Worst Books of 2020

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

What are the worst books you've read this year?

[@guerillahag]

not a book thing but i watched Normal People :( miserable

[@MKTraxel]

(Hans Christian) Anderson's Fairy Tales.

[@Lysis99]

"we should hang out sometimes" A non-fiction from an Incel that's trying to understand why he's an Incel by finding the girls he liked when he was young and asking those women, sometime with stalking. Omg.

[@mariac.v4435]

The Hating Game It was so horrible for me, the mc and the love interest were sooo annoying:((

[@hobbleit]

The Toll. I normally save one stars for DNFs but that book completely deserved it.

[@caseyc2497]

FULL SODIUM EMILY!!! FRESH SEA SALT AND FIRE

[@kaizenkhaos]

The name of Emily's autobiography if she ever wrote one? I vote for this :D

[@caseyc2497]

@@kaizenkhaos fresh sea salt Emily is my fave. Even when I love the book she hated (sooo rare) the way she'll explain WHY she hates it and how much she wants it to cease existing just gives me life! Lo Salt Emily of the Disappointing Books is also a fave

[@brooke2402]

'Normal people are boring.' I think you got a point there.

[@Jaden94]

Yess !!

[@chiseminavento]

I mean you can built characters that have nothing special but become interesting in the way they think and behave, there are many novels that prove it.

[@NIKKI-Kit-Kat]

“Because I don’t like myself clearly” This is how I feel when ending a series and realizing how much time I spent dedicated to reading trash. I just can’t seem to start a series and not just feed it to the end.

[@mpkfan]

“it’s pretty but makes no sense” I laughed SO hard that’s exactly how I felt! Super promising at the beginning but just too much aesthetics and not enough substance.

[@christiemcdonald6560]

I would highly recommend the series Normal People, even though you hated the book. It’s beautiful and perfectly captures the angst in the relationship between the main characters. I enjoyed your video.

[@renee_3364]

Let's be honest: we've all been waiting for this video all month. We all needed our sodium replenished. Also, I hate that you brought The Need back into my mind: it was my worst of last year, and I had just about managed to block it out. Now I completely remember why it deserved that title again.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I couldn't believe I had read this year... definitely tried to block it out XD

[@katietatey]

@@BookswithEmilyFox that cover on The Need makes me almost want to read it, WTF. But not really.

[@Erdnussbuttertoast]

lmao i don't care how bad midnight sun is i'm still asking for it for christmas bc i wanna read the trainwreck myself

[@skomix8346]

honestly same, my 15 year old me would be mad at myself for not getting it asap

[@michellesmirnova4471]

I like how you’re honest about your thoughts without berating other people’s thoughts? When it comes to booktubers I usually feel like they’re either too kind when rating books (usually the case, you know it’s like they’re afraid to say anything bad about the book) or they straight-up say mean shit and insult the author and people who like it just for the sake of “comedy”, you’re just honest without any form of filter. I really like that! I don’t agree with a lot of your opinions because we don’t have the same tastes but I really like that aspect of this channel in general, keep it up!

[@pinkcatreads]

While I absolutely loved The Night Circus, I hated The Starless Sea! The story wasn't confusing to me. But everything in this story felt so forced and overall it was a boring book. I unhauled it. Such a disappointment. I feel the author had this pressure to produce something epic, but she failed miserably.

[@rebel008djishie]

The premise was interesting to me, but I had to DNF. The story started off great, but then flat.

[@Katertot8895]

I agree! I absolutely loved The Night Circus but I couldn't finish The Starless Sea. It started out strong, but then nothing happened for like 200 pages. The idea is great, the writing is pretty as usual, but the lack of plot and the uninteresting characters? Couldn't do it.

[@louise5493]

I've recently subscribed to your channel and have been binge watching all your content😅 I could not agree more with Normal People! It seemed to be everywhere! I read it on Audiobook and it was a CHORE. The shit communication made me so MAD. Then when the series came out everyone hyped it too and I just could NOT 😭

[@yasminehentati3911]

Here and ready for Emily to spill the tea

[@heididiaaz2174]

Your blush looks so pretty in this video!!!

