This is why you’re my favourite booktuber. Your video ideas are so unique to the booktube community. Since I’m such an organised person like you it means all of my organisation goals are met when I watch your videos!
The dinner might have a low rating, because it's on the literature reading list in high schools in the Netherlands (and Belgium?), and students hate anything that has to do with school hahah
Great video. That is the reason why I never give much weight to reviews. Everyone is different and just because"everyone" hates a book it doesn't mean I will; and just because "everyone" loves a book, it doesn't mean I will. Some people put way too much stock in reviews. Thank you for sharing.
Yup same. I sometimes skim reviews just to get a general gist of WHY people didn't like something, and if they all say the same thing, then I consider that. But usually I just read something because it sounds interesting to me.
do hyped books that you didn't like! I find those so interesting. Everyone's tastes are so different. Everyone loved Every Heart a Doorway, but I DNF'd it. I hated it!
showtimesynergy I didn’t hate Every Heart a Doorway but when I finished reading it I couldn’t help but feeling like I missed something. It was just meh.
showtimesynergy I finished EHAD, but only because I listened on audiobook and sped it up as fast as it could go lol. I would’ve DNF’ed a physical copy.
showtimesynergy Nice to see someone share my sentiment! I didn’t totally hate it, but it was the only book I DNF’d last year. I just didn’t get the hype at all!
I think it is sad that some people need to have likeable characters to like the book, this often let the plot get into the background. And a lot of not likeable people are mostly very interesting and more in depth.
I find unlikeable characters interesting, but in the cases where the character is meant to be likeable I find it hard to continue reading. Though there is a difference between unlikeable to me and unlikeable overall.
I love this video idea so much! I feel like sometimes booktube demonizes certain books or writes them off so I love seeing less popular books talked positively about! Also the lipstick color you are wearing is sooooo pretty!
For me the opposite happens. Everyone loves a book and I usually find them just ok. It's pretty rare the books that are hyped that I end up loving it. Now I think I need to give the books you mentioned a try.
I LOVED THE DINNER! The fact that I didn't like the characters but still enjoyed the book is such a testament to the storytelling/writing style. It was so well done, especially since it's compressed into a day or two days (right? It's been a while). I found it CHILLING. It made my stomach hurt, but I enjoyed it a lot.
I too read and enjoyed the The Dinner! Those people were F'd up!!! I read it for a book club so our "dinner" meetup conversation was great. Most of us just sitting around going, "those people are insane!".
The dinner is actually a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. (It's a Dutch book so that will probably be one of the reasons.) It's even made into a movie.
Subscribed as a girl loving books and learning Dutch! My boyfriend is Dutch and we’re moving there this summer. We both live in my country Norway now :) I hope your videos are Dutch with little accent hahaha
Lene M I am actually from Belgium. 😀 So no Dutch accent. Depending on where you are going to live in the Netherlands that accents will be quite different. Some of my best friends live in the Netherlands and they all speak a different dialect. 😀 Such a great adventure you are embarking on.
I love how you are so open with your likes/dislikes!!! Not everyone is going to agree about various books and I see this as a good thing. It allows us the chance to discuss books, what we liked/disliked about it, what we think the author was trying to convey, etc. This is the best part of reading and being a part of a book discussion group....trying to persuade someone into trying something new, look at a character a different way, maybe even give an author another try. I love being a “book rebel” (as my grandmother always called it) and frequently give higher ratings than others do.
Nerve! I absolutely loved that one! I didn't realize the ratings were so low. That actually kind of surprises me. I wonder if they read it after they saw the movie? Cuz there are some differences. So maybe it didn't live up to expectations? I think for me just the whole concept of a real-world internet-based dare game was super super interesting and I thought she did a good job of portraying that world and how a game like that might play out.
I always end up loving the different videos you do. It definitely sets you apart from other booktubers. You have videos besides wrap ups & hauls, & I love your channel because of it. Keep it up.
I love your unique videos, btw. So many other book channels all seem like carbon copies of each other. I don't know how you manage to be so unique all the time, but I love it!
This is why I don't really pay attention raitings. Everyone has a different taste. Read what the book is about. If it sounds like something you'd like read it and judge for yourself. I never give hate to anyone that hates a book I love. I like to learn why they didn't like it. And most of the time I completely understand the reason. I'll read reviews after I read a book.
Lala, this is without a doubt the best video I've seen done by you so far--and I watched LOTS of great stuff from you. A really fun one and I hope you're thinking about doing a second round. Really enjoyed it!!
How come? I feel like most people gave it low ratings because it was Rowling's first non-Harry Potter novel and they were disappointed. But I think it's a really amazing character study! And it follows so many characters but does it so well. I'd be curious to know what you didn't like about it that I might've missed.
