Yes, I’m clearly obsessed with Teen Read Week. Anything that encourages people to read more is great, in my book. (Sorry, I know that was a terrible pun. I couldn’t help it!) Sadly, Teen Read Week is coming to an end. In honor of that ending, I’ve compiled a list of books with crazy plot twist endings!

Predicting the plot twists for any book, movie or TV show is one of my superpowers. When we watch TV, my husband often tells me to stop ruining the show by telling him what will happen next or who is actually evil. Several friends and family are still miffed that I figured out the end of that “I see dead people” movie in the first 15 minutes and the plot twists early on in Girl on the Train and Gone Girl. (Note: that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy those books/movies. I really did despite being pretty sure I knew who done it/major twists before the big reveals.)

With that in mind, if a book made the list below, consider it my kryptonite!

  1. life-of-piLife of Pi, Yann Martel – This is a much beloved book. However, I found it a little slow, particularly in the middle. But the end really paid off. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it. But, if you find it a little sluggish also, stick with it. You won’t be disappointed.
  2. Turn of the Screw, Henry James – If an English teacher ever forced you to read this in high school, then you’re lucky. Henry James is an amazing writer, and this book is chilling with a great ending. Plus it has creepy children and a haunted house. It’s a perfect read just in time for Halloween too.atonement.jpg
  3. Atonement, Ian McEwan. This book might be one of my top 10 favorite books of all time. And, actually, I not only expected the twist, I kind of predicted it. But it was so artfully done and brilliant I just didn’t care. I just want to read this book again and again and get lost in the beauty of how writing a book is so much more than just telling a story.
  4. Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk. I have read books by Palahniuk, but I have not read Fight Club. However, I did see the movfight-clubie and usually my psychic powers work even better with movies. (Except for The Usual Suspects. You can put that one on my movie kryptonite list as well. I am a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t predict that ending. My powers must have been slipping that day.) Still, the twist at the end of Fight Club surprised me. Plus, it’s one of the most quotable books. If you’re in a book club  (or any club) you’ve probably said something like – “The first rule of book club is…”
  5. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles –As far as plot twist endings go this one is probably the most famous of all time. I’m not sure if I predicted the end to this or not because I kind of feel this story is so pervasive in our collective conscious that I kind of new it since birth. Still, it’s probably the best twist in history. And it’s the gold standard for dramatic irony.
  6. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte – Alright, it’s a Gothic romance novel, so the fact that it had a depressing ending didn’t surprise anyone here. But, there are so many twists and turns in this book, I was never really sure where it might end up. Although, the end felt fittingly sad and poignant, even if I couldn’t predict it.