[@BlackStarCocoon]

I agree! Could you tell us what blush it is, Emily? 💜

[@mushroomc0re]

I wish you could've seen my face when you said Middlegame. I'm also liking the trend of the reasons you hate a book being the reasons I love it. It's so funny to me

[@kimwicks5540]

Same! 😂 Every time she says she didn't like a book because it had no plot, I'm like "yep, this is the one I'm picking up next"

[@metzmon1]

I always find it interesting just how subjective and diverse tastes in authors can be. I consider Erin Morgenstern to be a genius-level author and count "The Night Circus" as my favorite standalone novel of all time. I rate "The Starless Sea" just below "The Night Circus," which is to say I love it, and had little trouble following the plot, though it is quite complex and metaphysical. I am just so onboard with the way Erin writes. Those of us who love her REALLY love her, but I understand that even popular authors don't work for everyone.

[@debbydhill]

I loved both of her books. My definition of a wonderful book is that I kept reliving parts of it (The Starless Sea) for months after. I think Erin is a beautiful wordsmith and I'm here for it.

[@AmyaMyamYkate]

You talking about The Starless Sea reminded me of Nancy Pearl's four doors to reading. It's basically this idea that people can read for 1) plot 2) character 3) setting 4) language (i.e. words, prose)...the idea is that some people value different 'doors' more than others with books

[@colegreenofficial]

The Twilight hashtag on IG has been my source of entertainment since MS came out.

[@missburn]

Your Philip Pullman "rant"..👍

[@MarinaUz]

The Starless Sea is on my "worst books" list for this year. I also don't get tha hype and was soooo bored. At least I dnf-ed it, at 60% 😁

[@rachaelhmack]

"It was terrible and awesome all at the same time." Painfully accurate. 😂

[@ellenwaters9744]

‘Everyone has a price’ had to come here just to write this. Well done Emily. Keeping it real 5* 😊

[@ashleypalazzo9399]

Normal People was my worst book of the year too. Just so boring and pointless.

[@16SF]

I have my chocolate drink ready. Bring all the salt, Emily! 😂

[@bettymiller5164]

The Starless Sea was disappointing. So many missed opportunities for compelling storylines. His mother was a fortune teller!

[@pagesandprescriptions]

I'm so conflicted about reading the companion series to HDM. Like you, I LOVED the original trilogy and a book about Lyra as a grown up is everything I want! But I'm so afraid that reading the new books will ruin the old ones for me 🙈

[@zahrabfd]

Kinda miss seeing Snow Globe Emily ngl 😔

[@natcommon]

I'd like you to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and hear your thoughts. I personally love it, but I'm always curious what people think because it's not written like a typical fantasy.

[@shmizzleshmazzle9830]

I thought it was too long and that the ending was lackluster.

[@kathyk1148]

"The Starless Sea", I 100% agree with you. I expected to love it, but instead I don't think I've ever been so angry at a book with such a beautiful, interesting cover and such wonderful and cozy descriptions in a book that was missing a plot.

[@Diana-sp3rq]

I'm nearly done with Midnight Sun.... and its been painful

[@astellus]

Super disagree about Middlegame. It was fantastic.

[@ellereadsalottt]

The worst books I read this year: The glass hotel Vinegar girl The seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle I should have dnf’d all three

[@tamakikawaii]

Our taste in books is so different and that's why i like watching your videos, a different perspective is refreshing and always welcomed.

[@fa3ryg1rl1]

The Night Circus is very different than The Starless Sea. I felt like Starless Sea did have a plot, a lot of metaphors and deeper meanings. Absolutely loved both. The Night Circus is one of my very favorite books of all time.