WellDoneBooks I think that to like it you have to really enjoy stories that follow multiple characters' lives and issues and you have to like character studies in general. I honestly love this type of books and so I looooved The Casual Vacancy (although it's really been a while since I've read it)!
Ever since watching your Unpopular Book Tag, I wanted to read The Casual Vacancy. Your input on it really made me want to read it. But the thing I hear keep hearing about the big amount of cast irritated me a bit. Do you suggest I make a list of the characters while reading the book?
It's really suprising that The Dinner has such low rating, because in the Netherlands it is one of the most popular books that every one has read (I haven't myself btw :P) and keeps recommending! That is why it was also translated from Dutch to English. However, it might be that the translation isn't that great, so that people don't like it as much?
I’m mass subscribing to every Dutch booktuber I see in the comment section now, haha! I’m Norwegian but me and my very Dutch boyfriend are moving to the Netherlands this summer! I hope to learn Dutch :D
I don't speak Dutch, but I thought The Dinner was well written in English. I really liked it as well. I think many Americans and other non-Dutch readers may not like it because of the unlikeable and amoral characters but also because the book really seems to be a condemnation of certain aspects of Dutch culture. The issues discussed came across as universal to me, but perhaps that's another reason the book didn't resonate with many people.
I think Americans just expect to be entertained by a quick pace and witty banter, so a book with unlikeable characters is bound to not do as well here. I've even seen where books will be rated low simply because the pacing was slower than average, even though they liked the characters and storyline. But because a book might not be pulling them along at a race car speed, they see that as being a bad book.
Lene M That's so cool! I hope you'll love it! Where will you be living (as in what city, I don't want you to write down an adress hahaha)? I believe you already got a lot of recommendations from Iris for dutch booktubers? Good luck with the move, and learning the language!
Elle Tree & desertrose0601 Those are some interesting points! I was wondering about that too. I'm still planning on actually reading the book at some point, but what I do know of it is that it's quite slow. It always does sound as something typical of Dutch literature too! I always find Dutch literature very different from UK/US literature anyway, which are also differences that make me dislike most of the Dutch literature I've read so far, so it's interesting to see the opinions are so different in other countries as well!
Wow your story with Why We Broke Up is the same as mine with The Virgin Suicides. Everyone I know either were indifferent about it or hated it because there was no real point to it because you know how it ends from the first chapter and there's no real resolution, but that's EXACTLY WHY I loved it so much.
You should definitely do the opposite of this video 😊 I've watched these types of videos before, but you always have such a unique way of filming. Love it!
I gave Why We Broke Up 4 stars and has been one of the books I remember nearly everything even though I read it 3 years ago. I listened to it on audio right after I kind of broke up with my old life and it had such a huge impact on my life at the time.
Definitely just added all of these to my tbr list. I almost always like books no one else likes. Why we broke up is one of my favorite books also. It was so well done. Finally glad to see someone else love it as much as I do.
I didn’t like A House at the Bottom of the Lake because of the ending, like you said. Also, I want to reread it. I read it so quickly I’ve been wondering if I missed stuff that would have made it more enjoyable. I loved Bird Box and I am so excited for his next novel that is coming out.
I read A House at the Bottom of a Lake at your recommendation and loved it. I thought it captured the feeling of moving from the vibrant newness of young adulthood to adulthood beautifully. I can see how someone looking for just a scary story would be disappointed though.
It just irks me when people make videos or unhauls and say "I've never read this, but based on the reviews I don't think I'll like it so I'm just getting rid of it." That why I don't go by rating because so many people dislike the 3rd book in the Mara Dyer trilogy and I thought it was great. It was a great ending to the story. If people have started a book and just didn't like it and DNF it and wanted to get rid of it that different.
This is such a good idea and I wish there were more like this. I am actually reading some of the lowest rated books on my shelves per Goodreads just to see what I think since I like making my own opinions and I’ve also been known to like books others don’t sometimes lol
I appreciate the way you determined which books made this list (with the Goodreads averages vs your scores). It makes me kind of wish I actually rated books instead of just using Goodreads for read/TBR/lists.
I just did this in my goodreads and have discovered that I am a shockingly average reader. I could probably do this the other way around because there are good number that people liked that I really did not like, so I'd love to see that. I've read two of the books you mentioned and I agree with the consensus for both. I personally feel that A House at the Bottom of the Lake didn't go anywhere. I didn't need an explanation because I didn't think there was anything to explain. This shocked me as I thought we had a similar taste in thriller/horror books so I don't know what happened there. Also, I thought Nerve was just bad. I think the premise set it up to be addicting, which I thought it was, but the dares were tame and the plot became really repetitive.
