When you first hear about a book you’re always excited. It goes straight to the top of the tbr, you double check the library system and maybe go as far as to place a hold. But then time wears on, Twitter keeps yapping and the book has grown so much traction you start to get nervous. The odd disappointed review starts appearing and, in the dark corners of your mind, you start thinking two words: ‘over hyped’.
We all know the cycle and suddenly, although you’d never say it online, you don’t know if you’ll read that latest big read. The one everyone is going on about because expectations have become so great you don’t think anything can meet them. We all know the only solution is to just be on top of the tbr. But in light of my disorganisation and raging Twitter addiction I’ve settled for a different solution: ignore the book, watch the hype grow and jerk your eyes nervously to it’s spine every now and then, feeling guilty. Good plan right? Right…?
Anyway, here are ten of those spines that taunt me everytime I go for a new read.
The Cruel Prince
1 Top of the list. It was everywhere and I thought it sounded good, but, again, it got big, the story started to sound a bit… bland? And I was bitterly disappointed to find out Jude wasn’t a boy.
Normal People
2 I put a hold on this straight after my friend told me about it, over steamy cups of cheap work tea. It sounded amazing. But now it’s everywhere. That tin of sardines is painted all over Bookstagram and everyone is screaming what an incredible read it is. Over hyped much?
Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
3 I only recently brought the hardback but already I’m avoiding it. It sounds really good but there’s no denying the massive hype.
Stalking Jack the Ripper
4 Ever had a book on your tbr so long you forgot nearly every reason you wanted to read it? It was just always there, a staple of a long list? That’s sort of this book.
Spinning Silver
5 I don’t know if this is still on my tbr after I didn’t enjoy Uprooted all that much, but having seen it everywhere online it’s definitely on the dangerous over hyped radar.
Vicious
6 Bet you didn’t expect to see a VE Schwab here! I loved A Darker Shade of Magic but am terrified the rest of her work just won’t live up to the impossible standard she’s set.
All The Crooked Saints
7 I saw a copy for 50p and didn’t buy it. That’s how unsure I am. I loved The Raven Boys but again am just not sure about Maggie Steifvater’s other books…
Shadow and Bone
8 Please be as good as they say, please be as good as they say…
One of Us is Lying
9 I have a signed copy with a glittery cover and red stained pages, how terrible will I feel if I don’t enjoy this book?!
A Thousand Perfect Notes
X I love Cait’s blog and really want to love her debut. This turmoil has just left it sitting on my shelf glaring at me for the best part of two months.
Let’s Compare Notes
So there you have it! 10 books that I worry will be overhyped, would you agree? Have you read any of them? Do I have anything to worry about? Leave a comment or a link to your list below!
Books, Life and Other Oddities 
Ha, I never really know what to say about overhype since it’s so subjective. I actually don’t mind hype (if i like it haha). Schwab is such a master storyteller – I feel like she can write anything and I’ll like it somewhat, but I haven’t read those one yet either lol I’m also nervous about Maggie’s other books – I don’t know why… I just am lol
LikeLike
I know I love her writing! I definitely have a problem with hype, I find myself often disappointed and I think I would have enjoyed the book more without the hype! I have to admit I feel they all might be a bit weird, I found The Raven Boys quite odd but not too bad but her other books sound even stranger!
LikeLike
Ooh! I’ve not heard of A Thousand Perfect Notes but I am Intrigued.
LikeLike
It’s from Cait who write Paper Fury! It’s a very popular book blog!
LikeLike
most of these are in my TBR, I read The Cruel Prince it is so good.
My TTT
LikeLike
I’ve heard such good things! I’ll get to it soon! Thanks for the link!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t read any of these books yet. There is a lot of hype about them, though!
My TTT.
LikeLike
There really is! Thanks for the link!
LikeLike
From these I’ve read The Cruel Prince, A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Vicious, Shadow and Bone and All the Crooked Saints. And I actually loved most of them.
The only ones I thought were overhyped were All The Crooked Saints which I didn’t enjoy very much, and The Cruel Prince which I still enjoyed but didn’t love.
To me I’d say Caraval, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Eleanor & Park are really overhyped.
I’m also kind of scared to read Red White and Royal Blue!
LikeLike
Ah so glad you enjoyed them! Yeah I’m a tad worried about All the Crooked Saints, it sounds quite weird. I’ve heard some Problematic stuff about Eleanor and Park so I don’t know if I’d read it (and it’s not my genre really) but loved Caraval! Ooh yeah everyone is loving that!
LikeLike
Great list! I also wasn’t a huge fan of Uprooted, but Spinning Silver is one of my new favourite books of all time, so I recommend giving it a chance. 🙂 They’re very different. Honestly I wasn’t all that impressed with Shadow and Bone, but I do think the trilogy improves with each book and I mainly read it so I’d have all the backstory for King of Scars after I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom so much. The Cruel Prince was another pleasant surprise for me, and I expected to hate it, but I completely understand why you haven’t reached for it – it has been everywhere!
LikeLike
Ooh that’s interesting, I haven’t heard much about Spinning Silver tbh, but hated the protagonist in Uprooted. I’ve heard that Six of Crows is amazing and the Grisha trilogy is less good. Yeah and I’ve sort of lost interest in it…? Thanks for the commentn
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think one of us is lying was seriously overhyped! I found it to be quite predictable and laden with cliches. A fun read yes, but not really worthy of the hype it got :)))
LikeLike
Ah no that’s my next read! I will lower my expectations now 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no!!! I hope you’ll like it more than I did :))))
LikeLike
Hopefully!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think Vicious is over hyped but I read it when it first came out, so my opinion might have changed by now! I really liked the sequel when it came out last year though.
