Should I Stay or Should I Go? – Decluttering my TBR (with your help!)

~ Jackie @ Too Much of a Booknerd

This is a slightly different version of Down the TBR Hole because I DON’T KNOW WHETHER TO KEEP THESE OR NOT!

I need opinions… lots of them!

I was going through my TBR list and I found so many books that are popular and very hyped up but also have some 1 star and DNF reviews! And I was just confused!!!

TBR hole Declutter

I picked out 5 books where I was unsure what to do and I am hoping that you guys can help me!

Should I keep them and read them ASAP? Should I delete them from my TBR and forget about them forever?

Decisions, people. DECISIONS.

If you’ve read any of the following books, please let me know what you loved/hated about them and whether I should keep or delete! THANK YOU!

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I watched the movie YEEEAAARRRS ago and I was super bored and pretty much forced myself through it. So I never intended to read the book. But so many people love it and maybe I wasn’t in the right mindset to watch it? To be fair, I was probably like 13 when I saw the movie so maybe I didn’t understand the deeper ~meaning~ of it 😀

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? Please let me know if you liked/hated this book and why you think I should not read it!!!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Sooooo many people are saying this is their least favourite Rainbow Rowell book. Some people are saying they hated it. Some people absolutely loved it! WHAT DO I DO?????

I’ve only read Rainbow’s Eleanor & Park but I really loved her writing so I’m considering it? But at the same time, the synopsis doesn’t really speak to me?

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

I believe this is similar to Perks? Apparently I’ve seen the movie to this one as well but I honestly don’t remember A SINGLE THING.

Again, some people love it some hate it and I don’t know if I’m interested to read it! It seems like a good story but I don’t want to waste my time if it ends up being bad! Is it enough to just watch the movie? Or should I read the book?

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

You might have noticed that I don’t read a lot of books about mystery or thriller but that’s not because I don’t like them!

I’m interested in reading more books of that genre but I only want to read books that are GOOD! Because I read thrillers so rarely, I don’t want to waste my time with semi-exciting stories – GIVE ME THE GOOD STUFF! If you’ve read it, please let me know if it was indeed the good stuff 😛

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I honestly don’t know whether I want to start this series or not. It’s sooooo controversial and it’s obviously problematic.

I’ve recently read the ACOTAR series and let me tell you… I. AM. IN. LOVE. But Throne of Glass??? I don’t know if I’m interested. The only reason I’d potentially want to read it is because I want to get to know Dorian!

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? I need good reasons as to why I should read this series SO HIT ME WITH THEM!!!

That’s it for all the books I’m indecisive about! Please please please *begs* let me know what you think of them and if I should keep them or let them go!

Thank you for reading!

Buttonnnn

Have you read any of these books? What did you like/hate about them? Should I keep them on my TBR or delete them forever? Let’s chat in the comments!

Published by Jackie @ Too Much of a Booknerd

134 thoughts on “Should I Stay or Should I Go? – Decluttering my TBR (with your help!)”

  2. Toss Throne of Glass. I tried it based on others enthusiasm and it felt like a shadow of The Hunger Games with a lot of blurriness. ACOTR though…amazing. Love that series by Maas.
    Also the above is just my opinion so to anyone who reads this and disagrees thats my disclaimer

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    1. Alright thank you so much for your help! And don’t worry we all have different opinions on books, it would be boring if everyone liked the same books 😊

      I think I might read TOG to see for myself but I have a feeling I won’t be a big fan of it!
      But you’re right ACOTAR is brilliant! Have you read ACOWAR yet?

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      1. Not yet. It is on my immense and towering TBR. On the bright side i bought that baby as soon as it hit the shelves! Feyre and Rhys ❤

        I'm getting into the sporit of pride month and looking for some good LGBT + Any suggestions? Ive read one novella and it didnt sit well

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      2. Ohhh I can relate! I bought so many new releases but I just can’t get around to reading them! ACOWAR is absolutely brilliant though and I really hope you’ll enjoy it! I lovvveee Feyre and Rhys, they’re some of my all time favourite characters 😍

        Hmmm, let me think… Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a super cute and wonderful contemporary and it has a m/m romance! Or Aristotle and Dante discover the Secrets of the Universe!

        I’ve heard amazing things about Queens of Geek and How To Make A Wish which both have bisexual representation! And for f/f romance I can recommend The Seafarer’s Kiss which is a fantasy book about two female mermaids!

