Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Shanah, the Bionic Book Worm, and now hosted by Meeghan at Meeghan Reads.
This week’s topic:
Top 5 hyped books I’m not interested in
(Sometimes the hype-train isn’t for everyone. What are some hyped books that you’ve seen and just aren’t interested in reading?)
I couldn’t be bothered to think up popular books I’m not interested in, so I just looked up one of those best-sellers lists and selected 5 books from it that I know I won’t read.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
I typically would include a few thoughts on each book, but I don’t know much about these. I’ve seen them around often, and I was interested in reading a few when they first came out — like Normal People, Vanishing Half, and Lost Apothecary because I like the cover. But I’ve yet to pick them up, so I doubt I ever will.
The other two — From Blood and Ash and Greenlights — I wasn’t interested in at all and know I’ll never read (although I’ve seen a few interesting reviews of Greenlights.)
Zezee with Books 
I would STRONGLY recommend you NOT to read Normal People. Not at all worth the hype. Feel free to check out my review for it (no spoilers): https://bookspiralblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/normal-people-book-review/
However, the Vanishing Half is pretty but if you aren’t interested then that’s fine too.
LikeLike
Lol thanks for the warning for Normal People and the rec for Vanishing Half.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes i agree.. blood and ash was soo hyped but it wasn’t worth it….there were many contradicting and confusing themes like consent etc…i just read the first book because i dislike the idea of dropping it midway but won’t be continuing the series.
LikeLike
I heard similar things from other reviews. I also don’t think it’s my kind of book, so I won’t try it.
LikeLike
The Vanishing Half was excellent! I enjoyed the layered story about identity, race and family.
LikeLike
I think that’s the one on this list I’m most likely to try, if I change my mind. It’s gotten lots of high recommendations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good call on all of them! I see some people saying that they won’t pick up Normal People because it sounds too “literary”, but, for me personally, it doesn’t sound “literary” enough, and, in all honesty, it sounds dull and mundane and trying too hard to please “modern” teenage readership. I don’t think I will ever read Sally Rooney.
LikeLike
I doubt I’ll read one of her books as well. They just don’t interest me enough.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also know I’ll never pick up The Vanishing Half. I prefer to get my historical issues packaged in nonfiction, you know?
LikeLike
I’ve seen a couple bloggers say the same. For me, sometimes historical fiction works best that the history books; they’re more interesting and keep my attention longer.
LikeLike
I think not reading hyped up books and reading and loving the ones which bring a disapproving look on other people is something like a rebel….and i have nothing against them!!… BTW I have not read any of these books and would not like ever!
LikeLike
Yep, a total rebel 🙂
LikeLike
That should be c-e across a book zee!!
Gurls ear would also be gross and unheard if
The words followed the flow !
LikeLike
I enjoyed reading The Lost Apothecary and The Vanishing Half. I think I enjoyed the historical parts of the “Apothecary” novel than the contemporary parts. I probably won’t read “Normal People” either, but I may give the TV show a try.
LikeLike
Yea, I might look into the TV show too. I’m a lot less harder on TV shows and movies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really didn’t fancy Normal People and I’ve had enough of those Millennial Lives kind of novels. I think it’s that one there was a fairly yucky TV series of, too! The Vanishing Half I thought was amazing – a sort of companion piece to Nella Larsen’s Passing and really well done. It did have a lot of hype – I was lucky and read it in a review copy before everyone went nuts about it, as that would have driven me away! I don’t know the others so I’m going to say good call there!
LikeLike
Hmm, I have a feeling that I haven’t yet read one of those millennial type novels. I should look into them, since I am a millennial. See if I can relate 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK, well, I LOVED Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams because she’s a millennial but so relatable and I had a few (less wild!) years in South London myself. I’d love to know what you think of Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson and Assembly by Natasha Brown (all reviewed on my blog if you fancy an insight) if you read them, as I struggled with the form of both of them (the latter more than the former). And yes, as a Generation Xer (sitting here with my side parting in a hoody, eating cereal for dinner and watching Friends re-reuns …) I do seem only to read books about Black millennials!