[@kitkatkc9]

1) whatever is in your lips is so pretty 😊 2) Seanan McGuire has a pen name (Mira Grant) where she writes more horror related sci fi, Into the Drowning Deep has killer mermaids and science talk, Alien: Echo has aliens is all I know. They’re both on my TBR and I thought they might interest you 😇

[@ThunderForce2000]

From everything I’ve heard about the two books released so far in The Book of Bust Trilogy it almost feels like Phillip Pullman wrote this trilogy just for the pay check. Not sure if I want to see it adapted for a TV series even though I loved the His Dark Materials series .

[@Morfeusm]

The Starless Sea is one of my favorite books this year! 😓

[@valentineboudaud1887]

Same, even a fav of all time ^^'

[@wiskerlikestoread4594]

@@valentineboudaud1887 Same...

[@alishareadsrambles98]

I'm right there with you, although time is weird so I legit cannot remember when I read it. The Night Circus is my favorite book of all time.

[@fa3ryg1rl1]

Me too ❤️

[@chelseythomas388]

Love Starless Sea so freakin much!!! Omg. Top 5 favourite books of all time, the Starless Sea is on that list.

[@weronikaryfka3088]

see. I LOOOVED the Night Circus... but 2 stars for The Starless Sea...

[@pollyflores418]

I love love LOVE your videos because I can always tell when you don’t like a book because of personal taste and I will like it because we have different tastes, and when a book is just terrible and you know it and I thank you for that

[@andreaa1659]

I loved the Normal people (I hated that there were no quotation marks) and now I feel bad and stupid that I did hahah

[@balrajsingh1492]

I loved his dark materials!!! I read it recently and oh my god I think about it alll the fuckin time. And the ending oh the ending of the trilogy. I am going to read le bella sauvage and secret commonwealth and I m afraid .

[@cyrineh5602]

Yeah the ending of the dark materials is just wooow

[@froncifresh]

Be afraid child 😭

[@ellenwaters9744]

I loved the secret commonwealth. Keep your mind open to new content and a different perspective.

[@stevenjohnson9842]

I LOVED the 2 companion novels too. Keep an open mind! Don't let all these opinions influence you into hating it or loving it.

[@balrajsingh1492]

@@ellenwaters9744 good to hear! i think people outside of booktube liked it so thanks! hope i enjoy it.

[@karenreineke5214]

Thank you! I hated the Starless Sea so much I DNFd it. Also agree with you about Middlegame. I thought I was the only one who disliked these books.

[@AmsterdamLovee]

Hi Emily! Loved the video ✨ Just wondering what the sticky notes are for in your books?

[@Fatmaishere]

Just finished reading the starless sea and normal people and I hated both of them, I just don’t understand how people love these books 😭 And for some reason your video popped out and after watching it I will trust your taste forever.

[@sanaaziz5251]

I love you for doing this. ..................... And yes I 'm head over heels for speaking about your mind about "MIDNIGHT SUN". I'm not reading anything else from the author.

[@berlynsoullere3616]

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera is definetly the worst book I read this year, I hate soooooooo much. Solitare by Alice Oseman and Willgrayson Willgrayson by John Green would be tied for second worst.

[@MissPuppyfluff]

Normal People was so riveting and memorable that I got it from the library, starting reading it, wondered why it seemed familiar, then realised I'd actually read it before and forgot the whole experience. TBOC was a massive disappointment, the spoiler you mentioned was just the most horrendous point of a bad book.

[@alechorowitz5279]

Why didn't Stephanie Meyer write a book about Edward and Bella's daughter and her relationship with Jacob? That could have been interesting...

[@chrish4991]

The reasons why I sometimes do not dnf some books is a combination of fascination that the book is so bad and belief it has to get better because it is so bad.

[@ladylizcreates7719]

Random unrelated to books question, do you miss your bangs?

[@dani5009]

We have all been waiting for this! :D

[@jilltool7133]

Love how you found humor in the worst books! Loved it!!! I was laughing with you on the ones I agree we’re the worst!

