The Review Archives discussion

It seems that lately, I've fallen into this category. I can't stand The a Selection or Legend - but everyone seems to praise these books! I don't really get it. :/ I'd probably be invested if both main couples in these series weren't Mary Sues or Gary Stus...

Have any of you guys experienced this? Where you're in the vast minority when it comes to books?

Feel free to share your pain. ;)

I absolutely detest The Fault in Our Stars. It is one of the worst books I've ever read.

Phew. I got that off my chest.

Uh-oh. *Steps away from Erin for fear of thrown stones* I really like TFiOS, but I do agree that it's overrated. Jodi Picoult basically wrote the book first with My Sister's Keeper...

And I love To Kill A Mockingbird. One of my all time favorite modern classics. ^.^

Haha! Poor thing! I can definitely understand your frustration, though. I really like TKaM, but there were several school reads that I had to read where I'd much rather shove scissors in my eyes before reading another page.

Animal Farm was one of the shoving-scissors-in-eyes book. I couldn't stand it. >.>

I really don't like , although I know I'm definitely in the minority there. I would consider trying it again someday, though, as I read it a few years ago.

Lizzy wrote: "I never heard of or read it before."

Consider yourself lucky. That book was painful. At least it was mercifully short.

Montana wrote: "I really don't like , although I know I'm definitely in the minority there. I would consider trying it again someday, though, as I read it a few years ago."

That's actually one of my favorites, lol. I can see how it would be an acquired taste, though. Plus it's pretty long, so it would be hard to finish if you have a hard time getting into it.

For the record, the movie was AMAZING. You should at least watch it, even if you didn't like the book. :)

- I gave up after 20 pages.

- Had promise but I couldn't stand Nora, and I don't get why Patch is considered the love interest. I attempted Crescendo but I didn't finish.

- writing came off as a little too clunky for my tastes, and Juliette was kind of whiny.

the entire series - A friend who loved them recommended them to me shortly after the 4th book was released. I read all four back to back - mostly hoping they would get better somewhere along the line, but they never really did for me. Bella and Edward not my kind of couple. Jasper was alright - looking back I think I might, *might* be possibly interested in a book if it was based on the back story he reveals in book 3.

I've heard really bad things about fallen. :/ And while I didn't hate Shatter Me, it did take me a while to get acquainted with the writing style. And I still don't like the whole Adam vs. Warner thing. Ick.

I hate the books Enclave and The Body Finder. Both are quite popular and known but I honestly can't stand them at all!

Lizzy wrote: "Lauren wrote: " - I gave up after 20 pages.

- Had promise but I couldn't stand Nora, and I don't get why Patch is considered the love inter..."

I take back the 20 pages - I think it was 2 chapters...either way it wasn't for me.
I saw the still from the upcoming movie - when I saw Jeremy Irvine I felt kind of sad. ;)

Brittany wrote: "I've heard really bad things about fallen. :/ And while I didn't hate Shatter Me, it did take me a while to get acquainted with the writing style. And I still don't like the whole Adam vs. Warner t..."

Yeah, I don't get the Adam vs. Warner thing either. I think I must have missed something somewhere when it came to Warner....and Adam seemed kind of boring.

I really hated
The Fault in Our Stars, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Twilight, Pretty Little Liars, Firelight, and Wither

The last two I'm not sure how popular they were. But before I read them, I got nothing but super awesome reviews for them.

Oh yeah- Firelight was quite bad!

I was really excited to read Firelight because I got it signed by the author. Plus it was about shapeshifting dragons! That just seemed so awesome. . . it wasn't.

Yeah I had the same ideas....

Firelight is about shapeshifter dragons, right? I read another series that was really good about the same subject ("Weredragons" and even "Wereachnids" - yes, giant spider people!) and it was sooo good! It's called Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace. You HAVE to read it!

I'll go ahead and admit it. I didn't like Legend by Marie Lu, either. June and Day were SO annoying. >.<

I liked Legend, although by the time I finished it I was sick of reading dystopian books.

Giant spider people sounds awesome! Although I wouldn't want to be one. Firelight became more about the romance than about the dragon-people. It was a really big disappointment.

Brittany wrote: "Firelight is about shapeshifter dragons, right? I read another series that was really good about the same subject ("Weredragons" and even "Wereachnids" - yes, giant spider people!) and it was sooo ..."

Yeah it was....but super lame....

I didn't like much of anything in this one.

Please don't kill me for this...

All these books have an average rating of 4.0 or higher and I either gave them 1 or 2 stars.
Some I completely despise, others I just couldn't get into.

Sydney wrote: "I was really excited to read Firelight because I got it signed by the author. Plus it was about shapeshifting dragons! That just seemed so awesome. . . it wasn't."


I remember liking the first book, but when I went back and continued the series I really questioned my tastes because, gosh, the other books are horrible!

I also think that sometimes the opposite happens. Where EVERYONE hates a book but you love it?
I just read Take Back the Skies and I loved it, but it has a 3.24 average rating! And that's pretty darn low for a book.

I'm a black sheep for . I'm one of maybe a couple people that have read it and wasn't impressed by it.

I hated every character in those books, none of them made any sense with their decisions and Clary always whined.. like shut up! umm no. I hate whiny boring characters that only think about themselves. the first book (matched) was good, then this one made no sense and I could never finish reading it.

Not a fan of the second two books in the divergent series. Didn't really think the book thief was all that great, and just read the forbidden library, wouldn't recommend that one either.

I read recently, in case I wanted to see the movie. But I really wasn't all that impressed with it.

Riya wrote: "Oh yeah- Firelight was quite bad!"

SO agreed. I can't stand that book. Just thinking about it gets me into a frenzy.

I have a great distaste with Looking For Alaska. While I loved The Fault in Our Stars, I couldn't stand the former. Miles was stupid and so detestable. Also Alaska! Minor spoiler, but I enjoyed the book far more when the After part came xD But Oh well.

Oksana wrote: "Riya wrote: "Oh yeah- Firelight was quite bad!"

SO agreed. I can't stand that book. Just thinking about it gets me into a frenzy."

Haha understandably so!

Jennifer wrote: "I have a great distaste with Looking For Alaska. While I loved The Fault in Our Stars, I couldn't stand the former. Miles was stupid and so detestable. Also Ala..."

EXACTLY!!!!! (I haven't read the Fault in Our Stars though). But I completely agree with that!!

I actually really like Looking for Alaska. ^.^ It was less predictable than TFiOS...

Brittany wrote: "I actually really like Looking for Alaska. ^.^ It was less predictable than TFiOS..."

Well I already know what happens in TFiOS so at least that won't be an issue I guess? :P

Divergent, Divergent, Divergent - cannot stand it! I'm told the movie is a lot better but I'm not game enough to test that theory just yet!

Riya wrote: "Brittany wrote: "I actually really like Looking for Alaska. ^.^ It was less predictable than TFiOS..."

Well I already know what happens in TFiOS so at least that won't be an issue I guess? :P"

Haha! That's true, I guess. XD

I hated , and DNF .

Jessica (Goldenfurpro) wrote: "I also think that sometimes the opposite happens. Where EVERYONE hates a book but you love it?
I recently read Take Back the Skies and I loved it, but it has a 3.24 average rating! And ..."
That's so right. But I'm not as much of a critic as other readers, apparently. Anyway, I recently read Take Back the Skies, and my amateur review (just comments) explains my reaction...

Chandana wrote: "I hated , and DNF ."

I wasn't a huge Shiver fan either

Everyone seemed to be a fan of Tuck Everlasting. I read it for class in the 7th grade and I just couldn't stand it. Something about that book bothered me. I couldn't get into it at all.