Books can be such dreadful liars. Sometimes it’s a misleading cover, sometimes it’s an incorrect blurb. But either way, IT STIRS THE FURY IN MY SOUL. I can get quite cranky if a book turns into something insanely different to what it promised.
So let’s peruse some books that have catastrophically startled me with their fiendish lies.
And, honest now, I will actually follow ALL the rules this week for the Top Ten Tuesday meme. Congratulate me, my Frankensteinish friends.
This Week’s Prompt: 10 books that were totally deceiving
\\ Click on the covers to go to Goodreads //
1. NOGGIN BY JOHN COREY WHALEY
Look at that cover! Look at that premise! DOES IT NOT PROMISE LOTS OF BEHEADING? It does. I was expecting sci-fi madness with people lopping off heads and stitching them on other people. Frankenstein anyone? YES PLEASE.
In reality it was about a kid who had his head frozen and then, 5 years later, attached to a new body, where he then continued on with his life…just 5 years out of sync with everyone else. This means a 16 year old chasing after his (now) 21 year old girlfriend. Creepy? Just a little bit. It’s a romance disguised as a beheading book. I am so so sad.
2. RED QUEEN BY VICTORIA AVEYARD
While we’re on the delightful topic of beheading, let’s discuss this book that fairly screams, “HELLO. I AM AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND RETELLING!” Well, it’s not. Not at all.
Although I’m partially to blame for this because the blurb doesn’t at all whisper retelling…but come on! Red Queen? Dripping bloodish crown? It’s a tragic misleading scenario.
The book is also, sadly, without tarts.
3. THE SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER BY MELINDA SALISBURY
And now that we’re on the topic of food (my, my all these books lead into each other, don’t they?) we need to discuss how there was NO EATING in this book. I wanted to see sin being nibbled on like noodle soup. But no.
Our bonnie narrator sat in her room and stitched flowers and flirted with guards. She ate no sin. Excuse me while I feast on disappointment for breakfast.
4. ATLANTIA BY ALLY CONDIE
Does this look like a mermaid book to you? It does to me. Yes, the blurb doesn’t actually whisper about mermaids but, to be fair, it doesn’t whisper about ANYTHING much. It wins for vagueness. But it does say siren. Now, go google “siren”. You know what comes up? MERMAIDS. Well, mermaid-ish looking things. So therefore I’m 100% in my rights to assume this is a mermaid book.
It is not. They live in a glass bubble underwater. Atlantis?
I feel horrifically betrayed.
5. LULLABY BY BERNARD BECKETT
I have no words for my feelings towards this cover. So aside from the fact the style appears to have fallen out of the artistry of 80s covers, it really does not give ANY indication that it’s a book about a brother deciding what to do with his half-dead brother. It’s basically sci-fi. Does that look like a sci-fi cover to you? DOES IT?
No.
How dare it lie to me. I guessed it to be a book about a young chap who fell asleep before he could scratch his nose with his disproportionately large hand.
6. FOLLOWERS BY ANNA DAVIES
This book looks scary. In fact, if that girl is any indication of what prolonged access to twitter does for you, I’d be abandoning my birdish skills pronto.
But a) it’s not scary, and b) the blurb has nothing to do with the book. I find that seriously confusing, okay? How can a blurb be misleading? It claims the protagonist’s twitter is hacked. It never is! How could a mistake like this happen?!
7. THE YEAR OF THE RAT BY CLARE FURNISS
While this book is heartbreakingly raw and brilliant…it’s…a liar. If one was to peer at the cover would they not assume that a) it’s about Chinese people and b) possibly the zodiac? IT IS NOT. In fact the protagonist has red hair, which is not very Asian, we’d all agree.
It’s just not Chinese, okay? There isn’t even any Chinese food. Not even a noodle. There’s just death and ghosts and crying babies. (But it really is fantastic and if you want to cry, read this book with tissues on hand.)
8. GATHERING BLUE BY LOIS LOWRY
In my youth (yes this was a long time ago…like, 2 years ago now, oh gosh, I feel a grey hair coming on), I thought that series were all about the same person. Therefore after finishing the killer cliffhanger ending of The Giver I assumed Gathering Blue would give me a) Jonas, and b) answers. IT DID NOT.
I felt so betrayed back then and I haven’t quite recovered.
And don’t tell me to read the blurb, you smartie. Blurb reading is for the weak.
9. EVERY BREATH BY ELLIE MARNEY
But how about some positive lies? YAY! (Don’t knock them. They exist.) I took one peak at the cover for Every Breath and thought vaguely nasty and shallow things like, “Omg, how awful is this book going to be? And it’s a Sherlock Holmes retelling? It’s going to ruin it. How about no.”
Of course, I was embarrassingly wrong. Like SO wrong. This book is now one of my top favourites and I’m going to yell about it’s gloriousness every moment and I’m partially in love with Mycroft. Partially. Let’s not get too emotional here.
10. THE CATALYST BY HELENA COGGAN
And while we’re feeling vaguely positive (ugh, such an uncomfortable emotion), let’s do a quick analysis of this cover. What do YOU think it looks like, hmm? An eyeball? With a tiny speck of human silhouettes? I don’t even know what to predict…Sauron on a good day when his eye isn’t bloodshot??
This is an angel book. ANGELS! Who would’ve thought, right?! (Ignore the blurb, it tells you nothing.) But it’s about angels and monsters and army agents and it’s just brilliant. But that cover. What even is going on.
Sauron called. He wants his eye back.
