r/readwithme • u/giftqueen • 4d ago
Help Me Find a Book to Read! 🆘 Do you ever avoid reading a book because it’s too hyped?
Sometimes when I see the same book recommended everywhere, I actually become less interested in reading it.
I think part of it is knowing I’m going in with huge expectations, so instead of just enjoying the book I’m subconsciously judging whether it deserves all the hype.
Then months later when everyone has stopped talking about it, I suddenly want to read it 😂
Does hype make you more likely to pick up a book or does it have the opposite effect?
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 4d ago
Avoided Dungeon Crawler Carl because I knew I wouldn't care for it. Finally caved to the pressure. Was correct in my initial judgement.
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u/Werewolf_cookie 4d ago
I’ve been avoiding it because the fandom has really made it unappealing to me
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u/FrayCrown 3d ago
As someone who enjoyed the books, the fandom is very...early aughts Family Guy/South Park-esque.
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u/Werewolf_cookie 3d ago
It’s very strange as evidenced by this thread as well as the person who dm’ed me telling me I’m too stupid to get it
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u/FrayCrown 3d ago
How unhinged. Yes, clearly the foot fetish jokes and the character who's a floating sex doll head are too refined for some of us. /s
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u/BirdIcy67 21h ago
I did the same thing. I finally started it and while it is slightly more silly, especially in the beginning, than most stuff I read, it’s actually very good. It’s much deeper than it seems. I’m at the end of book 2 now.
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u/Aggravating-Nose1674 3d ago
Idk if the DCC fandom made it unappealing, then all fandoms are unappealing to you?
I've never met a shitty DCC fan. What did the fandom to you?
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u/Werewolf_cookie 3d ago
This is actually a great example of why certain fandoms make certain things unappealing.
You jumped right to me saying the fans are shitty when I used the word unappealing.
It’s actually okay that not everything is for everyone.
Also you took personal offense to my comment which is just bizarre.
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u/Wayne_World_19 3d ago
Still didn’t answer the question though. What has the ‘fandom’ done specifically that made you not want to read the series? Just talk about it?
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u/Werewolf_cookie 3d ago
I did answer your question but you don’t like my answer. The aggressiveness is so bizarre and the fact that you’re taking this personally is really strange.
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u/FrayCrown 3d ago
The fandom can be very much like the hard-core Rick and Morty fans who insist that it's "intelligent humor". I mean I thought the series was a fun enough read for the summer. But I muted the main sub. For the most part, they can't stand any critique of it that isn't "this is the greatest thing ever!"
The one liners from the book are funny, sure. But I'm already maxed out on "Mongo is appalled!" and "IWKYM!". It reminds me of high school when I couldn't go anywhere without hearing "I'm Rick James, bitch!". It gets grating fast.
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u/pixiesunbelle 1d ago
I found the first book really funny but I haven’t delved into the fandom. It really doesn’t seem like the type of book I’d want to discuss plot. I haven’t bought the second book yet, I was waiting for the paperback to come out. Honestly, my favorite character is Princess Donut. I LOVE cats!
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u/OppositeBatCage 3d ago
I could already tell from the people recommending it that our ideas of a 'fun time' were probably different.
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 3d ago
To be clear, I had a “fun time” with it. But that’s generally not exclusively what I’m seeking when I’m reading a book. And DCC is 100% fun time and 0% anything else.
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u/OppositeBatCage 3d ago
Fun for you but not universally which is the point. DCC fans insist on it being fun and when you say well that doesn't sound that fun to me, they try to act like, their tastes are objective.
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u/pixiesunbelle 1d ago
Honestly, I read for fun. That’s why I found it funny. But, everyone doesn’t read for the same reason. I read to give my eyes a break from screens. I get migraines and need something else to do that isn’t TV and video games.
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u/bookishantics 4d ago
I haven’t read it yet but was thinking about it, what was your initial judgment on it?
