Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Books I Can’t Believe I Read.” This week I’m sharing a few books that I actually regret reading. I’ve gotten much better at DNFing books if they do not feel like the right kind of fit for me. Rarely do I give out one-star ratings these days because the odds are, I will probably stop reading before it comes to that. But I still have a ton of one-star books that I’ve read in the past. Here are the ones I still have strong negative feelings toward. Covers are linked to Goodreads…though this is definitely not a ringing endorsement. Apologies if your favorite is listed here.
Is there a particular book that you wish you could turn back time and not read (for me it’s Hush, Hush from above)? Let’s be bitter together in the comments! Be sure to include a link to your own TTT post in the comments, so I can visit.
A Kernel of Nonsense 
I have book one (and maybe two?) of that series by C.J. on my shelf, but as its been there for what seems forever, who knows if ever I’ll read them! 🙂
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Well if you ever do pick them up, I hope you enjoy the first way more than I did.
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I DNF’d Across the Universe. Always thought I’d go back to it but it’s been almost a year now…
The forest of Hands and Teeth is another one I thought about, bit never got to. Maybe that was a good thing??
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I did not like Across the Universe at all. Maybe it’s best you never went back. I am not a fan of the protagonist in Forest.
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I didn’t enjoy Across The Universe and I did DNF it! I couldn’t put up with it…
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In another universe, I also made the wise decision to DNF.
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I expect Hush, Hush to be on A LOT of lists this week. I’m so glad the angel/vampire/whatever paranormal phase of YA is over. It was not good– I mean, there were diamonds in the rough, but most of it was BLAH.
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There were tons of mediocre paranormal books back in the day. I wouldn’t mind fresh voices writing these paranormal beings again.
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I loved Hush Hush but DNF Starters. So far I DNF Red Rising but I want to give it another try.
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I keep wanting and then hesitating to read Red Rising. I know tons of bloggers love that one, but I’m just not sure it’s my kind of book.
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I haven’t read any of these, but I wanted to read Across the Universe, and now I’m questioning that decision. Nice post!
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If you have an opportunity to read a library copy, I’d say go that route.
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I liked Hush, Hush but not enough to read any of the sequels. My TTT
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Considering I contemplating burning the book at the time, I’d say you had a whole lot more luck than I.
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Hush, Hush was like so hyped years and years ago! I kept seeing it and its sequels on the bookstores and I was intrigued to read it but never got the chance to buy it. But looking back now I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have liked it 🙂
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I hate that book so much. I actually bought it and am still hating myself for doing so.
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I don’t wish I’d DNF’d A Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I wish I’d admitted defeat and not forced myself to read the other two books in the series (both of which were DREADFUL!).
When I was younger I loved Hush, Hush, but I’ve never felt inclined to reread it so I haven’t finished the series yet. I think it might be better for me to stay away – I’ve heard a lot of terrible things since I started blogging.
Here’s my TTT!
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Ugh, that stinks that the Forest series didn’t even improve. How curious. I wonder if you’d still enjoy Hush, Hush.
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I haven’t read any of these books, so at least now I know to avoid them!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/top-ten-tuesday-144/
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I couldn’t recommend any of these even if I tried!
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I have only read Defy, and I am actually finished the series. I feel like because I am more of a contemporary reader, the fantasy books that hardcore SFF readers have issues with are ok for me. I am all about the characters, and I liked the characters in this book. Sorry it didn’t work for you.
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That could be it. I just remember the protag swooning in the middle of being kidnapped and I just could not.
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I’ve only read three off your list. A Discovery of Witches was okay(ish) so I did pick up the second but didn’t enjoy that one at all. I’ve never completed the series and don’t intend to do so.
I didn’t mind Hush Hush – although I never read further so I clearly wasn’t overwhelmed.
I quite liked The Forest of Hands and Teeth but it’s definitely not a book for everyone and I recall there were a couple of decisions in the book that really grated on my.
Lynn 😀
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My decision making in Forest was one of the main reasons why I didn’t enjoy the book.
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I’d like to think that I’ve also become better at DNFing a book. Unfortunately, sometimes I still finish a book even though I absolutely hate it. I thought Falling Kingdoms was okay, and I read the sequel too but I just have 0 interest in continuing the series. Great list, Alicia!
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I almost picked up the second book of Falling Kingdoms because the covers are so breathtaking. But I showed a little self-control. I still think about how beautiful those covers are…
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Man, I read Hush Hush too but wish I had DNF’ed it. I have such a hard time DNF’ing things though – but I am getting better. Every once in a while I will keep on reading and end up loving a book and then that’s what makes it hard for me to DNF. It a lose-lose battle!
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The only reason I didn’t DNF Hush, Hush is because I spent money on it. Can you hear the bitterness in my voice? I’m so very bitter. I try not to think about books I DNF and there’s always another book to distract me from it anyways.
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I haven’t read most of the books on your list, but I agree with you on Hush, Hush and Across the Universe. I didn’t even finish Across the Universe, I just could not get into it and Hush, Hush wasn’t all that great. I love the Falling Kingdom series, but I did rate the first one three stars because it was hard to completely get into it, but every single book after that was pretty amazing to me. I’m glad I continue with the series.
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I’m not sure why I even finished Across the Universe. It was a library read, so I shouldn’t have felt compelled to finish. I will give the Falling Kingdom this. It has some of the most stunning covers.