-~-
I’m really bad at getting COMPLETELY the wrong impression from books. Like with Atlantia, for instance. Or thinking that a book will be bad when it turns out to be good (oh, and btw, I TOLD YOU SO about Every Breath. I’m just going to keep saying it).
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YOU CAN KEEP SAYING IT. I’LL KEEP ACCEPTING IT. *nods humbly* And now I feel it’s like my duty to keep recommending it all over the place because it’s soooo daaaang goooooood.
I was disappointed (and a little confused) by Gathering Blue, too, BUT to be fair, Jonas WAS in it and it DOES tell you what happened to him, so why’re ya’ll complaining! Did you write a review on Year of the Rat? (Which does sound Chinese just like Atlantia sounds like a mermaid book. Good thing I read this.)
Really?! Gosh, maybe I should reread it. I don’t remember them mentioning Jonas at all. 0-0 I LOVED Messenger though and I’m going to read Son asap.
Yesss, I did. SOMEWHERE. *goes off searching* Oh here it is.
Hehe, Jonas wasn’t called by name, but he was noted in in the book as “Leader.” Very pleased with how his story turned out, even the sled he arrived on being put in the village library. I’m going to read Son too, as SOON as Camellia releases it to me. But I’ve been waiting for months, so I don’t know when that’s going to happen. Don’t you hate it when people finish a book but don’t bother to return it until their two week limit finally takes it back? I swear some people don’t even know HOW to return books. Maybe if we get it around the same time, we could do a dual review or something. That would be fun!
HA this was wonderfully hilarious Cait! I absolutely agree with you on The Year of the Rat – what in the hell man, where’s my Chinese buddies at?! It was wonderfully written but still. Humph!
Um…is Noggin really about a kid who gets his head frozen only to be given another body? What in the world?
Joy @ Thoughts By J recently posted…Book Review: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
TOO TRUE. I think I sniffled a little in Year of the Rat. IT WAS SO FREAKING SAD. And I do understand why it was named that, but yeah…misleading = definitely.
Funny, but I loved it that Gathering Blue wasn’t just some more Jonas!
Here’s mine: Best Moving-and-Starting-Over Books!
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz recently posted…Best Moving-and-Starting-Over Books
Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. 😉
Lying book covers are so annoying!!! (And while we’re at it, I agree, LULLABY’s cover is positively horrendous. Like, ew.) And what’s with FOLLOWERS????? I seriously want to know what the people who wrote the description were thinking. Like, did they read the book???? Were they drunk???? Was it, “Let’s-see-how-many-readers-we-can-fool-with-this-misleading-write-up week”??????? I can’t think of any lying blurbs and covers off the top of my head, but I know of some weaker ones. Like the blurb for IMAGINARY GIRLS (the reprint edition at least). If I didn’t already want to read the book when I read the blurb, I would have decided to spend my money elsewhere. And then the cover for Marie Lu’s CHAMPION is really misleading, because it has that rose and all, which only shows up once. Once! (If I remember correctly.) And it’s just an origami flower in a dream. Seriously book people, get your act together!!!
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THANK YOU. I felt maybe I was too harsh on it, but (I know this is bad) I don’t even feel like reviewing it because I have SO MUCH emphasis on photos and…nuuuugnh. < -- Totally a word that. Anyway. I shall be brave.
I think Champion’s cover looks like a Beauty and the Beast retelling! It’s BEAUTIFUL but not very…dystopian?
Urgh, so with you on blurb and cover lies WHY WHY DO THIS TO US. Also up there is when blurbs SPOIL A KEY PLOT POINT. I had this happen with a Rachel Vincent book and I was LIVID. I’ve got ‘Every Breath’ on my to read pile having heard awesome things about it and now I want to read it even more. I love your picks and your justified betrayal. Plus, also with you on blurbs being for silly people. Who needs to read the blurb?! NOT US.
Rosy @ The Review Diaries recently posted…Top Ten Non-Fiction Books
*hi fives* WE ARE STRONGER THAN MERE MORALS. Okay, I read blurbs, like 2% of the time? Mostly I am strong.
I had this recently with Lauren Oliver’s Panic, although it was with the blurb, not the cover, I thought it was going to be like a contemporary Hunger Games……it was nothing of the sort!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/top-ten-tuesdays-5/
JJ recently posted…Top Ten Tuesdays #5
YES! I HAD THAT TOO!! I was sooo weirded out and confused because it was nothing like The Hunger Games. I thought Panic was going to be sci-fi. -_-
It’s so misleading! You think you’re going to get some cool futuristic world and it’s nothing like that! I thought it was going to be so much better than it was.
Funny list.
I don’t think the bookcover need to reflect it’s genre, but it should definitely reflect the story the book is telling. For the boo blurb: there is nothing more annoying than an faulty book blurb.
Lindea recently posted…Ten Book Titles Or Covers which Made Me Buy It
Enngh, yes, it just makes me all sorts of confused when I’m expecting things (since the blurb said them) and it never happens!!
Awesome topic for this week and hilarious as usual. I HATE when a cover and/or blurb is a liar. I feel betrayed. Especially since I am such a cover person and pick so many books because of them (of so that’s my own fault but whatever). Also the lullaby cover is really creepy. ike I never want to see it again. I don’t care what the blurb says. and yes his hand is disproportionately large. Great list!
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog recently posted…Top Ten Favorite Covers From My TBR
I FEEL SO BETRAYED TOO. Darn it, books, I trusted you.
This is super weird because I swear I’ve seen three different TTT topics today. Huh. Looks like you’re not the only rebel in the world, Cait.
