Zara you are honest and brave booktuber and I admire you for that! Expressing your real opinion knowing that you might lose or not get a bunch of new subs or views is greatly appreciated! Being yourself is what matters the most! 🥰🥰
Well said Zara. You are the first to come in mind when people aske for a good taste, nuanced, honest booktuber. All these booktubers are so pretentious and dishonest or they have such a superficial interest for writing. I might sound harsh but there is no way they can persuade me otherwise. Praising constantly the same bad written and uninspired books, or books of fellow friends, publishing houses etc etc. Its gross. I cannot believe that honest bookfiles who love fiction and are well read can honestly praise so highly authors like Gwynne, Cahill, Fourth Wing one, Brown, Sanderson etc etc. I get it if they enjoy it but do not sell me such stuff as phenomenal. It is dishonest and purposeful. I remember thinking Red Rising had some charm with its over the top approach but that resurrection thing was so cheap. Soooo cheap. It made me rate the third book with two stars instead of three and abandonimg the series. Gwynne's writing is so bland and war centred. I had fun with it too but it was really simple. Nothing to ponder or mark you. Wheel of Time has the most tedious writing I can think of. I honestly wanted to like it since I like classic old epic quest fantasy. I love Tolkien, Williams, Thomas Covenant, the Fionavar Tapestry by Kay etc, but Jordan had such a tiring, over descriptive writing. He never breaks the narration. He describes every minute. Literally. Not even sleep breaks it. They dream or have nighmares while on it. Unbelievable
I agree with a lot (if not, all) of what you've written. I feel like there's some sort of secret we're not in on lol. It's astonishing to me that we're being told that certain authors are the next big thing and I'm here thinking 'what on earth are they talking about?' Unfortunately, I think standards and quality have slipped to a point where even the most basic writing is being lauded as the best ever. Thankfully, there is still good writing being produced, we just need to spend the time finding it. And if in doubt, we can always rely on the OGs. PS: agreed on all your takes on the individual series too.
I agree with a lot of your tastes in general, I love kj parker, guy gavriel kay, leguin, abercrombie, etc. but also love Greenbone. To me it was all about atmosphere and setting, and I liked how I didn't need to root for the characters (I hate Hilo) to enjoy it, and how I could imagine the same saga from the antagonists' perspective being equally interesting. But really what I loved is the setting and the worldbuilding, the care into a lot of details like the economy. I loved the infodumps in this one ah ah! I'm not a native English speaker so I guess I don't perceive prose exactly as an anglophone but I felt it was better than serviceable, it was vivid and cinematic.
I am so with you on Greenbone I was really dissapointed when I finished the series and was very underwhelmed. It only gets worse from book 1. It got me thinking maybe I just dont understand books anymore or something. Glad to have found your channel! Edit: oh and then you talk Red Rising . I dnfed in the middle of book 2!
Woohoo, always lovely to meet a fell non-Greenbone fan haha. And also Red Rising, though to a smaller extent as I didn't mind the first trilogy but do think it is highly overrated.
This right here's why I've been following you channel since I found it. We agree like 90% of the time - I've heard nothing appealing about Red Rising and you nailed that coffin shut, agree Gwynne is overrated, loved Will of the Many, loved Abercrombie, refuse to touch Fourth Wing. Only difference is I enjoyed Greenbone Saga, and I love Wheel of Time, but it's also the first adult epic fantasy series I read like 16 years ago, which meshes with what you said about it being more beloved as a gateway series. Curious, have you tried Dandelion Dynasty or Malazan yet?
Re WoT I think that makes a lot of sense! The nostalgia seems real for a lot of people. Not tried DD or Malazan yet. Both are series I want to get to next year! DD more likely first given it's less books.
I wanted to jump on the Red Rising bandwagon so badly! The year it came out I must have picked it up and put it down at least 4 times and I never managed to finish it, there was always something else that I'd rather be reading. I thought there must be something wrong with me for not "getting it" because everybody else seemed to love it. I finally had to admit it just wasn't for me and move on. By the time the Green Bone Saga came around I'd gotten used to not loving some of the most popular series and even though I did finish Jade City and I didn't think it was terrible, I had zero interest in picking up book 2. It sucks not to love what everybody seems to love but it's a waste of time to try to push through when there are so many amazing books that bring me joy. Glad to know I'm not the only weirdo that didn't love those series 😂
Offft, 4 times!! Definitely nothing wrong with you! I've realised, as I've gotten older, that I'm quite happy being on my own island being a weirdo who doesn't like stuff everyone else does hahaha
Tell em how it is Zara. lol. I definitely got caught up in the hype created by booktube on a few of these series.....you left out Justice of Kings. lol. Now, I only take suggestions from those channels I really trust these days. Awesome video Zara.
