Most Overrated Books of This Decade (And I’m Not Sorry)

Let’s get brutally honest—some books just don’t live up to the hype. And in a decade where BookTok and aesthetic reels dictate half our TBRs, the real crime is how often literary fluff gets disguised as life-changing fiction. As someone who reads both with a critical lens (hello, English Lit student here) and an emotional compass (self-development + storytelling are my jam), I feel deeply compelled to call out the most overrated books of the decade.

This isn’t gatekeeping. It’s quality control.

So, if you’ve ever felt like you were the only one side-eyeing the hype around certain titles, welcome. You’re not alone. Let’s talk about the most overrated books of the decade—and why they simply didn’t deliver.

1. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Let’s just get this one out of the way. It Ends With Us is often romanticized as a powerful story about breaking generational cycles and choosing yourself. But in reality, it’s a trauma-bonded mess wearing a self-love sticker.

I say this as someone who has studied narrative psychology, healing arcs, and emotional intelligence. It Ends With Us glamorizes emotional manipulation, lacks real healing progression, and reduces a deeply complex issue like domestic abuse to a plot twist.

It has earned its place in the most overrated books of the decade for good reason. And the movie adaptation? Even worse (but that’s a whole other blog— read here).

2. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Sorry, CoHo fans—but Ugly Love doesn’t do any better. It’s marketed as an emotionally charged, steamy romance. What it delivers instead is a painfully repetitive narrative of “he’s broken, but she’ll fix him.” Newsflash: trauma doesn’t excuse emotional unavailability.

The emotional depth is surface-level at best, and the main character Tate feels like a placeholder for a plotline we’ve seen too many times before. When we talk about the most overrated books of the decade, this one ticks all the boxes: unhealthy relationships, lack of real character growth, and a glorified “fix him” fantasy that deserves to be retired already.

3. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Look, I wanted to love this. A morally gray female lead? A shadow king with dark secrets? Yes, please. But what we got instead was a half-baked plot, rushed romance, and a protagonist who talked the “bad girl” talk but couldn’t walk the villainess walk.

A book trying so hard to be edgy and feminist while relying on tropes that undermine both? That’s exactly why it lands on the list of most overrated books of the decade.

The idea was golden. The execution? Not so much.

4. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Everyone says, “You won’t see the twist coming!”—and they were right. I didn’t. But after the twist came and went, I was left wondering why I spent hours following a flat main character, over-explained trauma, and long-winded therapist monologues.

The Silent Patient had potential. The writing, however, tried too hard to sound intelligent while delivering a plot that lacked emotional depth. Psychological thrillers should build, not just shock. And that’s why this one deserves a spot in the most overrated books of the decade.

5. Twisted Hate by Ana Huang

Confession: I only read Twisted Hate from the series, and that was enough. While Ana Huang’s books are undeniably viral and addicting in the “read it in one night” way, this one just didn’t deliver anything fresh. It relied too heavily on spicy scenes and enemies-to-lovers tension with no real emotional backbone.

When everything from dialogue to conflict feels Instagrammable but not memorable, it lands straight into overrated books of the decade territory.

6. Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

I picked up Dating Dr. Dil hoping for a Desi rom-com with heart, spice, and cultural nuance. What I got was forced banter, cringe dialogue, and a weird attempt to make matchmaking and feminism play nice—but they never really did.

The representation was there, yes. But the execution lacked charm, and the chemistry felt more scripted than sizzling. In a decade full of phenomenal diverse stories, this one sadly reads like a Wattpad draft that somehow made it to a publisher’s desk.

Desi girl to Desi readers: this could’ve been so much better. And that’s why it’s in my most overrated books of the decade list.

What Makes a Book “Overrated,” Anyway?

Let’s pause for a second—because calling something “overrated” isn’t about being pretentious. It’s about calling out the gap between hype and substance.

As someone who has read hundreds of books over the years, built a blog to dissect storytelling (Aureate Press, shameless plug), and creates content on both literary and emotional development—my lens isn’t cynical. It’s discerning.

The most overrated books of the decade are those that:

• Rely on trauma as plot devices

• Skip emotional depth for shock value or spice

• Capitalize on aesthetics instead of originality

• Misrepresent healing, love, or mental health

• Become viral for quotes, not quality

Why Talking About Overrated Books Matters

Criticism isn’t hate. It’s a form of engagement, especially in a literary world where algorithms now decide what we read. Talking about the most overrated books of the decade helps readers choose better. It challenges publishers to prioritize quality over marketability. And it makes space for underrated gems that deserve more shelf love.

Books shape minds. As readers and writers, we have a responsibility to demand better.

Final Thoughts: Your TBR Deserves Better

So, no—you’re not “too picky” if you didn’t fall in love with It Ends With Us. You’re not boring if Ugly Love made you cringe. And you’re definitely not alone if The Silent Patient left you emotionally unmoved.

We don’t need more viral books—we need valuable ones.

This was your unfiltered list of the most overrated books of the decade. Read what you love, but don’t be afraid to question the hype. Your bookshelf should reflect your growth—not just the algorithm’s trends.

Want to read my takedown of It Ends With Us as a book and a movie? click here.