LikeLike
I’ve heard good things about Vicious! Tbh I think it’s overhyped for me because I’ve been excited to read it since finishing A Conjuring of Light
LikeLike
I know what you mean about hype! I’m generally put off by it and typically wait for the hype to tone down a bit before I decide if I really want to read the book. I will say that I read Stalking Jack the Ripper and enjoyed it. I haven’t gotten around to reading any more of the series though. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
LikeLike
Yeah me to! Or sometimes it just puts me off the book altogether? Ah glad you liked it so much! Hopefully I’ll get to it soon. Thanks for the link!
LikeLike
Yeah, hype’s usually what keeps me from getting around to a book sooner–and I tend to not enjoy books that a vast majority enjoys. I really did enjoy Shadow and Bone and A Darker Shade of Magic though (Vicious…not so much. Then again, I’m also quite done with the school setting for fantasy novels soooo….)
My TTT
LikeLike
Ooh what’s wrong with the setting in Vicious? I loved ADSOM! Glad you enjoyed Shadow and Bone, I’d heard Six of Crows is better but glad someone liked the original trilogy 😂 thanks for the link!
LikeLike
Personal preference on my part, I think, I’m just done with the school setting in fantasy novels and I was more interested in the present storyline rather than what their relationship was like before.
LikeLike
Ah fair, it didn’t feel too schooly to me tbh I suppose because they actually spent very little time in the school and it was also uni which was different but I can see what you mean
LikeLike
Vicious is so good, you’ll be fine! I was a bit nervous too before I went into it because it’s not my usual type of book, but I loved it. I really think you’ll like Gentleman’s Guide, it’s really funny! Honestly all the hype around The Cruel Prince has really put me off too. I’m planning on reading Stalking Jack The Ripper soon, like either this month or next, so I’ll let you know what I think. All The Crooked Saints and Spinning Silver, I dnf’ed both, would not recommend. Shadow and Bone is okay, but Six of Crows is much better. One of Us Is Lying is definitely overhyped and while I enjoyed A Thousand Perfect Notes, I didn’t love it.
LikeLike
*I’m traveling all day today so I’m going to start it! If it’s funny I’ll probably love it. Yeah I don’t know if I’ll try The Cruel Prince 😂 it’s got too much hype now. Ooh do, I think that sounds really good and I find that period so earie and fun to read about. I’m probably not going to read All the Crooked Saints tbh because it sounds quite weird and not my sort of thing. I hated Uprooted but have heard Spinning Silver is better so I don’t know if I’ll read it 🤔 yeah I’ve heard Six of Crows is way better, but having just brought the Grisha trilogy I’m determined to read it from the start! I have heard One of Us is Lying is good but overhyped from others too tbh. And it’s very cliché apparently. Honestly A Thousand Perfect Notes isn’t my usual read and I don’t know many people who loved it but I just want to try Cait’s debut 😂 idk why I’m curious and want to see what her novel writing is like 😂
LikeLike
Ah enjoy and let me know how you like it! I feel the same way, I might have been interested if I’d read it before the hype but that’s put me off. I will-I love that era too, it’s the perfect setting for those kind of murder mystery type stories. Yeah it was really strange, even for Maggie Stiefvater. The Grisha trilogy isn’t bad, I just preferred Six of Crows, and personally, I thought the second and third books were better than the first one. Oh it definitely was, I’ve definitely read books that have surprised me way more. It’s really not bad at all, she’s a decent enough writer, it just wasn’t really my kind of thing.
LikeLike
It’s good so far, a little creepy tbh and I sort of want a good guy to root for 😂 yeah it is, I remember finding that period of history really interesting at school, especially after there was a trip to a museum that retold the story in a big spooky display. Everyone seems to prefer six of Crows 😂 I’m looking forward to reading them all though, and my copies are so pretty 😍 ah ok might try it sometime 🤔
LikeLike
Ha ha yeah you won’t find that here, it’s called the Villains series for a reason! Ah that’s cool, I remember really loving the Victorians at school as well. There are some people that prefer the Grisha books, but generally yeah, Six of Crows seems to be everyone’s favourite. I’m so jealous that you have the new copies, they’re so pretty! I hope you enjoy it if you try it.
LikeLike
I’ve read Vicious and enjoyed it though it was my first read of Schwab’s as A Darker Shade of Magic is still sitting on my shelf unread haha
LikeLike
Oh ADSOM is so good 😍 glad you liked it since it’s my next read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m looking forward to Spinning Silver, but I loved Uprooted. Totally sick of Cruel Prince though. Here’s my list. https://speedyreadercom.wordpress.com/2019/09/10/10-books-on-my-tbr-im-avoiding/
LikeLike
See I was less of a fan of Uprooted but I have heard Spinning Silver is good 🤔 yeah probably not going to read that one 😂 thanks for the link!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely understand! Sometimes a book gets hyped so much that I’m afraid to be the one person who doesn’t like it. Of the books on your list, I’ve read three and enjoyed them all, though I will be honest, All the Crooked Saints was really slow for me in the beginning and i was worried that I wouldn’t get into it, but I did. I really enjoyed The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue {and The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats & Piracy}, but it is a big book. And Cait’s book, A Thousand Perfect Notes is really good as well, in my opinion. I haven’t read her second book yet, but hope to soon.
LikeLike