Saturday 27 June 2015

The Unpopular Opinions Tag | Baa Baa Black Sheep


I'm an avid believer in reading books that other people maybe haven't quite shouted from the rooftops about, and that's all fine and dandy, but because of this, I don't tend to stray too far into hyped up territories. They're heavily guarded by dragons that require pieces of your soul to enter, and the people housed up in these hyped up areas, they're crazy and try drag you into their dangerous depths of looneyville, BUT, I have escaped from these territories and visited rival, smaller, and more calmer villages and farms, so today, with thanks to Charnell for tagging me, I'm going to introduce you to my black pet sheep. Baa..

1. A Popular Book/Series You Didn't Like. At All


The Winner's Curse was always a book I was completely and utterly convinced I wouldn't love, but I never for one moment expected to find it so dry, so boring and so unappealing. Kestrel just - ugh, I really couldn't with that girl, did I read a different book to everyone else? The Immortal Rules really broke my heart when I didn't love it, it was just - meh. Nothing felt as amazing as I had expected, although I do have the sequels; guess who's going to be punishing herself soon.. And don't even get me started on The Infinite Sea, I'm genuinely convinced everybody who loved that book is crazy. WHAT EVEN IS THAT BOOK? Nothing happened. Nothing made sense. It was so damn boring. You can guarantee I'll end up reading The Last Star though. * le sigh*

2. A Book/Series Everyone Hates, But You Adore


Both Thirteen and Spiders are some super duper books and I haven't a clue how more people don't like it. Cults people, physco, unhinged, crazy cults with lots of action, lots of twists and development galore, come on guys, it's so goooood. Talking of great reads, I don't understand the hate for Riot and Bomb one iota. Sure, the writing is like marmite, but the actual plot and storylines, the emotions and the characters, they're so good, why you no like them? *cries* Made For You was complete unhinged craziness, and minus the whole 'knowing when people die' part, it's a really great mystery. Life Unaware has gotten a lot of stick lately because of it's bully bullied by another bully storyline, but you know what, it's a story with a great message, with a lot of development and some realistic emotions, sod the haters, I loved it.


Dare Me has to be one of the most twisted, complicated reads of 2014, but it's one I would willingly read over and over again. I can't believe, nor understand why it's not loved by more people, this book was amazing people, as is the same for Belzhar. Granted, I had a few squiffy issues with the whole Belzhar book and Jam's actual tragic event, but still, I cried, and that's something. Love and Other Unknown Variables was just - I can't comprehend. I balled my eyes out, my heart broke and I've loved little else as passionately as I do this book. People need to stop comparing every cancer story to John Green, he's not all that, and neither is TFiOS.

3. A Love Triangle Your Ship Lost or an OTP You Dislike


I wouldn't mind, but when I first started Vampire Academy, I didn't mind the romance between Rose and Dimitri - can't say I saw it for the steamy and sexy passion it was meant to be, but it definitely wasn't the worst I'd read. Then, the series fell apart. It relied too much on your shipping the ship, feeling the feels and being on the 'Rose&Dimitri5EVA' train and was not on board. Then it got damn crazy and weird in Blood Promise.. Come Spirit Bound, I'd packed my bags and left the station, I just couldn't go on. Not only did I dislike their OTP, but Adrian was a darling too, and way too good for Rose. I tried Bloodlines, couldn't get through that either. Meh.

4. A Book Genre You Rarely Reach For


I'm not a big sci-fi buff and I think it shows in the books I read. Its not that I'm not a fan -  a lot of my experiences (minus The 5th Wave obviously) have been positive, I just don't think it's a genre I look at and think 'mm, yes please'. I do have a few sci-fi books I plan to read in the future, All Our Yesterdays, Mindwalker and Pivot Point's sequel Split Second, but generally, I'm a little unaware of what's out there. If you've got some super recommendations, do share them with me.

5. A Popular, Beloved Character You Don't Like


Put down those pitchforks people, I don't dislike Percy, I just don't overly like him, at least, not anymore, and it's all your fault. I was more than happy with Percy in The Olympians, I liked his voice and his personality, and granted, I got a little tired and bored of him in Heroes of Olympus, but I don't dislike him, I dislike how irritated people where that it wasn't 'The Percy Show' in HoO. God forbid Riordan focus on other, interesting and well formed, well developed and fantastic characters more than Percy, and Annabeth. God forbid he write work that doesn't revolve around the same character, over and over again. God forbid Percy not be the be all and end all. I don't dislike Percy, you just made me dislike his presence. I fear a cameo in Magnus Chase..

6. A Popular Author You Can't Get Into


I doubt I'll ever read another Showalter book in my life. White Rabbit Chronicles has put me off for life.

