The Anti-TBR Tag | Tag Thursdays

So similarly to last week’s tag, this week, I’m doing the “Anti-TBR Tag,” which focuses on books/authors I do not plan on reading. I discovered this tag on Leticia Toraci’s blog, My Writer’s Journey. This tag was initially a BookTube Tag called “The Anti TBR Tag” created by Nicole & Her Books, where she focused mainly on popular books/authors that she doesn’t plan on ever reading, with the idea that it would not be a meaningful tag video talking about books most have never heard of, so I am following similar suit.

In this tag, I will be addressing popular books/authors I don’t plan on reading and, like Nicole stated in her video, “if you are sensitive about people saying they won’t read a book you like than this post is not for you.” So that being said, here’s the tag:

A Popular Book EVERYONE Loves That You Have No Interest in Reading?

Throne of Glass | Sara J. Maas

Honestly, this goes for any books by Maas. I read the first book in the Court of Thornes & Roses series and I wasn’t impressed. I felt no compulsion to read the rest of the series. I didn’t particularly enjoy the book or find any of the characters interesting and, from what I hear, it’s more of the same with this series. I see her books everywhere and the fandom appears to be strong, but it’s just not for me. If that makes me unpopular with people, oh well!

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A Classic Book (or Author) You Don’t Have an Interest in Reading?

War & Peace | Leo Tolstoy

I mean, I’m done with reading any classic Russian literature. It bores and depresses me. I have no interest in reading more. I can honestly say that I’ve never even been drawn to this story, anyway, and despite it being a classic (and I am someone who enjoys reading classics beyond school assignment!). I’ve never read any Tolstoy and I never plan to. I don’t even feel compelled to watch a miniseries of this.

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An Author Whose Books You Have No Interest in Reading?

Cassandra Clare

I admit I have read the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, but it had no impression on me. Since then, Clare has gone on to write many, many more books, both in that series and others, but never have I felt compelled to read any of them. I think this in part because I’m past the targeted age group for this author and the fact that I wasn’t impressed with her writing or story the first time around with that first book. I’m just not into it.

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A Problematic Author Whose Books You Have No Interest in Reading?

Jay Kristoff

Boy do I expect to get some hate for this, but I’ve read plenty of comments about how Kristoff’s writing is problematic in that he tends to appropriate various cultures in his books. Stormdancer has been criticized for appropriating Asian culture, particularly Japanese culture and fetishizing Asian women. This reviewer has a more in-depth response to this, as they read the book and I have not. I read a lot of books by Asian-authors and I’m not opposed to reading books about Asian culture by non-Asians, just none that aren’t well-researched and done in a spirit of honoring that culture, rather than just using it for their own means.

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An Author You Have Read a Couple of Books From & Have Decided Their Books Are Not For You?

Nnedi Okorafor

Sadly, I just didn’t get into the Binti series like many have. I read the first book and I just didn’t enjoy it. I liked certain aspects, but it really wasn’t for me. I’ve also read one of Okorafor’s YA novels, Akata Witch and it didn’t really appeal to me, either. I guess I just don’t connect with her writing. I really wanted to love her stuff, but it didn’t turn out that way, so I probably won’t be reading anything else by her.

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A Genre You Have No Interest in OR a Genre You Tried to Get Into & Couldn’t?

Literary Fiction

I won’t say I’ll never read another book from the Literary Fiction genre, but the more books I do read from this genre, the more I have come to realize that I just don’t enjoy it. I just find most books in this genre to be the same, namely every adult is unhappy or apathetic and they all lead unfulfilling lives and everything is just a train-wreck. I also don’t connect with the writing styles of most Literary Fiction authors. I tend to find the language either too flowery or just uninteresting.

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A Book You Have Bought But Will Never Read? (This Can Be a Book You Have Unhauled/Returned to the Library Unread)

Fates and Furies | Lauren Groff

I bought this book after hearing a portion of it read on a segment on NPR (probably a book review) and it sounded really good! But I tried to read it and immediately put it down. Again, it falls into that Literary Fiction genre sink where I just did not like any of the characters and everything was so miserable and I know I will never read it. I’ll probably bring it to a used book store.

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A Series You Have No Interest in Reading OR a Series You Started & Have DNF’d?

A Curse So Dark and Lonely | Brigid Kemmerer

I actually gave this first book a 5-star rating. I loved it! It was such a unique take on Beauty & the Beast (which is hard to do, considering just how often this story is retold!). Kemmerer captured me with this store much better than Maas’s attempt did. However…I started reading the second book and…it went in a completely different direction. I DNF’d that book so fast and I’m so disappointed that it turned out this way. I could just tell that I would not enjoy where Kemmerer was going to take the story, so I quit while I was ahead.

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A New Release You Have No Interest in Reading?

Crave | Tracy Wolff

This is a book that has only very recently come on my radar. I checked out the summary to see what all the fuss was about and…woah boy! Major Twilight vibes. I already know that I will never even start this series as I have no desire to read a rehashed version of the same basic story. It’s just not going to happen. I love vampire books, but this one is not going to happen for me.

Thoughts & Thanks

Though I like participating in tags, I’m bad at tagging people. My favorite thing is just to say, if you’ve read this post and like it, please consider yourself tagged! And feel free to share your Tag post in the comments so I can see what you picked.

As always, thank you for visiting and happy reading!

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