It’s been a while since I’ve done a tag, so voila. *hand flourish*
I was tagged to do this by Emma @Emma’s Chapter, so thank you to Emma for nominating me (sorry it’s taken me so long). Check out Emma’s version of the tag here!
I talk all the time about books I’m desperate to read, but if you’ve ever wanted to know which books I’m not fussed about reading, then boi you’re in for a treat.
A Hyped Book You Are Not Interested in Reading
Sorry pals, I’m not going to be reading this one. Shatter Me sounds like something I probably would have enjoyed when I was 18 and massively into dystopias, but now not so much.
This is no disrespect to anyone who’s read and enjoyed it, I’m sure it’s a really fun read, it’s just not one that’s on my radar currently.
Series You Won’t be Starting/Finishing
I can already feel the disappointment radiating off my friends that love Caraval (Vicky, Connie, Lauren, I’m s o r r y), but I’ve decided I’m not going to finish this series.
I enjoyed the first book, but I didn’t feel hooked enough to pick up the second, especially with the POV switch, and now that the third is out I definitely don’t think I’ll be going back to this series. The world doesn’t really hold any pull for me anymore.
A Classic You Aren’t Interested In
I’ve got to apologise my girl Tash (from Tash Hearts Tolstoy), who would be outraged at what I’m about to say, but I’m not going to read War and Peace. I’m just not interested.
A lot of people read it for the prestige of being able to say they’ve read it, but I’m not going to be one of those people. It’s over 1000 pages and follows Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. That doesn’t sound like something I’m going to have a riot reading. I’d much rather read other classics, like Vanity Fair and Emma, that are actually on my TBR.
A Genre You Never Read
A genre I never go in for? ‘Chick lit’. I just don’t feel excited by these stories and the way they’re marketed. Even the name puts me off, I mean ‘chick lit’? Can we stop comparing women to birds, guys? This isn’t the 70s anymore, I thought we were past this.
‘Women’s fiction’ would be better, although why publishers think that only women enjoy these types of books is beyond me. Defining the genre by gender only serves to further reinforce gender as a binary, and exclude people who don’t identify as female or women from reading these novels. It’s segregation marketing.
Wow, that turned into a rant. I respect people who love this genre because we all like different things, so no judgement from me. But chick lit doesn’t really grab my attention, in the same way that fantasy or sci-fi does.
A Book on Your Shelves You Will Probably Never Actually Read
I really hope I’m wrong about this one, but I’m starting to worry that I’ll never read Ember. It’s been on my shelves for six or seven years and I’ve still not picked it up. I had a chance to read it during Asian Readathon earlier in May, but I didn’t find the time.
I’ve also got my TBRs for the next few months roughly planned out and I don’t foresee Ember fitting into them, somehow. Will I ever read this book??? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it’s destined to sit on my shelves for another six years. Or maybe I’ll surprise myself and find time for it this year.
Are there any popular books you’re not interested in reading? Are there any on this list you think I should change my mind about?
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Yay I’m so glad you did this! – I completely agree with most of these. I’m not going to finish the Caraval series, I have way too many problems with the first one. As someone who has read Shatter Me I agree with your decision to not read it, really not worth it and War and Peace is so long!
Caraval is a book I bought during the hype… and is THE ONLY reason I’m sticking through my plans on reading it XD I don’t know if I’ll continue the series though…. >.<
On similar lines to your last answer, I’ll probably never read Torch Against the Night and the rest of the Ember in the Ashes series. I did really love An Ember in the Ashes when I finally read it last year but I just don’t have the urge to read the rest of it. I’m also not interested in reading War and Peace, and in fact, none of the Russian classics hold my interest. I’m more of a French classics kind of person!
Hallo, Hallo, Kate,
I always lament that if there are stories that simply aren’t your cuppa, their just not meant to be read. However, in regards to Women’s Fiction (though I agree w/ you on Chick Lit – I personally love relationship-based Romances but not the styling of what is typically carted in Chick Lit circles – fine line, of course, due to marketing, etc) directly – I didn’t see it the same way. It was an attempt to distinguish the difference between Chick Lit (grr) and stories with have more teeth and perhaps more bite? Meaning, Women’s Fiction goes into the fuller scope of what is happening in a women’s life – including at different stages of her life and through different periods of transition(s).
I never saw Women’s Fiction not open to *trans and non-binary women, in fact, its meant to expand on everywoman’s story… so why not? I regularly read about different kinds of women in literature – they might not always be within the scope of WF but that’s either a) I didn’t find the book yet or b) someone hasn’t written one yet. Not because there are exclusions. I found the opposite – there are a lot of different women and their lives represented both in Contemporary & Historical Women’s Fiction.
I wasn’t sure if you don’t read this genre/subject interest regularly or if it just didn’t work as a fit for you, but as someone who does read it regularly I wanted to offer a different perspective.
I’m debating shatter me! How do you plan out your upcoming tbr? Do you prioritise your arcs and netgalley first?
This is such a dangerously honest tag! I agree that I tend not to pick up ‘chick lit’ because of the image, overused tropes (although that is true of any genre) and covers that look like greetings cards. Though I have read a few that I liked! I haven;t read the Shatter Me series either but have been on the fence about starting it a so many people seem to love it. I will definitely read An Ember in the Ashes, but haven’t yet!
I tried to read War and Peace when I was 13/14, borrowed it from the library, read 10 pages and gave up. I just couldn’t understand anything, I couldn’t place the characters … Maybe because I was so young, and if I picked it up now I’d be fine. But I honestly don’t think I will. I really enjoy Shatter Me, but I can totally see why you wouldn’t want to read it! Read whatever feels right to you, what you’re in the mood for ♥
I IMMEDIATELY loved this post the moment I saw that Shatter Me was in it – girl let me tell you, you aren’t missing out on ANYTHING! I read the entire series & while the writing itself is beautiful, the characters, plot & devices used are so problematic. You definitely dodged a bullet by giving this one a miss!
Too bad about Shatter Me, but I completely get it. Dystopia is a bit of a weird genre, you really have to be in the mood for it. 🙂 I have read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, but I don’t think I want to read War and Peace? Mostly because it’s such a huge book and I don’t think I can commit, but I’m not saying never since I did enjoy Anna Karenina. Great post! 😀
Oof I totally get your feelings about Shatter Me. I read the series long time ago and loved it but I obviously don’t remember much about it right now. And it is now, after years that Tahereh Mafi decides to launch another series revolving around the characters meaning I would have to go back and read all three books plus the novella? Uh no thank you.
Excuse me we WILL be reading Ember!
Omg somehow I KNEW you’d see this 😂 I thought you’d already read it last month though???
Noooo! I will be doing at some point but it keeps getting pushed back 😦