tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post8826764928406881225..comments2024-03-28T20:07:41.073-06:00Comments on Read All The Things!: Discussion: Do These Popular Books Deserve The Hype?Aj @ Read All The Things!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02860483414620371093noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-85890904733617501342021-01-24T05:24:57.388-07:002021-01-24T05:24:57.388-07:00I love reading posts about hyped books -- sometime...I love reading posts about hyped books -- sometimes they wow me too, sometimes not. I loved The Golden Compass but not The Amber Spyglass. I need to reread Number the Stars now, and I think I won't bother with The Raven Boys. But I've been wanting to read The Thirteenth Tale since I enjoyed Once Upon a River, and your description adds to my sense that I'll enjoy it (along with Jane Eyre and Rebecca, two of my favorite books).<br /><br />An unread book I have on my shelves? I keep meaning to read Agatha Christie, and I've picked up Murder on the Orient Express from the Little Free Library - will I give it five stars? Definitely one of the most hyped authors/books ever.Loryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08519976394732029323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-42745637381065206152021-01-17T09:55:10.868-07:002021-01-17T09:55:10.868-07:00It's always interesting to read books that are...It's always interesting to read books that are super hyped and see what you think. I think I remember you saying in the past what your issue was with The Underground Railroad. I think I would have been disappointed in it too based on expectations.<br /><br />Nicole @ <a href="http://feedyourfictionaddiction.com" rel="nofollow">Feed Your Fiction Addiction</a>Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08637114079800138680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-86345631455028033372021-01-16T08:38:33.324-07:002021-01-16T08:38:33.324-07:00My husband got me The Raven Boys for Christmas as ...My husband got me The Raven Boys for Christmas as he thought I'd like it... I'm now curious to see whether I'll go with the flow of hype and like it or against it and dislike it, lol. Niccihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12122972546470154598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-27243635808973330542021-01-12T05:54:10.158-07:002021-01-12T05:54:10.158-07:00It's a shame that The Raven Boys didn't li...It's a shame that The Raven Boys didn't live up to the hype for you but I totally understand why you were disappointed by it. The first book in the series isn't my favourite because it's so character driven and spends a lot of the time setting things up, but I think it gets better as it goes on.Louise @ Monstrumologyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798789173951481573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-4827799977186549102021-01-09T14:15:24.853-07:002021-01-09T14:15:24.853-07:00I really enjoyed Doctor Sleep and agree with you a...I really enjoyed Doctor Sleep and agree with you about Little Fires Everywhere. It was ok but so slow in the beginning. I own Beartown but haven't read it yet. I'll need to get on it.<br /><br /><a href="http://natflixandbooks.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">Natflix&Books</a>Natalie @Natflix&Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12738039522965794238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-45027590256478318322021-01-08T12:54:40.212-07:002021-01-08T12:54:40.212-07:00I love Doctor Sleep and the backman's books. L...I love Doctor Sleep and the backman's books. Little Fires everywhere was fairly good to me too. But in general I hesitate to pick hyped books!Gayathri Lakshminarayananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16729822845609574634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-3986310173942515532021-01-04T19:21:06.760-07:002021-01-04T19:21:06.760-07:00Underground Railroad was just an okay read for me ...Underground Railroad was just an okay read for me as well. I loved the premise of it but the execution just didn't do it for me and I agree the characters just felt like names. I did enjoy The Raven Cycle but still feel like it's just a solid series, nothing spectacular. Suzanne @ The Bookish Librahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16116292880784513187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-69511324681368982382021-01-04T09:11:18.639-07:002021-01-04T09:11:18.639-07:00I have read only two of the books you mentioned. W...I have read only two of the books you mentioned. While I think that <a href="http://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/whitehead-colson-underground-railroad_21.html" rel="nofollow">Underground Railroad</a> definitely deserved the hype, I don't understand why <a href="https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/setterfield-diane-thirteenth-tale.html" rel="nofollow">The Thirteenth Tale</a> was praised so much. But I guess it's also a matter of taste.<br /><br />Glad you asked the question, it's an interesting thought to ponder.<br />Marianne https://www.blogger.com/profile/11810275740213848634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-11779238137456743462021-01-02T17:57:08.290-07:002021-01-02T17:57:08.290-07:00I am SO SO SO glad that you ended up loving Number...I am SO SO SO glad that you ended up loving Number the Stars as much as you did when you were a child. I remember us talking about this one a while ago and now here it is. Yay!! I think you really hit the nail on the head about how it felt as a child reading it compared to now, especially because as adults we know just how much worse everything really was, and they protected their children as much as possible. Happy New Year!Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Takenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507006809241347635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-47468050821736316782021-01-02T13:33:04.637-07:002021-01-02T13:33:04.637-07:00I love when books outside of my go to genre (Thril...I love when books outside of my go to genre (Thrillers) surprise me. Little Fires Everywhere was that. Absolutely loved it. Was a 5 star for me but I understand your feedback.