Jenna’s Five Disappointing Reads of 2017

December 21, 2017 by Jenna | Features

I haven’t read a lot of books this year and I have to say that there weren’t that many standouts for me this year. I read a lot of books that I found to be very average and some that were disappointing and didn’t live up to the hype for me.

So here are my five most disappointing reads of 2017:

1. Literally by Lucy Keating | Aila’s Review

This was definitely the most disappointing read for me this year and it’s one that I’m happy to just forget about. This book is all about YA tropes and I think in trying to be ironic, it actually became the most tropey book I’ve ever read. I also found it to be… wanky (for lack of a better word) because the author kept talking herself up in the book (yes, there is a character called Lucy Keating who is the author in the book). I just thought that it was a bit of a nothing book with unexciting characters and an average plot.

2. Sad Girls by Lang Leav

This is Lang Leav’s debut novel and I thought I’d check it out because I was curious how her prose would compare to her poetry. I loved that the novel was set in Australia but that was kind of about it. I thought that it was a very realistic portrayal of a high school experience for some teenagers but there were lots of things that I couldn’t really identify with. The main character also kept making terrible decisions and I just found it hard to relate and understand the novel.

3. The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich | My Review

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book and I was extremely excited to read it, even preordering myself a hardcover. My main problem with this novel was that it had a wonderful concept that was executed in a cheesy reality TV kind of way. I liked the two main characters but I thought they were a little bit unoriginal. Overall, it was a quick read but definitely did not live up to the hype.

4. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera | My Review | Jeann’s Review

I’m a bit of a black sheep on this one but I thought it was kind of underwhelming. The writing was beautiful as always but I was emotionally unattached to everything that happened in the novel. I also thought that the world building was lacking and I had a lot of questions about a lot of things that were in the book. I’ve read books with similar concepts and thought those were better executed.

5. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge | My Review | Jeann’s Review

There was also a lot of hype about Rosamund Hodge’s books and I have to say that I don’t really get it. I found Cruel Beauty to be extremely confusing and just didn’t really understand what was going on. I love fairytale retellings and was really excited that this one had Greek mythology in it, but I was not a fan of the plot or the love triangle.

Let me know if you feel the same about any of these books, or what your disappointments of the year were! I’ve love to discuss.

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Jenna is an Aussie blogger and reader who loves to indulge in great books and great food. She is a doctor (of philosophy) and can usually be found fangirling about something, devouring delicious food, or taking a nap. You can find her on Twitter @readwithjenna and on Instagram @readingwithjenna.

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10 responses to “Jenna’s Five Disappointing Reads of 2017

  1. I don’t get ‘cruel beauty’ either. I thought it was going to be a beauty & the beast retelling but not only I didn’t like the protagonist name, I also didn’t care enough of any of the characters. I skimmed to the end and I still think of it as a disappointment.

    have a lovely day.
    lissa recently posted…20 Days of Chill: Mac and cheese – FictionMy Profile

  2. Aw, I’m so sorry They Both Die at the End wasn’t a hit for you Jenna! I remember being captivated by it and it wasn’t until the end hit that I felt soo much emotion. (I didn’t really cry a lot though) HAHA I reread my review of Literally and I really didn’t have anything good to say about it. 😛 Oops!
    Aila J. recently posted…Jenna’s Five Disappointing Reads of 2017My Profile

  3. I did really like They Both Die, BUT I was actually surprised that I didn’t cry a ton? I did feel connected though, so I suppose that is the difference. Literally was okay for me- not the best book I ever read or anything, just… there, hah. I think I am skipping Cruel Beauty after being super disappointed by the author’s most recent book (and wasn’t she being problematic on Twitter, too? Too many strikes hahah.) Sorry that these were letdowns for you!
    Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…Sea of Strangers by Erica Cameron: Review & GiveawayMy Profile

    • Great to hear that you enjoyed these more than I did, Shannon! I haven’t read Rosamund Hodge’s newest book but I wasn’t that impressed with Crimson Bound either. I just don’t think this author’s books are for me. (And I’ve also heard that she was problematic on Twitter as well).
      Jenna recently posted…Jenna’s Five Disappointing Reads of 2017My Profile

    • I know some bloggers who have LOVED The Love Interest so definitely check it out! It does have a really interesting concept, but it just wasn’t for me.

  4. OH I felt the same way about Cruel Beauty – it had a lot of potential, but it was a bit…flat, for me, somehow. The world left me a bit confused overall, which prevented me from enjoying the book a whole lot. It was still entertaining, but I expected more :/
    Great post! I hope you’ll have less disappointing reads next year, Jenna 🙂
    Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books recently posted…2017, the year in books : my favorites, recommendations and moreMy Profile

    • Thanks Marie! I had the same experience as you with Cruel Beauty. Everything was just so confusing and it was such hard work following everything that was happening. I didn’t hate it but it was disappointing since there was so much hype for it.

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