Just to immediately clarify: I DO NOT mean this for book reviews. I mean more like when you’re in the middle of a book and someone asks you, “How is it so far? Do you like it?” Have you ever accidentally lied in your response?
When asked this question while reading Heir of Fire I found myself unintentionally lying. I started out saying, “I like it so far!” But after finishing the book, I realized that was a lie.
I wasn’t purposely lying to people; I was lying to myself. I WANTED to like the book so desperately and I so EXPECTED to love it, that I told myself (and thus others) that I was liking it. In reality, I was kind of bored and waiting for it to get good, but it never really got “good” for me until like page 500. But I didn’t even fully realize this until after I finished the book and reflected on it. In the moment, I think I actually thought I was liking it just because I was subconsciously trying to convince myself of that!
Definitely, this happened to me whe I was reading My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Everybody was like: Oh my gosh it’s perfect! So I was like yeah, it rocks when in fact, I was feeling nothing for it. And I wanted to love it, but it didn’t turn out to be for me. 🙂
Wow, this has happened to me so many times, especially when I got a hold of my first ARC! Also when I buy hardcopy books, I try so hard to love them, because I spent a large chuck of my weekly earning on them!
I try not to. It’s hard, because writing (and reading) bad reviews suck. It’s my reputation on the line, after all.
I don’t mean in writing reviews, I just mean when you’re reading a book and someone asks, “How are you liking it?”
Oops, my bad! I’m usually blunt when someone asks me that.
Gahh… I was reading the post again and saw that you’ve already mentioned that you’re not talking about book reviews (the first line!). Damn my speed reading skills. I apologize for my mindless comment, Ashley!
Yes! Not very often, but sometimes I WANT to like a book so much I don’t let myself admit I didn’t like it to myself or anyone else until I’m completely done. Two books that come to mind–Anna and the French Kiss & Under the Never Sky.
Ohh those were two for me too! Especially Under the Never Sky. I tried so hard to like that one since everyone raved about it.. but it just didn’t happen.
Oh definitely. This is especially true when someone is excited because they’re reading it too or next so I don’t want to rain on their parade D:
Yes! I did this with the third Percy Jackson book even though I knew it was a bit bland and the plot line went all over the place. Badly wanted to remember the humout and characters I loved in the first two. So sorry that HoF didn’t pull you in until so far in 🙁 Fab post though
I usually try to be honest, but yeah, sometimes it just comes out of my mouth without me thinking about it! Like, when people tweet me and ask how I like a book, I tell an unintentional lie just to keep my reply short and sweet, since I can get pretty long-winded and I don’t think anyone wants to read ALL I have to say so far! Not sure if I’m making sense, but yup.
Yes, this has definitely happened to me! I want so badly to love a book that I convince myself that I do. At least for a while. 🙂
This has definitely happened to me – particularly when I’m reading a book that was recommended to me or lots of people love. The pressure is on (in my head at least) to love it so I end up thinking I do and it isn’t until I sit down to write the review that I realize I was wrong! Awesome post (bit scary about Heir of Fire…)
I used to do this a lot, when I was part of a PNR group on Goodreads. All of these people would rave about a series/author, and I’d get all excited to read these ‘great’ books, and then as I’m reading them I would be like WTH? But, since everyone and their cat loved these books, they must be good books, so I’d keep reading thinking it was going to get better. And many times by the end of the book I was still going WTH?! lol. One series that immediately comes to mind is Nalini Singh’s PSY/Changling series. I wanted so badly to love it, because everyone else on the planet loves it. I actually read the first three books before I admited I just plain hated it and couldn’t keep going 😛
I really had to think about this to see if I ever do this. I think I have. Sometimes, though, when I’m talking to people in person, and they really loved a book and I didn’t, I downplay how much I didn’t like it. Just because I don’t like conflict. I never do this on my blog, though. 🙂
Yeah, this happened to me with a trilogy and actually caused a little tiff between a friend and me. I know this trilogy is immensely popular (Hunger Games), and I loved the first book – couldn’t put it down. But then Book 2 was basically a repeat of Book 1 with Katniss being much more emotional and not so thoughtful. And the ending to the trilogy really didn’t sit well with me. So, I started off loving the series, then it was OK, and by the end, well….I haven’t bothered reread it.
It used to happen a lot at school. We would be studying a major author like, say, Victor Hugo and I would really want to “get it” and share with the others the passion for what he wrote. Except that it wouldn’t happen to me. I was mortified I didn’t “click” at all with Victor Hugo, Marcel Proust and Gustave Flaubert. I thought it just meant I couldn’t appreciate “art” properly (same way some people told me I wasn’t a true lover of chocolate since I like *milk*-chocolate).
But I don’t think that way anymore. There’s nothing so universal that every single person in the world will love it (even chocolate!). You can appreciate the talent and skills behind a book and still not being really move by it.
