12/03/10
Book Hype: Early Book Death or Stark Craved Fans?
Posted In: Uncategorized
It’s been so very long since I’ve done a discussion post, I’m not even sure I remember how to do one. But I figured since I’d have access to the computer today… and might actually be able to participate in the said discussion, I thought, why not?
So as you can probably guess from the title of this post, it’s about BOOK HYPE!! I think you know what I’m talking about. And even if you’ve never experienced first hand with a book, I’m sure there has been a video game or a movie or something along those lines that you can relate to. As far as this post goes, however, we will be focusing on the book kind.
The highly anticipated book! You know what I’m talking about. These books go through the nines…. they are primped and promoted. Not only by the publishers but by readers and bloggers. In this instance I’m thinking of a series …. perhaps the last novel, a perfect example of this epidemic would be The Hunger Games Trilogy and perhaps even more specific, the release of Mockingjay. (I could easily plug Harry Potter in here… or perhaps even The Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice… December 7th!!! this is me being a starve craved fan here!)
But for the duration of this post… I’m going to stick to The Hunger Games.
I was never interested in reading this series. I heard how wonderful it was… I was witness to the “HYPE” and honestly, all that hype made me not want to read the novel even more.
And just think about all the hype that surrounded the release of Mockingjay. If you are a blogger or a blog reader there is no way you could have been oblivious to this phenomenon. I mean when the cover was posted… was your feed reader full, because mine was. (And I still posted about it!)
Now, I eventually read the first two novels in The Hunger Games Trilogy…. it was actually around this time last year. And I absolutely loved them. I was sort of disappointed that I let the hype keep me at bay for so long. Why did I do that?
Sometimes the hype annoys me… and then at other times the hype has me starving mad!
Here’s what a few of my fellow readers/blogger had to say when I asked them if book hype turned them off.
@sprntrlsnark
Not usually. It does sometimes raise my expectations to a level that is usually very hard to meet though.
@CrookedCarla
ALL the time. Hype makes me wary, plus when blogs get saturated with a certain book I automatically think “meh”
@angiebookgirl
Constantly. I’m fickle, Kristi. What can I say? Love it when they prove me wrong, though. That’s a good day.
@HeatherKegler
Yes, absolutely! I’ve avoided a few books that seemed to be over-hyped undeservingly.
I also asked my twitter-mates if there was a specific book that received a lot of hype, that they were reluctant to read, but ended up loving it.
@sheba201
The Hunger Games. I kept telling everyone I tried to read books that were avoided by everyone:P
@TotalBookaholic
Perfect Chemistry and The Body Finder, but they were both beyond amazing!!
@Cbkwrm
Shiver. There was SO much hype, but it turned out to be true!
@sophisti_katied
HUNGER GAMES. I avoided that book like the plague, but it’s one of my favorites now.
@AfiaRegina
Yes! The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.
@chicgeekrambles
Yes John Green Looking for Alaska & Two-way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
So here are my questions for you fellow readers. What do you think about book hype? Is it a good thing or a bad thing. Have you ever fallen prey to the book hype titan? Did you ever read a book despite being afraid because of the hype… and love it… or hate it? Can there be too much hype?
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114 Comments
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I fell victim to the Twilight hype back in '08. It's funny now because I hate how over glamorized it's gotten. It was the first book that got me into reading, so I respect it for that reason, but I've read amazing books since then that can easily top it.
Also, I read the Hunger Games back in '09 a couple months before Catching Fire came out, but now that it's all hyped up, none of my friends want to read it
It's sad because it's really an AMAZING book. -
I fell victim to the Twilight hype back in '08. It's funny now because I hate how over glamorized it's gotten. It was the first book that got me into reading, so I respect it for that reason, but I've read amazing books since then that can easily top it.
Also, I read the Hunger Games back in '09 a couple months before Catching Fire came out, but now that it's all hyped up, none of my friends want to read it
It's sad because it's really an AMAZING book. -
I actually really enjoy book hype. I love getting all excited with my blogger friends and talking to people who have actually read it.
For example, Anna and the French Kiss. It's been talked about for MONTHS. I'd have no idea what to expect from it because it's a debut author, except for all the hype. The hype has gotten me excited for it – more excited than I would be if I had just seen it in passing on Goodreads. And I like being excited.
But, a little hypocritcally I guess, I do avoid over hyped books sometimes, like The Hunger Games. (To be fair, I would have read The Hunger Games, but someone spoiled the end of Mockingjay in a review for a completely different book….)
I enjoyed Twilight when it first came out, and then New Moon, but around the time I started reading Eclipse – that was when the hype began, and I started to back off the Twilight series.
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I actually really enjoy book hype. I love getting all excited with my blogger friends and talking to people who have actually read it.
For example, Anna and the French Kiss. It's been talked about for MONTHS. I'd have no idea what to expect from it because it's a debut author, except for all the hype. The hype has gotten me excited for it – more excited than I would be if I had just seen it in passing on Goodreads. And I like being excited.
But, a little hypocritcally I guess, I do avoid over hyped books sometimes, like The Hunger Games. (To be fair, I would have read The Hunger Games, but someone spoiled the end of Mockingjay in a review for a completely different book….)
I enjoyed Twilight when it first came out, and then New Moon, but around the time I started reading Eclipse – that was when the hype began, and I started to back off the Twilight series.
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I never let hype turn me off from reading a book. Quite the opposite actually. I always let myself be swept off in the hype. I love it! And the vast majority of the time I am not disappointed.
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I never let hype turn me off from reading a book. Quite the opposite actually. I always let myself be swept off in the hype. I love it! And the vast majority of the time I am not disappointed.
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The hype ruined Mockingjay for me – I had so many expectations since I loved the first and second books, but Mockingjay didn't live up to what I'd been building up in my mind for months. That's an exception, though. Usually hype just makes me really curious! Unless the book is a genre I don't care for and therefore really not my cup of tea, I'll be intrigued: why does everyone like it so much? Usually I check it out, not wanting to miss something that's awesome.
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The hype ruined Mockingjay for me – I had so many expectations since I loved the first and second books, but Mockingjay didn't live up to what I'd been building up in my mind for months. That's an exception, though. Usually hype just makes me really curious! Unless the book is a genre I don't care for and therefore really not my cup of tea, I'll be intrigued: why does everyone like it so much? Usually I check it out, not wanting to miss something that's awesome.
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I generally steer clear of the books receiving a lot of hype. It immediately makes me wary and question why the book is being loved so much. I prefer to wait and hear about a negative review so I can compare the good and the bad before making a final decision.
As it is, I just finished The Hunger Games books, after months of staying away from the hype, and disliked all of them. But there are times when I've liked books that receive a lot of hype. Namely, the Harry Potter series. So ultimately I think it goes both ways, it's just that I won't give in to the hype so easily.
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I generally steer clear of the books receiving a lot of hype. It immediately makes me wary and question why the book is being loved so much. I prefer to wait and hear about a negative review so I can compare the good and the bad before making a final decision.
