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Friday, September 16, 2011

TGIF (3): Book Disappointments


TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads.  Each Friday Ginger poses a question for us to share our thoughts on.  If you'd like to participate, head on over to her awesome blog and link up!

This week's topic:

 Have you ever come across a book you were so stoked to read, but it failed miserably in your eyes?

This is a tough question.  Who likes to say, "Oh yeah that book I thought was going to rock? Yeah, well, it kinda...didn't."  To be fair, I wouldn't say the books I didn't enjoy or couldn't finish failed miserably.  Really, it just meant that it wasn't my cup of tea or maybe they just didn't suit my need for a particular story at that time.  Sometimes I need to be in the mood for a particular genre.  When I have to put aside a book, I'm always disappointed because I wouldn't have purchased it if I didn't think I would enjoy it.

There are a few books off the top of my head that I either a.) finished and did not get the hype or b.) didn't finish because I lost interest.

-  Fallen by Lauren Kate
-  The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
-  A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
-  The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
-  The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

Now do not take me wrong, I have tremendous respect for these authors.  It really isn't their fault that these particular titles did not quench my reading thirst.  I could very well try these books again and my opinion might change.  At least that is what I'm hoping will happen.

How about you?  What book were you excited to read only to have it fall short? 

17 comments:

  1. I've seen a lot of people feel similarly about Lauren Kate's Fallen series. That's too bad! I'm still reading A Clash of Kings so I'm curious to see how I'll feel about A Feast for Crows when I get to it.

    Happy Friday!

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  2. I have Fallen waiting to be read right now, but I can't get myself to want to read it. So many bad reviews for it. I really need to start the Game of Thrones, so many people are raving about them and the tv show. I had my eyes on them before all the hype but now it just makes me want to read it more.

    Thanks for stopping by In Libris Veritas!

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  3. In Feast for Crows, Martin completely switches the characters that are telling the story and I just sort of found them boring. But it could definitely just be me. I LOVED the first 3 books - I ate them up like Skittles. I would still recommend people read them but with the warning about violence and adult situations. Most def. not a YA book.

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  4. I hear you loud and clear about Fallen. I read the sample for it on Amazon and thought "Okay. I'll grab that." I was so confident that I would like it that I picked up the other two books at WalMart while I waited for the first to arrive in the mail.

    Nooooo... I have never been so disappointed! (Because of picking up the books and all.) I wanted to strangle Luce and I thought Daniel was a total jerk. I just couldn't take them. Really too bad, because the idea was interesting and the writing itself was okay.

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  5. I have Fallen on my list also. I haven't read the others on your list.

    My TGIF http://t.co/FhwACRdd

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  6. Hey,

    Aw, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy The Wise Man's Fear. I haven't read it yet but it is on my shelf. I loved The Name of the Wind. Although it did take me about a month to read!I picked The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly.

    Lucy
    http://thesecretlifeofbooksblog.blogspot.com/
    (Don't forget to enter my Giveaway)

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  7. I almost picked Fallen for my answer today too. I was disappointed with it.

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  8. I agree with you on Fallen. just could not finish the darn book.
    http://sidnebkclubreviewez.blogspot.com

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  9. I've heard some not so great things about Fallen, and that is why I haven't read the book. I trust certain reviewers, so why waste my time ya know?

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  10. Wow I'm glad I'm not the only one! I thought my mind might have been defective. I think I had read Fallen before I learned about the fabulous world of book blogging. If only I had known then what I know now! :)

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  11. I have Fallen on my TBR list but I have heard negative things about it too, which is why I keep putting it off.

    New follower btw :)

    Here's my post: http://www.jjireads.com/2011/09/tgif-and-flove-friday-1.html

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  12. I haven't read any of those books! My pick was Life of Pi---what a disappointment!

    I am a new follower!

    ♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

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  13. I read Fallen..a disappointment..but wanted to make sure it wasn't just ME..so I picked up Torment, the next book in the series. Its sitting on my dining room table half read. This series had such great potential

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  14. aw-man! Fallen is on my TBR list. boo. maybe i'll move it down and make it less of a priority!

    Trish - My Friday Memes

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  15. aw-man! Fallen is on my TBR list. boo. maybe i'll move it down and make it less of a priority!

    WAKE was a bit of a dissapointment

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  16. I thought that people really liked Fallen. What was it that you didn't like about it?

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  17. Anne, it was an entertaining story but just wasn't a story I fell head over heels for after all the hype. I picked up Fallen after its sequel was already out and just before the third book. I'm glad I didn't buy both at once because the 2nd would be sitting unread atm.

    At the time, the characters and plot felt contrived to me. I know that seems a little harsh but I didn't fall in love with the characters. If anything, I felt a little annoyed at their actions and thought processes.

    I haven't written the whole series off yet, but it's not a priority to finish. Wish I could explain exactly why it fell flat to me, I guess I would have to analyze it a bit more.

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