Tuesday, April 11, 2017

TTT - Top Unique Books I've Read

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.  This week I am sharing some unique books I've read and since when I think of unique, odd and crazy sort of comes to mind, so I'm only featuring five (because truthfully I don't think I have that many.







I don't think it's any real secret that I didn't like this book.  However, it includes an unknown town, aliens, werewolves, a disappearing man, exploding flamingos, a tarantula and secret agents.  I like odd but this went beyond it.

Now Matt Wallace does unique the right way.  I LOVE this series and it only gets better and better.  I will never forget how he incorporated David Bowie and the Goblin King into book 2.  Some people didn't care for it but I thought it was pure gold.  Everyone, read this series now!!!!

I read this so long ago it's not even on my Goodreads list.  When Mr. Barb and I started dating, I was reading this and I think he knew right then I enjoyed odd and off-the-wall things.  Here's a brief part of the blurb:
"...a bean can philosophizes, a dessert spoon mystifies, a young waitress takes on the New York art world, and a rowdy redneck welder discovers the lost god of Palestine."


This is probably the first book I read which combined a western with supernatural elements.  I know there are quite a few of them out now, but at the time, this one was pretty unique.

A few years ago a friend bought me this book on a whim for a Christmas gift.  I don't read a lot of historical fiction but she figured since it was about Elizabeth Bathory, I'd enjoy it (as I read tons of vamp books at the time).  She was right, I loved this book and I guess you could say she ranks behind Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden in odd fascinations for me.

So there you have it - some of my more odd reads.  What made you list this week?  I can't wait to find out!


29 comments:

  1. I struggled with the concept of unique so I went for unlikely heroes as MCs instead...sort of unique. I only read the first Matt Wallace book because of your review and I enjoyed it so will be reading on with it at some point. I already have book two on my tbr!

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    1. I love all of them in that series so far. The last one dealt with the current election and "meat puppets" which I found oddly fitting. It's comes out soon.

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  2. *High fives on the Sin Du Jour series* Definitely an original and unique urban fantasy and just damn good!

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  3. These sound like some interesting reads. I need to try Matt Wallace, I think I might have book one because of your reviews. :) The Countess might be interesting too as I am curious about that lady too, she was strange. :)

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    1. I really liked "The Countess" but have to admit I may not have picked it up on my own. Yes, she was a very strange and twisted person.

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  4. Enjoyed your list. Thanks for sharing it. I like offbeat reads too. Got some ideas for my ever-growing TBR list.

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    1. Glad to help! Like any of us really need help with out TBR's though :)

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  5. Great list! The Countess sounds like something I would like for sure. 😀

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    1. It was very dark and more historical than scary but I did really love it.

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  6. I haven't read any of these! My friend is a huge fan of the Night Vale podcast but also didn't much care for the book either. I actually love the sound of the Melissa Marr book!

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    1. The Melissa Marr book was really good, but it doesn't seem to get much love.

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  7. My husband gave me a copy of Welcome to Night Vale a year or so ago. I haven't started it yet, but he tried to read it and said it just wasn't his cuppa. My unique TTT.

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    1. It definitely wasn't mine either, and I haven't even tried the podcasts.

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  8. I only posted 4 because I wanted to limit my list to recent reads. I haven't read any of the ones you mentioned but I like your synopsis of the Tom Robbins. I enjoy books sets in NYC because that's where I live now. it becomes a little game to see what I recognize in the story.
    My list here: https://runwright.net/2017/04/11/unique-reads/

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    1. I don't recall a lot about that book but I do remember enjoying it, and driving my future husband crazy when reading it.

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  9. oh wow an angel book I haven't read! I should check it out!

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    1. Yea, but it's not really about angels...well, there's one in this one but if you look carefully, that angel on the cover is made up of chicken nuggets - and there is a reason. Come to think of it, why aren't you reading this series - I think you'd love it!

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  10. The Countess is officially on my wishlist now :) I tried to listen to the Nightvale podcast and liked it initially but it lost me somewhere along the line so I can see how the book might not work.

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    1. Uh oh, I think I've added several books to your wishlist lately.

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  11. Interesting list...I actually have a copy of Welcome to Nightvale, and I tried to get into it but for some reason turning a podcast into a book just didn't seem to work for me. And I have to agree with Envy of Angels. This whole series has such a great premise, right?

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    1. If I could go back to the Nightvale thing, I'd never check it out from the library - thank heavens I never bought it. And I think there is a second book coming out.

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  12. Night Vale is very odd (the podcast), so I can imagine the book is as well! In fact that's why I took a pass on it, I like pleasantly weird but this honestly looked like too much. I think I'd like Night Vale more if it was weird combined with a plot that makes sense, but instead it's like they're trying to be weird just to be weird?

    The Arrivals looks good!

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  13. I actually really like the podcast for NightVale! I am currently listening to it and it cracks me up. I haven't read the book but I enjoy really weird and that is really weird! :)

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  14. I bought Envy of Angels back when you reviewed it...now I just need to actually read it. I love strange books so I am really looking forward to it.

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  15. I have yet to read any of these, but I am quite curious about them now, I love a unique book, so I will check them out! Thanks for sharing them!

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  16. Great list! I haven't read any of these books, but they all sound interesting!

    Here’s my TTT!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  17. The Countess and The Arrivals both sound amazing! I don't know how I haven't heard of them before, but I'm definitely going to have to check them out now.

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