As it is, I just finished The Hunger Games books, after months of staying away from the hype, and disliked all of them. But there are times when I've liked books that receive a lot of hype. Namely, the Harry Potter series. So ultimately I think it goes both ways, it's just that I won't give in to the hype so easily.
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Hype definitely draws me in! There are some favorite books of mine that I've read because of hype, like Harry Potter. Some of them looked much more appealing once I heard from specific bloggers whose tastes I trust how good they are. I also feel that hype sometimes come with series that readers already love in the first place, so that hype is often earned.
I think hype can also set up unrealstically high expectations for books. I know some people who are like, "Eh, so many people loved this book and it just wasn't for me." But I think that makes it so many interesting! I loved reading all of the reviews of Mockingjay because so many people read it and everyone had a different take on it.
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Hype definitely draws me in! There are some favorite books of mine that I've read because of hype, like Harry Potter. Some of them looked much more appealing once I heard from specific bloggers whose tastes I trust how good they are. I also feel that hype sometimes come with series that readers already love in the first place, so that hype is often earned.
I think hype can also set up unrealstically high expectations for books. I know some people who are like, "Eh, so many people loved this book and it just wasn't for me." But I think that makes it so many interesting! I loved reading all of the reviews of Mockingjay because so many people read it and everyone had a different take on it.
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I can definitely think of a certain book right now that is getting TONS OF HYPE!! I really want to read it because it seems right up my alley but at the same time…
there are so many books. So many great books that deserve some of the buzz that oftentimes seems to be granted to just a few super-promoted books. There are so many books I love that I wish had half the blogger attention that many hyped books have and though sometimes those books are deserving of all the praise, I still feel bad about the books that are EQUALLY AS GOOD, but left out.
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I can definitely think of a certain book right now that is getting TONS OF HYPE!! I really want to read it because it seems right up my alley but at the same time…
there are so many books. So many great books that deserve some of the buzz that oftentimes seems to be granted to just a few super-promoted books. There are so many books I love that I wish had half the blogger attention that many hyped books have and though sometimes those books are deserving of all the praise, I still feel bad about the books that are EQUALLY AS GOOD, but left out.
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Well, all the book hype surrounding Twilight made me stay the hell away from it. Until I read half of the first one and gave up on it. I watched the Alex Reads Twilight videos on Youtube instead.
(Warning: He kind of bashes the book. Like, really.)Other than that, book hype is fair game. I've been steered towards many of books, but the thing is I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE READ THEM ANYWAY, just not as soon.
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Well, all the book hype surrounding Twilight made me stay the hell away from it. Until I read half of the first one and gave up on it. I watched the Alex Reads Twilight videos on Youtube instead.
(Warning: He kind of bashes the book. Like, really.)Other than that, book hype is fair game. I've been steered towards many of books, but the thing is I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE READ THEM ANYWAY, just not as soon.
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i'll be the black sheep and say i loved the hype surrounding mockingjay. it's like how everything is more fun if all your friends are obsessed with the same thing you are. i read it as soon as i could get my hands on a copy :p
i think hype does depend on whether or not the book is a sequel or debut, for example, a debut like Anna and the French Kiss is one i want to read but am hesitant despite the awesome reviews and hype.
but a sequel like Where She Went is onei would drool over! interesting post! -
i'll be the black sheep and say i loved the hype surrounding mockingjay. it's like how everything is more fun if all your friends are obsessed with the same thing you are. i read it as soon as i could get my hands on a copy :p
i think hype does depend on whether or not the book is a sequel or debut, for example, a debut like Anna and the French Kiss is one i want to read but am hesitant despite the awesome reviews and hype.
but a sequel like Where She Went is onei would drool over! interesting post! -
Every once in a while I succumb to book hype. For example, I've been in line for The Hunger Games books from my library for 3 months now (I *might* get it before the end of the year). If I hear a lot about a book, I usually look it up and see if I'm interested. I ask friends or read reviews (spoiler-free) and see if it is well done.
I'm always a little leery if I only see reviews of "OMG I LOVED IT!!!!" without anything to back it up…but I don't think I've avoided something just because tons of people like it/rave about it.
With Harry Potter I avoided the series at first because I thought they looked too young for me (in 8th grade). It wasn't until my dad brought home a copy of the 1st book that I took a chance and fell in love. But I think that was before all the hype had expanded… It was shortly before or after the 3rd book had been released. After that, though, I was totally part of the hype-monster surrounding the books 0:-)
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Every once in a while I succumb to book hype. For example, I've been in line for The Hunger Games books from my library for 3 months now (I *might* get it before the end of the year). If I hear a lot about a book, I usually look it up and see if I'm interested. I ask friends or read reviews (spoiler-free) and see if it is well done.
I'm always a little leery if I only see reviews of "OMG I LOVED IT!!!!" without anything to back it up…but I don't think I've avoided something just because tons of people like it/rave about it.
With Harry Potter I avoided the series at first because I thought they looked too young for me (in 8th grade). It wasn't until my dad brought home a copy of the 1st book that I took a chance and fell in love. But I think that was before all the hype had expanded… It was shortly before or after the 3rd book had been released. After that, though, I was totally part of the hype-monster surrounding the books 0:-)
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I like to participate in book hype but I don't let myself get swept away. Unless it's a genre I'm really akin to. For example – I've heard all sorts of great things about 'Matched' & it's up my alley but I'll wait around 3 months before I even glance it's way. It's a system of mine that's tried and true.
What's more – I'm more the type of person who will read books based on author recommendations; be they on Goodreads or a plug. That's how I've happened across some of my favorite books – though not always – ( in fact it greatly annoys me that S.Meyer 'plugged' The Mortal Instruments series when I think Cassandra Clare is leaps & bounds better than the creator of the plague known as 'Twilight – *& yes – I read all four books – heck – I used to love them. Until I started branching out & realizing … certain things. )
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I like to participate in book hype but I don't let myself get swept away. Unless it's a genre I'm really akin to. For example – I've heard all sorts of great things about 'Matched' & it's up my alley but I'll wait around 3 months before I even glance it's way. It's a system of mine that's tried and true.
What's more – I'm more the type of person who will read books based on author recommendations; be they on Goodreads or a plug. That's how I've happened across some of my favorite books – though not always – ( in fact it greatly annoys me that S.Meyer 'plugged' The Mortal Instruments series when I think Cassandra Clare is leaps & bounds better than the creator of the plague known as 'Twilight – *& yes – I read all four books – heck – I used to love them. Until I started branching out & realizing … certain things. )
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I just ignore hype now to be honest. Because I've been disappointed one two many times by it. For instance Twilight. EVERYONE kept telling me how good it was. I read the summary and thought it sounded pretty dumb so I stayed away but finally succumbed when people kept assuring over and over again it wasn't. Turns out my instincts were right, I hated it. So now, I just ignore hype and read what sounds interesting to me. The only one that I've actually listened to hype on lately was Hunger Games which turned out to be excellent (and has started a interest in dystopian novels) and Paranormalcy (one of my favorite books of this year).
