Wednesday, December 4, 2019

#AMonthofFaves 2019: Popular Books Worth the Hype



I've been disappointed by popular books so many times that I tend to stay away from them. Maybe they are overhyped and I expect too much.

Here are a few popular titles I read this year....


Lucy Knisley is a graphic novelist, and I've never been a fan of graphic novels...though, I think, that has changed greatly in the past couple of years. I'd say that I adore Lucy Knisley's graphic novels, and Kid Gloves, the story of her difficult pregnancy, was one of the best.



A new Bill Bryson book is a cause for celebration, I think. I'm wild about The Body: A Guide for Occupants.



In the kids' book world, you don't get more popular than author Kwame Alexander and illustrator Kadir Nelson. If you haven't checked out the combined efforts of Alexander and Nelson, The Undefeated, you need to.



I don't read a lot of fantasy, but, guys, The Wicked King by Holly Black! Fairies are bad, bad, bad.



I know I'm a little late to the party, but I finally got around to The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (it was first published in 2013). At least I read its 771 pages in time to make it to the movie. I just talked my book club into reading this one next year.




I don't think Where the Crawdads Sing is really worth the hype (I only rated it 3/5 stars) but it has been great fun to talk about it with people that I didn't even realize liked to read.



Finally, let me ask you (no, urge you, plead with you) to read this book, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel. Sandel is my new Mister Rogers, my new Mother Teresa. He is a professor at Harvard and his course on Justice is wildly popular all around the world. Promise me you'll at least take a look at the videos from his course, will you?


What popular books do you recommend for me? 


Join this year’s hosts  Girlxoxo and Traveling with T for our annual #AMonthofFaves blog event – a fun way to recap the year that was (Estella’s Revenge is taking a hiatus for this year). We have a schedule of topics planned out, so feel free to join in anytime for some or all of the topics. There will also be a link-up on our blogs so that we can all stop by each other’s posts to leave comments, high fives, good vibes and well wishes.

22 comments:

  1. I loved Kid Gloves, The Body, and The Goldfinch but am in the minority when it comes to Where the Crawdads Sing. That one just didn't resonate with me.

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    1. I didn't care for Where the Crawdads Sing that much, Kathy.

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  2. Book hype is such an interesting thing. When I read one that everyone else loves and I don't, it makes me feel a bit... empty? Not quite the right word, I feel like I'm missing out. I've had Where the Crawdads Sing on my shelf for such a long time and am afraid to read it in case I don't love it.

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    1. I generally don’t like popular books. I’m one of those people that doesn’t want to get on the train everyone else is on.

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  3. My Lad is doing the History of Pop up books at Art Collage at the moment, he has even had a go at making one. I have just read a book that had some bad hype but I found it ok but otheres that get good I found awaful

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    1. That sounds like a fascinating class.

      I’m pretty much the same way.

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  4. I've only read one book by Kinsley, Relish, but I enjoyed it and have been meaning to read more. I LOVED Where the Crawdads Sing! I have The Body: A Guide for Occupants and The Undefeated on hold at the library. And, you talked me into reading Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?.

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  5. I really liked The Goldfinch, too. Have you "The Secret History"? That is my favorite of her books.

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  6. I'm not a fantasy reader but something about The Folk of the Air series appealed to me. I loved The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King... and hope to pick up The Queen of Nothing in the next week or so.

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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    1. Yes, it should be time for that one to come out, isn’t it?

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  7. I've not read any of these but it was nice reading about them (and the comments)

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  8. I really enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing in the audio format. Not sure if I would have had the same reaction if I had read it in print.

    I need to look for that Lucy Knisley book. I keep hearing great things about it and it's been ages since I read a graphic novel.

    Just ordered The Body for my husband for Christmas. He loves Bryson and I'm sure I'll get a chance to read it once he's finished.

    Here are some popular books that I read and enjoyed this year:

    Becoming (Michelle Obama)
    The Library Book (Susan Orlean)
    Nanaville (Anna Quindlen)
    A Spark of Light (Jodi Picoult)
    Ask Again, Yes (Mary Beth Keane)
    Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (Lori Gottlieb)

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    1. Les, I read and enjoyed Library Book, Nanaville, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. I love Michelle Obama, but I'm not much for bios. I do have Ask Again, Yes here, so maybe I'll read that soon.

      Thank you so much for sharing your favorites.

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  9. I agree about The Goldfinch. I liked that one. I have Where The Crawdads Sing on my TBR shelf, so I’ll get to it eventually.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I am not a fan of Crawdads, but I'm oddly glad I read it.

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  10. i see a couple hyped ones that i do want to read, but i don't read a lot of them any more either. i hope to change that a bit next year and start knocking off a few that stick in my mind
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  11. In the past I read a lot, now that I have more time I don't have time to read anymore ! I have to read about the cities I have visited not to write stupidities.


    I am writing about

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