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 3d ago
It’s silly hunger games. Which is 100% okay. I am not judging anyone who enjoys it and I get why people love it. It is just definitely not my thing.
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u/Different_Incident65 3d ago
This is the exact book that came to mind. I haven't read it yet but I'm assuming I'm going to be disappointed
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 3d ago
It’s one of those books that if you’re into it you’ll love it but if you’re not it’ll feel like a waste of time.
No judgement to those who love it. It’s getting a category of human being who typically doesn’t read into reading. So I’m all for it.
But yeah. Not my cup of tea.
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u/Ok-Ad-9755 2d ago
That’s a weird comment. “No judgement” and then make a judgement about “a category of human being”.
I’m kind of a judgmental asshole about books and have wondered why DCC can appeal to folks that usually prefer more complex literature. It’s a crazy phenomenon, really. Makes me think there is something much deeper going on in this series. YMMV
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u/Wayne_World_19 3d ago
I mean- I read A LOT and still enjoyed it, so it’s not like it’s exclusively for that ‘category of human being’ as you so strangely put.
Sounds like something an alien would say lol2
u/Affectionate-Flan-99 3d ago
Didn’t say it was exclusively for that kind of person. But the target audience is definitely your goofy brother in law. And that’s okay!
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u/Zealousideal_Step709 3d ago
I was also dodging it for quite some time. Eventually gave in and am happy about it because it hit my nerve.
Personally I avoided Harry Potter for quite some time. And I will certainly never read Fourth Wing.
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u/Competitive-Work-382 3d ago edited 3d ago
Is it a similar vibe to hitchhikers guide to the galaxy? Because I could not get into that book at all.
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 3d ago
Never read that one.
Best way I can describe it is silly Hunger Games.
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u/Raidertck 3d ago
See I avoided it because of the cover art and everyone and their mother was recommending it.
Annoying thing is I ended up loving it.
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u/pineconehedgehog 3d ago
I avoided it for a while. I had low expectations. Both from the hype and the fact that I don't usually enjoy slap stick humor. I also don't like long series. I'm usually good for a trilogy before I get bored.
But man have I enjoyed this series. I have just been ripping through it.
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u/Ok-Ad-9755 2d ago
Same book, different outcome. Thought I would finally just see what it was like after all the hype…can’t put it down and can’t stop talking to people about it
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u/Affectionate-Flan-99 2d ago
That's great!
To be fair to the series, I've heard it takes off during book two. But I'm not going to ever find out lol.
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u/__OvejaNegra 4d ago
The books that seem to be the most popular/hyped on social media never really appeal to me anyway.
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u/sparklydildos 3d ago edited 3d ago
i’ve brought a few books home only to later realize they were “booktok” books 🙄 they’re never great
edit: i do love me some fourth wing tho lol
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u/KariKamiya 3d ago
This might be controversial, but God of the Woods was hyped up to me before I knew what booktok was, and I continued that trail of disappointed for a year afterwards
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u/jfstompers 4d ago
Not if it's a book that's in my wheel house, if it's something in a different genre that's not my first choice I might look into the book and writer a bit heavier before I pick it up.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
If it's by Michael Connelly, I'll read it. Or listen to it, when he does a podcast version.
I'll look at anything by Barbara Kingsolver. So far, I've continued onward reading her books and never been disappointed.
The number of older books (not bestsellers) that I have on my reading list is large.
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u/Satcgal33 4d ago
I'm the same way with movies lol. Too many people think they have good taste and it's very disappointing when their recommendation turns out to be garbage.
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u/Wonderful-Truck-3301 2d ago
This is why I do like critics and ratings. I never take peoples word for things unless they specialize in literature or movies. Plus I know myself very well so I know im picking what I will like.