Lately none of the hype novels have been interesting me though. I have no desire to read Anna and the French Kiss (unless my library happens to have a copy of it). -
I just ignore hype now to be honest. Because I've been disappointed one two many times by it. For instance Twilight. EVERYONE kept telling me how good it was. I read the summary and thought it sounded pretty dumb so I stayed away but finally succumbed when people kept assuring over and over again it wasn't. Turns out my instincts were right, I hated it. So now, I just ignore hype and read what sounds interesting to me. The only one that I've actually listened to hype on lately was Hunger Games which turned out to be excellent (and has started a interest in dystopian novels) and Paranormalcy (one of my favorite books of this year).
Lately none of the hype novels have been interesting me though. I have no desire to read Anna and the French Kiss (unless my library happens to have a copy of it). -
I like book hype when the book is about to be released, but not months before it. It's the same with reviews month before a book is to be relased, I want them right before or on the release day.
When I see info on a book too often way before the publication date then it has a negative effect on me.
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I like book hype when the book is about to be released, but not months before it. It's the same with reviews month before a book is to be relased, I want them right before or on the release day.
When I see info on a book too often way before the publication date then it has a negative effect on me.
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Book hype always gets me wary about the book, although I don't really know why. I remember all the hype about Harry Potter. I refused to read any of the books, then my professor suggested I study the series for my Master's thesis. I only agreed because I thought I could shred the books that way, but I turned out loving them.
I'm still wary about the hype, though.
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Book hype always gets me wary about the book, although I don't really know why. I remember all the hype about Harry Potter. I refused to read any of the books, then my professor suggested I study the series for my Master's thesis. I only agreed because I thought I could shred the books that way, but I turned out loving them.
I'm still wary about the hype, though. -
Interesting post. I don't mind the hype,a lot of the "hyped" books are most of the time amazing. But, sometimes they fall flat for me. Unfortunately, I recently had this feeling with Nightshade. Everyone gushed how fantastic it was, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I'd have to say that's the only downfall from hype, when the book just doesn't do it for me. You even question, hm, how come I didn't enjoy it but everyone else did? Eh, I just gotta tell myself it happens. The hype can't make us all happy.
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Interesting post. I don't mind the hype,a lot of the "hyped" books are most of the time amazing. But, sometimes they fall flat for me. Unfortunately, I recently had this feeling with Nightshade. Everyone gushed how fantastic it was, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I'd have to say that's the only downfall from hype, when the book just doesn't do it for me. You even question, hm, how come I didn't enjoy it but everyone else did? Eh, I just gotta tell myself it happens. The hype can't make us all happy.
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Ugh, Twilight. I started reading Twilight in the winter of 2008 (before Breaking Dawn was released). I got through the first two and half way through Eclipse and had to stop (I found them to be terribly written). But then Breaking Dawn was released and there was soooo much hype and excitment, people were saying this was the best book of the series…blah blah blah (I'm sorry I really am not a fan of the books) I thought I would try again, I finished Eclipse and read Breaking Dawn and although I agree and think that Breaking Dawn is the best of the bunch, I could have done without.
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Ugh, Twilight. I started reading Twilight in the winter of 2008 (before Breaking Dawn was released). I got through the first two and half way through Eclipse and had to stop (I found them to be terribly written). But then Breaking Dawn was released and there was soooo much hype and excitment, people were saying this was the best book of the series…blah blah blah (I'm sorry I really am not a fan of the books) I thought I would try again, I finished Eclipse and read Breaking Dawn and although I agree and think that Breaking Dawn is the best of the bunch, I could have done without.
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Hello Kristi ! This is my first comment on your beautiful blog ! I am usually a bit reluctant to reading hype books, either because they're not the kind of books I usually read, or because I fear being disappointing ! Reading too many posts about the same book sometimes discourages me from reading it. Eventually, I read it and … love it ! This happened with Muriel Barbery's "The Elegence of the Hedgehog", which I read two years after its publication and I actually adored it. As far as "Hunger Games" is concerned, it is also a very hype book here in France and I did not read it yet ! But I offered the two first books to my thirteen years old nephew who enjoyed it so much that he convinced me to read it finally ! If I like it, I'll have to read the third book in english, as the french translation is not out yet !
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Hello Kristi ! This is my first comment on your beautiful blog ! I am usually a bit reluctant to reading hype books, either because they're not the kind of books I usually read, or because I fear being disappointing ! Reading too many posts about the same book sometimes discourages me from reading it. Eventually, I read it and … love it ! This happened with Muriel Barbery's "The Elegence of the Hedgehog", which I read two years after its publication and I actually adored it. As far as "Hunger Games" is concerned, it is also a very hype book here in France and I did not read it yet ! But I offered the two first books to my thirteen years old nephew who enjoyed it so much that he convinced me to read it finally ! If I like it, I'll have to read the third book in english, as the french translation is not out yet !
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Oups !! On my previous post, I meant "disappointed" and not "disappointing" !!
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Oups !! On my previous post, I meant "disappointed" and not "disappointing" !!
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I actually try not to listen to hype about books and movies! I know it's pretty weird but I just want to make my own dicision if I want to read a book regardless if the whole world loves it I might not and that's okay. Even if something may get an okay review I still have to read it for myself to make a judgement. For me Hype doesn't phase me I guess you can say I'm immune to it, lol! Read whatever you want forget about the HYPE peeps=)Unless you enjoy it then by all means;)
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I actually try not to listen to hype about books and movies! I know it's pretty weird but I just want to make my own dicision if I want to read a book regardless if the whole world loves it I might not and that's okay. Even if something may get an okay review I still have to read it for myself to make a judgement. For me Hype doesn't phase me I guess you can say I'm immune to it, lol! Read whatever you want forget about the HYPE peeps=)Unless you enjoy it then by all means;)
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While I might buy a book that everyone is hyped about, I still do so more to see whether I agree or not with all the praise.
I read both Hunger Games and Catching Fire before I actually began blogging, and wanted to read Mockingjay simply, so I could finish the series, not because it was so anticipated. In fact, I never even reviewed it mainly because of all the saturation it received.
I definitely am not swayed by a book's popularity my own enjoyment of the book is the bottom line.
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While I might buy a book that everyone is hyped about, I still do so more to see whether I agree or not with all the praise.
I read both Hunger Games and Catching Fire before I actually began blogging, and wanted to read Mockingjay simply, so I could finish the series, not because it was so anticipated. In fact, I never even reviewed it mainly because of all the saturation it received.
I definitely am not swayed by a book's popularity my own enjoyment of the book is the bottom line.
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I do get turned off by hype a lot- I think someone said it well above when they mentioned that when blogs are saturated with a book, I don't really want to read it, because I feel like I know everything important anyway. But then, I've loved a lot of books that have had serious hype, like the Vampire Academy series, but usually only after a trusted friend has recommended them.
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I do get turned off by hype a lot- I think someone said it well above when they mentioned that when blogs are saturated with a book, I don't really want to read it, because I feel like I know everything important anyway. But then, I've loved a lot of books that have had serious hype, like the Vampire Academy series, but usually only after a trusted friend has recommended them.
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It's subjective. I remember reading Prada and Prejudice because everyone was recommending it, and when I read it, it was disappointing.
