Over Hyped Books
I tend to walk the line where over hyped books are concerned. Sometimes I hear all the hype and go grab the book to see what it's all about. I've gotten lucky and read some really great books that way. I've also read some not great books that way.
Reading over hyped books at the peak of all the hype can be a very bad thing in my experience. It's hard not to go into a very popular book thinking that it will be fantastic. This attitude, however, tends to leave us wanting more once we've finished the book. It can turn what would have been a really nice read into a disappointment. That's why I tend to avoid reading overly hyped books at their peak.
I also understand where the book hype comes from. We all want our favorite books and authors to be known. The best way to help someone is to put stuff out there about their books. When a large enough group starts talking about the same books and authors we start verging into the realm of over hyping. As a reader and reviewer I try not only to get the book out there for more people to see, but also explain why I like it so much. I think the trap we fall into most often, and the one that ultimately leaves us disappointed, isn't so much that the books is over hyped, but rather that those so set on the book don't explain why they enjoy it so much so we go in with unrealistic expectations. Nothing is perfect and not everyone likes the same thing. Read what you are truly interested in reading, not what someone else says you should be interested in reading. That's what I try to do.
So overall, I don't avoid over hyped books, but I also don't generally seek them out. Sometimes I will put them on my TBR and leave them there for a while before I get back to them. At that point I'm usually more open to the story and not just the idea of the story or the hype it's received and can have a more enjoyable reading experience.
What do you think about over hyped books? Do you read or avoid them? Tell me in the comments!
I do tend to put a lot of hyped books on my TBR list, mainly because they get talked up so much that I can't resist. But then I also agree with you that it's best to wait a little while until you read them :) That way you would have forgotten a little bit of the hype and can go into it with a little lower expectations, I think.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think some books can get ruined by all the hype. This happened to me with The Hunger Games. I read this before anyone else I knew and I loved it for myself. Then we had to read it for school and then it became a movie and slowly the book got a little ruined for me...
Great discussion though! :D
Cucie @ Cucie reads
I totally agree with you! I read the Hunger Games really early, before the entire series was even released, same with Divergent. But I don't think I could reread the books and love them I did the first time I read it!
DeleteYes, waiting helps. Then I don't expect too much from them and will enjoy them more (usually). But when a book that I already love becomes over hyped it drives me crazy! It definitely cuts my enjoyment down some. Thanks for reading! :D
DeleteGreat post Courtney! I definitely more often read overhyped books than avoid them, mostly just to find out what all the hype is about. Though with Twilight I have yet to find the answer haha.
ReplyDeleteI did a post on this as well! :)
http://myfantabulousbookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/02/tuesday-talks-over-hyped-books.html
~Saloni @ myfantabulousbookshelf.blogspot.com
Yay! Gonna check out your post. :D And yes, I probably read more of them than not as well. I just like to wait a while so that I don't expect too much. And yeah, Twilight...
DeleteI don't think over hyping books is a big deal, but you have to be careful in case of disappointment. I does happen, I know it has happened to me, so I tend to let the hype die down some. I think we all have over hyped books at one time or another, and it can direct people to a new genre or a new author so it is not totally bad. We are not all going to like the same books, so we need to understand what books are about before jumping into the over hyped ones.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree. There are some great things about over hyped books, as you mentioned. I've found a lot of favorites that way. Knowing what you're going into is important. Just because a lot of people like a certain book doesn't mean everyone else will.
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