Top 5 hyped books I’m not interested in reading
Hello bookworms!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 hyped books I’m not interested in reading.
*cough* So… awkward times ahead… Today we’re talking about hyped books that we just don’t care for. Maybe it’s the topic, or the blurb isn’t that interesting to you. Perhaps that’s not a genre you like to read. Or maybe the hype is what has put you off. Regardless, let’s talk about hyped books that we’re not interested in reading. Also, feel free to skip my last book, as the topic can be triggering.
If you missed the July-September topics post (yes, we’re doing them in bulk now!!), please click here. Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm, and is now being hosted here @ Meeghan reads.
top 5 hyped books I’m not interested in reading
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
In all honesty, I just don’t want to read The Book Thief. I’ve read a couple of books that focus on real life wars, and it just makes me sad. Whether this is based on real events or is fictional, there is just something about war books that don’t interest me.
I think it’s primarily because I read for escapism. It’s part of the reason that I read a lot of fantasy and contemporary/romance books that have that “happily ever after” ending. I want to be distracted from the sad events of the world around me and pretend that there is acceptance and love in the world. So… books about war? Yeah, they’re not really my cup of tea. Oh, and I haven’t seen the movie either.
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
I know a lot of people love The Handmaid’s Tale books, and the tv series, but it has never appealed to me. For starters, I am not a fan of the dystopian genre broadly. Sure, there are a couple of books that I have enjoyed (The Hunger Games and Archives of the Invisible Sword seem to be the outliers), but for the most part, dystopian books are not for me.
Also, even if the series is eventually about an uprising and taking back control, I’m not into reading about how women are completely controlled by men, and society in general. I didn’t even get more than 2 episodes into the first season of Mad Men. It just boils my blood. There is a reason that I prefer the ‘heroines’ (or anti-heroes) to be a bit bloodthirsty, or at least be able to defend themselves.
Divergent – Veronica Roth
Another book series that has been turned into a movie franchise… So, this is dumb reasoning, but I have seen the Divergent movies. I initially didn’t like them because I’m not a huge fan of Shailene Woodley. But I also need to explain this by saying that I had just finished watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager and I hated the ending of that. Her character’s entire arc really pissed me off. Where was I? Oh yeah…
So, I have seen the movies, but based on my lack of enjoyment of them, plus the whole dystopian thing… I was just never really interested in reading the books. You can add in series like The Maze Runner and all those other dystopian books of this era.
Mistborn – Brandon Sanderson
Look. I’m sure Brandon Sanderson is a great author. I hear nothing by the most amazing things about his books. But also, I just don’t care. I’m sure everyone has that author, who no matter what their friends scream about said author, you just have zero interest in reading their books? For me, that author is Brandon Sanderson.
Honestly, I just lose interest even reading the blurbs for his books. And I like high fantasy. I’ve read heaps of male authored high fantasy books. I’ve read and enjoyed Feist books, and he’s genuinely a sexist jerk. Maybe it’s because so few male authors get female characters right in my eyes. Whatever it is, Sanderson is just not interesting to me.
But honestly, if someone told me that I could only read Brandon Sanderson books, or never read any books again, I’d go watch a movie. Maybe figure out how to bake bread. Or learn to crochet. I’d even go watch paint dry.
Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
So, this one is more of a personal trigger, but I don’t want to read about suicide. I grew up in regional Australia, and especially among farming communities, there is a high rate of suicide in young men. Of my high school class, we’ve lost a scary number of people who were in my year – mostly to car accidents, but there have also been some suicides in there.
Suicide is really hard on the people left behind. I know the book talks about this to some extent, but it also dramatises the event for plot reasons. People make a lot of dumb mistakes when they’re teenagers. Drugs, alcohol and sex are all things that you can get over with enough time and help. But suicide isn’t something that you can take back. It’s not a choice that you can regret later, because you don’t get a later.
If you think about suicide, please talk to someone. I know that it feels like nothing will get better. High school especially can be absolutely brutal. But talking helps. If you need to talk to someone in Australia, there is Lifeline (13 11 14) or BeyondBlue 1300 224 636) that you can call 24 hours a day.
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What are 5 hyped books you’re not interesting in reading?
34 Comments
Kristina
yep- all of thoses too!
I used to have bought 13 reasons why, because seeing it is a trigger (and I heard how graphic it is) but reading is something else entirely… well, I ended up giving it away a while after… it was just staying on my unread shelf with no real intend to read it ?
meeghan
I feel that!! I have a bunch of books on my shelves that I probably won’t read any more. ?