Love this video! 😂🤣Best part was when you couldn't remember Rebecca Yarros's last name XD I DNF the first Greenbone book a third of the way into it. I didn't get it all. I just watched a video of someone the other day explaining why Red Rising was their favorite SFF series ever. Their reasons for loving it so much were hyper contextual to them as an individual and specific to their life experience and I was happy for them, but I could not relate at all at least not with Red Rising. For me, I can relate if considered ASOIAF by Martin or the original Mistborn trilogy by Sanderson since the reason I love those series are hyper specific to me and who I am as a person rather than any influence from YT or whatever. Yeah, I found and love First Law on my own without YT hype lol Wheel of Time I had known about for years before I started reading it. I knew kids back in the day when I was a kid who were reading it. I read the first book in Faithful and the Fallen. The writing was only good during fight scenes lmao I had no interest in continuing the series. Your Fourth Wing slander reviews are peak booktube content honestly 🤣🤣😂😂
Hahaha, soon I will forget her entire name. That's super interesting re that reader's experience with RR. I think there's definitely instances where I've not personally enjoyed a series but I can see why other people love it. I think with series like RR and Greenbone, I just fail to see how and why they're so beloved. Good idea not to continue on with FatF. It didn't get much better. Yay for First Law love! I found out a few weeks ago the new Rebecca book is coming out in January. I suspect that will be my first rant of 2025.
Oh my goodness Zara, your Greenbone opinions feel so liberating to me 🥲 I struggle-bussed through the first two books and kept trying to convince myself I should be loving it... But I just didn't :/ Honestly, I feel like we're in line with basically all the takes! Obsessed with First Law, similar opinions on WoT, FaTF, etc!)
This is why I'm hesitant to pick up Empire of Silence. That really feels like it could be one that's over-hyped. Especially when a lot of the same people pushing it are giant Greenbone and Red Rising fans. Like you I'm not very positive about those.
@@mattkean1128 I definitely liked Empire of Silence better than Red Rising but yeah, I'd also call it overhyped though not to same degree. Given the echochamber Booktube can be a lot of the time, it's likely not as popular as we think it is.
I found the first 4 books a couple years ago at 2nd and Charles for very very cheap. In going to read them because of the author's love for Dune and A Canticle for Liebewitz which I want to read. I'll let you know if it's worth it when I get there.😅
From all I will cave in and give "Will of Many" a try. The rest are sooo hyped that I was thinking "yeah, ok, maybe" and the maybe never came. And ganster family with junkies and jade drug but maybe power ...not in the mood for the blurb. BUT and here it comes... The Forth Wing...a friend read it and was so "happy about the book and the writting" and " wants to write like that" that I was ok I will read that deadly Bridge Scene. I NEVER GOT SO FAR. I stopped after the sister has explained to Violet what she needs to wear on the bridge and has packed her backpack a new....LIKE ONE HOUR BEFOR THE BRIDGE EXAME STARTS sister is helping. Were was she all this time?😑 I had soooo many plot holes by that page in the book...like she had 6 monts to prepare herself, were was her sister, why didn't she have a tutor, her mother is not helping anything and tells her you will resive no help "from now on"🤦♀️ and Violet is scriber-pupil so doing research never came to het and so sister need to clue her in on the wind across the bridge. And let noooot talk about the writting. So I asked a friend about plot problem as I see them and she was "show me fantasy that diesn't have problems"... I stopped discussing. At least some other fantasy out there can better "hide" what is missing... I KNEW somehow I will not like the book that it simply is not for me...and it did prove that I was right. 😮💨 At least I didn't lose too much time. I do like how you do the review in non-spoilery way. I need to learn that.
Ohhh I hope you like it! I would recommend reading it when you want something with a lot of pace. Your comments on Fourth Wing are so right! Such a silly book with silly characters and dumb plot progression. Good idea to not continue on, you saved yourself a lot of time and headache haha.
I loved Will of the Many! It’s a fast paced story with a great plot. Can’t wait for the sequel. Meh on Jade Legacy. Everyone claims it has morally gray protagonists, but I thought the author tried too hard to portray the main characters as “the good guys” by portraying the people against the clan as the stereotypical bad guys. I agree with the Red Rising resurrection trope. It was so bad. It’s a popcorn read with lots of action, but it should have ended with book 3
Such a great book, right? Also can't wait for the sequel. So glad to meet another person who didn't get the hype for Greenbone! Agreed RR should have ended with book three.
