Books #40

[aalmaalm]

Part way through and struggling with it, not sure whether to sack it off or carry on.

Think I have been influenced by Booktok because all these creators saying these 'thriller' books had them on the edge of their seat and I find them so boring maybe i have a high tolerance level im not sure but please someone recommend me a book that will actually scare me.

I was the same! It’s just strange . Like I say it kept me reading but I think I wanted to know what was going to happen because so many people (booktok ) said how amazing it was and rated it 4-5 stars!

 

[StephenTJackson]

Part way through and struggling with it, not sure whether to sack it off or carry on.

Think I have been influenced by Booktok because all these creators saying these 'thriller' books had them on the edge of their seat and I find them so boring maybe i have a high tolerance level im not sure but please someone recommend me a book that will actually scare me.

I just ignore everything BookTok says now. Because it just seem to like books that aren't actually very good. Just super quick reads that take no effort, no depth and just about saying they've read something and numbers of how much they've read.

 

[LaBlonde]

I just ignore everything BookTok says now. Because it just seem to like books that aren't actually very good. Just super quick reads that take no effort, no depth and just about saying they've read something and numbers of how much they've read.

same. i’m almost positive most of them are reviews paid for by the publisher too - so are never unbiased. i’ve been burnt way too many times and am still angry they keep pushing the boys of tommen as a romance.

the amount i’ve seen about them only reading dialogue and stuff too. like you say, completely a numbers game (look how much i’ve read this week! look at my book haul! etc)

 

[StephenTJackson]

same. i’m almost positive most of them are reviews paid for by the publisher too - so are never unbiased. i’ve been burnt way too many times and am still angry they keep pushing the boys of tommen as a romance.

the amount i’ve seen about them only reading dialogue and stuff too. like you say, completely a numbers game (look how much i’ve read this week! look at my book haul! etc)

I call them "sugar books", books that are perfectly good books, easy to read, but not special books.

You read them, quickly because they are easy reads, you enjoy it, but you put it down after you've read it and you move on, you wouldn't ag it off, but you wouldn't also particularly recommend it to anyone.

There is nothing wrong with these books in general, I read plenty myself, the sort of thing you pick up in The Works, supermarkets, train station etc. They don't tend to be special. But they fill a need. It's a little hit of sugar to satisfy you, but you get a sugar crush after it because it doesn't stay with you at all.

But you need books that give you more. Things that make you fall in love with reading and make reading truly worth your time.

 

[Lola123]

I call them "sugar books", books that are perfectly good books, easy to read, but not special books.

You read them, quickly because they are easy reads, you enjoy it, but you put it down after you've read it and you move on, you wouldn't ag it off, but you wouldn't also particularly recommend it to anyone.

There is nothing wrong with these books in general, I read plenty myself, the sort of thing you pick up in The Works, supermarkets, train station etc. They don't tend to be special. But they fill a need. It's a little hit of sugar to satisfy you, but you get a sugar crush after it because it doesn't stay with you at all.

But you need books that give you more. Things that make you fall in love with reading and make reading truly worth your time.

Oh Stephen! That’s the perfect way to put it! 🫶🫶 you’ve said that so well, such a word smith

 

[Tofino]

I’ve not read any Freida McFadden yet, I know she’s a tiktok favourite but also controversial, and I saw earlier today that she has four books in the Sunday Times Top 10 this week.

 

[StephenTJackson]

I’ve not read any Freida McFadden yet, I know she’s a tiktok favourite but also controversial, and I saw earlier today that she has four books in the Sunday Times Top 10 this week.

View attachment 3795553

I refuse to read Freida McFadden on principle because there seems to be a new one every 5 minutes.

Either AI, or a team of ghostwriters. I just can't believe the are well written books. And it just feels like it leans in to the BookTok chasing numbers thing again

 

[emmer_moans]

I'm struggling to find time to read as I have so much to do and my house is a mess etc, etc.
I've renewed one of the books I'm trying to read 3 times. I can see it's a good book, but I really need to concentrate on it, but my ability to concentrate is out of the window.
So I made a deal with myself to read 30 pages each night. I failed on night 2.
I was just reading the allotted 60 pages tonight when I slammed the book down, swore in my head and said "I need to just buy it!" It's about female ADHD.

View attachment 3794587

It is so good, it's like me in a book and I only borrowed it from the library for more knowledge on neuro divergency. I assumed this was part of that group. Although they do say everyone can have these tendencies and Doom scrolling etc isn't helping our brains.
The book is called Invisible ADHD by Shanna Pearson. I think it's on audible too.
Hopefully I can really focus on sorting my life out with the help of this book.
Another bonus is it's cheaper to get it delivered to my local post office rather than my home!
Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Honestly I think I need to read this.

 

[Booklover]

I call them "sugar books", books that are perfectly good books, easy to read, but not special books.

You read them, quickly because they are easy reads, you enjoy it, but you put it down after you've read it and you move on, you wouldn't ag it off, but you wouldn't also particularly recommend it to anyone.