I've been wanting to read Why We Broke Up for so long but have been hesitant because of the bad reviews - but your description makes me sure again that I will love it! I don't need books to have a 'point' to them either, I love the idea of just getting this little window into a chapter of their lives!
I'm in the middle of reading A House At The Bottom Of A Lake and i'm definitely getting that anxious feeling you mentioned and i really like books like that :)
I actually haven't read any of those books, but I love watching your videos and I definitely think you should do an opposite video like you talked about!
The dinner is actually a book you can read for your book list in high school (in the Netherlands). A lot of people tend to dislike reading and therefore rate those books quite low.
I'm so glad I found your UA-cam channel! We seem to have the same tastes in books, so much so that I added a bunch of these to my Goodreads to read list! I LOVED The Dinner because the characters are all unlikeable...and I loved that. It made it real. Have you read Koch's other book, Summer House with Swimming Pool? I also loved that one. edit: PS I also love Why We Broke Up and need to reread it pronto.
I find this kind of rating discrepancy quite interesting. On my goodreads I have five shelves where I mark rating differences - large dif +/- >0.75, small dif +/- 0.25-0.75, and negligible +/-
The Dinner is on my TBR this year, not sure I'll get to it, but it is an absolute classic in my native tongue literary field. Hope I'll like it as well, sometimes an unlikeable character can really destroy my reading experience, however, I do as well like some books with unlikeable charcaters, so will have to see ...
I LOVED the Dinner, too!!! How can so many people not like that!?! It was so dark and twisty. I love your unlikeable character theory, that definitely makes for divisive books and ratings.
This video is super interesting. This just shows that we all have different opinions about what makes a great read. I guess it often comes down to what sort of expectations you have when you go into a book, and those expectations aren't met. When it comes to hyped books, I have come to realize I need to read at least one bad review before I pick it up, just to find out why they decided to rate it low, and if that's something that bothers me. Overly hyped books where everyone rates it 5 stars, I'm always a lot more sceptical towards than a mediocre rated books that have a good mix of good and bad reviews.
Oh my gosh!!! I've never seen a Booktuber talk about surrealism before! This is so cool! I think you would DEFINITELY enjoy "There Is No Year" by Blake Butler. It's my favorite surrealist novel! It's just like, so weirdly and uniquely moving, you'd love it!
I just finished reading the dinner (had to read it for school). I really enjoyed it and it was a 4 star book for me but towards the end there were some decisions made and some things said that I just can't stand behind so I had to dock a star and gave it a 3/5. I gave nerve a 4/5 as well I believe but I really enjoyed it.
I've loved Kasie West books. You kind of introduced me to them, but I had read 3 (and loved them!) before picking up Lucky in Love. I stopped reading it after 100 pages. I am one of those people who wants to find redeeming qualities in their main characters, and she is not one to like. That girl made me want to slap my book on a table a few times. Thanks for explaining why you liked it because I was so confused because you gushed about it and I was like, wtf is wrong with me then?!
This video was so entertaining! I really enjoyed how you explained your opinion on each book and I also think it is very interesting to look back on the books we read! :)
Firstly, does anyone know what the books are at the bottom left book shelf with the polka dot (maybe diamond?) pattern. They are so beautiful! I must have them!! I love unlikable chracters The Dinner was one of the best books I've read this year so far.
ally owl those 4 are special edition classics, from left to right: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, and Animal Farm/1984
ok so I know you probably haven't read this book in a while, but we read To Kill A Mockingbird in literature last semester and I was the only one who sympathized with Mayella Ewell. Just wondering what your opinion on her was😄 If you remember😂😂
The most popular book on my lowest average list, (that I disagree with, a lot of books with averages of less than 3 stars, I've agreed with), is The Girls by Emma Cline, which has a 3,48 average, which is not bad, but I gave it 4 stars. Haven't read any of the books on your list, but am looking forward to A house at the bottom of a lake!
I LOVE DANIEL HANDLER SO MUCH! I can't wait to read Why We Broke Up that's been in my TBR for months! Your 5 Star review just moved it up to the next book I pick up :D PS Your videos are awesome so thanks for the time and effort you put in :D
I think the low rated ones I like, I agree aren’t great, but I see things in them I enjoy or praise, because not every book hits the mark like they should, but that one think can save it a little bit and make me like the author.
