UNPOPULAR BOOK OPINION: Loved Female Characters I Dislike

Hello!

I have just posted a short blog post on my Books Amino account regarding a certain well-loved female character that I find insufferable, whiny, and just outright annoying.

And not surprisingly, I received quite a lot of defensive comments about said character. Be it that a character has been through a lot, has PTSD, is a strong representation of what females go through in real life yet people like me undermine, etc.

Now, you must realize that I didn't write the things I wrote to undermine any real-life issues because I'm not that disrespectful of others. 

I was talking about how I find just this one specific FICTIONAL character annoying because of all her complaints. 

That's it.

But people get their panties in a bunch all the freaking time!

You got your own opinions, so do I.

That's when I realized that most (if not all) of my bookish thoughts usually categorize as unpopular book opinions.

And I don't care. 

I'm still going to write about it, post it, share it. 

Here's the list of Loved Female Characters I Dislike.

*In no particular order unless specified*

1.The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Adelina Amouteru

This girl is legit numero uno on my list of disliked (I may even say hate) female characters I've ever had the misfortune to read about.

Yes, I know she was written to be that way since it's an anti-hero series or whatever but that is not a good enough reason for me.

It didn't make my reading from her point of view or just reading about her any easier or less cringe worthy.

Killing, hurting, abandoning, and torturing people who looked at her differently, did not like her, or insulted her? And then getting all giddy with excitement as you hurt others? You are cuckoo, girl!

She was a nobody who thinks she deserves the right to  take revenge on everybody because her dad didn't love her. In my opinion, that's just throwing an ill-placed tantrum.

Grow up.

I literally gave away the 2nd book to the series without even opening the book because I made the mistake of buying it even if I haven't read the 1st book which I didn't know I'd come to hate so much. 

If there ever was a book that I'm willing to throw in a pit of fire, it's The Young Elites. Sorry, Marie Lu.

2. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Cleo Bellos

Watching an innocent man get killed in front of you when you have the authority to stop it but didn't because you're afraid that people will find out you're no longer a virgin?

You are messed up in the head, girl.

In this series which I was super excited to read, we meet this spoiled princess who, of course, gets everything handed to her. Even the life of an old wine seller.

I don't care if she felt bad about it later on in the book. She just watched! Because gods forbid that her nation find out her drunken shenanigans with her fiance!

And all throughout the series, where people are dying and starving to death all around her, she had the audacity to whine and feel so depressed about her "sad miserable life" because she doesn't want to get married to the boy her father chose for her. Boo-bloody-hoo!

Thanks to her character, I am greatly hesitating on picking up the 2nd-5th book to the series.

3. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Annabeth Chase

From the get-go, I never liked Annabeth.

Yes, you want to throw me to the deepest depths of Tartarus by saying or even thinking it.

I find her character insufferable and attention whore-ish.

Yeah she's smart and saved Percy and the mortal world lots of times... But I don't feel any love for her character. 

I don't get hurt when she gets hurt. I don't feel happy when she's happy. She's a whatever character if there ever was one.

Also, I didn't like the way she's throwing tantrums because Percy is too blind to see that she likes him. Speak up! Not everybody's as observant as you are, Daughter of Athena.

4. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Hermione Granger

*dodges Avada Kedavra curses from readers!*

Stop it! I am entitled to my own opinions! No matter how unpopular they may be.

To quote Professor Snape: "Nobody likes an insufferable know-it-all, Ms. Granger."

I find Hermione very rude. Just because most of the people around her can't keep up with her intelligence, she feels like she has the right to look down on them and show off just to prove her point. Which she does all the freaking time!

If she was my classmate, I'd have spent a lot of detention time with Filch, we could've been best friends, that squib and I.

She is very rude. She is so dramatic. She is an attention whore. She is annoying as heck. 

Thanks for saving Harry and Ron's lives. You may go away now.

5. The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Alina Starkov

I feel so bad for the entire Grisha world because their future relies on this unstable and indecisive girl.

