Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tuesday Thingers



This Week's Question:

What is your least-favorite book(s)? Is your least-favorite book listed in your LT library? If it is listed, do you have anything special in the tags or comments section? How have others rated your least-favorite book?

My Answer:

I had to give this some thought and I really couldn't remember, so I went to my handy dandy Excel spreadsheet to see what I didn't like and the one book that I really had a problem with was The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. It's the one time I really wanted to stop reading, which is something I never do. I finish everything I start, even if I don't like it. The only reason I kept reading was because it was part of a discussion group for a Yahoo reading group I used to have. Since I was the owner of the group, I felt obligated to read the entire book regardless of how I felt about it. I think my problem with it was that it was too much of a fantasy combined with real life. I don't know why that bothers me since I love vampires, paranormal, ghosts, etc. I guess this one just didn't grab me. There were others in my group that felt the same way. It turns out I was the only one who completed the book. LOL

However, looking at the reviews on Amazon.com, this is a very popular group and rated highly by most of the reviewers. It had a 4 1/2 star rating. So, maybe it just wasn't my type of story. I don't have this listed in my LT library as I think I read it before I joined LT.

12 comments:

  1. I read this book and it was nothing like I expected ... I ended up liking it but it was kind of a very odd book with a lot violence. Almost like a kid's book but I would never give it to a kid to read! So different from his other "thriller" books!

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  2. This was a book I liked, but one I could see wouldn't be for everyone. It certainly doesn't help when you feel obliged to persist with a book you haven't taken to.

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  3. I liked it too, but I like dark fairy tales.

    Here's my review: The Book of Lost Things.

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  4. I absolutely hated The River by Kate Grenville - I found it really slow and monotonous - yet so many people absolutely love it. I just couldn't see the fuss!

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  5. I'm often the odd gal out. I've stopped feeling guilty about not liking what my group does. And kudos to you for getting through it. I rarely finish a book I clearly dislike. There are simply too many books I do want to read.

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  6. I have this one on my shelf (it was a gift from my husband) so I hope I like it. My choice this week is one that everyone else seems to love too.

    Here's my post.

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  7. Jenners - Very true! It felt like a kid's book that you couldn't give to a kid.

    fleurfisher - If I didn't feel obligated to read it as part of the group, I might have had a different reaction to the group. Sometimes outside circumstances can color my opinion of a book.

    Lenore - It's odd because I do enjoy dark stories and I do like some fantasy type of books, but yet this didn't do it for me.

    Scrap girl - I know that feeling. I'll read something and not like it, yet read how most people loved a book. I start wondering, what am I missing? It's just that we all have different tastes.

    Susan - Unfortunately, when I finished the book, I was so angry with myself because I felt like I wasted my time and could have read something I really liked. It didn't help that nobody in the group got through it and I was the only one discussing it. I was lonely :)

    Naida - I'd probably enjoy John Connolly's other work better than this. I'm more of a suspense/ thriller reader. If it wasn't for the discussion, I wouldn't have chosen this book.

    Alyce - I guess there are quite a few of us who don't like a book that everyone else seems to have loved.

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  8. Interesting. I've heard so many glowing reports about this book, it's almost a relief to find out there's someone who didn't like it! I've got it on my TBR list for this year, so I'm hoping my reaction isn't similar, but I often have problems with these types of fantasy novels, too.

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  9. I never read it,but I love the cover. ;-)

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  10. I was tempted by the title, hoping it was about books but I cannot stand fantasty let alone when it's mixed with reality so I know it's not the book for me.

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  11. I haven't read this book, but have had similar situations in a few of the book clubs I'm in, where we are reading a book, and it is my turn to host, and I just can't quite enjoy the book . . .

    Thanks for stopping by and participating in Thingers last week! I've got the post up for this week, have you seen the new customizable widgets on LT? ~ Wendi

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