I stayed away from Beautiful Creatures because of the hype, and when I finally read it I couldn't WAIT for the sequel.
It depends on individual taste, and taking a chance on a book you might not other wise read.
~Z
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It's subjective. I remember reading Prada and Prejudice because everyone was recommending it, and when I read it, it was disappointing.
I stayed away from Beautiful Creatures because of the hype, and when I finally read it I couldn't WAIT for the sequel.
It depends on individual taste, and taking a chance on a book you might not other wise read.
~Z
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I also fell for the Twilight hype, and I had huge expectations for the book – but got really disappointed. The books did nok live up to the hype for me.
I had the same experience with Stieg Larsson's books – everybody in Norway was raving about how good they were and what a genious the author was. I read the first book, and it was one of the boring books I had ever read, and not the least bit original.
Other times, a book really do live up to the hype. I started to read the first book in the Harry Potter series a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it. So iy can go both ways.
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I also fell for the Twilight hype, and I had huge expectations for the book – but got really disappointed. The books did nok live up to the hype for me.
I had the same experience with Stieg Larsson's books – everybody in Norway was raving about how good they were and what a genious the author was. I read the first book, and it was one of the boring books I had ever read, and not the least bit original.
Other times, a book really do live up to the hype. I started to read the first book in the Harry Potter series a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it. So iy can go both ways.
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I am so very wary of the hype. I try not to pay attention to it because then I get disappointed a lot of times. Also, probably because it is in my nature to go against the crowd
It is really fun though to be involved in the hype, I will admit. It's fun! I just hate when I hear someone say that the hype ruined a book for them because they thought it was going to be THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN and it was just a good read for them because they had made it to be so much more in their head.
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I am so very wary of the hype. I try not to pay attention to it because then I get disappointed a lot of times. Also, probably because it is in my nature to go against the crowd
It is really fun though to be involved in the hype, I will admit. It's fun! I just hate when I hear someone say that the hype ruined a book for them because they thought it was going to be THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN and it was just a good read for them because they had made it to be so much more in their head.
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Here's my thing about hype: When a book starts getting a lot of attention, hitting the bestseller lists, etc., I generally steer clear of it because I think to myself, "That's getting so much hype! It's never going to live up to my expectations and then I'll be That Girl who didn't like the book everyone else loved!" And then sometimes I do end up picking up the book and it actually works in my favor because I've lowered my expectations.
I generally try to avoid the hype for books I'm excited to read. If I see reviews in my Reader, I'll skim them or mark them as read. I like to make up my own mind and then go back and see what everyone else thought.
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Here's my thing about hype: When a book starts getting a lot of attention, hitting the bestseller lists, etc., I generally steer clear of it because I think to myself, "That's getting so much hype! It's never going to live up to my expectations and then I'll be That Girl who didn't like the book everyone else loved!" And then sometimes I do end up picking up the book and it actually works in my favor because I've lowered my expectations.
I generally try to avoid the hype for books I'm excited to read. If I see reviews in my Reader, I'll skim them or mark them as read. I like to make up my own mind and then go back and see what everyone else thought.
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I don't really think hype is good or bad, it is just necessary. The publishers decide to spend more on an advance for something or print more copies, so they have to push it more. When you have invested more in book A than book B, you need there to be hype and excitement for Book A or it was a wasted investment. Matched is a great example. The author got a 6 figure advance on a debut novel. Now, they have to sell the copies to back that up so they have made sure it is hyped and on everyone's radar.
Most of the time, people think hype is created by fans, but that is rarely the case. The companies have planted seed and created the hype themselves. I think hype is a good thing though. It helps business and it gets people excited!
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I don't really think hype is good or bad, it is just necessary. The publishers decide to spend more on an advance for something or print more copies, so they have to push it more. When you have invested more in book A than book B, you need there to be hype and excitement for Book A or it was a wasted investment. Matched is a great example. The author got a 6 figure advance on a debut novel. Now, they have to sell the copies to back that up so they have made sure it is hyped and on everyone's radar.
Most of the time, people think hype is created by fans, but that is rarely the case. The companies have planted seed and created the hype themselves. I think hype is a good thing though. It helps business and it gets people excited!
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I'm back and forth on book hype. In the past there were some books that a lot of bloggers were talking about. (Not Mockingjay sytle but still a bunch of posts). So I got those books thinking this was going to be the greatest story ever and I get done with it, and I'm like really? Everyone was so excited about that? The sad part is I probably would have loved the book a lot more if there wasn't so much hype around it.
Then there are other books i.e. Anna and the French Kiss that I really didn't have an interest in reading. I dunno why, but I was like nah I'll pass. But some of my blogger friends kept telling me it was right up my alley, so I got it, tried to ignore the hype but fell completely in love with it.
So I guess it works both ways for me. And I'm still one of the few who haven't read Hunger Games nor have I read Harry Potter. One day I'll get to it…maybe.
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I'm back and forth on book hype. In the past there were some books that a lot of bloggers were talking about. (Not Mockingjay sytle but still a bunch of posts). So I got those books thinking this was going to be the greatest story ever and I get done with it, and I'm like really? Everyone was so excited about that? The sad part is I probably would have loved the book a lot more if there wasn't so much hype around it.
Then there are other books i.e. Anna and the French Kiss that I really didn't have an interest in reading. I dunno why, but I was like nah I'll pass. But some of my blogger friends kept telling me it was right up my alley, so I got it, tried to ignore the hype but fell completely in love with it.
So I guess it works both ways for me. And I'm still one of the few who haven't read Hunger Games nor have I read Harry Potter. One day I'll get to it…maybe.
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oh, I am loving this! it looks like it's pretty well even down the line… you either love the hype and the books or you don't.
I have to say that being afraid that the book won't live up to my expectations is a big reason I steer clear of some over hyped books…. but I'm not sure why. I don't like every book I read.. i'm a mystery what can i say!
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oh, I am loving this! it looks like it's pretty well even down the line… you either love the hype and the books or you don't.
I have to say that being afraid that the book won't live up to my expectations is a big reason I steer clear of some over hyped books…. but I'm not sure why. I don't like every book I read.. i'm a mystery what can i say!
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Sometimes I like the hype that surrounds a book and sometimes I don't. I think it's important that there is hype because often times a great book won't get noticed without it. And I have to admit that I have read books specifically because there was a lot of hype around them.
The one of the problems that I face with hype is that I often get too high of expectations for the book and then I'm disappointed. This happens all the time and then I feel like I'm the only person who didn't like the book. The other problem is that sometimes the hype does turn me off from reading the book. I try not to let this happen too often though because I don't want to miss a great book just because it's over advertised.
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Sometimes I like the hype that surrounds a book and sometimes I don't. I think it's important that there is hype because often times a great book won't get noticed without it. And I have to admit that I have read books specifically because there was a lot of hype around them.
The one of the problems that I face with hype is that I often get too high of expectations for the book and then I'm disappointed. This happens all the time and then I feel like I'm the only person who didn't like the book. The other problem is that sometimes the hype does turn me off from reading the book. I try not to let this happen too often though because I don't want to miss a great book just because it's over advertised.
