I think it's great to see someone just flat out say "hey bestie your fave books suck, still luv ya though" because it really isn't that serious lol so many people get their knickers in a twist over expressing negative opinions, I say bring it on
I HATED Song of Achilles. As someone who really liked the Iliad and knew that Patroclus was Achilles' equal, I was so upset to see that he was written as a limped-handed medic twink 😭 don't even get me started on Thetis (or any of the other women), she was done so dirty 😭
@@LynnHermione I refuse to believe this author spent ten years writing this book because I would think that maybe I had it all wrong at least a year in 😅
The sibling relationship in Red White and Royal Blue was completely bizarre to me. When I told my friend about it, that is when I learned that the writer was an only child. It shows.
@@imnotobsessedwiththat4162 When I was reading it, I felt like the Alex/June sibling relationship was WAY too frank and open, esp. considering Alex wasn't really "out" yet. I just don't know any male/female siblings that act like them IRL so it took me out of the book more than anything. I think around the time they all went clubbing/partying together is about where I dropped the book. As someone with siblings, I could not relate at all.😅
@@ahkj4 yeah that’s a good point tbh I have 2 brothers and have never been that open with them about anything lmaoo I also thought it was weird how June just blurted that she slept with the reporter that was harassing her and that was never brought up again like it barely fazed Alex??
I've read Red, White, and Royal Blue twice - the second time didn't hold the same magic as the first read, but it WAS my gateway book into the world of queer romcoms so I'll always have a soft spot for it for that reason!!
You know we do have to respect it for being part of why queer romcoms are given more of a chance in publishing - I feel like that book going viral helped those sorts of books!
One million percent agree on ACATAR... I read the first one, and it was fine, and then EVERYONE said the second one was the best... and again, I was just like, 'Meh'?
I liked the first book a lot, but I lost interest in book two. I took a break and read another fantasy book called Sorcery of Thorns during it and I ditched ACOTAR a week later. It’s too overhyped and I don’t get it. It’s smutty and cookie cutter romantasy. I also hate smut and didn’t realize just how bad it would actually be.
I loved a court of thorns and roses when I read it. I hadn’t read in several years and it got me back into reading again, I will always have a soft spot for it because of that, but if I read it for the first time now I don’t think I’d would like it half as much 😬
Hi Sarah, great video, even tho all od us wont Always agree on books,our collective hatred for Collen Hoover is what is bringing us together! She is so scary, she gives of boy mom vibezzz. Did you ever read Pirenesi? Its magical realism. Love ya❤
I've never been the biggest fan of Neil Gaiman's novels, but I really like the ideas behind them and tend to adore them in the form of TV and movie adaptations. I do love the Gaiman graphic novels I've read though, specifically I really liked The Graveyard Book. Never personally read Sandman, but that's another one that's universally pretty loved.
Same but I have always loved Good Omens. The Prachett influence helped. I skipped season one of the show but I loved season two. The slow burn was incredible.
omg I agree with almost everything haha. RWRB was so boring, omg. characters from royalty aren't something i enjoy reading about either, and the politics in that book were a mess. SJM is another crime against books, hated everything I tried reading from her. Neil Gaiman has wonderful books like Coraline and the ocean at the end of the lane, but then there's also Stardust lmao. I loved the concept behind American Gods, the execution was messy but I ended up enjoying it! the TV series my partner and I gave up halfway through, it wasn't for me 😅 The night circus was...so disappointing, dear lord. what do I care about a romance between the two magicians? I wanna see magic!! the titular night circus!!! anything else really!!!! and yeah, CoHo should not be allowed to write so many awful books. specially since actual teens are reading them! wtf!!! I'm an OG hater because of Whitney Atkinson's review of November 9 from way back when lmao sorry for the super long comment, I was just happy to dish out my (also) unpopular opinions heheh 💔
Yaay somebody who doesn't praise Gaiman! I feel like we're on the same page for this book and it's really validating 😂 Abt song of achilles - girls who wept over this book clearly never read illiad. Which, no shade to them, i get it, but for me it felt like straight up character assassination
Girllllllll I haven't read any of the books you mentioned because of the hype people give it, like if a book gets so popular and a lot of people like it, that puts me off the book for some reason😅😂😂😂
Yes I was thinking I should do the inverse!! Popular books worth the hype. I also did an underrated books video already - not sure if you saw it! I think I did it in September
The night circus was awful!! The plot made absolutely no sense but nobody seems to care because people are impressed by... Everything being monochrome? I don't even know lol
Funny story about describing clothes. I went back to revise a short story that I wrote in 2011. And I was stunned to realize that I had described the clothes of the teenage sister and it was so incredibly dated to that time
I had I'm Thinking of Ending Things on my Amazon Wishlist, and then I saw that the movie's on Netflix, so I tried watching it. I got about twenty minutes in, and couldn't stand it. It was SO boring and awkward, so that pretty much killed any interest I had in reading the book. Night Circus, I actually just finished a few days ago. I really liked it. The atmosphere, the dreamlike quality of the book, the worldbuilding while still leaving plenty of mystery, it was good. Celia and Marco's relationship needed to be better developed, though, considering the entire book was supposed to be based on them and their interactions. And I totally agree that the book didn't really deliver what the blurb promised.
