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What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?When I was studying my A’ level examinations at College, in English Literature we had to look at texts connected with WW1. One fictional book that a lot of ‘hype’ surrounded was Sebastian Faulk’s “Birdsong” which we studied. I am not a fan of war fiction, and I certainly did not understand why everyone was ranting and raving about this novel (which took me months to read!).
I did strongly dislike the book until last year when a television drama adaptation was made based on the book, and which brought it to life in a new light. I appreciated the TV series and found myself respecting (and understanding) the book more, but I still cannot quite get the HUGE hype that surrounded it??
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
Phillip Pullman’s The Northern Lights is a magnificent creation, and his dark materials is a wonderful trilogy. To have such an amazing book and bestseller, I was surprised at book 2 (the subtle knife). The sequel was in my opinion just not the same and although I enjoy reading the series as a whole (the northern lights, the subtle knife and the amber spyglass), I do feel that the first book was and always will be the BEST.
It is an incredible story (now made into a motion picture “the golden compass”), and yet I am not so sure that if they do make books 2 & 3 into films, that they will be met with such a response.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
I love ‘classics’ like Jane Austen, Bronte sisters etc. and yet there was one novel which I just couldn’t get on with. Lorna Doone is known to be a sad story, and unlike many other classics I found it to be so dreary as to quite depress me! It was just not a novel that I enjoyed reading that much, and as tragic love stories go, it is not one that I look upon with great fondness.
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
A series which I strongly disliked would have to be ‘The Princess Diaries’ by Meg Cabot. I LOVE the films of the princess diaries (with Judy Dench and Anne Hathaway), yet when I read the books as a teenager I just felt that they were not the same. I am not a lover of ‘chick-lit’ and yet the stories had this kind of feel to them, with the scenarios and happenings all a little juvenile and unrealistic. I am from the UK not an American High School, and so this may have some baring to do with it, but I did not connect or love the characters as you do when watching the films.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
Disliking the ending is a tough one. For many reasons I disliked the ending to Harry Potter and the deathly hallows, simply because of all the deaths and loss of so many characters whom you had grown to know and love so much over the long series. I couldn’t imagine Harry grown up with a son…it was always Harry’s story and yet at the end it felt like it was the school (Hogwarts) tale about its students. Perhaps its just an empty feeling because it was all over, but I was left deflated as if so much more could have happened. I don’t know what…but something?!?!
Can i ask a question? Q). If you could only choose ONE book in the entire world, what would it be??
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Sasha Ivashkov-Herondale-Jackson (aka Clarisse)
(last edited Aug 26, 2013 06:25AM)
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Lucinda wrote: "Can i ask a question? Q). If you could only choose ONE book in the entire world, what would it be??"
one book to do what with? burn it?
hmmm probably twilight... (dont go all twihard on me to all those twihards in this group)
hahaha
but in all seriousness.... if i could only have ONE book... then considering evrythig, i think for me the most important would be a book on Theory Of Relativety by Albert Einstien, or any quantam physics book....OR MAcbeth really because if i could only have ONE book, then an educational/interesting one seems more appropriate than picking a mediocre fiction book.
BUT if you said only ONE series... then i would most definately say either Mortal Instruments, Bloodlines, or Infernal Devices (in no particular order)
books/series that i hated though my friends loved would be....1. Perfect Chemistry (ewww... :( i did NOT like Alex nor did i like the annoying-ungrateful-Brittany)
2. Delirium (*yawn... boooooring)
Sasha ~ great answer! I actually meant only ONE book that you would say save from a fire etc. which you love so very much. A book that you would not get tired of reading again and again.
to add on...book(s) that i didnt like but my friends loved is:
- Matched (ugh i just got so annoyed! had to force myself to finish it!)
Mod
I felt like this series went downhill from the start of the second book. The first was amazing, the second pretty cool too, but I hated that last.
The ending to Mockingjay felt rushed, as if the author was throwing it together last minute and making the excuse that the main character was confused. "I'll just murder a few main characters to show I can be like J.K Rowling too, throw a few bombs around, this is war, etc."
