Friday 28 October 2011

Top 5: Books I Feel I Should Read

Some books are so hyped-up, even if I have zero interest in the plot, I feel like I should give them a go to see what everyone else is on about. This sometimes works in my favour and the book lives up to the hype (as in the cases of Anna and The French Kiss, If I Stay and The Hunger Games), while other times I still don't get the fuss (like with City of Bones, The Secret History and The Da Vinci Code). Here are five books that are currently on my TBR list purely because of the hype...



The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. I feel like everyone in the world has read this book except for me. Even my fiance, who isn't a big reader, has read this series. It's currently sitting on my bookshelf, demanding I read it before seeing the movie. I haven't picked it up yet because, well, it's so massive, and I've also heard it's hard to get into at first. I worry that I'll be too impatient to persist - though if my fiance, owner of the shortest attention span in the house, can do it, surely I can. I'll get there... eventually.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. OK, so this one isn't on my list just because of the hype. It's also on there because Perkins' first book, Anna and the French Kiss, was one of my favourite reads of the year (if not ever). So I have extremely high hopes of Lola. There's been a helluva lot of hype around it, but from what I hear, it lives up to it.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. This is another book sitting on my shelf because my fiance has read it and I'm avoiding it because of its size. Once again, if he, as someone who reads about four books a year, can get through it (and even enjoy it), then I feel like I should be able to. I just need to work up the courage/strength to pick up the brick.

Fallen by Lauren Kate. As I've mentioned before, from the small amount of experience I've had with them, I'm not a fan of angel books. But so many people seem to love this one I feel like I should give it a try. I've even got the whole series on my shelf, so there's no reason for me not to read it. Except that I'm not convinced I'll like it.

One Day by David Nicholls. I had three people in the space of one week tell me I MUST read this. So I ordered it, planning to read it before I watched the movie. Then a friend invited me to a preview screening of the flick at the last minute, and I didn't get a chance to read it first. And the movie depressed the hell out of me. Now I'm too scared to pick up the book. I still feel like I should. I will. One day (badum tish).

Do you buy into hype? What books have you read (or want to read) because of the hype?

19 comments:

  1. I haven't read the Stieg Larsson either! But I don't plan to - I don't think it's my kind of read.
    But I totally want to read One Day!

    http://chimneysandmagic.blogspot.com

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  2. The Girl Who Played with Fire is so far my favorite in the series, although I haven't read The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest yet. Also, I believe I understand the hype with Lola and The Boy next Door, Makes me want to read the book right NOW! And I actually just saw Fallen on BN's Bargain Books, but I passed it by...

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  3. I struggled getting through Stieg Larsson's books. I don't know if it's because they've been translated, but I just couldn't get into them. I gave a sigh of relief when I'd finished!

    I actually bought One Day very recently. Just like you, I want to read it... but then again, I don't!

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  4. I read Fallen because of all of the hype about it and I was not impressed. It was just an ok read for me, not great.

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  5. I haven't read The Girl Who Playing With Fire for the exact same reasons. I'm just not sure how much I'd like it.

    And I felt that way about Lola. Honestly I thought that Lola didn't seem like the type of heroine I'd like and I was really meh about it, mostly because I was worried. It ended up being fabulous and if I have to admit it, I almost liked it a little more than Anna!

    I read The Pillars of the Earth a long time ago. I can't really even tell you what it was about though without looking it up. So I guess it wasn't that good?...

    I love angel books, but Fallen definitely wasn't my favourite. I probably wouldn't recommend it. I gave it kind of a nicer better review than I should have - I think I was high or something at the time. IDK what I was thinking when I was reviewing it...

    This is a cool post! I didn't pick up Divergent for a really long time because of the hype. I finally did and didn't regret it one bit. But I picked up Nightshade because of hype and didn't care much for it. It left me wondering, "wait do people really like this?? what's wrong with me??" ;) I guess it can go either way! I get more worried to pick something up if it's a second or third in a series though, because I'm always afraid to be disappointed or I'm afraid for it to get close to the end or end.


    Liza @ Book Crook Liza

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  6. I haven't read the Stieg Larsson books either, and I have no intention of reading them. :)

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  7. I'm totally not a fan of Angel books, I haven't read one that I've really liked, and most of the time, they really disappoint me, same with Mermaid tails...er...tales. LOL

    Usually, overhype makes me lose interest, which is why I haven't read Anna, Lola, Divergent, or any others on your list aside from Fallen. One Day depressed the heck out of me too so I have no interest in reading it, especially after hearing Dexter is even a bigger asshat in the book.

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  8. One Day depressed the HELL out of me when I read it. But I'd say give it a try because my feelings about it are mixed, haha.

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  9. Yes, I do unfortunately. In fact, Pillars of the Earth is on my TBR list for that very reason too.

    I liked your little joke with One Day, it made me smile.

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  10. I love Pillars of the Earth...but then again I majored in history so Historical fiction always entertains me. I actually read World Without End first. I'm reading Pillars of the Earth slowly cause it's so thick and I want to stretch out my enjoyment. I seemed to tear through World Without End and I was sad when I finished it.