        Let me know if you need more or if any of them don’t interest you! I’ll be happy to help 😊😊

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  3. The Girl on the Train is definitely not the best thriller I’ve read. The characters are unlikeable and it’s a bit boring at times! The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite books though.

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  7. I need to read Perks! I’ve been dying to read it but never get around to it…I tried the Girl on the Train…wasn’t for me. But I think I’m the odd duck that didn’t like it because everyone else likes it ha-ha!

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  8. I love the ToG series. It is so amazing to me how Maas pulled together the complexity of the story line, the world building, the character dynamics and growth, and just the progression of the story in general. I feel like Maas is such a talented author. She reminds me to Rowling with Harry Potter in the aspect that everything that happens in the beginning comes back. There is so much weaving of plots and surprises. It’s such a roller coaster. And then Celaena is a freakin badass, so there is that.

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    1. Ooooohhhh that sounds so good! Thank you SO much for these very insightful thoughts! I’ve read Maas’ ACOTAR series and I loved her world building and the characters she created! So I’m hoping to feel the same about TOG! I’ll definitely give TOG a try now after reading your lovely comment! Thank you ❤️

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      1. Oh yay! I’m so glad I could help. One thing I should note is that I feel like TOG is a set up novel for the rest of the story. It is not my favorite in the series but I still 100% love it. I feel like the first one gets a lot of criticism and people don’t keep going.

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      2. That’s good to know! Usually, I wouldn’t continue a series if I didn’t like the first book but some of my favourite series have a “bad” first book and continue to get better so I’ll definitely keep that in mind while reading TOG! Thank you so much 😊

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  9. “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is one of my all-time favorites! It addresses some tough stuff such as suicide and mental health, but in a way that is approachable and understandable. Great plot, even better characters. I’d totally recommend!

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  10. I loved Landline as well as all of Rainbow Rowell’s other books.
    I enjoyed Its Kind of a Funny Story (just finished it a few days ago). It is an ownvoices novel since the author himself suffered from depression and spent some time in a mental hospital. If you are interested in mental health then maybe you will like this book 🙂
    I think Girl on the Train is a bit overhyped. I didn’t like the main character too much and I found the pacing to be slow for a thriller
    I read Perks a while back but don’t remember much about it haha

    Hope this helps!
    Sophie

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  11. 1. Perks – good movie, try it again, but don’t bother with the book. It was boring as heck. 2. Funny Story – another good movie, I like the book so far. 3. Landline – not my favorite Rowell but I do want to finish it so I’d say it’s worth it. 4. Girl on the Train – I like the writing and even though I was spoiled for the ending, I liked the journey because it’s got dark twisty bits. 5. Throne of Glass – the first book is hard to get through. I had a couple false starts, but I liked it well enough once I did read it. I’ve heard the series gets better, but I might wait to read on until it’s done.

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      1. Not yet. I do know they made some changes, such as it being set in America/the MC still being English rather than the whole thing taking place in England, but I do still want to give it a try. I like the actors in it and I really want to see that ending on screen. 😈

        Oh, and another reason to give the Perks movie a second go? Ezra Miller. 😍

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      2. Oh really? Why didn’t they just film the entire thing in England? That’s weird XD I love Emily Blunt so I might as well watch it just for her haha! Oohhh, now I’m curious and I want to know what the ending is 😂

        Ahhhh yes!!! I totally forgot Ezra Miller is in it! Okay, I’ll DEFINITELY rewatch the Perks movie 😍

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  12. I’ve read 4 of the 5 books in Throne of Glass Series. You do NEED to READ it!! I also started reading Girl on the Train but a friend of mine spoiled the ending and some crucial parts so I then gave up reading the book so all I know is that the plot is interesting!

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  13. I definitely think Throne of Glass should be a keeper. It’s got a great overarching storyline and characters that keep growing with each book. I think part of the reason why people don’t like ToG is because of Celaena and how she acts, but if you read on it’s explained, you understand it, and she definitely improves with each and every book. It’s a really great journey and I highly recommend it!

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    1. Thank you so so much for this lovely comment! You’ve actually given me REASONS instead of just telling me to “Go read it right now!!!” XD I will definitely give it a try then! I’ve heard that the main character can be a little annoying but I’ve also heard the series gets better so we’ll see! Thanks so much 😊

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  14. Despite the first book of Throne of Glass being a bit…um slow? Weird? For some…We say its more of a filler on the new world she’s introducing 😉 plus you should take into account that it’s her debut novel!!