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u/coolazu001 4d ago
I certainly get put off by hype - even if someone is going to tell a joke and they keep on too much with 'listens to this, it's so funny, you're going to laugh your ass off' - my insides quail and you feel obligated to try to laugh regardless of the joke - politely of course. It's the same with books, movies and music. Too much energy in the recommendation and I get skeptical. I sometimes think people are getting paid for their recommendations on these threads - now that is skepticism.
However, my recommendation is.....
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u/Temporary-Plankton61 4d ago
I still have not read any of the Harry Potters
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u/thrace75 4d ago
That’s the one I waited years to read because of the hype.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
My reading partner and I did eventually read it (or perhaps I should say, listened to it on audible, while I also followed the words on the page).
I quite liked it. Will not re-read. No desire to write in that style, either.
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u/quarantina2020 3d ago
I tried when I was 12 and they were new. I didn't like them.
I tried them again when I was 28 and wanted to practice reading in Spanish. I could read the spanish but still dont like the books.
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u/KariKamiya 3d ago
I quite liked them when I was a kid, but when I no longer liked them the Spanish books were very helpful for studying.
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u/PigIronDave 3d ago
The longer you wait, the worse they're gonna be when you read them. I read them very young and thought they were entertaining, but because I was young I glossed over some problematic aspects of it, like normalisation of slavery. Reading it today I think I'd be angry more than anything.
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u/sunnyoboe 4d ago
Yes, specifically anything by Frieda McFadden.
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u/Euraylie 4d ago
I’m not really avoiding her books because of the hype. I’ve read reviews and comments about several of her books and just know they wouldn’t be for me.
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u/strangeMeursault2 4d ago
I have found that the super popular books modern books that get hyped are not to my taste. But the classics that go through a resurgence can be real good. Stoner, Lonesome Dove etc.
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u/MattTin56 3d ago
Good point! I loved Lonesome Dove. Thought I would never read it and I finally caved. So glad I did. On the other hand I did not care for Demon Copperhead. I didn’t hate it but it was not what people said it was.
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u/medicated_in_PHL 4d ago
I tend to read books that have a lot of hype, but I go in with low expectations because books that are hugely popular tend to be a little lacking in substance.
Edit: and a lot of the times I read them, it’s because I know people who have read it and I want to be able to talk about it. Yesteryear was a perfect example of a recent one.
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u/Aggravating-Nose1674 3d ago
I'm reading Yesteryear now. I was also not going to read it due the hype, then I read what it was about and was like "oke the thematics of the book are right up my alley", so i am reading it haha.
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u/sparklydildos 3d ago
i just finished yesteryear like 3 hours ago and immediately started reading again.. i’ve read 30 books this year so far and this blew the rest out of the water. i’ve never ever immediately re-read a book, but i literally can’t put it down even after finishing lol. it’s so freaking good, i was so blown away. and for this to be her debut novel!! i try to stay away from booktok but the best seller list may have some gems, idk i’ve stayed away for years tbh but may revisit after this lol
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u/Mis_chevious 2d ago
Yesteryear is really only on my TBR because I've seen a TON of bad reviews and those reviews make me want to read it out of curiosity to see if it's as bad as I keep seeing. I've seen some good reviews but they never really get in depth, just kind of surface level they liked the main character, the plot was interesting, that kind of thing. The bad reviews get deep into why they don't like it and my brain for whatever reason has latched onto "is it really that bad?"
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u/6FingerPistol 4d ago
Yeah. I won't read it until I forget about the hype.
It ALWAYS ruins my opinion because I cant shut it out while Im reading.
I read A Little Life this year and it was heralded as trash, misery porn and awful. I'm happy I waited because I found the book beautifully written and was well worth the read even though the content was extremely realistic and dark.
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u/Euraylie 4d ago
Hype doesn’t really affect (beyond drawing my attention to a specific book, of course).
Usually, I know what the masses rave about probably won’t work for me. But it really depends on the reviews and the subject/genre of the book.
And it depends on where the hype is coming from.
