
I was told “super hero story” which eventually happens, but in the beginning there was not so much of a super hero vibe going on.
8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
The title had me thinking something like The Hunger Games, or at least with the same level of action. Not so much.
7. Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks
For some reason I was under the impression that it was an Alice in Wonderland remake. (Spoiler: it’s not)
6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I was imagining something like The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke because that is how my mind works.
5. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
I’d watched the musical on youtube first, so I was expecting the musical. It is not the same as the musical.
4. Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
I was expecting the Beast to be a bit more human or at least able to transform into a human at certain times, as the cover makes it seem, but instead we get a lion. Like…he’s a lion. A lion.
3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Based on the title you’d assume it’s about the host, but it’s much more about the alien, and anything we learn about the host is through the alien lens.
2. Looking for Alaska by John Green
I actually thought it was about them travelling to Alaska. Yupp.
1. The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson
The title had me assuming that this would be similar to her novel Girl at Sea and would take place in the tropics.
Shatter Me was on my list too. So different than I thought!
Come to think of it, when I first started hearing people say “Read the Book Thief!” I had the exact same thought as you, ha, so that could have totally been on my list too.
Shatter Me was good, but I definitely understand the deception. ESPECIALLY with the cover! There’s nothing superhero-y about a pretty girl in a white ball gown. Hopefully the next cover will be a little more badass.
And I had NO IDEA that Beast was literally about a lion for real. The cover totally makes it seem like he’s beast AND man! WE’VE BEEN HAD! I do still want to read that one, though.
Like…he was a man…but then he was a lion. Like…a lion. That doesn’t shape shift.
I was totally deceived by Wicked! The book is so much more…raunchy? If that’s the right word.
Wicked the musical had it’s kind of raunchy moments. I mean…not like super raunchy, but “as long as your mine” was like…really sexual.
Haha, this list made me giggle. Wicked was most definitely NOT like the musical… I’m not sure how that would have worked as a written book. I don’t think “Defying Gravity” or “Popular” would have had the same impact if you just read the lyrics.
Donna Jo Napoli wrote one of my favorites as a young teen – Zel – but I haven’t read anything else by her. I’m not sure if I could support a book that was about a lion… I mean, is it supposed to be Beauty and the Beast? Because if so, no thanks.
Yeah, it’s Beauty and the Beast, without so much Beauty
I also saw the musical Wicked before I read the book, and for that reason I really wasn’t able to enjoy it the way I probably would have without the happier version in my mind.
Would you recommend The Book Thief? I’ve been thinking about reading it but I can never seem to overcome my aversion to buying books I know nothing about.
YES READ IT NOW
Hahaha okay I will!
Ahhh the same thing happened to me with Looking for Alaska! After I read it, I felt really dumb for thinking it was about survival in Alaska. I’m glad I’m not alone. Also, I agree about Wicked and almost put it on my list. I don’t know about you, but I prefer the musical.
Definitely prefer the musical.
BAHAHAHHAHA! OMG OMG Go Ask Alice. HAHAHAHA. I will straight up say I hated that book. no, I really did. Like instead of discouraging me from LSD or whatever, I was like SIGN ME UP FOR THAT PLEASE. Then I was like, wow scare tactics up in here.
Sigh.
Go Ask Alice.
I shouldn’t mock it. I really shouldn’t but, I just had to laugh a little at your spoiler alert.
Yeah, was not a fan of that book either.