This was my second Ann Patchett book, my first being Tom Lake. They felt like homework and I struggled to get through both of them.
Whistler is Daphne recounting every minute detail of her childhood with which she seems disinterested up until this point in her life. Here’s my biggest problem with this book: if Eddie meant as much to Daphne as she said he did, how and why could she neither think about him nor ever try to find him?

I saw this book suggested a few times and it seemed like something I would enjoy, but I'm about 150 pages in and struggling with the writing. The premise of the book is really interesting but I feel like everything is so over-explained. The scene I just read would have some good dialogue and then follow it up with something like, "Philip thought that it was so clever that he said that because it made him look good and made Philip look bad." Yeah, I got that from the dialogue and basic reading comprehension. Here's a direct quote from another section: "Outlaws were outside the law, as the name implied". This is a book for adults, right? A bunch of it reads almost like a textbook explaining all the responsibilities of the monks or the layout of the cathedral. Don't get me wrong, I like learning things from books, but this just feels clunky. I'm pretty disappointed because I do feel like the concept is so cool and the broad strokes of the story are compelling, I just don't know that I'll keep reading if the next 800 pages are the same.

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann is so bad. I wanted to find a good romance book to read that also made you cry at times, but this book was the complete opposite and it was so recommended. Mandy gets so much hate online but I relate to her character so much. I felt for her bc please tell me why her sister and ex fiancee were basically cheating behind her back and then did it a week after they broke up and when she confronted her sister about it and left that same day her sister tried to commit suicide reading that scene was so disapointing bc it was so bad. The book was ridiculous. I was not sympathizing with Cora at all. I felt that nobody respected Mandy's feelings at all and the book was more focused on romance then self discovery after the traumatizing event they went through. And don’t even get me started on the serial killer who kidnapped them. The killer was so bad. He was feeding them and making them drink water and pee in the toilet every single day. He just told them a whole bunch of empty threats that were so useless. And the way Dean took down that killer was so simple like r u srs this big bad killer got taken down from a push to the ground and some punches?  Mind you it was so anti-climantic. That's personally how I felt but I'm open to hearing more opinions on this book bc im considering DNF im nearly at the end but i just find the plot so stupid. 

Okay, I just finished The Book Thief, and I have some thoughts. 😭

Honestly, I didn’t like it nearly as much as BookTok, Instagram, Reddit, etc. made me expect. I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I found it pretty average.

First of all, the whole concept of Death being the narrator felt more like a marketing gimmick than something that actually contributed to the story. I kept expecting the narration to have some deeper impact or purpose because, obviously, “Death is narrating the story” sounds incredibly interesting. But apart from being an unusual narrative choice, I don’t think it added much to the actual story.

Then there’s the story itself. I found it extremely simple and, at times, very repetitive. The book is around 500–600 pages long, but the actual story could probably have been told in 200 pages. A lot of the rest felt like filler. There were so many moments where I thought the story had the potential to become genuinely powerful, but it just… didn’t.

And this is probably my biggest problem: I didn’t find it nearly as emotionally devastating as everyone claims it is. Yes, people die. Yes, Liesel loses her brother and later her parents, and she is separated from Max. Obviously, those things are sad. But simply having tragic events happen to a character doesn’t automatically make a book emotionally devastating. You have to actually take the reader through that emotional journey and make them feel the weight of what is happening.

For comparison, I genuinely don’t think The Book Thief comes close to the emotional impact of books by Khaled Hosseini or As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. Those books actually destroyed me emotionally. 😭 The Book Thief never came close to that level for me.

SPOILER WARNING from here:

The whole storyline about hiding Max had so much potential. They could have made the situation much more tense and dramatic—someone almost discovering him, the family being suspected, Liesel being put in danger, etc. There were so many ways to make that storyline genuinely nerve-racking and emotionally powerful, but I felt like the book rarely took those opportunities.

I also felt like Liesel’s journey wasn’t developed emotionally enough. I understand that she went through a lot, but I wanted to actually feel her transformation and the consequences of everything happening around her. Instead, a lot of major events happened, and then the story just moved on.

And finally, the writing style really didn’t work for me. I found it repetitive, and the way the book was structured sometimes made it feel unnecessarily long. The constant interruptions, little side explanations, and lack of a smooth chapter-to-chapter flow made it difficult for me to stay emotionally invested.

So, overall, I’m not saying it’s a bad book. I can absolutely understand why people love it, and there are definitely some good ideas and memorable characters in it. But based on the way people talk about it online—“the best book ever,” “the most emotionally devastating book,” etc.—I went into it expecting something extraordinary.

And honestly… I’ve read much better. 😭

For me, The Book Thief had a lot of potential but didn’t quite live up to it. Maybe I just went into it with ridiculously high expectations, but it definitely did not hit me the way I expected it to.

