MY WORST READS OF 2019

Hello bookworms! This post is actually the first in my ‘end of the year’ posts that I never got around to sharing earlier this year. I personally find it really cathartic to talk about books that I disliked and so I’m starting with my least favourite reads of 2019.

This list ascends to my absolutely worst read of 2019. All 7 books I’m going to talk about, were mostly all books that I had no idea what to expect going into them and just ended up really disliking. There are no spoilers for any of the books mentioned.

Saving Everest by Sky Chase

This is 2019 debut from Sky Chase was unfortunately very weak. It tried to tackle mental health in a meaningful way, but instead I felt this book just ended up being a slice of life teen romance, with confusing characterisation, no real point of contention and was juvenile in it’s execution.

Kiss Me with Lies by S.M. Soto

I have so many feelings about this romance thriller and it mostly makes me angry to think about how poorly it was executed and how weak the characterisation of the main heroine is. Romance and thriller sounds like a winner combination to me, better yet a heroine on a relentless plot for revenge, after the murder of her twin sister purposely goes unsolved because of wealthy families in her community.

The main reason that my annoyance runs so deep with this book, is because the main characters motivation for revenge is weak. Seriously, imagine living in the shadow of your twin sister who bullies you and is obviously the favoured child of your parents. Then imagine your sister is murdered and not only do you want to seek revenge for her, (effectively ruining your life because you’re driven by revenge) but you also think it should’ve been you that died instead of your sister. Because what, she told you that she loved you… once? I’m sorry, I just could never.

Fumbled Hearts by Meagan Brandy

I’m aware Meagan Brandy has many popular books, but this is the only book I’ll ever successfully finish of hers, because I think there’s a theme permeated throughout her writing that I just don’t like. The main character of this romance is very much a guy’s girl and self-proclaimed not like other girls type of girl. Which she apparently wants a medal for or something. There’s also some slut-shaming, girl on girl hate. I don’t think I’m the only one over romance books with these tropes.

Never Contended Things by Sarah Porter

This book has a shocking amount of positive reviews on Goodreads and I can kind of get why, because dark contemporary fantasy has never been more popular thanks to Holly Black. But personally I thought this book was so convoluted. The cover promises cruel and deliciously evil fairies, but this story was actually severely scarce of faeries and read like a poorly plotted episode of Riverdale. And like, incestuous foster siblings…  not my thing no matter the circumstances.

Lies by Kylie Scott

Once upon a time I really loved Kylie Scott, because she wrote one of my favourite romances with a plus size heroine. Until she released Lies last year, which should’ve been an instant favourite given that this book also has a plus size heroine.

But I thought this book tried to do too much with so little pages. It tries tackling a suspenseful plot, failing relationship and self-esteem issues. Each element just didn’t feel satisfyingly executed unfortunately. The plus size rep kind of sucked too. 

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

I’m sure this is a book no one expects to be on my list, because it is pretty much universally loved. I do see why people love it, because there is so much entertainment value in it. Monty has such strong characterisation and he comes off the page so colourfully. I think when I picked this up I wanted something light and fluffy. However I found this book so stressful, because it had an unexpected layer of sophistication that I probably should’ve expected because it is queer historical fiction.

In the Unlikely Event by L.J Shen

A lot of 2019 for me involved experimenting with new tropes, like dark and bully romantic tropes. L.J. Shen was involved a lot in that experimentation and I’ve figured out that her writing really isn’t for me.

There is some serious problematic business going on in this book that I didn’t like, as well as it being incredibly melodramatic. I also hated that we get actual perspectives from inanimate objects like a napkin and a chocolate bar. This book was a whole other realm of ridiculous and I’ve never read anything like it before. And I kind of don’t want to ever again.

Have you read any of these books? What made your least favourite books of 2019?

– Carly