    Soo why should YOU read this series?
    1. Badass female lead we all need
    2. Blood, guts and gore (not too much 😅) from the second book that strengthens the badass-ness!!
    3. 🎶”A Whole New World!!”🎶
    4. Developed characters along the series – nothing is as it seems (as long as you don’t spoil yourself 😉)
    5. Because MC is also a book lover and chocolate lover AND assassin and more later on…😉
    6. Super cute side characters and super cool OTPS!!
    7. You liked her other books 📚😉
    8. BECAUSE WE DEMAND YOU TO READ THIS GLORIOUS-NESS!!😆😆

    We should stop now… But yeah….read it! Read it ALL!!❤

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    1. Ahhhh thank you so much girls!!!! I think I have more than enough reasons to read TOG now 😂

      I love badass female leads AND BLOOD AND GORE and you’re totally right… I DID like her other series a lot!

      Omg I didn’t even think about the fact that this was her debut novel! Alright it makes sense that this might not be her strongest book! XD

      And yayyyy a book lover and cute side characters, I NEED THIS!

      Thank you so much for sharing and helping me with my decision XD I guess I’ll have to read it then!

      PS. I missed you!!! 💜

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      1. You’re welcome !🤓❤ Just doing our duty to spread the love of our lovely little babies…we mean BOOKS 😁😁

        MC in Book one with Emojis = 🤴🏻👮🏽 💃🏼🔪🎁🐻 🍫🍫📚😆
        MC in Book two with Emojis = 💃🏼👸🏾🔪⚔🗡💣📈😭

        It’s a shame there’s no emoji for blood…🤗

        But hey once you get into this series and then you reread it (LIKE WE DID😉) you’ll see a bit of of hints (or foreshadowing??) of the things that were to come in later books!! That’s when we knew she was always good at writing!!😍👌🏻

        Let’s be honest – it’s the characters that makes us stay!😉🤓

        You’re welcome our little cherry blossom 🌸 – glad OUR EVIL PLAN TO JOIN US WITH ALL THE CRAZY HAS WORKED…….we mean glad we can help with your TBR pile AND MAKE IT LONGER OR/& NOT MAKE IT SHORTER!!

        AWWW WE MISSED YOU!! 😊😊❤ Who knew we would be sucked in with all the coursework etc. Hopefully we get to post too – we have so many ideas that we are having to restraint and it needs OUT!!

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      2. Hahahaha 😂😂 OHHHHH MY GOD THOSE EMOJIS MAKE ME WANT TO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!! Stop that girls, I have no time right now! XD

        Yes, she’s a great writer (except when she used MALE in like every other sentence in acotar lol XD)

        I tried to shorten my TBR a few days ago and I even managed to get rid of some of them! But then there’s people like you two who keep telling me to read all these amazing books and IT JUST WON’T STOP GROWING! Ahhhh I’m drowning 😂

        Oh wow I can’t wait for those ideas to come to life in your posts and read all about them 😉

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      3. Hehehe we’re evil like that!😉😉

        Yup she can be a bit “distracted” by her characters some time…😉😂

        Hey we thought it only fair to make other people read these amazing books…well try to, like we try! WE’RE ALL DROWNING!!😂😂😅

        We can’t wait to – hopefully we get through all those tags and reviews we need to do first! XD XD

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  15. I last read Perks YEARS ago so I don’t really remember much, but you should definitely try reading it. I remember liking the book as well as the movie, which doesn’t usually happen because if I like a book, I won’t like the movie and vice versa.

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  16. You should definitely keep The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and Throne Of Glass. Not sure about the others, though. My friend has read both Landline and The Girl On The Train and told me they were a huge disappointment. But I wouldn’t judge the book until I read it myself.

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    1. Alright I’ll definitely keep those two then! And I might give the other ones a try but they’re far, far down on my TBR right now 😂 I never knew if I should read TOG because I kept hearing that the main character is annoying and stuff! Does it get better in the other books? 🙈

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  17. I know I read The Perks Of Being a Wallflower years ago (probably close to the release of the movie) but I couldn’t tell you if I liked it or not anymore – I’m old, okay? I’ve got a bad memory.