    I didn't really like Fallen...it was too much like the cliched love triangle/supernatural beings thing that started with Twilight....in face Luce was a lot like Bella so I guess it just wasn't my thing...but I've heard the next two books were better...so I'll read those and see.

    I have read the Girl Who Played With Fire yet and I have no idea why I haven't given it a try...*shrugs*

    I'm hesitant about Lola and the Boy Next Door cause I know there will be a lot of romantic scenes and I'm just not a big romance in fiction person. But maybe I'll give it a shot.

    I have never heard of One Day but I'm gonna be sure to look it up cause you mentioned it.

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  11. The Girl Who Played With Fire and Lola are both awesome! I also have Fallen on my shelf (and have done for ages) and I haven't bothered to pick it up either. Reviews I've seen are pretty mixed and I think I just prefer to look at the pretty, pretty covers.

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  12. @A - I'm not convinced it's my thing ever, but it seems to be everyone else's, haha.

    @KThomas - Interesting! I've heard from others that the latter books are better. I really should just read them and see for myself.

    @Hanna - See, I worry that that's exactly what it will be like for me. Hmmm.

    @Anne - Yeah, I have a feeling I won't be impressed either. Haven't been with any angel books so far!

    @Liza - Ah yes, I totally want to read Divergent because of the hype too! I didn't list it because I don't actually own it yet. But I will! ;-)

    @Small - Fair enough! They definitely don't sound like they're for everyone.

    @Missie - I haven't read any mermaid books yet, but I'm curious. I love The Little Mermaid movie - does that count? hehe. But you really MUST read Anna. Seriously, it's worth the hype ;-)

    @Alexa - Oh dear. That's exactly why I haven't picked it up yet. The worst part is I really don't get the point of that plot twist - in the movie, it felt like a cheap trick that was there purely for shock value.

    @Jenny - Glad I'm not the only one! If you get to Pillars, let me know what you think!

    @Minda - I majored in History too :) So perhaps I will enjoy it. Yes Fallen does seem VERY similar to Twilight, which I enjoyed, but am not keen to see repeated. Especially if the heroine is like Bella, ugh.

    @1girl2manybooks - Glad to know you enjoyed The Girl Who Played With Fire! I'll definitely have to pick it up soon. I'm just waiting for Lola to arrive in the mail, as soon as it does consider it read :D

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  13. Lola and the Boy Next Door is amazing! Just like Anna and the French Kiss!

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  14. I tend to avoid hyped-up books until after the hype has subsided. I'm not one to follow the hype anyway.

    Oh, blergh. Fallen. It was one of the first few books I reviewed so I think I gave it a nicer review than it deserved. In actuality, the book was terrible (which I hate to say about anyone's work). The only thing I liked in it was Cam. Oh, Cam! I want to marry that boy.

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  15. Totally agree with The Secret History. I did not get the hype. They were a bunch of narcissistic arsehats!

    Don't think I will ever read the Stieg Larsson books. Every man and his dog has read them but they just don't interest me.

    Lola and the Boy Next Door is worth the read. Cricket is such a great beta hero. <3

    Fallen was okay. Not great. I haven't read the others in the series so not sure if they get better.

    One Day is one of those books that you simultaneously cannot look away from while throwing it against a wall. The two protagonists are not nice. The ending is morbid. I didn't really LIKE this book but I couldn't stop reading it. Confusing, I know. It definitely made me feel some very strong emotions. That said there were some very touching scenes in it.

    What's the movie like? I'm not sure I could watch Hathaway do another English accent. ;)

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  16. I loved the Stieg Larsson trilogy, and it's so not my usual type of book. Gripping, and each one only gets better (in my opinion, that is).

    Pillars of the Earth is great if you love historical fiction (which I do!), and again, I thought the sequel (World Without End) was even better.

    I was really excited to read One Day (so many great reviews!), but ended up totally hating it. The main characters had absolutely no redeeming features, so I wasn't invested in their attempts to find happiness at all. Left me with a total 'who cares?' attitude towards them both, and the sad aspect of the storyline made me just feel like the whole thing was an exercise in uselessness. I don't often get rid of books I've bought, but this one went straight to the local charity shop.

    As for the others, I haven't read them. Like many others here, I can get scared off by the hype a little! Especially when you do read them and they don't live up to your expectations at all... Look forward to reading your reviews when you do get around to them!

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  17. @Roxy - So I've heard, can't wait to read it! :)

    @Mia - Haha oh dear, the more I hear of it, the less I'm inclined to read it.

    @Mo - Arsehats is the perfect term for The Secret History characters! Man I hated that book. I know what you mean about a book that you hate but can't book down. Hmmm... The movie was great, until that plot twist that made me so ANGRY. Anne Hathaway's accent is pretty terrible, worse than its ever been before. But Jim Sturgess is dreamy, even as a bit of a douche.

    @Anon - I do enjoy historical fiction, so I'll have to get to Pillars of the Earth sooner rather than later. I'm not sure I'll like One Day after all! I don't know if I can bear horrible characters, and that ending... Ugh!

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  18. Cool list!

    I think most of my list would consist on some classics like:
    Atlas Shrugged
    Enders Game
    Brave New World

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  19. The Book Thief was one of those books that I was getting a lot of hype in regards to. Luckily for me though it turned out to be deserved.

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