2021 started off kind of rocky. I didn’t read anything I particularly loved, and I had several that really disappointed me. Luckily, the rest of my reading year picked up, but let’s talk about my disappointing books of 2021.
The Devil All the Time
I thought The Devil All the Time started well. It promised to be gritty and atmospheric. But the pacing felt off, and eventually I just stopped caring. Plus, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. Their motives didn’t make sense and I just didn’t enjoy this one.
My Rating: 2/5
The Death of Jane Lawrence
The Death of Jane Lawrence is another one that started well. It started out slow, but the gothic atmosphere had me hooked. And it was actually scary when things started to pick up. But then it went from the paranormal story I had hoped for to a dark magic story. I don’t normally mind that, but this magic system was strange and disjointed. And once I lost interest, I started noticing ridiculous plot holes that drove me crazy.
My Rating: 2/5
Siege and Storm
I thought Siege and Storm was mostly about the angst between Mal and Alina. Mal was never off of her mind even during major events. But then there are like three other love interests introduced. Siege and Storm felt like a filler book to me. Only a couple of new plot points and characters were introduced, and none of them really expanded the story arc. I don’t think I’m going to continue this series.
My Rating: 2/5
A Deadly Education
I loved the idea of A Deadly Education. I even loved the setting. But El ruined the story for me. She was a rude, unbearable person for almost no reason. I hoped she would have a redemption arc, but she didn’t. I even hoped she would turn toward the evil side she was rumored to have, but instead she just continued to be ridiculously selfish. And don’t even get me started on the romance. It was so far-fetched.
My Rating: 2/5
The Star-Touched Queen
To do this post I go back and read my reviews to recap why the books disappointed me. I said that The Star-Touched Queen was a quick read, but I didn’t think it would be memorable. And I was right. Nothing from this book really stood out. The characters weren’t developed, and the plot was predictable. It wasn’t bad. It was just lackluster.
My Rating: 3/5
So those are my disappointing books of 2021. Let’s get the negative out of the way today, and tomorrow I’ll be back with my favorite books of 2021. That’s going to be a lot more fun.
Also, I will be adding these books to my PangoBooks (@wildwoodreads) shop tonight. I’m limited on shelf space, so I don’t see the point in keeping them.
