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Booking Through Thursday


The opposite of last week’s question: “What’s the best ‘worst’ book you’ve ever read — the one you like despite some negative reviews or features?”

I really enjoyed Karen Maitland’s first novel, Company of Liars. I don’t normally read fantasy/supernatural-ish types novels like that, but I was just entranced by the setting and the plot. Yet there were a lot of people who didn’t like it. In any case, I’ve gone ahead and ordered Maitland’s second novel from Amazon UK.

Another book I enjoyed that others didn’t was The House at Riverton, by Kate Morton… again, great setting and characters, but a lot of reviewers didn’t like it.

Comments

1morechapter said…
I enjoyed House of Riverton as well!
Bells said…
I'm just listening to The House At Riverton now. I'm finding it a lot harder to get into than her second one, The Forgotten Garden. This one, I'm just not getting at all.
S. Krishna said…
I really liked House of Riverton!
Marg said…
I liked House at Riverton as well, but I have heard of a few people who really didn't!
Blodeuedd said…
Never read it, but I always like a good bad book ;)
Hermie's Mom said…
I, too, really enjoyed The House at Riverton.
Danielle said…
I really liked the House at Riverton, though I know there were some mixed reviews. I still have her second novel to read. And I still want to get Company of Liars, though at this point I will probably just watch for the paper edition.
I liked The House at Riverton. I think I liked it even more than I normally would have because I picked it up after trying to read a book that really asn't working for me and it was so refreshing.
Anonymous said…
House of Riverton sounds like a good read. I grab it without a second thought when I saw it on vacation in Hong Kong.

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