Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm. I love this week’s topic! It is fun to rant about books everyone in awhile. I am someone who gives in to the hype and it often let down, so I am trying not let hype affect the books that I choose to read. These are all books I read this year that I thought were just okay but didn’t fall in love.
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
The Dinner List was a Book of the Month pick so I was seeing it everywhere for awhile and there are quite a few four and five star ratings on Goodreads. The plot was an original idea but it never reached it’s full potential in my opinion. I found it quite boring, especially the chapters that were flashbacks. I was not invested in this relationship in any way. There was a few interesting twists though and I loved that Audrey Hepburn was a character.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Sharp Objects has been on my radar for years but, with all the hype for the TV show and the fact that many people were saying that it was Gillian Flynn’s best book, I finally picked it up. I thought that the main character was interested and enjoyed how Flynn described the small town, but I found it to be unnecessarily disturbing and predictable.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
So many people say that A Little Life is their favourite book and the most emotional book of all time. It is long, unnecessarily so, and there were things that I found to be unrealistic which took me out of the story. I enjoyed the friendships and that the book highlights the fact that we can be enablers even if we have the best intentions. I loved it at first but by the end I wasn’t connected to the characters and found it repetitive.
City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Do not hate me but I didn’t love City of Ghosts! I thought the writing was great and the plot had the potential to be interesting but it never quite got their for me. I found that not a lot happened and I kept waiting for something epic to happen. I am hoping that the next book in the series will be more action-packed and eventful.
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
Ugh! This is the one book on this list that I truly hated. I can not believe that it was a Reese Witherspoon Boob Club pick! Reese I adore you, but what were you thinking?! This book is so emotional manipulative and the characters are horrible. I was rooting against them! So selfish. One of the worst love stories of all time.
I have Sharp Objects on my TBR for this month. I hope that I enjoy it somewhat. lol. Great list!!
Thank you! It’s still enjoyable! Very disturbing!
I’ve seen mixed reviews for Sharp Objects, but I’m not convinced to pick it up.
I think it really depends on your tastes! It was too disturbing for me and I couldn’t look passed it. Also, predictable!
I didn’t get ta chance to read Sharp Objects, but watched the series. It was very dark and disturbing!
I tried to watch the series but it was too much for me, which is not normally a problem! I don’t know what it is about it that bothers me so much. I love Amy Adams though!
I felt the same way about City of Ghosts!
I am hopeful the next one will be better!
I’m sorry to see that you didn’t enjoy City if Ghosts! I’ve had it on my tbr. It’s such a shame when books fall a little short!
I think it is still worth reading if you go in to it with lower expectations! I just wanted a little bit more but still enjoyable enough!
Pity about sharp objects and city of ghosts!
I know! Still happy I read them but not as good as I was expecting!
I’ve seen so many rave reviews about City of Ghosts that I was beginning to think it was too good to be true haha! I’m definitely going to be lowering my expectations now!
I think it is still enjoyable if you go in to it with lower expectations! I suspect the second book will be much better!
Thanks for taking the hit! Now I know which books to avoid.
You’re welcome! If you’re interested in any of the books I still pick them up but just go in to them with lower expectations!
Oh, I wanted to read City of Ghosts (though I admit I was only interested in it because it is set in Edinburgh, or so I’ve heard). I think it is supposed to be a middle grade novel, so I didn’t have many expectations about it but reading your lukewarm review I am not sure anymore about buying it.
It is set in Edinburgh and actually that is one of the best parts of the book. It’s the perfect setting for the book. I don’t know that I would buy it unless I got a good deal but I think it’s worth borrowing from the library. Do you listen go audiobooks? It is on the Hoopla app.
Oooh A Little Life is always popping up on my GR feed… good to know it’s not All That.
Honestly the more I think about it the more I dislike it!!
Sharp Objects I’d agree – I thought it was really good, but also felt a bit cheated or let down for some reason, and I can’t put my finger on why.
I totally get that!