The Worst Books of 2021

By "worst" I mean "most disappointing" but I want those clicks yooooooo

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you gorgeous bibliophiles. You are all my faves.

- - Join me elsewhere! - -
Instagram: @thebookbully_
Twitter: @Jillisant

[Toastwig]

Re:fifty sounds, makes me think of this quote I love from doctor Zhivago - “I think a little philosophy should be added to life and art by way of spice, but to make it one’s specialty seems to me as strange as feeding on nothing but pickles.”

[sarahfolger]

Wait. A video from you and Rick this week?? Yay!

[homolibrariensis]

Oh no! So sad to hear about the Polly Barton book. But maybe this will help me get my tbr below 500.... ps. Lovely to hear some east coasters on here

[donreadsalot]

I really like how you differentiate between the most disappointing books you read this year, as opposed to just saying they were the worst. If we all had the same tastes, how boring the world would be, anyway.

[timetoread]

I bought Mona a few months ago and it is DEFINITELY going on my Women in Translation month TBR now, lol. I really liked How Much of These Hills Is Gold, but...it definitely wasn't like...amazing or anything. I thought the story was compelling and it was very readable and about a topic I didn't really know anything about. But yeah, definitely would not rave about it, lol.

[MarilynMayaMendoza]

PS I've read most of Agatha Christies's main books and I know what you mean about the ABC murders. It was all over the place. I just read the Moving finger and it was everything ABC wasn't.

[amymaddess]

Ughh 'Up All Night' seemed so interesting for a second there! I'd love to read a book about the history of news television.

[sandra.]

This is a great end of the year video...btw, I could tell that Mona was not my kind of book by the description, 🤷🏻but great cover

[staceymatson]

My biggest disappointments were: Rodham (C. Sittenfeld); Killing Commendatore (H. Murakami); Klara and the Sun (K. Ishiguro); The Searcher (T. French) and How to Pronounce Knife (S. Thammavongsa). Four of which made the list because I've loved so many of their other books and then (makes farting noise with tongue).

[MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Jill, I'm glad I haven't read any of these books. I enjoy your articulate analysis of each book. Happy New Year. Aloha

[BlazeTheMovieFan]

I just discovered your channel and I like what I see so I subscribed.

[RememberedReads]

I was disappointed by Polar Vortex as well, largely because I hated all the relationship -romantic and friendship - drama. Priya and Alex are in their 60s though, not their 40s though - I've seen so many people complain about relationship drama in books about young or middle aged characters, that I keep bringing this book up and saying "No, it's terrible when they're seniors too!" 🤣🤣

[sgriffin]

Love your videos no matter what you’re talking about! Happy Holidays!

[glendaw]

I think I read ABC Murders and didn’t like it. I can’t remember either. Also when you started talking about Polar Vortex I was excited because I have had a book by that name on my TBR forever. Oops. Mine was by Matthew Mather!! Loved and laughed at your description of Mona.

[dianaalmeida]

Regarding the "Up all Night" book: the "white man" reference you made several times on your review, not sure if that was something that was emphasized in the book or is just you who don't like him because he's white among other things...Not sure why that's related with not liking a person's traits or character over all.

[SpringboardThought]

I don’t blame you for wanting them clicks. I want them too. We all do. Everyone else just houses lies in their heart.

Yeah Hitchhikers 3rd one was pretty underwhelming :\

Been putting off Fifty Sounds because I’m scared of it now. Did you see it recommended off of Books and Bao as well? I got it to see if their tastes and my own align, and now I’m afraid to find out.

I was gonna buy Mona and The Mermaid of Black Conch but decided not to. My dodged is getting better and better.

I thought How Much of These Hills is Gold was pretty mediocre too. A different perspective than typical, but waaaay too granular in its depiction of every day activities for me. Slowed everything down. Even on audio I struggled.

[samcd]

You’re great! Never stop making videos.

[cheryllovestoread]

Hi. New sub from Mercedes’ channel 🙋‍♀️

Had to comment on How Much of These Hills. (I read it before Simon, so no ding from me 😊) It was boring! I wanted to love it and the setting and circumstances of the first one or two chapters tugged me in, but after that, I didn’t care. How can you not be drawn into a story of two grieving orphan children walking their way alone across the wilderness💔!?? And, I even tend to like a bit of magical realism. This should have been a 100% win for me. But nope 😥

Great video. Looking forward to more.

[MsReadsAlot]

My favorite Christie is And then there were none. I haven’t read any of these! Probably a good thing!

[abookhug]

totally agree about How much of these hills is gold... ;)