I thought it was very interesting to dig into my Goodreads archives last week to take a look at some of the highest rated books I’ve read according to the average star rating on the site. Now, this week, I’d like to try the reverse and see if I disliked the lowest rated books as much as the general public! I’m usually more on the generous side with my ratings, so this will be interesting, at least for me. (But hopefully also you!)
**Disclaimer: I chose to focus on novels here and exclude comics and graphic novels again. Last time I went from highest to lowest rating and I will do so here as well (aka the lowest of the lowest rated book is the last one) **
Anything You Want
Average rating: 3.35
My rating: 5 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: Woah! First one and the opinions already differ. I remember how I knew a lot of people that didn’t enjoy it as much, but I had a great time with my buddy-reading-group. Maybe I wouldn’t feel as enthusiastic about it now, but back then, it struck a chord.
Snow White & the Huntsman
Average rating: 3.34
My rating: 3
Thoughts: Hear me out! This is a screen-to-book-adaptation and not the other way round. I was really in love with the aesthetic and soundtrack of that movie back in the day and was intrigued by the idea of learning more about the characters in the book. That didn’t happen, it was super mediocre, BUT unlike in the first movie, Chris Hemsworth’s character has a name in the book.
Find Me
Average rating: 3.34
My rating: 1 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: Do you know how often I give 1-star-ratings? The answer is: close to never. I was so in love with Call Me By Your Name (I do realise it has its flaws and I found out about the author being a weirdo very late, but I loved the writing) and was so excited but I HATE Find Me with a passion. Hate it! I wish it had an even lower average rating …
The Colorado Kid
Average rating: 3.32
My rating: 3
Thoughts: I don’t read Stephen King books, because 1) a lot of them are massive and I’m not feeling that and 2) I don’t enjoy being scared. However, I was a huge fan of the TV show “Haven” (still am) and it’s based on that book. It’s so loosely based on it that I didn’t really find much enjoyment in the book at all. I do realise that it’s not representative of King’s work in general.
Almost Adulting
Average rating: 3.32
My rating: 3.5 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: Books by YouTubers are always tricky! I didn’t hate this one, but I found that it wasn’t exactly what it advertised to be. It felt more like an autobiography than a fun self-help book about how to adult.
The Movie Version
Average rating: 3.30
My rating: 2 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: First of all, the book advertised something completely different and made you go into it believing it was going to be cute and fun, when in fact, it was about a serious topic such as mental health. The representation was terrible and the main character insufferable. It’s a real shame.
Sweetbitter
Average rating: 3.29
My rating: 2 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: Oh wow, did I have things to say about that book. I did a very detailed comparison to the TV show (which went on for two seasons) and couldn’t find much love for either. There was just something toxic about it all.
Her Fearful Symmetry
Average rating: 3.25
My rating: 2
Thoughts: I blocked out a lot of what happened in this book, but after liking The Time Traveler’s Wife so much, this book felt like an utter disappointment in comparison. The premise of this one was so absurd, I don’t even want to talk about it.
The Pisces
Average rating: 3.22
My rating: 1 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: Look, I knew in the opening chapters that it wasn’t for me and because I’m a super stubborn person, was determined to finish it anyway. I know a lot of people actually liked it a lot, but I wanted something far less crass and more traditionally merman-esque. I was blinded by the cover …
The Film Club
Average rating: 3.18
My rating: 4
Thoughts: I actually quite enjoy slowly told family stories without much plot. You want to reconnect with your son through movies and write about it? Sure, I’m here for it.
This Song Is (Not) For You
Average rating: 3.13
My rating: 3.6 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: It sure wasn’t perfect, but I found a poly-amorous relationship with an asexual partner explored in a rather positive light to be rather interesting. The characters are often still judgy hypocrites, but yeah … it wasn’t the worst.
Anne & Henry
Average rating: 3.03
My rating: 2 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: This book had so much potential, being a modern day teen retelling of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, but they completely blew it. If you are a fan of Tudor history, spare yourself!
Stealing Candy
Average rating: 2.86
My rating: 2.5 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: This book … the main character … basically, it’s about a girl who falls in love with her kidnapper. It’s not the first time that story is told and it probably could be done well? But Candy, she fell in love THE MOMENT he abducted her but had a nice jawline … come on!
Gone Wild
Average rating: 2.73
My rating: 2.5 (click here for my review)
Thoughts: I have a hard remembering much about the book other than that it was very short. I think the characters were relatable enough, but there just wasn’t much time to see any development and that irked me.