[@boltpup]

Dropped everything I was doing to come watch this. Love everything about this video

[@lifeonabudget8513]

Emily: [about the starless sea] It makes no sense. I'm not getting it. It sucked. Me: *spits out water and laughs into oblivion*

[@lisalajmo597]

I could not agree more with your POV! I HATED Midnight Sun with the passion of a thousand suns. I loved the Night Circus but that wasn’t even redeemable for human sized bees who talked inside paper houses being flooded by honey (WTF was that about?). Normal People was the most boring book I have ever read. Without the semi-well written mental health inclusion, there is no redeeming qualities of that book. Appreciate the video and your thoughts!

[@TorturedWomensDepartment]

I may be alone with this but I really liked Normal People. The other book by Sally Rooney as well (Conversations with Friends). They both just spoke to me but I really like literary fiction and contemporaries. I don't necessarily need a plot. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@EGaborovna]

My worst this year were: I'm Thinking of Ending Things, and Goldilocks by Laura Lam

[@marciejuarez1483]

Options are definitely subjective.

[@Jess-bo8cr]

To be fair the rhyming naming scheme in Middlegame was meant to be kind of obnoxious, I think. Like the bad guy just gave all the kids those stupid rhyming names. It seemed like a way to dehumanize them since they were basically science experiments. Also I loved The Starless Sea. Liked it more than The Night Circus. It is very abstract, though and if you aren't into that kind of storytelling you absolutely won't like it.

[@kittyshiv]

thats disgusting about that couple you mentioned in commonwealth, what the heck !! I went to court over someone tryin to make advances when I was 14, huge age gap etc why does it need to be romanticized ?!?!! especially if it serves no point... ugh!! glad you mentioned this, definitely not interested... great vid, as always

[@jonelljonelljonell]

That rant about The Starless Sea cracked me the hell up 🤣 your confusion was palpable ahahah

[@brightstar301]

I dnfed Call Me By Your Name - love the movie, hate the book, some of the scenes are just...gross.

[@katietatey]

I haven't read (nor am likely to read) any of the books you mentioned but for some reason I still really enjoy watching you rant about them, it's hilarious. :) Currently I'm on a slog through The Fable by William Faulkner. It's one of the few books of his that I haven't read (usually I enjoy his work a lot) and it won the Pulitzer Prize. I thought it was going to be amazing but it's terribly dull. (It's about WW1). I'm one of those people who can't DNF a book, so I guess I don't like myself either.

[@ms.reader9799]

I'm seeing complete opposite opinions of Middle Game and I just don't know if I should try it.

[@TrailAlyss]

Why did midnight sun only come out this year? I remember reading excerpt of this book when the third book come out years ago.

[@MirlieTheCat]

I love the honesty 😂 "you can't pay me to read this. I mean, everyone has a price..." 😂🤣

[@peachykeenchy8194]

it makes me SO sad that you didn’t like Middlegame because i liked it so much but obviously you’re more into worldbuilding than i am and i’m more into character driven things probably so it makes sense LOL

[@sydney9036]

usually our taste in books is pretty similar but two of my favorite books are in this video (middlegame and the starless sea)🤣 i do 100% agree with you about the need by helen phillips though!

[@wintersonnet]

I DNF-ed Middle game after the first 100 pages. When you know, you know. I loved 'Normal People' though (read it last year). Especially because of the writing style. The TV show was just as great. But I love seeing how salty you are about it 😂. My worst books of 2020 are The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez and Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. But I felt seriously meh about a lot of the books this year so I could probably add another 20 on the list. In contrast, I have very few favorites: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Know My Name by Chanel Miller, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones and An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson.

[@blancajrodriguez]

I’m the same, even when I’m not liking a book I have to finish it. My type A personality doesn’t let me leave something unfinished.

[@insanebutterfly3439]

Emily being saltier then the ocean is my favourite

[@neetjeeinhorn8193]

I love love love The Night Circus, but I feel like you about The Starless Sea. No clue what it's supposed to be. Sadly my biggest disappiontment and also my worst book of 2020.

