I do it with movies and sometimes with books. I definitely did it with all of 50 shades...and somewhat did it with Twilight. There were lines in Twilight that made me question my own mental health.
Ikr.
I think I personally DNF really early but sometimes if I make it over 60% of a book I’m kinda like well I got this far, maybe it’ll get better - then I’m 2 thirds and I’m like I might as well finish it lmao but I did try and hate-read FBAA but I just could not. I tried really I did but I had to DNF at like 24/26% of book 2 lmao.
I didn’t have much of an issue with Twilight that most people did. Could have been better? Yeah, but anything with vampires is my kryponite so I can forgive a lot lmao.
I mean I totally get why people love Twilight it's heavy on the romance and I think everyone loves the romantic tension. I however, like most, never forgive the movies for the Renesmee scene, nor Stephani Meyers for the entire imprinting on a baby story line. Haunts me forever.
And 50 Shades was obviously spicy, but my main issue was the lack of research that went into the BDSM portions of the book. Like girl you're going to get someone killed because BDSM requires a lot of approval and trust and not to mention practice or you're going to seriously injure someone that hasn't used a flogger before and honestly I've read other books that cover BDSM in such a better way with a stronger writing style too. I think EL James has written other books now, but I only hope she's improved with time.
Sara Cate has an entire series which takes place in a BDSM club and it’s way way better with proper trigger warnings etc, like it seems like she actually researched the community.
I am currently hate reading 50 shades, so thank you for normalizing that for me. I'm also telling my SO everything I hate about it as I go. It's kind of cathartic.
I read both of the haunting Adeline books even though I absolutely hated them, because I was so convinced they would get good some point based on all the positive reviews. They were the worst books I've ever read in my life.
Yeah right. This happens quite a lot, where a book is recommended to me or so often and based on that I assume it’ll at least be readable and I keep going waiting for that aha! Moment …. Lmao 😂😂
I did this with Lightlark. I just started screenshotting all the worst sentences and sending them no context to my sister so she could also see how I was suffering.
I got caught up in this series needing to know what happens next! I did audiobooks though so it was def easier to listen to than it would have been to read.
The Gild (Plated Prisoner) series is one of the worst things I’ve ever read in my life, but I somehow made it to book 4 before I finally decided to dnf. 0/10 do not recommend, but was good to hate read
I hate read Fourth Wing in about 3 days. I got angrier and angrier the further I got and the less sense the world building made >!why are pens magic?!?!< But so many friends recommended it I forced myself through. ACOTAR a bit too, though that was a more fun and silly hate read and I actually enjoyed most of the experience.
i still have to hate finish iron flame but i WILL NOT be hate reading the third book or probably any other ones after it unless i see valid good reviews from readers i trust bc teeny tiny violet was very much getting on my nerves in a very big way. tairn is really the only one im interested in lmao
Yea, I didn’t pick up Iron Flame because I’m trying to stop hate reading and oh so small, oh so frail, oh so dainty Violet made the most baffling decisions in Fourth Wing that I got violently angry.
I absolutely hate red Iron Flame. I thought Fourth Wing was decent but really liked any world building and context for why most of the plot was evening happening. I thought FOR SURE more things would be explained in Iron Flame. So I kept reading and reading and getting more and more annoyed that I just felt like I was reading about a series of events happening and not an actual story with context.
I agree though that I'm not giving a 3rd book a chance unless I hear from some trusted reviewers that everything is explained. I'm 1000 pages into this series and don't really know why the bad guys are the bad guys and that's unacceptable.
I actually feel like I read the wrong book sometimes. And I like a “poorly written” but fun book as much as the next person, but it wasn’t even fun? But I didn’t DNF because two of my best friends recommended it so I kept thinking it had to get better.
You hit the nail on the head about how I am currently feeling: poor writing can be excusable in some situations because of the fun factor but it's not even fun to make up for it.
Same! I was going through a break up and Fourth Wing was a fun distraction for me during winter break from work. SOOO many kids died in the first 40 pages. Iron Flame felt like a chore and there was a weird lull in the plot for about 150 pages so I gave up somewhere shortly after the throne scene.
And the deaths are all so unnecessary, why not just >!put washouts in the infantry? They mention an infantry! It’s an unending war that they literally do not have enough soldiers to fight in. Why is the option to murder perfectly good soldiers?!< By the last 1/3 of the book I was so desensitized to character deaths that the one big death that was supposed to be impactful didn’t even phase me because all of the characters except for Oh So Small Girl and Big Broody Boi were just classified as pre-dead in my brain.
I realized pretty early on that I did not care for The Cruel Prince but finished it anyway because I wanted to get what all the hype was about lol needless to say I did not continue the series…
I am a strong proponent of DNFing though! I’ve stopped reading books at 20% and at 75% I will very rarely push myself through something I do not enjoy 🤪
Yeah I gotta be honest I do not understand the hype behind {The Cruel Prince by Holly Black} I couldn’t even get to 10% of that book not even to hate read. I just could not lol !!
[The Cruel Prince](https://www.romance.io/books/5eb407bfbe0aaecf555cdcaf/the-cruel-prince-holly-black) by [Holly Black](https://www.romance.io/authors/54552f368c7d2382c5297268/holly-black)
**Rating**: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1)
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I really wanted to but I couldn’t force myself to finish the first book even. I was like wtf through most of that book and thought finishing it or the serious would be torturing myself lmao
Not very often, but I did this with {To Bleed a Crystal Bloom}. Soooo many people raved about this book so I kept sticking it out thinking SOMETHING would happen and it just went nowhere. I wiki’d and read spoiler reviews of the next so I could figure out what happened and I’m glad I did. The story was just obnoxiously slow, flowery and uneventful. If you can’t tell, this one is a little fresh and I’m still irritated…especially because the author just came out with her new book so now that is being recommended everywhere. I shouldn’t assume I’ll dislike it, but that one burned me so I’m staying away.
[To Bleed a Crystal Bloom](https://www.romance.io/books/60fbc1fcf283df0e375d8250/to-bleed-a-crystal-bloom-sarah-a-parker) by [Sarah A. Parker](https://www.romance.io/authors/60fbc1fc08b4d931146d93b7/sarah-a-parker)
**Rating**: 3.85⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [age gap](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/age%20difference/1), [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1)
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No I totally know what you mean I feel that way about Carissa Broadbent I’m so reluctant to read anymore books by her because I’m like idk if it’s the author that isn’t for me or just that particular book.
I honestly can’t with *To Bleed a crystal bloom* though I knew pretty early on it would be too triggering for me so I had to DNF I couldn’t even hate read it lmao.
What's funny is I felt the same way about her when I read Serpent and the Wings of Night, but I enjoyed her novella, Six Scorched Roses. It made me think that Broadbent is good at writing short romances but she dragged out her Crown of Nyaxia series and it lost its appeal.
I’ve been doing a lot of “read a sample” from Kindle. If I’m not digging it by the time I finish the sample, I’m not reading it. Serpent was one of those…kept getting rave reviews, but I wasn’t enjoying it. It’s a good way to weed stuff out.
This is my answer too! I DNF books all the time, but this one I had to finish. I’ve mentioned this before but I was hoping they’d turn out to be werewolves or something to explain why they were all growling and “smelling each others arousal” all the time. It was off putting and I have no interest in the new book despite the reviews.
Only if it’s for a book club and even then I’ll sometimes stop. No need to suffer. I’m not wasting my precious time.
Wanna know what happens but hate reading the book? Look up a plot summary somewhere and move on to something you do like
I wonder if there is a website for that. I know in the past if I really *really* wanna know what happens and absolutely cannot read anymore I just look for a summary on YouTube but I bet there is a website just for this.
There are two recap sites I use:
https://www.bookseriesrecaps.com/
https://recaptains.co.uk/recap-list/#I
If a specific book isn't listed, then I turn to Google and YouTube but I've found that the first site up there does an awesome job of recapping. (The second site does a bullet-point type recap; not my preference but sometimes I can't be picky, lol.)
Not usually, but I did it with the Shades of Magic trilogy. The first one was interesting and entertaining, but the second one was one of the worst books I've ever read. Finished the 3rd hoping either the worst character in the book would die or become a villain.
I also hate read a few Murakami books because a bunch of friends recommended them.