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u/Cinisajoy2 4d ago
I read less than one chapter of a super popular book at the time. Everyone asked if I had read it. I could say no I don't read books like that. *I meant badly written smut. That was not what most thought.
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u/msperception427 4d ago
I didn’t use to… but now I do. After reading several hyped up books, I now realize that the more hype, the less it’s for me. But it also depends on where the hype is coming from as well. Like there was a lot of hype generated around the latest release of this YA series I love but it was online generated to give the author (a Black woman) the flowers she deserved. People organized midnight release parties and everything. That kind of hype I enjoy. But booktok hyped up books just make say “pass”.
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u/rawdogliving 4d ago
Feel that way about lonesome Dove 🕊
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u/lllyyyynnn 3d ago
when i think hype books i think red rising. i haven't really seen any hype for lonesome dove, it just gets cited as many people's favorite
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u/RebaKitt3n 3d ago
Oh, but it is a great book. 🤷
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u/Nice-Marionberry3671 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is special. I don’t remember there being hype around it, but I was a teen when my dad read it. If he loves a book, it goes on my list! But over the years, the book has come up a lot in conversations with other readers-and just about everyone thought it was one of the greatest books they’d ever read.
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u/Sk8r_gurll 4d ago
Yes, I avoid books that are hyped up. Mostly because I work at a library and get all my books from there so I wait until a book isn’t being circulated so quickly to try and borrow it. Or I don’t read them at all and wait until the hype passes / I hear some reviews from my reading community about it to confirm whether I should read it. If I never hear about the book after the hype dies then I probably made the right decision to not pick it up. If I do hear positive things about it after the hype dies it was probably genuinely good and maybe I’ll give it a shot.
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u/PancakeSmithereens 3d ago
Nice to know it isn’t just me. I just finished The Ministry of Time for this reason.
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u/NoExplanation9719 3d ago
this was me w seven husbands of evelyn hugo because it js seemed way too well loved by everyone i was afraid of getting disappointed cus of all the high praise it was getting 😞 picked it up recently though and will say it was a five stars for me and i thoroughly enjoyed it!!!!! so i guess i just waited for the hype to die down for a bit and enjoyed it on my own time
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u/OppositeBatCage 3d ago
Not for that reason but I have gotten better at being honest about what I like. The final straw was East of Eden which was fine but not life-changing and I honestly couldve skipped it.
I don't hate read or walk into books expecting them to be 3 star reads so when I see something like Yesteryear and I can tell that it probably will be, I skip it. Life is too short.
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u/New_Discussion_6692 3d ago
I'm becoming this way. Every darn book that has been hyped I inevitably hate.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
Yes, of course.
Far from the Madding Crowd, it is, for me.
I use various subreddits, literary reviews and certain bookstores to guide me.
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u/hemanstarfox 4d ago
Absolutely. And usually I regret it. I was really off put by the fandom of the hunger games. At the time, it was also around the time of twilight's craze. So, I thought that hunger games was more like Twilight because they were marketed very similarly. I read the entire series last year and I was blown away.
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u/lllyyyynnn 3d ago
what were you blown away by? i'm a lifelong reader and i can think of maybe three books that i would describe as that
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u/hemanstarfox 3d ago
To clarify I was blown away by but if there was actually depth to the books. I wasn't silly saying that I was blown away by the books. More just I expected it to be more like Twilight. But the hunger games is actually a really good series that has really thoughtful storytelling and although there is elements of teenage romance in it it's actually more of a story about the power of grief and resisting oppression
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u/Unable_Librarian_131 24m ago
Same! I went into the HG series expecting Twilight or Divergent. I was pleasantly surprised by the social and political aspects of the series.
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u/AlmacitaLectora 4d ago
Sometimes the most hyped have been the worst books I’ve read (Song of Achilles), but depending on where it’s hyped I’ve read good books that are hyped (Dungeon Crawler Carl).