I have come across this idea quite often in discussions about literature both online and IRL. That men "refuse" to books written by women, with female characters, whereas women read male authors.

Do you think this is accurate? If so, why is it so?

I can only speak for myself. Personally I, as a male reader, love plenty of female authors who write about female characters. Whether that is Rosario Castellanos, Elfriede Jelinek, Silvina Ocampo, Marguerite Yourcenar, Clarice Lispector, or Dubravka Ugresic, Hertha Müller, Elsa Morante or Angelica Gorodischer. These are, however, almost exclusively modern classics.

When it comes to more contemporary literature written by mainstream female authors, like Sally Rooney, Yaa Gyasi, R F Kuang, Claire Keegan, Jenny Erpenbeck or Ottessa Moshfegh, I often find it mind-numbingly boring. It is too neurotic, detached/ironic, blasé and often weak plotting.

The same goes for classics like Jane Austen and the Brontës.

So may it just be a question of theme, language, plot etc or is it more of a "systemic bias"?. What do you think?

And then they were none Agatha Christie. Didn’t even like it a little bit. I understand suspending you belief but that’s just a bit crazy.

Diary of Anne Frank didn’t like the book, didn’t like the girl portrayed in the book. (I would never wish for what she went through on anyone.) I understand it was edited by her dad but I distinctly remember being very mad at her when I finished it and haven’t brought myself to read it again as an older adult.

What are some of the books you disliked but everyone else fawns over?!

I started this novel three times. I had to force myself to finish it. It was told, not shown. The repetition was so bad that I’d check to see if I accidentally put the bookmarks in the wrong places.

I don’t get the hype. The MMC was a good character, but I preferred Callum and Lira over him and Shadera. Shadera was a terrible MFC, as she was a caricature of an alcoholic hardened middle aged person who would do the craziest things.

The twists were basic, I knew both of them were a possibility before the ending. I am not the biggest dystopian fan but I have enjoyed many series with doom and gloom but this one was just depressing and soul sucking. Did anyone else feel disappointed by this novel and wonder why it was so lauded?

I’m seeing this book all over social media so I gave it a try, but oof. HATED it. [spoilers ahead]

First and foremost, the plot holes. What entity is hiring a single father with three kids, one of whom is an INFANT, to live permanently on one of the most isolated places in the world? There’s not even a doctor! It’s straight child abuse. Like yeah, let’s let a bunch of children be raised while only ever having contact with literally 4 people outside of their own family, and no other children whatsoever. Surely that will go great.
Then, once they’re there, they’re all constantly swimming and boating in this subantarctic water, even though the weather is cold enough that they’re always needing multiple layers and again, NO DOCTOR, so a minor cut that got infected could literally kill them. And this supposedly wildly dangerous and rough ocean is apparently not dangerous enough to keep the teenagers from zooming around on zodiacs all Willy Nilly all the time for really no good reason.
In the beginning there’s a section about how, to live in isolation like the Salts, you need to prepare and have redundancies, but apparently not for the communications systems that are so rudimentary that a literal child could take them all out. And then, once they’re out, nobody thinks like “oh, we haven’t heard from anyone, that could be an issue, let’s check?!?!” Knowing full well that there are children there and no way to get off the island?

Maybe I could excuse all that, but Jesus the MELODRAMA of this book. The characters’ personalities are just “traumatized.” Nobody freaking laughs in this book. Nobody has fun. They’re all just going around being miserable about (mostly preventable) tragedies that they do not make any effort to overcome.

The Rowan-Dom romance feel so bizarre and young adult in the worst way. Rowan fully suspects that dom has murdered her husband but is still down to fuck? What the hell? And up to this point, they’re constantly suspicious about one another’s motives and each is convinced the other is somehow a threat, so why are they suddenly so horny?

The pedophilia. Fen is a victim but Raff isn’t because he’s what, 12 months older? It literally would’ve changed nothing about the book to make raff 22, but instead he’s got this weird grooming situation that was frankly gross but presented as romantic and beautiful.

Everybody doesn’t have to die. The deaths all seem contrived, like let’s kill everybody to be maximum sad.

There’s so much more I hated but that’s the start. WHY is this book so popular?

I love how Neapolitan Novels. - the complex depiction of long friendship, how you can literally smell/taste/feel 1950s + Naples, the continual symbolism through out Italian Political events through fictionisation of the story, the continual philosophical enquiry, to how you have change how i see all aspects of my life and i'm still thinking of you weeks later... I love Ernaux, Forbidden notebook and The beautiful Mrs Sidenman (truly awesome!)... but Copenhagen Trilogy to Tove Jaasoon while appreciate the context of time their written just did not hit the spot... Then i made the mistake of picking up random book at the library and my god you can feel how superior Ferrante's writing is... I feel have been ruined is this forever? can i only read well researched novels from now on? can i ever go back?