I am another reader who seems to love books that others hate. Most of the time it's because of unlikable characters. The Dinner is a great example of that. Things Fall Apart is another great example. I hear many people don't like it because The main character is an abuser and a power hungry jerk. Well, that is the point, you aren't SUPPOSED to like him, but his story is authentic to a time when Western Christians took over African cultures by force. If the book had focused on someone who welcomed that change with open arms, it wouldn't have been authentic. It would have been downright disrespectful actually to write that story in any other way. It just isn't a book to read if you want a happy ending or to meet your next book- boyfriend. Not every book is for every reader and that is perfectly ok. :-)
This was fun! I really like seeing people talk about books they enjoyed even if most people don't like them. The only book I've out of these was Why We Broke Up and I thought it was just ok. I would really like to see you do the opposite of this video!
I really need to stop reading reviews and checking goodreads stars. 😅😅 I’ve just unhauled a LOT of books, either because I (now) know I’ll never read them OR because of low ratings...😬🙈😂
Great video as always :) The colors of Beautiful Broken Girls and The Dinner match your lipstick and shirt haha. (Sorry if that was weird I just thought it was funny)
Totally agree with you regarding Me and Earl and he Dying Girl. I went in expecting to love that book, and I hated it. I didn’t pick up his next book because of that.
HOW DID YOU ADD GOODREADS MOBILE APP TO YOUR VIDEO?!?!?! Sorry for the yelly but I'm so mindblown right now and my husband is trying to figure out how you do it too because he's been doing this for years and doesn't know how. Can I email you some how to discuss this please? Thanks :)
Thank you sooooo much! My husband does my video editing but this will help so much with some Ideas that I have, we also use premier pro :) again thanks so much!
My favorite books are the ones without an explained ending. I absolutely hate when I book tells me everything. I prefer to come up with my own ideas about the people and the world being built
I am in 7th grade and we recently read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It has an ambiguous or, unclear, ending and I did not like that factor. I am a math person, definitely more of a reader person though, so I do like definitive endings or answers. That is your opinion, though.
hahaha I had to read the dinner in high school (I'm Dutch so that's explains why) & it wasn't that bad like other books I had to read for school were soo much worse. also it's a very popular book in the netherlands
OMG The Haters. I just went back to see what my review said on goodreads. However, it looks I never rated or reviewed it. But I 100% agree. I didn't find the teenage boy humor funny. Though that being said, I did recommend the book to my teenage son. I bet he'd find it hilarious.
This is why you’re my favourite booktuber. Your video ideas are so unique to the booktube community. Since I’m such an organised person like you it means all of my organisation goals are met when I watch your videos!
The dinner might have a low rating, because it's on the literature reading list in high schools in the Netherlands (and Belgium?), and students hate anything that has to do with school hahah
Haha yes! But i liked it!
Great video. That is the reason why I never give much weight to reviews. Everyone is different and just because"everyone" hates a book it doesn't mean I will; and just because "everyone" loves a book, it doesn't mean I will. Some people put way too much stock in reviews. Thank you for sharing.
Yup same. I sometimes skim reviews just to get a general gist of WHY people didn't like something, and if they all say the same thing, then I consider that. But usually I just read something because it sounds interesting to me.
do hyped books that you didn't like! I find those so interesting. Everyone's tastes are so different. Everyone loved Every Heart a Doorway, but I DNF'd it. I hated it!
showtimesynergy I didn’t hate Every Heart a Doorway but when I finished reading it I couldn’t help but feeling like I missed something. It was just meh.
showtimesynergy I finished EHAD, but only because I listened on audiobook and sped it up as fast as it could go lol. I would’ve DNF’ed a physical copy.
showtimesynergy Nice to see someone share my sentiment! I didn’t totally hate it, but it was the only book I DNF’d last year. I just didn’t get the hype at all!
I think it is sad that some people need to have likeable characters to like the book, this often let the plot get into the background. And a lot of not likeable people are mostly very interesting and more in depth.
I find unlikeable characters interesting, but in the cases where the character is meant to be likeable I find it hard to continue reading. Though there is a difference between unlikeable to me and unlikeable overall.
I love this video idea so much! I feel like sometimes booktube demonizes certain books or writes them off so I love seeing less popular books talked positively about!
Also the lipstick color you are wearing is sooooo pretty!
For me the opposite happens. Everyone loves a book and I usually find them just ok. It's pretty rare the books that are hyped that I end up loving it.
Now I think I need to give the books you mentioned a try.
I LOVED THE DINNER! The fact that I didn't like the characters but still enjoyed the book is such a testament to the storytelling/writing style. It was so well done, especially since it's compressed into a day or two days (right? It's been a while). I found it CHILLING. It made my stomach hurt, but I enjoyed it a lot.