I got about halfway through RW&RB but I haven't been motivated to pick it back up yet. For me, I really disliked the emphasis of drinking. To each their own and I get that they're in their 20s and all, but I'm freshly 23 and rarely drink because I've already seen first hand how getting plastered at every opportunity can ruin peoples lives. It especially bothered me how much sex they had while drunk. ALSO I started reading it after finishing The Charm Offensive and the two books had very similar vibes but TCO was soooooo much better imo
Guuuuurl, even if you would dislike my favourite book and roast it for hours, I still would find you so sympathetic!!! I love Night Circus but I still totally get what you were saying! Also red suits you so well!!
I watched the American Gods show and I loved it! Didn’t realize it was based on a book. I’m what you called a new hot girl reader 🤣 I’m reading the Night circus and I’m loving it so far 🥲 it was confusing to follow but I’m starting to make sense of it. I do wonder if I will feel the same once I finish it. Cause right now the vibes are good lol
*aggressively ignores the assassin’s apprentice slander* I agree with so many of your opinions! I thought RWRB was okay but surprisingly liked the movie more
Hey girlie, You look so pretty with your puffed sleeves (Anne would love them too)! I definitely am trying Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book soon, so we'll see. I've heard it's a retelling of The Jungle Book, but with ghouls, and ghosts etc. 💔
💔💔 I'm cracking up! "Haterade" lol!!! I very much enjoyed Song of Achilles but I can whole heartedly say that I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much had I not read it via audiobook. I probably would have dnf'd it, which speaks to the way the medium can change the book experience. I share your same opinion on Colleen Hoover also. I feel like there is a lot to unpack there. I'm here for all the controversial opinions 👏
Interestingly enough, RW&RB is actually one of the only romance books I’ve read that I actually liked 😂😂 I listened to the audiobook, and I feel like the narrator really nailed the comedic timing bc I was literally laughing out loud throughout so much of the book!
It's so refreshing to hear something other than praise for 'Red, White, and Royal Blue'. I had such a tought time reading it and not cringing at the emails between the characters. I wanted enemies to lovers and I got maybe 3 chapters of one-sided dislike and then immediate sex. The romance felt rushed and I ended up DNFing the book :/ It's not a terrible book and I love that queer romance is getting recognition it deserves!! This book just wasn't it for me, and it's certainly not the best written queer romance book out there.
I actually love Assassin’s Apprentice but I never read fantasy and I didn’t like the 2 later books because they had less of the “slice of life” thing going on 😂
Acotar was the book that got me back into reading you are so right but I have broaden out my reading and i don’t get the Colleen Hoover stuff either lol but I think Casey aonso has really good commentary on her. I love romantasy and magical realism. I came here to recommend the ocean at the end of the lane by Neil gaiman! It’s so good. It’s gives magical realism and it’s told from the pov of a 7 year old boy. I loved it. If you like Coraline by him it’s the same vibe.