I dunno about covers reflecting their genres — I mean, I suppose that’s (a) the publisher’s decision and not something the author has a say in and (b) mainstream covers in genres change all the time, soooo. I’d already read your reviews for Red Queen and Sin Eater’s Daughter (I feel compelled to point out she’s the DAUGHTER of the person who eats sin, not necessarily someone who eats sin), but oh goodness, Gathering Blue. What a let down. I was already too sick with The Giver after a year of crappy literature analysis to bother with the sequels. (School ruins EVERYTHING.)
I always feel like blurbs are so vague that they can’t be misleading? It can all be construed as certain-points-of-view …
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It’s a freebie this week! We can choose any topic we like! 😉
I don’t even know any authors (like, traditional ones) that had control over their covers, so yes, I’m blaming the publishers here. 😉 But I feel like The Sin Eater’s Daughter could’ve been titled about being the goddess death embodied or something, because that actually has to DO with the story. You know?! I read this epic series called The Shamer’s Daughter nad YES, that has to do with the books. It made sense and my little analytical mind was appeased. XD
I hate covers not matching the story in any way and I hate when the book sounds like an action packed urban fantasy with no mention of romance and then it drops a big fat love triangle or chapters full of sex on you!!! HATE IT!!! I expect the book to deliver what is tells you in the blurb! This is why I now browse the Goodreads reviews before I buy…to look for things like love triangles so I can avoid them.
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YES. THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL TOO.
Ugh, deceptive covers and blurbs are the WORST. They need to be killed and murdered promptly. Because one day you might read the blurb and find that its’ not what you thought it was about. I actually quite like reading blurbs but a bad blurb/cover=Shanti avoiding the book. But maybe it’s a good thing? Like you try good books that you might never have heard of apart from picking it up because you though it was something else? The worse is when the cover/ blurb doesn’t say taht it’s a series and you read them out of order and there are so many spoilers. Ugh
Yes, I totally agree! Although sometimes even if I do like the book….gah. It’s complicated. I feel kind of tricked into reading something I’d otherwise avoid, you know?!
I get kinda annoyed when a blurb lies to me because I buy books based on the blurb, so if I get excited by it and it turns out to be something different, yeah I’m gonna get annoyed. The best example I can think of is Every Day by David Levithan.
That book sounded fantastic from the blurb, but when I read it I was disappointed because it just wasn’t what I expected at all.
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It does kind of colour the reading experience, right?
This is such a good idea for a TTT. I love it… well except the part when you state blurb reading is for the weak! I mean really!! 🙂
I haven’t read any of the books, but I adore the Red Queen and Sin Eater covers so they are on my list, although my expectation is slightly dimmed.
Thanks for the visit and check out my bit on blurbs… The blurbs that caught my eye
Sue Holmes recently posted…When Bad Covers Happen to Good Books
Haha! I WAS JUST KIDDING. XD I’m mostly too lazy to read blurbs but shhh I couldn’t very well admit that now, could I?
HAHAHAHHHAAAA EVERY BREATH HAHAHHA THAT IS LITERALLY THE SAME TRAIN OF THOUGHT I HAD. I’m so ashamed but that’s the only reason why I put it off. Those covers DO NOT do the series justice.
Yeah the cover for The Catalyst is so misleading. I read the blurb and was like “whaaattt”.
You know what BONUS ROUND: THE AGE OF MIRACLES. That aus cover loves like a loveable sweet contemporary and I remember tweeting or something about how much I was looking forward to a sweet fluffy love story and then I read the goodreads blurb, say dystopia and laughed, never read it. Hah.
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IT IS SO TRUE. They need a cover rehaul, they totally do. Oh, I think the US gets nicer covers, don’t they? Darn US…*grumbles quietly to self* Everything about The Catalyst is confusing and misleading but I’m glad the actual book is good. xD HEhe AGHHHH YES TO THE AGE OF MIRACLES. And don’t those kids on the front look like, um, 16 or something?!! And in reality they’re 12?! So much wrongness. -_-
Urgh I hate it when covers/blurbs lie! But I LOVE pretty book covers and I am perfectly fine with a pretty book cover being misleading 😛 I am bias like that! I hate it when blurbs oversimplify (they don’t do the book justice) or when they don’t tell you anything at all (it works sometimes but its mostly annoying). Awesome list! 🙂
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The vague ones kinda really bug me. If I actually do read the blurb (which is like 2% of the time) I want to know what the book’s about!! I NEED SOME INFO HERE.
I LOVE your choice of topic this week! Honestly, I laughed… a lot. It really bugs me when a blurb really doesn’t describe what’s inside the actual pages of the book!
Rhoda K recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #15: 10 Books New To My Shelves
It’s so frustrating. xD
I can’t say I’ve read many of these. I have read gathering blue… and I really liked it. I can see how it would be deceiveing though. (I read them out of order, first the giver, then the messenger, then gathering blue.) I like Ally Condie though.. well at least I liked the Matched series a few years ago. The year of the rat sounds really good. I’m sorry your little heart was so crushed 🙁 That’s terrible.
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I think I would’ve liked Gathering Blue a LOT if I hadn’t have been convinced it was going to be about Jonas. **sigh** I’m sure you’d like Atlantia just fine if you liked Matched!
Great list this week! Sorry these titles deceived you in some way. Something like this happened to me recently, but I can’t remember which book it was (I did point it out in my review though, lol). Sometimes it turns out to be better and more interesting than what the blurb says and sometimes it doesn’t (the book I can’t remember right now was more of the latter).
