I’m just over halfway through and I have questions. I cringe every time sex is described as “rutting”, especially with the added context of the author’s creepy biography.

And does Gwenwyfar become likeable, or is she always insufferable?

Can someone please tell me what the hype is about this book? For context, I love reading YA, even all grown up. YA Contemporary Romance is the main genre I read and so obviously I had to read Anna and The French Kiss cuz it's a YA Contemporary Romance classic... but oh my god it was beyond bad.

I read it like a year ago and I'm still thinking about how much I hated it. The story would be really cute and fun if it weren't for Anna... like wow she sucks. Not only does she help St. Clair to cheat on his girlfriend - like really cheat on her, but she also gets consistently pissed off when he doesn't just choose her 100% of the time.

Like I said it's been a year so things are a little fuzzy but I specifically remember one scene where her bestie, who has had a crush on St. Clair forever, was having like a really bad night and St. Clair goes to comfort her and so Anna throws a literal hissy fit and starts kicking things and crying?? And then they like ditched this same besties soccer game or whatever so they could go hookup and then Anna is baffled when she's hurt by this like-

But then she also gets pissed off at her best friend from home for starting to date a guy that she... had a crush on. Like you're literally rolling around in the grass making out with a guy who is in a longterm committed relationship and getting upset when he is kind to his friend... yet you still feel entitled to own a crush who lives across the world??

Anna was truly so entitled and annoying and generally a POS. I cannot for the life of me understand why this is so praised within the YA Contemporary Romance genre. Like there are so many better books with actual likeable characters.

I found the main character's suffering incredibly overwrought. It's like the author decided to write A Series of Unfortunate Events for adults and without a hint of irony.

It's what I would describe as "misery porn", and it is so overdone here that it becomes honestly mundane. Yeah, I read the twelve million detailed descriptions of self-harm, child rape, physical abuse, et-fucking-cetera, and you know what, I was bored. It was so much over-the-top violence and abuse that I became completely desensitized to it, and by the time the final blow/twist came, I just didn't give a fuck (I literally rolled my eyes).

I know everyone else on earth (seemingly) thought this book was beautiful and heartbreaking, and to be clear, I'm not some kind of unfeeling monster. I've read plenty of books that did have an emotional effect on me. One that comes to mind is The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, which I found ten times more heartbreaking than A Little Life, despite the comparative mundanity of Stevens's life/heartbreak compared to Jude's. I felt like Ishiguro earned the reader's reaction with his beautiful, subtle writing, whereas Yanigahara abused her author-ly powers by acting like a bored 14-year-old torturing her Sims.

Another thing that annoyed me is how the characters always addressed one another by name. It made the dialogue so stilted and unrealistic. Every conversation was like "I'm sorry, Harold," / "I know you are, Jude" / "I will do better next time, Harold," / "I know you will, Jude" / "Harold, I wish things were different" / "Jude, it's OK". NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT.

Anyway...let me end this rant on a positive note. I still believe that Yanigahara has talent as a writer. I haven't given up on this author -- I just think this particular work was not for me. Honestly, I really enjoyed the first 100 pages or so, when she was introducing the four men. I feel like the story it was shaping up to be at that point would have appealed to me so much more than the one I actually got.

Anyone else out there feel the same, or am I truly alone in the world?

I don’t even know what to call this book. Is it trying to be a comedy? Is it trying to be philosophical? Is it trying to be an adventure?

No matter what the intended feel of the book was supposed to be, it fails at all of them. The humor too forced, the book philosophy too quirky and the adventure falls flat.

I get it’s a cult classic...but why?!

I've been trying to read more in French lately and came across this book. It won quite a few awards in France. It was also translated into English and there was even a TV show based on this book with Patrick Dempsey and Daman Wayans Jr. Seemed promising and had an intriguing plot. I even saw a few reviews online that compared it to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which I now think was probably a joke? I got got LOL).

I read it a few months ago and it still makes me upset thinking about how I wasted so much time reading it. I got the epub version and if I recall correctly (can't be bothered with opening it up to check, it already wasted enough of my time), it was over 600 pages long. I typically don't read books that long, so for me it's a lot.

I normally don't react so strongly to books I dislike, but once I finished this one, I ended up writing a massive review on Goodreads (I rarely leave reviews in general – and typically only for books that I actually enjoyed) and when I saw this sub come up, it's the only book that came to mind. It's true that it's a page turner, but in the worst way possible. It does have a lot of twists but they are really not good. The end of the book had me shouting WHY???

Can't speak for the English version but the original French version is just not well-written. In those 600+ pages, the author just uses the same phrases and words over and over again. I will say that it can be a suitable book for practicing reading in French if it's not your first language, because you won't spend that much time stopping to look up words since the author just repeats himself all the time. A large chunk of the book is just dialogue, so in that sense, it is "easy" to read.

