The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books and has since been continued by Billy at Coffee Addicted Writer. There are weekly prompts for each theme which can be found here. This weeks theme was submitted by Elizabeth at Silver’s Reviews:
What book/books got a lot of hype but were a disappointment for you?
This question is difficult for me because I often agree with book hype and trust the book community to steer me toward new books to love. I love ACOTAR, Ember in the Ashes, Illuminae, A Heart So Fierce and Broken… the list could go on. That being said, I have been burned by hype before. With our ever growing dependence on social media, I find it hard to distinguish between genuine hype and “commercial” hype. Can I trust my favorite bookstagrammers and bloggers to provide their honest thoughts of a book if they are a stop on the book’s tour? Do I believe the five star reviews of an author’s street team or is that author just a social media sensation?
Looking back on the last couple years, I was able to come up with several books/series that fell flat for me. Here they are in no particular order:
The Cruel Prince is an anomaly on this list because I enjoyed the rest of the trilogy much more than this one. I’ve never been super impressed with Holly Black’s work and this one just felt shallow. I think if it had been another hundred pages longer, Black could have delved a little more deeply into the character and world development. It seemed to be a second hand story; like I was reading a story written by someone who had heard the story and couldn’t recount all the details. The characters seemed one-dimensional and every plot point was too easily explained away with “that’s just how faeries are”. I did come to like Jude and, in later books, Cardan, but I wanted more from them based on the rave reviews from fellow YA fantasy fans.
I have not read on in the Caraval trilogy, although I do own the other two books. I listened to Caraval on audio, which was perhaps why it felt so lackluster. I do have a physical copy, but I haven’t been motivated to try again. I guess I just wasn’t that interested in the extravagant world building or even the plot really because I found Scarlett’s character so irritating. I do believe that heroines should have flaws, but they should also have redeeming qualities and Scarlett had none. I’ve heard the next book is told through Donatella’s perspective, which is the only reason I’m considering reading Legendary. I’ll let you guys know if that one lives up to the hype or not for me.
Ok. Here’s the thing about All the Stars and Teeth: I was on Adalyn Grace’s street team for this book. If you don’t know, a street team member is basically a social media promotor that is tasked with sharing important release details and generally hyping the book up before release. That’s why this is so bad. I was that person. I hyped this book. BUT we didn’t get copies of the book until we were already selected and, based on the summary alone, I was genuinely excited for this book. Unfortunately, it failed to stand out in any memorable way. I liked it enough to continue on with the series when the next book releases, but, for me, the first book is just another wave in the sea of YA fantasy.
The Priory of the Orange Tree is an epic fantasy that obviously appeals to a lot of readers. This was a buddy read with my mom and it was a struggle to make it to the next check point. There were so many character POVs (something I usually enjoy) that I failed to connect to any one of them. The whole book felt like rising action in anticipation of some great event, which took nearly 600 pages to reach and then completely skipped over. Now, I will admit, around page 500 I gave up and started listening to it on audio, so it is possible I missed major details. I won’t give any major spoilers, suffice it to say, the whole book is spent gearing up for a great battle that lasts only a few pages. I felt gypped.
The Raven Boys is another series that has a devoted fanbase, who are constantly hyping Ronan and his band of not-so-merry men. Granted, I did listen to this book on audio, so, again, some things may have been lost in translation (but I have listened to and enjoyed MANY audiobooks so that’s not a good excuse). I did like the characters. They were a little flat, but I thought they were unique. The plot was where it lost me. I can’t even say I remember what they were looking for… something magical I know. And there was a thing with a professor? What I’m trying to say is the plot was not memorable. I would even go so far as to say that I would enjoy these characters better in a different book, on a different adventure. Maybe I’ll read some fanfic. I have not read on in this series, but one of you can try to convince me to, if you’d like.
I actually do plan to read on in the Three Dark Crowns series. Yes, I know all the books are out, but it’s not exactly top of my TBR right now. I liked the synopsis of this book. Unfortunately, it failed to ground me to any of the characters (and there are quite a few). I almost rated this 2 stars. I was going to until I hit the last 50 pages or so. Those last 50 pages are the reason I will read on in the series. I hope to find more character connection in the sequels.
Hopefully I haven’t made any enemies here today! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any of the aforementioned books. I love to hear differing opinions. What are some books you thought failed to live up to they hype?
I haven’t read any of these, but nearly all are ones I hope to read someday. I’m sorry they disappointed you. Like you though, I’ve found many great books that are well praised and hyped by my fellow booklovers.
I hope you have a great weekend. Stay safe and well.
Some of these books, though not what I expected, were still 4 star reads for me and they are obviously loved by many. I hope you enjoy them if and when you read them!