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Books for Thought is where I post a discussion topic related to books, reading, writing, or something pertaining to one of the three. I hope you’ll join in, and discuss today’s topic of

buying books because of blogging

So the previous installment of this series (I guess it is one now since I have a third post all ready) was about buying books because of reviews, and this one is about buying books because of hype. I guess in terms of book blogging, hype is where a book is constantly reviewed by almost everyone, talked about a lot of the time on Twitter, and just generally hyped up as being an incredible book that everyone must read. The hype has definitely gotten to me sometimes, and here are books I’ve bought because of said hype and actually read (meaning: they aren’t still sitting on my shelf waiting for the fated day when I open them):

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I bought The Fault in Our Stars because when I started blogging back in 2013 this book was still the one that everyone was begging everyone else to read. I had a lot of comments on here saying that it was beautiful, and that it would make me cry. So I bought it, and read it. And didn’t cry. #heartless

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Okay so it wasn’t just the hype that made my buy this one, but also this goshdarn beautiful cover. But it was still all the positive things I’d heard about how creepy and atmospheric this book is that made me fork out the $16 or however much it cost me at QBD. And I ended up really liking it, which was a bonus.

Every Day by David Levithan (review)

Yes, David Levithan is one of my favourite authors, and yes, the premise sounds like something I’d love. BUT it was the many positive things I’d heard about Every Day that made me buy it (coincidentally the same day I bought Mara Dyer). I didn’t end up reading it until Another Day came out, but I still read it! It COUNTS.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (review)

I mean, has anyone bought this book not because of the hype? After hearing that this book was pretty much the be all and end all of YA fantasy, I had to buy it. Turns out that wasn’t the best decision I ever made because I certainly wasn’t a fan. This is a perfect example of when hype has failed me.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I would be surprised if anyone hasn’t heard of this book by now. There comes a period every few months or so when it seems like everyone on Goodreads is reading this. I know this book is problematic so I never recommend it without prefacing with ‘this a bury your gays’ book. But I still loved it? Also, I rewrote the ending to fix that problematic content here.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Ah, yes. This, one of the most beloved books of the YA book blogging community. And not one of mine. I had been told so many amazing things about this book – how gorgeous the imagery was, how beautiful the prose, how shippable the ship. And yet practically all those things fell flat for me. I just didn’t fall in love with this book the way I thought I would. I still adore this cover, though.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I was browsing a bookstore, picked up this novel because of all the harrowingly sad yet amazing things I had heard about it, and when I saw the author’s signature in the front I decided it was a definite purchase. And I’m so glad I bought it because I really did love this book, and the fact that I have a signed copy makes me feel really special somehow. This book didn’t break my heart as promised by many, but it was still so very beautiful and I adore it.

What about you? Have you ever bought a book because of hype? Let me know! sig-chiara

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Posted on: August 15, 2017 • By: Chiara

18 Responses to Blogging Made Me Buy It (#2)

  1. This made me laugh because I bought every single book you’ve listed because of blogging! :-) Blogging is definitely dangerous for my TBR!

  2. Tasya says:

    After blogging, I think most of my books I bought because of the hype :D I felt the same about TFIOS though, I just felt it was too pretentious for my taste. I love the rest and especially can’t wait to read Code Name Verity!

    • Chiara says:

      I don’t buy as many books because of hype anymore because it scares me, haha. But sometimes I cave in! Yeah, The Fault in Our Stars was not really to my taste, but I really liked the movie. I hope you enjoy Code Name Verity, Tasya!

  3. Yeah, I think I read a few of these too because of all the hype surrounding them on the blogosphere… That’s okay, I like the hype sometimes. I think 9 times out of 10 I am not disappointed so those are pretty good odds. :)

    • Chiara says:

      I’m glad hype works well for you, Cass! I wish it was better for me. I think I get scared because my expectations get so high and a book can never live up to them, eep.

  4. Louise ✨? says:

    I didn’t cry at The Fault in Our Stars either! It was sad, but not sad enough to make me cry. I also bought Throne of Glass and Daughter of Smoke and Bone because of other bloggers, but I haven’t read either of them yet (although I definitely won’t be reading Throne of Glass any time soon). The most recent book I bought because of blogging was The Raven Boys and I totally don’t regret that decision at all because it’s so gooood.

    • Chiara says:

      Yay for not crying in The Fault in Our Stars! Haha. It just didn’t hit me in the feels very much. But I’ve only cried because of a handful of books in my life so I wasn’t exactly surprised. I hope you like DOSAB! I didn’t DISlike it, it just didn’t quite live up to what I had been lead to believe it was going to be. Ohhh, The Raven Boys is so good!!

