Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like More Than I Did (20)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I thought about doing this list half and half, but unless there's a book with a summary I FREAK OUT OVER, most books interest me. There are some I'll pass on, but not many. So instead of wracking my brains for 5 books I thought I'd like less, I'm just going to do the full 10 of books that let me down. Which sounds bad. Because you never want anything to disappoint you, but you can't love every since book, y'know?

1. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

I just didn't love this one. Absentee parents and a lack of mystery, among other things. I didn't HATE it, I just wanted more from it. It really is a great premise, but that's pretty much where my interest in this book ends. [My Review]

2. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Everyone either loves or hates this one and I just kind of fell in the middle. I really did think I was going to like it. I'm not sure why. Probably because of the historical bits. I love that kind of stuff. But I dunno. This one just didn't do it for me. I'm pretty sure I even liked the movie better. [My Review]

3. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

I WANTED TO MUCH TO LIKE THIS BOOK. Really. The cover is brilliant, it was very much anticipated and the summary's GREAT. But at the end of the day this one was just a giant fail for me. I STILL can't picture what Weaving looks like, which drives me asbolutely crazy. [My Review]

4. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I don't know what I thought this book was going to be, but I read the first 80 pages and then DNFed it. A bunch of my books were due back in the library in the next week or so and I was more interested in getting through those than plowing my way through J.K.'s adult fiction. I might give it another go, but it's never going to be what I want it to be, is it?

5. The Selection by Kiera Cass

I WAITED SO LONG TO GET THIS BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY. Truth? I was so DESPERATELY disappointed. It didn't feel dystopian and no one mattered to me except Prince Maxon. I'll still be reading The Elite, but I'm not sure I'm going to be happy about it. [My Review]

6. Requiem by Lauren Oliver

I think A LOT of people wanted to like this one more. I wasn't a HUGE fan of the series but I felt like the last book was a major cop out. Also, I'm still spinning for the abundance of characters featured. Seriously. I need a character map. [My Review]

7. Death & Co. by D.J. McCune

I'm not sure what I thought this book was going to be, but I wanted it to be better. I think I was optimistic because I had JUST finished Ferryman which is another book revolving around Death/a Grim Reaper type character and I LOVE IT. But this one just let me down big time. [My Review]

8. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

I read this one as part of a read-along on my blog back when the TV show hit the airwaves. But I didn't like it. Just another book that wasn't what I wanted it to be. I did like the TV show. That was cute. And a lot more of what I wanted both it, as a TV show, and the book to be. [My Review]

9. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

SO MANY PEOPLE love this book and I am just not one of them. I read the first three a while back and I hated myself for it. But once I started the series I couldn't not finish (it's a disease, I swear). I'm still debating as to whether or not I want to read The Infernal Devices series and I think I'm going to. I just hope I don't hate myself for that decision as well. 

10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Good old J.K. *sigh* What can I say about this one? I think I got mad at this series at the end of book 5 when Sirius died and nothing J.K. could say or do would make it better. But there's definitely more to it than that. I've had whole hour-long conversations regarding my negative feelings towards this book. It's not that I didn't want the magic to end. I was ready for it by the time this one came out. I just didn't think the final installment did the series justice. 

Tell me, did any of these books let YOU down as well? Or did you write a post about the Top Ten Books You Thought You'd Like Less? That's a much happier list, don't you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: You Have Seven Messages

Title: You Have Seven Messages
Author: Stewart Lewis
Release Date: September 13th, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 304
Source: Borrowed from the New York Public Library
Rating: ★★★☆☆

It's been a year since Luna's mother, the fashion-model wife of a successful film director, was hit and killed by a taxi in New York's East Village. Luna, her father, and her little brother, Tile, are still struggling with grief.

When Luna goes to clean out her mother's old studio, she's stunned to find her mom's cell phone there—charged and holding seven unheard messages. As Luna begins to listen to them, she learns more about her mother's life than she ever wanted to know... and she comes to realize that the tidy tale she's been told about her mother's death may not be the whole truth.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

The other week I was at the library picking up some books on hold. I stopped to check out what my tiny little branch had on the shelves. This book was one of my impulse pick-ups. I'd never heard of it and I didn't even check Goodreads. I just liked the sound of the plot and so I grabbed it. Unfortunately, I didn't love this one the way I thought I would. I wanted a contemporary mystery and instead I got something much different.

Let's break this down:

So I thought this book would be a mystery. I love a sleuth-y teen (re: Veronica Mars). This book was not that. It's more a coming of age story. Which, don't get me wrong, I LOVE. Luna's a sweet girl who REALLY grows into her own throughout the course of the story. She's a truly compelling character and I want her to figure her life out. But I feel like a lot of her life situations are kinda unrealistic and maybe even a little contradictory.

Okay, so I'm not a celebrity's kid and I don't know any celebrity's kids, but I feel like Luna's life doesn't make any sense. One minute her father's all up in her face about where she is and her taking the subway, like a responsible parent. Then the next minute he's leaving her and her kid brother with a woman he met like two minutes ago while he goes on a business trip. Not to mention he sends Luna on her own off to Italy for a couple weeks to be lightly supervised by her uncle (whom I love, but who's also insanely irresponsible with his niece). Don't the rich and famous have au pairs, nannies and other miscellaneous hired help to watch after the kids? I mean, Oliver does, so I'm not sure why Luna wouldn't.

I'm also never entirely sure about the timeline. I get that it's been a year since the mother's death but wouldn't Luna's father be smart enough to do something with that apartment if he had something to hide? I don't know. I just feel like this story would be WAY more plausible if it had taken place sooner after Luna's mother's death. And, as mentioned before, I kind of wished there'd been more of a mystery. Luna's resourceful and clever. Even though this book is more about her growth as she listens to the messages and finds out the truth about her mother's last days, I just kind of wish there'd been something more for her to solve.

