I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for their incredibly awesome meme: Top Ten Tuesday.
This is a meme involving lists, peoples. LISTS! I love lists.
This week’s prompt is: Top Ten Most Unique Books You’ve Read. I had to ponder how I wanted to write this…because it could be about unique books in a genre, or characters, or writing styles or…anything. Since there’s a TTT coming up about characters (see look! I’m looking ahead! Planning, go me!), I’m going to zoom in on genres.
1. dystopian: RED RISING by Pierce BrownOh this is a piece of 5-star-awesome. But why is it unique? A lot of dystopians deal with “caste systems” (look at The Capitol vs. The Districts in The Hunger Games), but RED RISING uses colours to define people. And I’m not talking about, “Hey you with the red hair, you must be a Red.” I’m saying “Hey you with the red hair and red eyes and reddish skin and red-sounding name, you must be a Red.” It’d freakishly awesome.
2. superheroes: SHATTER ME by Tahereh MafiI didn’t even realise this was about superpowers when I started it. (And to be honest, it’s not my favourite series.) But, who cares if I didn’t like the weirdo metaphors. IT’S EXTREMELY UNIQUE. It mixes superpowers with a dystopian setting. Everybody is insane. Oh, and the first book isn’t all about Let’s Find A Cure. Mutant and proud, please, that’s the spirit.
3. contemporary: HATE LIST by Jennifer BrownThis book absolutely blew my socks off. CAN YOU EVER RECOVER FROM BOOKS LIKE THIS? It’s about a school shooting, which is a horrible subject, but it’s from the POV of the girlfriend of the shooter. Intense? Yes. Heartbreaking? Please, bring the sticky-tape for my shatter feels.
4. angels: ANGELFALL by Susan EeI don’t have all that much experience with angel-books. (I got hugely burnt by a really dorky one.) Buuut, ANGELFALL kind of stole my heart. It represented a LOT of minorities…like a parent with schizophrenia, a wingless angle (poor birdie), a sister in a wheelchair, and no you-cannot-live-on-museli-bars-alone. Welcome to the apocalypse.
5. Fairy Tales: SPLINTERED by A.G. HowardOh be still my fangirling heart. This series is one of my all-time-favourites because HELLO ALICE IN WONDERLAND WITH MOTHS? Yes, please. (I have manners.) Not only does SPLINTERED work with all the weirdness that is Lewis Carroll’s mind, it also makes it creepy. You know, “Go to sleep, sweet dreams, THE MOTH MIGHT KILL YOU.” The sheer imagination in here has enslaved my heart to the netherlings.
6. apocalypse: NOT A DROP TO DRINK by Mindy McGinnis
Most apocalypse (from what I’ve read) involve people cruising around blown up universes, looking for food/water/one-true-love. That sort of thing. NOT A DROP TO DRINK actually takes place in ONE spot. The furthest they go is just outside door. (Okay! Okay! They go a little further than that.) Also: I love this book.
7. epic fantasy: SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh BardugoI’m not an enormous fantasy buff, but the most unique one I’ve read so far is definitely SHADOW AND BONE. Why? It’s set in a Russian-ish fantasy world! That. is. awesome. Look, England is awesome with all their Arthurian ways, but there’s nothing like a bit of Russian food to keep your eyes glued to the page.
It’s written like a letter! In tiny little segments! And my soul broke! And I love this book! And…I know this seems rude, but has anyone ever read a book with a Puritan village about NICE PEOPLE? Why is everyone always so mean?? (I’m looking at you too, Witch of Blackbird Pond.)
I devoured this entire series in a few weeks. Addicted much? But it’s so good! I loved how all the genre mash-ups. It had some alien-life stuff going, as well as intense superpowers, and freak-my-socks-off nasty things. I still think the bugs disturbed me the most. Closely followed by the intestine-eating-worms. Yes, you’re welcome for those images.
10. thriller: HOW TO LEAD A LIFE OF CRIME BY KIRSTEN MILLERNot to brag or anything, but I learnt an awful lot about how to be evil in this book. Maybe I won’t be leading the criminal underworld, but I DO know how to steal a phone efficiently. (Waaaaait, I promise I’m a wonderful person who never ever steals. Except my sister’s chocolate. But that’s different.) On an unrelated topic, I like this book a lot.