Lianne @ eclectictales.com recently posted…Top Ten Tuesdays
It’s always a nice surprise when it turns out better than we predicted from the blurb or whatnot, right?! When it’s a huge disappointment though…unnngh.
Love this idea! Personally I’m much more influenced by a good title than a good cover. And I don’t even read blurbs anymore – so much more fun going in without any preconceived notions! Also helps to not feel lied to 😉 I agree on Red Queen – I haven’t read it yet, but when I first heard the title I also immediately thought of Alice in Wonderland!
Vanessa @ Owls and Things recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Massive Books
*hi fives for non-blurb readers* I mostly just want to know the basic premise, the genre, and if people think it’s good or not. xD
Man, The Sin Eater’s Daughter- totally agree. WHERE THE HECK WAS MY SIN EATING. It was just so slow as well!
haha Every Breath is one of the reasons I need to stop judging books by their covers. Such a bad cover, but such a great book.
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*stamps foot* I wanted to see some sin EATEN. Why is that so ridiculous? Ellie Marney has my eternal love after that incredible book. :’)
I get pissed. Thats the nicest way I can say it. Do not con me by your blurb saying its something else. I have read many a books like this and they usually end up either DNF or thrown against a all for being a lying sob. I also hate when books say “It’s Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones!” First these two books will never meet anreven if they did I have no idea how chaotic that would possible be considering all the death in both of those. Second, you can’t be original enough to create your own story that you have to combine two already well liked books in order to make yours? There’s something wrong about that…
Loved the eye of sauron !
Casey recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #1: Never Have I Ever Read
GHHHH, don’t get me started on horrible comparisons. Plus, according to whoever-does-the-publicity-on-YA-books…just about EVERY book is “the next Hunger games!” or the next TFIOS or the next…gah. It just drives me crazy. The original is fine. Don’t we want something new rather than a rehash?!
Ahh it kills me when a fantasy book has a romance-like cover. Like maybe there’s a little bit of romance but most of the story is about the fantasy world so what the heck? Also when contemporary books have cheesy covers and are actually really enjoyable but your friends don’t believe you when they see that cheesy cover /side-eyes first cover of Anna and the French Kiss/
Being confused by the blurb into believing something else is just evil deception
OMG YES. I find it super embarrassing to read a completely fluffy, kissy looking book, when actually the contemporary is really deep and powerful. Gah. TOTALLY YES TO ANNA. Also Lola. I’m so glad they remade them.
Lol, this is hilarious! I’ve honestly stopped reading the blurbs on the back of books. Sometimes they sound so bad and lately they are covered with reviews and other what nots. Book covers are misleading. Sometimes they are so bad you don’t know what to think and other times they are drop dead gorgeous but totally bad ( I’m looking at you The Selection). Mostly I read the first couple of pages on the chapter and go from there….
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*hi fives* BLURBS ARE FOR THE WEAK! I barely ever read them. I rely on covers to tell me the genre aaaand that’s really about it.
I hate it when books and covers lie 😀 Like hate hate when they try to mislead the readers. Anyways great post Cait! Happy reading!
IT BUGS ME A LOT TOO. *hi fives*
A funny thing I just realized because of this post: for all my love of book covers, I don’t usually consider whether what to expect from a book based on its cover. Or maybe I have to search deep down in me? Or something. Nevertheless, I guess, I’ll consider this now more often.
PS. To play Ramsay’s, er, Devil’s Advocate, the book did mention that Gathering Blues is part of a loose trilogy, right? I think I recall something like that?
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Gathering Blue is part of a quartet! I’m going to read Son ASAP (apparently 2 million people want it in the library -_-) LUCKY YOU THO, if covers don’t have to represent a genre for you. xD I get very undone by dodgy covers. XD Yes. I’m a shallow bookworm.
Not shallow at all! And oh, I recall now, it IS indeed a quartet!
Shelumiel recently posted…REVIEW: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Atlantis lied to me, as well. And The 100. And Daughter of Smoke and Bone lied to me, but in a good way. I thought it would be a book about a girl who lives with a family of demons who do bad things and she constantly has to choose right from wrong, but NOT SO. What it actually was was so much better.
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I don’t even know WHAT I thought Daughter of Smoke and Bone was going to be about because, gosh, that blurb was super vague. I never guessed angels though. xD Not complaining either! Just surprised.
HOW DARE THEY LIE TO YOU! 😉
Seriously though, I’m still trying to get up the motivation to read Sin-Eater’s Daughter. I bought it for the cover and the title and the idea that it is a romance in fantasy form kind of puts me off. I always think that romance should be a side-plot, even in contemporary. Sometimes though, a surprise can be a good thing…can’t think of any examples, but…yeah…
Pfft! Forget lying blurbs, the copy of Half Bad that I borrowed from the library had a hidden blurb. Seriously, there was nothing on the back cover, the blurb was on the very back page. I didn’t even know that it was about witches until I started reading it!
I KNOW RIGHT? *stamps foot* It is absolutely ridiculous. Don’t they know who I am?! *steams*
Agh, yes Half Bad was completely and entirely vague. I find a lot of books are like that these days. Like the one for Daughter of Smoke and Bone? I had NO idea it was going to be about angels from the blurb!
When I first read Gathering Blue, I didn’t even understand that it was in the same series. We had to do a book report, and I had loved the Giver so much that I just picked something up by the author. I didn’t understand what was happening in that book at all! Also, I completely understand the confusion with Red Queen! If I hadn’t heard about it through reviews, I would have thought the same thing!
