Books that you thought you'd love but didn't.

Where the Crawdads Sing for me too. Didn’t like the ending at all.

Didn’t like We begin at the end by Chris Whitaker either. Not sure why really but just found it a bit dull

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alterton (sp?) - so many friends raved about it, I found it really nauseating.

Piranesi I did struggle with, definitely wouldn't say it's up there but I enjoyed it by the end.

Da Vinci Code - absolutely shite, as was Angels and Demons but weirdly enough I like the sequel as a bit of trash.

Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. I loved his first book Hex, one of my favourites. But Echo is just... boring. I thought it would be about some supernatural force on a mountain climbing expedition. Apparently its just about a man's relationship his husband and I really don't care!

I did like Piranesi though 🤷‍♀️

I just tried to reread Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving, which I'd read and loved as a teen. Really struggled with it and bailed out about 100 pages from the end. Between the endless guff about 'whores' in the Vienna hotel, a horrible rape, some very dodgy writing about race - awful.

The Midnight library. I agree with PP it was a good idea but didn't make a good book
Life after Life I didn't even finish it. Same goes for The Life of Pi. I read three chapters and gave up.

Wolf Hall; love the Tudors, love the idea of Cromwell as the protagonist, just could not get going with it
Also Normal People; it was so hyped and I had about ten weeks waiting for it from the library and it was totally not worth it

Da Vinci Code - utter dogshit.

I agree with all the comments about the Thursday Murder Club, but I actully quite enjoyed it.

The Midnight Library. somebody had an interesting idea and then totally failed to make an interesting book out of it.

Oh love Jonathan Strange etc as well, one of my favourite books!

The Goldfinch
The Poisonwood Bible
Game of Thrones
The Assassins Apprentice
The one about the time travelling historians that is always recommended on here, St Mary’s etc
Couldnt get into any of the above, although I did finish the last one unlike the others. I do like fantasy books so it’s not that I don’t like the genre (re the last three) just found them all disappointing.
The Minaturist - I liked most of it but the end really annoyed me and retrospectively spoilt it for me
I loved a lot of other books mentioned here though, especially Piranesi, Thursday Murder Club and Catch 22, and didn’t mind Crawdads.

Shuggie Bain.
Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell.
A Little Life.
Anything by Stephen King after about 1990.
The Fireman, by Owen King. Love all his other books, found this bloated and silly.
Villager, by Tom Cox. Bought the physical book as really enjoyed Ring The Hill and 21st Century Yokel.

The Thursday Murder Club.
I like cosy mysteries like The Death In Paradise books and enjoyed The Marlow Murder Club and Midsomer Murders so I thought this would be right up my street but I really didn't get it.

Wuthering Heights. I've tried to read it twice and gave up both times. I really wanted to like it.

Gallant by V E Schwab. The only other book of hers I've read apart from Addie La Rue and it fell flat for me.

Go set a Watchman by Harper Lee. Awful.
Forest Gump. Absolute rubbish.
Da Vinci Code. Terrible writing.

The Time Traveller's wife- yuck!

How to stop time by Matt Haig. I liked the concept and it had great reviews but I found the main character very irritating. Persisted to the end thinking it would get better. It didn't.

Normal people. I just don't get it. Bought it as a physical book as a treat and then just hated it. Have tried twice. I read a lot and have pretty catholic tastes but it's just shit. It should be my favourite book, damnit!

Oh gosh, this too. My dad was always singing its praises when I was growing up. The premise sounded good. When I finally got around to reading it, I couldn't make head nor tail of it. Ridiculous book.

By rights I should love the Cazalet Chronicles, but they just don't grip me at all.

Anything by Jane Austin all her books are the same
Vacuous women who just talk about men like 13 yr old schoolgirls with the exception that they are interested in how much money they have
Men with no depth
Always a big house somewhere
The guy who seems to be good turns out to be a rotter
The guy who seems to be bad turns out to be the start
They all get married and live happily ever after
Banal shite

Wolf hall- I wanted to like it but just couldn't get into it
Any book by Kazuo Ishiguro - the premise is fine but the writing sends me to sleep.
I agree with Eleanor Oliphant. Also can't get into Kate Atkinson I am afraid.

Agree with those saying the Da Vinci Code. I only finished it because I was on a long haul flight and couldn't get off. Honestly, how many times in one night can you have a gun in your face?

Haha yes this exactly!

Piranesi. Sounded like just my thing, and I wish I liked it, but I haven't managed to get past the first couple of chapters.

Catch 22 - everyone seems to rave about it. But it's one of the most puerile and misogynistic shambles I've ever read.

Graham Norton's Holding. I found it rather pedestrian and I really wanted to like it.

Jaws - stick to the movie. Honestly, don't waste your eyes.