Coincidentally, I’ve rated (almost) all these books 5-stars. I adore books that challenge the “norm”! It’s good to be a special snowflake, see?
Cait has 10,000 words left to edit of her book and then…PAR-TAY TIME. She plans to celebrate by a) reading, b) persuading Mime to give her chocolate, and b) pinning gifs on pinterest. She has style, honestly. After that she gets to decide which of her 4 billion ideas wants to be written next. Currently, she’s reading FIRE AND FLOOD.
OOOOOOOH, I really want to read Hate List now. You know how I love contemporaries. I read a Jodi Picoult book about a school shooting, and though it was sad, I LOVED it. So a YA version will probably be even better. Splintered also made my TTT :)I didn't like All the Truth That's In Me, though! I just didn't. It was really boring for some reason? I guess I'm just not a historical kinda person. But this is a great list 🙂
Ohhhh, Hate List is pain. PURE PAIN. I totally think you should read it because who am I to be alone stewing in my pain??
Awesome list! <3 I really want to read Red Rising–I've heard so many good things about it. And, of course, the cover is amazing.
It is aaaamazing. Seriously, I'm addicted to that book. I want to stroke it and hug it and whisper that it belongs forever in my life.
I HAVE THE HATE LIST TOO. AND I RATED IT FIVE STARS. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. Gunmen, Raptors and Love Letters – Under The Mountain's TTT
THE HATE LIST DESERVES A BILLION STARS. LET'S BE EXCITED TOGETHER.
Sooo many of these books are already on my To-read list! So it's so good to hear that they are original! I've wanted to read Hate List for awhile (it sounds so intense) and same with Splintered! I totally agree with Angelfall though, and I DO have lots of angel experience. Those angels are definitely original.
Oh gosh, The Hate List IS intense and horrible and I kind of died a little reading it. People…gah, they can be so cruel.
Ooooooh, I've only read two of these!! (Gone, Shatter Me) BRB, adding the rest of them to my TBR list because they sound AWESOME.
AS YOU SHOULD. Seriously, hardly anyone has read How To Lead a Life of Crime and a bit of me cries at that, because it's insanely awesome. x)
Awesome picks, I didn't know Shatter Me was about superpowers either! Thanks for enlightening me. Some great picks here, some I've heard of and others I haven't! Jeann @ Happy Indulgence
They have intense super-kick-butt-powers and some of them are a little different to the norm, too, which ROCKS. I mean, I love super strength, but everybody has it, you know?
haha Shadow and Bone was actually on my list too! 🙂 But I haven't read any of the others…
Shadow & Bone was awesome for uniqueness, right?! I mean, the dynamics maybe were normal, but just adding in the Russian-ish words and food…gah. I'm sold.
#4 – #7 almost made my list, too. If I'd decided to do ten instead of five, they most assuredly would have. Those were all 5 star reads for me, too, and so different from everything else. Love them all, and it makes me like you even more that they made your list. 🙂
I love how weirdly unique books wrangle 5-stars out of me. Like EVERY TIME. I'm a sucker for them. x)
Fabulous list, some fantastic books there and a few that are new to me and need looking up!Thea @ Gizzimomo's Book Shelf
My life is spent looking up books, honestly, it is.
These are such great picks! I really should have put Angelfall on my list; I loved it too! I'm so glad I finally read it. Shadow and Bone also; while there are certainly elements in it we have seen before, the setting and characters and writing style really set it apart!
Angelfall made me laugh. It made me cry. I have no idea how I'm supposed to survive without reading the sequel (my library doesn't have it…sooo sad).
Wow! Recently, I haven't read any really unique novels lately (with that small exception of what I did read of Don't Even Think About it). Fantastic! There are some! HURRAH!
Unique novels rock…I do wonder why they're not published more, but I guess the truth is they CAN be harder to write and then harder to sell??
SUCH a great list! Red Rising is my #1 fav book for the year so far, and half of your other books are 4.5-5 star reads for me too. Now I have to go add the other half . . . ;)Jessica @ Rabid Reads
It was my #1 favourite book of last year. x)
I need to read Red Rising!