And Katniss became an unrelateable, unlikeable character in Mockingjay too. She was impatient, confused, snapped at everyone... It was too much.
What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series. I refuse to read them because of CC's plagiarism, the nasty way she treats her fans, and because I don't support P2P fanfiction.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
The Iron Daughter, by Julie Kagawa. I absolutely adored The Iron King, but TID was just...terrible and totally negated everything I loved about the first book.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Romeo and Juliet, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Mrs. Dalloway...
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
The Anita Blake series. It started out okay, but I feel like as a whole it's pretty over-hyped.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
Mockingjay. Life would be a lot better without book three. >:|
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.i would have to say Jane Eyre, i really just couldn't get into it
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
Matched, i had to force myself to finish it
Q). If you could only choose ONE book in the entire world, what would it be??"
I would have to say the second book to the 'Rosie Black' series
Emily wrote: "Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.i would have to say Jane Eyre, i really just couldn't get into it
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love ..."
ugh yeh. i had the same reaction with Matched.
A "wonderful" classic I didn't enjoy...That has to be Jane Eyre. It's just so hard for me to get into it.
A series I strongly disliked...
I absolutely hated Fablehaven. It's so thick...don't know how to explain it better.
Which ending of my favorite series should be invisible...
Mockingjay for all the same reasons everyone else does.
Lucinda wrote: "Can i ask a question? Q). If you could only choose ONE book in the entire world, what would it be??"
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... super hard. I say The Horse and His Boy from the Narnia Chronicles. Just loved it.
Mod
Mod
Do you hate sudden cover changes in a series?
Isabelle wrote: "So here are some questions to start off this topic.What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
Name a "..."
I hated lord of the flies, it was SO just boring! The worst part was we had to do a howl term about the book in school, and I am normally excited about reading!
People may gasp in horror when they read this, but the worst series I have ever read is Harry Potter! You know how people just didn't click with twilight or the hunger games, it was the same to me.... even though I enjoyed chamber of secrets!
Mod
Do you hate sudden cover changes in a series?"
Hmmm...sometimes. It depends on whether or not:
i.) the cover change is a good change
and
ii.) the cover change is to the whole series
I've seen some series' where the cover change happened from book 2 onwards, leaving book 1 with the old cover design, which doesn't give the full series a very uniform look (especially if you buy them all and have them on a bookshelf).
And I've also seen some series' where the cover change was brilliantly executed. Sometimes a series needs a cover change, either to further promote the book to a targeted audience (e.g. YA), or to make it more eye-catching.
I think it ultimately depends on how the cover change is carried out.
What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?
Perhaps The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, or Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. OH, and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. There aren't a lot of books I "strongly dislike", however, so it's a pretty short list.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
The last couple of Maximum Ride books. It just wouldn't end and the plot kept repeating itself. I hadn't even really liked the first book in the first place but I kept reading (for reasons I now have forgotten) and I wish I hadn't.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Romeo and Juliet. I know it's Shakespeare and apparently by law anyone with any sort of coolness rank must like Shakespeare, but it was ridiculous. Within, like, two days of knowing each other, they got married, had sex, and died for "love". Hun, that ain't love, that's lust.
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
As I said before, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, Twilight, and Beautiful Creatures.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Unlike a few others, I'm not mad about Katniss falling apart. I think she was almost entitled to a little freaking out after what she went through and what she continues to go through. No, the bone I have to pick with this book is that everybody died, Peeta became miraculously all better in the space of around ten pages (with not even a montage) and then it was the end. Also, no matter how much tumblr quotes that last line; "But there are worse games to play.", I will never like it.
Perhaps The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, or Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. OH, and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. There aren't a lot of books I "strongly dislike", however, so it's a pretty short list.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
The last couple of Maximum Ride books. It just wouldn't end and the plot kept repeating itself. I hadn't even really liked the first book in the first place but I kept reading (for reasons I now have forgotten) and I wish I hadn't.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Romeo and Juliet. I know it's Shakespeare and apparently by law anyone with any sort of coolness rank must like Shakespeare, but it was ridiculous. Within, like, two days of knowing each other, they got married, had sex, and died for "love". Hun, that ain't love, that's lust.
