THE WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING BOOKS I READ IN 2018
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood 1 star This was hands down the most disappointing book I read in 2018. It wasn't the worst, but it was in 2nd because this was a dumpster fire of bad writing, horrible characters with no development, and absurd obsessions with sex (one girl imprints sexually with a teddy bear).
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon 2 stars This rating breaks my heart. I loved the Outlander series with all of my heart, but this took my heart and stepped on it twenty times and then asked me to stay down for ten more times because it just wouldn't end. This was one of the most boring books I've ever read. Nothing happened. You can't write a 1200-page book where nothing happens. I'm done with this series and that breaks my heart a bit.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton 2.25 stars This was one of the books I was most excited about in the last half of 2018 and it was a dud. I loved the plot, but the novel was just not working for me. The writing really hindered my enjoyment. Check out my review here.
Flawless by Sara Shepard 1 star I thought it would be fun to finish the Pretty Little Liars in 2018. That didn't happen because, oh boy, was this book was NOT GOOD. The plot was ridiculous, the moral lessons were questionable for the target audience, and the content concerning sexual consent for minors with adults was skewed with illegalities that were swept under the rug. Not okay.
The Hollow by Jessica Verday 2 stars (originally 5 stars) This hurts me in a different way because The Hollow was one of my favorite novels in middle school, but yikes! There is no plot with this novel and the characters (the two love birds) are a mess of emotions for the sake of teen angst. They are your typical MCR music video couple (which is probably why I loved it so much when I was younger), but as an adult I need a plot. Check out my review here.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 2 stars I really liked the audio narrator for this book, but this book was a hot mess. It was wracked with cliches and full of foreseeable and predictable plots. I was not surprised by anything in this book because it had nothing new to bring to the table except rehashing the glorious and most stupendous time of the history of man- the 1980s (yes, I'm being sarcastic).
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas 3.25 stars This is probably the highest rated book on this list, but this book made me sad. I wanted to love this, but these two characters need to stop being the focal point of the story. They offer nothing new to the world and I love slice of life stuff, but I want Nessa and Cassian to be the focus. I was over Feysand. Check out my review here.
Endless Night by Richard Laymon 1 star This was the worst book I read in 2018. It could be higher on the list, but it didn't disappoint me as much as the other ones. Just know that this is the worst book of the year for me and it deserves to stay on that throne. Check out my review here.
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley 2 stars I have always wanted to read a Kearsley novel, but this one was a bust for me. I'm still sad about it, but I have hope for the others that I do want to read one day. Check out my review here.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner 1.25 stars I wanted to love it, but I hated it. The characters were vapid and the romance made me want to gag. It was a hot mess and I was unimpressed.
Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh 3 stars I thought I was going to love this because it is a YA fantasy with necromancy but the world felt empty and the characters did not capture my attention. It was not what I expected and wanted. Check out my review here.
Love and Death in the Sunshine State: The Story of a Crime by Cutter Wood 1.25 stars I wanted a great true crime novel and I got a painful read about a guy's romance. This was a slog to get through and I was very disappointed in it. Check out my review here.
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton 3 stars (DNF) This had promise, but there was so much buildup and slowness. It was like a never-ending moment of building and hopefulness just to get to the opening and famous scene from King Lear. I stopped reading after that scene because my ARC copy was only a preview and that was enough for me. Check out my review here.
Blood Will Out by Jo Treggiari 1.5 stars I was so disappointed in this YA thriller. It sounded right up my alley with its dark premise, but the novel was one of the biggest letdowns. I disliked the direction of the novel and I was just unimpressed overall with it. Check out my review here.
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han 3 stars Gosh, I was so saddened by this novel. The first novel is so good. It has its faults, but this novel just bombed. It wasn't horrible, but the drama was unnecessary, the character development unimpressive, and I was just longer invested in the plot development. Check out my review here.
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll 2 stars (DNF) Nope. This one was not for me. I was so disappointed by the character development and I could not connect to any of them. It dragged on forever and there didn't seem to be much buildup. Check out my review here.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner 1.25 stars I wanted to love it, but I hated it. The characters were vapid and the romance made me want to gag. It was a hot mess and I was unimpressed.
Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh 3 stars I thought I was going to love this because it is a YA fantasy with necromancy but the world felt empty and the characters did not capture my attention. It was not what I expected and wanted. Check out my review here.