  5. I don’t read a ton of hyped books – mostly because I don’t have time, but I do sometimes. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one – though I really loved that whole series. It seems a bit hit and miss for some. Code Name Verity is another – love that one. Another one would be Anna and the French Kiss and the sequels.

    -Lauren

    • Chiara says:

      I think I want to try DOSAB again because it’s been years since I tried it, and my reading tastes have changed a little! So hopefully I like it better the second time around. I actually read Anna and the French Kiss when it first came out, before I started blogging! I liked it enough, but I was so surprised by how much the book community hyped it :O

  6. Jackie B. says:

    I totally get you on this one. I actually tend to *avoid* books because of hype! Hype has almost always failed me. In order to cope with it, I just avoid the books until I forget how much people love them. When time passes, if people are still raving, then I’ll look into it.

    I also always get my books from the library first. Yes, people will buy me gifts for sure, and I’ll own and read them, but I never buy my own books unless I’ve read it and fallen in love.

    Throne of Glass didn’t work for me either, but I did cry when I read The Fault in Our Stars. It’s totally fair you didn’t cry, though. I read it before I knew anything about the book, pre-hype in my world. So, I was shocked. I haven’t read any of the others you listed above… but Code Name Varity is totally on my TBR. I’m glad you enjoy it!

    • Chiara says:

      I often avoid books because of hype now, as well! So many times it has just left me unsatisfied. Though if I really do want to read the book I’ll try it. And hope for the best, haha.

      The library is a bookworm’s best friend :) I used to read all my books from the library, as well! I still read quite a few from there, but I find I get a lot of my reads from review copies, or books I buy myself because my library doesn’t have them.

      I cried in the movie adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars if that counts, haha. Oh, I hope you like Code Name Verity, Jackie!

  7. I’m saddened you didn’t like Throne of Glass OR Daughter of Smoke and Bone (but yay for Mara Dyer!). Even though the first Laini Taylor novel fell flat for you, have you read Strange the Dreamer?? Because I highly consider it. It was definitely better than her first series! I’m going crazy waiting for the next book!

    • Chiara says:

      Mara Dyer is great! I’m sad I wasn’t a fan, as well. Though I am seriously considering giving DOSAB another try because it has been so long and I own the whole trilogy, haha. I haven’t read Strange the Dreamer! Though I really like the sound of it.

  8. Dina says:

    *puts on hipster pants/glasses/shirt* I read TFiOS when it first came out. No hype for me. John Green is one of my favorite people ever. Um. No, but seriously, it got hyped a couple of years later here and I was so happy to see it get some serious loving. I hope you don’t hate me when I say that David Levithan is not one of my faves. His writing kind of isn’t my jam. Still respect him quite a bit, for writing about queer characters. A+
    *Puts on hipster clothes again* Listen, I have Daughter of Smoke and Bone because of the cover, not the hype. *coughs* (ugh. I hate me right now. But, tbb, I used to just buy books without ever hearing hyped things since I wasn’t really part of the book community for a long time).
    Haven’t read Code Name Verity. It sounds way too intense for my poor heart.

    • Chiara says:

      I’m glad you were able to read it before the hype! Much like you and David Levithan, there is nothing about John Green’s writing style that vibes with me at all. I know I’ll never read another one of his books because after three reads and nothing higher than three stars, I know he’s not for me!

      The feathery cover? Or the door cover? I like both of them, and it was definitely the door cover that made me finally buy it. If only I had loved it *sob*

      To be honest, Code Name Verity is sad but it didn’t break me!

  9. Kayla says:

    Hype for me is ALWAYS a mixed bag–I love hearing about new books but when my expectations are too high it’s almost like I’m destined to fail. Like, I picked up Daughter of Smoke and Bone on a whim one day at the library and started reading it without even reading the back cover–and it’s one of my favorite books of all time (so I’ll forgive you for that XD)). I actually just bought Another Day a few days ago because I loved Every Day! And I’m SO SUPER JEALOUS you have a signed copy of Code Name Verity–which I also read because of the hype, but still didn’t know too much about it beyond the setting so loved it!! But Throne of Glass? I just . . . I just don’t get what everyone loves about those books???

    • Chiara says:

      I feel like you’re so lucky with DOSAB! I kind of wish I’d been able to read it before the hype because I feel like I could have liked it more had my expectations not been so very high *sadface* I want to know what you thought of Another Day! I wasn’t a big fan because it was about Rhiannon and I don’t really like Rhiannon, haha. I was shocked! We hardly ever get signed books over here so it was an instant purchase for sure. Honestly, I am so glad Throne of Glass is finishing because then we’ll stop hearing about :D

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