Our Favorite Least Favorite Books of 2015

Posted by Staff

At this time of the year it seems like everyone is making lists of the best books of the year, but we thought it would be interesting to talk a little about books that were our least favorite. Most readers end up with a few books each year that they really didn't like. Sometimes it's because they thought, based on description of the book, it was a different kind of book. Other times, the book just did not stand up to expectations.  Here are our favorite least favorites of the year.

Blood Meredian by Cormac McCarthy (Devin G.) While I have enjoyed other works by McCarthy, this one fell short for me. The tense was off-putting and none of the characters were likable to me.

The Traitor's Wife byAllison Pataki (Megan P.) This historical fiction novel had major plotlines that may or many not have occurred. It also had major characters that may or may not have existed. I found myself upset at the end that one of the main characters probably had no part in the historical aspects of this novel.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Kelcey H.) Sadly I watched the moved first and loved it. I listed to the audiobook and found that it was nothing like the movie. My expectations weren't met but I might still continue reading the series since I don't know what will happen.

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (Joyce D.) This book read like a draft of a manuscript - not a finished book.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Zach H.) Everyone I've talked to who has read this books has raved about it, saying they loved it when they were younger. I think that perhaps I waited too long to read it. It might just be best to read as a child and as the first sci-fi book one reads.

Sophie's Choice by William Styron (Melissa P.) I had high hopes of this book (and I enjoyed the movie) so was surprisingly disappointed to not get past the first four pages of novel.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Jessica W.) I wish I would have saved my time and watched the movie first. The main characters are very whiny which made it hard to stay interested. There were some big plot twists that broke up the whining and made the book almost bearable.

Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum (Jill S.) I was intrigued by the idea of the novel - an American living in Switzerland, married to a Swiss man, trying to blend into the very "established" Swiss social system (probably because I also married a Swiss and lived in Switzerland). However, this novel was really just the whining and non-sensical sexual promiscuity of a woman with many issues.

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab (Katherine R.) I absolutely love the premise of this book which is that there are 3 different Londons (red, white, and grey) and that with magic a few people are able to travel between them.  Sadly, I could only make it half-way through this book before being so frustrated with the lack of character development and that there was no depth to the writing that I had to stop.  I am very frustrated that this book could have been amazing and wasn't.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Cary H.) I have to agree with Jessica! I haven't disliked a book as much as Gone Girl in a long time. It actually made me mad and tense!