It goes without saying that not every single book we read is going to be our cup of tea, especially for a reader like me who has read 100+ books each year since 2018 – I’m currently on track to surpass my 2019 total of 127 books! Today I’ll be discussing my most disappointing reads and did-not-finish (DNF) books of 2020. I realize as I’m finishing a book that it didn’t exactly meet my expectations, or as I look back on my monthly or yearly reading, I realize that it wasn’t that great of a read for me. I want to include a disclaimer that my dislike for the following books has nothing to do with anything other than the fact I didn’t enjoy the book. Additionally, just because I may have not enjoyed a book, doesn’t mean that you won’t or doesn’t discredit your love for it. 

Most Disappointing Reads

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen – Loveboat, Taipei was one of the first books I put on hold once my county library reopened this summer. I’ve really been enjoying YA books and adult contemporaries alike that take place in Asia, as Loveboat, Taipei takes place in Taiwan at a summer cultural program. I wonder if it’s because I’ve been reading YA books with older characters/teenagers, but the main protagonist in Loveboat, Taipei felt so immature to me. She makes some illogical decisions, which I know is typical in YA, but the setting in Loveboat, Taipei wasn’t necessarily young or low stakes (picture hook-ups and a leaked photoshoot). I ultimately finished it because I liked the setting and honestly had hopes for the plot to turn around. 

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover – Colleen Hoover is truly a hit-or-miss author for me. I had taken a break from reading her books for a while after a few misses, but then read Verity this summer and LOVED it. I decided to then pick up Regretting You because so many of my blogging friends had enjoyed it, and I thought I’d love its blend of YA & women’s fiction, following a mother and daughter suffering from the loss of a loved one. While I think Regretting You does have a unique premise, I don’t think it brought anything necessarily new to what I’ve read in YA and women’s fiction. Read More »