I too read and enjoyed the The Dinner! Those people were F'd up!!! I read it for a book club so our "dinner" meetup conversation was great. Most of us just sitting around going, "those people are insane!".
Aww! I was just going to order this and decided not to since it had low ratings
Mollie Reads hasn't it become a movie?
akita 143 yes, came out earlier this year I believe. It’s got Richard Gere in it.
Hotelpastis they have it on Netflix but the summary didn't sound like the book
The dinner is actually a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. (It's a Dutch book so that will probably be one of the reasons.) It's even made into a movie.
Subscribed as a girl loving books and learning Dutch! My boyfriend is Dutch and we’re moving there this summer. We both live in my country Norway now :) I hope your videos are Dutch with little accent hahaha
Lene M I am actually from Belgium. 😀 So no Dutch accent. Depending on where you are going to live in the Netherlands that accents will be quite different. Some of my best friends live in the Netherlands and they all speak a different dialect. 😀 Such a great adventure you are embarking on.
I love how you are so open with your likes/dislikes!!! Not everyone is going to agree about various books and I see this as a good thing. It allows us the chance to discuss books, what we liked/disliked about it, what we think the author was trying to convey, etc. This is the best part of reading and being a part of a book discussion group....trying to persuade someone into trying something new, look at a character a different way, maybe even give an author another try. I love being a “book rebel” (as my grandmother always called it) and frequently give higher ratings than others do.
Your videos are so original; I love it! You’re one of my favorite booktubers :)
You should film like which books you think you’d rate higher/lower if you reread them
Nerve! I absolutely loved that one! I didn't realize the ratings were so low. That actually kind of surprises me. I wonder if they read it after they saw the movie? Cuz there are some differences. So maybe it didn't live up to expectations? I think for me just the whole concept of a real-world internet-based dare game was super super interesting and I thought she did a good job of portraying that world and how a game like that might play out.
I always end up loving the different videos you do. It definitely sets you apart from other booktubers. You have videos besides wrap ups & hauls, & I love your channel because of it. Keep it up.
I love your unique videos, btw. So many other book channels all seem like carbon copies of each other. I don't know how you manage to be so unique all the time, but I love it!
This is why I don't really pay attention raitings. Everyone has a different taste. Read what the book is about. If it sounds like something you'd like read it and judge for yourself. I never give hate to anyone that hates a book I love. I like to learn why they didn't like it. And most of the time I completely understand the reason. I'll read reviews after I read a book.
So glad you liked The Diner! It's one of my favorite Dutch books.
Lala, this is without a doubt the best video I've seen done by you so far--and I watched LOTS of great stuff from you. A really fun one and I hope you're thinking about doing a second round. Really enjoyed it!!
The Casual Vacancy has a super low average rating and I gave it 5 stars. That always baffles me because it's so good but I guess to each their own.
How come? I feel like most people gave it low ratings because it was Rowling's first non-Harry Potter novel and they were disappointed. But I think it's a really amazing character study! And it follows so many characters but does it so well. I'd be curious to know what you didn't like about it that I might've missed.
WellDoneBooks I think that to like it you have to really enjoy stories that follow multiple characters' lives and issues and you have to like character studies in general. I honestly love this type of books and so I looooved The Casual Vacancy (although it's really been a while since I've read it)!
Ever since watching your Unpopular Book Tag, I wanted to read The Casual Vacancy. Your input on it really made me want to read it. But the thing I hear keep hearing about the big amount of cast irritated me a bit. Do you suggest I make a list of the characters while reading the book?
I adored that book. No one else I know liked it very much but I thought it was fantastic.
Oh my God I loved this book too!
It's really suprising that The Dinner has such low rating, because in the Netherlands it is one of the most popular books that every one has read (I haven't myself btw :P) and keeps recommending! That is why it was also translated from Dutch to English. However, it might be that the translation isn't that great, so that people don't like it as much?
I’m mass subscribing to every Dutch booktuber I see in the comment section now, haha! I’m Norwegian but me and my very Dutch boyfriend are moving to the Netherlands this summer! I hope to learn Dutch :D
I don't speak Dutch, but I thought The Dinner was well written in English. I really liked it as well. I think many Americans and other non-Dutch readers may not like it because of the unlikeable and amoral characters but also because the book really seems to be a condemnation of certain aspects of Dutch culture. The issues discussed came across as universal to me, but perhaps that's another reason the book didn't resonate with many people.
I think Americans just expect to be entertained by a quick pace and witty banter, so a book with unlikeable characters is bound to not do as well here. I've even seen where books will be rated low simply because the pacing was slower than average, even though they liked the characters and storyline. But because a book might not be pulling them along at a race car speed, they see that as being a bad book.