She is so desperate at times, I cringe when I read about her escapades. 

Also, she's one of the whiniest people I've had the misfortune to read about! 

How can this girl be considered the most powerful Grisha?

Whenever she comes across trouble, all she does is exclaim "This is it. We're done for! We're going to die. I haven't even ended up with my bestfriend yet!". Not exactly that but you get the drift. 

You have powers, girl! Use it! Then shut your bloody mouth.

6. The Selection by Keira Cass

Eadlyn Schreave

Yet another princess who feels like she has it all bad just because her parents are forcing her to marry someone she doesn't love.

What's worse here is that she herself is a product of an arranged marriage. It's not even arranged because she's presented with choices! 

Boy, must it be so difficult to have a dozen of well-known and handsome men to choose from!

"I am my own person and I don't need a man!" says the girl who is sired by the king who paraded around with women and chose her mother in the end. 

Yes, nice speech.

I didn't even bother reading the last 2 books of this series. Reading about Maxon and America (her parents) was enough of a chore. I don't need a little whiny girl who took up from both her parents' worst characteristics.

7. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Sargent

Have you seen or heard the way she talks to people? 

She's very rude. 

She has this thing where she goes up to people's face, jab a finger, and yell at you.

I dare you to re-read the entire Raven Cycle series and count all the times that the author said "Blue yelled/screamed/exclaimed" instead of the usual and normal way of just wording "Blue said,". 

It's so exhausting to read from her point of view because she has a desperate and pathetic need of approval from everyone around her! You also have to acknowledge her because if you don't, you'll find yourself being jabbed by a finger to your chest and being dared to overlook her one more time.

She has so many issues with being short, with being complimented when it's so obvious that she's asking for attention.

If there's one thing I won't be missing now that the series is over, it's Blue.

8. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray

There are only 2 things that Clary Fray keep on saying throughout the entire 6-book series of Mortal Instruments:

(1). "We have to find and rescue my mom!"

(2). "Jace!"

The feelings behind her constant struggles are legit heart-wrenching and well placed. But after 6 books (which are pretty long books), it's tiring. It just comes off as whiny and over-used.

I mean doesn't she have anything else to worry about? She doesn't even care that she's putting the entire world in danger so long as she gets those 2 people.

I find that selfish and irresponsible. 

Also, she is stubborn as heck. Tell her not to do one thing, she'll get out of her way to do it anyway.

Half of the series wouldn't have happened if Clary listened. But of course, she didn't.

She's as bad as Blue Sargent if you ask me. She's tiny and rude as well.

Thank the Angel that we're done reading about her! I will miss Jace, though. 

9. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Feyre 

The reason I started to write this post.

I know what a PTSD is. I know it's not easy to get out of it. I'm a first-hand witness to that.

But I can't get past her issues which she caused herself whenever I try to read A Court of Mist and Fury. 

I'm going to love it, I'm sure. But only when Feyre shuts up, probably.

I know you all love ACOMAF and it's the best thing you've read this year or forever. But that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will agree with you. So maybe I'm that 1 of 100 who didn't like this character. That's fine.

All I can say is, I'm so sad I can't get into ACOMAF because Feyre is just annoying the crap out of me. I can't read from her POV. I just can't! 

10. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Cath

I understand why a lot of readers automatically like Cath when reading Fangirl. 

You get to connect with her in an instant because she loves reading and is an ultimate fangirl, like most of us!

However, I found her rude, selfish, and spoiled.

She tries so hard to attach herself to her twin. She literally looks down on people who have different taste in books, movies, and anything fangirl-worthy than her. She's annoying.

I could't find the strength to appreciate and love her as much as everybody else seem to.

I admit, though, I totally understand her obsession with Simon and Baz. That's it. That's the limit of my agreeing and liking her.

Although I disliked their characters, I am going to say that they're ALL beautifully written characters. 

I know it's just my own personal preference that I didn't particularly enjoy reading from or about these girls. But I won't deny that they belong in amazing books.

