ranking list

Last month I posted my book list that recapped my top 5 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads of 2024 in a similar format as my listing for 2023. I also posted my top 5 Most Disappointing Reads of 2023 which leads into the topic of today’s blog and book list which is my 2024 Most Disappointing Reads! Compared to 2023, I read nearly the double the number of books in 2024 and therefore had many more options to choose from. Also unlike 2023’s list that all had very low overall ratings of around 1-star, my list for 2024 is a bit different and has a greater variety of ratings and overall impressions. To recap the intro from last year’s Disappointing Reads list, books listed here are not necessarily the worst or least favorite books I read in 2024 (that would be The Excitements by C.J. Wray), but are those that either failed to meet whatever expectation I had for them going in or had a notable flaw that unexpectedly severely impacted my enjoyment. This year’s pick also omit reads that I knew ahead of time that I probably wasn’t going to enjoy (a notable example by Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re…

It seems like only yesterday when it was 2024, where does the time go? A new year means it’s time for new recaps so I’m back again compiling my top 5 2024 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads (along with the Most Disappointing Reads that will be going up soon)! If you have already read them, also check out last years 2023 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads list and 2023 Most Disappointing Reads list. Similar to last year, books on this list are not necessarily my favorite reads of the year but are instead those that I was most pleasantly surprised by. Whether the book exceeded my expectations (or I went in with no expectations), did a 180 turnaround mid-story, or was a lesser-known hidden gem, these books were those that I thought were noteworthy and impressive! Besides, I think it’s boring when best of lists are made up by too many sequels (looking at you Pierce Brown for writing to many amazing Red Rising entries) or book influencers hyping up the same popular artists they’ve done over and over again. Anyway disclaimer aside, here are my 2024 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads! #5) A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston Over the last…

I recently wrote about my 2023 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads, therefore of course you know I would also highlight the five Most Disappointing Reads of 2023. Like my list for the most pleasantly surprising books, those mentioned here are not necessarily the worst or lowest rated books that I read of the year (though some definitely are). Sometimes a book may be questionable but at least it matches a less than good-looking marketing material or it fully knows it’s rubbish. Other books are those that look promising on the surface or have a lot going for them, yet are either not for me personally, have questionable execution, or take a nosedive over the course of the story. This list are those kind of books. As a disclaimer, these are mostly subjective opinions and simply are what I thought about each book. By no means do I judge anyone who enjoyed these books, we can agree to disagree. With that warning aside, let’s get into my 2023 Most Disappointing Reads! #5) Happy Place by Emily Henry Easily my most controversial pick of the five books, this is one of those “hear me out” picks where I try to explain myself before…

Looking back on 2023 (admittedly quite late oops), I thought it would be nice to revisit last year’s reads and reflect on some of my top surprise reads that I stumbled upon. A lot of other book reviewers and influencers tend to do the “best reads of the year” type of recaps but that’s kind of boring since you can just look at whichever books I rated highly and I would only be summarizing what I already wrote about. Instead of that, I’ll be running through the top five most unexpectedly good reads or those that I was pleasantly surprised by. These are not necessarily my top five favorite reads of the year, but they are those that were distinctively refreshing for one way or another or managed to blow away whatever expectation I had for them initially. And with that, let’s get started! #5) The Midnight Library by Matt Haig I debated putting this one on the list at all considering how well-known and popular it is, hence why it’s at the bottom of my list. A perfect blend of contemporary fiction drama covering dark topics through a whimsical tone, the Midnight Library has mass appeal and is a…