It's been awhile since I've posted anything new to my blog (although I have been updating my 2015 reading and movie lists, if you want to check those out!), so I figured I would do yet another tag. If you've been here for a while, or if you've looked through my posts, you'll probably notice that I am obsessed with tags! I found this bookish tag on TheBookArcher's YouTube channel. Check her out if you're a bookworm like me :)
Quick little disclaimer before I get started: this tag is meant to be about my UNPOPULAR opinions on POPULAR books. That being said, please don't take offense to anything I might say about books you enjoy. I'm just giving you my opinion, and you are 100% allowed to disagree with it. I'm not, by any means, trying to offend anyone or hate on popular books. I just tend to have different opinions than most people on social media.
Ok, let's get this tag started!
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1. A popular book or series that you didn't like
I do not like the Moral Instrument series. At all. I wasn't even able to finish the whole series (and that never happens)... I started reading the first book about two years ago because one of my favorite YouTubers was talking about how amazing it was. The first book was alright, but I didn't really understand the hype. I got about halfway through the second book and had to put it down. The plotline was ridiculous, and the story just kinda fell off for me. I don't know, maybe I'm just not into the whole Shadow Hunter thing. I feel like it's already been done so many times (although this series does put a slight spin on the overdone teen-romance, demon-fighting, vampire, whatever genre).
2. A popular book or series that everyone else seems to hate but you love
Everyone seems to hate on the Matched trilogy by Allie Condie (at least everyone I know), but I loved that series! I'll admit, the second book was kind of a waste of time- why did they need to go back up the mountain??- but the series overall was fantastic. I love the character development, the plot twists (although some of them were pretty predictable), and the overall story arch; plus, Condie's writing style is incredible. Yes, this is another teen-romance/ love triangle/ dystopian series. But, if you take it for what it is, I think it's a great set of books.
3. A love triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with
Ugh, I hate love triangles. Is it possible to find a book without love triangles anymore?! Anyway, I'm still not happy about the ending of The Hunger Games trilogy, even though it makes the most sense logically, and is the ending most people wouldn't have expected (myself included). No spoilers here, but I'm not thrilled about who Katniss ends up with, and I'll probably never get over it. Sorry not sorry.
4. A popular book genre that you hardly reach for
I'm not into the vampire/ fantasy creatures genre at all. I feel like it's way too overdone, and almost every book I've read from the fantasy genre that includes vampires/ werewolves/ fairies/ whatever is almost exactly the same as the last. I know it's not fair to judge an entire genre based off the few books that I've read, but if I had to pick one, I'm kind of over the teen fantasy genre at the moment.
5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like
A lot of people aren't going to be happy about this one. Gus Waters and Hazel Grace are some of my least favorite characters in teen fiction. Seriously, I don't understand the obsession with The Fault in Our Stars or the characters. I feel like they're so static, the book is beyond cheesy, and the plotline is predictable. I'm sorry, I just don't understand the love for this book, or John Green in general. He's not a bad writer (in fact, I actually enjoy his writing style), but this book was so choppy to me. Let me explain: there are parts that are written beautifully, and then there are parts that seem like a 12 year-old wrote it. I get that Hazel is going through a lot, and she's still a teenage girl. But, if you're going to write from that perspective, you should stay in that perspective 100% of the time. Green throws in some well-written, fantastic sections that almost sound like Shakespearean sonnets, but then goes back to the typical teenage girl thoughts ("oh my god, he's so hot!"). I'm gonna stop before I go too far.
6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into
Ok, I can't really say I've tried to read anything she's written, but I cannot see why everyone is so obsessed with E.L. James and the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Let's make one thing clear- I'm not at all against the subject matter of the book (in fact, I'm kind of into it). For one, this is NOT an accurate representation of the BDSM community in the least. From what I know about the triology and the parts that I have suffered through, these books glorify a ridiculous relationship between an egotistical man and a weak woman who doesn't know what she needs/ wants from a man. Anyway, I'll stop with that. What I don't like is the way the book is written and the concept that it's based on. I can't stand Twilight (yes, I have read all four books...), so I'm positive I wouldn't like a book that started out as a fanfiction of the series. From the few pages I have read, E.L. James' writing style doesn't appeal to me in the least. Sorry, I just can't get into a book that is written poorly, and has ridiculous inner dialogue.
7. A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing
I. Am. So. Tired. Of. The. Love. Triangles. Please, make it stop!! Honestly, you can write an incredible series or book without including any romantic aspect at all; but, if you must include some sort of mushy whatever, please keep it between two people and not three. I'm so over the love triangles, it's not even funny. I love The Hunger Games series partically because Collins does a wonderful job of balancing the violence and political components of the book perfectly with a little bit of love and teenage angst/ drama. She does a wonderful job of not over-exaggerating the love triangle between Katniss, Peta, and Gale, and she keeps the characters believable and realistic.
8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading
I've already mentioned this series in #6, but I have no interest in reading the Fifty Shades of Grey series. I'm not interested in the movies, I'm not interested in the spin-offs, blah, blah, blah. In all seriousness, I don't think James does the BDSM community any justice by the way she portrays the relationships in this book (but, like I've said, I haven't read the books, so take my opinion for what it is). I could write you an entire dissertation about the subject, but I'm gonna keep this short and sweet: I will not read this series. Period, end of story.
9. The saying goes, "The book is always better than the movie," but what movie or TV show adaptation do you prefer more than the book?
I can honestly say that there is not a single movie/ TV show that is better than the book. However, I want to mention the Harry Potter series, simply because I think the movies are AS GOOD AS the books. The books and the the movies are different enough that I can appreciate both for what they are, even though the movies don't follow the books exactly. The only other movie I can think of that even comes close to being as good as the written text is August: Osage County by Tracy Letts. The play is incredible, and the movie is phenomenal- the casting is absolutely perfect, by the way.
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Thanks for checking out this tag. I encourage everyone (especially bookworms) to complete this tag! Talk to you again soon :)
Keri <3
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