I despise Sarah J Maas' writing, everything about it, so I'm all here for spilling the tea about your opinion of her work (also seriously concerned about the cyclical reader girlie...yikes) 😂 Oh, just got to American Gods. Whilst I enjoy Gaiman's work I can see why some would not enjoy all his stories. The TV show started strong, but I dropped it after S1 and can't remember why 🤔 so...And I've never read CoHo and have no plans to so yay 😅 💔
I’m thinking of ending things ….. I went in expecting so much, and the end just …. I never understood when people kept reviewing it wow, amazing, great book and I’m like what was? I mean I understand the decision to do it comes all of a sudden, but how did everything tie in? I gave it 3 stars Same with No Exit , gave it a 3.5/5 because as much as it was interesting the shit that happened in a few hours was unrealistic. A real person would be knocked out after one move and by the time they wake up they’d either be tied up or the kid would have been taken. After the midpoint the book became repetitive, the main character was like a cockroach 😂
YEEES I have the same thoughts about Red White and Royal Blue. I didnt like the characters nor the relationship it was BOOORING and I did not dropped it because I kept thinking it would get better but it never did for me. I am glad people like it, but it just wasnt for me, and definitely overhyped. I gave it 1 star lol
Actually, I agree with so much of this lol!! So, I really like Neil Gaiman but I did NOT care for American Gods or Good Omens. I did, however, LOVE Neverwhere, The Ocean at the End of Lane, and Norse Mythology. I think I would recommend... Good Omens or The Ocean at the End of the Lane for you. It's so hard to recommend his books, tbh, they're kind of strange but I'd be interested to see your thoughts if you pick up more of his books! Also, I LOVE fantasy, but I definitely have a few controversial opinions like, I have NO INTEREST in reading any SJM book. I can't be convinced that a book/series needs to be that long. I actually hate the hype of it and I just don't want to read her books lol. I've also never had any interest in Robin Hobb's books either tbh lol.
I either haven't been interested in reading or agree with everything except RWRB. That one absolutely lived up to the hype for me, but I also don't normally care for simple romance without a fantasy/sci-fi/action aspect. I wanted a funny, fluffy good time and it gave that. I HATE so many of the ubiquitous romance tropes (love triangles, major angst/breakups within the couple, miscommunication, SO MANY sex scenes I end up skimming 90% of them) and RWRB avoided those really well for me (with just an acceptable *smidge* of angst among the fluff and most of the emotional conflict is more the couple vs outside factors rather than with each other) and did it with characters I completely adored. And I honestly wish those types of sex scenes showed up more frequently, because they hit my sweet spot of being there and not fully fade to black without being too much.
for american gods, the show started pretty strong, but is not worth watching. The lost potential still makes me mad. The later seasons fall off bad and since it deviates so much from the book, you never get any closure. You can watch it, but be warned,, the story deteriorates after the first season.
i cannot bring myself to finish ACOTAR. Its just not super interesting and it was taking me forever to get through, and i typically can finish that size book in a night.
Yes, Finlay Donovan really isn´t good and I don´t get why she´s so popular. And I also agree with Red, white and royal blue.´ But Erin Morgenstern is brilliant.
I agree with 4 of your unpopular opinions, since those were the only ones I have read. Lol I liked Red, white and royal blue (4 stars), but it was not that great. ACOTAR (original rating 5), but I actually DNF that series after I actually thought about what I had read. I used to be a Colleen Hoover fan back when she was writing YA, but I stopped following her after those dark dark books she started to publish. Finlay Donovan is killing it (more like me), I gave it 3 stars, but it was more like 2 stars. My unpopular opinions are: One last stop (there is one scene in the train that disgusted me bc of all the germs. Those who know know) read after Covid, but ai still wanted more from the romance. The Serpent and the wings of night. (3 stars) I will not continue. Half a soul (sorry about this one. I know you loved it.) I did give it 3 stars still. Lol
It was fun when you were saying things about books I also didn’t care for but then you came after Erin Morgenstern & Song of Achilles and it wasn’t fun anymore 💔
💔 I share so many of your opinions! I thought ACOTAR was dumb and I hated literally every character. I DNF'ed A Song of Achilles and The Starless Sea because I was just not enjoying them. And I also didn't like the ending of I'm Thinking of Ending Things. The setup was okay, but when if got into the actual thriller part, I just thought it was stupid and I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it OR vibe with the unreality aspects of it. There's nothing better than finding people who are the same kind of hater as you 😂
💔💔 I felt the same way about RW&RB. It was also SO long! The sex scenes were also hard to follow because the author would only use pronouns! I jad no clue who was doing what lmao. I gave it 4 stars because I was happy to see a gay romance that showed a healthy queer relationship and didn't have the bury your gays trope, but in all honestly, its a 3 star book at most lmao
I preferred Boyfriend Material and the follow up Husband Material by Alexis Hall over RW & RB. Those two books I felt spoke to me more as a gay man than RW & RB.