Each of them has and will probably develop their characters more but I just don't have the patience to read them anymore. 

There are far too many books to read out there and new characters to get to know and probably love, so why settle to reading about those you strongly disagree with?

**Credits to the creators and owners of the photos/art I used in this post**

REVIEW: Nightfall By Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

NIGHTFALL

By: Jake Halpern

and 

Peter Kujawinski

Published: September 2015

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Pages: 913

Edition: eBook

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

From the very first time I heard of and read the synopsis of this novel, I have been wanting to read it. I kept searching for it in bookstores and I couldn't find a copy of it. 

A couple of weeks ago, I did find a copy but it was a hardbound one and by now, you probably already know how I'm not a fan of hardbound books -- they're expensive and ridiculously bothersome to read from.

So I got the eBook copy!

When it comes to reading eBooks, I tend to finish the book a lot faster. Probably because even when the lights are already out and I'm in bed, I still get to read it... Until the sun comes out and I'll force myself to put my device down and get some sleep. I'm so sorry, eyes!

AFTER FOURTEEN YEARS OF DAY COMES FOURTEEN YEARS OF NIGHT.

DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND.

On Marin's island, sunrise doesn't come every twenty-four hours -- it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long.

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night.

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling -- bizarre, even -- but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way.

Just as the ships are about to sale, a teenage boy goes missing -- the twins' friend Line. 

Marin and Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line's gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves.

But Night is falling. Their island is changing.

And it may already be too late.

Will I recommend this book to people? Yes.

Was it worth the excitement you felt for it? Yes.

Was it a great book? No... But it was good.

As I've said, I was super excited to read this book. So my expectations were quite high. 

But you know what? The book met those expectations!

I couldn't put it down since I started reading it. It's just one of those books that's so well-written and has such an intriguing plot that you just want to continue reading until you finish it in one sitting.

This is a surprisingly short story for a standalone (I've read that the authors are currently writing a spin-off series and are thinking of writing a sequel but not in the near future). Especially since a lot of world-building was required, it being a fantasy novel.

I admit that the story took a downhill turn after a certain point in the story. That's probably because it's such a short story and not everything was cleared up. 

But I applaud the authors for putting it all there and being able to tie everything up by the end of the book. 

I love how their writing is simple and straight to the point. As I've said before, books don't necessarily need to be written in a poetic way or be filled with mind-blowing metaphors. So long as the reader gets lost in the words and feel like they belong in the world you've created (albeit it being a really scary world), it's a good book!

This is a story about survival, friendship, and trust.

We get to go on a dangerous and scary adventure with three 14-year olds. 

That thought alone gets me scared. 

But surprisingly, these 3 young people are smart and brave enough to handle whatever horrors they discover in their once peaceful and happy town: Bliss. 

After rescuing Line from being trapped in that cliff or canyon he fell in, Marin and Kana try to run back to the docks to join their parents and the entire population of their little town into boarding furrier boats that'll take them all to the Desert Island where they will all be staying for the next 14 years. 

The Day has ended and Night has befallen on their island. 

Nobody is allowed to get left behind in the island during the Night. Nobody knows what happens to the island during those 14 years of darkness.

If the thought of that doesn't freak you out, something is wrong with you!

After cleaning out the houses and decorating them with specific details, setting the table, and leaving the doors to the empty houses open, the twins start to wonder if they're somehow preparing the houses for someone else to live in.

That creeped me out.

When the 3 of them get left behind and they found a note that contained just one word written on it, I got goosebumps. 

When the 3 of them were sleeping at the mayor's chambers and heard footsteps when they know that it was only the 3 of them left on the island, I hid under my blanket.

All kinds of crazy and creepy things happen! Trust me.

The story is gripping and although you'd get a little scared at times, you still want to continue reading because you want to know what'll happen to our protagonists and what kind of curiosity is going on in their island during the Night years.