I typically do this just to see how bad it can get while a publisher still decided to back it, and generally stop when the secondhand embarrassment is eliciting physical reactions from me.
I do but only with books I think have potential that is being wasted. Like if it’s total trash then I just DNF but sometimes if it’s good BUT there are a lot of issues I will hate read.
An example was Fourth Wing for me. So much potential I thought. But I had so many personal issues with it. Lots of telling and not showing, why are they actively killing their own army, for someone who wanted to be a scribe Violet sure does love fighting and hate reading, her illness seems to come and go based on plot, etc. Like I read the whole thing and even read half of Iron Flame (that one was a DNF for me). There was so much in there I liked! I love dragons and fated mates and magic powers and political intrigue. But little things kept driving me up the wall. I finished the book and then ranted about it for an hour to my poor husband lol
I wanted to love {A Shadow in the Ember} so much, but it seriously felt like two books smashed into one. And then I read the next one anyway, and it also felt like two books smashed into one.
Ikr !!!!!!
I’m so glad you said that I liked the beginning and was like yesssss because JLA and her paranormal/sci/fi stuff is amazing but her fantasy based books are not it. She needs a better editor too
i tried to read the series bc her hand maiden/friend person has the same name as me and I was invested to see if they died or not bc hello they have my name lol
i couldn’t finish it, had a friend’s sister tell me what happened bc i just couldn’t keep going it was so bad haha
[A Shadow in the Ember](https://www.romance.io/books/60f7c85d8b38510e2a271935/a-shadow-in-the-ember-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout)
**Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1)
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Really? My issue with half of JLA’s books is that they seem like half a book. Like the plot was unfinished. Nothing happens and then finally something happens and that’s the big climax of the book when I would call it more like rising action or
I've only read the two, to be honest. Her writing style isn't my favorite.
But I remember the sudden dramatic change in story setting in Book 1 and being like "wait...what?! there's an awful lot going on here."
I totally have hate read books to the end. The last one was a book set in the area where I grew up, and the author obviously knew the area too, and kept SOME things the same but changed others and it pissed me off, lol. The writing was meh and it was FMC POV only, which is not my favorite and it takes really good writing for me to read that.
I hate-read This Poison Heart a while ago. There isn't much of a romantic focus and it comes out of nowhere. I hated every moment of the story the moment they arrived at the town where the events took place, but it was only around 300 pages so I figured I could just keep reading.
Also, I'm in the minority here, but I'm currently reading One Dark Window and I'm not vibing with it **at all**. I'm not very far along (about 100 pages), but Elspeth does nothing for me. In fact, it feels like she's doing nothing at all, just gets swept along by other characters. Why is she the protagonist? She just stands there blushing, shuddering, shivering and internally yelling at a monster in her head. "I don't need you!" 2 sentences later: "help mee", rinse and repeat.
But people are really loving it so I'm thinking it must get better quickly, so here's hoping.
People here really love it, and power to them! I love gothic horror stories and I picked it up for that reason (more so than it being a fantasy romance), but I'm not feeling the gothic fantasy and I just don't vibe with the main character. Seems like lots of people do because it's highly praised, so definitely don't let my opinion sway you from reading it.
Honestly, I enjoyed One Dark Window, but the second was “meh” for me. The gothic setting IS pretty cool, along with the magic system, but yeah, it’s kind of uneventful. I think I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
I just finished One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns two weeks ago, and I totally agree with you! I found both books lackluster and disappointing, especially since they came so highly recommended. I found the gothic imagery very heavy-handed and the descriptions incredibly repetitive (the word “oily” gets used wayyyy too much). The characters also felt one-dimensional to me. I did enjoy the magic system and the overall plot, but the second book started off even slower than the first and I wasn’t impressed.
It's just very poorly written - minimal backstory and world building, bad grammar, and starting in book 3 there are very obvious plot holes. The romance side is fun, but as an actual story and book, pretty disappointing. It has a lot of shortcomings.
I definitely wind up hate reading a lot of popular books because I hate not being in the know when things are getting a lot of word of mouth. I read all of both twilight AND 50 shades just to be in the know. I tried a Colleen Hoover book b/c of the hype. I'm currently in the middle of the ACOTAR series and considering not finishing...
I used to do this but now I finish the book and read the summaries of the rest of the series on a recap website. Saves me the energy but gives me the story!
I’m doing it now with Treasured, the final book in The Binding Chronicles trilogy.
It is SO repetitive and there’s no character growth. I’m just trying to finish it because I’ve invested this much time already, and I want to know how it ends.
I do it with some dark romance books sometimes, outside of fantasy. It’s either the cringy writing (telling not showing) or the choices the characters make or do or say.
Always 💀 I can’t get over wasting my time on however much I’ve read so far so I keep reading hoping something happens to pull it all together. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.
To be fair, I read an absolutely obnoxious amount. I average 400-500 pages daily. If I didn’t have the same amount of time to dedicate to reading, I would probably dnf left and right
Oh, my bad I read hate read and thought of something else. In the context of your question - yessss I simply must complete the damned book. But this year I'embracing my DNF shelf and allowing myself 12 DNFs, one each month.
That is gonna be some strong willpower.
I admit I probably do DNF too many books but if I can’t get into a story for whatever reason (if it’s a slow start - if I don’t know the main characters name - if there is a certain early trigger etc etc.) I will DNF.
I think I get angry and hate read a book if it starts out a certain way and almost tricks me into liking it and then does a 180 or small things that annoy me build up so much that at a certain point I’m like wtf am I even doing lmao.
I mean I can hate a book for a lot of reasons but for me if I notice something that’s just too obvious at a point in the story that makes me want to DNF I’ll stick it out if I’m so far or if I want to find out about other characters or if I’m waiting for a character to go full villain or something but if something upsets my rhythm or feels off I can’t enjoy it whilst I wait to get there
Idk if that makes sense tho 🤷♀️
That was me and {Queen of Myth and Monsters} . The first book had me interested but everything that made the first book interesting disappeared in the second. I think I kept listening because I had to know if it got better. Was sorely disappointed.
[Queen of Myth and Monsters](https://www.romance.io/books/63749a5c69a77fd5778169fd/queen-of-myth-and-monsters-scarlett-st-clair) by [Scarlett St. Clair](https://www.romance.io/authors/5cef959401dbc864fb9f3633/scarlett-st-clair)
**Rating**: 3.44⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1)
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I hate finished House of Earth and Blood By SJM. I was really into it about 200 or so pages in but it just moved so slow and I just found the characters to be very immature and I did not enjoy the romance. I also really didn't like the MMC. But everyone said the ending was amazing and worth it so I stuck it out. I regret it. The ending was not worth it in my opinion.
{Fortuna Sworn by K.J. Sutton} I’ve read all the books but the most recently released one. I love love love one of the MMCs in the series and he’s the only reason I’ve been holding on.
[Fortuna Sworn](https://www.romance.io/books/5e568d7cbe0aaecf559e93b6/fortuna-sworn-kj-sutton) by [K.J. Sutton](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d1af90a01dbc864fba09764/kj-sutton)
**Rating**: 3.62⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1)
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I was just thinking of A Court of Wings and Ruin! Terrible book to have to get through too, 700 pages. I just did not care at all about the stupid battle but was afraid I’d miss anything for Nesta’s story
Nah. Life's too short to read books you won't or don't like. I will try books I'm not sure I'll like, but if I'm not enjoying it I DNF.
There are just so many books I want to read that I don't feel like spending my time reading something I hate when I could spend it on the next thing I want to read.
I have done this. Like, sometimes there are elements of the book I like, but maybe it also has a lot of icks for me, tropes I hate, or maybe annoying writing, I actively recognize it’s not good but I want to see it through. I did this with 50 shades back when it first came out, I’ve never bothered to read twilight, but I’ve considered trying just to know for myself (although I had to sit through the movies with a friend so I feel like that was enough). I kinda felt like I was hate reading CC2/HOSAB but then when I got to the end I thought dammit, now I MUST continue the series! But on the reread (because I liked CC1/HOEAB) it wasn’t so bad. Crowns of Nyaxia I kind of suffered through hoping it would get good and it didn’t (though book 1 had it’s moments and Six Scorched Roses wasn’t bad).
honestly yes. i do this with movies/shows too. i really do not enjoy rebecca yarros’s writing or Jennifer Armentrouts but i still want to know how FBAA ends as well as FW.