@@bookswithzara Jade city’s over the top violence and the awkward sex scenes made me think it was written by a teen. I had a slightly better experience with RR
To don my tinfoil hat a moment, I don't think booktubers are reading the numbers of books they claim, and when it comes to the hype books, are being entirely honest in their reviews because it doesn't benefit them to publicly trash a book.
@@bookswithzara There are certainly a few booktubers I think are actively doing it. The worst ones (*cough* Daniel Greene, Adrian Gibson *cough*) are those that build up their audience, get the big authors in for the interviews, build rapport, then they release their self-published novels and use their connections to grift said terrible self-published novel. I may need to go outside and touch grass.
Haven't tried Greenbone yet. A lot of people whose taste I tend to align with (you included) either bounce off it or think its fine at best. I've read the original Red Rising trilogy twice, has some highs, some lows, stuff i liked and appreciated and stuff that royally pissed me off. I see why it resonates with a lot of people but ultimately just not for me. I regret that it took two readthroughs to know that but hey, these things happen. Resurrection is also my least favourite trope and have rarely seen it done well and can only think of 3 series its done well in, and those are all spoilers. Fine, I'll read Will of the Many. I read First Law because of my Mum. Worth the hype. Read it about the same tike as I did LotR, and controversially I liked it more than LotR. I'm mixed to positive on WoT. Really enjoyed the first 3 but found books 4 and 5 very jarring but I've matured a lot as a reader since then and really enjoyed book 1 on re-read. Didn't help Jordan was married to his editor. FATF, I'd fun with it at the time but not something I reflect on often. They're fun palate cleansers and nothing more. Definitely didn't understand people thinking it was on the level of ASOIAF though. Your Fourth Wing content is the closest I'll get to reading it 😂
Yeah, I really don't think you'll enjoy Greenbone. I think you'll like aspects of WotM. I don't think it'll be a new favourite but I think if you read it when you want something with a lot of pace, you'll like it. Your mum is so cool haha. Did you finish WoT? Agreed with FatF. Very mid and definitely not in the realm of Tolkien or Martin.
@@bookswithzara Not yet, I was going to prioritise it but then I picked up Liveship Traders (I regret putting it off for so long but in my defence, I didn't love Assassin's Quest and seeing the length of Liveship Traders kept putting me off. Oh what a fool I was) in December so RotE has been my priority series this year (2 books left 😭) and the rest of Wars of Light & Shadow will follow soon after.
@@thatsci-firogue I’m 25% of the way through. Didn’t read anything in the past week as was busy in Singapore but I picked it back up earlier today. I’m definitely finding it a lot slower.
@@bookswithzara yeah it's one of the least liked books in the whole series. Still probably my least favourite overall but looking back having read more of the series I certainly appreciate it more. Hobb has been consistently a slowburn but AQ definitely feels off.
I didn't like Greenbone either (only read the first book). Also Red Rising was a nah for me. Lol. But i haven't/yet read a ton of scifi but I'm trying 😅. Oh so much echo chamber.... I've cut back on several channels. If i want to read "tired tropes" i want to go back to those who started and did it better (Tad Williams, Hobb, Gemmell, GRRM). Not that i won't read newer authors but that's what i depend on YOU for. 😂❤
"If i want to read "tired tropes" i want to go back to those who started and did it better" amen to this! And no pressure hahaha, I'll always try my hardest to recommend authors worth reading!
@@bookswithzara definitely no pressure! I already have a list I can't get through before I die. Lol Also you made me go clear out my YT subscription list....I might cut a few more today. 🤔 🤣
No one delivers controversial takes better than you do hahah. I am proudly one of the people who devoured Fourth Wing, while still recognizing that it's utter shit lol. And it's weird because I kinda agree with your takes on Red Rising yet I also love that series?! I guess the community factor of having buddy read all those books with a group also helped with my enjoyment. Also, couldn't agree more on FatF, I feel like I read that at exactly the right time early on in my reading journey but I don't think I should ever attempt to reread it. For me, one of the biggies on booktube that I just do not get the hype for is Mistborn Era 1... Era 2 is much better imo lol
Hahaha and I totally respect that (irt fourth wing). Ohhhhh I think Mistborn era 2 is not it hahaha. I just do not like the two MCs haha. The humour was worse in that series than in era 1 imo!