LikeLike
Lol I almost had cereal for dinner couple days ago but instead decided to go all out and make eggs, bacon and toast. I was feeling for breakfast for dinner 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good call with From Blood and Ash!! I really dislike the writing, but for some unknown reason I just keep reading the books. Better to stay away completely!! Great list 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol! Thanks for the warning!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Normal People is one I also don’t have an interest in. From Blood and Ash is one that I really enjoyed!
LikeLike
I’ve been seeing mixed reviews on both.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know people rave about Normal People, but it sounds too “literary” for me. I’m not interested in the others either, except for The Vanishing Half. I read her previous book, The Mothers, and thought it was very good.
LikeLike
I think the same of Normal People, that it might be too literary.
Of all the books, here, Vanishing Half is the one I’m most likely to change my mind on.
LikeLike
The lost apothecary has such a pretty cover!! It pains me that I probably can’t read it yet.. there’s so much books on my list, I wouldn’t know which fives to pick 😂 you see, my brain can’t process fantasy.. so i’m staying away or the genre in general for the time being (which seems to be 3/4 of the hyped books…)
LikeLike
I have a feeling that Lost Apothecary is more historical fiction than fantasy, so maybe it will work out for you.
LikeLike
ah, yes I mixed up my genres.. ahah — no, sadly i’m not much for historical either.. 😬
LikeLike
That’s okay 🙂 I thought it was fantasy too. I haven’t read it so I could be wrong… but from what people have told me, it seems to be historical fiction.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I liked Normal People and thought it was well-written, it just wasn’t my type of book.
You’re dodging a bullet with The Lost Apothecary though! I read it earlier this year and found it very poorly written with a frustrating protagonist. It’ll probably make my annual list of the most disappointing books.
LikeLike
I’m thinking the same on Normal People — that it won’t be my sort of book.
Aw, that sucks for Lost Apothecary.
LikeLike
The Vanishing Half was like my favorite book from last year, ha ha! But I know everyone likes what they like – and sometimes too much buzz will make a book seem less attractive to me.
Greenlights I also really enjoyed but I think if you’re not a fan of McConaughey I get why you wouldn’t want to read it.
LikeLike
I think the Vanishing Half is probably the only one on this list that I might (small might, lol) pick up in the future.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not every book is for every reader, right? 🙂
LikeLike
True dat
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think you’re missing out when it comes to Normal people tbh
LikeLike
Lol! Glad to hear that.
LikeLike
The only book on this list I would give a hard No to is From Blood and Ash. I like fantasy, but this doesn’t feel like it will be my jam from what I’ve heard about it.
LikeLike
Same here and same reason why I wouldn’t pick it up.
LikeLike
Hmm, I enjoyed “Normal People,” but to be fair that and “Queen’s Gambit” were read after I fell in love with both of the Netflix limited series. (Something I hate to do–reading the source material of a movie/TV show I really enjoyed.) I haven’t read any of the others. Couldn’t think of a good reason to read the McConaughey book. A gun to my head?
LikeLike
Lol at that comment about McConaughey’s book.
And I didn’t know there was a TV series based on Normal People.
LikeLike
I threw Normal People back after a particularly gross comment. Not great lit in my opinion. I friend liked Greenlights but I think that friend also liked WILD so that will forever cloud my opinion of her recommendations. I read a different book by Brit Bennett and it was ok.
LikeLike
I’ve wanted to read Wild for years now. I wonder what that comment in Normal People was.
LikeLike
“Can I c–e in your mouth” was the comment,” Wild–I threw it across the room when she glorified heroin. I watched my son nearly die from a dirty needle causing damage to a heart valve. Nothing glorious about heroin. Thankfully my son lived, had surgery, and cleaned up his life.
LikeLike
Glad to hear that about your son, that he’s doing well.
LikeLike
I think these are all new to me. None of them immediately stand out but I’d need to look a little deeper to know for sure. Odds are I won’t, though, unless they pop up again with something positive from someone I’m familiar with. There are far, FAR more of these books I’ll likely never read than ones I will.
LikeLike
That’s how I go about it too when I come across a book I’m unfamiliar with but not interested in.
LikeLike
The only one I’ve read is From Blood and Ash and it was fine, I guess, but I don’t get why people are obsessed with it.
LikeLike
So far, I’ve seen pretty negative reviews of it, but it seems to be big on TikTok.
LikeLike
Interesting!
LikeLike