    But you should definitely read Throne Of Glass! But, FIRST read the novella bind-ups The Assassin’s Blade as it gives you a lot of backstory into Celeana’s character but also introduces a bunch of characters that come into play later on and it’s just more fun when you already know the characters or you know what is referenced! But also, if you happen to not like Throne Of Glass as much – continue on until at least the second book! I loved that one so much more! I read it in two days and then continued right on with Heir Of Fire and actually spend all night reading it because I was HOOKED.

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    1. Hahaha that’s totally fine! I never remember books or what they were about either! I might still give Perks a try though because others have been saying they’ve loved it!

      Okay then! I didn’t know there was a novella so I might read that first then! I’ve heard TOG is basically a lot of info dump so the world building etc can take place! I’ll keep that in mind while reading and (hopefully) continue on with the series!

      Hahaha I LOVE when that happens! When a book is so intriguing and exciting that you just can’t stop reading 😍

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  21. The Perks is my absolute all-time favourite book, I would definitely recommend keeping this on your TBR! I also really loved It’s Kind of a Funny Story ☺️

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  22. The only book on your list that I’ve read is Throne of Glass and I definitely did enjoy it. It’s absolutely not as good as the ACOTAR series though! And although I liked the first I was so bored during Queen of Shadows and Heir of Fire. I haven’t read any further. I wouldn’t recommend this series because QoS and HoF were so disappointing.😔

    As for It’s kind of a funny story, I think it’s actually a good thing you forgot the movie. I’ve heard several people mention they didn’t like the book, because they’re we’re too confused after the movie. Apparently the movies twists the story completely and changes characters. I haven’t read the book or watched the film, so I can’t say if this is true, but oh well now you know.

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    1. Oooh you’re one of the few people who don’t like TOG! That’s cool XD I think I’ll give the first one a try but it already gives me bad vibes so I might not continue with the series!

      Thanks for letting me know! I hate when movies do that! I think I’ll have to give the book a try but I’m not sure if I’ll watch the movie!

      Thanks so much for helping! 😊😊

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  23. HAHAHA I’VE READ NONE OF THESE BOOKS. I still want to read Perks because I’ve heard good things about it as well! But TOG… I’m probably just going to stay away from all of SJM’s books because PROBLEMATIC. 😥 The Girl on the Train — I’ve heard good things about this as well! I feel like it won some award, and you gotta trust those awards. 😉

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    1. Hahahaha May why are we literally one and the same 😂

      I think I’ve decided to give all of these a try now but yeah, I’m not too fond of SJM either. I REALLY enjoyed her acotar series because the world she created is so incredible and I love the characters (although it’s DEFINITELY more New Adult so I wouldn’t recommend it to you until you’re a bit older) but I don’t like supporting her books if she’s so problematic 😔

      And I’ll trust those awards and read Girl on a Train hahaha 😜 Thanks for your help May ❤️

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  24. Of these, I have only read Perks. It can read very dated since it takes place in the early nineties and very obviously so because of the cultural references, which can make it awkward but I loved that book. It’s short and deals with so many different issues. I thought it was a wonderful book, completely worth reading.

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  25. If the Perks movie bored you then the book is pretty much the same. I wouldn’t waste your time. And landline is a controversial one. I loved it! But then I’m also in my 30’s so this more adult book is something I related to entirely. Maybe try Attachments? It’s more adult than her usual but light, cute and funny. I got into Throne of Glass last year and absolutely devoured the entire series. I will always recommend that one 🙂

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  26. I’ve actually read all of these! Perks and It’s Kind of a Funny Story are both books that I enjoyed when I read them back in high school, but I don’t think I would enjoy them if I read them now. If the movies didn’t resonate with you, I would skip them. I LOVE Landline; it’s one of my favorite Rainbow Rowell books (I know I’m in the minority with that one, though). I think if you do keep that one, maybe try to read it near Christmas? Just because it takes place over the holidays. Girl on the Train was good, but it was very much a “semi-exciting story,” as you put it. There are definitely better thrillers out there. As for Throne of Glass, if you liked Sarah J. Maas’s writing, it’s worth a shot. I really loved the first few books, but I feel like the series has definitely gone downhill. And also, I’d just say to be aware of the problematic elements as you’re reading, because they’re definitely worth noting.