RWRB was such a let down. I went into to with high expectations, expecting a cute gay romance that will make me swoon; but was left with a way too long book with most it rooted in stupid politics with an AWFUL writing style that gave me a headache. I still don't know why it's so popular to this day. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is a much, much, much better gay romcom.
this book really hit me especially because i was in my sad girl era with a boy , it was so emotional and i was so confused . this book really made me fall in love with patroclus and his love for achilles . I think books really hit you better when you are going through similar instances or feelings like the character in real life , it makes you understand them so much better
Red White and Royal Blue was mid. I respect that it's helped do a lot for representation, but I just didn't feel anything towards it. Can imagine it making a cute film though.
I love vidoes like this even if we have difffernet opinions! I love ACOTAR series but how could the girl you know girl could she just read all SJM books over and over lol boring to me
i love how ellias is a hater of a lot of books u love and u hate some books that he loves lol i do agree with you, to me, everyone on acotar is sooo unlikable and i cannot care about one single person in that series lol
ACOTAR overrated? Yeah right!!! Let’s fight sara!!!!! ✊😤🤛🤛🤜🤜 take this outside 🤺🤺🤺 that series is my everything since 2015. Hehehee “feyre is an illiterate bitch” got me haha ❤❤
Red, white, and royal blue might just be one of the dumbest books I’ve read in a long time AND it’s badly written like Miss McQuistan sets up a bunch of unresolved plotlines and half the romance is told through the words of OTHER authors for Lord’s sake. And I agree that the song of Achilles was incredibly boring like the prose was beautiful but everything else… average, at best. I also shed a single tear when my boy Hector died because Hector is the best character and he deserved better. You forgot an overhyped author though… Penelope Douglas 🤢🤢🤢
@@sarawithoutanH I read Birthday girl a couple days ago and it was the first time I’ve read a book that made me want to cry by how bleak it was… without realising. It was like Lolita got on the delulu steroids 💀
Here we go again! Someone saying a book is overrated because THEY didn't like it. You're allowed to dislike whatever books you want but that doesn't mean they are overhyped.
@@sarawithoutanH I think it hit me in the feels. I do think it was a little overhyped, though. I'm also not a big romance girlie, so, meh. The movie is super Hallmark corny, by the way. It wasn't a great movie, but I appreciate that the movie industry is finally giving the queers some cheesy rom-coms. We deserve them 😂😂
also regarding Red White and Royal Blue I might have some insight, though please remember that I am Italian and my perspective is necessarily skewed towards the romance scene here, which is of course narrower than in the English speaking community. Anyway, generally speaking, I think that Red White and Royal Blue happened at the right time and place to make it mainstream, thus encompassing a bigger part of public that maybe would not be usually keen to read LGBT+ romance. For us in Italy it was a breath of fresh air, because romance is still vilified in traditional publishing (though things are changing, albeit slowly) and LGBT+ romance which is also mainstream is RARE. We have a flourishing indie romance community across all genres, but it's niche, with no access to bookstores and mostly dependent on online sales. Anyway, I do agree with you that the 'fade to black' scenes are very abrupt, not even actually fade to black. A line or two would have made the transition smoother. I haven't watched the movie but I have heard good reviews (and criticism as well since a lot of the political plot was streamlined).
I do agree with you that it came out at a perfect time for a lot of people! In the US it came out when trump was president and a lot of queer people were losing their rights so I totally understand why it would be a reprieve for them. I just wish the writing were better 🥲 but happy that it could help change publishing a bit, not just in the US but also other places
i’m sure i would agree with most of these if i’d read more of them but yes to RWRB and ACOTAR 😬 i’m begging SJM to write a cute nerdy love interest, i don’t like any of her men (……..except Chaol 🫣) also for Neil Gaiman maybe try Stardust! fairytale romance vibes with funny witty writing 👌
