Books That Surprised Me (in a good or bad way) #TopTenTuesday

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week, they post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers will answer. Everyone is welcome to join!

The topic for today's list is:

Books That Surprised Me (in a good or bad way)

Here are some books that surprised me in a good way: I enjoyed them more than I expected!

Memoirs of a Geisha
by Arthur Golden
From my review: "The writing was beautiful, and I was totally captivated by this story."

The First Days
by Rhiannon Frater
(As the World Dies, Book #1)
From my review: "I can’t remember the last time when I was this frightened while reading a book! This is a must read for zombie fans! Frater knocked my socks off, and she has turned me into a huge fan of her work and reawakened my interest in zombies!" 

A Prayer for Owen Meany
by John Irving
From my review: "A Prayer for Owen Meany is a very thought-provoking story. I loved the book, and I thought that Irving wrapped up all the pieces of the story brilliantly! I literally had goose bumps at the end of the book." 


Here are some books that surprised me in a bad way: I did not enjoy them as much as I expected!

The Gunslinger
by Stephen King
(The Dark Tower, Book #1)
From my review: "Parts of the book really dragged for me and, even though I finished book, I still feel a bit lost! ... This is definitely my least favourite King book, and I much prefer his horror books to this fantasy series so far."

Into the Water
by Paula Hawkins
From my review: "I really enjoyed The Girl on the Train, so I was eagerly awaiting Hawkins’ sophomore book. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations."


So, what books surprised you (in a good or bad way)? Please let me know in the comments, or leave me a link to your blog post if you are also participating in the meme!