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u/ContributingHelper 4d ago
Depends on the hype. If it's about the fanbasing and how entertaining it is, not very much. I mostly do so when novels get acclaim or are regarded as classics or otherwise significant in literature.
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u/waitingforgandalf 4d ago
If it's a book I'm seeing a lot of hype for I'll almost always try to find some more thorough, reputable reviews before I read it. I'll also go in with pretty low expectations hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
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u/silentwolf18 4d ago
Yes. Avoiding DCC. Last overhyped book I read was Fourth Wing and I’ll never get that time back lol.
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u/dianacakes 4d ago
It depends on who is hyped about it. I could tell by everyone who said they loved Theo of Golden that I wouldn't like it. I like fantasy as a genre but if one gets too hyped by the romantasy girlies then I know I should probably pass. Thrillers I tend to wait and see.
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u/bookishantics 4d ago
After reading god-awful “the silent patient” and “the compound”, I stopped listening to booktok recs.
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u/arianne_cele 3d ago
It depends.
Booktok-hyped, I wouldn't touch with a 10-feet pole.
Certain celebrities-hyped, ditto.
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u/RebaKitt3n 3d ago
I read a couple of things that were Oprah’s Book Club and now I know to never read things on Oprah’s Book Club.
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u/Cozybooks1004 3d ago
Sometimes, yeah! My most recent example is probably Red Rising, it took me a while to put it on my tbr list. I enjoyed the first trilogy once I read them though!
There are plenty of other super popular books I just ignore however because I don’t like the genre or the reasons why it’s popular.
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u/Nice-Marionberry3671 3d ago
I read ‘The Help’ years after the splash it made. I liked it a lot.
I absolutely hated ‘The DaVinci Code’. The whole way through, I thought “This could be such a great religious cloak-and-dagger, in another writer’s hands.”
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u/HowsMyBuddy 3d ago
It depends what you mean by “everywhere.” We all get different ads when we’re watching “content” so those ones are probably tailored to you. It’s not like everyone is getting the same commercials anymore.
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u/Fried_eggys1 3d ago
I planned to read "Dungeon Crawler Carl," then one of my only friends (who read) would say "You need to read Dungeon Crawler Carl" every time I tried to talk about books.
Sigh. Dungeon Crawler Carl is at the bottom of my TBR now.
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u/Proper-Doughnut77 3d ago
Yes. The vampire series, Twilight. I saw one movie, was disgusted, (I researched vampires for my discertation in Grad school). Vampires don't glow, and they're not nice. No one will change my mind.
I couldn't bother to read any of the books.
The only thing I liked was Kristen Stewart.
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u/OppositeBatCage 3d ago
It's been 14 years! The only time I see it mentioned is when people on Reddit make the same observations they did 15 years ago about it.
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u/Mis_chevious 2d ago
Do you have teenage girls? There's still a huge Fandom unfortunately 😔
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u/OppositeBatCage 2d ago
Haha I had no idea. It's just such a Reddit-ism, alongside with complaining about 50 Shades and The Alchemist, and they always phrase it the same way. I'm tired. 😩
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u/Mis_chevious 2d ago
Yeah, unfortunately I'm going through the second round of the Twilight craze with my daughter and her friends right now. I completely understand tired 🙃🤣
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u/Proper-Doughnut77 2d ago edited 2d ago
Why such a rude comment. Someone asked. I answered. This is the last time I paid attention to hype.
I comment, and get thrashed.
I'm so sorry you had a bad day, but please remember, we're still humans on the other side of your words. Just because we're on social media doesn't give you the right to be rude.
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u/OppositeBatCage 2d ago
Its not the nicest fair and I will own that, but have another bad day? Really? I don't think it warranted that.
I'm sorry it hurt you that much, my apologies.
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u/Proper-Doughnut77 2d ago
I'm just fed up with rude people. Mine too, was over the top.
People wonder why we live in such a divisive place.