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I am on the fence about hype even though I am a book review blogger. It is good in a way because if I hadn't stumbled upon Twilight reviews I never would have picked up a book and started a blog. I hadn't read a book in over 6 years! On the other hand, I got so tired of hearing about Mockingjay! I still haven't read that series just because of all the hype and hoopla around it. I have them, but haven't read them.
So sometimes I feel hype is good, but sometimes it can feel like too much!
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I am on the fence about hype even though I am a book review blogger. It is good in a way because if I hadn't stumbled upon Twilight reviews I never would have picked up a book and started a blog. I hadn't read a book in over 6 years! On the other hand, I got so tired of hearing about Mockingjay! I still haven't read that series just because of all the hype and hoopla around it. I have them, but haven't read them.
So sometimes I feel hype is good, but sometimes it can feel like too much!
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I feel like if there is hype around a book then it is there for a reason. There is probably a group of people out there who are going to love that book. For me, I read the blurb of a book and if I like it then I'll read it whether there is hype or not. And if I read about a book and know it's not my style then I won't pick it up no matter the hype.
I've been reading for a long time and I've been reading a variety of books. I know what I like and don't like and I know what interests me and what doesn't it. I never want to miss out on an opportunity to find a great new book so if there is even a bit of interest I'll check out the book no matter what.
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I feel like if there is hype around a book then it is there for a reason. There is probably a group of people out there who are going to love that book. For me, I read the blurb of a book and if I like it then I'll read it whether there is hype or not. And if I read about a book and know it's not my style then I won't pick it up no matter the hype.
I've been reading for a long time and I've been reading a variety of books. I know what I like and don't like and I know what interests me and what doesn't it. I never want to miss out on an opportunity to find a great new book so if there is even a bit of interest I'll check out the book no matter what.
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I try to avoid hyped books like the plague, but I have fallen prey to it. I think the most significant time was with The Lonely Hearts Club, which I ended up really disliking.
That said, some super hyped books are now my favourites – like The Hunger Games
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I try to avoid hyped books like the plague, but I have fallen prey to it. I think the most significant time was with The Lonely Hearts Club, which I ended up really disliking.
That said, some super hyped books are now my favourites – like The Hunger Games
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For me, there are really different kinds of hype. I love getting caught up in the excitement of something new, so when everyone's buzzing about a book like Matched that's just come out, I enjoy that shared expectancy.
However, stuff like the hype surrounding Harry Potter when the movies started coming out, or Twilight now, can make it really hard for me to like a book. I start to feel I'm just "part of the crowd," and like many people, I get cynical and blinded by the annoying hype. But then when things calm down a bit, I realize again why I loved the books in the first place.
If a book is being really really talked about, though, I feel I should probably give it a read. I work in the industry, for a new YA publisher, and it's kind of my job to keep on top of stuff and see what's hot, and then try and figure out why (not from a creepy marketing perspective, but just so I can see what's out there, and what isn't).
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For me, there are really different kinds of hype. I love getting caught up in the excitement of something new, so when everyone's buzzing about a book like Matched that's just come out, I enjoy that shared expectancy.
However, stuff like the hype surrounding Harry Potter when the movies started coming out, or Twilight now, can make it really hard for me to like a book. I start to feel I'm just "part of the crowd," and like many people, I get cynical and blinded by the annoying hype. But then when things calm down a bit, I realize again why I loved the books in the first place.
If a book is being really really talked about, though, I feel I should probably give it a read. I work in the industry, for a new YA publisher, and it's kind of my job to keep on top of stuff and see what's hot, and then try and figure out why (not from a creepy marketing perspective, but just so I can see what's out there, and what isn't).
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Years ago, I used to let hype get me all excited about a book, and then was crushed if the book couldn't meet my expectations.
I got tired of my expectations being met, so I started avoiding hyped books like the plague.
Now, I don't avoid them, but I'm wary of hyped books and I drastically lower my expectations. It's almost like putting that last card on a huge house you've just built, holding your breath to see if it's going to stay up, or if a slight breeze will blow the whole thing down.
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Years ago, I used to let hype get me all excited about a book, and then was crushed if the book couldn't meet my expectations.
I got tired of my expectations being met, so I started avoiding hyped books like the plague.
Now, I don't avoid them, but I'm wary of hyped books and I drastically lower my expectations. It's almost like putting that last card on a huge house you've just built, holding your breath to see if it's going to stay up, or if a slight breeze will blow the whole thing down.
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I've always been kind of oblivious to hype. I can see why publishers desire it because it's difficult to get a book noticed these days so the more attention the book gets the better. I prefer "buzz". People who genuinely like a particular book (and read it early enough) and are talking about with other readers who would be interested in it too. That to me is more useful to publishers than hype. Just my personal opinion though.
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I've always been kind of oblivious to hype. I can see why publishers desire it because it's difficult to get a book noticed these days so the more attention the book gets the better. I prefer "buzz". People who genuinely like a particular book (and read it early enough) and are talking about with other readers who would be interested in it too. That to me is more useful to publishers than hype. Just my personal opinion though.
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I'm at the point where book hype makes me wary. Still, I think it's absolutely necessary in terms of marketing and sales. For better or for worse, there is no such thing as good vs. bad publicity. Publicity is publicity. Whatever will sell the book is considered "good."
There have been many hyped books that I'm learning to avoid now because, hype aside, I know they are not the ones for me. For me, I think the way the book is presented through its synopsis is perhaps even more influential to me than its hype. If the synopsis really focuses on the love triangle and the paranormal element… I am on my guard, because I've learned by now that those books aren't exactly my type.
One well-hyped book that turned out to be an absolute gem for me was WITHER by Lauren DeStefano. I admit I was wary, because the cover was so stunning, it had a dystopian premise, and there was mention of a romance in the synopsis. But once I started reading… I couldn't put it down. I think it was one of those rare cases where hype actually aligned with my reading preferences.
I prefer to make my own discoveries of good books and THEN hype those as much as I can.
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I'm at the point where book hype makes me wary. Still, I think it's absolutely necessary in terms of marketing and sales. For better or for worse, there is no such thing as good vs. bad publicity. Publicity is publicity. Whatever will sell the book is considered "good."
There have been many hyped books that I'm learning to avoid now because, hype aside, I know they are not the ones for me. For me, I think the way the book is presented through its synopsis is perhaps even more influential to me than its hype. If the synopsis really focuses on the love triangle and the paranormal element… I am on my guard, because I've learned by now that those books aren't exactly my type.
One well-hyped book that turned out to be an absolute gem for me was WITHER by Lauren DeStefano. I admit I was wary, because the cover was so stunning, it had a dystopian premise, and there was mention of a romance in the synopsis. But once I started reading… I couldn't put it down. I think it was one of those rare cases where hype actually aligned with my reading preferences.
I prefer to make my own discoveries of good books and THEN hype those as much as I can.
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What a great post!
I am all FOR the book hype. I mean really, there isn't a book I won't read. Whether people were hyping it to be great or not so great. Everyone has a different taste and opinions.