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
As I said before, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, Twilight, and Beautiful Creatures.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Unlike a few others, I'm not mad about Katniss falling apart. I think she was almost entitled to a little freaking out after what she went through and what she continues to go through. No, the bone I have to pick with this book is that everybody died, Peeta became miraculously all better in the space of around ten pages (with not even a montage) and then it was the end. Also, no matter how much tumblr quotes that last line; "But there are worse games to play.", I will never like it.
Over-hypeed book that I dislike: Maze Runner. I couldn't do it. I really tried to like it but I couldn't manage to get into it.
Sequel:
Insurgent. I love Divergent and Allegiant but I wasn't a fan of Insurgent. I'm not sure why. I just had to keep re-reading sections because I would loose focus.
Classic:
Little Women. I read awhile ago and a lot of people are surprised when they find out that I didn't enjoy it.
Series:
Twilight.
Ending: Mockingjay. I have to agree with Tessa.
Mod
List any books that have kept you up late at night. What type of books keep you up late at night. Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of the night? Do you typically read for hours on end at night?
Have fun discussing!
Mod
The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Dark Days by Derek Landy
Mortal Coil by Derek Landy
Death Bringer by Derek Landy
Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy
Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy
Harry Potter 3
Harry Potter 4
Harry Potter 5
Harry Potter 7
Ask the Passengers
A Monster Calls
Usually Suspenseful books keep me up late at night because I can't stop reading, I have to know what's happening and how it will resolve.
Also action-packed books keep me up extremely late because there's always something happening that's keeping you hooked onto the page.
YA Contemporary also tends to have me up late at night from all the adorable feels and beautiful storylines.
Dystopians are among the most frequent in keeping me up late at night. The world is just so intense and engaging and I can't stop reading.
I enjoy reading into late hours of the night, but it isn't something I plan. It just happens. I can't force myself to read late if the book isn't that great, but if it is, I tend to stay till like 3am/4am and then on those days I wake up at like 1 in the afternoon.
Isabelle wrote: "Here's another question for you guys.
List any books that have kept you up late at night. What type of books keep you up late at night. Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of the night? Do yo..."
A lot of books keep me up at night. Sometimes, if a book is really good, I'll have to read it otherwise I'll stay up all night wondering what happens next.
But sleep deprivation is the worst thing for me because I can be the crabbiest, grumpiest and moodiest person if I am tired. LOL.
List any books that have kept you up late at night. What type of books keep you up late at night. Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of the night? Do yo..."
A lot of books keep me up at night. Sometimes, if a book is really good, I'll have to read it otherwise I'll stay up all night wondering what happens next.
But sleep deprivation is the worst thing for me because I can be the crabbiest, grumpiest and moodiest person if I am tired. LOL.
♥ Innocent Lamb ~ Forever Reading ♥ wrote: "Isabelle wrote: "Here's another question for you guys.List any books that have kept you up late at night. What type of books keep you up late at night. Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of..."
Same!
And yeah, the people on Goodreads are pretty great:)
Books that kept me awake into the night {and then on into the early hours of the morning}...Harry Potter books - none of them i was able to put down. Once i had opened the book and begun reading, that was it!
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
Pillars of the Earth By Ken Follett
...to name the top few that have kept me glued to the pages.
H99 wrote: "And that is why I start reading good books in the morning, so I can finish them by nighttime."The problem is that i do tend to read in bed and so if the book is that good, then i will end up reading into the darkness knowing too well that i will be tired the next day because i haven't had enough sleep!
*laughs*...i just have myself to blame!
I like reading at night because it's quiet and peaceful. My only problem is that I become so tired, I start having to read and reread every page before the words sink in. Then, once I've gotten up the next morning, all of the details are foggy... So it's not the best for me.