@@bookswithzara I am currently rereading era 2 and while I can totally see why you feel that way, I am just eating it up hahahah. To me it has a certain level of camp that just makes it a comfort read lol
I’m also ridiculously tired of hearing about the same books over and over again. That’s why I’ve switched to only watching smaller channels besides one or two large channels that talk about lesser known books.
Oo lots of thoughts Red Rising was released during the time when Hunger Games copycats were a thing, so I am surprised that the series is still popular. The sequels were not that great for me, I was not super in love with Darrow. Resurrection is a difficult trope to execute well, and there is only fantasy book that does it well. It is entertaining in some parts but when people say it’s the “best sci-fi” I get a little confused. I was meh on Greenbone. Not bad, but not as good as people make it out to be. There are better crime fiction/mafia stories/films out there that are much more compelling. Godfather and the Sopranos are god tier mafia stories, and people compare green bone to them, but they’re not even close (to me). the info dumping was horrible. I appreciate when writers trust their readers more because this series is so obsessed with telling you things, which results in lackluster characterization. I recommend a Korean mafia film “Bittersweet Life” if you want a similar feel with Greenbone but with more nuanced characters. Joe Abercrombie is not my favorite author but his prose is great, very vivid action scenes. I’m in the middle of Age of Madness book 2. Most popular modern fantasy like Sanderson and Gwynnne have very plain writing styles, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I do appreciate that Abercrombie has a distinct voice in fantasy but it is still accessible. Wheel of Time’s handling of gender was horrible imo. I only read books 1-3, but so far, it’s women making fun of men, and men being confused about women. It becomes annoying and repetitive. World building was great, but the characters (Rand…) are so one note. Perrin, Mat and Rand might as well be one person. What bothers me is that people say you need get to x number of books to get the good parts. Fourth Wing is poorly thought out written by someone who doesn’t care about writing. Popcorn fiction can be done well. I would even say Throne of Glass is a good popcorn fiction book series. At least with Throne of Glass, I could feel SJM’s passion for her story despite its many problems. Fourth Wing is just a product and a confusing commentary about war. Fourth Wing left a huge stain on fantasy romance. I would like to add Nevernight to this list. The writing style felt edgy and I think that was intentional, but reading 400+ pages of it was too much. Plus I’m over the whole badass assassin trope. The only fantasy assassin I love is Fitz.❤ No disrespect to people who love these books! Reading is a subjective experience and there are just some that don’t work for me. I think we have similar tastes tho
Right??? I'm surprised that it still gets so much face time, even now. It made sense when it came out for the reason you gave, but move on now people! lol. I will definitely check out Bittersweet Life. Really been getting into my international movie era and this sounds like a movie I'd enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation! "What bothers me is that people say you need get to x number of books to get the good parts." This! This annoys me about any series. I agree that Fourth Wing has left a huge stain on fantasy romance. I would argue that SJM's recent stuff has as well. I've not read Neverknight yet but I am planning to soon! I'm interested to see how frustrating I find it lol. Yeah we do have similar tastes, which is great. I've always felt a bit alone on my island haha, but it seems like there's a few of us who have had similar experiences.
@@bookswithzaraI hope you enjoy nevernight! To me, I couldn’t get into his writing style. But if you enjoyed his Empire Vampire book, there’s a chance you might like nevernight as well Yeah Korean crime films are great. I’ll also suggest checking out “The Chaser” if you want a good cat and mouse story. Very dark.
@@SarahJ70 I’m not holding out much hope as I’ve read some quotes from that book that are gross. But I’m reading it for a video I have planned. I need to recommend you ‘Decision to Leave’. Watched it two days ago and it’s fantastic! It’s also a crime thriller. I’ll check out ‘The Chaser’. Thanks Sarah!
Zara you are honest and brave booktuber and I admire you for that! Expressing your real opinion knowing that you might lose or not get a bunch of new subs or views is greatly appreciated! Being yourself is what matters the most! 🥰🥰
@@sasapejcin3568 thanks Sasa, means a lot!
Well said Zara. You are the first to come in mind when people aske for a good taste, nuanced, honest booktuber.
All these booktubers are so pretentious and dishonest or they have such a superficial interest for writing. I might sound harsh but there is no way they can persuade me otherwise.
Praising constantly the same bad written and uninspired books, or books of fellow friends, publishing houses etc etc. Its gross.
I cannot believe that honest bookfiles who love fiction and are well read can honestly praise so highly authors like Gwynne, Cahill, Fourth Wing one, Brown, Sanderson etc etc. I get it if they enjoy it but do not sell me such stuff as phenomenal. It is dishonest and purposeful.