What are your thoughts? I feel like I mostly went with the trend again? Were you surprised to see some books have such low ratings? Did you find you didn’t know as many of these books as you did in the highest rated list? Let’s chat!
Life and Other Disasters 
Ahh I remember wanting to read Anne & Henry, but then seeing the low rating and overall bad reviews, and now I’m glad I didn’t 🙈 I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, though! 😟
LikeLiked by 1 person
I pre-ordered the book back in the day and everything. I was in a very pink-white-black phase and fell in love with the cover haha I wish I had waited for reviews, but alas, it was an experience nonetheless. I knew better the next time haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
I still think the cover is pretty cool! If anything, it can still be ~décor~
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I keep telling myself!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I’ve told you, but I read The Colorado Kid and enjoyed it. It’s a strange one, at least by King’s standards, but I liked it. And I couldn’t get further than three episodes into Haven, so once again we’re opposites on our opinion of something, LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not like I hated the book, I gave it 3 stars or something. It just didn’t make sense and I don’t like stories without a conclusion.
LikeLike
Yeah, I can understand that. Most people prefer some sort of resolution to their mysteries. Though with other mysteries, the lack of resolution is part of the fun.
Though in the case of the latter, that’s usually reserved for people who are enthusiastic about unsolved murders and crimes, so I don’t think it applies here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha yeah, I don’t like unsolved stuff. It bugs me haha
LikeLike
Oh, the amount of devilry I could get up to after reading that statement, lol. 😈
LikeLike
The only book here that catches my eye is the Pisces and I’m sorry to hear it wasn’t the best
LikeLiked by 1 person
For that one, it’s probably best to check out a couple different reviews. It’s one of those “you’ll either hate or love it”-type books, but I don’t know your taste 🙈 maybe you’d enjoy it???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe! I’ll have to check it out then
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a really fun idea and interesting to see if the book match the rating !! I consider myself quite a generous reviewer as well like I have very few 2 or 1 star ratings !! But it was interesting that some of your lower rated books were included!! I haven’t actually heard of a lot of these books. I didn’t realise they did a screen-to-book adaptation of snow white and the huntsman. I read a screen to book for pirates of the Caribbean and it didn’t really add anything new either. Stealing Candy does sound bad though like I know jawlines can be nice but seriously ahha !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lot of them were ARCs I read back in the day or books that didn’t turn out to get a very broad readership. I wonder if the average rating would have gone up if more people had read them, or if it’s good that not more have picked up the books, because they were only mediocre.
Yeeeah, screen-to-book adaptations tend to be rather boring, if I am being completely honest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh right, yeah it might have affected the rating either way if more people had read them !! Yeah I agree tbh, I avoid them from now on !! haha!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You seem to follow the trend quite well. I looked into doing this for the highest rated books but that was a very boring list (all of the stormlight archives books, split in parts, followed by Harry Potter). I might give this one a go though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s why I only included one book per series in the highest rated books list, I always wanted to make sure I had different authors and stories represented.
But both lists were a lot of fun to compile and compare, although the higher rated ones definitely had less surprises.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Clever. It seems like a lot of fun indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was so excited about Almost Adulting but I felt the exact same thing you felt, and the book felt like a drag.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel this! I really like Arden, but it could have been so much better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great idea!! I’m super upset to see that rating for Anything You Want! It was so great to read it together
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, we had a lot of fun with it! I know it wasn’t perfect or anything like that, but I think it deserved something a smidge better than this average rating…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Totally agree!
LikeLiked by 1 person
OH WOW!! Ashamed to say that I have not read/heard of these books apart from almost adulting?? this post was such an interesting idea, I loved this post!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think a lot of those never got a very big audience, which is alright, I suppose? With the ones I rated lowly myself, I think it was for the better haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahaha i suppose so!! ahah
LikeLiked by 1 person
The only one I have read on this list was Fearful Symmetry and I think I remember is being a load of old shit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I disliked it SO much! 🙃
LikeLike
Ah this is such a great idea for a post, I wonder now if I’m a sheep or a black sheep ahah 🙂 I haven’t read any of these books, but This Song Is (Not) For You is on my TBR… and it has been there for, wow, A WHILE now. Judgy hypocrites? aerm, okay, haha. I’m still unsure about this book, most likely why it will stay on my TBR for the months to come for now. I feel terrible hahaha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t feel bad! I don’t really consider any of these books a must read haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooh this is a fun post to do! I think it’s interesting how much you like anything you want in contrast to the average rating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I might not like Anything You Want NOW as much as I did back then, but I think an average rating isn’t always indicative haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha fair enough
LikeLiked by 1 person