Yes, you do. Absolutely. Off you trot.
I love Angelfall! I left it out of my own list, as I feel I'm including it in every list I make. (It deserves it though!) All the others are on my TBR. Great list!My TTT Alma @ Journey Through Fiction
Haha! YES it does deserve it! I just wish it was longer, because, ohhh, I needed more so badly. x)
I really enjoyed Splintered and Not a Drop to Drink. Nice list.Here is My Top 10 Tuesday
Oh I enjoyed Hate List so much! I forgot to add that on my list too! My TTT
I still need to read NOT A DROP TO DRINK. I will start that book soon, I will! SHATTER ME was definitely unique that's for sure. I'm just glad the uniqueness sort of stopped after the first book. Oooh RED RISING sounds good!
I thought the last one read 'How to live a life of grime', I'm an idiot. Who would have wrote something like that, that annoying guy who flogs off those super absorbent cloths on early morning TV probably. Ahh, THE MOTH. We'll have to arrange some type of schedule if we're both sharing him. Awesome list, I have to check a few out that I haven't read yet.
I'm completely freaking out over Angelfall- I absolutely ADORE the series and so few people I know have read the books! I'm glad to find a fellow fan!
Great list, Cait!! Some I've read, some I want to read, and some are new to me! 🙂
Hate List made my list too! Great picks 🙂
I really need to read Splintered, every time I go to the book store I stand there and stare at it debating whether or not to buy it because while I have heard nothing but good things about it I am not the biggest Alice fan. I never really got into the Gone series I think I read 1 and 2 and then half of the 3rd, and I just never really got it, you know?Great list and thanks for stopping by The Story Goes…
I've read, like, two of those books. TWO. *Hangs head in shame*Though the Shatter Me series ended up really getting on my nerves it is DEFINITELY unique. Mafi's writing style is so out there and really vivid.Ohh and I also loved how Angelfall dealt with Penryn's mum's illness. I thought that was handled so well. In a world where Angel's were taking over, she managed to make THAT the scariest thing. Now that's talent.
This is the second list I've seen Hate List in, definitely adding to my TBR. How to Lead a Life of Crime was high on my TBR last year or so but I wanted to read the author's previous work first. Definitely need to do soon!
LOVE some of your choices! Want to read Red Rising.Not a Drop to Drink, Shadow and Bone and How to Lead a Life of Crime might also be on my unique list. On the contemporary side, I'd add Far From You.Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
I really need to read Red Rising – I might just start that tonight!Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
I haven't read any on this list, which is kind of good, because now I have some new titles to check out. I've been seriously considering reading Shatter Me. I like the sounds of it, but am not sure if I would like the characters – which is the only reason I haven't started it yet.
Puritans were just the worst.
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet is one of the more unique books I've read. And it's also the first book in my favorite fantasy series.
I enjoyed them too. WE ARE IN PERFECT AGREEMENT THUSLY.
It was kind of feels shattering, right?
Haha…I'm glad I didn't stop reading Shatter Me after book #1, because seriously I was tempted. But I think the last book was the best. 😉 NADTD IS WORTH IT. GO READ IT. THEN WE MAY FANGIRL TOGETHER.
Um….wait. I'm confused. SHARING? I don't think I'm sharing. I refuse, actually. Watch me throw a tantrum that'll make a 3 year old proud. Heeey, a life of grime could be exciting! It could be sponsored by washing powder and everyone could end the book wearing clothes free of stains!
*hi fives* GO US.
I'm particularly fond of this list, I have to admit. 😉
So much feel shattering emotion in that book… gah, I'm still sniffling.
Interesting list girl! (: I've only read one book on this list though, Angelfall. I quite enjoyed it. Though I've tried to read the sequel and for some reason I had a hard time getting back into the story. I put it on hold right now but I hope to return to it later. How to live a life of Crime on this list also intrigues me. I've read the amazingly underrated Kiki Strike series by Kristen Miller and adored it.