Lene M That's so cool! I hope you'll love it! Where will you be living (as in what city, I don't want you to write down an adress hahaha)? I believe you already got a lot of recommendations from Iris for dutch booktubers?
Good luck with the move, and learning the language!
Elle Tree & desertrose0601 Those are some interesting points! I was wondering about that too. I'm still planning on actually reading the book at some point, but what I do know of it is that it's quite slow. It always does sound as something typical of Dutch literature too! I always find Dutch literature very different from UK/US literature anyway, which are also differences that make me dislike most of the Dutch literature I've read so far, so it's interesting to see the opinions are so different in other countries as well!
Wow your story with Why We Broke Up is the same as mine with The Virgin Suicides. Everyone I know either were indifferent about it or hated it because there was no real point to it because you know how it ends from the first chapter and there's no real resolution, but that's EXACTLY WHY I loved it so much.
You should definitely do the opposite of this video 😊 I've watched these types of videos before, but you always have such a unique way of filming. Love it!
I LOVED this idea because usually people like trashing books so to see unloved books getting some shout outs is nice :)
I gave Why We Broke Up 4 stars and has been one of the books I remember nearly everything even though I read it 3 years ago. I listened to it on audio right after I kind of broke up with my old life and it had such a huge impact on my life at the time.
Nerve was adapted into a movie who was a good movie.
Definitely just added all of these to my tbr list. I almost always like books no one else likes.
Why we broke up is one of my favorite books also. It was so well done. Finally glad to see someone else love it as much as I do.
I didn’t like A House at the Bottom of the Lake because of the ending, like you said. Also, I want to reread it. I read it so quickly I’ve been wondering if I missed stuff that would have made it more enjoyable. I loved Bird Box and I am so excited for his next novel that is coming out.
I read A House at the Bottom of a Lake at your recommendation and loved it. I thought it captured the feeling of moving from the vibrant newness of young adulthood to adulthood beautifully. I can see how someone looking for just a scary story would be disappointed though.
It just irks me when people make videos or unhauls and say "I've never read this, but based on the reviews I don't think I'll like it so I'm just getting rid of it." That why I don't go by rating because so many people dislike the 3rd book in the Mara Dyer trilogy and I thought it was great. It was a great ending to the story. If people have started a book and just didn't like it and DNF it and wanted to get rid of it that different.
This is such a good idea and I wish there were more like this. I am actually reading some of the lowest rated books on my shelves per Goodreads just to see what I think since I like making my own opinions and I’ve also been known to like books others don’t sometimes lol
I appreciate the way you determined which books made this list (with the Goodreads averages vs your scores). It makes me kind of wish I actually rated books instead of just using Goodreads for read/TBR/lists.
I just did this in my goodreads and have discovered that I am a shockingly average reader. I could probably do this the other way around because there are good number that people liked that I really did not like, so I'd love to see that.
I've read two of the books you mentioned and I agree with the consensus for both. I personally feel that A House at the Bottom of the Lake didn't go anywhere. I didn't need an explanation because I didn't think there was anything to explain. This shocked me as I thought we had a similar taste in thriller/horror books so I don't know what happened there. Also, I thought Nerve was just bad. I think the premise set it up to be addicting, which I thought it was, but the dares were tame and the plot became really repetitive.
I've been wanting to read Why We Broke Up for so long but have been hesitant because of the bad reviews - but your description makes me sure again that I will love it! I don't need books to have a 'point' to them either, I love the idea of just getting this little window into a chapter of their lives!
I haven't read any of the boks you talked about but I would love to see a video where you talk about the books you hate that everyone seems to love.
Do these books hold up? That would be a good tar vlog. I don't think it's already been done... hmm
I'm in the middle of reading A House At The Bottom Of A Lake and i'm definitely getting that anxious feeling you mentioned and i really like books like that :)
I actually haven't read any of those books, but I love watching your videos and I definitely think you should do an opposite video like you talked about!
Time Traveler's Wife is like that for me. People seem to absolutely hate it and I love it so much.
The dinner is actually a book you can read for your book list in high school (in the Netherlands). A lot of people tend to dislike reading and therefore rate those books quite low.
I'm so glad I found your UA-cam channel! We seem to have the same tastes in books, so much so that I added a bunch of these to my Goodreads to read list! I LOVED The Dinner because the characters are all unlikeable...and I loved that. It made it real. Have you read Koch's other book, Summer House with Swimming Pool? I also loved that one.
edit: PS I also love Why We Broke Up and need to reread it pronto.
