The Anti-TBR Tag

The Anti-TBR Tag

Hi friends šŸ‘‹šŸ» I’m easing myself back into blogging by taking part in theĀ Anti-TBR TagĀ which I first saw from Caro @ The Bookcheshire Cat!

I usually try to make this blog as positive as I possibly can, but I am naturally a pessimist so it feels good to sometimes just let it all out and give all of the reasons why I don’t want to read a certain book. Without trashing it, of course, because that’s crossing a line for me.

This tag was created by Nicole @ Nicole & Her Books!

A GIF of Lisa Simpson shrugging while saying "meh."

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A popular book everyone loves that you have no interest in reading?

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I don’t know if theĀ Percy JacksonĀ series is universally loved, but it is quite popular with book bloggers. However, it’s not a series that has ever caught my interest because I’m not into mythology-based stories and there are so many books in the franchise as a whole. I just don’t have the energy for that kind of commitment.

A classic book (or author) you don’t have any interest in reading

The Shining by Stephen King

I think at this point Stephen King can be considered a classic author since pretty much every single one of his books has been a bestseller and even people who don’t read much know who he is. I have tried to give King’s books a chance many, many times, but the more I think about them, the less interested I become in reading them. For me, King stories take too long to get going and by that point, I’d rather just watch the movie versions, of which there are plenty. It’s probably horror fan heresy to say that you’re not interested in Stephen King, but I’ve never been one to care about things like that.

A GIF of Bender from Futurama yelling "shut up and get to the point!"

A problematic author whose books you have no interest in reading?

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

In response to something I saw that basically shamed readers for not wanting to monetarily support bigoted authors, I will say that if you don’t want to support authors because you disagree with their personal ethics, you are allowed to.Ā If you’re the kind of person who can “separate art from the artist”, good for you but do not tell people to “grow up” or stop being so sensitive for holding bigots accountable for their actions and views.

That being said, I’m glad that I have no nostalgic ties for any of Orson Scott Card’s books because I cannot and will not give any of my money or support to homophobes, especially those who have been interpreted by critics as inserting their homophobia into their work.

An author you have read a couple of books from and have decided their books are not for you?

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

My relationship with James Joyce’s books isn’t so much “I decided his books aren’t for me”, but more like “I would rather shove a fork in my eye than read anything by Joyce ever again.” I realise that it sounds extreme but I did not have a good time readingĀ Dubliners,Ā A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, or those two passages fromĀ UlyssesĀ andĀ Finnegan’s WakeĀ at university. The only entertaining thing he wrote was his love letters to his wife because they were actually comprehensible. Stream of conscious narratives just do not agree with my brain and I can only read the same autobiographical novel over and over a few times.

A genre you have no interest in OR a genre you tried to get into and couldn’t?

I just can’t get into historical fiction no matter how hard I try because history has never been my favourite subject. I’m perfectly fine with genre books that are set in the past, like theĀ Stalking Jack the RipperĀ series because they don’t necessarily focus heavily on the historical context and serve as a setting instead.

A book you have bought and will never read?

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I’m not sure if I would completely rule out ever readingĀ Lolita, but it is a book that is not a priority of mine in any way at this moment in time. The writing can be as beautiful as possible, but the subject matter (child sexual abuse from the POV of the abuser) is still extremely off-putting no matter how much the author is condemning it.

A series you have no interest in reading or a series you have started and DNFā€™d?

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I DNF’dĀ The Cruel PrinceĀ about half-way in and I have absolutely zero interest in retrying it and continuing on with the series. I found the plot to be boring and I didn’t like any of the characters, plus what I found out happens in the rest of the series put me off of continuing on with it. Plus, I’m just not that into books about fairies anymore.

A new release you have no interest in reading?

A GIF of Hermes from Futurama looking dazed while an alien parasite sucks his brain out through his skull.

I don’t have an answer because I never know what new releases are out there and I’m a backlist reader who doesn’t have the money to buy new releases all the time. So, let’s just say all of them because I’m more interested in reading books that I already have.

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talk to me!

What’s on your anti-TBR? What genres can you just not get into no matter how much you try?

11 Comments

  1. March 3, 2021 / 1:34 am

    I seem to have fallen out of love with YA, it doesn’t matter how well reviewed a book is or if I typically love the elements presented, I just can’t seem to get much enjoyment out of the tropes, and the dialogue often makes me cringe.

    As for your choices, I agree on every single one. I have no problem with Steven King, or even horror… I just don’t want to read him. And Lolita? Bah, I know it’s well written, there are other well written stories I can read that aren’t about a child abuser with a ridiculous name.

    I may very well have to do this tag, it can be so cathartic sometimes to state why you aren’t reading something.

    • Louise
      Louise
      Author
      March 8, 2021 / 1:11 pm

      I get what you mean with YA, I’ve found myself drifting away from it recently and reaching for more adult titles instead. And I agree that it can be cathartic to say why you’re not interested in something šŸ˜€

  2. Avatar March 3, 2021 / 8:31 am

    Yup, Orson Scott Card is an author I’ll never read either! A lot of his books are really popular and I completely get that some people can separate his work from who he is, but I’d love more of those people to at least buy his work second hand so they’re not financially supporting his homophobia.

    I know what you mean about Stephen King. The horror genre is still one I’m exploring but I don’t find King’s books that good, frankly. I’m much more interested in what his son is writing and I tend to be more intrigued by women horror writers!

    • Louise
      Louise
      Author
      March 8, 2021 / 1:02 pm

      I would like to see more people buy his books second hand or get them from the library too, but I can’t really tell people how they can and can’t spend their money.

      I’m more intrigued by women horror writers too! I’m always on the lookout for women writers outside of Gothic since horror is another genre that can be dominated by men.

    • Louise
      Louise
      Author
      March 8, 2021 / 12:58 pm

      Good to know that I’m not the only one who’s left it unread šŸ˜…

  3. Avatar March 4, 2021 / 3:56 pm

    yup! I can’t totally relate I have tried King MANY times too and I cannot read his books!

    • Louise
      Louise
      Author
      March 8, 2021 / 12:53 pm

      I’m happy for the people that can get through his books and enjoy them, but it’s just too much of a challenge for me. I might try again someday though but it won’t be any time soon :/

  4. March 8, 2021 / 1:48 pm

    I totally agree about James Joyce. I had to read a ton of his stuff in college. I donā€™t understand why college professors are so obsessed with his books! Theyā€™re awful!

  5. March 9, 2021 / 8:08 pm

    I read Orson Scott Card when I was a teenager, and I’d always planned to revisit his books, so it did make me sad to see that his views are pretty terrible. And don’t even get me started on how torn I feel about Harry Potter books. So sad!

  6. March 16, 2021 / 10:53 am

    I loved reading your answers! šŸ„° Sad to see Percy Jackson on your list, but I understand it, there’s such a huge universe with so many books that it can feel quite daunting! I read The Cruel Prince but wasn’t particularly impressed by it, so I’m not planning on continuing the series šŸ˜…

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