However, as we neared the end of the story, I got a little disappointed. I just thought that maybe it'll go in a different direction? I don't even know what I was expecting. But certainly not that.

Again, it's probably because the book was so short and we didn't get to read more about what lurks in the island during Night. It all felt a little forced and mediocre by the end.

But aside from that, it was a great book! 

I loved the characters!

Especially Kana, the twin brother of Marin. 

He seemed the wisest of the 3 of them and the one with the most thoughtful heart.

Marin and Line are what I'd expect 14 year olds will be like if they're really put under the same circumstances that they did in the book. 

You'd like to hate them for being stupid at most times but really, you can't blame them.

I really enjoyed it, honestly.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is like me who's mostly afraid of scary books and movies but is sometimes in the mood to read something creepy just to make life a little more interesting.

What's scary in this is the not knowing what lay in the island during Night years. Also, the ever present fear in all of us of not wanting to be left by the people we love and being stranded on an island with no way out. 

Don't expect ghosts and horror creatures.

It's the whole idea of 14 years of darkness that's scary.

Happy reading!

BOOK SIGNING: Jennifer Niven

Hello!

I'm so excited to share with you all the 2nd book signing event I got to attend.

On May 29, 2016 (Sunday), National Bookstore held a book signing for Jennifer Niven here in Manila. 

It's for promoting her book "All The Bright Places" even though it was published over a year ago... because we always get to meet authors very late. We still get to meet them, though! 

But of course, she was here to promote her upcoming new book "Holding Up The Universe" which will be released on October 4, 2016. 

I was lucky enough to have attended this book signing with a friend of mine whom I've known and been classmates with since we were in pre-school! I also got to meet up with my new friends whom I met at Victoria Aveyard's book signing event last March. It was really good to see them again. And of course, I got to spend time with friends whom I just met that day. 

That's what's really amazing about book signings: you get to meet new people who share the same passion as you! 

Although this particular book we were celebrating over is about depression, there was laughter everywhere. Everyone was happy and excited! It's contagious.

It didn't matter that we had to wait in line under the blazing hot sun in the middle of summer. It didn't matter that we had to still wait in line and stand up for hours for registration and the waiting for the arrival of Ms. Jennifer Niven. 

It was all worth it in the end!

The author was really nice! She answers even the most stupid, star-struck induced questions that my friends and I probably blurted out. Hahaha. I cringe now when I think about what I asked her. Not gonna share it with you!

We also got a surprise by the end of the book signing. 

We were all given a sneak peek copy of her new book!

Now, I've been reading a ridiculous amount of hate about this book even though it hasn't been released. 

The thing I love about the book community is we all talk about books in a civil manner. We discuss our likes and dislikes and we tend to accept others' opinions about our favorite books and vice versa.

But holy crap, this book has been bashed and judged without even being read!

I am suddenly ashamed for the book community. 

Of all people, we should be the ones who are capable of understanding what message the authors are trying to convey. They worked hard on the books we so often enjoy and are the reasons why we write on blogs, post photos on Instagram, and shoot videos for YouTube. 

Can we please stop for one second about being offended by every single thing? 

So what if it's about a fat girl? Or a mentally ill boy?

There are people who will find this book helpful and inspiring because they're going through the same thing.

I'm pretty sure that if the characters end up together as a couple or not, we'll get to read that something happy happens to them. That they'll somehow get through their ordeals.

Why is that such a bad thing?

If you don't want to read it, the least you can do is just not bad mouth it. Do you really have to promote that people shouldn't read the book? 

*end of rant*

I've read "All The Bright Places" before but I honestly can't remember all the details of the story. All I know is the very sad ending.

I think this is a good thing that I don't remember because then I'll have the motivation to reread it after buying this physical copy that I had signed! 

Plus, it's always a great thing to have a contemporary waiting in your bookshelf after reading a couple of fantasy books/series to buffer your brain out a bit and avoid falling into a reading slump. 

Jennifer Niven signed the books with a VIOLET pen! 

I find it adorable and fitting because of the character's name.