This week's question - isn’t a question at all! We're supposed to promote a giveaway from the blogosphere, but it can't be our own giveaway (which is good because I don't have one, ha ha). So I chose the giveaway at Hands and Home - check it out! It ends July 16.
This week's question is a tough one:
Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?
My response: I hate to complain about books too much, and if a book is too bad I sometimes quit reading and won't finish. So I'll talk about a couple books (because I just can't seem to ever choose just one response to these questions) that I may get some flak for choosing:
The Time Traveler's Wife - I know a lot of people love this book but I am not one of them. I liked the first half of the book actually, and I thought the premise was interesting. But the second half of the book did not live up to the promise of the book at all. It became all about the main character whining and complaining and that just got on my nerves.
New Moon - don't even ask why I read all of these books, but this one was by far the worst. At least it was a fast read.
Anna Karenina - I didn't hate this book, but at least half of it was a real slog for me to get through. It seemed to drag on and on and on too.
I just stumbled on this hop and wanted to try it out.
This week's question: What is one of your favorite literary devices? Why do you like it? Provide a definition and an awesome example.
One of my favorites has to be foreshadowing. I love it when an author subtly hints at what is coming and you realize it later on in the book. Sadly, I can't think of an example off the top of my head!
Hi Anja, I usually read the books I start. There are very few that I give up on. But The Time Traveler's Wife was one of them. The premise was interesting but the way it unfolded was just too unbelievable for me to buy into. And I stopped halfway through Twilight. So it seems we have similar taste in books that we're not crazy about.
ReplyDeleteNew follower here! I also didn't like the Twilight series, though I think Breaking Dawn was the absolute worst. I just read Anna Karenina -- I didn't think it was bad, but you're right about some parts dragging on and on.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa
Reader's Refuge
Foreshadowing is great when done well, but if it's done with a megaphone all the writer does is destroy any suspense in his work. It needs to be a whisper, a sly nudge, not advertised on all channels.
ReplyDeleteForeshadowing if great, if it's done right.
ReplyDeleteI agree to a point with the Time Traveler's Wife- I didn't think it was amazing- it was an okay, entertaining read in between tougher novels. And I won't touch the Twilight books! But once I do start a book I finish- more as a punishment to myself for choosing something bad. I do understand the "life's too short to read junk" mentality, though.
I love foreshadowing. Even if it's really obvious, it can be just as suspenseful wondering if that is really what is going to happen, and what they are going to do when it does. Imagining all the possibilities as I work my way to the end is probably my favorite part of reading. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not too surprised to see The Time Traveler's Wife on your list - I've heard from a lot of people that it wasn't very good. It's disappointing to me, because I really wanted to read it since it sounds so good (and who knows, I might actually like it). It's definitely not on my list of books I want to read right now though. I actually really liked Twilight. The rest of the series is just "ok" to me, but I enjoyed the first book; after that Bella just got really whiny. I read the books before they were all hyped up though, and I think that helps to an extent. When a book is advertised all the time and everyone gushes about how good it is, I tend to have too high of hopes for the book and it ends up disappointing me. Maybe that's just me though. Anyway, I'm a new follower!
ReplyDeleteJamie @ Bookerella
My answer to Book Blogger Hop is
ReplyDeleteCrazy-for-Books giveaway.
http://itstimetoreadmamaw.blogspot.com/
Foreshadowing is great, it really draws you in!
ReplyDelete