This isn't a YA book but I heard all the hype about The Shack and it was all pretty much BAD hype. But I read it anyway, just to see what the deal was. I like to think I am very open minded about anything I read so I loved the book, different, but I loved it.
Now this is a YA book. I still hear all the Hype about the VA books. I had just gotten done reading the Twilight books, the HON books and because I was in my "Vampire kick" stage, I decided to give the Vampire Academy a shot. I started it, and couldn't finish it. I can't say whether it's good or bad, I just couldn't get into it. Yet I keep buying all of the books as they come out.
I think you have to be in a certain mood to read a book. I'm still going to give the VA series a shot though.
So I love hype, all hype, good and bad. Now that I wrote a novel, I will leave it at that. Haha TGIF!
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What a great post!
I am all FOR the book hype. I mean really, there isn't a book I won't read. Whether people were hyping it to be great or not so great. Everyone has a different taste and opinions.
This isn't a YA book but I heard all the hype about The Shack and it was all pretty much BAD hype. But I read it anyway, just to see what the deal was. I like to think I am very open minded about anything I read so I loved the book, different, but I loved it.
Now this is a YA book. I still hear all the Hype about the VA books. I had just gotten done reading the Twilight books, the HON books and because I was in my "Vampire kick" stage, I decided to give the Vampire Academy a shot. I started it, and couldn't finish it. I can't say whether it's good or bad, I just couldn't get into it. Yet I keep buying all of the books as they come out.
I think you have to be in a certain mood to read a book. I'm still going to give the VA series a shot though.
So I love hype, all hype, good and bad. Now that I wrote a novel, I will leave it at that. Haha TGIF!
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My issue with book hype is that it only happens for a few titles out of a year (usually similar titles, too). The rest of the books are left to sink or swim, and sadly, they often sink, even though many of them are beautifully written, wonderfully plotted, with great characters. They sink because no one ever hears of them.
And that makes me sad.
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My issue with book hype is that it only happens for a few titles out of a year (usually similar titles, too). The rest of the books are left to sink or swim, and sadly, they often sink, even though many of them are beautifully written, wonderfully plotted, with great characters. They sink because no one ever hears of them.
And that makes me sad.
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Looking at the comments here just proves my point: only a few books are being named–over and over. What about the rest of the books out there?
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Looking at the comments here just proves my point: only a few books are being named–over and over. What about the rest of the books out there?
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Well, I used to get excited with everyone else and HAVE TO read said book, but I have been disappointed by that (City of Bones and The Book Thief-just couldn't get into them) that now I try to not get wrapped up in the hype. If a book sounds good I will read it but usually not just because everyone else is so crazy for it.
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Well, I used to get excited with everyone else and HAVE TO read said book, but I have been disappointed by that (City of Bones and The Book Thief-just couldn't get into them) that now I try to not get wrapped up in the hype. If a book sounds good I will read it but usually not just because everyone else is so crazy for it.
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I hate book hype!!! I am usually disappointed by books after the media/ others have hyped them up for me. This just happened with me with "The Mermaid Chair".
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I hate book hype!!! I am usually disappointed by books after the media/ others have hyped them up for me. This just happened with me with "The Mermaid Chair".
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In some ways it can turn me off of a book. Before I really started reading children's and YA again, I wasn't all that interested in HP-too much hype and I didn't get it. But then I read them and loved them-and am now a crazy fan! I think as an avid reader and librarian now I love being on the beginning of the hype. There's something cool about being the one to hype the book up (and what do librarians do better than hype?)
But you have to balance it. The hype can get readers excited but when it gets to the point of "this is the most amazing best book ever written everyone will be blown away and you would be crazy not to read it" type of hype I think readers get turned off. There's nothing wrong with getting excited about a book, but again, you have to have balance. There's nothing worse than hearing all this hype and than being let down by a book.
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In some ways it can turn me off of a book. Before I really started reading children's and YA again, I wasn't all that interested in HP-too much hype and I didn't get it. But then I read them and loved them-and am now a crazy fan! I think as an avid reader and librarian now I love being on the beginning of the hype. There's something cool about being the one to hype the book up (and what do librarians do better than hype?)
But you have to balance it. The hype can get readers excited but when it gets to the point of "this is the most amazing best book ever written everyone will be blown away and you would be crazy not to read it" type of hype I think readers get turned off. There's nothing wrong with getting excited about a book, but again, you have to have balance. There's nothing worse than hearing all this hype and than being let down by a book.
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On the note of specific titles getting lots of hype, while others get none at all, there's actually a simple reason for this. With the economy what it is right now, the way the publishing industry works, they can only go all-out for a few key titles. Titles they know will sell, usually by already-established authors, or authors who have a big following for some other reason. Sadly, this leaves the other books they publish kind of on their own.
More and more, the burden of promotion is falling to the authors, especially where the big publishers are concerned (Penguin, Sim & Schuster, etc.). Some authors are really good at it, but others aren't. I think that's one responsibility the blog community has: to try and help penniless hours with our wonderfully free reviews, and to try and hype what WE love, not just what is being most pushed.
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On the note of specific titles getting lots of hype, while others get none at all, there's actually a simple reason for this. With the economy what it is right now, the way the publishing industry works, they can only go all-out for a few key titles. Titles they know will sell, usually by already-established authors, or authors who have a big following for some other reason. Sadly, this leaves the other books they publish kind of on their own.
More and more, the burden of promotion is falling to the authors, especially where the big publishers are concerned (Penguin, Sim & Schuster, etc.). Some authors are really good at it, but others aren't. I think that's one responsibility the blog community has: to try and help penniless hours with our wonderfully free reviews, and to try and hype what WE love, not just what is being most pushed.
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There are a lot of comments about book promotion.
Book Hype and book promotion aren't the same thing in my eyes. I think a lot of people are using them interchangeably…. but aren't they different?
Not all books are promoted equally, as a book blogger I couldn't be more aware of the fact. Some books have promotion campaigns… I'm thinking penguins recent Big 5 campaign…. things like that can lead to hype.
Publishers can help "build" hype, but in the end it's the readers that control it…. right?
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There are a lot of comments about book promotion.
Book Hype and book promotion aren't the same thing in my eyes. I think a lot of people are using them interchangeably…. but aren't they different?
Not all books are promoted equally, as a book blogger I couldn't be more aware of the fact. Some books have promotion campaigns… I'm thinking penguins recent Big 5 campaign…. things like that can lead to hype.
Publishers can help "build" hype, but in the end it's the readers that control it…. right?
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Readers are definitely the ones that control the hype. Maybe a small group of people can promote the book and rave about it, but the majority of readers is never going to be able to fake hype and enthusiasm for a book.
I don't hold the hype against a book until I've read it and can determine for myself whether it really was that good, or if it totally fell short of my expectations. Generally speaking, I think the number of books that met all the hype and the ones that didn't are about even.
One thing that does bother me a little is when people are prejudiced against a book just because it's been hugely popular. I don't see anything wrong with liking a book that everyone else happens to like.