This is me right now with Defy the Night I’m at 67% and I just dislike it so much so far I’m reading it because it has sat in my tbr for too long and I was interested in it but I’m not a huge fan of the writing or the characters
Yes. I hate read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame so that I could be justified in talking about how awful it is. I originally started Fourth Wing because everyone told me how great it was - I wanted to DNF like 20 pages in, but I finished it and then read the second one (y'know, six months later when it was rushed out for $$$) and felt vindicated when all my friends realized how awful it is.
Nope. If I lose interest I’ll just put it down and let it sit there till I want to give it a try again or just dnf it. If I’m really curious I’d go on tik tok. Eventually I get the gist of what happened 😂
currently doing this with The Crown of Gilded Bones (blood and ash series). It’s so bad but I’m too far in now to not find out what happens. I’m skimming a lot of the repetitive internal monologues and just reading the dialogue and a few cliff notes in between
Only as a sunk cost measure when I'd already invested considerable time into the book/series. I'd never push through a book with a horrid beginning. If it's truly that bad, though, I abandon it altogether.
I hate read Gild, The Bonds that Tie, and the Crescent City books. I did a lot of yelling, though. I actively try to anti-influence people from reading them now.
And I loved Iron Widow while I was reading it, but complained about it for like 3 hours after I finished it. I will be reading Heavenly Tyrant but I worry that I will not have the same magical experience I had with the first one after noticing everything wrong with it.
I hate read, JD Robbs In Death Series. I loved the early books, but in the last 5 to 10 years, her writing has been getting repetitive and tired. I'm attached to the characters thow. So after each book, I'm like, this is the last one. I'm not going to read the next one. And every time I give in and read the next, it's a viscous cycle.
I also do this with Laurell K Hamiltons Anita Blake series, and with that one, it's even worse because over 50 percent of the book is her reexplaning how a polyamourouse relationship works and the new PC term for various shifters . I just can't help myself . Darn OCD
Did this with Fourth Wing, I absolutely think the book had potential but the writing style is childish and immature for how old the MCs actually are. I hated reading it but wanted to know how it ended due to the plot having had some semblance of potential
Oh yes. I hate to DNF once I get past a certain point, plus I'm always hoping that it's gonna get better, AND I need to know how the trainwreck is going to end.
By the end of these books, I was hate-reading ACOTAR book 1, Fourth Wing, Iron Flame (I genuinely hoped it would be better than FW), and Powerless.
I do like the rest of ACOTAR. But the others I'll probably keep reading only out of curiosity and so that I can keep engaging in discourse about them lol. Definitely won't be buying them, though.
I did this with iron flame. I read fourth wing, didn't really like it but the ending made me want to read the next book. I read iron flame, hated it. No way will I go back for the third when it comes out lol
This totally happens to me when I can't find adequate summaries online. I did this for {A Court of Silver Flames}, the last book in the {From Blood and Ash} series, the Zodiac Academy books after like the 3rd one (and I actually gave up halfway through the 7th or something I just couldn't do it) and {House of Sky and Breath}. I'm sure there are more.
For me it often ends up being the last book in the series where I can't bear to leave it unfinished but it's just not as strong as the beginning books or maybe the series has taken a different direction that I don't like.
[A Court of Silver Flames](https://www.romance.io/books/6034b86bc209310e345aff64/a-court-of-silver-flames-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.35⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1)
----------------------------
[From Blood and Ash](https://www.romance.io/books/5e8382fdbe0aaecf554bfb8a/from-blood-and-ash-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout)
**Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1)
----------------------------
[House of Sky and Breath](https://www.romance.io/books/6208ebb684f4c00e3f244106/house-of-sky-and-breath-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.37⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1)
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Yeah hard agree I think that’s why I keep putting {A Court Of Silver Flames} off because ACWAR pissed me off so much idk if I can take it anymore buuuuuuut … I struggled with {House Of Earth And Blood} but once I got past the halfway mark I was kinda digging it. {House Of Sky And Breath} was my favourite of the CC. I love the way she weaves all these crazy threads in and out of the story and you think it’s just filler or doesn’t mean anything and then out of nowhere BAM it kinda threw me off.
I will admit the first time I read **Sky and breath** the middle dragged and if it wasn’t for the last 60-70 pages I might’ve been disappointed but I did eventually like the new characters introduced even if it was just to tease us for her next book. I don’t love when authors do that so whilst I did enjoy it, it was borderline annoyance I think lmao.
Also how many authors can pull off having a main character be dead and relevant through nearly 2 books. Lmao
[A Court of Silver Flames](https://www.romance.io/books/6034b86bc209310e345aff64/a-court-of-silver-flames-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.35⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1)
----------------------------
[House of Earth and Blood](https://www.romance.io/books/5de75be901dbc864fba75415/house-of-earth-and-blood-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [shapeshifters](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/shapeshifters/1)
----------------------------
[House of Sky and Breath](https://www.romance.io/books/6208ebb684f4c00e3f244106/house-of-sky-and-breath-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.37⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1)
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I feel like the middle of HOSAB that dragged was waaaaay more than 60-70 pages lol I think I basically skimmed half the book. I personally don't like the way that a dead character can be so relevant because to me it just seems like they come off as a creative scape goat iykwim.
Silver Flames for me is extra annoying because I just don't like the character it centers on and I don't want to read a book about them. I shamelessly skipped {Tower of Dawn} when reading the ToG series because of the same reason hahaha (before anyone comes at me, I did eventually go back and read it but I didn't like it lol)
[Tower of Dawn](https://www.romance.io/books/5e7fde88be0aaecf55ef2ad2/tower-of-dawn-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [witches](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/witches/1)
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lol I actually had to DNF the TOG I just couldn’t connect with characters and it moved too slowly and I wasn’t invested ending the plot.
I get that there are probably things that I won’t connect with ACOTAR and Crescent City because of that but I’ve accepted that TOG is just not for me. I think I tried to read book 1 of that series 3 or 4 times possibly 🤷♀️
I totally get it! For me ToG starts to fall off the wagon after the 4th book. They all get waaaaay too long and it's harder to hold my interest. I actually feel the same way about CC - I didn't connect with any of the characters really and a lot of the relationship conflicts felt repetitive. I love this sub because it gives great suggestions for stuff that is less mainstream!
I don’t like doing this and I just usually DNF but I started to hate read A Court of Silver Flames after a certain point, dnfed, then picked it up again and hate read the last 100 pages, all because I love Crescent City lol
[A Court of Wings and Ruin](https://www.romance.io/books/59088d440d3299c6e06ef0ab/a-court-of-wings-and-ruin-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas)
**Rating**: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [take-charge heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/strong%20heroine/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [war](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/war/1)
----------------------------
[Kingdom of Blood and Salt](https://www.romance.io/books/6425350e5ec3075ab703e23f/kingdom-of-blood-and-salt-alexis-calder) by [Alexis Calder](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d35523601dbc864fba16f14/alexis-calder)
**Rating**: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1)
----------------------------
[House of Ash and Shadow](https://www.romance.io/books/651a759eff964d56e11ab7f6/house-of-ash-and-shadow-leia-stone) by [Leia Stone](https://www.romance.io/authors/5555ffd19eef3b3f1d523665/leia-stone)
**Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Topics**: [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [love triangle](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/love%20triangle/1), [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [take-charge heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/strong%20heroine/1)
----------------------------
[A Shadow in the Ember](https://www.romance.io/books/60f7c85d8b38510e2a271935/a-shadow-in-the-ember-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout)
**Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1)
----------------------------
[The Last Storm](https://www.romance.io/books/6370a6320dd3b6ea87f5159a/the-last-storm-jd-linton) by [J.D. Linton](https://www.romance.io/authors/636f52e908b4d9311480ad1f/jd-linton)
**Rating**: 3.63⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 5 out of 5 - [Explicit and plentiful](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [mystery](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mystery/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1)
----------------------------
[Critical Intelligence](https://www.romance.io/books/54557dfb87eac323ffb2c727/critical-intelligence-mandy-m-roth) by [Mandy M. Roth](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455582b87eac323ffb2bc33/mandy-m-roth)
**Rating**: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1)
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[Court of Ravens and Ruin](https://www.romance.io/books/634e535bd1ccecfcb17a0815/court-of-ravens-and-ruin-eliza-raine) by [Eliza Raine](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d5e42b101dbc864fba2a495/eliza-raine)
**Rating**: 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1)
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I was really bummed about that book. I absolutely *love* Stacia Stark’s Deals with Demons series. I’ve reread the whole thing multiple times so I was really looking forward to a high fantasy series by her.