<br />Marcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136238772526246675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-11192781114508070482021-01-02T12:48:12.033-07:002021-01-02T12:48:12.033-07:00You're not alone. I read The whole Raven Boys ...You're not alone. I read The whole Raven Boys series and while it was fine... it was just average to me and the ending sucked. I don't get all the hype. The Butterfly Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13218064101468042347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-48013324350331153482021-01-01T10:16:29.660-07:002021-01-01T10:16:29.660-07:00That's a good discussion point, I've actua...That's a good discussion point, I've actually never thought about it! <br /><br />I think I rather pre-judge a book by the popular hype than what I think myself. Now that's something to think about.... I think I'm going to read like that in 2021. I DECIDE the rating before I look at the popular hype.<br /><br />On your books, I liked the first two in the Raven Boys and then I just lost interest and really struggled through the last one. <br /><br />I liked Little Fires Everywhere, but not the TV series. Don't know why, but I didn't enjoy it at all. <br /><br />I also loved Bear Town and really want to read the next one (Us against you).<br /><br />Thanks for this post! I needed it the the first of January of this year. Will remember it.<br /><br />Have a good year AJ!<br /><br /><a href="https://elzareads.blogspot.com/2021/01/weekend-book-friends-14.html" rel="nofollow">Elza Reads</a>Elza Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14147340976876251074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-62656422941158469312021-01-01T10:02:46.158-07:002021-01-01T10:02:46.158-07:00I LOVED the show Little Fires Everywhere, but I do...I LOVED the show Little Fires Everywhere, but I don't think I'd read the book. I felt the same about The Raven Boys. I never ended up reading past book one. While I didn't love Doctor Sleep as much as you did, I still enjoyed it when I read it! This is such a fun post!Tracy https://www.blogger.com/profile/10715236765292209452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-48177639489029467722021-01-01T09:48:00.264-07:002021-01-01T09:48:00.264-07:00I haven't read any of these books yet but it l...I haven't read any of these books yet but it looks like you liked most of them. I hate it when a book that I am sure I will love ends up being a let down like some of these were though.Carole's Random Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06737905249530702688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-17748979388298049842020-12-31T19:31:20.207-07:002020-12-31T19:31:20.207-07:00I am SO glad that I am not the only one who feels ...I am SO glad that I am not the only one who feels that way about Raven Boys! I even read the second book, thinking maybe it was that I needed more answers, like you said, but alas. I actually kind of like the idea of the Underground Railroad MORE the way you described it- I may give it a try even if it wasn't your favorite. This is a fun post idea! Shannon @ It Starts at Midnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10043593641190645773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-62329511559885324922020-12-31T17:39:51.038-07:002020-12-31T17:39:51.038-07:00I have both Doctor Sleep and Golden Compass on my ...I have both Doctor Sleep and Golden Compass on my shelves, hoping to get to them in the new year. I think I'll end up giving them a high rating too.Zezee with Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05942259282896597134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-49982707684602940982020-12-31T15:31:00.090-07:002020-12-31T15:31:00.090-07:00This is a great concept, AJ! I might have to think...This is a great concept, AJ! I might have to think about doing this sometime this year too. I loved His Dark Materials when they came out (I was NOT a kid!), but haven't read them since. I've taught Number the Stars a few times, again closer to when it came out. I abandoned both Little Fires Everywhere and Raven Boys without even finishing them, and I was underwhelmed by Underground Railroad for all the reasons you list. FYI, I did like the author's book Nickel Boys a lot more! I liked The 13th Tale without loving it, as I recall, and I also agree with you about I'll Be Gone in the Dark. In other words--surprising nobody--my opinions line up very closely with yours! Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06296827820807569574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-55748761317415836772020-12-31T11:56:53.726-07:002020-12-31T11:56:53.726-07:00Beartown and The Raven Boys were both 5/5 for me. ...Beartown and The Raven Boys were both 5/5 for me. Both authors have an interesting storytelling style, which took me a bit to get into, but once I did, I was all in. Samantha@WLABBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589486165371852904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-59260488593625402162020-12-31T09:43:37.681-07:002020-12-31T09:43:37.681-07:00I feel like my 5-star reads are often total surpri...I feel like my 5-star reads are often total surprises for me, so I never try to predict them. And hyped books - I'm almost always that person who doesn't like them!Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746631124966726182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193309628838073849.post-31153515284102679482020-12-31T06:53:10.401-07:002020-12-31T06:53:10.401-07:00I must admit I didn't like His Dark Materials ...I must admit I didn't like His Dark Materials at all, especially books two and three. I did love the Polar Bears though! chucklesthescothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09423562114343636659noreply@blogger.com