Top Ten Tuesday: Unpopular Bookish Opinions
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is Unpopular Bookish Opinions. Honestly I don’t know how unpopular any of my opinions really are. I half expect when I post this that I’ll learn lots of people share my opinions. If not…
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10 Unpopular Bookish Opinions
- I can’t stand Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I love several of his other books, but I’ve tried to read American Gods twice now and have DNFed it both times. I don’t get it since pretty much everyone else I know loves it, but it’s just not for me.
- Every once in a while, the movie (or TV show) is better than the book. I don’t say this often, but I do believe it in a few rare cases. The 100 comes to mind. I love the TV series but couldn’t get through any of the books.
- Bookshelves organized by color aren’t my thing. Don’t get me wrong – I think they look absolutely beautiful, especially in Instagram photos, but honestly, if I were to organize my books that way, I’m pretty sure I’d never be able to locate a book on them again. Plus, what if series books aren’t the same color? I need my series together on the shelf. I need a more practical system, even if it’s not as asthetically pleasing.
- Standalones > Series. Even though I read a lot of series, I honestly still prefer standalones. I prefer following characters from the beginning to the end of a single book and then being finished with them rather than left hanging waiting for the next installment. I also like that the narrative tends to be tighter in a standalone, whereas sometimes I feel like some series book have a lot of fluff and filler in them.
- The Red Queen series makes me want to scream. Speaking of series, I know a lot of people love the Red Queen series, but I’m not one of them. I made it through the first book and thought it was good enough to pick up Glass Sword, the second book in the series, even though Mare, the main character, and her love triangle, (square, rhombus, whatever it was?), annoyed the bejeezus out of me. That second book, however, did me in and I DNF’ed it and quit the whole series.
- I have very mixed feelings when it comes to John Green’s books. There were some, like The Fault in Our Stars, that I thought were incredible, but then there are others like Turtles All the Way Down and Paper Towns that I just feel meh about.
- I love Dan Brown’s books. I know a lot of people hate them and I’ve heard several say he’s a bad writer, but I completely disagree. Maybe his books are not high brow literature and maybe they’re a bit formulaic, but they’re always very entertaining and I love reading them.
- I don’t love Fiona Barton’s books. I know she’s a super popular author right now, but I just continually struggle to get through her books. I find the writing style somewhat dry and I always struggle to connect with Barton’s characters.
- Maggie Stiefvater is also hit and miss for me. Like with Barton, I know Stiefvater is super popular, but my experience reading her books has been very inconsistent. All the Crooked Saints was mostly a miss for me and I just didn’t connect with the story at all. In contrast, however, I thought The Raven Cycle was pretty amazing.
- The Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series was mostly a miss for me as well. I made it through the first book okay but the next book bored me to the point where I quit the series.
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What are some of your unpopular bookish opinions?
I know what you mean about Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – I couldn’t get through the book and I didn’t like the film… Neil Gaiman’s books are hit and miss for me and I loathed Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Thorns to the extent that I haven’t touched another of his books since. But isn’t it great that we don’t all love the same things?? As for films being better than the book – The Horse Whisperer immediately comes to mind! I loved this post – thank you for sharing:)
I completely agree about The Horse Whisperer!
I’d pick a standalone over series any day…!
I enjoy series, but yes, standalones are the best!
I’m having so much fun reading these!
Me too! It’s really interesting to see everyone’s opinions.
Totally agree with Red Queen – I thought the first book was ok, but the second just completely ruined the series for me and I stopped after that one. I also love Dan Brown’s books!
I sometimes wonder if the series got any better but finally decided I didn’t care enough to find out, lol.
I love Dan Brown books also! I don’t know why people get so down on them. They are quick, interesting reads and I love that I can picture Tom Hanks as the lead.
I don’t know why people are so critical of Brown’s books either. I think they’re great fun!
I love Dan Brown too! Oh, and bookshelves arranged by color are not my thing either. I mean, how do you find anything, unless you remember things by color to begin with?😁
Haha, right? I wish my memory worked that way since the shelves do look pretty that way, but sadly, it doesn’t.
I agree with you in regards to the 100 series being much better TV. I barely managed the first book.
My bookshelf is by grouped by author (in no order) and their books are in release order
John Green is hit and miss for me too.
I actually managed 4 books in the Miss Peregrine’s series but struggled with 4th.
I wish I had liked Miss Peregrine’s more. It had such an interesting premise.
Great list! I’ve been getting back into series recently, but for the most part I’d rather read a really good standalone than a series, too. Especially as so many books get stretched into a series that doesn’t actually fit the story!
I agree, and then you end up with all of these random novellas, etc. It’s like the author just doesn’t want to move on.
I’m not a fan of rainbow bookshelves either, I prefer it when my authors and series are shelved together! I have definitely found some movies to be better than their book counterparts as well.
I need my authors and series together too. That’s just the way my brain likes them, lol.
I talked about the show/movie being better than the book sometimes in my list this week as well.
My TTT.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with that opinion. 🙂
Well, I couldn’t agree more with you on some of these, Suzanne. Bookshelves organized by color? Ridiculous. Series vs stand alone? I definitely prefer stand alone. The series is a bit of a scam, it seems to me. It’s a way for the publisher’s and authors to rake in more money for work that is short. Short in so many ways. I find the series could easily be combined into a single, proper book but then they would only make 1/3 the proceeds. Of course, being an author is not a way to become rich by any means but, still. I loathe this tactic.
I still think The Notebook movie was far superior to the book.
I had to look up some of these authors. I have not read a single Neil Gaiman book. I will be correcting that this summer.
I enjoy unpopular opinions!
