Lately, I've been hearing so much hype for certain books in the young adult genre. Maybe their author got a $1 million advance from their publisher for a trilogy. Maybe they got a movie deal before they were even published. It might just be that they're something good and different in a genre that's starting to get a little monotonous and samey.
Checking out these hyped books and seeing if they're worth all the hype is the purpose of the H.Y.P.E. Project. What is H.Y.P.E. an acronym for? Absolutely nothing! The plan is to review the book just like any other book and divide each review into specific categories: characters, plot/pacing, setting, themes, writing, logic (because a surprising number of books lack logic nowadays), and then a section talking about why it was hyped and whether or not it was worth the hype.
These are the books that are definite parts of the H.Y.P.E. Project:
(All novels struck through and with links attached were already read and reviewed, and the links will take you to the review.)
Matched by Ally Condie
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Die For Me by Amy Plum
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Are there any books you've heard a lot of hype about that I forgot to put on the list? Comment and tell me what I missed! I'm always open to more books as long as I feel they fit the proper criteria. I'd like them to be published in 2009 or later and have a good reason for the hype such as:
So cast your vote in a comment for whichever book you want me to read ASAP. There's one book I'm going to read first (The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge, which I've been waiting half a year to read), but then I'll get started. Let's hope at least one of these books is worth my time; two of them are confirmed wrecks, one because I've read it before (I'm including it in this project for the sake of GLORIOUSLY ripping it a new one) and the other because I've read thorough reviews of it and content of the book dictates I will hate it no matter what.
This project will not be done speedily; I'll probably rotate between H.Y.P.E. books and books I've got waiting for me at home. But they will be read and I will try to find out which books are worth their hype and which ones don't deserve a word of it. My brain might be mush by the end of this project.
Checking out these hyped books and seeing if they're worth all the hype is the purpose of the H.Y.P.E. Project. What is H.Y.P.E. an acronym for? Absolutely nothing! The plan is to review the book just like any other book and divide each review into specific categories: characters, plot/pacing, setting, themes, writing, logic (because a surprising number of books lack logic nowadays), and then a section talking about why it was hyped and whether or not it was worth the hype.
These are the books that are definite parts of the H.Y.P.E. Project:
(All novels struck through and with links attached were already read and reviewed, and the links will take you to the review.)
Are there any books you've heard a lot of hype about that I forgot to put on the list? Comment and tell me what I missed! I'm always open to more books as long as I feel they fit the proper criteria. I'd like them to be published in 2009 or later and have a good reason for the hype such as:
- being different or a "good" book of its not-so-wonderful subgenre (like Die For Me and Unearthly, respectively),
- getting a movie deal and a huge advance (like Divergent),
- being "this popular book meets this popular book" (like Matched),
- having a really pretty cover (like Hush, Hush),
- or just being so God awful that word of how awful it is gets around (like Halo and Hush, Hush).
So cast your vote in a comment for whichever book you want me to read ASAP. There's one book I'm going to read first (The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge, which I've been waiting half a year to read), but then I'll get started. Let's hope at least one of these books is worth my time; two of them are confirmed wrecks, one because I've read it before (I'm including it in this project for the sake of GLORIOUSLY ripping it a new one) and the other because I've read thorough reviews of it and content of the book dictates I will hate it no matter what.
This project will not be done speedily; I'll probably rotate between H.Y.P.E. books and books I've got waiting for me at home. But they will be read and I will try to find out which books are worth their hype and which ones don't deserve a word of it. My brain might be mush by the end of this project.
You should definitely read Divergent if you haven't already. I personally felt it lived up to the INSANELY POSITIVE hype it received.
ReplyDeleteNightshade by Andrea Cremer is, sad to say, not worth reading. Not only is it poorly written, there is hardly any character development: The author tells the reader that her heroine is fierce and formidable, however, I found the words 'I shivered' three times in one page - and she wasn't even cold! EVERYTHING seems to scare the girl - it's ridiculous. If you want to read a werewolf book with a more than likeable heroine, I strongly recommend 'Raised by Wolves' by Jennifer Lynn Barnes; I've read it about three times now, and have never grown tired of it. :)
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