Happy Tuesday, y’all! This week, Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl is asking us to share our unpopular bookish opinions. The only thing I could do this week is share books that don’t deserve the hype. Several of these books are highly rated and much loved, but they didn’t work for me. That’s why I try to avoid hyped books.
Confession time: I only finished reading three of the ten books. Would my opinions be different if I had finished them? Possibly! But won’t try them again, as I rarely return to books once I DNF them. Maybe you can change my mind? All titles will lead to Goodreads.
Now let’s check out these books that don’t deserve the hype.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Release Date: March 2022
- Why It’s Overhyped: There’s‘s a sexual assault at the beginning of the book. The victim is blamed. The first 40% was boring.
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Release Date: February 2020
- Why It’s Overhyped: There are too many characters to keep straight. Is there a story to follow? I did try the audiobook, becausthat’s’s what everyone was suggesting.
The Maid by Nita Prose
- Genre: Mystery
- Release Date: January 2022
- Why It’s Overhyped: The synopsis and the comparisons are misleading. My message from the book is that doing wrong can make right.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Genre: Mystery, Thriller
- Release Date: May 2012
- Why It’s Overhyped: The main characters are too self-centered and unable to communicate. I skipped half the book because I was getting too angry with it. After reading the last chapter, I felt they both got what they deserved.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
- Release Date: September 2005
- Why It’s Overhyped: The story is slow and clunky.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
- Genre: Contemporary, Translated
- Release Date: September 2016
- Why It’s Overhyped: We are following too many characters to keep the story straight. And where’s the act that tears the town apart? I stopped reading around halfway through, because it was taking too long to get to any action.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
- Genre: Mystery
- Release Date: January 2022
- Why It’s Overhyped: I love the concept, don’t get me wrong. And some of the relationships are great. There are too many strange coincidences for anything in the story to actually happen.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
- Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Fantasy
- Release Date: June 2021
- Why It’s Overhyped: Maybe it’s me, but the characters and the relationships are just too unbelievable.
Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead
- Genre: Romance
- Release Date:
- Why It’s Overhyped: The party scene. Really, a professional woman needs to have a raging drug-fueled party at her house?
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
- Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQ, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Release Date: September 2021
- Why It’s Overhyped: The toxic masculinity was too much. I understand that’s part of the story, but it was too much for me to take. Add to that, the unneeded romance.
If any of these books are your favorites, I’m happy for you. These are books that don’t deserve the hype, in my opinion. What are books you think don’t deserve the hype?
Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my other bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.
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I haven’t read most of them, but I agree on the TJR book. I just don’t get her popularity. I did like Lessons in Chemistry a lot.
Thanks for the heads up about Iron Widow.
I did enjoy Daisy Jones and The Maid but I completely agree that if you DNF a book, no need to go back to them – it’s a good thing to know what you like and dislike and time’s too short to spend time on books you don’t enjoy just on the small chance you might like them later on (as someone who has a hard time DNF’ing because I keep thinking it might get better I can say that it rarely ever does 🙂 )
Oh you are brave! I have read the first five from your list and totally agree about Daisy Jones. I have loved many other TJR books but not that one.
Great post Pam. Here is my post https://paigesofnovels.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/top-ten-tuesday-unpopular-bookish-opinions/
I haven’t read any of these (well, with exception to The Maid), but I feel like I’d agree, based on the little I know of these. I’m not curious about Daisy Jones & the Six despite its immense popularity. I liked most of “The Maid,” but then the final “act” or last part of the novel just didn’t suit me.
Ohhh, Beartown.. there’s a lot of set up and it’s a long book. It’s for a good reason though! The “thing” is really intense. I can agree about Iron Widow and One Last Stop though!!
Ooh, I see some I loved, plenty I still have on my TBR, and some that I’ve definitely heard not-so-great things about! I also had Iron Widow on my list today though because I was pretty sad by how disappointing I found it!
I’ve been wanting to read One Last Stop and The Book Thief, but haven’t read any of the books on your list today. Based on your comments, though, I don’t blame you for including them on this list.
I would put Outlander on the top of my list for books that don’t deserve the hype, but I know I’m very much in the minority on that book.
I agree with Lessons in Chemistry. It was such a fun premise, but instead of getting on with the science-based cooking show we got a bunch of boring stuff about rowing!
You are right. Unpopular opinion of books. The first time I read The Book Thief I didn’t finish it but when I went back later and read the whole thing I loved it. I also am a big fan of Lessons in Chemistry and thought Beartown was really good.
I am off-topic this week: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2025/04/ttt-excerpts-from-new-to-me-poems-i-like.html
Lessons in Chemistry was the quickest DNF ever and Daisy Jones worked better as a tv series for me.
I love that you did this because I’ve read a number of these and completely agree 🤣🤣 I just took the opportunity to rant and be salty this week 😂
https://onereadingnurse.com/2025/04/15/top-ten-tuesday-my-unpopular-bookish-opinions/
I loved Lessons in Chemistry and I enjoyed Daisy Jones, but for the most part I agree with your takes on the other ones that I’ve read (Gone Girl, The Book Thief, Iron Widow). I haven’t read any of the others but I am curious about Bear Town still. Love that you did this for this week’s topic!!
Haze
https://thebookhaze.com/
The only one I read was Finaly Donovan and it was because I loved the author’s YA books. I thought this one was just fun and quirky. Unrealistic yes, but it was definitely entertaining!
Thanks for visiting my TTT!
I’ve heard of most of these and I have The Maid on Mt. TBR. Most of the horror books I’ve seen recommended on TikTok do not deserve the hype.
I really liked Daisy Jones but couldn’t stand Lessons in Chemistry. Good list!
The only one I read was The Book Thief. I liked it. The others I haven’t read. The Finaly Donovan series is on my TBR but I don’t know when I’ll get to it.
I didn’t love Daisy Jones or Gone Girl but….Beartown is basically one of my favourite novels of all time, haha. I don’t think Backman’s style is for everyone though.