Kristina
Bought once upon a time they looked nice ans then.. ?
evelynreads1
The Book Thief would also be on my list.. (The Handmaid’s Tale as well, but I did try and read it at some point..)
meeghan
Hahaha!! So glad these would make other people’s lists as well!! Hope you’re well, Evelyn ?
Cam @ Camillea Reads
Aaah I remember reading 13 Reasons long ago & hated it. I don’t think it tackled mental health well. I have read The Book Thief & The Handmaid’s Tale, so I do understand your reasoning. Both books can be quite depressing especially Handmaid. I hear the TV show is not as well-done as the book is.
meeghan
Oooh, that is interesting!! I’ve only heard good things about The Handmaid’s Tale tv show, but maybe those people hadn’t read the book?? Can’t wait to come and read your post soon!! ?
Davida Chazan
Let’s just say that the first season was a pretty good adaptation of the book (for the most part) but after that, the next seasons have nothing to do with the book… just following the same characters further along in their lives.
meeghan
Interesting… I’m still not convinced that it’s my cup of tea… but I might try it!!
Davida Chazan
Up to you. But if the dystopian genre and speculative fiction is something you might like, then this is the book to start with.
Davida Chazan
A few years back I read (or actually listened to) The Handmaid’s Tale and well… I was worried about the hype back then, long before the TV series was released. I was actually glad I read it before I saw the series. Mind you, I spent the whole first series telling my husband “that’s not in the book” and “in the book this bit is different” and yet, I’m still watching the TV series, and still glad I read the book. But you do you, my dear. I’m old and this is a book I was told to read many, many years ago, so it was a sort of bucket list book for me.
meeghan
Hahaha “that’s not in the book” is a whole mindset when I watch things!!
journeyintobooks
Great post, I’m also not that interested in picking up The Handmaidens Tale and you really arent missing anything with Divergent
meeghan
?? Thank you for the reassurance!!
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Hanna
I tried watching the show of The Handmaiden’s Tale to get myself to read the book but no. No no no. I didn’t even manage to finish first episode, not for me either. Only got triggered.
meeghan
Oh no!! I’m sorry it didn’t work for you either!! ?
Zezee
I think I need to finally admit that I’m not interested in Handmaiden’s Tale either. I’ve yet to even watch the show.
meeghan
Same!! I think Dystopian and I just aren’t compatible. And I need to accept that. ?
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hopewellslibraryoflife
Good choices to skip–although I did read the Book Thief. The others are a “meh” to me.
meeghan
Thank you!! I agree, I think I’m better off spending my time reading books that I know will bring me joy!! ?
plantyofpages
Loved this post, I feel the same about all of these. The Handmaid’s Tale is definitely not on my TBR. I’ve seen the show, but I couldn’t imagine reading about it too. I’m also just not much of a fan of Dystopians anymore.
meeghan
Same!! I’ve definitely moved on from dystopian books as I’ve gotten older!!
WriterGirlsBookReviews
Yes, all these books. Plus The Invisible Life of Addie LuRue.
meeghan
Ouch!! I have that one on my bookshelf… but I just keep pushing it down the TBR!! ??
tasya @ the literary huntress
I’ve read all of them (except Brandon Sanderson’s books) and they’re all mixed reads for me :/ I’m not interested in any of Rainbow Rowell’s books as I’ve tried 3 of her books and they’re just not my cup of tea.
meeghan
Totally fair!! She’s not for everyone. ?
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dbsguidetothegalaxy
I liked The Messengers by Markus Zusak – haven’t read it in years, though. I started The Book Thief, but never finished it and still haven’t watched the movie. I do think it’s too overhyped, strongly because it revolves around the Holocaust. I think a lot of people do that – hype it up because it revolves around a tragic and awful event. I don’t know. That’s just my feeling.Maybe it is a good book, I don’t know.
My sister loves The Handmaid’s Tale – tv series. I do like it, but it’s definitely a hard series that I can’t just sit and watch a ton of episodes. Maybe I’ll go back to watching it. Maybe I’ll just read the Wikipedia synopses of every episode and get spoiled like that ?
meeghan
?? I’ve never thought about reading the wiki entry for the show!!
dbsguidetothegalaxy
I think I’ll do that for The Kissing Booth because I just tried to rewatch the first movie to get to the two others but I just couldn’t ? Wikipedia always more fleshed out synopses than say, IMDB, so it’s definitely a possibility!