Tag: DisappointingReads

Despite the title, this isn’t a post where we plan to poo-poo on authors who have disappointed us. It’s more to be reflective of the books we were initially anticipating or desperate for.. and how they fared in execution vs expectation. Also please know that if any of these books, or authors, are your favourites, that’s great! Every reading experience is different.

Worth noting is some of these books might have been three stars. But if we expected it to be a five, it’s kind of disappointing to only like, not love, it. Please bear that in mind. Disappointment doesn’t mean hate; but there might be some on those in this list, too.

For clarity, these are books we read in 2021, not necessary books published in 2021, and presented in no particular order.

And so with those disclaimer out of the way..

Hollis’ Top Ten Disappointing Reads :

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles
The Ippos King by Grace Draven
King of Scars Duology by Leigh Bardugo

Micky’s Top Ten Disappointing Reads :

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harlow
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Madam by Phoebe Wynn
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins-Reid
Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne
The Forevers by Chris Whittaker
An Emotion of Great Delight by Tarereh Mafi
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Santoro
The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave

---

If you were one of those “lucky” few who caught us (Hollis) accidentally publishing a draft of this early, sorry! But sURPRISE, the nature of our post has changed, so you likely didn’t actually get spoiled by our list. And speaking of which.. do you have a list of any disappointments? Let us know in the comments!

Hollis here. Despite the title, this isn’t a post where we plan to poo-poo on authors who have disapponted us. It’s more to be reflective on the books we were initially anticipating or desperate for.. and how they fared in execution vs expectation. Also please know that if any of these books, or authors, are your favourites, that’s great! Every reading experience is different.

Worth noting is some of these books might have been three stars. But if we expected it to be a five, it’s kind of disappointing to only like, not love, it. Please bear that in mind. Disappointment doesn’t mean hate; but there might be some on those in this list, too. And so with that disclaimer out of the way..

In order of publication, here are the books that disappointed us in 2020 :

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera — January 14, 2020
Only Most Devastated by Sophie Gonzales — March 3, 2020 (Hollis only)
Docile by K.M. Szpara — March 3, 2020
The Rich Boy by Kylie Scott — March 9, 2020
A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourne — March 10, 2020
The Honey-Don’t List by Christin Lauren — March 24, 2020 (Hollis only)
The Switch by Beth O’Leary — April 16, 2020
The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence — April 30, 2020
Q by Christina Dalcher — May 4, 2020
Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn — May 5, 2020
The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper — May 14, 2020
Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert — June 2, 2020
Again Again by E. Lockhart — June 2, 2020
Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven — June 9, 2020
The Dare by Elle Kennedy — June 16, 2020
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall — July 7, 2020 (Hollis only)
The Damned by Renée Ahdieh — July 7, 2020 (Hollis only)
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston — August 4, 2020 (Hollis only)
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daris — August 4, 2020
Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar — August 11, 2020
Here Is The Beehive by Sarah Crossan – August 20, 2020
Better Than People by Roan Parrish — August 25, 2020
A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dumore — September 1, 2020 (Hollis only)
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin — September 1, 2020
The Roommate by Rosie Danan — September 15, 2020
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke — September 15, 2020
Well Played by Jen DeLuca — September 22, 2020
All This Time by Mikki Daughtrey & Rachel Lippincott — September 29, 2020
In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren — October 6, 2020
Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer — November 3, 2020

While this looks fairly intense when you pit it against our total books read for the year — for Micky (232) and Hollis (235) — it’s not actually that bad! Do you have a list of any disappointments, say top five? Let us know in the comments!