It's reasonable and natural to be wary of hyped up books because expectations are built up to such huge proportions that a perfectly good book can struggle to meet them. But I'm talking about people who are viciously adamant against reading a book just because it happens to be the one everyone is talking about at the moment.
For example…Twilight. I read book one and didn't like it that much, and the first third of the second book really disgusted me. I gave it a pretty fair trial and discovered it wasn't for me. But it annoyed me when people who hadn't even read it were judging it on the basis of the attention it got.
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Readers are definitely the ones that control the hype. Maybe a small group of people can promote the book and rave about it, but the majority of readers is never going to be able to fake hype and enthusiasm for a book.
I don't hold the hype against a book until I've read it and can determine for myself whether it really was that good, or if it totally fell short of my expectations. Generally speaking, I think the number of books that met all the hype and the ones that didn't are about even.
One thing that does bother me a little is when people are prejudiced against a book just because it's been hugely popular. I don't see anything wrong with liking a book that everyone else happens to like.
It's reasonable and natural to be wary of hyped up books because expectations are built up to such huge proportions that a perfectly good book can struggle to meet them. But I'm talking about people who are viciously adamant against reading a book just because it happens to be the one everyone is talking about at the moment.
For example…Twilight. I read book one and didn't like it that much, and the first third of the second book really disgusted me. I gave it a pretty fair trial and discovered it wasn't for me. But it annoyed me when people who hadn't even read it were judging it on the basis of the attention it got.
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Generally speaking, I know what my own tastes are in books. So, even if the book has major promotion behind it, I am hesitant if I know that's not my usual taste. That's not to say that I won't give a new book a shot, but I usually will wait to see what some of the bloggers whom I trust most say if they happen to receive an ARC. I do get excited to see a new book coming that everyone is buzzing about, but if it looks like subject matter that I won't be interested in, then I sit back and wait to see if the hype was worth it.
When I really get worried is when it IS a book with subject matter I like. Matched is a great example of this. I am SO excited to read this book, but it's been a media and blog storm this week, hasn't it? Despite the good reviews coming in, part of me is worried that I may be expecting too much.
-Linds
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Generally speaking, I know what my own tastes are in books. So, even if the book has major promotion behind it, I am hesitant if I know that's not my usual taste. That's not to say that I won't give a new book a shot, but I usually will wait to see what some of the bloggers whom I trust most say if they happen to receive an ARC. I do get excited to see a new book coming that everyone is buzzing about, but if it looks like subject matter that I won't be interested in, then I sit back and wait to see if the hype was worth it.
When I really get worried is when it IS a book with subject matter I like. Matched is a great example of this. I am SO excited to read this book, but it's been a media and blog storm this week, hasn't it? Despite the good reviews coming in, part of me is worried that I may be expecting too much.
-Linds
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I quite enjoy hype. It's fun to get excited about something with friends and other reviewers and share it. But it can lead to disappointment and over the past year I've gotten a lot more cautious about not letting my expectations get too high because disappointments happen. My big two this year being Mockingjay and Nightshade. Nightshade just fell completely flat. Mockingjay was a let down from Hunger Games and Catching Fire for me. I actually only read HG and CF in Feb this year because I had them fairly well shoved at me by a friend. I'd seen all the hype of course but didn't seem like something I'd like. Turns out, I adored them and realised the hype was justified that time!
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I quite enjoy hype. It's fun to get excited about something with friends and other reviewers and share it. But it can lead to disappointment and over the past year I've gotten a lot more cautious about not letting my expectations get too high because disappointments happen. My big two this year being Mockingjay and Nightshade. Nightshade just fell completely flat. Mockingjay was a let down from Hunger Games and Catching Fire for me. I actually only read HG and CF in Feb this year because I had them fairly well shoved at me by a friend. I'd seen all the hype of course but didn't seem like something I'd like. Turns out, I adored them and realised the hype was justified that time!
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The perfect example of hype gone wrong is twilight, hype can work in both the positive and negative for example, there was a lot of hype surrounding the penguin 5 however i have read 2 so far which have exceeded my expectations so i was glad in the end to be made aware of the books and then be satisfied when reading them, however when it comes to something like twilight you might find a lot of the old genuine fans who liked the book when it first came out may not be such fans anymore, this is when hype goes wrong and in my opinion looses very important fans.
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The perfect example of hype gone wrong is twilight, hype can work in both the positive and negative for example, there was a lot of hype surrounding the penguin 5 however i have read 2 so far which have exceeded my expectations so i was glad in the end to be made aware of the books and then be satisfied when reading them, however when it comes to something like twilight you might find a lot of the old genuine fans who liked the book when it first came out may not be such fans anymore, this is when hype goes wrong and in my opinion looses very important fans.
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Like you sometimes the hype annoys me, and other times it makes me a stark craved fan!
It depends on my interest (and also prejudices) for the book.But there are some books that hadn't tempted me first, and because of the hype, I finally read them, just by curiosity, and I've loved them !
I think that hype can be a good thing if it's not too big… (here I'm thinking about the Twilight films. I love them, but I really think all the things around go way too far.(paparazzi, merchandising, sneak peak of 5 seconds where you see nothing…Here in France we had a big contest to choose the translation of the titles of the last movies… which was ridiculous because they already have a translation for the book… Why change it ? Because in that way, we keep talking of the movies! (they have finally kept the book title…)))
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Like you sometimes the hype annoys me, and other times it makes me a stark craved fan!
It depends on my interest (and also prejudices) for the book.But there are some books that hadn't tempted me first, and because of the hype, I finally read them, just by curiosity, and I've loved them !
I think that hype can be a good thing if it's not too big… (here I'm thinking about the Twilight films. I love them, but I really think all the things around go way too far.(paparazzi, merchandising, sneak peak of 5 seconds where you see nothing…Here in France we had a big contest to choose the translation of the titles of the last movies… which was ridiculous because they already have a translation for the book… Why change it ? Because in that way, we keep talking of the movies! (they have finally kept the book title…)))
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I think if a book would interest me anyway, (like Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall, or Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver,) then I love to see what other people have to say, and the hype makes me more excited. If it doesn't interest me in the first place (ie Twilight/vampires) the hype is more likely to put me off further and I decide to stay away from the bandwagon. If it's something I haven't previously heard of, it could go either way. The Hunger Games was an exception. I saw the first books in the shops but they really didn't register at all – although it has to be confessed, the Meyer recommendation on the front decided for me I Was Not Interested (see hype putting me off.) Then there was all this talk of Mockingjay, all these glowing reviews of the series and I wanted to see why no one had a bad word to say about something that did nothing to catch my attention on its own. (There were criticisms of individual books but not the series as a whole. I haven't seen one by someone who's actually read it, though some, like me, who hadn't, say "that doesn't appeal at all.)