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It was kind of confusing, right?! But it’s necessary if one wants to read Messenger which is just AMAZING. I HAVE SO MANY AFJDSKLD FEELS FOR MESSENGER. *hyperventilates quietly* I’m going to finish that series asap.
YES! YES! I HATE IT WHEN BOOKS LIE TO ME. Like… ugh. I don’t even read many books to begin with! So just… whyy. Reading a book that has lied to me/totally disappointed me is just heartbreaking. It makes me want to crawl into my world of word documents filled with my own, beautifully predictable writing and get lost and be happy and never read anyone else’s books ever again. <3 “In fact, if that girl is any indication of what prolonged access to twitter does for you, I’d be abandoning my birdish skills pronto.” *hyperventilates* OHMYYOU. This post was so hysterical. You rock.
love,
abbie (yeah, I think I’m going back to my real name SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. ahem.)
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OMG. BEST. COMMENT. EVER. *showers you with cake sprinkles*
Pfft, don’t be sorry. It’s not too confusing! 😉
Well, to be fair with GATHERING BLUE, you have to know who Kira is before you can meet Matti in MESSENGER because the entire plot of that book is more or less Jonas’s friendship with Matti, moreso because Jonas is the boss of the land and Matti is spending an awful lot of time trying to convince Kira to come and live with them. By the time we get to SON they’re married and have children and so even if it is disappointing at first you have to pay attention to ALL THE THINGS to enjoy them. Initial disappointment may sting, but that is no excuse for not liking the things if they turn out to be awesome things.
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SHHH DON’T TELL ME ABOUT SON, GOSH, I HAVEN’T GOT TO IT YET. XD I loved Messenger and I’m waiting on Son at the library!
I was also sooo deceived by THE SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER. I wanted much more intensity and darkness and you are right, not much happened except a love triangle. Baaaah. Bummer, right? I really liked NOGGIN but I also took it to be about “getting a second chance to screw up and figure out your life and how to move on, even if it takes time and learning and that when you’re 16 you screw up” 🙂
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It was a complete bummer. Like one of my most disappointing reads this year. -_- IT PROMISED SO MUCH AWESOME. Gah, awkward love triangles.. >.>
I read a book last year with a misleading blurb… and because of that blurb, I almost didn’t read the book, and that would’ve been a shame because I really enjoyed it! It was a historical fiction about a girl with Down syndrome in an asylum. The blurb talked about the girl learning a lesson from an old crow, so I assumed there’d be stupid talking animals. There weren’t. I have no idea why the blurb even said that. (She observed a crow on the lawn. That was it.) Sometimes I wonder if the person writing the blurb has even read the book!
I remember starting to read Gathering Blue years ago. I realized it wasn’t about Jonas and gave up after a few pages. But I think I might try it again one day. If I know what I’m getting into, maybe I won’t feel so disappointed.
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Okay THAT is weird. Why would the blurb be so off?!! It is mega confusing, because don’t publishers/agents know the book inside out before they publish it?! ONE WOULD HOPE. Ah, but yes, Gathering Blue isn’t awful but it’s just about Jonas. Messenger on the other hand..ajfdkls I have so many feels and the cliffhanger is nearly WORSE than The Giver! I’m waiting on the 4th and final book now. xD
You are hilarious! 😀 I’m at home ill, feeling very sorry for myself, then I read this post, and I smile several times. Thank you, thank you!
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The blurb tells you nothing! I was almost entirely put off by the complete vagueness of the blurb. I asked for more info from the publisher. I was given an AI sheet, with only slightly more detail, but still pretty vague. But oh, such a pretty cover! So I said yes to a review copy. ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING BOOKS I’VE EVER READ! Not exactly a book that lies, but it’s not exactly telling the truth either, because it says nothing. But it’s brilliant – oh so brilliant!
My foggy brain cannot think of any other books that might have lied right now, but I’m sure there have been.
Jo recently posted…Scholastic’s This Is Teen #IReadYA Week
Awww, I’m so glad it cheered you up! But GET BETTER SOON.
Afjadslk I want to read The Night Circus SO BAD. I’ve heard it’s incredible but a bit difficult to get through? My library doesn’t have it so it’s on my (endless, lol) wishlist.
I didn’t find it difficult to get into. I think I wasn’t sure what was going on at first, but I was really intrigued. I didn’t have a problem. I hope you can get hold of it soon. It’s SO good!
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Oh Cait, you crack me up! 😀
Books definitely can be very deceiving – luckily I find that sometimes there are cases when a book with a HORRIBLE cover ends up being really good (mostly new adult titles).
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I’ve read a lot of horrible covers being good, too! BUT IT’S SO OFF PUTTING. Gah.
I love this post. “Blurb reading is for the weak” made me laugh far more than it probably should have done, but it’s SO TRUE. I get really pouty when a book shows characters frockling around in the snow when the book is set in the summer, so I really don’t want to think how I’ll feel if I discover a book cover that tells me a huge fat whopper of a lie. I may never get over it! I have The Sin Eater’s Daughter on my TBR, and I shall definitely keep in mind that no eating goes on in the book. I’m already a little disappointed, I love reading about food. (I’m not sure if that’s something I should be admitting but it’s happened and I’m going with it!)
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The whole “being-a-daughter-of-a-sin-eater” plays SO little part in the book that I just pouted for, like, days. (Okay, probably 2 minutes, but whatever.) I LOVE READING ABOUT FOOD TOO. Maybe this is bad…but books always get more stars from me if there’s delicious food described. I just finished a book that had so. much. cake in it I’m literally dying of a craving right now. I want a chocolate mocha lava cake.