I remember thinking Red Rising had some charm with its over the top approach but that resurrection thing was so cheap. Soooo cheap. It made me rate the third book with two stars instead of three and abandonimg the series.
Gwynne's writing is so bland and war centred. I had fun with it too but it was really simple. Nothing to ponder or mark you.
Wheel of Time has the most tedious writing I can think of. I honestly wanted to like it since I like classic old epic quest fantasy. I love Tolkien, Williams, Thomas Covenant, the Fionavar Tapestry by Kay etc, but Jordan had such a tiring, over descriptive writing. He never breaks the narration. He describes every minute. Literally. Not even sleep breaks it. They dream or have nighmares while on it. Unbelievable
I agree with a lot (if not, all) of what you've written. I feel like there's some sort of secret we're not in on lol. It's astonishing to me that we're being told that certain authors are the next big thing and I'm here thinking 'what on earth are they talking about?' Unfortunately, I think standards and quality have slipped to a point where even the most basic writing is being lauded as the best ever. Thankfully, there is still good writing being produced, we just need to spend the time finding it. And if in doubt, we can always rely on the OGs.
PS: agreed on all your takes on the individual series too.
I don't think it's to do with reviewers being dishonest but I think it's more the skill set of the reviewer that's questionable.
@@thatsci-firogue I would normally be inclined to agree but I was recently witness to something that confirmed Red is somewhat right.
@@bookswithzara mind elaborating on that?
@@thatsci-firogue I’m afraid I’m not comfortable doing so.
I agree with a lot of your tastes in general, I love kj parker, guy gavriel kay, leguin, abercrombie, etc. but also love Greenbone. To me it was all about atmosphere and setting, and I liked how I didn't need to root for the characters (I hate Hilo) to enjoy it, and how I could imagine the same saga from the antagonists' perspective being equally interesting. But really what I loved is the setting and the worldbuilding, the care into a lot of details like the economy. I loved the infodumps in this one ah ah! I'm not a native English speaker so I guess I don't perceive prose exactly as an anglophone but I felt it was better than serviceable, it was vivid and cinematic.
@@marieeuzen7324 that’s fair! I think you’re potentially onto something with your last sentence!
I am so with you on Greenbone I was really dissapointed when I finished the series and was very underwhelmed. It only gets worse from book 1. It got me thinking maybe I just dont understand books anymore or something. Glad to have found your channel!
Edit: oh and then you talk Red Rising . I dnfed in the middle of book 2!
Woohoo, always lovely to meet a fell non-Greenbone fan haha. And also Red Rising, though to a smaller extent as I didn't mind the first trilogy but do think it is highly overrated.
This right here's why I've been following you channel since I found it. We agree like 90% of the time - I've heard nothing appealing about Red Rising and you nailed that coffin shut, agree Gwynne is overrated, loved Will of the Many, loved Abercrombie, refuse to touch Fourth Wing. Only difference is I enjoyed Greenbone Saga, and I love Wheel of Time, but it's also the first adult epic fantasy series I read like 16 years ago, which meshes with what you said about it being more beloved as a gateway series. Curious, have you tried Dandelion Dynasty or Malazan yet?
Re WoT I think that makes a lot of sense! The nostalgia seems real for a lot of people.
Not tried DD or Malazan yet. Both are series I want to get to next year! DD more likely first given it's less books.
I feel the same way about Red Rising as I do about Mistborn; three books is the right number of books.
Agreed!
I wanted to jump on the Red Rising bandwagon so badly! The year it came out I must have picked it up and put it down at least 4 times and I never managed to finish it, there was always something else that I'd rather be reading. I thought there must be something wrong with me for not "getting it" because everybody else seemed to love it. I finally had to admit it just wasn't for me and move on. By the time the Green Bone Saga came around I'd gotten used to not loving some of the most popular series and even though I did finish Jade City and I didn't think it was terrible, I had zero interest in picking up book 2. It sucks not to love what everybody seems to love but it's a waste of time to try to push through when there are so many amazing books that bring me joy. Glad to know I'm not the only weirdo that didn't love those series 😂
Offft, 4 times!! Definitely nothing wrong with you!
I've realised, as I've gotten older, that I'm quite happy being on my own island being a weirdo who doesn't like stuff everyone else does hahaha
Tell em how it is Zara. lol. I definitely got caught up in the hype created by booktube on a few of these series.....you left out Justice of Kings. lol. Now, I only take suggestions from those channels I really trust these days. Awesome video Zara.
Haha thanks Dan! I think I will do a part 2 of this, because there's a few series I want to add and you're right, JoK is definitely one of them.