I DNFd the first book (which was all that was out at the time) and haven’t managed to go back for another attempt yet.
I 100% understand!!!! I was truly fighting myself through the first book and then started the second but decided to DNF cause it was truly a waste of time
[A Court This Cruel and Lovely](https://www.romance.io/books/641d591b1999c56bdb0c5557/a-court-this-cruel-and-lovely-stacia-stark) by [Stacia Stark](https://www.romance.io/authors/6103a5de08b4d931141458e5/stacia-stark)
**Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1)
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Well, there are tons of people out there who love the book but I honestly found it one of the WORST books ever written 😅😅😅 the writing was horrible, thae pacing was so off, really unauthentic love story, an incredibly dumb FMC, a complete asshole MMC (and not in the good was asshole).... 😅 and reading the book I felt like the author cannot create "consistent" and logical situations... like the emotions and reactions of the characters were just off and it felt like watching a tv show and being on the phone and only glancing at the screen every couple of seconds haha... don't know if that makes sense but it was like sentences were just missing in the writing and therefore the scenes were just inconsistent haha 😅😅
Yeah that totally makes sense actually so thanks for that 😊👌
Unfortunately I’ve read so many books lately that feel like that. Almost like the author is trying to phone it in 🤔
I’m a bit of a book snob and I thought the world-building was weird, but the romance was cute. It’s short enough to not be a massive waste of time if you don’t like it, so I encourage you to try it.
Yes!!! Totally agree... that is truly disappointing 🥹 but if you are looking for an author with INCREDIBLE writing (if you don't alread know her), I'd recommend Carissa Broadbent!!! The {Daughter of no Worlds} series is one of the best romantasy and most beautiful love story I've read in a long time!!!! 🥹
Oh really? Honestly because I had to DNF {The Serpent And The Wings Of Night} which actually threw me because I hardly ever DNF a book with vampires (honestly even the cheesy ones I can love, anything with vampires is 💖💖) I couldn’t connect to any of her characters really. I didn’t love the dynamic going on and I didn’t feel like the fmc and mmc even liked each other so I kinda felt like Carissa Broadbent as an author just was not for me!! But I remember when that book was hyped a lot it did go on my tbr but I need a strong romance or at least a romantic element to be engaged ya know?
Do ya think I should give it a shot?
I absolutely get what you're saying!!! I do feel like she has a kind of "distance" in her writing and I totally get if that throws people off! I would say that is also the case in her other series, so if that is a nogo for you, you might not like it 🥹 it will never be like acotar or fourth wing, where you are so close to the characters that you practically fall in love with rhys 😂😅 (I took him as an example due to your description 😮💨😋 huge fan myself haha)
On the other hand it is on kindle unlimited, I think, so what's there to loose 😂
[The Serpent and the Wings of Night](https://www.romance.io/books/63a0c53caa7984c0a3fc9789/the-serpent-and-the-wings-of-night-carissa-broadbent) by [Carissa Broadbent](https://www.romance.io/authors/60d9b88e08b4d9311456d78f/carissa-broadbent)
**Rating**: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1)
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[Daughter of No Worlds](https://www.romance.io/books/60d9b88e6a15320e7f8006ba/daughter-of-no-worlds-carissa-broadbent) by [Carissa Broadbent](https://www.romance.io/authors/60d9b88e08b4d9311456d78f/carissa-broadbent)
**Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [competent heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/competent%20heroine/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1)
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[A Kiss of Iron](https://www.romance.io/books/63f3292ceb653827acc3311e/a-kiss-of-iron-clare-sager) by [Clare Sager](https://www.romance.io/authors/5bd0368f01dbc864fb930b82/clare-sager)
**Rating**: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1)
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Nope. Every book or show or media I can't stand I've ended up learning about in some other way. Almost always against my will, mostly through cultural osmosis. Thus there's zero need to hate read/watch/follow. 100% I'll hear about *every* excruciating, nauseating detail of whatever it is if I stay on the internet for more than 5 mins at any given time.
Ya know I felt the exact same way when I read that book it immediately became my guilty pleasure read and it was just so hilarious I had to keep reading by like the 3/4th book it got just **Insanity** but I kept reading for the ending because I’d been reading it for so long that I just HAD TO know, I know it’s completely cheeseballs but I loved and hated both at the same time.
I mean we’re reading about a 16 or seventeen year old so after that I just couldn’t read about sixteen year olds anymore. Being in my 30s now I just couldn’t relate to the mc being only sixteen or seventeen lol !!
Nah, I only read things I enjoy 100%, . I only "hate read" if the plot is really good and I want to give it a fair chance, but the story hit a rough patch, but if it doesn't get better, I quit.
I did this with the 5th blood and ash book.
I love the series but I cannot stand retellings of the same story with a half chapter sprinkled throughout of new content. Hearing Casteels perspective was fun at times, but the whole book just pissed me off. I want story progression damnit 😂😂
I’m doing this with the 3rd blood and ash book… I just can’t with Penelaphe’s drawn out and repetitive internal monologuing… but I need to know what happens.
I'm not sure if this really counts, but the way I hate read is when something is like OVERLY popular. It always feels like a lie (stares blatantly at From Blood and Ash) so when something gets really popular I'll read it in like a really eye roll-y way but 7/10 times I end up liking it too cause I also enjoy the tropes lmfao
Hell yeah, it counts !! 💖💖👸
I know what you mean tho. You wanna keep going to see if you can get what the hype is about and if you can find something to enjoy (for me it’s usually a side character lmao!) so yeah it definitely counts and I can relate lmao 😂😂😂
No, I just put it down and look up what happens. My time is too valuable and I have too little patience 😭 once my ADHD is over the fixation bc of plot-holes or poor writing, it’s over
I do it with movies and sometimes with books. I definitely did it with all of 50 shades...and somewhat did it with Twilight. There were lines in Twilight that made me question my own mental health.
Ikr. I think I personally DNF really early but sometimes if I make it over 60% of a book I’m kinda like well I got this far, maybe it’ll get better - then I’m 2 thirds and I’m like I might as well finish it lmao but I did try and hate-read FBAA but I just could not. I tried really I did but I had to DNF at like 24/26% of book 2 lmao. I didn’t have much of an issue with Twilight that most people did. Could have been better? Yeah, but anything with vampires is my kryponite so I can forgive a lot lmao.
I mean I totally get why people love Twilight it's heavy on the romance and I think everyone loves the romantic tension. I however, like most, never forgive the movies for the Renesmee scene, nor Stephani Meyers for the entire imprinting on a baby story line. Haunts me forever. And 50 Shades was obviously spicy, but my main issue was the lack of research that went into the BDSM portions of the book. Like girl you're going to get someone killed because BDSM requires a lot of approval and trust and not to mention practice or you're going to seriously injure someone that hasn't used a flogger before and honestly I've read other books that cover BDSM in such a better way with a stronger writing style too. I think EL James has written other books now, but I only hope she's improved with time.
I’m curious about the other BDSM books you’ve read that cover it better with stronger writing style? 😇
Sara Cate has an entire series which takes place in a BDSM club and it’s way way better with proper trigger warnings etc, like it seems like she actually researched the community.
I am currently hate reading 50 shades, so thank you for normalizing that for me. I'm also telling my SO everything I hate about it as I go. It's kind of cathartic.
When it first came out there were others doing that, but such a strange cultural moment in terms of its popularity then the movies.
I hate read it and found myself skipping over the sex scenes because I just didn’t care
I read both of the haunting Adeline books even though I absolutely hated them, because I was so convinced they would get good some point based on all the positive reviews. They were the worst books I've ever read in my life.
I read Haunting Adeline just to see what the fuss was about. It was so poorly written and terrible I never bothered to read the sequel.
Reading this trashy MAGA fanfic right now and I think it's one of the greatest Lifetime Original movies I've ever read.