I have trouble stopping. I finally stop when my eyes just won't stay open so I'm not getting anywhere and I start to fall asleep on and off. Haha
I will! Especially because I want to finish the group challenge!
I think she means the read-a-thon challenge, but yes, persevere! :D
Lady Poppy wrote: "I think she means the read-a-thon challenge, but yes, persevere! :D"Yeah:)
I want to accomplish the group challenge and the year challenge so either works:)
Mod
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
...still got to finish
But I'm going to try and finish it for the book challenge.
What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?
Twilight, Fifty Shades of Greyand Heart of Darkness
What book have you put down halfway/not finished and have yet to pick up again?
The Shoemaker's Wife
List any books that have kept you up late at night.
Intensity by Dean Koontz, Women's Murder Club Series by James Patterson, The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, and Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
What type of books keep you up late at night.
Ones with fast-paced action, relatable characters, and excellent details.
Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of the night?
Sometimes. It depends on the book and what I have to accomplish the next day.
Do you typically read for hours on end at night?
No. I prefer to go to bed with an hour for reading. I won't stop though until I finish at least one full chapter.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
Inkspell
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Brave New World, Lolita,and Les Miserables
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
Hush, Hush
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
The Reckoning
Twilight, Fifty Shades of Greyand Heart of Darkness
What book have you put down halfway/not finished and have yet to pick up again?
The Shoemaker's Wife
List any books that have kept you up late at night.
Intensity by Dean Koontz, Women's Murder Club Series by James Patterson, The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, and Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
What type of books keep you up late at night.
Ones with fast-paced action, relatable characters, and excellent details.
Do you enjoy reading into the late hours of the night?
Sometimes. It depends on the book and what I have to accomplish the next day.
Do you typically read for hours on end at night?
No. I prefer to go to bed with an hour for reading. I won't stop though until I finish at least one full chapter.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
Inkspell
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Brave New World, Lolita,and Les Miserables
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
Hush, Hush
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
The Reckoning
What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?Divergent by Veronica Roth, or perhaps Looking for Alaska by John Green. Both had elements of other books that I've enjoyed in the past but they just didn't do it for me.
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
I think I am blessed to not have encountered this before! Or perhaps I have and have yet to think of it. Either way, I cannot name a sequel that I've been thoroughly displeased with.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
I don't know if this has achieved the rank of "classic" but I despise Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with something that would be akin to passion if I put enough energy into it.
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
The Mortal Instruments. Infernal Devices wasn't too shabby but I truly do not understand the hype and reverence surround The Mortal Instruments. I found it juvenile.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
The Hunger Games. Mockingjay felt incomplete and didn't show enough of the recovery for my liking. It was jarring to hop from Katniss's war-torn, depressed, PTSD-inclusive state to her being okay. As someone with anxiety and mild bipolarity, I know that recovery does not happen in a linear or tidy fashion.
The Not-So Austen Bookclub
Books mentioned in this topic
Gone Girl (other topics)Labyrinth (other topics)
Romeo and Juliet (other topics)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (other topics)
Twilight (other topics)
More...
What is one over-hyped book that you've heard so much about but strongly dislike?
Name a sequel that you were not happy with, at all.
Name a "wonderful" classic that you did not enjoy.
Name a series that you strongly disliked and don't understand why others love it so much.
Which ending of your favourite series would you be glad to see invisible because of how much you disliked the ending?
My answers:
Over-hyped book: ? Maybe the Maze Runner. I couldn't get into that book even though everyone loves it.
Sequel: Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. I loved The Giver! And so I was excited to read this book. Didn't turn out that way. I. extremely. extremely. disliked it. :/ End of point.
"wonderful" classic: The Lord of the Flies. I just don't understand the hype around that classic. I can't stand it!
Strongly disliked series: ?
Horrible ending of an awesome series: Requiem! I just ... that was not an end. It wasn't!
How about you? Do you have any other random book questions you'd like to add and discuss? If so .. discuss.