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I think if a book would interest me anyway, (like Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall, or Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver,) then I love to see what other people have to say, and the hype makes me more excited. If it doesn't interest me in the first place (ie Twilight/vampires) the hype is more likely to put me off further and I decide to stay away from the bandwagon. If it's something I haven't previously heard of, it could go either way. The Hunger Games was an exception. I saw the first books in the shops but they really didn't register at all – although it has to be confessed, the Meyer recommendation on the front decided for me I Was Not Interested (see hype putting me off.) Then there was all this talk of Mockingjay, all these glowing reviews of the series and I wanted to see why no one had a bad word to say about something that did nothing to catch my attention on its own. (There were criticisms of individual books but not the series as a whole. I haven't seen one by someone who's actually read it, though some, like me, who hadn't, say "that doesn't appeal at all.)
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Another point is that if I read a book I like on an overly-hyped subject, I will tend to stay away from anything that seems too similar. Even if I'd liked Twilight, I wouldn't read other YA vampire romances as they seem to be just jumping on the vampire bandwagon. When Twilight was new, I read and enjoyed Interview with the Vampire, but even though they were two very different stories, even though the "vampire romance" was a brand-new genre, reading the Twilight synopsis didn't sound original.
Sorry for waffling on.
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Another point is that if I read a book I like on an overly-hyped subject, I will tend to stay away from anything that seems too similar. Even if I'd liked Twilight, I wouldn't read other YA vampire romances as they seem to be just jumping on the vampire bandwagon. When Twilight was new, I read and enjoyed Interview with the Vampire, but even though they were two very different stories, even though the "vampire romance" was a brand-new genre, reading the Twilight synopsis didn't sound original.
Sorry for waffling on.
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I agree that promotion and hype are very different things! Promotion is definitely what a publisher does, in the hope to inspire hype…but hype can happen on its own. Of course, without marketing of some kind, a book will never actually be read by anyone…it's kind of an ongoing circle.
I enjoy hype, but I really hate it when something is being over-promoted. And of course, it depends on where it's coming from, and how interested I already am in the genre. Although I enjoyed Twilight, I'm not likely to pick up another vampire paranormal romance, partially because they're not my thing exactly, and partially because I have some beloved series that satisfy that part of my interests. So no matter how hyped or promoted the Next Great Vampire Series is, I probably won't bite. Unless I read a summary or a review which highlights and new and interesting twist to the genre.
I also have to admit, sometimes it comes down to whether or not I like the cover. If something's receiving lots of hype, but the cover doesn't appeal to me, I probably won't take notice. If I find the cover gorgeous and intriguing, however, I'll probably get excited for it.
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I agree that promotion and hype are very different things! Promotion is definitely what a publisher does, in the hope to inspire hype…but hype can happen on its own. Of course, without marketing of some kind, a book will never actually be read by anyone…it's kind of an ongoing circle.
I enjoy hype, but I really hate it when something is being over-promoted. And of course, it depends on where it's coming from, and how interested I already am in the genre. Although I enjoyed Twilight, I'm not likely to pick up another vampire paranormal romance, partially because they're not my thing exactly, and partially because I have some beloved series that satisfy that part of my interests. So no matter how hyped or promoted the Next Great Vampire Series is, I probably won't bite. Unless I read a summary or a review which highlights and new and interesting twist to the genre.
I also have to admit, sometimes it comes down to whether or not I like the cover. If something's receiving lots of hype, but the cover doesn't appeal to me, I probably won't take notice. If I find the cover gorgeous and intriguing, however, I'll probably get excited for it.
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I usually tend to ignore the hype and not pay attention to it. I like to form my own opinions on things. I've liked books that were heavily criticized and hated books that people raved over (like the Twilight series, sorry everyone but I didn't enjoy them very much). And the same goes for movies. I do tend to wait until the hype goes down before I read or watch them though to avoid prejudice. And I tend to avoid reading reviews of really hyped-up books and movies (like Mockingjay and Harry Potter) as I will read and watch them anyways.
I like a certain amount of hype though, and I love to see students I teach reading because of that hype. If it gets more people reading, then keep the hype going as much as possible. It's what encouraged my reluctant son to pick up his first series on his own (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and he hasn't looked back. So, here's to hype!!
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I usually tend to ignore the hype and not pay attention to it. I like to form my own opinions on things. I've liked books that were heavily criticized and hated books that people raved over (like the Twilight series, sorry everyone but I didn't enjoy them very much). And the same goes for movies. I do tend to wait until the hype goes down before I read or watch them though to avoid prejudice. And I tend to avoid reading reviews of really hyped-up books and movies (like Mockingjay and Harry Potter) as I will read and watch them anyways.
I like a certain amount of hype though, and I love to see students I teach reading because of that hype. If it gets more people reading, then keep the hype going as much as possible. It's what encouraged my reluctant son to pick up his first series on his own (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and he hasn't looked back. So, here's to hype!!
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I tend to be rather… wary I guess the word is… of over-hyped books. Just because in the past I've read a lot of extremely popular, over-hyped books and been very disappointed. So while I don't completely avoid them, I'm not going to read them anymore unless the story really sounds like something I'd really enjoy. Like I'm not going to go out of my way to try something new to me or that I don't usually like JUST because of hype.
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I tend to be rather… wary I guess the word is… of over-hyped books. Just because in the past I've read a lot of extremely popular, over-hyped books and been very disappointed. So while I don't completely avoid them, I'm not going to read them anymore unless the story really sounds like something I'd really enjoy. Like I'm not going to go out of my way to try something new to me or that I don't usually like JUST because of hype.
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Overall, I tend to like books, even if they have been overhyped. Twilight is probably the first series that I experienced that with. THG is another, and it's one of my absolute favoritese now.
The hype for Beautiful Creatures felt like it started WAY early to me, and by the time it came out, I felt as if it had already been out for a couple of months.
There have been a couple books that the hype destroyed for me, though. The Time Traveler's Wife is one. Everyone I knew said this story was going to rip my heart out… It didn't. Another was Shiver. I really liked it but just didn't love it, which really disappointed me.
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Overall, I tend to like books, even if they have been overhyped. Twilight is probably the first series that I experienced that with. THG is another, and it's one of my absolute favoritese now.
The hype for Beautiful Creatures felt like it started WAY early to me, and by the time it came out, I felt as if it had already been out for a couple of months.
There have been a couple books that the hype destroyed for me, though. The Time Traveler's Wife is one. Everyone I knew said this story was going to rip my heart out… It didn't. Another was Shiver. I really liked it but just didn't love it, which really disappointed me.
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I generally don't care one way or the other about hype, at least until after I read a book. I end up paying more attention to it after the fact if I don't like the book, hype can raise my expectations to such a level that it would be difficult for any book to achieve the adoration that the hype instills.
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I generally don't care one way or the other about hype, at least until after I read a book. I end up paying more attention to it after the fact if I don't like the book, hype can raise my expectations to such a level that it would be difficult for any book to achieve the adoration that the hype instills.
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Harry Potter and Twilight are the ones that I got into along with the whole world… but Vampire Academy, Bloody Jack, and many I can't think of offhand get hyped up just within my mind
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Harry Potter and Twilight are the ones that I got into along with the whole world… but Vampire Academy, Bloody Jack, and many I can't think of offhand get hyped up just within my mind
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The companion novel to the dystopian novel Possession. Get ready to meet Raine and Gunner!
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