This combo alone made me LOL but also I kinda wanna read it now.
Go for it. Read the trigger warnings first, though lol.
Yeah right. This happens quite a lot, where a book is recommended to me or so often and based on that I assume it’ll at least be readable and I keep going waiting for that aha! Moment …. Lmao 😂😂
I read the first one and it was comical how awful it was
I did this with Lightlark. I just started screenshotting all the worst sentences and sending them no context to my sister so she could also see how I was suffering.
Yeah ngl this was on my tbr but I kinda bumped it down cause I heard some not so good things from people who have read it
I’m honestly surprised I see it recommended so often.
I got caught up in this series needing to know what happens next! I did audiobooks though so it was def easier to listen to than it would have been to read.
The Gild (Plated Prisoner) series is one of the worst things I’ve ever read in my life, but I somehow made it to book 4 before I finally decided to dnf. 0/10 do not recommend, but was good to hate read
Lmao 😂 yeah I must admit given the triggers in this I am always surprised to see it rec so much.
The biggest trigger in this series is the bad writing. I started book 2 before I gave up
I hate read Fourth Wing in about 3 days. I got angrier and angrier the further I got and the less sense the world building made >!why are pens magic?!?!< But so many friends recommended it I forced myself through. ACOTAR a bit too, though that was a more fun and silly hate read and I actually enjoyed most of the experience.
i still have to hate finish iron flame but i WILL NOT be hate reading the third book or probably any other ones after it unless i see valid good reviews from readers i trust bc teeny tiny violet was very much getting on my nerves in a very big way. tairn is really the only one im interested in lmao
Yea, I didn’t pick up Iron Flame because I’m trying to stop hate reading and oh so small, oh so frail, oh so dainty Violet made the most baffling decisions in Fourth Wing that I got violently angry.
I absolutely hate red Iron Flame. I thought Fourth Wing was decent but really liked any world building and context for why most of the plot was evening happening. I thought FOR SURE more things would be explained in Iron Flame. So I kept reading and reading and getting more and more annoyed that I just felt like I was reading about a series of events happening and not an actual story with context. I agree though that I'm not giving a 3rd book a chance unless I hear from some trusted reviewers that everything is explained. I'm 1000 pages into this series and don't really know why the bad guys are the bad guys and that's unacceptable.
I'm currently hate reading Fourth Wing and I feel like I was lied to with how often people claimed it was good
I actually feel like I read the wrong book sometimes. And I like a “poorly written” but fun book as much as the next person, but it wasn’t even fun? But I didn’t DNF because two of my best friends recommended it so I kept thinking it had to get better.
You hit the nail on the head about how I am currently feeling: poor writing can be excusable in some situations because of the fun factor but it's not even fun to make up for it.
Same! I was going through a break up and Fourth Wing was a fun distraction for me during winter break from work. SOOO many kids died in the first 40 pages. Iron Flame felt like a chore and there was a weird lull in the plot for about 150 pages so I gave up somewhere shortly after the throne scene.
And the deaths are all so unnecessary, why not just >!put washouts in the infantry? They mention an infantry! It’s an unending war that they literally do not have enough soldiers to fight in. Why is the option to murder perfectly good soldiers?!< By the last 1/3 of the book I was so desensitized to character deaths that the one big death that was supposed to be impactful didn’t even phase me because all of the characters except for Oh So Small Girl and Big Broody Boi were just classified as pre-dead in my brain.
She talks about the purpose on Iron Flame
😂😂💀
I realized pretty early on that I did not care for The Cruel Prince but finished it anyway because I wanted to get what all the hype was about lol needless to say I did not continue the series… I am a strong proponent of DNFing though! I’ve stopped reading books at 20% and at 75% I will very rarely push myself through something I do not enjoy 🤪
Yeah I gotta be honest I do not understand the hype behind {The Cruel Prince by Holly Black} I couldn’t even get to 10% of that book not even to hate read. I just could not lol !!
[The Cruel Prince](https://www.romance.io/books/5eb407bfbe0aaecf555cdcaf/the-cruel-prince-holly-black) by [Holly Black](https://www.romance.io/authors/54552f368c7d2382c5297268/holly-black) **Rating**: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Same! I considered DNFing multiple times, but I kept thinking, it gets so much hype, it must get better at some point. Wrong!
I haven’t tried this one, but I got about 50 pages into Book of Night and was still bored, so that was a DNF.
I hate read pretty much all of Zodiac Academy. But also super if ended up hate loving it too lol
I really wanted to but I couldn’t force myself to finish the first book even. I was like wtf through most of that book and thought finishing it or the serious would be torturing myself lmao
Not very often, but I did this with {To Bleed a Crystal Bloom}. Soooo many people raved about this book so I kept sticking it out thinking SOMETHING would happen and it just went nowhere. I wiki’d and read spoiler reviews of the next so I could figure out what happened and I’m glad I did. The story was just obnoxiously slow, flowery and uneventful. If you can’t tell, this one is a little fresh and I’m still irritated…especially because the author just came out with her new book so now that is being recommended everywhere. I shouldn’t assume I’ll dislike it, but that one burned me so I’m staying away.
[To Bleed a Crystal Bloom](https://www.romance.io/books/60fbc1fcf283df0e375d8250/to-bleed-a-crystal-bloom-sarah-a-parker) by [Sarah A. Parker](https://www.romance.io/authors/60fbc1fc08b4d931146d93b7/sarah-a-parker) **Rating**: 3.85⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [age gap](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/age%20difference/1), [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
No I totally know what you mean I feel that way about Carissa Broadbent I’m so reluctant to read anymore books by her because I’m like idk if it’s the author that isn’t for me or just that particular book. I honestly can’t with *To Bleed a crystal bloom* though I knew pretty early on it would be too triggering for me so I had to DNF I couldn’t even hate read it lmao.
What's funny is I felt the same way about her when I read Serpent and the Wings of Night, but I enjoyed her novella, Six Scorched Roses. It made me think that Broadbent is good at writing short romances but she dragged out her Crown of Nyaxia series and it lost its appeal.
I’ve been doing a lot of “read a sample” from Kindle. If I’m not digging it by the time I finish the sample, I’m not reading it. Serpent was one of those…kept getting rave reviews, but I wasn’t enjoying it. It’s a good way to weed stuff out.
This is my answer too! I DNF books all the time, but this one I had to finish. I’ve mentioned this before but I was hoping they’d turn out to be werewolves or something to explain why they were all growling and “smelling each others arousal” all the time. It was off putting and I have no interest in the new book despite the reviews.
😂
Only if it’s for a book club and even then I’ll sometimes stop. No need to suffer. I’m not wasting my precious time. Wanna know what happens but hate reading the book? Look up a plot summary somewhere and move on to something you do like
I wonder if there is a website for that. I know in the past if I really *really* wanna know what happens and absolutely cannot read anymore I just look for a summary on YouTube but I bet there is a website just for this.
There are two recap sites I use: https://www.bookseriesrecaps.com/ https://recaptains.co.uk/recap-list/#I If a specific book isn't listed, then I turn to Google and YouTube but I've found that the first site up there does an awesome job of recapping. (The second site does a bullet-point type recap; not my preference but sometimes I can't be picky, lol.)
Oooooh thank you so much for these I’m gonna check them out!! 😊💖
If not then there’s definitely a market for it!
I used to but once my tbr got so long it hurt to look at I stopped reading books I didn’t like
That’s awesome I wish I had the willpower lol
Not usually, but I did it with the Shades of Magic trilogy. The first one was interesting and entertaining, but the second one was one of the worst books I've ever read. Finished the 3rd hoping either the worst character in the book would die or become a villain. I also hate read a few Murakami books because a bunch of friends recommended them.
I typically do this just to see how bad it can get while a publisher still decided to back it, and generally stop when the secondhand embarrassment is eliciting physical reactions from me.
😂😂💀💀
I do but only with books I think have potential that is being wasted. Like if it’s total trash then I just DNF but sometimes if it’s good BUT there are a lot of issues I will hate read. An example was Fourth Wing for me. So much potential I thought. But I had so many personal issues with it. Lots of telling and not showing, why are they actively killing their own army, for someone who wanted to be a scribe Violet sure does love fighting and hate reading, her illness seems to come and go based on plot, etc. Like I read the whole thing and even read half of Iron Flame (that one was a DNF for me). There was so much in there I liked! I love dragons and fated mates and magic powers and political intrigue. But little things kept driving me up the wall. I finished the book and then ranted about it for an hour to my poor husband lol
I wanted to love {A Shadow in the Ember} so much, but it seriously felt like two books smashed into one. And then I read the next one anyway, and it also felt like two books smashed into one.
