Found myself needing to break out of a reading rut,  look for something totally different from my usual suspense/horror/sci-fi stuff, and chanced upon "Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim.  Cover is beautiful dreamy female face and flowers, book also became a beautiful dreamy movie several years ago.  Even so, I didn't really expect to like something so different from my usual, especially when I found that it was written in the early 1920s.

Best of all, her work goes so far back that the others are available as free downloads! :)

Von Arnim reels a reader in gently, makes you feel like you're basking in Italian spring sunshine surrounded by all kinds of flowers and colors.  Her characters are vivid enough that you can imagine their voices and hope all turns out well for them...also sort of a very well written comedy of manners.

Anybody else find an unexpected favorite author?

That sounds like a great book, Mel!  I'll have to check it out.  To answer your question, I remember being quite surprised after finally reading my first book by Charles Dickens (Great Expectations) that I enjoyed his writing so much.  I expected him to be dry and incomprehensible!

Yeah, Michele,  I was surprised to find, back in High School Lit, that I actually liked Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Larry McMurtry.  I never thought I'd read anything remotely resembling a "western" until by brother in law told me I had to read Lonesome Dove before I die!  I'm glad I did.  I love the Lonesome Dove Series.  I wasn't too impressed with the Last Picture Show/Duane's Depressed, etc series.  I still have to start the Berrybender stories.

MaryF

Louis Amour and FM Parker who both write westerns.  The two hundred page, ride-that-horse, dig-that-grave, sleep-on-the-ground, shoot-that-rattlesnake, hang-that-cattle-rustler  WESTERNS.  Ya Hoo!  Love 'em.

Now there's a genre I hadn't thought to try!  Next time I have to step outside the box I may try a western....

I am not a mystery or police detective reader at all, but I am totally hooked to Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels and J.D. Robb's In-Death series.

Normally I like sci-fi, horror, or authors like John Irving, Alice Hoffman, Jeannette Walls, Audrey Niffeneger, Annie Proulx, Alice Munroe and Japanese contemporary authors,

So for me going to cop/detective stories totally surprised my husband (who now teases me merciless)!

Michelle, I agree.

Definitely Dickens! I picked up Our Mutual Friend on a whim a couple of years ago, expecting a challenge. Instead I said, wait a sec, this is really good.

Try Dombey and Son, and of course David Copperfield. I couldn't believe how true they feel even after 150 years. +/-   Love him. His books make me cry real tears.

Octavia Butler is an author whose first book I read totally freaked me out.  I couldn't sleep for a week and couldn't get it out of my mind.  I then went back ten years later and found that some other books by her are just brilliant and don't scare me so much because I know what to expect.  She is deep and dark and pretty unforgettable.

Conn Iggulden, the author of WOLF OF THE PLAINS.  This is an epic story of Genghis Khan, a ruthless killer.  The novel is filled with blood and guts and battlefield tactics.  Gross food like warm yogurt and mutton fat, blood sucking, torture, gore and a lot of nastiness. I can't believe I'm loving it!  The book is very entertaining and hard to put down. 

Stephen King.  I was never into horror and thought of him as sick and twisted until I gave him a chance.  34 books later, I am still amazed at the depth of his characters.

Stephen King.  I was never into horror and thought of him as sick and twisted until I gave him a chance.  34 books later, I am still amazed at the depth of his characters. 

Interesting.  Just curious, so what was the first King you read?  I've been a King fan since the age of 11.  That's when I read Carrie.  I didn't understand half of it but I've been reading him since!!  Just finished UTD.  Couldn't put it down.