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Definitely agree with you on Discovery of Witches .. just wasn’t for me and I kind of wish I didn’t sit through the entire book.
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It was the romance. I could not get into the romance.
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Oh my gosh, yes!
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I LITERALLY just finished Forest of Hands and Teeth. I’m unsure if I want to continue the series. I remember LOVING Falling Kingdoms but I did not do well with the sequel. I hope that the series turns itself around.
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I hope you enjoyed it more than I. The protagonist and I did not click.
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My husband read Falling Kingdoms because he’s a huge fan of fantasy and he said it felt like the author stuffed every last fantasy trope available into that one book. So yeah, I get it. 😀
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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I just vividly remember having a really adverse reaction to one of the characters being in love with his sister. Eww.
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Lately, I tend to not finish books VERY quickly, because once I’m in I’m too stubborn to stop reading. I’ve invested time in this book, and I’m going to tear it apart in a blog post for wasting my time. With audio books, I’ll give up on them within a matter of about 30 seconds if the narrator is obviously terrible. I can tell right away. I’m also much more likely to stop reading books I own and throw them in the Little Free Library box if I’m not into it. Someone else can give it a try.
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Sometimes tearing apart a book in a review is the best kind of revenge for time stolen. Thirty seconds is impressive. I want to be better at being okay with setting aside the books I own. Those and ARCs are the ones that I’m mostly likely to soldier through.
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Truthfully, I think I got good at setting my own books aside because I have more money and don’t lament that I spent X dollars buying it used on Amazon or at a used bookstore. Rarely do I buy a book brand new, but if I do, it’s usually a small press and I am happy knowing I supported their mission, not just a book. If the book isn’t for me, I think of it more like a donation to the press. I know that’s not helpful if you buy new books from big presses!
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I am cheap by nature, Melanie. I have to get my money’s worth, even if the money is from a gift card because it’s still money in my head.
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I did like some of these, but I am definitely not regretting never picking up Hush, Hush! That’s been on a lot of people’s list. I have a hard time resisting a pretty cover, so I’m proud of myself for not picking up Hush, Hush. And I love zombies, and the title of The Forest of Hands and Teeth appealed so much to me as a fan of horror, but I ended up not liking it, which is sad because the sequel had an even better title… oh, well.
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Hush, Hush was a chore to read. I feel personally insulted that it was ever a popular book. I love zombies too, but the protag in Forest grated on my nerves.
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I haven’t honestly read any of the books on your list, but there are quite a few that I wish I hadn’t read! I think the book I hated the most that I read recently was probably The Chaos of Standing Still by Jessica Brody. It wasn’t a bad book, but man, it was just so…not what I was expecting, and kind of long and boring, to be honest!
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I haven’t heard of that one, but I will probably be staying away if it ever crosses my path/.
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Starters was one that I was thinking about reading when it came out, but I never got to it. These others are new to me. I read a book set during WWII and I ended up disliking every character. I couldn’t find one redeeming thing about any of them.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2018/01/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-cant-believe-i.html
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Ugh, that’s hard when you can’t find yourself attached to any character in a book.
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Fallen. That was pure torture. I’ve read A Discovery of Witches and Fallen Kingdoms, and while I did not rate them 1 stars I can really see why you would dislike them. I didn’t continue with either series because blergh.
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I never read Fallen, but at one point, I did consider it. Wasn’t it supposed to be a movie at one point?
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I haven’t read these though I do have Discovery of Witches on my TBR. I’m not good at DNFing and there are way too many books that I held on to the bitter end that I shouldn’t have wasted my time with.
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I hope you have better luck with Discovery. It wasn’t for me, but there are a lot of bloggers who enjoy the series.
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Ughhh, I wish I could un-read Hush, Hush or at least DNF it. I also should’ve DNF’ed The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but back when I read it, I was a lot more optimistic that books I wasn’t enjoying would get better eventually, lol.
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Hush, Hush remains my most hated book because I can’t get over the money I spent on it and I can still vividly remember a few of the scenes that made me so angry when I read them.
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I haven’t read any of these (maybe I should keep it to that lol) but i’ve seen the Falling Kingdoms series everywhere! They seem too much for me (which is strange because I do enjoy Sarah J. Maas’ books) but something about the series sounds so boring to me… idek lol 😂
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I just could not get passed the first book where a character is in love with his sister, but said sister isn’t his biological sister, but this is something he doesn’t know and I was just shaking my head the entire time. It’s a miracle I finished it.
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The only one on this list I’ve read is Falling Kingdoms, which I enjoyed, but I know some people don’t like! It’s been so long since I continued them, though. I avoided Hush, Hush and Defy mainly because of all the bad reviews on Goodreads, and I don’t regret it! 😂 Defiance and Across the Universe I wanted to read a while back, but I’ve lost interest in both of them. 😝
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I read Hush, Hush before I started blogging and I think if I had written a review, I might have burned the book by the time I finished. Writing reviews for really bad books always makes me more angry after I finish.
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haha OH YES Hush Hush also made my list. Luckily I’ve blocked it from my mind but I’m sure I could easily guess the plot. There were so many angel boys/human girl crossover books back then haha! Good times.
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Ugh, that book was terrible. I can’t believe I actually finished it.
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A Discovery of Witches has been on my TBR for awhile… Since we have very similar reading tests most of the time, I think I may push it much further down.
Erica | Erica Robyn Reads
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It’s not one I would recommend, but those who are more likely to pick up paranormal romance might take to it more.
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