Posts Tagged: DNF

Monday, September 15, 2014

DNF Round-Up [2014: Part 2]

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The post where I post mini reviews on why I DNFed (did not finish) these books!
For my past DNF posts, click here!


Mortal DangerMortal Danger
Ann Aguirre

Goodreads Purchase

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly… bad things are happening. It’s a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what–she can trust. Not even her own mind…

I’m sad because I was so looking forward to this, but I was sooo bored. I put it down to read something else when it felt like I’d been reading this one for a year, and I just can’t motivate myself to pick this up and continue on with it.

It started out alright, but soon enough it turned out to be all about these 2 paranormal/afterlife “companies” who are in competition with each other with all this political drama. Well, bleh. Also, the love interest is another of those stalker guys who has watched her her whole life – mostly when she was getting bullied and emotionally tortured by her peers while he stood and did nothing (or took notes for his boss or something). But, you know, it’s okay because it was his job; so, yeah, lets jump his bones because he’s hot!? Eh, no, still creepy.

Furthermore, seeing as the girl was bullied relentlessly for years, and now seems to have a serious lack of self esteem from how she describes her past self, she gets out of her shell a bit too easily once she’s made attractive. There’s no lingering insecurities at all; a prettier face perfected her social skills in a second. Not very realistic for a girl who was at the point of suicide 2 seconds earlier. That confidence she suddenly displays would be hidden deeper than that.

Anyways, maybe the last half is an epic showdown of 5-star-ism, but honestly I don’t care to find out.

Blackbird

Blackbird
Anna Carey

Goodreads Purchase

A girl wakes up on the train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only minutes to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn’t remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her.

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined.

The Maze Runner series meets Code Name Verity, Blackbird is relentless and action-packed, filled with surprising twists.

Blackbird is told in 2nd person tense, which I thought would be unique – and it is, naturally – but instead of being a fun change of pace it was just distracting. This was made even worse when I quickly grew frustrated with the cheesiness of the plot. It also doesn’t try to be all that realistic. For instance, some random guy who has never used a gun before, goes up and shoots a woman from a few stories high (who knew it was that easy to hit a target? >.<), kills her, and he’s just all ok with it because she was going to kill someone else anyways. Then I hear he randomly gets eaten by a dog or something odd like that. Anyways, I put this one down a while ago after I got bored, not necessarily planning on DNFing but, but after seeing the reviews of those who finished it, I can safely say I don’t ever plan on picking it up again.

I do think you should try it, though, because it feels like one that will be a hit or miss. 2nd person POV could make for a really awesome read if the story is able to compel the reader into the heroine’s shoes/mind – which Blackbird did not get close to achieving for me, sadly.

The Girl with All the Gifts The Girl with All the Gifts
M.R. Carey

Goodreads Purchase

Not every gift is a blessing.

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class.

When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite. But they don’t laugh.

Melanie is a very special girl.

This book has an incredibly interesting concept – definitely a unique take on zombies. Also with only a few pages in, I could tell there was a lot of research done to make it scientifically fascinating. But… I just couldn’t get into it. There are several POVs, all in 3rd person which is always hard for me, and I was simply not feeling this one at all at the time. I think it may have been my mood more than the book itself, too.

However, unlike any other DNF books I’ve had, it’s one I’d consider picking up again in a couple of month, especially after seeing all the 4 and 5 star reviews from my friends. I’m a very curious person in nature, so I’m dying to see what this book turns out to be; what brought out so much love for it. If you have read it, what do you think? If I didn’t like it by 30%, do you still think I should reconsider?

Have you DNFed any books recently?

DNF Round-up [2014: Part 1]

Posted by on 03/07/2014 • 47 Comments

This is our first DNF Round-up of 2014! We both have a couple of 2014 books that we didn’t finish and since we don’t post official reviews, we decided to at least list our reasons why these ended up as DNFs for us.

Jenni

Maybe One Day Melissa Kantor

Goodreads Purchase

Critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend’s life-threatening illness.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when…

2013 DNFs [Part 2]

2013 DNFs [Part 2]

Posted by on 10/15/2013 • 35 Comments

Hi everyone. I actually have not DNFed many books since the last round-up post back in May (which is a good thing) but just recently I did have to put down a few so instead of posting full reviews for them I like to do these round-up posts to explain why a book didn’t work for me – and hey maybe what I hate is something you love in books, you never know! 🙂

Red Alison Cherry

Goodreads Purchase

Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters…

2013 DNFs [Part 1]

2013 DNFs [Part 1]

Posted by on 05/31/2013 • 27 Comments

The time has come again to round up a few DNF books of 2013 so far. Note that I have read over 75 books this year so there are bound to be some that are simply not worth my time and effort. I also know some have seen these on my STS and are awaiting my thoughts, so here goes (note that these are not all my 2013 DNFs, just the most noteworthy):

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney 

A teenage girl is transformed into a reluctant superhero and must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become.

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong…

2012 DNF Madness [Part 2]

Posted by on 12/28/2012 • 35 Comments

Welcome to part 2 of 2012 DNF Madness. If you missed part 1, it was posted just yesterday, here! 😉 

The Glimpse Claire Merle Publication date: June 7th 2012by Faber & Faber

In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell.

Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her…

2012 DNF Madness [Part 1]

Posted by on 12/27/2012 • 49 Comments

Yes, sometimes books are so awful that I do not finish them. I used to refuse to leave a book unfinished, but then I realized how crazy I was to keep reading something I hated. However, as I usually read at least 50-70%, I still gather more than enough to have an opinion on it. This DNF madness event–which I gather will be at least 2 or 3 parts long, will showcase books that, unfortunately, took hours of my life that I will never get back. As these are simply reasons, or ramblings, on why I did not finish the book, they will not be up to par–in length and quality (hours of my life!!)–with my usual full length reviews. You might consider them… fleeting warnings.  

Nobody Jennifer Lynn…