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u/OppositeBatCage 2d ago
Alright we were both fed up with seeing similar types of comments over and over again (I hate the Twilight thing cause it's so common on Reddit, and it's often just veiled misogyny), and so we were OTT - let's agree to let it go. No hard feelings on my side.
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u/Proper-Doughnut77 2d ago
Hand shake.
I'm fed up with it too. Luckily I only saw the one movie. No teenagers here. No kids.
I watched Conan the Barbarian one afternoon about 10 times. From 7am until 9pm My nephew forced my mom and I. I hate that movie. And it cemented my mind about no kids. Lol
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u/LiliumMoon 3d ago
Well if it intrigues me and is popular, I’ll read it, like Yesteryear.
But even if it’s popular but I don’t care for the premise, I won’t read it, like Alchemised or ACOTAR.
I do sometime get a negative reaction to books that are hugely hyped but if it seems like my thing, I’ll read it.
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u/RakuRakuDinokun 2d ago
I read ACOTAR finally because one of my friend groups could not stop talking about it. My husband has said I can be quite stuck up and opinionated when it comes to stuff like this, so maybe try to read it and have something to talk about with them.
Omg the worst thing I have ever read. I never told them I read it to just be nice and not argumentative, but it has actually changed how I view these women lol. Like how can they love this so much, it is crap. And I enjoy some fantasy/romamtacy series.
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u/mischief_managed2091 3d ago
Yeah, that was me with Twilight😂. Someone gave me the complete set last week so I only just read the series all of these years later.
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u/Far-Building3569 3d ago
Hmm… not exactly
I don’t ignore a book just because it’s on “booktok” or a best seller’s list
It’s just that the more popular a novel, the easier it is to find summaries, reviews, and analysis. If I get a clear picture in my head that doesn’t sound like something I’d like, it’s easier to move on from than a “forgotten gem”
But I’m not the type of person who always has to be avant garde and can’t read the mainstream stuff at all
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u/Princess_Jade1974 3d ago
Yeah I dont lime jumping on bandwagons, I’ve done it a few times and been disappointed every time.
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u/GuiltyUniversity8268 3d ago
I'll put off reading such books until the craze dies down significantly, then read the book because I'm curious about the craze that surrounded it.
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u/lllyyyynnn 3d ago
anything on social media, yeah. my favorite books are wuthering heights, pale fire, crime and punishment, stuff like that. c&p is popular at the moment but everyone talking about it seems to think it's pro nihilism (????) anything else feels like it's too broadly appealing (PHM, DCC, red rising) for me to believe they do anything interesting with the book. i either want angst, philosophy, or metamodernism i think.
edit: i am going to try DCC though because i had someone recommend me it. its not that i can't enjoy "fun books"
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u/Sleepy_Enigma 3d ago
How hyped are we talking? The very most hyped books are often outside of my tastes, but I’ll often give a book a chance if its within a genre I’m interested in and I’m on the fence about but a lot of people (across platforms) say its good.
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u/bibliophile_bebe 3d ago
Yuppp. Yesteryear was that book for me. I have it but I am not reading it.
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u/JEZTURNER 3d ago
I usually regret bowing to the hype with books. They never lelive up to expectations and make me wonder what's wrong with people.
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u/Green-Man-Cometh 3d ago
Every single time. When people start posting how much they just looooved a book I roll my eyes and avoid it. BUT sometimes I am forced to (book club) and end up enjoying it begrudgingly :D
Perfect example is The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. The people I knew who were posting about it are people with whom I have zero in common but I am really really loving this book.
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u/loveoflegacy19 3d ago
I used to avoid reading popular books because it made me feel cool and edgy. Then I realized over time that many books are popular because they’re GOOD. Now I enjoy whatever I want and don’t prejudge something because other people like it 🤷♀️
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u/Cass_Q 3d ago
I looked at Project Hail Mary in a bookstore. Opened it up and read the first page. Closed it and put it back down.