I know EXACTLY what you are saying here, cos the same thing has always happened to me. I’d meet people and they’d find out that I am a bookworm, that I constantly have at least 2 books on the go, and would go insane without anything to read. So they’d get all excited and start talking about authors like the Bronte sisters, and Dostoyesky (sp?) and Victor Hugo, all the “classics”. And I’m squirming in my chair because I’m about to tell them how deadly DULL and boring and snoozeworthy they are and wondering if I should just go “oh yeah, they are really cool. That’s REAL books right there!”. 🙁 🙁 Same with Lord of the Rings – i’m a BIG fantasy reader, it’s probably my fave genre. Yet people look at me weird when I tell them I’ve never ever been able to finish LOTR – have tried many times over the MANY years and I can’t even keep awake while reading it. I loathe it. Yet here I am, supposedly a HUGE fantasy fan. :shrugs: Sometimes, I do lie, tell ’em “yeah loved it” – just so I don’t have to have that conversation. 😀
Same thing with Lord Of the Ring. I don’t hate it, but I dropped it twice. I can’t get into it (or into the movie btw). 🙂
OMG add another for Lord of the Rings! I actually adore the movies but the books bore the crap out of me X_X
Honestly, when people ask if I like a book while I’m reading it I usually just respond with “eh it’s alright,” whether I like it or not because it has to be at least “alright” if I’m still reading it. (There is also the fact that when people ask me if I like the book I’m reading I assume they are just trying to make conversation with me and not really interested with the book, so I want to shut them up as quickly as possible.) And I usually can’t make up my mind on how much I really like the book until I’ve finished it. Also, if I find that I don’t really like it I’m more likely to put the book down and find something else to read.
This happened to me so many times when reading the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver. I wanted to love it so much…but in the end, I just had to admit that I didn’t. I was also scared to have such an unpopular opinion. I actually ended up feeling like I may have been too kind to it in my star rating…
I’ve since learned that I’m okay with being a weirdo who doesn’t really get the love for Sarah Dessen, and I just have to be as truthful as possible…but yeah, I’ve had moments where I’ve caught myself saying I like something and then realized it’s not really true later…
I can’t think of a time that I have done this. If I’m hating it, I definitely say that I’m not liking it. But if it’s just okay or if I’m kind of not into it, I’ll say “It’s okay so far.” I guess that’s kind of a lie if I’m not liking it, but I think I give that generic response because I don’t want it to be followed up with “Well, what aren’t you liking about it” when I’m still forming my opinion.
I think it’s a problem with lots of the hyped-up books that are discussed a lot in the bookish circles. I’m TERRIFIED of reading another John Green book, for example (though I really liked TFIOS), because I’m supposed to like them in advance – they’ve been on the NYT bestseller list for ages and so on. I like the “quiet” books better, the ones that come recommended by a friend, not by a major publicity campaign, so I don’t feel pressured to like them.
Thinking about it.. Not really. If I don’t like a book, I don’t like it and there is no way I can cheat myself out of that feeling, haha. Sometimes I try REALLY hard to like a book, but I always have to admit to myself that it’s not working out. I also want to be honest to other people. I might not say bluntly that I hate it when I know someone loves it, but I will let them know I’m not a fan 🙂
I might have a time or two but I normally try and just say what I feel. It’s hard for me when it’s a hyped up book and I find myself not liking it..I’m like what is wrong with me..lol.
Whoa that title freaked me out..I thought you meant in a review. Which would be never..how could you trust me if I did? As for when I am reading..if I give you a vague answer like, “too soon to tell” then I am iffy on it. Otherwise I might tell you straight up what I like and dislike. I know what you mean about wanting to love something and scratching my head thinking, “what the heck did peeps see in this ” In general though I know how I feel if I am able to slip into the book whether I like it or not.
Yeah I would never lie in the actual review! Usually by the time I’m starting to write my review, all my feelings become clear. But BEFORE that, like when I’m in the middle of reading, that’s when I feel like I can subconsciously lie to myself because of hopes/expectations.
I’ve never really had anyone ask me while I’m reading, but I have experienced wanting to like a book so much that it hurt and then found it fell very flat. That just sucks when that happens. You’re hyped for it and pop goes the balloon. Bummer about your Heir of Fire book. Didn’t you get that at BEA?
Yeah I waited in line for it for 2.5 hours. 🙁 *cries*
Sometimes I just say “I like it so far” because I’m not really in the mood for a long conversation or I don’t want to explain why I don’t really like the book to a person who is in love with it.
Yes. It happens all the time with books that are super hyped. I keep thinking it’s me, I didn’t get it, I missed something. I am however always honest in my reviews.
I do have to say a few years ago there was a YA that have everyone the feels because it was so tragic, and OMG how horrible, and it changed everyone’s lives who read it. I hated it. I hated the main character. And no one disliked this book. I knew I’d be speared on a pitchfork if I said so. I never rated the book on GoodReads and I never reviewed it. I’m kinda tempted to go back and do that now. 😉
You should do it! I’ve had a lot of unpopular opinions, like I kind of hated Eleanor & Park. But no one has flamed me for having such an opposing view. Usually people just say:
So usually people are either sad for me, or they’re actually glad to see a viewpoint that’s something other than the majority, just because it’s interesting. I’ve never had someone attack me for thinking differently.
This has happened to me before when I read books that everyone’s raving about. I convince myself that I really like it because everyone seems to like it. But when you reflect on the book, you realize it’s not really as good as you want it to be. 🙁
I’m pretty candid when it comes to talking about books. The good news is, I’ve finally gotten past my guilt at giving up REALLY bad books before I spend any substantial amount of time on them in the first place. The ones that are disappointments to me are usually the ones that have half-baked endings.