Love this video! 😂🤣Best part was when you couldn't remember Rebecca Yarros's last name XD
I DNF the first Greenbone book a third of the way into it. I didn't get it all.
I just watched a video of someone the other day explaining why Red Rising was their favorite SFF series ever. Their reasons for loving it so much were hyper contextual to them as an individual and specific to their life experience and I was happy for them, but I could not relate at all at least not with Red Rising. For me, I can relate if considered ASOIAF by Martin or the original Mistborn trilogy by Sanderson since the reason I love those series are hyper specific to me and who I am as a person rather than any influence from YT or whatever.
Yeah, I found and love First Law on my own without YT hype lol Wheel of Time I had known about for years before I started reading it. I knew kids back in the day when I was a kid who were reading it.
I read the first book in Faithful and the Fallen. The writing was only good during fight scenes lmao I had no interest in continuing the series.
Your Fourth Wing slander reviews are peak booktube content honestly 🤣🤣😂😂
Hahaha, soon I will forget her entire name.
That's super interesting re that reader's experience with RR. I think there's definitely instances where I've not personally enjoyed a series but I can see why other people love it. I think with series like RR and Greenbone, I just fail to see how and why they're so beloved.
Good idea not to continue on with FatF. It didn't get much better.
Yay for First Law love!
I found out a few weeks ago the new Rebecca book is coming out in January. I suspect that will be my first rant of 2025.
Oh my goodness Zara, your Greenbone opinions feel so liberating to me 🥲
I struggle-bussed through the first two books and kept trying to convince myself I should be loving it... But I just didn't :/
Honestly, I feel like we're in line with basically all the takes! Obsessed with First Law, similar opinions on WoT, FaTF, etc!)
Hahaha, haters unite! Always great to find folks who had similar experiences, especially when it feels like we're in an echo chamber.
This is why I'm hesitant to pick up Empire of Silence. That really feels like it could be one that's over-hyped. Especially when a lot of the same people pushing it are giant Greenbone and Red Rising fans. Like you I'm not very positive about those.
@@mattkean1128 I definitely liked Empire of Silence better than Red Rising but yeah, I'd also call it overhyped though not to same degree. Given the echochamber Booktube can be a lot of the time, it's likely not as popular as we think it is.
I found the first 4 books a couple years ago at 2nd and Charles for very very cheap. In going to read them because of the author's love for Dune and A Canticle for Liebewitz which I want to read. I'll let you know if it's worth it when I get there.😅
This is a really good point, and you've made me even more hesitant now to pick it up any time soon.
It is great, I have read the whole series.
And I am not a Red Rising or Greenbone fan.
From all I will cave in and give "Will of Many" a try. The rest are sooo hyped that I was thinking "yeah, ok, maybe" and the maybe never came.
And ganster family with junkies and jade drug but maybe power ...not in the mood for the blurb.
BUT and here it comes...
The Forth Wing...a friend read it and was so "happy about the book and the writting" and " wants to write like that" that I was ok I will read that deadly Bridge Scene. I NEVER GOT SO FAR. I stopped after the sister has explained to Violet what she needs to wear on the bridge and has packed her backpack a new....LIKE ONE HOUR BEFOR THE BRIDGE EXAME STARTS sister is helping. Were was she all this time?😑 I had soooo many plot holes by that page in the book...like she had 6 monts to prepare herself, were was her sister, why didn't she have a tutor, her mother is not helping anything and tells her you will resive no help "from now on"🤦♀️ and Violet is scriber-pupil so doing research never came to het and so sister need to clue her in on the wind across the bridge. And let noooot talk about the writting. So I asked a friend about plot problem as I see them and she was "show me fantasy that diesn't have problems"... I stopped discussing. At least some other fantasy out there can better "hide" what is missing...
I KNEW somehow I will not like the book that it simply is not for me...and it did prove that I was right. 😮💨 At least I didn't lose too much time.
I do like how you do the review in non-spoilery way. I need to learn that.
Ohhh I hope you like it! I would recommend reading it when you want something with a lot of pace.
Your comments on Fourth Wing are so right! Such a silly book with silly characters and dumb plot progression. Good idea to not continue on, you saved yourself a lot of time and headache haha.
I loved Will of the Many! It’s a fast paced story with a great plot. Can’t wait for the sequel.
Meh on Jade Legacy. Everyone claims it has morally gray protagonists, but I thought the author tried too hard to portray the main characters as “the good guys” by portraying the people against the clan as the stereotypical bad guys.