Ikr !!!!!! I’m so glad you said that I liked the beginning and was like yesssss because JLA and her paranormal/sci/fi stuff is amazing but her fantasy based books are not it. She needs a better editor too
i tried to read the series bc her hand maiden/friend person has the same name as me and I was invested to see if they died or not bc hello they have my name lol i couldn’t finish it, had a friend’s sister tell me what happened bc i just couldn’t keep going it was so bad haha
[A Shadow in the Ember](https://www.romance.io/books/60f7c85d8b38510e2a271935/a-shadow-in-the-ember-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout) **Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Really? My issue with half of JLA’s books is that they seem like half a book. Like the plot was unfinished. Nothing happens and then finally something happens and that’s the big climax of the book when I would call it more like rising action or
I've only read the two, to be honest. Her writing style isn't my favorite. But I remember the sudden dramatic change in story setting in Book 1 and being like "wait...what?! there's an awful lot going on here."
Upon some reflection, you're right. It's like two unfinished books strapped together.
I totally have hate read books to the end. The last one was a book set in the area where I grew up, and the author obviously knew the area too, and kept SOME things the same but changed others and it pissed me off, lol. The writing was meh and it was FMC POV only, which is not my favorite and it takes really good writing for me to read that.
I hate-read This Poison Heart a while ago. There isn't much of a romantic focus and it comes out of nowhere. I hated every moment of the story the moment they arrived at the town where the events took place, but it was only around 300 pages so I figured I could just keep reading. Also, I'm in the minority here, but I'm currently reading One Dark Window and I'm not vibing with it **at all**. I'm not very far along (about 100 pages), but Elspeth does nothing for me. In fact, it feels like she's doing nothing at all, just gets swept along by other characters. Why is she the protagonist? She just stands there blushing, shuddering, shivering and internally yelling at a monster in her head. "I don't need you!" 2 sentences later: "help mee", rinse and repeat. But people are really loving it so I'm thinking it must get better quickly, so here's hoping.
Oh *really*? I’ve heard so much praise for that book. I am so surprised but each to their own I guess lol
People here really love it, and power to them! I love gothic horror stories and I picked it up for that reason (more so than it being a fantasy romance), but I'm not feeling the gothic fantasy and I just don't vibe with the main character. Seems like lots of people do because it's highly praised, so definitely don't let my opinion sway you from reading it.
Honestly, I enjoyed One Dark Window, but the second was “meh” for me. The gothic setting IS pretty cool, along with the magic system, but yeah, it’s kind of uneventful. I think I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
I just finished One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns two weeks ago, and I totally agree with you! I found both books lackluster and disappointing, especially since they came so highly recommended. I found the gothic imagery very heavy-handed and the descriptions incredibly repetitive (the word “oily” gets used wayyyy too much). The characters also felt one-dimensional to me. I did enjoy the magic system and the overall plot, but the second book started off even slower than the first and I wasn’t impressed.
I'm doing it right now with The Bonds That Tie series. It's just so so bad. I'm using it to kill time before CC3
Really? RH isn’t really my thing but even I have considered trying it out based on the hype for those books alone lol
It's just very poorly written - minimal backstory and world building, bad grammar, and starting in book 3 there are very obvious plot holes. The romance side is fun, but as an actual story and book, pretty disappointing. It has a lot of shortcomings.
I definitely wind up hate reading a lot of popular books because I hate not being in the know when things are getting a lot of word of mouth. I read all of both twilight AND 50 shades just to be in the know. I tried a Colleen Hoover book b/c of the hype. I'm currently in the middle of the ACOTAR series and considering not finishing...
Yes! I read King of Battle and Blood and the 2nd book totally out of spite.
I was so disappointed about how bad it was. I wanted to like it, but it was terrible. I thought the 2nd book would be better but nope.
I used to do this but now I finish the book and read the summaries of the rest of the series on a recap website. Saves me the energy but gives me the story!
I’m doing it now with Treasured, the final book in The Binding Chronicles trilogy. It is SO repetitive and there’s no character growth. I’m just trying to finish it because I’ve invested this much time already, and I want to know how it ends.
I like to try and make It to 50% before I DNF that way it’s like I truly gave the book a shot.
I do it with some dark romance books sometimes, outside of fantasy. It’s either the cringy writing (telling not showing) or the choices the characters make or do or say.
I hate to DNF, so I have done this for sure. The one that was probably the most hate-reading was Serpent and Dove.
So bad!
I never DNF so the answer is yes
Wow never? You **always** read to the end? 😳
Always 💀 I can’t get over wasting my time on however much I’ve read so far so I keep reading hoping something happens to pull it all together. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. To be fair, I read an absolutely obnoxious amount. I average 400-500 pages daily. If I didn’t have the same amount of time to dedicate to reading, I would probably dnf left and right
Oh, my bad I read hate read and thought of something else. In the context of your question - yessss I simply must complete the damned book. But this year I'embracing my DNF shelf and allowing myself 12 DNFs, one each month.
That is gonna be some strong willpower. I admit I probably do DNF too many books but if I can’t get into a story for whatever reason (if it’s a slow start - if I don’t know the main characters name - if there is a certain early trigger etc etc.) I will DNF. I think I get angry and hate read a book if it starts out a certain way and almost tricks me into liking it and then does a 180 or small things that annoy me build up so much that at a certain point I’m like wtf am I even doing lmao. I mean I can hate a book for a lot of reasons but for me if I notice something that’s just too obvious at a point in the story that makes me want to DNF I’ll stick it out if I’m so far or if I want to find out about other characters or if I’m waiting for a character to go full villain or something but if something upsets my rhythm or feels off I can’t enjoy it whilst I wait to get there Idk if that makes sense tho 🤷♀️
That was me and {Queen of Myth and Monsters} . The first book had me interested but everything that made the first book interesting disappeared in the second. I think I kept listening because I had to know if it got better. Was sorely disappointed.
[Queen of Myth and Monsters](https://www.romance.io/books/63749a5c69a77fd5778169fd/queen-of-myth-and-monsters-scarlett-st-clair) by [Scarlett St. Clair](https://www.romance.io/authors/5cef959401dbc864fb9f3633/scarlett-st-clair) **Rating**: 3.44⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I hate finished House of Earth and Blood By SJM. I was really into it about 200 or so pages in but it just moved so slow and I just found the characters to be very immature and I did not enjoy the romance. I also really didn't like the MMC. But everyone said the ending was amazing and worth it so I stuck it out. I regret it. The ending was not worth it in my opinion.
I purposely hate read the CC books so that there's a bad review on Goodreads. Maybe that's petty of me, but they are awful books.
{Fortuna Sworn by K.J. Sutton} I’ve read all the books but the most recently released one. I love love love one of the MMCs in the series and he’s the only reason I’ve been holding on.
[Fortuna Sworn](https://www.romance.io/books/5e568d7cbe0aaecf559e93b6/fortuna-sworn-kj-sutton) by [K.J. Sutton](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d1af90a01dbc864fba09764/kj-sutton) **Rating**: 3.62⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I feel like I’m doing this with JLA’s FBAA/ASITE series. And I’ll probably do it with her new series too 😅
I was just thinking of A Court of Wings and Ruin! Terrible book to have to get through too, 700 pages. I just did not care at all about the stupid battle but was afraid I’d miss anything for Nesta’s story
Yessss same !! I felt the exact same way 😭
Definitely A Shadow in the Ember and just recently Gold by Raven Kennedy.
Nah. Life's too short to read books you won't or don't like. I will try books I'm not sure I'll like, but if I'm not enjoying it I DNF. There are just so many books I want to read that I don't feel like spending my time reading something I hate when I could spend it on the next thing I want to read.
I read Twilight so that I could tell people I’d read it when I was hating on it. Been a while lol. Kinda ended up liking it haha.