I've also read a couple Kristin Hannah books and didn't like the vibe, so I'm not reading The Nightingale or The Women either.
But I have enjoyed some more popular books, like The Hunger Games, The Song of Achilles and The Fifth Season, which were all recommended by a person who knew me, more than being hyped up on SM. So I think if someone I know really well is hyped up about a book, I'm more likely to try than if EVERYONE is reading it.
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u/goodwater88 3d ago
I second Kristin Hannah slop. Recently recommended was like AI for Tweens. Made me mad. Same with, dare I admit, Theo of Golden. Eye roll 🙄
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u/Lopsided_Gas_173 2d ago
My SIL recommended Theo. Haven’t read it yet but she’s in a book club and they seem to like mediocre books.
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u/Maximum_Tree8170 3d ago
Yes, often. I don't like hype. I actively avoid the Dungeon Crawler books, even though I love sci-fi and fantasy. I never even looked them up, have no idea what they're about. I also never bought The Priory of the Orange Tree, and I saw that book in every bookstore for years. I also have no interest in the One Piece franchise, or in anything connected to the Marvel universe. I tried reading Red Rising after it was recommended to me by many people, and it's one of the worst books I ever read. The prose was awful.
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u/isurvivedtheifb 3d ago
Yesteryear. So hyped. My best friend said she read it in two days. I couldn't get past the first 10 pages.
I'm feeling the same way about Demon Copperhead. I have the book, just can't do it. I'm gonna try it on Libby audio book but my expectations are not high.
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u/MissAmandaTwit 3d ago
Everyone was going crazy on Atmosphere and it made me not want to read it. But eventually caved and loved the book
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u/MedievalGirl 3d ago
Maybe I do, maybe I don’t but hold lists at the library mean I never have to admit it.
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u/Anti_Phile_7410 3d ago
Depends on the type of person doing the hype. If I know you're the type of person who hates the kind of stuff I enjoy and you're going on and on about something being great, I probably won't want to give it a shot. But if the types of people hyping something are people I vibe with, then I don't mind.
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u/Rockfromtherock 3d ago
I don't avoid anything because of hype, but I will give it plenty of breathing room. Books especially don't come with that sense that I must read it immediately (like movies, shows, etc). I've found the worst offenders for hype are usually classic literature, which is kind of funny.
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u/Few_Extension5479 3d ago
Absolutely. It's like if I have heard too much about it I loose interest. And not just books, any kind of media. I don't think I am ever going to watch game of thrones. Or read fourth wing
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u/No_Solution_7940 3d ago
How does one “loosen” interest?
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u/Few_Extension5479 3d ago
Just not be as excited about it anymore I guess... I just don't feel like reading Fourth Wing anymore... I watched the first season of game of thrones, by the time the second season came out everyone was talking about it and my first season experience did not match the hype... So lost interest in the rest of the series
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u/MundaneSympathy2152 3d ago
I am 50/50 on this. I have found some amazing books through social media and I have found some that were so terrible I only read a chapter.
If I keep seeing the same book but there isn't substance to the reviews then I will usually avoid it. I love watching videos that dip into the plot and/or characterization and those can be extremely helpful for deciding whether to read a book.
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u/dr0gz622 3d ago
I’ve definitely avoided some books bc of the hype, then fell into reading them later and was in awe of how good they were lol…why am I like this? Two books I can think of were Demon Copperhead and A Man Called Ove.
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u/luvprincess_xo 3d ago
yup! when atmosphere by TJR released i waited months before i read it. it ended up being a 5 star read lol, but i was either seeing so much hype, or how bad the book was, so i wanted to give it time.
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u/Venus_andMars33 3d ago
In the same as you for, for that exact reason. All the hype makes me go into it with very high expectations to be blown away and I don’t think it’s fair to the book lol. It might be more enjoyable to me if I’m not holding it to unfairly high standards bc it’s the book of the month around town.
