Books I Borrowed Because of the Hype

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is books I bought/borrowed because of the hype. I thought this week I would showcase all of the library books I have borrowed over the last year because they are so hyped. I have definitely been making a conscious decision to try and borrow the books instead of purchasing them in case I don’t actually end up liking them and wasting my money. 

So these are 10 books I have borrowed from my local library because of the hype:

Save the Date by Morgan Matson – this wasn’t exactly the book it was more so because of the author.

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If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio – not as well known as some other books but enough for me to pick this up!

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Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – the most hyped book of 2019

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Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan – After the movie came out it seemed like everyone read the books so of course I had to as well

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The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang – I seen a lot of people reading this book at one point so I had to borrow and read it as well.

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Red Sister by Mark Lawrence – I needed a new fantasy series to get stuck into and this one was very hyped on book tube

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – Another book that at one point it seemed like absolutely everyone read and loved

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The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary – this book was promoted everywhere at one stage and I heard a few good reviews so I thought why not

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The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern – when she announced The Starless Sea everyone seemed to lose their minds, I knew this style wouldn’t gel with me but I succumbed and had to give it a read

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The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow – same as previously, portal fantasy isn’t really a sub-genre I enjoy but the hype got to me

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The Flatshare Review

41436031._SY475_Tiffany has just recently been dumped by her boyfriend and is in dire need for a place to stay. Funds are short and in a moment of desperation she decided to accept a flatshare with a man she has never met before. From the times of 9am – 6pm Leon has the flat and the rest of the time it’s all hers.

I thought this was such a unique concept! Sharing your life and bed with someone you have never met at different times of the day. I enjoyed all the rules that Tiffany had to comply with and the fact that Leon’s girlfriend was adamant that he was not to meet Tiffany. Gradually coexisting quite well together and getting to know each other through the notes was incredibly cute and highly engaging for me.

I originally thought it was going to this fluffy little contemporary romance that would be a nice palate cleanser for me but the book actually went in an explored some deeper tones that I was not expecting. Case in point was the whole evolution of Tiffy realizing that her ex-boyfriend wasn’t who she thought he was and the way he was manipulating and gas-lighting her throughout the course of their relationship. There was times when I would get so frustrated with how much she would be swayed by him but then just thinking of how for two years she has been second guessing herself and being manipulated by this sociopath who wants to own her basically. I thought she clawed her way out of his clutches so well and I was so glad that she decided to get help and figure out what was happening.

I like the way Leon’s perspective was formatted throughout the book. It really went a ways in demonstrating how little he actually talks and the weight of his thoughts and how he expressed himself. We really see him come out of his shell in the book and get a look into his mind and how he manages to process everything that is changing around him. Leaving his girlfriend after realizing he wasn’t in love with her and developing feelings for Tiffy before he even really met her and dealing with all of the drama with his brother and understanding how much it means to him that people think he’s innocent.

I love that Tiffy and Leon are such contrasting characters that somehow mesh so well together. It was a little insta-lovey I will admit but there was so much back and forth between them that it seemed inevitable really.

It was never easy for Tiffy and Leon at any stage of the book which made me appreciate the ending so much more. It did tie together a little conveniently but at that point I was beyond caring and just was so invested in these characters and the story that I loved every minute of it!

⭐️4.5/5 stars almost perfect!

Library Books Update

IMG_4391I’ve started to cut down a little on how many books I loan out at any one time. From my last update I had around 5/6 books loaned out and by the time they expired I had only prioritised and read 2. I feel a little guilty borrowing these books for weeks and weeks at a time and then renewing them for another couple of weeks because they had run out and I still hadn’t read them. Borrowing them and having them sit in my room staring at me while I read other books was making me a little anxious, so I’ve made a limit for myself to only borrow 2-3 books at a time now! Currently have two relatively new books that I have seen around everywhere but wasn’t invested enough to actually buy them, Recursion by Blake Crouch and The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary. I did manage to finish The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers but it wasn’t a favourite of mine unfortunately, so I am hoping I end up loving these two when I get around to picking them up!

Happy Reading📚