We’ve all had that instance where we see a new book being raved about online. Or it’s a book we’ve wanted to read for a while, and it makes us giddy with anticipation when we finally get it. Then that excitement goes down the drain once we’ve finished reading. The worst fear that we never considered comes true. The book was a disappointment. How distasteful it is to admit a book isn’t what we thought it would be. What a soul-crushing reality for readers.
We may not go as far as to call it soul-crushing, but you can’t look at a disappointing book with the same gleaming expectation again after reading it. Our team knows that feeling well, and they have some choice words to say about the books they were super hyped to read, only to be let down.
Disclaimer: The quotes in this article are provided as is and only edited for spelling and/or formatting errors. The opinions expressed in these quotes belong to the person/entity quoted and may not match those of the writer unless explicitly mentioned.
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
Listen, I was the hype-r. I was so ready for this book, it wasn’t even funny. My family was on notice for the release. I was doing nothing but reading this book and finally getting all the answers and satisfying closure that Maas has built up throughout the last two perfectly written books. The absolute devastation I felt throughout said reading cannot be fully expressed. There have been a few disappointing moments within Maas’ books, but nothing that ruined the whole series.
Character development truly dropped. I wholeheartedly believe that we missed out on Fury. All that lead up, for nothing. The conclusion was too neat and easy. Our badass FMC’s personality was a bit toxic in this book and while Bryce was a brilliant light, she wasn’t as all-knowing as presented in this sequel. Not to mention, her attitude towards her mate’s PTSD was a bit shocking. I’m not sure if it was a rush on writing or SJM was over the series, but it just fell flat.
Kristi Eskew, Editorial
Flawless by Elsie Silver
Let’s get this straight first: I am HERE for cowboy romance. Flawless didn’t do it for me, much to my disappointment. I picked this book up wanting spice, characters I felt connected to, a country atmosphere, and found family. I’d say I got like two out of five of those things, at least in the way I wanted them.
While reading the first book in the Chestnut Springs series, I found myself skimming whole pages and chapters — I know, I know, a cardinal bookish sin! But there was just something I didn’t connect with. The characters fell flat and didn’t sizzle with chemistry and tension how I typically like. Thankfully, soon after, I read Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage, another cowboy romance that absolutely delivered. Everything I felt was missing from my first foray into this subgenre, I found in this book! The chemistry, found family, ranch vibes, oh my! I highly recommend this whole series. But hey, to any Chestnut Springs stans out there, I’m not on a high horse! To each (reader) their own (cowboy romance).
Fiona Hansen, Editorial & Outreach
Library of Souls: The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead.
My parents got me into this book series but have not continued it after the third installment, which goes to show how the ending played out. The first two books were engaging and had unique characters with action-filled adventures, but it wasn’t until the third book that things took a turn. I remember very distinctly that my parents also hated the ending. Since I started reading the books later, I was curious about what happened.
The third book was interesting and continued where we left off from the previous one, but the ending was the most disappointing. I still wonder if the author was rushed or didn’t know how to end the book because it made no sense. All of a sudden, everything the characters went through flew out the window. The MMC is with the peculiar children going on adventures and heads home with them, where he faces his parents who are wondering what is happening. What ends up happening is that the peculiar children reveal to the MMC’s parents who they are.
All of a sudden, the peculiar children do not have to worry about the time loop anymore and can age like normal. This ending felt so rushed and out of character that it was incredibly frustrating. It felt so out of place from the rest of the book I seriously believed that something happened when the author was writing it. I still have not continued the series because of this horrible ending. I remember venting to my parents about how awful it was, and it still makes me frustrated.
Molly Ireland, Outreach & Editorial
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
I was in a bit of a phase when I read this book, so I was really excited to tuck into yet another thriller novel. In the end, part of my disappointment was potentially due to over-exposure to similar works in the genre. I was underwhelmed and disappointed with this read because I predicted the big-reveal-major-plot-twist that came towards the end of the book. This kind of ruined the whole suspenseful atmosphere of things. I still think it was very well-written but it just kind of missed the mark for me. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it at a different time.
