UnpopularOpinion

Four Winds | Kristin Hannah

Geez, this book is GRIM!!!! I was having #FoMo but now I know Kristen Hannah isn‘t the author for me.
I don‘t dislike this book as much as The Great Alone but I feel like the author is intentionally manipulating me.
I get the Dust Bowl was a terrible tragic time in US History and I actually appreciate the insight and descriptions Hannah provides but there‘s zero redemption. And I still have another 4 hours.

Caroline2 Yeah I‘m not keen on Kristin Hannah either. Bit too melodramatic. 3d

Cinfhen Yessss, that‘s exactly it @Caroline2 3d

BudgetingBookwormBabe Thank you for saying that... I've been wanting to say it myself! @Caroline2 I just didn't love it as much as everyone the did, just wasn't for me. 3d

See All 21 Comments

Cinfhen I often find it‘s hard to admit to not liking a book that everyone else seems to love @BudgetingBookwormBabe I also feel like it will seem I‘m judging others taste, when it simply isn‘t true. I can appreciate how others might LOVE this book & author. 3d

BkClubCare I swear I am allergic to KH‘s writing. I won‘t read her anymore. The Nightingale sealed that for me (and I see that gave it 3 stars 🤣 I must‘ve been feeling generous.) 3d

Crazeedi @Cinfhen I liked her early books, and they've gotten not as good for me too, and yes grim is the word. 3d

Cinfhen I actually liked The Nightingale but again, I felt manipulated but I could not stand TGA @BkClubCare @Crazeedi I‘m happy this one is a #BorrowNotBuy 3d

PatriciaU I feel the same way about this author. Not for me… 3d

Cinfhen Woohoo 🙌🏻 I love when others validate my feelings xx Thanks @PatriciaU 3d

janeycanuck I hated The Great Alone and have been hesitant to pick anything else up by Hannah (though I have the Nightingale somewhere…) but have also been enticed by the buzz on this one. I think you‘ve confirmed for me that I should steer clear. 3d

BarbaraBB I just read my first book by her and thought it way too chick-lit #booksnob

Firefly Lane

BookBosomed1 Im listening to this book; I agree it is grim. I‘d appreciate some levity here & there. The book seems like a good example for an overuse of pathos. 3d

Cinfhen Oh my!!! I‘m in such GREAT company/ thanks for letting me know I‘m not alone in the #UnPopularOpinion corner @BookBosomed1 @BarbaraBB @janeycanuck 3d

Lcsmcat @Crazeedi I agree that she‘s gotten much more emotionally manipulative in her later books. I hate when authors do that. 3d

LeahBergen I‘ve always sensed she‘s not for me, either! 😬 3d

Megabooks I‘m not a fan of hers. 🤷🏻‍♀️ good luck finishing! 2d

janeycanuck @Cinfhen @BookBosomed1 @BarbaraBB @LeahBergen @Megabooks A small but mighty group! 2d

LeahBergen @janeycanuck Right? 😆 2d

Centique I‘ve come to that conclusion too after reading The Nightingale! Good writing but one was enough for me. A bit too long and bleak without something really sharp or insightful to make it worthwhile. 15h

Cinfhen EXACTLY @Centique it‘s like how much can we torture the reader with??? 14h

90 likes1 stack add21 comments

MaleficentBookDragon

In Watermelon Sugar | Richard Brautigan

pan

No. Again.Again. Again. Again.
#unpopularopinion

LeahBergen 🤣🤣🤣 My older brother loved Brautigan when we were in our teens. 3d

Cathythoughts I remember loving this book. ..... It‘s a great day , said Lee Melon.. (edited) 3d

MaleficentBookDragon @Cathythoughts I wanted to like it, but I just didn‘t. I did enjoy Bronson Pinchot‘s narration. It was the only reason I stuck it out to the end. 3d

36 likes3 comments

bthegood

Paperbacks from Hell | Grady Hendrix

so-so

#unpopularopinion - I know - it was interesting and fun if you are a fan of horror and some parts really fun and well written (the part about raising possessed children especially), looking at the covers of the novels really interesting, but some parts read too much like laundry lists for me -

Another book for #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Make a great day everyone - 🙂

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1w

braddsibbersen I blame this book for the cheesy horror paperbacks I used to buy for $2 now going for $20+ 4d

bthegood @braddsibbersen 😂 😂 4d

30 likes3 comments

Larkken

Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch: A Novel | Rivka Galchen

so-so

This fictionalized witch hunt based on a historical witch trial gave me anxiety 😰
I can see where there is satire, and the narrative is extremely clever, but the pure accumulation of spite against an old woman wore on me anyway. So, #unpopularopinion here, I think. Anyone feel like trying to win me over?