I find this kind of rating discrepancy quite interesting. On my goodreads I have five shelves where I mark rating differences - large dif +/- >0.75, small dif +/- 0.25-0.75, and negligible +/-
Ooo I hated The Dinner! I found it way boring!
LOVE NERVE
Why we broke up was one of my favourites in 2015!
The Dinner is on my TBR this year, not sure I'll get to it, but it is an absolute classic in my native tongue literary field. Hope I'll like it as well, sometimes an unlikeable character can really destroy my reading experience, however, I do as well like some books with unlikeable charcaters, so will have to see ...
I LOVED the Dinner, too!!! How can so many people not like that!?! It was so dark and twisty. I love your unlikeable character theory, that definitely makes for divisive books and ratings.
I was honestly expecting The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness to be on here and I will defend that book to the grave.
Stubbornly Bookish Yes, I expected that one, too. Also I loved 'The Rest of Us Just Lives Here' and don't get the low ratings.
I haven't read any if the books mentioned but it doesn't change the fact that it was a cool video, really like the idea
I liked the Dinner! Originally it's a Dutch book and I'm Dutch so I read it for school when I was like fourteen. I love Herman Koch's writing
This video is super interesting. This just shows that we all have different opinions about what makes a great read. I guess it often comes down to what sort of expectations you have when you go into a book, and those expectations aren't met.
When it comes to hyped books, I have come to realize I need to read at least one bad review before I pick it up, just to find out why they decided to rate it low, and if that's something that bothers me.
Overly hyped books where everyone rates it 5 stars, I'm always a lot more sceptical towards than a mediocre rated books that have a good mix of good and bad reviews.
I totally agree about The Dinner! It's one of my favourite reads of 2017!
Oh my gosh!!! I've never seen a Booktuber talk about surrealism before! This is so cool! I think you would DEFINITELY enjoy "There Is No Year" by Blake Butler. It's my favorite surrealist novel! It's just like, so weirdly and uniquely moving, you'd love it!
I just finished reading the dinner (had to read it for school). I really enjoyed it and it was a 4 star book for me but towards the end there were some decisions made and some things said that I just can't stand behind so I had to dock a star and gave it a 3/5.
I gave nerve a 4/5 as well I believe but I really enjoyed it.
Have you read Murakami’s books? If you like surrealism or magical realism or things not having a point you would maybe like his books !!
I listened to The Dinner and I loved it, I'm not sure if that's why I loved it so much, but I do tend to rate books I listen to higher.
I've loved Kasie West books. You kind of introduced me to them, but I had read 3 (and loved them!) before picking up Lucky in Love. I stopped reading it after 100 pages. I am one of those people who wants to find redeeming qualities in their main characters, and she is not one to like. That girl made me want to slap my book on a table a few times. Thanks for explaining why you liked it because I was so confused because you gushed about it and I was like, wtf is wrong with me then?!
This video was so entertaining! I really enjoyed how you explained your opinion on each book and I also think it is very interesting to look back on the books we read! :)
I wanted to read Nerve because it sounds so interesting and the movie was amazing.
I want to try your recommendations. I read We Are the Ants based from your rave reviews and fell in live with it.
Firstly, does anyone know what the books are at the bottom left book shelf with the polka dot (maybe diamond?) pattern. They are so beautiful! I must have them!!
I love unlikable chracters The Dinner was one of the best books I've read this year so far.
ally owl those 4 are special edition classics, from left to right: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, and Animal Farm/1984
ok so I know you probably haven't read this book in a while, but we read To Kill A Mockingbird in literature last semester and I was the only one who sympathized with Mayella Ewell. Just wondering what your opinion on her was😄 If you remember😂😂
I am looking around on Netflix right now for thrillers and apparently they actually have The Dinner movie on there.
I thought for sure this video would feature Ten! I kinda thought that might even have inspired you to do it, so I was surprised not to see it.
Is 'I Crawl Through It' by A.S. King kind of like 'Alice In Wonderland'? because it aounds like it and now I want to pick it up.
The most popular book on my lowest average list, (that I disagree with, a lot of books with averages of less than 3 stars, I've agreed with), is The Girls by Emma Cline, which has a 3,48 average, which is not bad, but I gave it 4 stars.
Haven't read any of the books on your list, but am looking forward to A house at the bottom of a lake!
I LOVE DANIEL HANDLER SO MUCH! I can't wait to read Why We Broke Up that's been in my TBR for months! Your 5 Star review just moved it up to the next book I pick up :D PS Your videos are awesome so thanks for the time and effort you put in :D
Have you seen the movie nerve?
I think the low rated ones I like, I agree aren’t great, but I see things in them I enjoy or praise, because not every book hits the mark like they should, but that one think can save it a little bit and make me like the author.
