Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is all about hyped books, and how they impact your reading.
We all know that feeling: when everyone and anyone in the blogosphere has raved over a book, and you are debating whether to pick it up or not. I have read many hyped books, most of which I loved, but I can't help but wonder if I would have had the same feelings towards the book if it wasn't hyped at all.
I feel as if hyped books change the way you read them. You go in with mindset that everything is going to be spectacular and that you will be intrigued. I think that this works in your favour because it allows you to be fully engrossed in the book. However, I always wonder if my love for a book is because I'm feeding off of everyone else's feeling's.
I do follow hype. I love being able to see a book everywhere across social media, and being able to say that I am a fan. But I do take sort of a pride when I've read a book before the hype. I just feel like it seems as if I'm more of a "true" fan that way. Selfish, I know, because who's to say that someone reading during the hype isn't obsessed with it at all?
One thing that scares me about reading hyped books is if I don't like it. This happened with me and The Hunger Games. Suddenly, you're stuck wondering why you couldn't see the book like everyone else did, and if people will come after you for it. The answer is no, you are entitled to your own opinion and no one can take that away from you, but you might be wondering why you couldn't be brought to like this book! It is a struggle.
Of course, there are many positive outcomes of reading hyped books and loving them! There are so many people that you can talk to about it, not to mention the fan art, merch and endless Tumblr posts about your faves. Fangirling, is brought to a maximum!
I want to know what you think! Do you follow hype, or do you wait until it all dies down to like a book? What are some of your favourite hyped books?
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Hmm I'm not sure if hype changes how I look at a book. Two very hyped books of this year: An Ember in the Ashes and Red Queen I had very different opinions on. I highly disliked Red Queen and loved An Ember in the Ashes so it all depends. Also, I read The Hunger Games when I was like 15 (now almost 21) way before I was involved on the online book community so I wasn't even aware of it's hype! I do wonder if that would have affected my opinion on it. I really loved it at the time, though :)
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I read The Hunger Games just as the hype started and the movies started being made, but I much preferred the movies to the books! Idk, it was just such a let down for me :(
DeleteFor the most part I don't follow hype because when I do, I'm usually let down. One exception to this is ACOTAR. I loveeedd it.
ReplyDeleteI am a sucker for hype. It does usually work in my favour though :)
DeleteOhh yeah. My worst experience with hyped books was the Throne of Glass series. I'm constantly going in believing it'll blow my mind and astound me and it is pretty entertaining but it's very basic fantasy compared to what I usually read so my high expectations for the depth of the world-building just leaves me disappointed. I've been staying away from hype ever since haha.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought Throne of Glass, and I am kind of excited to read it because basic fantasy is more of my thing. I don't like it when fantasy is a bit overbearing. But I'm sorry the series didn't work out for you :(
DeleteI actually follow hype HAHA. But I always, always, ALWAYS check the book out in Goodreads and take a quick scan over the ratings before I actually buy it. Like, if it has very mixed-up ratings, chances are -- I might not enjoy it like half of them didn't. But if the book mostly has 5-star reviews and ratings, I always buy it. One example was Red Queen. Everyone gave it 5 stars, and I actually ended up enjoying it a lot. Hype is really helpful in a way, but it's destructive because when you buy an overly-hyped book and DID NOT enjoy it, YOU ARE BOUND TO DIE. :( :( :(
ReplyDeleteGoodreads is very helpful in that sense! But you're right, not loving a hyped book is my biggest fear!
DeleteI agree that hype can change your initial view of a book. Personally, I end up thinking 'yeah it's going to be great!' and then nine times out of ten I end up thinking '...people are going crazy over THIS?!' I don't really care if I don't like a popular book and I will comfortably share my opinions if I dislike something. However, I really disagree with being a 'true fan' because you read things at a different time to others. If you like something, you're a true fan regardless of how much you know about it, when you discovered it etc.
ReplyDeleteI usually do like hyped books, so I do go for them a lot. And you are absolutely right! It doesn't matter when you liked the book, but how it affected you.
DeleteI go for them a lot because I'm so curious :P If people are talking about something I have to find out why and form my own opinion.
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