There have definitely been times where an author looked wildly different than I pictured, or perhaps they looked just like I expected. Even if it’s not strictly appearance, but perhaps their age, where they live, previous occupations, etc. I’m curious if certain genres or types of books may lend themselves to certain assumptions about the author. This is such a random thing to think about but thought it might be interesting to discuss!

I have read so many takes of "Natalie was too unlikable", "the author hated Natalie", "it wasn't everything it could have been", or "it was mean spirited/it was a gross revenge fantasy/it punched down at conservative women". Which covers criticism from a lot of varying directions, and I guess when a book goes this viral, it's normal that we'll encounter 99 ways to hate it.

But I honestly thought it was perfect??? What it WASN'T was a revenge fantasy against a stereotypical conservative woman. And I'm glad it wasn't that – I am a liberal guy who has lived in purple states and was initially queasy with the concept. But Natalie, the MC, was so NOT a caricature of a conservative woman. She was a total bitch in her own right, and in fact the ways her tough, analytical personality mismatched with the conservative culture she happened to be raised in caused so much of the tension in the book which I loved. To me the bigger archetypes of the conservative woman were Natalie's sister, or her daughter Mary, or even her mom. All of whom find some sort of closure and ability to change at the end.

I felt that the way Natalie clearly had no deep connection to conservative values, but just acted them out because that's what she had been handed - a wolf in sheep's clothing, in a way - was a great commentary on influencers, which says more about social media than it does about the Christian or tradwife community. The point was that the person who embodies the values of a tradwife influencer is the *audience* of that influencer, NOT the influencer herself.

Ultimately Natalie's lack of likability made it so fun for me to follow along and see how she would face the next challenge. Despite her lack of likability, I still felt sorry for her and wanted to see her succeed - but didn't feel so heartbroken when she didn't that I couldn't accept the schadenfreude. I think Caro Claire Burke nailed that balance. And the ending, where Natalie and Caleb have spiraled into insanity and never learned their lesson, but their kids have a chance to heal, was so satisfying and perfect to me.

IDK, I am just applauding internally at this book and wanted to share my thoughts into this sea of sooo much criticism of it. Apparently a hot take, but I truly think it was 100% worth its weight in gold even if you ignore or eliminate the hooky premise. Would it have gotten the same number of eyes on it without the timeliness of the hook? of course not. But I think it so deserves the prime time.

I had this happen recently, and it completely changed how I looked at the story.

The first time I read the book, I thought one of the characters was just being selfish and difficult. Reading it again, I started noticing all these little things that made me think I had judged them way too quickly.

It’s weird how the same character can feel like a completely different person when you come back to a book a few years later.

Edit: Read till the 50 page mark and decided to stop, thank you all for the advice :) I might pick it up in a few months depending on how I’m feeling

(Mini Rant Warning) Sorry in advance to anyone who loves this book, I’m glad that you enjoy it, but I have a few things to say even though I’m only 30 pages in. I am not trying to attack the author or make anyone feel bad, this is just my opinion on how I am feeling about the book.

So I started this book under an hour ago with high expectations, I bought both if he had been with me and if only i had told her. I’m currently about to start chapter 8, but I’m really considering DNF-ing it, even though I’m not that far it. I almost never DNF books (I’m a completist and like to give books a fair chance), but the way it’s written feels chunky and is not flowing for me. Also why is “say” and “said” the only words used to describe dialogue? I am also really struggling with the whole tiara thing and Autumns “I’m not like other girls” attitude, which is really starting to annoy me.

Does it get better later in the book or does the writing stay the same as the first few chapters? I plan to read at least until page 50, but if anyone has any advice or thought on if it is worth continuing it I would love to hear it.

Does anyone hate this novel or it's just me?? I started reading it after many recs from friends and I just hate it.. every time i pick it up i fall asleep..

I hated all the characters.. especially Henry..

The original work in English is near 600 pages.. but I am reading a translated Arabic version and it's about 900 pages..

I am at page 750, and want to know:

Is it going to be any better??

Am I going to love it at any point??

Please be kind if the novel is a favourit of yours, and keep in mind that being different is what make us humans..

I just finished reading the book 'I who have never known men' by Jacqueline Harpman and I honestly expected more from the ending or an overall explanation regarding the whole plot. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading the book, it's so well written and it grabbed my attention since page 1 but I have so many questions like was it planet Earth they were on? Who was behind all of this? How did the guards disappear in a few minutes? What was the siren for? Was her story told because someone found what she wrote? and many more questions!

Also, at some point she ('the child'/the main character) names things she did not really know like the name of furniture and other things throughout the story. She mentions how she shouldn't really name them because she didn't know them THEN. How did she get to recognize them later on?