I agree with the Red Rising resurrection trope. It was so bad. It’s a popcorn read with lots of action, but it should have ended with book 3
Such a great book, right? Also can't wait for the sequel.
So glad to meet another person who didn't get the hype for Greenbone!
Agreed RR should have ended with book three.
@@bookswithzara Jade city’s over the top violence and the awkward sex scenes made me think it was written by a teen. I had a slightly better experience with RR
@@Angeloyyu re JC, I couldn’t agree more.
To don my tinfoil hat a moment, I don't think booktubers are reading the numbers of books they claim, and when it comes to the hype books, are being entirely honest in their reviews because it doesn't benefit them to publicly trash a book.
If this is true, and I suspect it is to an extent, this is not only dishonest but super gross and the clearest reason to not follow booktubers.
@@bookswithzara There are certainly a few booktubers I think are actively doing it. The worst ones (*cough* Daniel Greene, Adrian Gibson *cough*) are those that build up their audience, get the big authors in for the interviews, build rapport, then they release their self-published novels and use their connections to grift said terrible self-published novel. I may need to go outside and touch grass.
I totally agree with you on Greenbone saga! I didn't love it.
Haven't tried Greenbone yet. A lot of people whose taste I tend to align with (you included) either bounce off it or think its fine at best.
I've read the original Red Rising trilogy twice, has some highs, some lows, stuff i liked and appreciated and stuff that royally pissed me off. I see why it resonates with a lot of people but ultimately just not for me. I regret that it took two readthroughs to know that but hey, these things happen.
Resurrection is also my least favourite trope and have rarely seen it done well and can only think of 3 series its done well in, and those are all spoilers.
Fine, I'll read Will of the Many.
I read First Law because of my Mum. Worth the hype. Read it about the same tike as I did LotR, and controversially I liked it more than LotR.
I'm mixed to positive on WoT. Really enjoyed the first 3 but found books 4 and 5 very jarring but I've matured a lot as a reader since then and really enjoyed book 1 on re-read. Didn't help Jordan was married to his editor.
FATF, I'd fun with it at the time but not something I reflect on often. They're fun palate cleansers and nothing more. Definitely didn't understand people thinking it was on the level of ASOIAF though.
Your Fourth Wing content is the closest I'll get to reading it 😂
Yeah, I really don't think you'll enjoy Greenbone.
I think you'll like aspects of WotM. I don't think it'll be a new favourite but I think if you read it when you want something with a lot of pace, you'll like it.
Your mum is so cool haha.
Did you finish WoT?
Agreed with FatF. Very mid and definitely not in the realm of Tolkien or Martin.
@@bookswithzara Not yet, I was going to prioritise it but then I picked up Liveship Traders (I regret putting it off for so long but in my defence, I didn't love Assassin's Quest and seeing the length of Liveship Traders kept putting me off. Oh what a fool I was) in December so RotE has been my priority series this year (2 books left 😭) and the rest of Wars of Light & Shadow will follow soon after.
@@bookswithzara you start Assassin's Quest yet? 👀 Farseer was a series I was worried would have been overhyped for you.
@@thatsci-firogue I’m 25% of the way through. Didn’t read anything in the past week as was busy in Singapore but I picked it back up earlier today. I’m definitely finding it a lot slower.
@@bookswithzara yeah it's one of the least liked books in the whole series. Still probably my least favourite overall but looking back having read more of the series I certainly appreciate it more. Hobb has been consistently a slowburn but AQ definitely feels off.
I didn't like Greenbone either (only read the first book). Also Red Rising was a nah for me. Lol. But i haven't/yet read a ton of scifi but I'm trying 😅.
Oh so much echo chamber.... I've cut back on several channels. If i want to read "tired tropes" i want to go back to those who started and did it better (Tad Williams, Hobb, Gemmell, GRRM). Not that i won't read newer authors but that's what i depend on YOU for. 😂❤
"If i want to read "tired tropes" i want to go back to those who started and did it better" amen to this! And no pressure hahaha, I'll always try my hardest to recommend authors worth reading!
@@bookswithzara definitely no pressure! I already have a list I can't get through before I die. Lol
Also you made me go clear out my YT subscription list....I might cut a few more today. 🤔 🤣
No one delivers controversial takes better than you do hahah. I am proudly one of the people who devoured Fourth Wing, while still recognizing that it's utter shit lol. And it's weird because I kinda agree with your takes on Red Rising yet I also love that series?! I guess the community factor of having buddy read all those books with a group also helped with my enjoyment.