Ruthiella Often I feel that way about books too when the plot or characters make me too anxious. But I liked this book on the whole. I may have checked on Wikipedia first to make sure Katerina wasn‘t burned at the stake. 😬 2w

Larkken @Ruthiella ooh I definitely do this too. Even if the outcome is sad or what I didn‘t want to happen, waiting to find out about it can be way worse. And this is why I mainly watch cooking shows on tv… 😅 2w

15 likes2 comments

Megabooks

The Maid | Nita Prose

pan

This is a fast read, but I‘m no more a fan of using neuro-divergence as a gimmick in a narrator than I was a fan of using alcohol 5 years ago. From what I found online, this isn‘t “own voices” either. I have the feeling this will be an #UnpopularOpinion, but I‘m glad this was a library book. The #audiobook narration is great, FWIW.

#SetInAHotel #Booked2022
#FoundFamily #pop22

KarenUK, Cinfhen, Kalalalatja, BarbaraTheBibliophage, Cortg, Laughterhp, 4thhouseontheleft, BarbaraBB, RaeLovesToRead

BarbaraTheBibliophage I keep seeing this on the “most anticipated” lists for 2022. Glad to know what you thought! (So I don‘t buy it …) 2w

Laughterhp Oh no! I assumed it was own voices 🤦‍♀️. I just got this one in the mail today from BOTM. 2w

Leftcoastzen I almost picked it BOTM glad now I didn‘t 2w

See All 25 Comments

SilversReviews LOVED this book. 2w

PatriciaU I didn‘t see the neuro divergence as a gimmick but as an integral part of the story…until the end, which I found incongruous. 2w

Megabooks @Laughterhp as best I can tell, it‘s not. I read the author‘s website and several reviews from major outlets, and it was never flagged own voices, nor did the author indicate it on her website. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w

Megabooks @BarbaraTheBibliophage @Leftcoastzen 👍🏻👍🏻 glad I could help. 2w

Megabooks @SilversReviews I‘m glad. It just wasn‘t for me. 2w

SilversReviews @Megabooks A few friends said the same thing. 2w

SilversReviews @Megabooks What are own voices and neuro divergences please? (edited) 2w

Megabooks @PatriciaU agree re: the end. I think the author felt it should have a twist, so she threw one in. Molly felt a bit wooden as a character. I read the book I‘m tagging, and its MC had some form of neurodivergence and/or trauma, and she felt much more three-dimensional to me. I guess I couldn‘t help but compare the books. But I also hope it won‘t become a frequent plot device the way alcohol was 5 years ago.

Nobody, Somebody, Anybody: A Novel

(edited) 2w

Megabooks @SilversReviews “own voices” would mean that it was written by a neurodivergent author. I‘m in favor of reading own voices books when possible because they feel more authentic, and it helps diversify the authors that get books published. 2w

Megabooks @SilversReviews https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurodiversity?wprov=sfti1 2w

SilversReviews @Megabooks Thanks….I never heard of this. Appreciate the link. 2w

Ruthiella When you mention alcohol 5 years ago, do you mean like The Girl on the Train where her black outs etc. were used to further the plot? 🤔 2w

Megabooks @Ruthiella Yes that drove me nuts and also the ubiquity of alcohol-fueled MCs in mystery/thriller from 2016-2018. In this book, Molly read as wooden and I feel that her neurodivergence, rather that making her more real, was used to make her quirky and off-beat. In fact, quirky is used in a number of reviews and blurbs. It just felt more gimmick than authentic to me. 2w

Ruthiella @Megabooks Gotcha. Thanks 🙏😊 2w

BarbaraBB Another excellent review. You could do this professionally, you know that?! 2w

Cinfhen Will definitely look to #BorrowNotBuy 😁at least it fulfilled 2 prompts 🙌🏻 2w

mdemanatee So good to know. Thank you! 2w

Megabooks @BarbaraBB thanks! Sometimes I think I‘d enjoy doing that. 😁💜 2w

Megabooks @Cinfhen I‘m curious to read what others think. It will probably be a popular book on litsy. But it‘s definitely borrow not buy imo. I just don‘t want neurodivergence to become a cheap way to make a character “quirky”. 2w