M.A. Kole, Editorial
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
Listen, the ending was quite the twist and I enjoyed the book just fine, but I couldn’t stand the cop… I’m sorry. Better yet, I couldn’t stand a second, stereotypically hot love interest showing up halfway through the book and being immediately smitten with the supposedly “average” female lead. I can only handle one stereotypically hot love interest at a time and my money was already on the bartender.
Gabriela Collazo, Editorial
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
So, I’m currently still reading this one, but it’s not really engaging me. The start was incredible. I enjoyed the mysterious merchant and her Djinn, but after the opening, the rest of the story dulled. I’m a little over 100 pages in, and I’m still waiting for the story to spark something in me. Right now, nothing really makes sense. The writing is not as fun and intriguing as I’d hoped. There’s a lack of whimsy that caught me right away in the first chapter, and I’m still waiting for the action to kick in. I’m going to try and finish it, but honestly, I’m quite bored.
Quiarah B/Vphan, Editorial
Looking for Alaska by John Green
I read this book at some point during my senior year of high school after hopping on the John Green bandwagon. Next to Paper Towns, I think this book was beyond overhyped and did not feel as strong as others did for nearly any of the main characters.
I do think the start and pacing of the story ultimately killed off my interest. I’m never one to give up on a book, but it felt like the pages dragged until the middle of the plot where things get complicated between Alaska and Miles. Finally, the story started to get to the point where most of my friends and classmates were talking about the morally gray areas of the plotline. Even then I still did not see why the book was such a piece for conversation. After I finished it, nothing about it sat or stayed with me like other emotional or investing reads. I just decided maybe the book wasn’t for me or it was just the hype of the author that affected my experience.
Kelly Severson, Video/Graphics
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover had been everywhere for months by the time I decided to pick up one of her books. I knew she was a romance author, which wasn’t my biggest genre, but I figured all the hype had to come from somewhere, right? Verity stuck out to me because it was about a writer, and a writer MC is always a bonus for me. That, and it was a thriller/mystery. I thought the plot was intriguing but found the execution to be lacking. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters, and the twist, when it came, didn’t impact me like it was supposed to. Overall, it was fine, but I won’t be picking up any more of Colleen’s books.
Abby Caswell, Editorial
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
I wanted to love this book. I wanted to love this book so badly. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and it drew my eye immediately in the bookstore. I’d heard such good things about it, too, and the plot really interested me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t even able to finish it. I found the book somewhat confusing, and overall I was just disappointed in the plot. I might try to read it again in the future, but for now, it lives on my shelf, dusty and DNFd.
Amelia Wood, Editorial
ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas
After hearing so much hype about this series, I expected to fall in love with the characters and to read a really enriching story worthy of a TV adaptation. Sadly, this was not the case, and it left me wondering why in the world it was getting an adaptation. I couldn’t get over how toxic it was and what a negative outlook on romance it displayed. The story also wasn’t there either. I felt it was stale and lacked depth, especially for how long the books were. I DNF’d the second book and refused to read any more of the series.
Blaise Senkel, Editorial and Social
A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan
Okay, so I really wanted to like this book. The premise was so compelling to me (the author was a student at the school Tom Holland visited during his prep work for Spider-Man: Homecoming), and I’m always eager to read a story about and by people of color. But I was severely disappointed by the execution. I felt bad because my friend had bought the book for me. We were both interested in the premise, so I pushed myself to finish the book at the very least. As someone who does have immigrant parents and understands the complexities that come with that sort of relationship, I would have liked to see a more nuanced depiction from the author on this topic. It felt like there was no growth from the main character towards this relationship even as the book progressed, which really put me off.
Kari Lien, Outreach
It’s painful when books we want to read and love ultimately don’t do it for us. While we didn’t necessarily hate a lot of these, we probably won’t be picking them up again. Instead, we’ll be looking for the next best read that actually lives up to the hype.
Want to read more of the Bookstr team venting about books in a hilarious fit? Check out this article!
Then, head on to Bookshop.org for fantasy recs that might pique your interest!