Furthermore, I feel like the last year since Luna's mother died is important to the storyline but isn't really utilized. The family dynamics were kind of muddy and this could have been cleared up with more flashback-y kind of stuff. Ugh, and then there's this: I'm never entirely sure how old Luna's brother is or why said brother never seems to be important to his parents, just to his older sister (that's a way more minor point than the others mentioned in this paragraph, but it IRKED me).

But going back to Oliver for a quick second - he's adorbs, do NOT get me wrong, but I don't totally get why he's all flighty in this book. It's sort of explained but not really. Either way, I think his relationship with Luna is super sweet and one of the redeeming features of the story. There's a mystery I wanted solved. Mostly because the other mystery - the death of the mother, isn't really a mystery and it falls kind of flat.

I don't know guys. I really, really liked Luna's character development. I also really like Daria and Oliver. And I think Tile's a cutie. But this plot seems to fight with itself a lot. Luna's an adult, but no, she's a child, and then no, her father is lying to her and acting all cold but really he's a great dad... these inconsistencies go on much more than I'd like. But if you're focus on Luna's growth throughout, this story really is very compelling and worth the read, if not the purchase.

The long and short of it?

Plot: Strangely conflicted.
World Building: The confusing lifestyle of the rich and the famous potentially mis-represented?
Character Development: The redeeming aspect of the book. Luna really carries the show here and she does it spectacularly.
Prose: Earnest, just like the story itself.
Would I Recommend This Book?: Not worth the buy but it could be an interesting library borrow.

So tell me, have you read this one? Did you get the timeline better than me? If you did, could you help a girl out? Pretty please?

Bout of Books 6.0: Goals

   

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

This is my first ever week-long read-a-thon. There are going to be challenges and Twitter chats and prizes and lots of books and I'M SO EXCITED because I love all of these things. So very many thanks to Amanda and Kelly for hosting. Monday really can't come soon enough!

MY GOALS

• Read at least 6 books from the list below.
• Participate in at least 1 Twitter chat.
• Network with bloggers and make awesome new friends.
• Participate in at least 3 challenges.

BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM

    

       

1. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

3. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

4. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

5. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

6. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

7. Fever by Lauren DeStefano

8. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Are you taking part in Bout of Books 6.0? What are your goals? Sound off in the comments below!

Stacking the Shelves (4)

"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Oh boy. I made a mess of things for myself this week. I actually went to Barnes and Noble twice in 3 days. One of those days was Christmas, so really twice in 2 days. And then I also got a little library crazy. But I can't HELP myself and I doubt any of you are going to be any help, so instead I vote we all just enjoy my weekly haul.

BORROWED

  

1. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

My friend Danna Facebook messaged me to tell me this one's a good read and I should get on it. It was on my list anyways so, given the fact that Danna introduced me to Sarah Dessen and the Mediator Series by Meg Cabot (NBD, read about that HERE), I bumped this one up to the top of my list.

2. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This book, like Why We Broke Up, weaseled it's way onto my TBR list this past summer as I perused books at BN. Somehow it managed to weasel it's way onto my holds list at the library this past week and I'm EXCITED about it's sneakiness.

3. Ex-Mas by Kate Brian

I'm Jewish, so I don't do the whole Christmas thing. As such, I've decided I get to read Christmas books just so I don't feel left out! ^_^

4. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Someone posted about this book the other day and when I saw it in the library I picked it up on a whim. So basically I'm just kind of hoping it's actually good.

5. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

I have never heard of this one but the plot sounds kind of interesting and it's not a particularly long one. Besides, contemporary's my fav. So again, another hopeful moment in my life.

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

No silly story for this pick. It's just another 'everyone loves it so I must read it' scenario. Sorry :P

BOUGHT

7. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
After finishing If I Stay, I knew I just HAD to buy the sequel, Where She Went. And then write a review about that one as well.

[Read my review of If I Stay HERE and my review of Where She Went HERE.]

8. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

John Green + David Levithan strikes me as the kind of writing duo that could potentially rule the world. I hope I'm not wrong.

9. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I love Maggie Stiefvater to death and I'm not sure why I haven't read this one yet, so when I saw it sitting on the shelf, the only Stiefvater book in sight, I decided it was a sign and I BOUGHT IT. I'm not even a little sorry about it.

10. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

My friend Leah told me Melina Marchetta is her favsies. We agree on pretty much everything else bookish, Whovian-ish and Veronica Mars-ish, so I decided to buy this one when I saw it chillin' on a shelf at BN. (Leah, this is the second time I'm talking about you on my blog. HOW HAPPY ARE YOU?)

11. What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

I'm into pretty covers and interesting plots like those attached to this book. So instead of picking this one up and putting it down 100 times (as I've done in my last 10 trips to BN), I decided to just PICK IT UP. And buy it, of course.

12. Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

The synopsis on this one reminded me a little of The Time Traveler's Wife. That book was a maaaaaajor cryfest and I'm kind of hoping this one won't be as dramatic, although at the same time I'm kind of hoping it is. Is that crazy? Oh well, it's not like I didn't know 'crazy' was a character trait of mine.

13. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I actually picked up and opened to the first page of this book the last time I went to BN (not sure why I hadn't before...) and I saw that there are actually STRIKE THROUGHS in the text. So I was like, the last super unconventionally written book I read was The Book Thief and I basically died over it, so why not spontaneously buy this one and give it a shot?

What did you guys pick up this week? Tell me all about it in the comments below!