A few weeks ago I read The Upside of Ordinary, an MG novel by Susan Lubner. Honestly, based on the cover alone, I wouldn't have picked it up. But I had read the first page over at First Page Panda and was impressed by the strong voice and humor. So when a friend offered to loan it to me, I snatched it (quite literally, I'm afraid) right out of her hand and read it in one sitting that evening.
It's the story of a girl who is obsessed with becoming famous and hatches a plan to film her own reality show staring her family and friends. But when she starts to fear that their lives are too ordinary to draw viewers, she intervenes in some hilarious and alarming ways to amp up the drama.
While I'm still a sucker for a breathtaking book cover, I'm an even bigger sucker for a really great read, and this book qualifies.
What book has pleasantly surprised you lately?
Sounds like a fun read - I'm gonna have to add it to my long long (looooong) list ;)
ReplyDeleteUm, a book that pleasantly surprised me is one I had put off reading for years and years, that a family member gave me. But I finally read it and thought it was hilarious (if weird and at times bewildering). The book is AT SWIM-TWO-BIRDS and was written in 1939 by an Irish author. It also has a rather boring cover.
sounds like a good book...i'm distracted by cover too...guilty!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm TOO influenced by covers, but I suppose I'm not totally immune LOL. I have two books on my Kindle I haven't read yet because the covers underwhelm : /
ReplyDeleteBook covers are important to me too, Ruth. However, like you said, it's the quality of the story that counts. I'll definitely check out Susan Lubner's novel. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love tasteful and restrained covers, the likes of which you see on Breathtaking Book Covers’ site. I actually find that site’s name a mistitle… The covers they feature are deeper, more evocative, and do not knock you for a jolt. They don’t take my breath away, but rather they make me think.
ReplyDeleteCover art is its own art form indeed. The propensity for large photographic faces on YA and more commercial books in general must be a sound commercial choice, or we wouldn’t see so much of it. But like you I am not a fan.
Wonderful that you had such a nice surprise, and even more wonderful of you to let us know about this book.
I'm SO guilty too! Though I'm not sure any book has really blown me away lately... now I'm going to be thinking on that...
ReplyDeleteI am guilty too. That cover probably wouldn't have convinced me to pick the book up--but I like that premise! Sounds fun. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I like nice covers because while I dream about what I just read, I like to hold them and see why this cover fits so perfectly. Thanks for sharing this, sounds like a book my daughter would love!!!!! Yay!
ReplyDeleteYeah, this cover doesn't give you much sense of what the book's about. Glad you got past it and found a good read. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you. I love gorgeous book covers. Looks sell, and when people are browsing in the book store, that's what they're going to be attracted to first. Can't really think of any bad cover/good books I've read lately, but I'm sure there are plenty!
ReplyDeleteAgreed - guilty too of letting covers decide for me. With so many book choices, a cover really has a few seconds to grab me. What a shame that so many great reads aren't discovered, and some really fantastic covers grace books that do not live up to the hype. I've read several this year! But, this sounds like a wonderful read, thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful book review, Ruth. This sounds like a fun read. Love the premise for the story!
ReplyDeleteI am more swayed by book covers than I should be. But like you, I do love a good read more! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Oh gosh, I am SO very much with you on the book cover thing. Alas, I think I've had more instances where a cover was gorgeous but the story wasn't quite my style, than the other way around. Which is why I'm obsessed with reading reviews before I buy. ;0)
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend!!!
Ruth, no offense to you, I really get frazzled about these kinds of things because as a NON-Illustrator writer, I most likely wouldn't get any say in the cover art, and for those authors who just had to HOPE they can at least live with the cover art (and interior illustrations, if applicable) if not love it, but it is a factor, just not a mandatory factor (For a non-picture book or comic/graphic novel where quality of art really matters for story, not just aesthetic reasons).
ReplyDeleteFor me, though, many of my favorite books that have cool covers and/or interior art (I write children's books, so artwork plays a BIG part)
I'm reading "The Wainscott Weasel" by Tor Seidler. I LOVE the story, first off. Yes, the prose is poetic, and I make NO apology for it, but there's an actual PLOT, it's just not nonstop adrenaline junkie trips, okay?
And okay, the illustrations are great, and for an MG novel to have illustrations that good, and more than ONE beyond the cover art, is RARE today, and is a big deal.
As I often say, I could've read this first as a ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) galley form with NO ART and I'd still be satisfied, but the art makes it more special.
Besides, the cover art for this book brought out the "Animal Fantasy" geek in me. Hence the focus of my blog, which I'm taking a sabbatical from blogging right now, but next year will be better.