I am the first to admit I am very easily influenced when it comes to reading. I see a Book everyone is talking about? I add it to my TBR! 

With that being said, I have read a lot of books that have been all the rage on BookTok and BookTube, ranging from new releases to older titles. And as the algorithm has us all in a chokehold, I decided to put on my judgy hat and tell you which were worth the hype–and which were not.

 Disclaimer: There are spoilers for One of Us is Lying because in order to convey my thoughts, I needed to talk about the plot twist.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo 

I went into this book thinking it wouldn’t be my cup of tea. Despite its high ranking on both GoodReads and Storygraph, I had seen plenty of people saying that they didn’t understand the hype. I am also not the biggest fan of fantasy books, and although it has grown on me, I am always hesitant to pick them up.

That being said, I really loved Ninth House. There were definitely points where I was lost (I am bad at following non-linear timelines) but overall I really enjoyed this book. I have discovered I love stories with ghosts and fantasy books that take place in the real world, both of which were in this book. 

I can definitely see why some people did not like this book, but I think it is worth the hype. That being said though, the second book, Hell Bent, is better. To be fair, Ninth House was Leigh Bardugo’s first adult novel, so it’s to be expected that the second book is better. Now I will sit and wait for book three to be announced. 

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh 

I absolutely despised this one—a rare instance where I cannot fathom enjoying a book at all. That is, however, just me. If you enjoyed this, I am glad. I just happened to pay $18 for this and it felt like a colossal waste of money and time, and reminded me why I do not shop at Barnes and Noble: it is exorbitantly expensive, especially if you end up disliking the books you buy. 

The main character was insufferable—she was stuck up and petulant, and didn’t seem to have any desire to grow or change. To make matters worse, the author uses the R slur, and I am so aggravated that this still gets through editors. 

I doubt this book had sensitivity readers because this was just not it. I do think the psychiatrist was pretty realistic, which many have disagreed with me on. The whole system is awful and is absolutely fueled by money. 

I would say do not waste your money on this one. If you really want to read it, get it at a library or wait for it to show up on online thrift retailers. 

Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman 

I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book. The age gap is completely inappropriate (and yes, I know the age of consent in Italy is 14, which I fundamentally disagree with). Oliver’s character reads as very manipulative, which feels icky. I will say, to Aciman’s credit, that the story is beautifully written, and portrays teen angst and longing well. 

I think overall I wouldn’t have bought this book if I knew all of the above information.

I am of the unpopular opinion that the movie is better, but I do not recommend watching that either because of Armie Hammer and just general gross vibes. 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I very rarely guess the plot twist in thrillers, but I knew the twist by the time I was ten pages in. I don’t think everyone else would necessarily. 

Despite knowing the twist right away, I still really enjoyed this book. I think that it is a fast read and is well written. It is a little less intense than other thrillers I have read, but I think if you are into the more psychological aspect of a thriller than the action, you will enjoy this book. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This book was STUNNING. Bennett’s writing style is beautiful and she writes emotions incredibly well. I was also shocked by the great trans representation in the book, which I did not know about going in.

I will say that this did take me longer than most books its length, but I wanted to savor the prose and sit with those deep feelings. I highly recommend this book. Please go read it!

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

Another book I was shocked lived up to the hype. I am a huge thriller reader and sometimes the stories get stale and overdone, but this was such an unexpected read for me. 

I will also say, Rose tends to write all of her stories with similar plot twists. They are still worth reading (especially One of Us is Dead), but be aware that once you read one, you can probably guess the twists in the others. 

Overall, I definitely recommend this one! (If you have Amazon Prime, it is free to read with Prime Reading.)

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

This is the one book on the list that I honestly don’t know whether or not I’d recommend. I do hate the metaphor the author is trying to convey about eating humans being akin to eating animals (which is wildly gross and dehumanizing, similar to Bones & All by Camille DeAngelis), but I will say if you can separate that metaphor from the book, it is a fast, utterly gross and disturbing read. 

I love horror books, and have a strong stomach for them, so if you don’t, avoid this one. 

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

The best fantasy I have read. Hands down. 

I have seen criticism of the magic system, but as someone who cannot follow really detailed magic explanations, I actually appreciated that aspect. I enjoy the characters’ banter, how determined our protagonist is, and I now know I love King Arthur-inspired books!

I will be starting Bloodmarked, the sequel, soon and I am sure it will be just as fantastic. I cannot wait to see what else Deonn has to offer the world of literature 

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This is the book that made me give up on Colleen Hoover. 

Honestly, I read Layla, Hoover’s only other thriller, and I LOVED it. I was shocked that that title had worse reviews because it was leaps and bounds more enjoyable to read.

The ableism (both towards Verity and her autistic daughter) was absolutely VILE and it ruined the whole read for me. As an autistic person, I took personal offense to the way they treated the daughter, and talked about her like she was a monster. 

The plot twist was boring, and this book is a pretty blatant rip off of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, so do yourself a favor and read that instead. I read it in middle school and will be reading it again sometime in the near future. Don’t waste your money on Verity.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab

I was sobbing within the first fifteen pages. I love a book that makes me cry, and this book delivered. 

I felt devastated for Addie throughout this book. Being forgotten by everyone who meets you the second they look away is such a punch to the gut, and I just wept the whole way. V.E. Schwab is excellent at portraying the most harrowing experiences and I just could not put this down. 

If you are someone who loves a bit of existential dread, pick this book up!

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

No. Absolutely not. 

The trope of “suicide as revenge” is so disgusting and I thought we were done with that after the shit show that is 13 Reasons Why. This book is offensive and disrespectful and should’ve never been published. It was also disappointing because I really loved Two Can Keep a Secret by McManus, but I will no longer purchase her books because of the sour taste this left in my mouth. 

If you want a similar vibe, read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson—it is so much better! 

What books do you think are worth the hype? What books do you think aren’t? Let us know in the comments!