This list made me crack up! I COMPLETELY agree with you on Noggin. I 100% thought the same thing as you and was super excited to read about some sci-fi/dystopian head chopping gang. What a let down *sighs*
NOT ENOUGH HEAD CHOPPING. *cries piteously* We’ve been completely lied to and should petition for more headlessness. Except, of course…that makes us sound crazy. BUT STILL.
I love, love this topic idea! I have so many books I can think of that lied to me–in some positive ways, but mostly they were evil, mean liars. Sin Eater’s Daughter is among them. I’m struggling to think of others now, of course. Perhaps I’ve repressed them.
C.J.
Sarcasm&Lemons
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Repressing is a marvellous idea in this case. *nods sagely and gives you cake*
I assumed Red Queen was about about Wonderland as well luckily I really enjoyed it, or that could have been really awkward for the author and my constant jeering. Atlantia, the book that keeps on letting every reader down. Hello? Mermaids? And what the hell was that ending? I still don’t know what happened. Still not as bad as the ending of Catalyst. Everyone’s free to go. Hooray! WT effing EFF?
THEY LIED! THEY LIED! *sobs dramatically*
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THEY SHOULDN’T LIE TO US. WHATEVER HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE SUCH DISHONESTY? *cries because books have cruellness*
I rely heavily on book blurbs (sometimes I read them multiple times during the first couple chapters, don’t ask me why), so I definitely feel betrayed when they lie. I also think covers should at least vaguely reflect their genre. Have you seen the cover for Carry On? I’m obviously going to read the book anyway, but WHAT THE HECK, COVER? It doesn’t look anything like a fantasy novel. It looks like a novel I wouldn’t pick up in a million years if Rainbow Rowell’s name weren’t on it.
1. Whyyyyyy? That is so disturbing. Thank you for sparing the rest of us the trauma of reading it.
4. I definitely thought Atlantia was about mermaids.
6. I don’t even know what to say, but I’m pretty sure someone got fired for that one…
9. <3 <3 <3
AGh. Yes. I was disappointed for Carry On too. I feel like they should either have gone for a true fantasy cover, or stuck with Rainbow Rowell’s totally minimalistic theme. I’m SUPER keen to see if she pulls off fantasy well, though…hehe.
I really hate it when you think you’re picking up a certain type of book, based on the cover and the synopsis, and in the end it’s totally different and much worse. That’s what happened to me with We All Looked Up. I thought it was going to be a quiet, atmospheric book about coming to terms with mortality, instead it was a John Green book, minus the humour and with even worse characters. I could expand but you’ve read the review.
Thankfully I haven’t been disappointed by any of the books you mentioned above, so thanks for the warning!
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I liked your review of We All Looked Up!! I kind of thought it’d be a bit more…contemporary-ish from the cover which is why I sort of avoided it, hee. I mean I WILL read it one day because I’m a book addict, but still.
Funny thing is, I’m yet to run into a blurb or cover that has lied to me. Yet. I do love surprises, though. So when a blurb or cover is vague, I don’t tend to mind much. If the story just completely strays from its genre however, then we have a problem.
And covers definitely need to stick to their genres. You can’t have a couple making out on the beach and label it as sci-fi/dystopian, ’cause that’s just weird. :/
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It really bugs me when covers wander away from their genres. It’s not “ooh, that’s new and unique!” It’s more like “What even the heck is this book about?” And confusion doesn’t make for happy reading time. 🙁
this has to be the funniest post I’ve read all week!
OMG. WELL MY DAY HAS BEEN MADE. XD
Haha! Hilarious post! Thanks for visiting my TTT.
Rosie @ The Literary Hedonist recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Covers that Made Me Buy the Book
Thanks for visiting mine!
OH THE SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER. THAT WAS. Man I had a lot of rage feels with that book because it was ALL LIES. And I totally understand you! I will have to keep my mind open for Every Breath, because of the Sherlock retelling. I HAVEN’T READ ANYTHING ELSE ON YOUR LIST 🙁
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Complete lies. I’m retitling it to Supposed Death Goddess Sews Flowers And Does No Interesting Eating. Because that’s way more correct AND catchy.
I agree with you about Noggin – I was expecting something along those same lines. I still enjoyed it though after I got over my initial disappointment. 🙂
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I’m definitely glad you had a good time with it!!
The Sin Eater’s Daughter was SUCH a disappointment! I missed the eating and there needed to be so much less stitching and sitting. RUDE.
WAITTTTT so Atlantia isn’t even about sirens? NOPE. It sounds like a thinly disguised post apocalyptic thing maybe.
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YEP. Just swim away from Atlantia. It’s got nothing. And WHERE WAS THE FOOD IN SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER?! Like seriously. It should’ve been titled Death Goddess Sews Flowers if they wanted to be accurate.
First thought upon reading your title/topic: Uhoh, these books have some explaining to do…
I am very much on of those judging you at first meeting type of person. A first impression -good or bad- goes a long way to determine if I want to further interact with you. And I’m a cover shopping addict, so this translates nicely to my books. Or not so nicely when they lie. Sometimes it’s a simple “this thing that happens in the blurb doesn’t happen in the book until 95% of the way through” thing and I am okay with it. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised with books.
But mostly, when they lie/mislead me, I get upset. I wanted to read about about _______ so I picked up this book that screams it is about __________ only to find it was about purple unicorns. It’s so disheartening.
