Hi readers! Today I’m sharing with you my most disappointing reads of 2018. I read a total of 100+ books this year, which is the most I’ve ever read in a year. I read some new all-time favourites, I read some average books, and these 5 books are the 5 most disappointing books I read this year. Note: these books are books I read in 2018, not necessarily books released in 2018.
Most Disappointing Books of 2018
» Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes
I have been very vocal about how this is legitimately the worst series finale I’ve ever read. I really loved the first few books in this series, but after Frozen Tides everything just went downhill. This book had no sense of urgency, nothing happened until the last quater and the ending was rushed, badly written and utterly unrealistic. After calling this my favourite YA fantasy series for a couple years, it’s disappointing to see how it turned out.
» The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Full disclosure, I DNF’d this book. I made it 185 pages in before I had to put it down. This is a horrible, fatphobic pile of garbage. I felt no connection to our main character, the only thing keeping me reading was that I wanted to find out what was so spectacular about the twists. But the absolutely disgusting way the author writes/portrays fat characters is unacceptable, harmful and downright disrespectful. No matter how shocking the twists at the end, nothing could redeem the faphobia for me.
» Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
This is yet another book I had really high hopes for this year but ultimately didn’t finish. I really enjoyed the first part of this book, but after that I feel like it went totally downhill and just couldn’t hold my attention. The tone and mood of the book completely changed after the first volume and it just didn’t work for me.
» Stripped by Zoey Castile
This was a super hyped book, and one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but unfortunately it wasn’t the book for me. It wasn’t necessarily bad, it just lacked depth and the ending was super rushed. I’m intrigued enough to continue the series, but I honestly thought this was going to be one of my new favourite romance books, which it didn’t turn out to be.
» 99% Mine by Sally Thorne
Well. This was a hot mess. To use three words to describe this novel: problematic, underdeveloped and shallow. Thorne knows how to write a good angsty, slowburn romance, however the unhealthy posessiveness, underdeveloped plot & characters and the lowkey shallow romance made me dislike this. I have a full length review if you want to read my more in-depth thoughts on this, but overall it just really wasn’t for me.
So, that’s the top 5 books that disappointed me this past year! If you’ve read any of these books, do you agree or disagree with my thoughts? What were some of your most disappointing reads of 2018?
Thanks so much for reading!
Taryn xxx
I think that The seven deaths was overrated too!
I lost interest in the Immortal reign series and won’t read it…
I am anticipating 99percent mine btw
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It’s good you didn’t continue the FK series tbh, the last books just went so downhill. Hope you have better luck with 99% Mine than I did!
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Thank you 🙂
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i put down Seven Deaths as wellll!!!!! it was just,,,,,,garbage. gosh, i think i probably DNF’d more books that I actually read this year lskjdfls especially arcs???? (which was the version of Seven Deaths I had, such a horrible arc year for my poor hopeful heart) </3
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Ugh I’m SO disappointed because I’d heard so many good things too!!
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I’ve only heard good things about Sally Thorne, so your thoughts on 99% mine were interesting to hear. For me, one of 2018’s most disappointing reads was probably The Princess Bride. I totally expected to love it, and then it was . . . good. Fine. Not bad, but not the best thing ever, which is what everyone had told me it would be.
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
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Sorry The Princess Bride disappointed you! 💛
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My most disappointing read of the year was The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, it’s the only 2 star book I finished this year.
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Aw, damn! Haven’t read that one myself but I’ve heard about it. I hope 2019 brings you lots of great books! 💖
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I’ve seen a couple negative reviews for 99 Percent Mine. I’m going to heed your warnings about the Falling Kingdom series. I borrowed the first book from my library recently so I don’t feel too bad about not finishing it.
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I am surprised that I didn’t notice the fatphobia in Seven Deaths, and now I am sad! I actually really loved the book & mindf*** that I likened to the movie Memento, but I definitely understand why you DNF’d and am bummed I missed it.
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