Megabooks @mdemanatee you‘re welcome! 2w

4thhouseontheleft I noticed the quirky descriptions in reviews on GR when I was looking at this book, and both that and the book blurb felt wrong to me. I probably won‘t be reading this one. Great review! 2w

Megabooks @4thhouseontheleft thanks! I don‘t think the characterization of Molly was done well at all. 2w

93 likes25 comments

Avanders

Winter's Tale | Mark Helprin

❄️ The tagged.. I know it‘s a somewhat #unpopularopinion, but I loved the slow, snowy, homage to winter that was this book.
❄️ A personal goal is to find more time for art
❄️ Today, I am grateful for vacation days…
Of which I will be taking one tomorrow 😜

#WondrousWednesday
Thanks for the tag @Eggs ! 😘❄️

mabell, BethM, MaleficentBookDragon, Chrissyreadit, Mollyanna, ElizaMarie

ElizaMarie Ooo so glad you are taking a vacation day and spending more time on your art this year! 2w

BethM You just miss home 😉 2w

Eggs Thanks for the thoughtful responses 👍🏼📚👏🏻 2w

mabell Thank you for the tag! 🥰 I‘d love to see some of your creative projects! Enjoy your vacation day today! 2w

Avanders @ElizaMarie ☺️ me too! 😁😘 @BethM maybe.. 😜😘 @Eggs 👍🏽😘 @mabell thanks! 😁😘 2w

49 likes5 comments

xicanti

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) | Sarah J. Maas

I‘m far enough into HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD that I‘m invested in the story and the characters have grown on me, but y‘all? I really think this is a 350-400 page book trapped inside an 800-page book. I get the sense Maas has reached the popularity threshold where her editors don‘t rein her in as often as they would with a newer author or one with a smaller fanbase. So many infodumps. So much unnecessary repetition. #unpopularopinion #NewYearWhoDis

Laughterhp I‘m sure you aren‘t the only one that feels this way! It definitely didn‘t need to be as long as it did. I think I took a break around page 400 or something. 2w

xicanti @Laughterhp I almost took a break after page 200, but I decided to give it a chapter or two more and it clicked for me from there. 2w

DinoMom I find that issue in all of her series, some of the books can be a lot shorter and be more effective. Dont get me wrong I like her books but sometimes I skip whole sections and do not lose the story because the sections were just to long and do not anything to move the plot or characters forward. 2w

xicanti @DinoMom I love some of her books, but I find her pretty uneven overall. I ended up speed-reading a fair few chunks of A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES because I cared deeply about some aspects of the plot and not at all about others. 2w

43 likes4 comments

Megabooks

Klara and the Sun: A novel | Kazuo Ishiguro

I‘m slogging through my final entry from the #ToBshortlist. ? I‘m going to have to take a break because Klara is really grating on my nerves. The #audiobook narration is fine, but I‘m just not digging Klara‘s naïveté. #unpopularopinion

Flaneurette, Cinfhen, Mindyrecycles, Suet624, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB, Ruthiella, sarahbarnes

Ruthiella I don‘t think you will like this one then, Meg. Have you read Ishiguro before? 2w

Megabooks @Ruthiella I have not read him before. I had intended to for awhile but never got around to it. Perhaps this isn‘t the proper introduction?? 2w

Ruthiella @Megabooks I don‘t know about that. Some one on Goodreads was surmising that a reader‘s first Ishiguro will always be the pinnacle which his other books have to match. My first was Never Let Me Go and I was enthralled. I‘ve only read his last 4 books, but don‘t think that Klara is much of a departure. Naive, self-deluded characters are a bit of a theme with him, IMO. 2w

See All 18 Comments

Megabooks @Ruthiella good to know. I‘m leaning towards bailing but I think I‘m going to finish another book before I 💯 decide. 2w

Vansa Same here. I found Klara's narrative voice extremely irritating, and while the central conceit is fascinating- what makes each of us unique when the exterior can be replicated, the author didn't bother seeing it through. It's quite a terrible book, in my opinion, and I would encourage you to bail- it only gets more irritating!! 2w