You know me, I specialise in the weird and wonderful. I haven't gotten to the sequel because my library didn't have it *cries* Hopefully SOON. Ohhh, Kirsten Miller has written more books? WHY HAVE I NOT READ THEM. *dashes to library*
I noticed you don't have any Meg Rosoff anywhere on your blog (unless I've missed it!). She's got a great unique voice. If you have any room towards the end of your list tack on "Just In Case" (a quick read contemporary) to get you hooked, then move on to "What I Was" (contemporary, don't get put off, it's a little dark), and then once you're read and appreciate "How I Live Now" (contemporary/dystopian not giving it away, and it's quite dark). She has a really different way of approaching teen issues and definitely expects her intelligent teen readers to keep up with her!
I've never heard of Meg Rosoff! She sounds quite cool, though I confess, I don't read such a lot of contemporaries these days. x) Thanks for stopping by!
You are welcome! I think you would appreciate her writing style so I hope you have time for one of her books some day. They are very unique. She lives in the UK and is not well heard of, but has a dedicated group of fans. I just discovered your blog and I think what you are doing is fantastic, keep it up 🙂
I'm a HUGE Alice fan so that helps me a lot…I definitely recommend Splintered, buuuut I mean if you're not keen on Alice it might not be your cup of crazy tea, eh? I don't know ANYONE who adored the Gone series actually! I'm like alone in my little fandom. x)
Aw, that's not so bad shame…a lot of these are kind of peculiar books. Gah, if I ever find someone to fangirl with over the Gone series I will be SO HAPPY. No one's read them!! And yeah, I'm with you on Angelfall…I was very amazed at how many minorities she represented and she did it well and not weirdly….epic. Absolutely epic.
How to Lead a Life of Crime IS FREAKISHLY AMAZING. I ABSOLUTELY 100% RECOMMEND IT. XD
I haven't read Far From You yet…gah, it looks pretty awesome, right?! Red Rising is absolutely worth it. Gosh, I'm still in awe.
You own it and have not read it?! GO GO GO.
Aw, I'm glad you like my recs, Jack! If you do read Shatter Me, honestly, you NEED to read the whole series. The first was kind of weird, but then they got gob-smacking awesome.
There are so many people in Puritan books that I want to kidnap and feed nice cake and say, "There, there, those psychos won't get you anymore."
I haven't heard of that one before! I'm off to check it out. 😉
Awesome list! A ton of these are on my TBR list and I can't wait to get to them. I LOVED THE HATE LIST!!!! I adored that book, so amazing. I was really pleasantly surprised by All The Truth That's In Me, brilliant book and definitely unique 🙂
I'm so surprised All The Truth isn't more well read! I ADORED THAT BOOK'S SOCKS OFF. And also The Hate List. Gah, hold me while I sob.
Some of these books sound absolutely amazing! I really, really want to read Splintered. Not a Drop to Drink sounds good too. And Hate List sounds impacting. I love books like that. I'm thinking that one of the most unique books I've read is probably The Book Thief. It's narrated by Death. And he's not like you'd expect. What more do you want for unique?
Come to me when you need to cry about Hate List. I'll be there. I'd love to read The Book Theif! I (bad me) watched the movie first. Gah…how could I do that?! I need to read it.
I just bought Red Rising yesterday on Kindle because it was on sale! I'm glad to know that it's a great investment! All the yes to Splintered! <3 Great list!
Ohhh, I hope you like it! I seriously can't WAIT to read your thoughts!! It was one of my top reads of last year, but I know a lot of people couldn't stand it. >.<
I approve this list 😀 So many awesome books to add because of this week's TTT. My TBR is exploding!
Eh, you and me both, Angel. I think I will die besides a mountain of unread books. x)
I've read most of the books on this list and I have too agree that they are truly original. Love love love this list! Lily @ Lilysbookblog
These are interesting books, Cait!And it is a nice topic … I suppose a unique book I read and cherish dearly is 'The Keys of the Kingdom' by A. J. Cronin (which I highly recommend by the way). That and another book titled 'Forever Friends' by Jan Vereemer, about Christians in North Korea… it was very powerful, gripping and sad all at once. ^_^God bless!Joy @ joy-live4jesus.blogspot.com