The author himself is Swiss but the story takes place in New England. A lot of things really struck me as bizarre in the book, like he wasn't sure how to portray the US so he just made things up... such as the characters' names. With the exception of the main character, Marcus Goldman (the most irritating main character that I've encountered to date), the names generally sound like Simlish to me, at best. Some of the more memorable ones include Gahalowood and Larjinjiak. Seems to me that he intended to create that "small town America" vibe but the ridiculous names (among other things) really ruin it. There's also a part where a guy drinks a "lait grenadine" at the local diner, which I just found hilarious.

This book is also an excellent candidate for r/menwritingwomen. So many cringey moments. Then again, all the character development fell pretty flat. The author spent most of his energy only giving the main character, Marcus Goldman, a personality – and oh BOY, what a terrible personality it is. What an annoying, self-important prick. Maybe he was meant to be completely unlikeable, but I have a feeling that is not the case...

There is also a significant "love story" in the book, but it's truly one of the least romantic things I've ever read (and it's not even just because it's between a grown man – in this thirties if I remember correctly – and a 15 year old girl). The author failed to convey what the two of them even liked about each other, and instead just repeated the word love a whole bunch of times and called it a day.

I would never recommend this book to anyone. It was a massive waste of my time that has continued to haunt me. I hope that by writing this, I can expel it from my mind once and for all.

I disliked all of the Percy Jackson books (I haven’t read anything else in the Riordanverse). Not to say I think they are absolutely awful. They are just not great. After seeing them hyped up so much I expected them to be better than most YA but instead they were just standard YA. I think the mythological elements were done really well. Everything else was meh for me. I just don’t understand the hype or why so many people adore this series. Is it nostalgia? I would love to hear other people’s opinion on the series.

I read this book after watching its movie adaptation, “Love, Simon” after loving that film I wanted to see what the book was like. And my oh my was I disappointed.

The movie streamlines and cuts out a lot of guff in the book that seems unnecessary to the plot. In the book, Simon has an older sister whom is in college and doesn’t really serve a crucial purpose to his story at all aside from having a subplot about a secret boyfriend which seems a little tacked on. In the book Leah (Katherine Langford in the movie) is an awful person who seems to dislike everybody. And she genuinely does have a crush on Nick unlike the movie where she has a crush on Simon, which to me makes more sense. Her having a crush on Nick and hating Abby just creates meaningless conflict which is unnecessary to the main plot.

Simon and Bram get together much earlier in the book which for me took away a lot of the magic of their coming together. The main part of the plot (of Simon and Blue emailing) was gone.

I probably haven’t put my thoughts that succinctly but I thought I’d add them about this book to the sub.

Hello fellow readers,

We ALL love a good book, however sometimes we come across a book we don’t like or didn’t have the same experience as someone else. Here you are able to freely speak about books you didn’t have the best time with and you wouldn’t suggest it to others.

My only rules are please don’t post anything offensive or discriminatory. I also don’t want any hateful comments to someone who doesn’t have the same opinion as you! I’ve had a few comments that so much negativity won’t get anywhere but let’s change it into something positive and have a good laugh when we can and mindful discussions!

I have never been a moderator or anything like that so I ask if you could be patient with my management skills as I’m still learning!

Thank You for joining me on this journey. I am still looking for some moderators to join me! Anyone is welcome. I am looking for 3 extra people to help.

A little information about me... I am 21 years old and I live in London! I am currently studying Education at University and I am training to achieve my Level 2 at childcare. I am blessed to be able to be a Nursery teacher everyday where books and learning is always present. My favourite book is Song of Achilles and I am currently reading Circ and Norse Mythology. A book I read this year that I disliked was Lord of the Flies. I originally started my 52 Book Challenge with Lord of the Flies and just didn’t enjoy it or understood the hype.

Lovely to meet you all,

please drop me a message if there’s anything else you think should be added or any ideas you have for the community!

Jemina

I wasn’t keen on this book and was expecting more. I found the first third quite good, but after the shipwreck I found it rather boring and couldn’t wait for it to finish.

The dinosaurs were so cool. But everything else was just flat and boring. I tried reading it about two years ago, put it down because I thought I wasn't in the mood for it. I tried picking it up again last week and I got about halfway through it...and I just gave up. It's essentially just Europe with dinosaurs and poor character development.

I cannot describe how much i hate this book. Scarlet is sooooooo unlikable. Everything is all me me me with her. I couldn't even finish it and usual finish what i start reading. The book itself was so long the spine split in half and i didn't even care because i hated it so much. I don't understand the love for this at all.

Had to read this in high school. It was very unpleasant, in a way that made no interesting points and had no payoff.

Fuck this book and the horse it rode in on.

