This week on Mommalogues we were asked to share whether or not we would be reading Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s a steamy novel about a couple and their extremely provocative interactions.
I thought it would be hilarious if I actually READ a passage from the book for my video so I went out and bought it. What I didn’t know is that 50 Shades of Grey is the first in a TRILOGY. I stood in the book store holding 50 Shades Freed and wondered why in the world they changed the title of the book…because I thought it was supposed to be 50 Shades of Grey. And then I shrugged and just bought the book anyway.
You’ll notice my moment of recognition as I wave my book at the camera and then realize I had the wrong book altogether:
(video here)
I have a degree in English folks.
Nothing to worry about here.
Have you read 50 Shades of Grey yet? Will you? Should I bother actually purchasing the first book in this trilogy or should I just take the darn thing back?
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I actually stumbled upon it on kindle, I guess amazon thought it was similar to the hunger games? Most of the reviews I saw weren’t positive which is crazy for the way it’s talked up almost everywhere.
NO don’t read it. It’s terribly written, and it’s nothing like The Hunger Games :)
hehehe, you are so funny! I LOVE your vlogs. But I think I’ve said that before.
That is just the sort of thing I’d do. Doh.
To be honest I haven’t heard the hype. Yet.
I’m in New ZEaland and we take a little longer for stuff to filter through. But personally? That snippet you read out sounded totally Mills and Boon. Not that I’ve ever read any of those. honest.
(P.S. I think I’d go back to the store and be all “Oh no I meant to buy the first book and i didn’t realise this was the third one – can i swap it???” – Which is TOTALLY what happened. So you wouldn’t even be lying)
My friends at th beach were reading all the steamy parts. The sex is very dominate. He ties her up… A lot. I am not sure I want to read just because of the hype. It is poorly written and discouraging to those of us who actually fancy ourselves writer’s. If you read it, I would love to hear your thoughts
I’m on book 3 of the Fifty Shades Trilogy. It’s very umm graphic, but the story behind it is great. I’d recommend it…maybe not to my Grandmother, but definitely my friends. I couldn’t put them down (just bought book 1 on Thursday and am almost done with 3 lol).
I second Susan’s recommendation. The writing is not great (by any stretch of the imagination…especially if you have a degree in English), however, the story line is fabulous. I’ve found that I really connected with the main character, and I keep reading to see what happens next.
I’m on the 3rd book, but I’ve slowed down in reading it, because I don’t want it to end.
I have no plans to read it, but only because I’ve heard it’s written horribly.
I’m pretty sure the bad writing would trip me up, and negate the steamy sex. So rather than be disappointed, I’ve just chosen not to go there.
Besides, I have the internet. If I want to read poorly written erotica, I don’t need to PAY for it.
DUDE. My BFF made me read a few pages of it from her Nook and I was all O_O
I read through a “contract” part of it and kept giggling like a twelve year old. My jaw dropped on more than one occasion and I am HARD TO SHOCK. I may read it out of sheer curiosity but I’m currently engrossed in the newest Sookie book so it’ll just have to wait.
I forged through the first book amid the bad writing. I’ll admit that’s what made it take me nearly two weeks to finish it (got it from the library); she repeats the same thoughts/ideas over and over, the main character, albeit young and inexperienced, irked the hell out of me with her naivete in some instances. I do agree that the storyline itself is interesting but it gets overshadowed (for me) with how poorly the writing is construted (giggling b/c I have an English degree too). Once I finished the first book, I knew I wasn’t interested in the others, no matter how curious I was how it turned out. For all the hype surrounding it, I can’t get past some of the obvious mistakes (subject verb agreement, anyone?).
I’m reading it. Not for its literary brilliance but because the story line is addicting and fun. I’m on book 2 now! Yes…get it!
You are just ahead of your time!
I read it bc I can’t resist hype. I am also an English major and a certified English teacher and was sorely disappointed by, well, just about everything. The adult content is VERY graphic, not just steamy, actually I am no prude but I found it pretty distasteful…and I think it does a real disfavor to women in the portrayal of a weak, willing naive female character at the hands of one man’s whims. The writing is also VERY poor, simplistic, and I must have caught at least a half dozen glaring grammar errors that I am shocked an editor let slip by. I am sad that THIS is the kind of book getting so much hype. Oh well…
Hey, at least you actually purchased one from the same series. Apparently there’s a young adult book called “Between Shades of Gray” that has seen a spike in sales because people are confusing it with “50 Shades.”
I haven’t read either. I’m engaged in a couple of other books at the moment, and I try to limit the number of books I read at one time to five.
Gawd, I love your vlogs. AND I HATE VLOGS… so there.
I will not be reading any of them. Call me lazy or what-have-you, but I went from Flowers in the Attic straight to my friend’s parents’ secret video stash… and then this thing called THE INTERNET offering an endless supply.
I’m good.
Snort.
You are SO cute!
~snickers quietly~
HAHAHA I totally did the same thing!!! I bought the 3rd one too!!! It was on the bestseller shelf in the front and I picked it up without really reading the title. So then I went and ordered the first two online because I was embarrassed to go back to the store. I joined in because of the hype, but I have to say, after finishing the 1st, I don’t really love it. But now I have to read the other 2, since I bought all 3! I’m definitely not a prude or anything, but it seems like the entire book is page after page of sex! They see each other at night and have sex, twice. Then they wake up, and have sex, twice. Repeat 10 x. NOTHING else happens!! Maybe I’m just not the erotic romance novel kinda girl. haha
I just got an e-mail from my friend who just started reading it. She told me I have got to get it and read it next. I’m finishing up Catching Fire and then want to read Mocking Jay to complete The Hunger Games trilogy. Maybe after I’ll check it out on my Kindle.
You are ridiculous in a very good way. I know if I need a good laugh I can always count on you.
Am I reading the book…No, not yet. Everyone I have talked to LOVES it regardless of whether its poorly written or not. But then again they dont have a degree in English either.
LOL I can’t believe you got the wrong book. I bought it last week because EVERYONE is talking about it. I read 30 pages before I got bored. Haven’t gotten to the “good” parts yet apparently.
To everyone who wants to read it for the erotica, pick up Nora Roberts instead. There’s plenty of steam in those books, and hers are actually well-written. Besides, all these “50…” whatever books are fanfiction for Twilight. TWILIGHT. You know, those badly written books that make a manipulative, abusive, pedophile vampire out to be a teen heart throb that sparkles?
I’d probably only read it if someone loaned it to me. Or do you think the public library will have copies? Would I be so bold as to ask? Hell…there’s probably a 6 month wait list.
I just got a comment (a nice one) that I didn’t post to my site because it was from a very explicit blog. Naive me didn’t think Wordpress did that. Have I deleted it from my comments awaiting moderation… uh ….no answer.
I have read books 1 and 2 and enjoyed them for what they were and I am saving the 3rd for my long weekend at the beach. I think that the person who thought that it made the main female character seem weak was not reading the right book. The sub always has the upper hand. I learned that from CSI, not 50 Shades. ;)
I read them, and we’re discussing them at my book club this weekend. I am on the fence… and my last post on my blog was all about how I felt about these books. And probably the longest post I’ve ever written. Terrible writing, plus some other problems… I guess I just feel like if you want to read some erotica, go to the bookstore and browse that section. There are things that are more well written and much steamier.