There is nothing wrong with these books in general, I read plenty myself, the sort of thing you pick up in The Works, supermarkets, train station etc. They don't tend to be special. But they fill a need. It's a little hit of sugar to satisfy you, but you get a sugar crush after it because it doesn't stay with you at all.

But you need books that give you more. Things that make you fall in love with reading and make reading truly worth your time.

This is very respectfully and perfectly put.
On a recent visit to WHSmith they had a whole section to 'as seen on booktok.' I pretty much avoid anything in it! I need more from my book choices and also something I'll remember!

 

[Tofino]

I refuse to read Freida McFadden on principle because there seems to be a new one every 5 minutes.

Either AI, or a team of ghostwriters. I just can't believe the are well written books. And it just feels like it leans in to the BookTok chasing numbers thing again

Yeah I’m sceptical how quick some of these books are churned out. I believe she still has a medical career alongside this? But I’m a sucker for wanting to see what the hype is so I will read the housemaid (already got it from the charity shop).

I’ve read four Elsie Silver books and whilst I enjoyed the first two chestnut springs, I feel she just follows the same formula each time and she’s also releasing multiple books a year. I only started reading regularly again two years ago and in that time she’s published the entire rose hill series - four books!!

 

[mindlessness]

I think the sugar books are also great to get people reading books for the first time (or again after a break). A family member of mine never read until a few years ago and it was books like Frieda McFadden's and Elsie Silver's (on my rec!) that got them hooked and now they're a reader for life.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Honestly I think I need to read this.

You can get it from the library and I think it's on audible if you don't want to buy the book.

 

[CommentBelow]

I call them "sugar books", books that are perfectly good books, easy to read, but not special books.

You read them, quickly because they are easy reads, you enjoy it, but you put it down after you've read it and you move on, you wouldn't ag it off, but you wouldn't also particularly recommend it to anyone.

There is nothing wrong with these books in general, I read plenty myself, the sort of thing you pick up in The Works, supermarkets, train station etc. They don't tend to be special. But they fill a need. It's a little hit of sugar to satisfy you, but you get a sugar crush after it because it doesn't stay with you at all.

But you need books that give you more. Things that make you fall in love with reading and make reading truly worth your time.

Perfectly put!
I need/want to prioritise my (hopeful) ‘books that give you more’ TBR eg. Stoner, Thousand Splendid Suns, God of Small Things.

 

[ToxicPony]

I'm reading Homeseeking by Karissa Chen at the moment and absolutely loving it.

 

[LaBlonde]

Perfectly put!
I need/want to prioritise my (hopeful) ‘books that give you more’ TBR eg. Stoner, Thousand Splendid Suns, God of Small Things.

please come and talk to me about stoner when you’re done: i still can’t think of it without getting sad 🥲

 

[OwlHen]

I call them "sugar books", books that are perfectly good books, easy to read, but not special books.

You read them, quickly because they are easy reads, you enjoy it, but you put it down after you've read it and you move on, you wouldn't ag it off, but you wouldn't also particularly recommend it to anyone.

There is nothing wrong with these books in general, I read plenty myself, the sort of thing you pick up in The Works, supermarkets, train station etc. They don't tend to be special. But they fill a need. It's a little hit of sugar to satisfy you, but you get a sugar crush after it because it doesn't stay with you at all.

But you need books that give you more. Things that make you fall in love with reading and make reading truly worth your time.

This is such a wonderful description. I often pick them up when I’ve been in a slump or need to pass time on a long journey that I’ll find tiresome, but eventually I’ll gravitate to something deeper.

 

[CommentBelow]

I'm reading Homeseeking by Karissa Chen at the moment and absolutely loving it.

This is high on my wish list but I have a dilemma.. planned to wait for the paperback (out in Jan) but I put it in my basket ready for double stamps and noticed the cover isn’t as good as the hardback.. I know I know the contents is the same buuutttt I really like the hardback cover.

 

[CommentBelow]

please come and talk to me about stoner when you’re done: i still can’t think of it without getting sad 🥲

I will run back.. probably because I’ll need a recommendation to cheer me up..

 

[wishiniwasskinny]

I have to say something in defence of BookTok 🫣 there are ALOT of “booktokers” who read the sugar books. But I will say I have found a few on there who like real lit fic, family sagas, and many books that are popular here (The Will of the Many for one!) they are further and few between but I have a few I follow as they seem to like a breadth of genres I like such as lit fic, historical fiction etc. I do find the ones who aren’t sugar readers and aren’t reading a range of fiction, are obsessed with Romantasy.

I do stay away from the typical booktok reads, I’ve never read any Frieda McFadden, Elsie Silver or any of the Dream Harbour books as they just don’t appeal to me.

 

[SaintLeo]

I refuse to read Freida McFadden on principle because there seems to be a new one every 5 minutes.

Either AI, or a team of ghostwriters. I just can't believe the are well written books. And it just feels like it leans in to the BookTok chasing numbers thing again

I refuse to believe she’s a real person! Let’s not forget Freida McFadden is a pseudonym because she is also allegedly a practicing doctor specialising in brain injuries. A medical career and the time to churn out as many books as she does? Not buying it!