Cinfhen I wasn‘t super impressed/ I was irritated too and the ending fell really flat 2w

BarbaraBB I felt the same but have read reviews that made me think about it again and appreciate it more. It definitely isn‘t Ishiguro‘s best one imo. I hope you will try him again to see how fantastic he is. Maybe start with

The Remains of the Day

squirrelbrain I felt the same about Klara; I think I commented that she was naive about the wrong things and seemed to know a lot about other things and it just didn‘t ring ‘true‘ with me. I thought this book got worse towards the end as well…. 2w

Megabooks @Vansa thank you. I‘m going to take your and @Ruthiella ‘s advice and bail. Too many books out there. I started this and am really enjoying it

Every Last Fear

Megabooks @Cinfhen I‘m just not invested in it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w

Megabooks @BarbaraBB Remains sounds much more up my alley. I‘ve added it to my TBR. Thanks, Barbara! 2w

Megabooks @squirrelbrain yes, your comments are making sense to me. She just seems a little wooden as well. I keep picturing her looking like Pinocchio! 2w

Cinfhen Hahaha 🤣 love the Pinocchio reference!! That‘s a perfect visual 2w

Megabooks @Ruthiella @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain with this bail, I‘ve finished the #tobshortlist. I‘ll come out with a ranking soon. 👍🏻👍🏻 2w

squirrelbrain Well done! I still have 6 to go, 3 of which I can‘t get hold of yet…. 2w

BarbaraBB I hope you‘ll like Remains if you get to it! And we‘ll done with the shortlist! I have most of the books in house now, just need the time to read them 🥴 2w

BkClubCare Yay!! I am so not a fan of Ishiguro. I agree with Ruthiella- I was a fan after first reading NLMG. And Remains was fine (LOVED the movie), the third book of his disappointed, and finally Klara drove me up the wall! 😩 (edited) 2w

EvieBee I‘m still amazed at your listening speed! Goals. I‘m up to 1.5 with certain narrators that are too slow. (edited) 2w

82 likes1 stack add18 comments

Avanders

Lakesedge | Lyndall Clipstone

I bet at least a couple of these will be #unpopularopinion, but these were my #worstof21 — with Lakesedge coming in at the absolute top of that list. I‘ll say re The End of October that it would have made for great NF, but I felt the author failed in the “story telling” aspect of writing a novel.

Thanks for the tag @MaleficentBookDragon ! 😁😘

RamsFan1963 I don't know if I'd say worst, but Ready Play Two was very disappointing. 3w

Reggie The End of October?!!!!! 😲you‘re dead to me. Lol jk. I loved that book. But I know not every book is for everyone. 😁 3w

Avanders @RamsFan1963 right — it wasn‘t a 1 star for me… (it was 2 😜), and it wasn‘t nearly as bad as Lakesedge… but even going into it prepared that it was going to be disappointing… it was still disappointing! ☹️ 3w

Avanders @Reggie I knowwwww! Lol that was probably the biggest unpopular opinion… I think it was because I just wanted to like it so much, so the disappointment was too sharp 😕 Also, it wasn‘t a 1-star either 😁 it was 2… 3w

68 likes4 comments

MaleficentBookDragon

Nothing But Blackened Teeth | Cassandra Khaw

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My #WorstOf21
Nothing But Blackened Teeth - Really disliked this! My pick for worst of the year. Waste of a great story idea.

BAILED-
The Flight Attendant - 👎🏻book; ❤️ TV show.
Bitter Orange - boring.
Hiding in the Bathroom - not what I was hoping for.
The Only Good Indians - ❤️ the story, but... there was way too much basketball and motorcycles. I‘ve read a few of his books and love his stories, but not his writing style. #unpopularopinion

megnews

MaleficentBookDragon @avanders @pogue @endowarrier21 @mommamanzi @ahw06 @fantasychick @bookwormahn @MeganAnn 3w

megnews I have The Only Good Indians on my TBR but I don‘t think I‘d go for a lot of basketball and motorcycles either. Hmmm…. Thanks for sharing! 3w

MaleficentBookDragon @megnews So many of my friends love his books. I just end up skimming because the stories are great, I just don't care for his writing style. 3w

Avanders Interesting list! I can do one… 🤔😁 3w

Nessavamusic 100 agree about Nothing But Blackened Teeth, was one of my worst of the year also 3w

58 likes5 comments

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