Let's all just remember that August started off terribly and is ending terribly, too. Things have to look better in September.
8/10: Girl in the Mirror by Mary Alice Munroe (library ebook, 1998) - Do you ever read something hoping it will somehow get better in the next chapter? This one never did. I read this book because I thought it fulfilled a Pop Sugar challenge prompt, but I JUST REALIZED IT WAS BY A DIFFERENT AUTHOR. I'm a failure. 2.5/5 stars
8/17: Feed (Newsflesh #1) by Mira Grant - Blogging plus a zombie apocalypse? I'm in. 5/5 stars
8/17: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - Well, at least I can say I read it. 2.5/5 stars
8/18: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - Look, this may be sacrilege, but the writing is subpar, the characterizations nonexistent, and the ending just pissed me off. 2/5 stars
8/25: Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters
Average star rating: 3.2/5 stars - Thank goodness for Feed, right?
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Did Not Finish:
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam - I read about half this book and nothing had happened yet. Honestly. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry - I tried to listen to this as an audiobook and it failed to grab my attention. Maybe I'll try it later in print. DNF at 8%.
A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst - Tried this as an audiobook and I just couldn't do it. The narrator's voice was not my favorite. DNF at 8%, but I will get this as a physical book and read it later.
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What's the last book you DNFed? Why did you stop reading it?
I post a "Books Read or not" list every January 1 or 2 of the previous year's books. Always interesting to see how many I really remember.
ReplyDeleteI just DNF a book by Lisa Jewell, Don't Let Him In. Great premise, but could not stand the slog of the first chapters of meeting the characters. I did read the last few chapters, which led to an interesting conclusion, but really? Too many people, too much jumping around. I also stuck to another novels I wanted to give up. Writers and Liars, by Carol Goodman, which was in the mode of And Then There Was None. It was short and I liked the classical allusions, but I don't think I'll read another of hers.
ReplyDeleteI DNF'd a fantasy book because each chapter was bringing in more and more characters and I just wasn't in the head space to deal with that much going on. And actually, I did finish a different fantasy book that I would have not finished if I'd known it would end on a freaking cliffhanger. I didn't know it was first in a planned series, and while I can deal with a series that doesn't resolve EVERYthing in book one (I mean, that's what makes it a series, right?), I can't deal with it not resolving ANYthing. I'm reading and enjoying a different fantasy series where I have so many questions, but the first two books each ended in a good, happy-for-now place that works for me. (Although, So Many Questions.)
ReplyDeleteUgh, that was a bad reading month! I will say, I love Agatha Christie, but And Then There Were None was never my favorite. I don't know why it's so famous. Well- onward! September will be better.
ReplyDeleteI DNF'd The Poppy Fields. I really liked her first book, "The Measure" but her latest book was just not working for me. Initially I got annoyed by the set-up. 3 people meet in an airport in Kansas City - but one of those people was flying in from Boston. There is NO WAY YOU WOULD CONNECT THROUGH KANSAS CITY! It is not a hub airport! That probably would not catch the attention of anyone who doesn't fly a lot/doesn't understand hubs. But gah it annoyed me. And then I just didn't care about the characters. I also DNF'd Emily Henry's new book because the historical aspect of the book was so boring for me and I did not find the chemistry between the 2 characters believable at all. I mean the guy was treating the girl like a total jerk but she gets him a green tea and places it outside his door? Why? And their first kiss was so very sudden and out of left field. I knew Stephany didn't like it so I figured I'd cut my losses. Plus I didn't like her last book, "Happy Place."
ReplyDeleteLet’s see. I have been DNFing all over the place lately. Looks like it’s mostly thrillers, which are usually my go-to genre… but I guess I require something that hooks me immediately. (Death at the White Hart was kind of boring, I only read about a quarter of it before drifting away. We Don’t Talk About Carol I only gave 7 minutes before putting it down. I devoted all of 15 minutes to listening to Look Closer before I decided I had no patience for it.)
ReplyDeleteI am so very sad you disliked the Celeste Ng. I loved that one so much. I did read it maybe ten or twelve years ago though, so perhaps Today Me would have a different reaction.
(This is Suzanne.)