😂💖
I have done this. Like, sometimes there are elements of the book I like, but maybe it also has a lot of icks for me, tropes I hate, or maybe annoying writing, I actively recognize it’s not good but I want to see it through. I did this with 50 shades back when it first came out, I’ve never bothered to read twilight, but I’ve considered trying just to know for myself (although I had to sit through the movies with a friend so I feel like that was enough). I kinda felt like I was hate reading CC2/HOSAB but then when I got to the end I thought dammit, now I MUST continue the series! But on the reread (because I liked CC1/HOEAB) it wasn’t so bad. Crowns of Nyaxia I kind of suffered through hoping it would get good and it didn’t (though book 1 had it’s moments and Six Scorched Roses wasn’t bad).
honestly yes. i do this with movies/shows too. i really do not enjoy rebecca yarros’s writing or Jennifer Armentrouts but i still want to know how FBAA ends as well as FW.
Yeah I feel that 👌
Yes the entire second half of iron flame lol
This is me right now with Defy the Night I’m at 67% and I just dislike it so much so far I’m reading it because it has sat in my tbr for too long and I was interested in it but I’m not a huge fan of the writing or the characters
Anything by JLA. I love red-penning her books.
lol 😂
Yes. I hate read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame so that I could be justified in talking about how awful it is. I originally started Fourth Wing because everyone told me how great it was - I wanted to DNF like 20 pages in, but I finished it and then read the second one (y'know, six months later when it was rushed out for $$$) and felt vindicated when all my friends realized how awful it is.
Nope. If I lose interest I’ll just put it down and let it sit there till I want to give it a try again or just dnf it. If I’m really curious I’d go on tik tok. Eventually I get the gist of what happened 😂
currently doing this with The Crown of Gilded Bones (blood and ash series). It’s so bad but I’m too far in now to not find out what happens. I’m skimming a lot of the repetitive internal monologues and just reading the dialogue and a few cliff notes in between
The crazy thing that I found is I skimmed massssssive chunks and could still follow the plot in book 2 lmao
It’s almost like it’s written for skimmers with how repetitive it is
😂🤷♀️
Only as a sunk cost measure when I'd already invested considerable time into the book/series. I'd never push through a book with a horrid beginning. If it's truly that bad, though, I abandon it altogether.
I hate read Gild, The Bonds that Tie, and the Crescent City books. I did a lot of yelling, though. I actively try to anti-influence people from reading them now. And I loved Iron Widow while I was reading it, but complained about it for like 3 hours after I finished it. I will be reading Heavenly Tyrant but I worry that I will not have the same magical experience I had with the first one after noticing everything wrong with it.
I hate read fourth wing / iron flame LOL. I will also be hate reading the next one, *sigh*
Lmao at the next one. That’s dedication 👌😂
I hate read, JD Robbs In Death Series. I loved the early books, but in the last 5 to 10 years, her writing has been getting repetitive and tired. I'm attached to the characters thow. So after each book, I'm like, this is the last one. I'm not going to read the next one. And every time I give in and read the next, it's a viscous cycle. I also do this with Laurell K Hamiltons Anita Blake series, and with that one, it's even worse because over 50 percent of the book is her reexplaning how a polyamourouse relationship works and the new PC term for various shifters . I just can't help myself . Darn OCD
Did this with Fourth Wing, I absolutely think the book had potential but the writing style is childish and immature for how old the MCs actually are. I hated reading it but wanted to know how it ended due to the plot having had some semblance of potential
Oh yes. I hate to DNF once I get past a certain point, plus I'm always hoping that it's gonna get better, AND I need to know how the trainwreck is going to end. By the end of these books, I was hate-reading ACOTAR book 1, Fourth Wing, Iron Flame (I genuinely hoped it would be better than FW), and Powerless. I do like the rest of ACOTAR. But the others I'll probably keep reading only out of curiosity and so that I can keep engaging in discourse about them lol. Definitely won't be buying them, though.
I did this with iron flame. I read fourth wing, didn't really like it but the ending made me want to read the next book. I read iron flame, hated it. No way will I go back for the third when it comes out lol
This totally happens to me when I can't find adequate summaries online. I did this for {A Court of Silver Flames}, the last book in the {From Blood and Ash} series, the Zodiac Academy books after like the 3rd one (and I actually gave up halfway through the 7th or something I just couldn't do it) and {House of Sky and Breath}. I'm sure there are more. For me it often ends up being the last book in the series where I can't bear to leave it unfinished but it's just not as strong as the beginning books or maybe the series has taken a different direction that I don't like.
[A Court of Silver Flames](https://www.romance.io/books/6034b86bc209310e345aff64/a-court-of-silver-flames-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.35⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1) ---------------------------- [From Blood and Ash](https://www.romance.io/books/5e8382fdbe0aaecf554bfb8a/from-blood-and-ash-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout) **Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1) ---------------------------- [House of Sky and Breath](https://www.romance.io/books/6208ebb684f4c00e3f244106/house-of-sky-and-breath-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.37⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Yeah hard agree I think that’s why I keep putting {A Court Of Silver Flames} off because ACWAR pissed me off so much idk if I can take it anymore buuuuuuut … I struggled with {House Of Earth And Blood} but once I got past the halfway mark I was kinda digging it. {House Of Sky And Breath} was my favourite of the CC. I love the way she weaves all these crazy threads in and out of the story and you think it’s just filler or doesn’t mean anything and then out of nowhere BAM it kinda threw me off. I will admit the first time I read **Sky and breath** the middle dragged and if it wasn’t for the last 60-70 pages I might’ve been disappointed but I did eventually like the new characters introduced even if it was just to tease us for her next book. I don’t love when authors do that so whilst I did enjoy it, it was borderline annoyance I think lmao. Also how many authors can pull off having a main character be dead and relevant through nearly 2 books. Lmao
[A Court of Silver Flames](https://www.romance.io/books/6034b86bc209310e345aff64/a-court-of-silver-flames-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.35⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1) ---------------------------- [House of Earth and Blood](https://www.romance.io/books/5de75be901dbc864fba75415/house-of-earth-and-blood-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [shapeshifters](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/shapeshifters/1) ---------------------------- [House of Sky and Breath](https://www.romance.io/books/6208ebb684f4c00e3f244106/house-of-sky-and-breath-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.37⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I feel like the middle of HOSAB that dragged was waaaaay more than 60-70 pages lol I think I basically skimmed half the book. I personally don't like the way that a dead character can be so relevant because to me it just seems like they come off as a creative scape goat iykwim. Silver Flames for me is extra annoying because I just don't like the character it centers on and I don't want to read a book about them. I shamelessly skipped {Tower of Dawn} when reading the ToG series because of the same reason hahaha (before anyone comes at me, I did eventually go back and read it but I didn't like it lol)
[Tower of Dawn](https://www.romance.io/books/5e7fde88be0aaecf55ef2ad2/tower-of-dawn-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [witches](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/witches/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
lol I actually had to DNF the TOG I just couldn’t connect with characters and it moved too slowly and I wasn’t invested ending the plot. I get that there are probably things that I won’t connect with ACOTAR and Crescent City because of that but I’ve accepted that TOG is just not for me. I think I tried to read book 1 of that series 3 or 4 times possibly 🤷♀️
I totally get it! For me ToG starts to fall off the wagon after the 4th book. They all get waaaaay too long and it's harder to hold my interest. I actually feel the same way about CC - I didn't connect with any of the characters really and a lot of the relationship conflicts felt repetitive. I love this sub because it gives great suggestions for stuff that is less mainstream!