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    1. OH YAY!!!
      Alright, I might have to remove both Perks and ‘Funny Story’ from my TBR then!
      Ohhh, you really are one of the few people who love Landline XD Thanks for letting me know, I’ll have to put it on my Christmas TBR then!
      I might have to give TOG a try because although it’s very controversial and problematic and I’ll definitely be aware of that while reading, I’m still intrigued!
      Thank you so much for your help ❤️

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  28. For the first three books I’m having the exact same dilemma – I’ve heard so many great things about them but I just don’t know whether to give them a chance or not or just give them a miss?? It’s so hard to choose! The Girl on the Train I haven’t read but it does sound really good, and there’s been so much hype surrounding it, I’m keen to see whether or not it lives up to all the positive reviews! Throne of Glass I quite enjoyed so if you get the chance I would give it a go! I haven’t got to the rest of the series yet and I don’t know if I want to but we’ll see.

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    1. Yayyy finally someone who can relate 😂 I feel like Perks is a book that EVERYONE has read and I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out on something so I might as well give it a go!

      And I feel the same about Girl on the Train! I’m always curious to see whether a book lives up to the hype!

      And I’ll give TOG a chance then, thank you so much for your help! 😊

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  29. The only book I have read here is The Perks, and I really, really enjoyed it. That being said, if you were bored by the movie, maybe you will be by the book just as well ? :/
    If you’ve enjoyed Eleanor & Park, but that particular book doesn’t inspire you, then I’d say, get rid of it ahah 🙂 I liked Attachments by this author, it’s a book barely anyone talks aobut ahah, but it was a lot of fun to read 🙂

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    1. Yeah, that is my worry! If I don’t read the book, I’ll just rewatch the movie and see if I’d like it more now that I’m older!
      And you’re right XD I don’t have to read EVERY book by the author if it doesn’t speak to me haha! I’ll give Attachments a go then, thank you so much for helping! 😊

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  30. Wasn’t overly fussed with Landline or Perks. I had to really think if I’d read girl on the train – I have, must have been good… I loved Throne of Glass but I’ve personally put the series down after 4 books because I’ve lost interest.

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  31. I didn’t like Landline much it had some good moments but overall it was just okay. I really like TOG but it is definitely problematic however since you loved ACOTAR then you will most likely enjoy TOG so I think you should give it a chance

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  32. In my very biased opinion, you should
    – keep Perks of Being a Wildflower
    – pass on Landline (definitely not up to the standards set by some of her other books)
    – skip It’s Kind of a Funny Story (it sounded so good!)
    I guess if you like ACOTAR you might like TOG, but I think it’s an awful, highly problematic series and a huge page commitment. 😂

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  34. This is such an awesome post idea! I LOVED The Perks of Being a Wallflower, it was short, but powerful, so I would keep it! I also recently read ToG and loved it! So I would give that one a try as well!

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  35. I don’t think thirteen year olds should watch The Perks of Being a Wallflower to be honest. 😝 It’s a little slow paced. Okay, I liked the book a lot, I thought it was pretty darn good and still rung true to this today (impressive, considering it was the nineties). However, my high school life is not like that at all (I’m too much of a homebody, lol). So I couldn’t relate to those parts as much, and yeah, it’s a bit slow. But it’s still a worthwhile read, I think.
    The Girl on the Train is not a perfect book, but I loved it, flaws and all. Most of the complaints I see are about the characters not being likable, which is true, but I found it to be kinda like one of my favorite crime shows, Broadchurch (even though Broadchurch still has more likable characters, lol): it’s realistic. The characters act like people, with good points and bad points. So I highly recommend it if you like crime thrillers!

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    1. Haha that is good to know! Everyone was watching at the time and I just wanted to feel like I belong XD

      Thank you so so much for sharing! I’m glad to hear you liked the book! I think I’ll give it a try then and hope I’ll like it! 😊

      I don’t really read (or watch for that matter) crime thrillers but I have a feeling I’d like Girl on the Train despite the “unlikeable” characters! Thank you so much for your help!!!

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      1. I hope you like it too!
        The Girl on the Train was definitely good. I find it overly hated. I feel like people got their expectations up because it was being called, “The Next Gone Girl”. As I haven’t read or watched Gone Girl, I didn’t have that problem. And no problem!

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  36. I have only read The Perks of Being A Wallflower and I honestly wasn’t impressed by it. It was kind of a disappointment for me. With that being said though it still wasn’t bad I was just expecting so much more from it.

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  39. I’m like you. I watched Perks when I was probably too young to understand so I didn’t like it at all so I didn’t attempt to read it. But looking at all the positive comments, maybe I should give it another chance
    I liked The Girl on the Train. But I loved Gone Girl (Book, not movie). So if you are not a fan of the genre then it might not be your cup of tea.

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