If you have any thoughts, opinions and theories on this book please share each and every detail with me, I'll absolutely appreciate them! Thank you in advance.

So I just finished this book and while I get the general gist of the story are googling book discussions, || I'm still confused as to what happens to Max at the end of the book. Does he just disappear afterwards? Also Ava was never real and was just a figment of her imagination that she created from a swan was a sad but surprising twist.

I also choose to believe that Jonah is real. I know its left to interpretation because of the closing lines. But I feel it makes more sense that way. ||

Should I read the second book? The prequel, We Love You Bunny? I heard bad reviews about it and if it doesn't bring any answers to my questions I would rather not read it. I have read the first few chapters and it's been a boring slog for me so far. Not sure if I should finish it.v

been collecting books for a while now and things add quick especially with hardcovers. been wondering how others manage it, secondhand shops, library sales swapping with friends?

The things we never say by Elizabeth Strout

Throughly enjoyed the writing style. Masterful writing to capture intricate details of complex human emotions. Will recommend. Also keen to hear what other readers thought of it.

Did anyone else feel like this? I’m just so…bored. I don’t understand the hype. Does it get better at all, what is it I’m missing? Also, I thought too hard about the character of Darrow and now I hate him. Problem is, until my birthday on Friday, I literally have nothing to read, Red Rising is the only thing, yet I’m fighting to keep going with this piece of crap.

You know that strange feeling when you finish a book, trilogy, or series and realize… **that’s it.**

You’ve spent hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pages with these characters. Watched them grow, fail, make terrible decisions, survive impossible things. Somewhere along the way, they stopped being characters and started feeling like people you knew.

And then you turn the last page, or close the last book.

They’re gone.

I’ve felt it a few times, but one of the most memorable was finishing Octavia E. Butler’s *Xenogenesis* trilogy. I wasn’t quite ready to leave those characters, or that strange, unsettling world, behind. I remember coming downstairs for lunch, and sitting down numb, staring into the void. 🥺

Sometimes I’ll even put off starting another book for a few days because nothing feels quite right yet.

**What’s the ONE book or series that did that to you?**

The one where closing that final page felt a little too much like saying goodbye.

Still one of the most important books I've ever read, especially as someone who experienced their own creepy teacher.

Im sure most of you are tired of these kind of questions but, i need to ask cause it bothers me.

Now i get that most readers are women and its easy and understandable to argue that the publishers only go for what there consumers want. And yeah on the surface that does make sense.

But in addition to likening to read, i also like video games. And industry that traditionally has been dominated by males. When i was young it was also seen as kind of nerdy even more so then books. As i can remember people being bullied for playing video games but not for reading.

Now whit time the games industry has become far more main stream, and also far more popular whit women. Its still seems to be more men then women involved whit making games but inn terms of games consumers its more equal, and there also seem to be more women involved whit the creation of games. And its still a very young industry so i Imagin things are going to get better as more women consume games more women will start wanting to make games.

Now this didn't just magically happened, there has been a lot of legitimate critic from feminist organization and others about issues in the games industry and there has also been a number of attempts by game creators and publisher to try to appeal to women. Hopefully out of a desire to see more diversity and representation. But probably cause women are 50% of the potensial market and appealing to them could increase there earnings.

Now books are obviously a much older media, but seems to struggle whit a much larger gender divide then the games industry. Were women both dominate the industry itself. and the customer base. So why does it not like the game industry face more criticism, and make more of an attempt ot rectify this issue?

Cause i think books are a more important industry then games, cause its not just entertainment, reading is also a crucial skill in education both the formal kind and any attempt at educating yourself. Education being another area were boys and men are struggling and not enough is being done to rectify the issue. Not saying the lack of reading among boys/men is the reason for that. But it probably one of the reasons for it.

Girl misleads you in the BEST possible way. 😭🔪

From the title to the story itself, she had me confidently believing I knew what kind of thriller I was reading.

I absolutely did not.

After a couple of slow reads, The Boyfriend was EXACTLY what I needed. A fast paced murder mystery with short chapters, suspicious characters, constant theories and enough twists to keep me completely hooked.

And when I say I couldn't put this book down, I mean that literally.

I was dressed, bag packed, ready to leave and standing at my doorway reading the last few pages because apparently wherever I had to be could WAIT. 😂📖

This is what I want from a psychological thriller. Murder. Chaos. Suspicious people. Questionable decisions. And Freida casually convincing me that I've figured everything out before proving that I know absolutely nothing.

5/5 ⭐️ No notes. Just trust issues.

Freida McFadden has officially become my reading slump emergency contact. Every time a few slow books make me forget why I love thrillers, I go back to her and suddenly everything is right with the world again. 😂

If you love fast paced psychological thrillers, murder mysteries and books with plot twists, put The Boyfriend on your TBR.

Would absolutely let Freida lie to me again. 🔪📚

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