Let’s Talk: Disappointing Books of 2021

Hi, hello friends! Since I recently did a post on my favourite reads of 2021, I thought it would be fun to do the opposite and talk about some disappointing reads of the year. If you loved any of these books, fear not, I don’t necessarily think they’re bad! I’m thrilled you loved them, they just weren’t for me – and that’s ok! I can’t like everything. Without further adieu, let’s get into the list.

1. Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

I desperately wanted to like this book, but it was just so underwhelming. I went into this book knowing so many people on my Twitter and Instagram loved it and rated it in their top books of the year, so I genuinely thought I was going to love it. Unfortunately, it just didn’t live up to the hype. For me, the plot was nonexistent, the romance made no sense, the main character made bad decisions and it felt like nothing happened the whole book. We all know my favourite genre is fantasy, but this one in particular was just lacking for me. I didn’t find the world interesting or the magic system compelling, it was just… boring. 

2. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Another book everyone on the internet seems to love, except for me. There was so much hype, so much love, for this book that I went into it expecting You and Me on Vacation level of excellence, and was left with disappointment. Not only is the pace of this book completely off, with the second half of it feeling completely useless, but the main couple were boring. I didn’t believe their romance, I wasn’t rooting for them, and I didn’t care when the inevitable third-act break up happened. This book gets recommended a lot for people getting into contemporary romance novels, but I think there are so many better options for first-time readers of the genre to look into. Ultimately, this book is underwhelming, painful at times, and not worth the few hours you’ll spend reading it. I’d recommend you put your time into something more deserving, but that’s just me!

3. House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

I know a few of my friends might be disappointed to see this on the list, but it had to be done. I’m sorry, friends, but this book just didn’t do anything for me. Promised to be unsettling and borderline scary, this young adult paranormal thriller left me underwhelmed and a little disappointed. Krystal Sutherland is a wonderful writer, and she can write atmosphere like nobody’s business. I’ll admit this book is intriguing, and you feel unsettled throughout the book, but the plot is where it lacks. The plot twist wasn’t shocking despite not seeing it coming, and the events throughout the book felt repetitive and dull. I think, for me, it needed a little bit more thrill and intrigue to keep me invested. This hasn’t put me off reading any more of Sutherland’s books, though, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next. House of Hollow just wasn’t for me, but I’m glad so many people love it!

4. To Kill and Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

This book was actually one of the few that I DNF’ed this year, and I don’t regret doing so. Like the rest of the books on this list, I heard so many great things about this book when it came out. I mean, who doesn’t want a dark retelling of The Little Mermaid? And I also love books about pirates, so this should really be the perfect book for me. Sadly, it just wasn’t. I didn’t read a lot of this book before DNF’ing, and, admittedly, the small chunk I did read was forgettable. Nothing about it stands out to me while writing this paragraph, and I genuinely cannot tell you the gist of what I read. Who knows, maybe I will revisit it in the new year due to the mass amounts of positive reviews, but all I remember is it not being worth my time. It’s a shame, really: We need more novels about pirates.

And there we have it! Four books that I found to be disappointing this year. Be sure to let me know in the comments below what books you found disappointing and why.

Happy reading!