I haven’t read any of those books you’ve mentions (EVERY BREATH! I WANT YOU BOOK!) But I can completely see everything you’ve mentioned about the covers. I’ll probably start judging my book covers now and yelling at them when they lie to me. Lol.
Great post!
Dreams recently posted…I’m Not Buying Any Boo- Oh Hey You (Top Ten Tuesday #84)
I’m like the kind of bird that just is attracted to pretty and shiny things. I AM, TOTALLY. It’s such a problem, but then again…pretty books. *drools* AHEM. It is disheartening, especially if a book is pitched as something it’s not.
Whoa. That’s a big hand.
Ahem.
To be fair, I don’t think eating sin-noodles would be all that….epic. You’d probably keel over and die or something. But of course, if you were hoping for something so deliciously morbid, I understand your disappointment.
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Oh GOOD. I was worried I was the only one who was questioning that Lullaby cover and the scale. hehe.
Ah, but yes, the sin noodles might’ve had issues. Sin cake? I could’ve gone for sin cake…
LOL…I remember reading your Year of the Rat review when you posted it ages ago and laughing at how misleading it was. I mean…how can you have a title like that and have no references to the Chinese zodiac or whatnot? Anyway, I digress because at least, misleading as it was, it turned out to be a good story. Haha.
And I reread Gathering Blue before it was announced that it was in the same series / world as The Giver, so the misleading representation didn’t really hit me as much as people who read it after that announcement was made. But I can completely see where you’re coming from – if I were to read it now I would probably be angered at the misrepresentation too! I mean, how can you pick up the second book after a cliffhanger as huge as the one in The Giver and not want answers, you know? (Although, IMO, I still think it should have been a standalone, but, of course, that’s supposedly not possible in YA. *sighs*)
Thanks for sharing Cait and great choices!
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They could’ve at least had some, oh who knows, some rice and noodles?! JUST SOMETHING TO APPEASE MY NEED FOR CHINA IN THAT BOOK?! Gah. I mean, the title sort of makes sense…but it has too many double meanings. >.>
Anyway. Yes. I can’t even remember what I knew about Gathering Blue before I read it. I think I just heard there were more books so read it, expecting Jonas. Because YA KNOW. I have that issue with skippping blurbs… hehe.
Hilarity straight through, Cait! XD Especially #5’s “disproportionately large hand.”
Covers should definitely reflect their genres, at least somewhat, but if it’s done right I’m also open to bending the “rules” a little bit. 🙂
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Oops, forgot to mention Gathering Blue. I just read The Giver last month, and WHAT?? The next book isn’t about Jonas?! Really? I still want to read it, but now I’m very much wondering how in the world the series can properly continue if Jonas isn’t the MC.
HEHE. THANK YOU, TRACEY. XD
I do NOT like the lying books, I don’t. They make me stabby. I mean, sure, usually it IS my fault because I didn’t read the synopsis or whatever, but still! Like okay- Love Letters to the Dead? They weren’t even love letters! At all! Such a sham. (That one was NOT my fault, that was totally the book.) And I did NOT know that Magonia was going to be about ACTUAL bird people. I thought it was a metaphor or something. Hmmm what else? OH Hold Me Like a Breath promising me a crime family drama and being some weird mushy romance! So many lies.
Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight recently posted…Review & Giveaway: The Lady in Blue by Kimberly G. Giarratano
OMG THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT TOO!! Love Letters to the Dead was such a letdown for me because a) it totally didn’t have those love letters, and b) it was like Perks rewritten, which is weird. I have no idea what Magonia is about and I’ve like read the blurb, seen reviews, watching trailers. o-O still? Nope. It looks utterly confusing.
I am with you on the Red Queen cover screaming “Alice in Wonderland” retelling, although I’m partially to blame because I didn’t read the blurb before reading the book. LOL.
Farzy @ Books Keep Me Sane recently posted…19 Things I Learned in My 19 Years on Earth
ME TOO. Blurbs. Bah. Who needs ’em? 😉
I had ‘Every Breath’ in my hands, but I only found it after I had bought six other books. I must read it!!
This post made me laugh, I always shop by cover, and have been hugely disappointed by some books.
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YOU MUST READ IT. It’s completely underrated too. xD I’m insanely guilty of cover judging…ah, it can be a problem.
I LOVE THE TOPIC YOU PICKED THIS WEEK, CAIT!
I may or may not have thought that Red Queen was an Alice in Wonderland retelling, too! I was incredibly disappointed when I found out it wasn’t.
Atlantia is NOT about mermaids? *shakes fist* Thanks for letting me know beforehand, book gods. I was thinking it was a book about MERMAIDS living under the sea. Or at least talking fish/crabs… A Little Mermaid sort of thing. o_o
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Yeah…no. Atlantia was disappointing on SO many levels, but mostly because, well, they could’ve put a little note in the front that said: “WARNING: NOT ABOUT MERMAIDS”. hehe.
This made me laugh (as usual). I do think that a cover should reflect something from the book and what genre it is. I definitely think a blurb should not be misleading .
YAY. I live to make people snort and guffaw. I actually just live to say guffaw because it’s such a fabulous word.
This is exactly the reason I try to know as little as I can and make as few assumptions as possible before I read a new book, because otherwise I’ll be DISAPPOINTED AND KINDA PISSED OFF that a book didn’t live up to expectations it, in all fairness, didn’t even know it was supposed to be living up to. XD About blurbs, I always get super mad when a book blurb either 1) has nothing to do with the book’s actual plot or 2) spoils something I’d have rather found out for myself, so I just skip ’em and go in blind.