I agree about The Notebook too. I didn’t like the book at all.
I feel you on the film or TV Show better than the book sometimes. I’ve never read American Gods, but I’m not sure it’s my thing. Here is my post https://paigesofbook.blogspot.com/2019/06/top-ten-tuesday-unpopular-bookish.html
I really wanted to love American Gods because the premise is so interesting, but I just couldn’t get through it.
I have never read Gaiman. And I agree- sometimes the movie or show IS better. The 100 is a prime example!
Color coded shelves- they do look awesome, but I think it would be weird to have books in the same series in different spots…
Right? The 100 book series just isn’t for me at all even though I love the TV show.
I do like standalones more than series, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that there are so few true contemporary series.
True, although there are some good ones.
I still have to read something by Maggie Stiefvater. I didn’t know Dan Brown’s books were looked down upon (except for maybe the Da Vinci Code because of the potentially blasphemous things it insinuated about Jesus). Origin wasn’t really my favorite, but I did like The Lost Symbol.
I’ve read quite a few negative comments about his books on Goodreads and I just don’t get the criticism.
Loving these unpopular opinions, Suzanne. I enjoy looking at the rainbow shelves, but you are right- I can’t find anything as it is, and organizing that way would not work for me! 😬
I’m glad I’m not the only one. If it’s not alphabetical by author’s last name, I’m hopeless, lol.
I feel the same about shelves organized by color. They look pretty and to each their own! But for one thing, I have so many books that I’m like, what color is this??? There are multiple colors here??? But also, like you, I couldn’t stand to separate my series! I do have to disagree with you about standalones though 😛 Although some of my faves have been standalones, so *shrugs* they’re both good!
If I was as good as you are at keeping up with series reading, I would have said series were better too. I just always suck at following through and actually finishing my series, lol.
I have no intentions of ever reading a John Green book… I agree that sometimes (not often) the TV show/movie is better than the book. I need my series together on my bookshelves too (don’t care whether it’s aesthetically pleasing) and despite not being my preferred genre of books, I love Dan Brown. You’re not alone! lol
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only Dan Brown fan out there. I’ll never understand why people get so down on his books. Oh well, I guess he’s laughing all the way to the bank.
I tend to prefer standalones over series as well. And yes, the book is not always better, but most of them it is!
-Lauren
I agree. Most of the time the book is way better, but there are definitely a few exceptions.
I am so glad I am not alone in not loving American Gods! It was just okay for me. I really don’t get the hype.
I wanted to get the hype, but it just didn’t work at all for me.
I agree, I don’t think anyone actually arranges their book shelves by colour – it’s not practical! I do like the Gaiman books that I’ve read but haven’t tackled American Gods yet. I wouldn’t have read Miss Perigrine as it’s teen/YA and I thought the film was OK (it’s a children’s film after all) but wouldn’t watch it unless the kids wanted to.
As to films outshining the books, I don’t read high fantasy or sci-fi so there are loads of films I’ve watched and loved but wouldn’t pick up the book, e.g. LoTRs and Hobbit films, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.
I hope you enjoy American Gods more than I did. It was really disappointing that I couldn’t get into it.
I’m loving this week’s topic💜 It feels like true confessions😏
I haven’t a clue why so many feel the need to bash Dan Brown but he’s smiling all the way to the bank. I found The Da Vinci Code wonderful, as did my totally diverse book club at the time. When an author gets famous, she/he just naturally attracts critics with loud voices.
I love me series reading but not those that have a continuing story arc beyond three books. I like them for character continuity and other connections. But, I’m reading a lot of standalones these days and am enjoying them immensely.
Fun list, Suzanne💜
I agree about Dan Brown laughing all the way to the bank. That’s the best part about it, lol.
I relate so much to your list! Only one that’s a miss for me is Neil Gaiman–I loved American Gods and I’m sorry to hear that it’s just not for you, but it is what it is 🤷🏻♀️ Oh man, the Red Queen series really irritated me. I thought it started off strong but I couldn’t get through book two either (I wanted to smack everyone). Love triangles+ are really not my jam! And yes again about Mrs. Peregrine’s Home… I mean, it’s interesting and I love what the author did with the pictures in the book, but like… I didn’t love this like everyone else did, so I’m glad to find someone else who feels the same! Lol
I was bummed about American Gods too. I’ve enjoyed several of his other books so never would have guessed his most popular would be such a miss for me.
I am so relieved that I am not the only one feeling “off” for John Green! And the same happens to me for Christina Lauren…
So far I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Christina Lauren, but I’ve only read their most recent books.
I don’t understand organizing books by color either!! Yes it looks super pretty, but how do you not keep books in a series together? Most books within a series have different color spines and it would dive my nuts not having them next to each other. It would physically pain me to separate them!
Lol, glad I’m not the only one. I could maybe color code my standalones but I still think I’d never be able to find any book that I’m looking for.
I always hate it when people rec American Gods as the first book to read by Neil Gaiman because it is so much more hit and miss than some of his others. It also wasn’t really my thing. A 3 star read. Not bad but not what people said it was. I think I enjoyed the tv show a little more. 😉
I agree. I was glad I had read and loved a couple of Gaiman’s other books before I tried American Gods. If I had tried that first, as much as I disliked it, I wouldn’t have read anymore of his and would have missed out on some amazing reads.
I’ve not read American Gods but I did try watching the TV series as it was so hyped, I got a couple of episodes in but it just wasn’t for me…
I also agree that sometimes a TV show or movie can be better than the book!
Great post!
I had originally planned to watch American Gods but then decided to read the book first. Since I disliked that so much, I decided not to watch the show either.