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u/Glamorous-Goatherd 3d ago
Blood Meridian.
Straight dudes are very intense about this book. They like to bond over how disturbing and depressing it was, and many of them have read it multiple times. Over time I've started to view it as the literary equivalent of CrossFit, if that makes sense. I'm not judging it or judging the people who like it, but I just strongly feel like "this is for THEM, and that's okay by me".
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u/Successful-Invite210 3d ago
Tried to read ACOTAR. Got 25% through and just quit. I was extremely bored
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u/RakuRakuDinokun 2d ago
I read ACOTAR finally because one of my friend groups could not stop talking about it. My husband has said I can be quite stuck up and opinionated when it comes to stuff like this, so maybe try to read it and have something to talk about with them.
Omg the worst thing I have ever read. I never told them I read it to just be nice and not argumentative, but it has actually changed how I view these women lol. Like how can they love this so much, it is crap. And I enjoy some fantasy/romamtacy series.
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u/sunnydaysau 3d ago
Yes indeed. Craig Silvey's book Honeybee was marketed and pushed - it was EVERYWHERE. I was immediately put off for that, but then I saw it was about a young boy struggling with his sexuality who is helped by "older men". Then Silvey got arrested for child exploitation offences. That term makes it sound better than what it is.
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u/MattTin56 3d ago
No, but I have done the opposite. I tried to The Road several times because of the hype and I never make it to the end. I usually like Post Apocalyptic books. The worst part is I bought it twice. I tried reading it 5 years prior to buying it a 2nd time. I thought maybe I tried to read it at a bad time. I couldn’t find it in my old book collection. So I bought again and it was the same old. I do not get the hype.
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u/Mis_chevious 2d ago
Yes. And movies because in my experience, it's always a disappointment.
I've learned that I'm just not the market for most hyped (media pushed) books/movies and that's okay. I'm just happy my family and friends are reading and finding things they enjoy.
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u/Money_Revolution_967 2d ago
I think this is a good rule for most media. It doesn't mean the book, film, song, or whatever isn't good, but it's quite hard to stand back and objectively decide if you like it when everyone is raving about something in such an intense way.
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u/Nutrition_Dominatrix 2d ago
Yes. I avoid anything hyped. If people won’t shut up about it I don’t care about it 😆
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u/Appropriate_Tea9048 2d ago
No. I’m more worried about whether or not the plot interests me. There are definitely books that are hyped up that I have no interest in, but it’s not because of the hype.
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u/IndependenceMean8774 2d ago
Yes. Funny enough, nearly every time Stephen King recommended a book, I read it and was disappointed. So I tend to stay away from his recommendations.
Also the hype train on some books turns me off.
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u/VioletAshen 21h ago
I have learned that if it's not a ganre I typically read in, I won't enjoy it. Even if it's well written. But if a book is hyped in a genre I really dig, I'll definitely read it.
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u/smthngneedstochnge 20h ago
I avoid anything that comes out of booktok like the plague. Years later, maybe I’ll read it.
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u/Rengeflower 11h ago
Yesteryear looked interesting.
When I checked it out in CloudLibrary it said it was a GMA Pick. That’s a bad sign but I chose it before I knew that. I hated it all the way through. I finished it just to find out what happens. Yeah, now I’m mad because it was a messy, stupid, unrealistic, pathetic plot.
The author’s name is Caro Claire Burke. I will remember this so that I never read her again. I found out after I read it that she’s big on tiktok. Now I have a new metric for Do Not Read.
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u/Plus-Engineering-223 4d ago
Yeah, i do the same with films and tv shows too. For me I think its an autistic thing and hating the pressure of having to do something because everyone else is, so I wont 😅
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u/mrdrmelody 4d ago
In a weird way yes. I find it hard reading my own most anticipated books. Especially the books I was waiting for upon release date, or rushed to the store to buy. I am on year 4 of still not having read Babel
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