Love and Death in the Sunshine State: The Story of a Crime by Cutter Wood 1.25 stars I wanted a great true crime novel and I got a painful read about a guy's romance. This was a slog to get through and I was very disappointed in it. Check out my review here.
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton 3 stars (DNF) This had promise, but there was so much buildup and slowness. It was like a never-ending moment of building and hopefulness just to get to the opening and famous scene from King Lear. I stopped reading after that scene because my ARC copy was only a preview and that was enough for me. Check out my review here.
Blood Will Out by Jo Treggiari 1.5 stars I was so disappointed in this YA thriller. It sounded right up my alley with its dark premise, but the novel was one of the biggest letdowns. I disliked the direction of the novel and I was just unimpressed overall with it. Check out my review here.
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han 3 stars Gosh, I was so saddened by this novel. The first novel is so good. It has its faults, but this novel just bombed. It wasn't horrible, but the drama was unnecessary, the character development unimpressive, and I was just longer invested in the plot development. Check out my review here.
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll 2 stars (DNF) Nope. This one was not for me. I was so disappointed by the character development and I could not connect to any of them. It dragged on forever and there didn't seem to be much buildup. Check out my review here.
The Game of Hope by
Sandra Gulland 2 stars (DNF) Sometimes I like to look at this book and pretend that I liked it and finished it, but neither of those things happened. Check out my review here.
It’s All About the
Duke by Amelia Grey 2 stars This is one of the most boring historical romances that I've ever read. Nothing really happened and I can't remember why I was supposed to care about this one. Check out my review here.
I Am Still Alive by
Kate Alice Marshall 2 stars Survival books are a mixed bag. Sometimes I love them and other times I'm unimpressed with them. This is an unimpressed example for example for me. I was not jiving with the main character and that's integral for a novel all about them surviving. Check out my review here.
The Death of Mrs.
Westaway by Ruth Ware 3 stars This was my first Ruth Ware book and she is popular in the thriller genre, but most of the people I respect and love on the Internet are not fans of hers. I wasn't that much of a fan either. Color me unimpressed but also slightly intrigued. I liked the Gothic setting, but that was about it.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard
for Otaku 1 by Fujita 1 star (DNF) I rarely DNF manga, but this one just was not my cup of tea. I couldn't connect to the characters and I thought the story was going in the direction of NOWHEREsville. Check out my review here.
Starlings by Jo
Walton 3 stars I wasn't disappointed this one, but I did think I was going to rate it higher. Short story collections are a mixed bag. Out of all the books on this list, I would recommend this one the most. Check out my review here.
The School for
Psychics by K.C. Archer 1.75 stars I can't be disappointed by something I thought I wasn't going to like, but dang, did I not like this one. Check out my review here.
The King of Bones and
Ashes by J.D. Horn 1.5 stars (DNF) This had potential, but that potential was short-lived. And so was my time with this book. Check out my review here.
Overall, there are a couple of gems here and some books that you may really like (or love). Sadly, these were my 2018 busts. I was raging over some, crying in disappointment over others, and shrugging my shoulders in mock acknowledgment. I don't want to end this on a completely negative note and I always want to recommend books, so here are the five I recommend the most from this list:
1. Starlings
2. P.S. I Still Love You
3. A Court of Frost & Starlight
4. Reign of the Fallen
5. The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Have you read any of these novels? What were your most disappointing reads recently or in 2018? What are your thoughts on my list? Let me know down below in the comments!
Overall, there are a couple of gems here and some books that you may really like (or love). Sadly, these were my 2018 busts. I was raging over some, crying in disappointment over others, and shrugging my shoulders in mock acknowledgment. I don't want to end this on a completely negative note and I always want to recommend books, so here are the five I recommend the most from this list:
1. Starlings
2. P.S. I Still Love You
3. A Court of Frost & Starlight
4. Reign of the Fallen
5. The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Have you read any of these novels? What were your most disappointing reads recently or in 2018? What are your thoughts on my list? Let me know down below in the comments!
I was disappoined in the Death of Mrs. Westaway and PS I Still Love You too. I mean they were ok but I wanted to love the more.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way! I wanted so much more out of both of them. I was so disappointed because the potential was there.
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