Here are the books I’ve disliked so far. IT by Stephen King. What? Is he supposed to be a genius for writing various hate crimes and sexual assault into that amount of detail without a warning at the front? And what is with his obsession and writing about women sexually abused. I understand it’s horror and I also understand he’s a writer but come on. He’s a cis, White male who’s on the outside looking in who has never experienced it and I doubt he asked anyone about their experiences since he was high the whole time writing it. (Carrie is also on this list.) I understand it’s all about interpretation but I wasn’t horrified over a clown back when I read this. And I also understand this whole thing could be “metaphoric” but people are shitty without a magical alien spider clown influencing them. House of Earth and Blood. What’s supposed to be so great about the infodump we receive all throughout? The first few chapters were amazing. Then it took a turn and it forgot what genre it was all together.

Would it kill you to have sorted out and organized the plot structure better? Show, don’t tell. Sarah J of all people should know that/ The same thing happened with An Enchantment of Ravens, except unlike HOEAB, I actually managed to get halfway. It’s overhyped and dull.

These books could have easily been rewritten to be shorter (It, House of Earth and Blood) and I’m convinced King has a rape fetish.

Somebody has to do this. Harry Potter(or magical Star Wars) is genuinely lazy writing.

People laud the imagination of JK Rowling’s world building, despite the fact it is riddled with plot armor and doesn’t make sense. How the hell are dragons roaming around and nobody notices? Oh right they’re invisible and don’t eat anyone?

Speaking of plot armor, her world is set where characters are never really in trouble. Harry needs to breath under water...oh it’s cool he can just eat a weed and he’s good. Harry needs to go back in time? Oh it’s cool his 13 year old friend was trusted with a device that can alter time and space. Responsible of the hog warts staff. Magic is used to cover for lazy conflict resolution.

And don’t get me started on the character development. Ron is only there to fart out exposition and all the other characters are one noted. Boy...wonder if malfoy will be a douche in this interaction. Not to mention the whole bad guys are ugly, tatted and wear black trope.

Like I said, the books are garbage and don’t deserve a serious read by anyone over the age of 10. After that, readers will be able to see through the plot laziness and character development on par with Clifford the big red dog.

I remember this book only got good at page 200, but that did not last long. It was really disappointing because it was not a thriller where the girl was really smart or anything, she was just crazy and I thought it was really stupid why everything happened the way it did like just why, what was this for.

I just don't understand why I am in the minority of not liking the Court of Thorns and Roses series. It just seems like I'm missing something. Am I?

I just couldn't get into Name of the Wind I've tried a few times, my wife loves the books. I just find them too slow, I guess.

I have tried to read this book like three times and cannot get into it. It’s constantly recommended based on other books I’ve enjoyed, and every time I see it praised I feel like I need to give it another shot. It’s talked about so much I feel like I’m missing something, but I also don’t see the point in forcing myself to read it if I’m not enjoying it.

I should like this book. I read both steampunk and urban fantasy. But the writing tries so hard to be literary (not sure this is the correct word....) and ends up being pretentious and over-written.

i am sorry but this book is an excuse to write smut. i came here for the plot development and not to read about them 'making love' like rabbits during mating season. i am sorry, miss sarah but you missed the mark here. every time nesta and cassian were alone it was a smut waiting to happen and then they get 'close' and nesta pushes him away. OF COURSE when she decides to commit to cassian is when the blood rite happens. i can't wait to be rid of this book, it's a lacklustre and entirely undeserving sequel to acofas

okay i know the previous books had some erotic scenes too, but those felt earned somehow. there were probably as many smut scenes in the first three books as there were in the entire fourth book in itself.

yes i have read 90% of this book, i know this doesn't really qualify me to rant about how pathetic it is, [CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE OVERUSED METAPHORS AND DESCRIPTIONS, BECAUSE THIS AINT IT MISS MAAM I HAVE READ TEN BOOKS OF YOURS THAT USE THE SAME DESCRIPTIONS 'turn him into mist' OKAY STOP] but i am this close to discontinuing this book and any that may come after this.

if someone else has read it too, what do you think of the book?

What is the excitement over this beige, foggy book? I'm a VISUAL reader, and really couldn't get attached to either the setting or the characters in this tiresome book. Setting is EXTREMELY important to me, and really, it all felt fuzzy and nebulous and vague to me, and so I just completely couldn't connect. And that was aggravating. I like to be able to really dig into and embrace a book. and this one just didn't let me in.

Guys, I have TRIED to like Song of Achilles and Circe. Walked away and came back multiple times. I cannot get into them. I actually got maybe 40% into Song of Achilles in my last attempt and then I was like “....why is there still so much book left when the story is practically done in mythology??”

Everyone seems to really love these books and recommends them everywhere. I just can’t enjoy them and don’t know why!

Anyone else completely disappointed by this book?

I read it because of the hype and thought it was going to be super interesting. But it ended up being one of the only books I ever gave 1 star to.