[@BooksyPage]

Same!

[@badfaith4u]

I skimmed the rest of Midnight Sun after your reading vlog. Edward is way too broody and moody.

[@michelle7410]

I totally agree with your assessment of Midnight Sun. Haha Oh, I really liked Middlegame, though I agree with that the twins names were a bad choice.

[@amyeschade]

I also HATED normal people. How could it be so boring and uneventful? I listened to it via audiobook and when it ended I though my phone was just accidentally pausing. I couldn’t believe that was the end. There was NO payoff. So bad.

[@pinkcatreads]

And I agree with you on the Normal People. Way overhyped. And I just couldn't stand the relationship, like you keep doing the same thing over and over again. So did this book give me anything? Yes, frustration.

[@elizabennet7397]

I envy people who are able to dnf a book. For me it is very hard, mostly because I, more often than not, start to enjoy it after some time. The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood was one such novel recently. But I wish I was able to dnf The Portrait of a Lady. On an entirely different note, I love how good you look with dramatic make up and just as good as natural make up. (well this is coming from a person who does not wear any make up unless she has to - pre-pandemic, weddings etc.) You just make me want to purchase a bunch of make up and see how I'll look in dramatic make up and natural make up. Amazing!

[@yasminehentati3911]

She wears very similar looks in the vast majority of her book videos and just changes the lipstick shade. So you don’t need a ton of makeup, it really only takes a bold lip to get that dramatic look :)

[@srideepta]

I somehow missed the video where you diss Normal People and read the book today till the end. I mean HATE READ it gosh i hate it so much I'm still annoyed at myself for not dnfing

[@cadywurtz3080]

I forced myself to finish the Starless Sea hoping there would be a reason to the book. There wasn’t. I listened to the first 1/4 of the book and could not explain to my husband what the book was about so he listened to the rest with me. We both started at each other when it was finished and neither of us knew what happened.

[@emilydeschulthess5821]

Nah normal people is hands down my fav book ever

[@katherine6107]

You were really cute when you were laughing your ass off at the starless sea lmao

[@zaram1492]

I hated Normal People as well! It’s so annoying God it took me an entire month to get through it

[@Intothesunset89]

Luckily I had a relatively good reading year, everything I read was 3-5 stars. I think this comes from being very selective. I own a copy of the Starless Sea, not super excited to get to it.

[@anne-marie339]

I think my two worst were Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje and Kitchen Curse by Eka Kurniawan. Both two stars and disappointing. I don’t have any that were offensive this year 😅

[@romae.22]

Completely agree with The Starless Sea, I didn’t finish it, it was a literal pile of pretty words with a great setting. That’s all.

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I feel like people either love starless sea or hate it and there’s no in between 😂

[@heathersumner4766]

I loved the world but did not give AF about the characters. I feel like I would enjoy short stories from her better, like a fall themed short-story collection and I will give her another read

[@ammalyrical5646]

I fit the in-between too. I liked it well enough, especially the whole thing going on around the Starless Sea itself. The plot I gleaned from it, I enjoyed it too. But some things were weird and not in a good way. The writing was a bit much at times and some stuff was confusing (and I'm very hard to confuse in books. Once Holly [a fantasy BookTuber] said a book was convoluted and I didn't agree at all, I really liked that book and the sequel. But now, at book three I can see what she meant. Although that might just a 'my-mind-needs-a-break' type of thing).

[@ladystark9652]

I LOVED the Night Circus and I HATED the Starless Sea 🤦‍♀️ you summed up the book perfectly lol.

[@becciwhite8350]

Starless sea...thank you! I have described this as the author was on an acid trip. I was bored and confused...but everyone seems to love it???!