Also, couldn't agree more on FatF, I feel like I read that at exactly the right time early on in my reading journey but I don't think I should ever attempt to reread it.
For me, one of the biggies on booktube that I just do not get the hype for is Mistborn Era 1... Era 2 is much better imo lol
Hahaha and I totally respect that (irt fourth wing).
Ohhhhh I think Mistborn era 2 is not it hahaha. I just do not like the two MCs haha. The humour was worse in that series than in era 1 imo!
@@bookswithzara I am currently rereading era 2 and while I can totally see why you feel that way, I am just eating it up hahahah. To me it has a certain level of camp that just makes it a comfort read lol
I’m trying to find Stormlight haters but I’m waaaay in the minority. P.s I loved greenbone saga
I think I might be in that category when I eventually read it lol. We’ll see.
Fourth Wing was bad, but Iron Flame was one of the worst books I have ever read. What a waste of time
@@sarak6823 agreed
I’m also ridiculously tired of hearing about the same books over and over again. That’s why I’ve switched to only watching smaller channels besides one or two large channels that talk about lesser known books.
@@Maeve_Ever_Books totally agree!
Oo lots of thoughts
Red Rising was released during the time when Hunger Games copycats were a thing, so I am surprised that the series is still popular. The sequels were not that great for me, I was not super in love with Darrow. Resurrection is a difficult trope to execute well, and there is only fantasy book that does it well. It is entertaining in some parts but when people say it’s the “best sci-fi” I get a little confused.
I was meh on Greenbone. Not bad, but not as good as people make it out to be. There are better crime fiction/mafia stories/films out there that are much more compelling. Godfather and the Sopranos are god tier mafia stories, and people compare green bone to them, but they’re not even close (to me). the info dumping was horrible. I appreciate when writers trust their readers more because this series is so obsessed with telling you things, which results in lackluster characterization. I recommend a Korean mafia film “Bittersweet Life” if you want a similar feel with Greenbone but with more nuanced characters.
Joe Abercrombie is not my favorite author but his prose is great, very vivid action scenes. I’m in the middle of Age of Madness book 2. Most popular modern fantasy like Sanderson and Gwynnne have very plain writing styles, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I do appreciate that Abercrombie has a distinct voice in fantasy but it is still accessible.
Wheel of Time’s handling of gender was horrible imo. I only read books 1-3, but so far, it’s women making fun of men, and men being confused about women. It becomes annoying and repetitive. World building was great, but the characters (Rand…) are so one note. Perrin, Mat and Rand might as well be one person. What bothers me is that people say you need get to x number of books to get the good parts.
Fourth Wing is poorly thought out written by someone who doesn’t care about writing. Popcorn fiction can be done well. I would even say Throne of Glass is a good popcorn fiction book series. At least with Throne of Glass, I could feel SJM’s passion for her story despite its many problems. Fourth Wing is just a product and a confusing commentary about war. Fourth Wing left a huge stain on fantasy romance.
I would like to add Nevernight to this list. The writing style felt edgy and I think that was intentional, but reading 400+ pages of it was too much. Plus I’m over the whole badass assassin trope. The only fantasy assassin I love is Fitz.❤
No disrespect to people who love these books! Reading is a subjective experience and there are just some that don’t work for me. I think we have similar tastes tho
Right??? I'm surprised that it still gets so much face time, even now. It made sense when it came out for the reason you gave, but move on now people! lol.
I will definitely check out Bittersweet Life. Really been getting into my international movie era and this sounds like a movie I'd enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation!
"What bothers me is that people say you need get to x number of books to get the good parts." This! This annoys me about any series.
I agree that Fourth Wing has left a huge stain on fantasy romance. I would argue that SJM's recent stuff has as well.
I've not read Neverknight yet but I am planning to soon! I'm interested to see how frustrating I find it lol.
Yeah we do have similar tastes, which is great. I've always felt a bit alone on my island haha, but it seems like there's a few of us who have had similar experiences.
@@bookswithzaraI hope you enjoy nevernight! To me, I couldn’t get into his writing style. But if you enjoyed his Empire Vampire book, there’s a chance you might like nevernight as well
Yeah Korean crime films are great. I’ll also suggest checking out “The Chaser” if you want a good cat and mouse story. Very dark.
@@SarahJ70 I’m not holding out much hope as I’ve read some quotes from that book that are gross. But I’m reading it for a video I have planned.
I need to recommend you ‘Decision to Leave’. Watched it two days ago and it’s fantastic! It’s also a crime thriller. I’ll check out ‘The Chaser’. Thanks Sarah!