Christina @ Christina Writes recently posted…ten books that made me a better writer
How hard is it to have a blurb that relates to the book?! IT SHOULD BE LOGICAL. But noooo. I’ve read quite a few that have left me going, “What even.” -_-
This is hilarious!
I’ve never heard of The Catalyst. But the cover speaks non-fic to me. Since non-fics tend to slap some ambiguous art on the cover. . .
What!? Lullaby is sci-fi? That’s insane! The title doesn’t even sound like sci-fi.
I was thoroughly disappointed when I heard that Red Queen wasn’t an Alice in Wonderland retelling. The cover screams it. It’s perfect for it. Just. . . so I don’t read blurbs often-
“blurb reading is for the weak” 😀 I usually just randomly grab books that “look good” or seem to have an awesome title. And then I end up kind of disappointed with half of them. But on the bright side, I do find some gems.
Noggin sounds very depressing and strange. . .
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Lullaby is just…wow. I can’t even with that book. It’s totally random. >.> And, worst still, the spine is actually upside down. I DON’T KNOW WHY. But I literally have to put the book upside down so the spine is the right way on my shelf. Wrong on so many levels. *twitches with OCD* HAAA. I was just kidding with “blurb reading for the weak”. 😉 I could’ve just admitted I’m monstrously lazy but SHHH people think I’m perfect and I have to maintain that.
Cait you are brilliant! You take what some people might see as a potentially boring subject (books) and turn it into blog posts that me and others devour just because you’re darn hilarious and the Queen of gifs. Everyone should take notes from you 😉
Also I’m with you, the Sherlock retelling is a very misleading title. I would never have made that connection.
p.s. Red Queen is probably the most misleading of all and I remember being SO SHOCKED when you blogged about it not being Alice in Wonderland. Um, way to burst my bubble, cover design team! Gee.
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WHY THANK YOU. *struts around brilliantly*
*falls on face*
*embarrasses self forever*
ANYWAY. About Red Queen, gah, I know right?! So disappointing. -_-
YAAAAAS. Books are such liars sometimes that it just gets me so clueless sometimes that I begin to think about their existence. *goes too philosophical* ANYWAYSSS I’m sad that I can’t agree with you on any of these books since I haven’t read any of these before, haha. Atlantia and Red Queen are SO high up my TBR and so hyped up that I’m not even sure what they’ll present to me anymore, haha. Books (and SOME reviewers, obviously not pointing at you) lie to me all the time and it frustrates me! Like say, Lailah by Nikki Kelly. Wattpad and Goodreads both went insane for it, but I ended giving it a 2.5 rating. Ugh. I hope that these will end up being better for me! 🙂
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Agh, yes, it’s hard when hype gets you, right?! I got swallowed by Red Queen hype and…I ended up thinking it was a bit mediocre. Not awful, though!! I hope you like it. 😉
Ugh, I hate it when book covers, titles, and blurbs lie to me. Like, how could you do that? I thought we were friends. I’m friends with books.
And can we just talk about how much “Lullaby” DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A SCI-FI BOOK! (Wow, I’m getting a bit rage-y now. Calm down, Felicity.)
Also, seeing “Every Breath” in this post just reminded me, I still need to read it!
Felicity Green recently posted…Avengers: Age of Ultron // Review-ish
I personally don’t like book covers that deceive. I want to know what I’m getting into when I see the cover and read the book. Counteractive to the saying, the cover does say a lot about the book oftentimes. If the cover looks cool, I’m way more likely to pick up the book.
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Victoria Grace Howell recently posted…Interview with Dina (Red Hood)
Sounds like Followers wins the award for most lie-ful. I hate it when I read a blurb and have some really specific expectations and then the book is nothing like I thought it would be!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…A Taylor-Made Life by Kary Rader – Review
IT DRIVES ME QUITE BATTY. *flails angrily*
YOU CAN’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER CAIT. JK keep judging. You know, for some reason I didn’t immediately think of Alice in Wonderland when I saw Red Queen, but you’re right. It’s a lie!
Amber Elise recently posted…Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes
I REALLY NEED TO STOP DOING IT. It’s such a bad habit, because t he author doesn’t have control on the cover, so I’m judging the book off…nothing, really! But I caaaaan’t stop.
You picked a great topic for your TTT this week xD I agree with you about Red Queen, and The Sin Eater’s Daughter. The second book didn’t even have a concept of sin eating, but I wish it had. It’s a real topic and the book could have worked better with that instead of the whole my touch will kill you crap. I would pick A Court of Thorns and Roses, I don’t get the beauty & the beast vibes. It’s more like Cinderella 🙁 The Witch Hunter’s premise is lying as well! It annoys me so much when the premise misleads, it just brings the whole book down for me most of the time. Awesome post!
benish recently posted…Mixed feelings.. A Court of Thorns and Roses Review♥
I have a review copy of The Summer of Chasing Mermaids and I’m still bitter about it – ‘Mermaid’ is in the title and so far, all the characters are very human. I requested this on impulse (without reading the summary, which looking back was a bad idea) because I was reading mermaid books at the time and now I’m reading it when I’m really not in a very contemporary mood. It is a great book, though – just not what I expected at first.
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Ally Condie? Isn’t that the author who wrote Matched that horribly boring dystopian book I listened to last year. I’m not sure I would pick up another book of hers.
Terri M., the Director
Second Run Reviews
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