DISAPPOINTING BOOKS OF 2017

Unfortunately not every book you read will be one you enjoy and a lot of the time this isn't because they're bad, it's just they've been so hyped up that you feel somewhat let down. I know for a fact there are books on this list that people will not be happy with me for saying I didn't love it but that's just how it goes.

I want to express that I am not bashing these books or the work the authors have put in to them. Reading is subjective and one book that is a lifesaver to one person and they would go to the ends of the earth to protect is mediocre to another. Reading is subjective and we can't get upset because someone we don't know hates our favourite book - that's the beauty of reading. We all take something different from the story and that's what makes book blogging so much fun as it provides and insight into how one particular person took a book!

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Okay... I'm going to start with the one I've been most nervous about discussing which also happens to be my most disappointing read of 2017. It also happens to be the YA community's favourite 2017 release. 

THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas
I know.. I know.. 
Look, I love love love that books now are so inclusive and absolutely anyone can walk into a bookstore and find a book that represents them. I also love reading other perspectives and I did appreciate seeing what life was like for Starr in her community - especially as Scotland is a country with only a 2% non-white population so it is a very uncommon situation for me to experience. 
I've written a paragraph about the racism... situation... in this book but honestly I'm not sure I want to share it. There's parts of this book I don't agree with - mostly the way Starr looks for racism (see the scene where she had fried chicken for lunch and talks about the fact she was making jokes with her friends about being black and liking fried chicken but god forbid five minutes later her white friend brings it up and ooooh nooooo she's racist!! she's just stereotpyed me!!)
Overall, the book was OK. It was massively let down by the hoardes of sponsosored reviews that claimed it was some mindblowing, eyeopening novel when it wasn't, it's just a good story from a black girl's POV.

A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness
Ooooffftt. Another low blow. I don't know what I expected of this book but I was just downright bored and haven't a clue how they made this into a feature-length film. Seriously.  I think the idea is lovely and I appreciate the sentiment behind it being written (completed, I guess) but I just didn't care for it. I can't even remeber what exactly happens so that tells you how memorable it was for me... I think I went into this believing it to be a YA horror when in fact Patrick Ness himself says it's a middle grade - and it's defnitely not horror.

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY TRILOGY by Jenny Han
Oh dear lord. I have the Target bind up of all three books and I was so excited to read them but bloody hell was this a mess.
For a start, the main character (nicknamed "Belly" which is quite honestly my least favourite word) is only about 14? I think. And god is she such a child. I loved the idea of this - of spending summer at a house by the beach with another family you're close with but the way the MC (I can't stand to say her name!!) jumps between loving one brother then the other but no I want this one!! Ughhhh. Book one was actually OK. I could forgive her since she was so young and immature. Book two was meh... I mean someone goes AWOL and it takes them the whole bloody book to realise where they are as if it wasn't OBVIOUS from the start. I mean come on - I knew having only spent one summer with you before. You guys have spent your whole lives with each other. Figure it out. I didn't completley hate the second books so I started book three.. I shouldn't have. I gave up almost immediately becaue that book was a H O T M E S S. No, really. Spoilers: ​she decides she's going to get married. I can't remeber to which brother but ummm???? You're like 10 shut up. 

ALEX AND ELIZA by Melissa de la Cruz
Yeah, I know the sequel is on my most anticipated releases of 2018 but it's Hamiton so duh. Ughh this book. I wanted to love it. To adore it... but god I was bored. I'm not sure what it was. I don't think I like the portrayal of the characters or something but yah. I wasn't impressed. Still - it looks pretty soooo...

THE LUXE by Anna Godbersen
So I talk about my love of Victorian era London. It does not extend to New York. Clearly I just do not like Historical American Romance. Ugh this book was a b o r e. I loved the first page or two - it seemed like a good gothic mystery was upon me but in the end I forced my way through this. For a start, there were way too many characters. I actually stopped at one point to write down who like who and who liked that person who was going to marry that one but like this one and was related to that one and AHHH. do you get my drift? I thought I'd love this series - I have the other 3 books. I told myself I'd at least try to read the second book just in case it's better but I get exhausted just thinking about it so I have a feeling I'll be unhauling them soon!

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES/ACOMAF by Sarah J Maas
I wanted to love this, I really did. But nope. I do think part of my struggle with these two books was that I began reading the first one the day before my gran ended up in hospital and in intensive care so I wasn't in a good frame of mind. I pushed through and was keen to start ACOMAF since most people say it's the best book... It was worse. Oh my lord, I can't bare Maas' writing and I've decided to avoid her books forever now. I'm not sure what it is but I just can't click with her. I don't like her. She's probably a lovely lovely person but she's forever tainted by memories of sitting in the relatives room with other families going through the worst time...

THE GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee
So I actually somewhat enjoyed this book but I distinctly recall not finding it as fun and humerous as many mentioned and I just found the characters unbelievable. The way Monty, a white person of high society and privilege, was so open about his love for Percy (who I believe is black) just... no. I just couldn't believe he was that nonchalant about being found out. It's one thing to be reckless and not care about inheritance etc but it's another to be openly gay in that era. I'm sure many would find this a really fun read but it was just too hyped up and let me down a little.

WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon
This was a fun book, and I adore Rishi, but god Dimple is nasty. She's mad at her parents for the arranged marriage - fair enough. But she threw iced coffee over Rishi because he showed up and thought she was accepting of the arrangement. She was the least understanding person and she also hit Rishi on a few occasions. I just... ughhh. This wasn't a case of unlikable character you love to hate, this was a 'girl sit the fuck down and treat this boy nicely for goodness sake.' We also didn't get to see a lot of the coding competition which I think would have been nice!
I did, however, adore the representation of a modern Indian-American teenager and loved that although she challenged a lot of the traditions and parent's wishes she was willing to compromise with some things. I look forward to more from this author as it was definitely a fun read, I just couldn't stand the MC and that is mostly what let me down.

And that's that! Overall, only 7 out of over 70 books isn't that bad at all and even then a few weren't bad reads! Here's hoping my 2018 reads are just as sucessful!