I Read Hundreds of Books — These 3 Didn’t Live Up to the Hype

Even the Most Popular Books Can Be Disappointing

Photo by Guzel Maksutova on Unsplash

Are you a DNFer or a push-through reader?

I used to never DNF any book, even if I hated it. It just felt wrong not to read it from start to finish. Then I realized that the time I’m spending on reading a book that I don’t enjoy, I could’ve read a book I love.

As a reader, picking up a book you were so excited to read, for it not to live up to the hype is heartbreaking. Especially when it’s a book that everybody else loves. It only shows how subjective reading is, and there’s beauty in that.

That is also one of the reasons why I take ratings with a grain of salt. Just because someone rated a book 3 stars doesn’t mean that you won’t rate it 5 stars. I had that happen a lot, usually books that I didn’t know much of or that were not popular ended up being my favorite.

Here are 3 books that I really hoped would make me love them, but unfortunately, they were not my cup of tea.

1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

This book was on my wishlist for such a long time, and I was so happy once I got my hands on it. It sounded like a perfect book for me as it has a mixture of fantasy, but also personal growth and development. It gained a lot of popularity on BookTok and Goodreads, which I do get why.

However, it was underwhelming for me because I majored in philosophy, and this book covers a lot of philosophical topics, but on a very surface level. When I was reading reviews, it looked like the book came up with some mindblowing revelations. I expected a deeply emotional and thought-provoking story, but the message ended up being too obvious and lacked depth.

2. Normal People by Sally Rooney

This is one of the most recommended contemporary novels. Sally Rooney is one of those authors whose writing you either love or hate. Well, for me, this book was a complete miss. I really couldn’t connect with her writing style. While it’s often described as a story about miscommunication, I never felt that was actually the main plot.

The two main characters were generally honest about their feelings for each other, so their constant hesitation and inability to move forward started to feel frustrating rather than believable. Early on, their different social backgrounds created an interesting source of tension, but once that obstacle disappeared, I expected the story to explore new challenges. Instead, I found myself struggling to understand their choices, which made it difficult to stay emotionally invested in their relationship.

3. Tales from the Town of Widows by James Cañón

This is the book I did not finish. Tales from the Town of Widows had one of the most unique premises I’ve ever come across, which is exactly why I wanted to read it. I thought that it would be a powerful, emotional story that would stay with me long after I finished reading. Unfortunately, I couldn’t even force myself to finish it.

The author was very ambitious with the themes the novel explores. However, I found the pacing uneven, making it difficult to stay fully engaged throughout the story. I also struggled to connect with the characters on an emotional level. That is one of the reasons I couldn’t invest in their journey as I had hoped. It wasn’t a bad book; it simply wasn’t the right fit for me, and it didn’t leave the lasting emotional impact I was expecting.

Final Thoughts

I truly believe that you learn something from every book, even the ones you didn’t like. Reading made me know what I like and dislike in a book, so I can focus more on books that I enjoy. I also learned that just because a book is popular doesn’t mean everyone will love it.

Reading is personal, and that’s why it is so much fun. I would definitely recommend you check out these books, as you might have a completely different experience with them.

What’s a popular book that didn’t live up to the hype for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!