You always have the best videos!
I am another reader who seems to love books that others hate. Most of the time it's because of unlikable characters. The Dinner is a great example of that. Things Fall Apart is another great example. I hear many people don't like it because The main character is an abuser and a power hungry jerk. Well, that is the point, you aren't SUPPOSED to like him, but his story is authentic to a time when Western Christians took over African cultures by force. If the book had focused on someone who welcomed that change with open arms, it wouldn't have been authentic. It would have been downright disrespectful actually to write that story in any other way. It just isn't a book to read if you want a happy ending or to meet your next book- boyfriend. Not every book is for every reader and that is perfectly ok. :-)
completely agree with your opinion on Things Fall Apart
I TOTALLY agree with you about Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl. I HATED it as well, but I am intrigued by The Haters, will definitely check it out!
Oh, Why We Broke Up is one of my all-time favorite books as well!
Does anyone know the name of the book with the umbrella on the spine? I just couldn't keep my eyes off it the whole video
Jennie Fransson I think it’s Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
There are a few books that I like that most people don't. Thanks for doing this! I may do this as well!
A House At the Bottom of the Lake cover reminds me of the movie In Dreams. Added: I Crawl Through It sounds like a David Lynch movie.
I love this video idea! I really want to have a go, can I?!
This was fun! I really like seeing people talk about books they enjoyed even if most people don't like them. The only book I've out of these was Why We Broke Up and I thought it was just ok. I would really like to see you do the opposite of this video!
The Dinner... I really like the narrator and his wife. They’re ‘by any means necessary people,’ and I like that.
I really need to stop reading reviews and checking goodreads stars. 😅😅 I’ve just unhauled a LOT of books, either because I (now) know I’ll never read them OR because of low ratings...😬🙈😂
I loved Nerve!!! I didn't hate the Kasie West book but it wasn't my favorite of hers though.
I loved Lucky in Love. I thought the relationship was sweet even though the lottery subplot was a little tired and predictable.
My mom loves The Dinner by Herman Koch! She likes all of his books she's read.
how many hours a month would you say you spend reading?
I totally agree with Why We Broke Up, it's one of my favorite books ever!
Great video as always :)
The colors of Beautiful Broken Girls and The Dinner match your lipstick and shirt haha.
(Sorry if that was weird I just thought it was funny)
Totally agree with you regarding Me and Earl and he Dying Girl. I went in expecting to love that book, and I hated it. I didn’t pick up his next book because of that.
HOW DID YOU ADD GOODREADS MOBILE APP TO YOUR VIDEO?!?!?! Sorry for the yelly but I'm so mindblown right now and my husband is trying to figure out how you do it too because he's been doing this for years and doesn't know how. Can I email you some how to discuss this please? Thanks :)
Krystal Clear Reviews I just use a phone screen recording app. It's literally called "screen recorder" and then I edit in premier pro.
Thank you sooooo much! My husband does my video editing but this will help so much with some Ideas that I have, we also use premier pro :) again thanks so much!
This is so cool please do it the other way around as well!
We have the same phone case! Also, now I want to read all these books because we have really similar taste in books.
I love Why We Broke Up as well! I thought it was so good. I’m surprised people don’t like it more.
Omg please do more of these videos!
I liked The Dinner as well and I was suprised with all the bad goodreads reviews
My favorite books are the ones without an explained ending. I absolutely hate when I book tells me everything. I prefer to come up with my own ideas about the people and the world being built
I am in 7th grade and we recently read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It has an ambiguous or, unclear, ending and I did not like that factor. I am a math person, definitely more of a reader person though, so I do like definitive endings or answers. That is your opinion, though.
please do the opposite video pleaseee
I'm going to have to try I Crawl Through It.
I would love a video on the books you loved but most people hated! Although you would definitely receive a lot of criticism for certain books.
The Paper Diaries That's exactly what this video is about!?
I've read Nerve and fully agree with your opinion. I hated The Book Thief and Six Of Crows..... there's my confession lol
hahaha I had to read the dinner in high school (I'm Dutch so that's explains why) & it wasn't that bad like other books I had to read for school were soo much worse. also it's a very popular book in the netherlands
I'd be curious if you would like Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka
OMG The Haters. I just went back to see what my review said on goodreads. However, it looks I never rated or reviewed it. But I 100% agree. I didn't find the teenage boy humor funny. Though that being said, I did recommend the book to my teenage son. I bet he'd find it hilarious.
The dinner sounds intriguing :) Especially after reading the comment section XD
Yes please! Please do a "Popular books I disliked" video.