Book hype. We've all experienced it. Whether it's with the second book in a series we're getting into, or a debut novel hitting the radar, the hype is what pulls us in. When there's tons of people giving rave reviews, as a reader you get an "excitement high." (my fellow book bloggers have experienced this) And when the book finally hits the shelves, it either met those expectations or fell flat.
What books have you read that were worth all the hype they got prior the release? What books didn't meet those expectations the hype set for it?
Hannah: Sadly, I do sometimes get pulled into the hype for a novel. It's like standing on the edge of a whirl pool and being sucked in spinning, and not being able to escape. I both love it and hate it at the same time. While I'm all for hyping up a book, sometimes all that hype doesn't end well for me. A few books that comes to mind that did live up to the hype are: The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Let me start with The Hunger Games. This post-apocalyptic novel has gotten SO much hype. A couple of my friends were even hesitant to pick it up because of all the hype. I, myself wasn't hesitant what so ever. Emily recommended it to me and had been on my case about reading it, so finally I did, and HOLY COW I ATE THAT BOOK. Seriously though, it was that amazing. I'm glad it still gets hyped up so more people will read it. As for Divergent and Anna and the French Kiss; I cyber-stalked Divergent until its May release and read plenty of reviews before succumbing to Anna and the French Kiss. Overall, both AWESOME books that I fully recommend. Now, on for the books that truly let me down. The first book I instantly think of is Matched by Ally Condie. After reading the plot, I was sold. A dystopian novel where you're entire life is planned for you; who you'll be matched with, what you'll eat, and even when you'll die. The premise was just so intriguing, but man was I disappointed. Yes, the story line was okay, but nothing to write home about. The intensity and romance I hoped for just wasn't there. I felt no emotional connection to either of Cassia's possible matchees and the climax build up didn't happen until the last few chapters. Another book that didn't live up to all the hype it got was Fallen by Lauren Kate. Before I start bashing the book, I will say one thing; the cover is gorgeous. That was the only aspect that honestly had me reading this book. Also, Jessica told me it was the best thing ever; which wasn't true for my opinion (sorry Jessica!). The novel itself was dry and a bit boring. Not to mention, the big "turning point" is what I had already predicted based on the synopsis on the back cover. My disappointment further came from the lacking romance and character development, both of which I had hoped for most. As the hype will continue its journey through many books, I will more than likely continue to follow that hype, but only if its base plot appeals to me. And if you're a person backing up the hype on a book, make sure you absolutely love it and you're not just affected by all those stellar reviews.
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