7. A Popular Trope You're Sick of Seeing


Dude, even of having known each for a handful of days or weeks and just accept that you do not love him. You think he's attractive, or you think she's pretty fit, and her eyes are nice, or there's something alluring about him, but give over, love? Ha. Instalove is just a bad bad trope and it's shocking that it's still used. Of course you can like someone instantly, and authors have spent months, years with their characters, but we haven't, and it's bad form. Accept that in the long run of things, you probably just really like them, okay? Also, dragons.

8. A Popular Series You Have No Intention of Reading


I will eventually finish off reading The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments, but after them, that's it. I wipe myself clean of Clare's writing forever, including The Dark Artifices. It's not that I'm feeling sorry for that poor cow she's milking dry (although there's that too) I just think I've probably grown out of her work now. The Selection was a series I spent too long wondering about, and I've been told it's romance heavy and dystopia lost, therefore no thank you. You already know why I won't be touching Bloodlines in the future, and it shouldn't surprise you.

9. What Movie/TV Show Do You Like More Than The Book?


Excluding Mockingjay: Part 1 (which was a train-wreck of a film, ugh), I've enjoyed The Hunger Games on screen a lot more than I have the novels. There's nothing to say the novels aren't good, I quite enjoyed them too, and they progressively improved with every novel (unpopular opinion again), but the films, they were pretty darn amazing. I've watched Hunger Games/Catching Fire back-to-back and just thought 'wow, what a series', and I imagine Mockingjay: Part 2 with improve on Part 1. I'm definitely a fan.

Huge thanks to Charnell for tagging me to share my unruly opinions and break many peoples hearts for slamming their favourite books and characters, but if we all liked the same things, live would be pretty boring, am I right? In fact, I want to hear what Cait from Paper Fury, Zoey from Uncreatively Zoey, Lisa and Becca from Lost in Literature and Nova from Out of Time's unpopular opinions too, so consider yourselves tagged.

Tell Me: What Book Do You Love That Other's Hate?

13 comments:

  1. First: Awesome new blog Amanda! I love the design too! I did not like Alice in Zombieland at all an I didn't even bother with the rest of the series! Although I've been meaning to try her adult paranormal series since it's her most popular, but I'm not running to the bookstore to do that and it's partly because of Alice :-/ - Amir

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Amir, the design took some time, but I'm so pleased with how it looks! I have to agree, I think her other series might be better, but I'm not taking any chances..

      Delete
  2. Anonymous06 July, 2015

    Your blog design is seriously so pretty, I can't stop browsing it.

    Love this book tag and I may have to steal it for nefarious purposes.

    I admit to liking the Hunger Games movies (at least 2nd and 3rd ones) better to books, too. I am also convinced instalove should go DIAF.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Aentee, that means an awful lot! You're more than welcome to take part in the tag too, it's great to see others opinions. Instalove is an iffy issue, bah.

      Delete
  3. I completely agree with the tropes in Talon and Rogue, ugh. I am so disappointed in Julie Kagawa, especially since I know she's better than that. I love my sci-fi reads! Although I love my Romitri, it's great to hear other's point of view I do feel like the series kind of went downhill after book 4, but I still loved it. Made for You was definitely creepy, but yeah there was just something about it *shudders*.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Jeann, I really rather enjoyed Iron Fey, and Talon fell so flat for me, it was a crying shame.. Made For You is a book I'd definitely consider reading again at some point for certain!

      Delete
  4. Okay so when I saw Percy Jackson I totally squinted my eyes at the screen but YES I totally agree. While I still LOVE Percy, I'm so annoyed with those people who don't like HoO because there isn't enough Percy like EXCUUUUSE me but that spin off isn't actually about just Percy and other characters gotta have the limelight too. I mean, Percy got 5 books to himself, chill out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually thought of you lovingly when choosing Percy, and felt so so terrible, but it's definitely unfair how people judged the series on how much Percy was involved. There were so many fabulous and beautifully created characters that deserved attention too, and to moan about Percy is not right.

      Delete
  5. Hmm for the most part I haven't read the books you mentioned in your post unfortunately - but some things I really agree with - like I don't feel Cassandra Clare is for me after reading just one Mortal Instruments book. And the Hunger Games films have been pretty amazing - wonderful adaptations generally, though I wish they didn't break up Mockingjay into two films. I am most intrigued by "Dare Me' in your list - I like crazy, twisted reads sometimes. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Clare is a hit or miss author really, although I'm avidly in love with the new UK covers for her Mortal Instruments series, they are so beautiful. Dare Me is so worth trying Charlene, please do! :)

      Delete
  6. I love this one! It's so different from the others. Great answers! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, I didn't feel The Immortal Rules at all, either. Which was a shame because I was in the mood for a really badass vampire novel, and it just.. wasn't. Even though there was plenty of action, it just didn't grip me.

    Also haha, that Up gif is PERFECT for insta-love!

    I actually think I might like the Catching Fire movie better than the book, too. When I saw it in the cinema, it just blew me away. So close to the book and SO SO PERFECT. Also Finnick.

    ReplyDelete