[@suepellerin]

I’ve had a pretty disappointing reading year, but hands down the worst book I read was Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff. I thought the series had potential after Nevernight, but Godsgrave was bad - and then it just got worse! I’m mad at myself for not DNF-ing the whole mess. I’ve now sworn off ever reading another book by Kristoff or even another YA author claiming they’re now writing “adult” fantasy - those books always end up being trope-y and painful to read.

[@jidgetwidget3057]

Is it bad I don't even remember half of the books I read this year, or what I dnfed?

[@lizziereads4531]

I absolutely detested The Secret Commonwealth, it took me so long to read too

[@lizziereads4531]

All of your points explain perfectly how I feel

[@gambit613]

Unpopular opinion: I preferred Midnight Sun to Twilight (the book, not the series as a whole). Edward has his issues but Bella is so much less interesting (if only because she’s not a vampire). Also, I liked that we don’t see Bella being tortured in the ballet studio in Midnight Sun.

[@byalexy93]

*spoilers* I totally get what you mean with book of dust and I was surprised too about a lot of the things he included but it still felt very powerful to me! I cried several times especially when it came to Lyra’s and Pan’s relationship and about her suicidal thoughts. And I don’t think having demons is magic to them, so they can still stop believing in magic. I also hate the Malcome thing and I just hope it doesn’t happen because that is 🤮

[@An-vp4su]

“This has no NEED to exist” 🤣 love your salty outraged reviews. I was a Twilight fan/ team Edward and I DNFd midnight sun, just didn’t care for it. But thanks to you and other fantastic booktubers saving me from awful ones, I’ve read amazing books this year! Exited for more recommendations from you next year! Best ❤️

[@Sad.Purple.unicorn]

agreed about the midnight sun

[@TheHotaru21]

thankfully i've only read 3 really bad books this year: the house of leaves, the drowning deep, and i'm thinking of ending things.

[@pulkitgarg2754]

the fact that midnight sun won third place in the goodreads choice awards in the fantasy section makes me mad

[@Megan-gy4ly]

Middlegame IRRITATED me to no end! I'm sorry but it was so repetitive and frustrating because nothing is actually explained. Like the term quantum entanglement or any of the alchemy... Also everyone says that Rodger is words and Dodger is math, but the only evidence we have of that is basically what's told to us and the rest is SO SURFACE LEVEL AND BORING. Like if someone is the physical embodiment of words, you'd think we'd have more than the phrase "he knows the words" and the fact that he's an English major. Like COME ON!

[@ammalyrical5646]

Nevernight makes no sense to me, but I have to say I also don't think that writing is pretty. I just wonder why it's so incredibly metaphorical (if you can even call those things metaphors) when it doesn't need to be. The metaphors and similes add nothing but frustration for me (it's about the least autism-friendly book I've ever come across, Strange the Dreamer a close second although that one actually is beautifully written in some way). Those were books of previous years though. I DNF'ed poetry this year because not only was it repetitive with the author's previous work, it was repetitive within the collection. Then I DNF'ed The Memory of Souls because my head didn't want that kind of complex high fantasy (it's pretty convoluted or at least it feels that way. I didn't feel that with the previous two books and this one wasn't that different when I look at how the writing supplements the world-building and the plot. It's probably just me having an overtaxed brain). Runebreaker was just boring and A Spell of Winter is a book with the most uncomfortable and unnecessary incest I've ever read. That relationship is toxic and I still don't understand how that thing ever one an Orange Prize. From the books I did finish: The Honey-Don't list We Hope This Reaches You in Time

[@Martin-xp5yl]

I'm listening to the audiobook of The Secret Commonwealth and bracing myself now... The way Malcolm talked about Lyra was really creepy :/ My most hated book of the year so far is The Picture of Dorian Gray - pages on pages on pages describing gemstones and fabrics obsessively and such flowery writing it felt like Oscar Wilde was pleasuring himself to his own writing 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@AnniesBookNook]

That’s sad about Middlegame! The premise seems really interesting

[@AnniesBookNook]

@@monicamerle1417 thanks! I’ve never read another book by that author either haha. I’m still gonna read it