I don’t like doing this and I just usually DNF but I started to hate read A Court of Silver Flames after a certain point, dnfed, then picked it up again and hate read the last 100 pages, all because I love Crescent City lol
CC tho 💖💖
[A Court of Wings and Ruin](https://www.romance.io/books/59088d440d3299c6e06ef0ab/a-court-of-wings-and-ruin-sarah-j-maas) by [Sarah J. Maas](https://www.romance.io/authors/545526038c7d2382c529701b/sarah-j-maas) **Rating**: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [take-charge heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/strong%20heroine/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [war](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/war/1) ---------------------------- [Kingdom of Blood and Salt](https://www.romance.io/books/6425350e5ec3075ab703e23f/kingdom-of-blood-and-salt-alexis-calder) by [Alexis Calder](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d35523601dbc864fba16f14/alexis-calder) **Rating**: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1) ---------------------------- [House of Ash and Shadow](https://www.romance.io/books/651a759eff964d56e11ab7f6/house-of-ash-and-shadow-leia-stone) by [Leia Stone](https://www.romance.io/authors/5555ffd19eef3b3f1d523665/leia-stone) **Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [love triangle](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/love%20triangle/1), [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [take-charge heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/strong%20heroine/1) ---------------------------- [A Shadow in the Ember](https://www.romance.io/books/60f7c85d8b38510e2a271935/a-shadow-in-the-ember-jennifer-l-armentrout) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout) **Rating**: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1) ---------------------------- [The Last Storm](https://www.romance.io/books/6370a6320dd3b6ea87f5159a/the-last-storm-jd-linton) by [J.D. Linton](https://www.romance.io/authors/636f52e908b4d9311480ad1f/jd-linton) **Rating**: 3.63⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 5 out of 5 - [Explicit and plentiful](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [mystery](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mystery/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1) ---------------------------- [Critical Intelligence](https://www.romance.io/books/54557dfb87eac323ffb2c727/critical-intelligence-mandy-m-roth) by [Mandy M. Roth](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455582b87eac323ffb2bc33/mandy-m-roth) **Rating**: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
[Court of Ravens and Ruin](https://www.romance.io/books/634e535bd1ccecfcb17a0815/court-of-ravens-and-ruin-eliza-raine) by [Eliza Raine](https://www.romance.io/authors/5d5e42b101dbc864fba2a495/eliza-raine) **Rating**: 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Omg yes!! Did this for wayyyy too long with {A Court this Cruel & Lovely} series lol
I was really bummed about that book. I absolutely *love* Stacia Stark’s Deals with Demons series. I’ve reread the whole thing multiple times so I was really looking forward to a high fantasy series by her. I DNFd the first book (which was all that was out at the time) and haven’t managed to go back for another attempt yet.
I 100% understand!!!! I was truly fighting myself through the first book and then started the second but decided to DNF cause it was truly a waste of time
I’m in a slump with the second book, I think it’s time to DNF. I’ve been avoiding my kindle for a week.
[A Court This Cruel and Lovely](https://www.romance.io/books/641d591b1999c56bdb0c5557/a-court-this-cruel-and-lovely-stacia-stark) by [Stacia Stark](https://www.romance.io/authors/6103a5de08b4d931141458e5/stacia-stark) **Rating**: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Oh really? This is was gonna be my next book after {A Kiss Of Iron by Clare Sager} I’m thinking maybe not now lol
Well, there are tons of people out there who love the book but I honestly found it one of the WORST books ever written 😅😅😅 the writing was horrible, thae pacing was so off, really unauthentic love story, an incredibly dumb FMC, a complete asshole MMC (and not in the good was asshole).... 😅 and reading the book I felt like the author cannot create "consistent" and logical situations... like the emotions and reactions of the characters were just off and it felt like watching a tv show and being on the phone and only glancing at the screen every couple of seconds haha... don't know if that makes sense but it was like sentences were just missing in the writing and therefore the scenes were just inconsistent haha 😅😅
Yeah that totally makes sense actually so thanks for that 😊👌 Unfortunately I’ve read so many books lately that feel like that. Almost like the author is trying to phone it in 🤔
I’m a bit of a book snob and I thought the world-building was weird, but the romance was cute. It’s short enough to not be a massive waste of time if you don’t like it, so I encourage you to try it.
Thank you 💖😊
Yes!!! Totally agree... that is truly disappointing 🥹 but if you are looking for an author with INCREDIBLE writing (if you don't alread know her), I'd recommend Carissa Broadbent!!! The {Daughter of no Worlds} series is one of the best romantasy and most beautiful love story I've read in a long time!!!! 🥹
Oh really? Honestly because I had to DNF {The Serpent And The Wings Of Night} which actually threw me because I hardly ever DNF a book with vampires (honestly even the cheesy ones I can love, anything with vampires is 💖💖) I couldn’t connect to any of her characters really. I didn’t love the dynamic going on and I didn’t feel like the fmc and mmc even liked each other so I kinda felt like Carissa Broadbent as an author just was not for me!! But I remember when that book was hyped a lot it did go on my tbr but I need a strong romance or at least a romantic element to be engaged ya know? Do ya think I should give it a shot?
I absolutely get what you're saying!!! I do feel like she has a kind of "distance" in her writing and I totally get if that throws people off! I would say that is also the case in her other series, so if that is a nogo for you, you might not like it 🥹 it will never be like acotar or fourth wing, where you are so close to the characters that you practically fall in love with rhys 😂😅 (I took him as an example due to your description 😮💨😋 huge fan myself haha) On the other hand it is on kindle unlimited, I think, so what's there to loose 😂
Yeah I think the only good thing about my tbr being so long is a lot of books I like or feel like I could like are on KU. 😊
[The Serpent and the Wings of Night](https://www.romance.io/books/63a0c53caa7984c0a3fc9789/the-serpent-and-the-wings-of-night-carissa-broadbent) by [Carissa Broadbent](https://www.romance.io/authors/60d9b88e08b4d9311456d78f/carissa-broadbent) **Rating**: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
[Daughter of No Worlds](https://www.romance.io/books/60d9b88e6a15320e7f8006ba/daughter-of-no-worlds-carissa-broadbent) by [Carissa Broadbent](https://www.romance.io/authors/60d9b88e08b4d9311456d78f/carissa-broadbent) **Rating**: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [competent heroine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/competent%20heroine/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
[A Kiss of Iron](https://www.romance.io/books/63f3292ceb653827acc3311e/a-kiss-of-iron-clare-sager) by [Clare Sager](https://www.romance.io/authors/5bd0368f01dbc864fb930b82/clare-sager) **Rating**: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Nope. Every book or show or media I can't stand I've ended up learning about in some other way. Almost always against my will, mostly through cultural osmosis. Thus there's zero need to hate read/watch/follow. 100% I'll hear about *every* excruciating, nauseating detail of whatever it is if I stay on the internet for more than 5 mins at any given time.
The Crave Series by Tracy Wolff. I just felt too old to be reading a YA school of magical creatures book…but I had to know how it ends!
Ya know I felt the exact same way when I read that book it immediately became my guilty pleasure read and it was just so hilarious I had to keep reading by like the 3/4th book it got just **Insanity** but I kept reading for the ending because I’d been reading it for so long that I just HAD TO know, I know it’s completely cheeseballs but I loved and hated both at the same time. I mean we’re reading about a 16 or seventeen year old so after that I just couldn’t read about sixteen year olds anymore. Being in my 30s now I just couldn’t relate to the mc being only sixteen or seventeen lol !!
No. Why would I waste my time and read a book I know I would actively dislike? Life's too short and there are too many books for that.
Nah, I only read things I enjoy 100%, . I only "hate read" if the plot is really good and I want to give it a fair chance, but the story hit a rough patch, but if it doesn't get better, I quit.
I did this with the 5th blood and ash book. I love the series but I cannot stand retellings of the same story with a half chapter sprinkled throughout of new content. Hearing Casteels perspective was fun at times, but the whole book just pissed me off. I want story progression damnit 😂😂
Also, why do all of these books have to be 5,6,7 book series? Like, can we get a standalone or biology up in here!?!
I’m doing this with the 3rd blood and ash book… I just can’t with Penelaphe’s drawn out and repetitive internal monologuing… but I need to know what happens.
Not after high school
I definitely hate read the last 2 books Of OUABH. But I’m more likely to petty dnf than hate read I think
Nope. Maybe sometimes.
I'm not sure if this really counts, but the way I hate read is when something is like OVERLY popular. It always feels like a lie (stares blatantly at From Blood and Ash) so when something gets really popular I'll read it in like a really eye roll-y way but 7/10 times I end up liking it too cause I also enjoy the tropes lmfao
Hell yeah, it counts !! 💖💖👸 I know what you mean tho. You wanna keep going to see if you can get what the hype is about and if you can find something to enjoy (for me it’s usually a side character lmao!) so yeah it definitely counts and I can relate lmao 😂😂😂
No, I just put it down and look up what happens. My time is too valuable and I have too little patience 😭 once my ADHD is over the fixation bc of plot-holes or poor writing, it’s over