DNF Digest [3]

dnfdigest

I didn’t intended on making “DNF Digest” a regular thing because honestly? I always hope to finish a book! Lately, though, I’ve been more inclined to mark a book as DNF because there are just soooo many books I need to read (you’ve seen my shelves) so I just can’t afford to be pushing through books that I’m really not enjoying. If I’ve read a lot of the book I finish, it’s sort of a policy of mine to try to write a small “review” saying why it didn’t work for me, but today’s collection of DNF round-ups didn’t quite warrant reviews because I didn’t make it as far as I’d hoped.


Title: Starry Night
Author: Isabel Gilles
Format I was reading: ARC received from Macmillan
Started reading: 9/14/14
Date marked as DNF: 9/14/14
Marked DNF at: 15 pages
Reason for marking DNF: (My mini-review from Goodreads) I gave this book a teeny tiny shot after seeing the terrible ratings. I went sent an ARC by Macmillan so I wanted to at least open the book before brushing it off but only a few pages in and I already was very unimpressed with the writing. It was hard to read and the voice seemed very young and juvenile. If I had seen some good ratings, I would have given the rest of it a shot but I read other people’s reviews for a reason and that’s to help my choose which books I think are right for me and I just don’t think this one is it. I’m just gonna have to pass.
Extra Comments: I know 15 pages seems like a REALLY small opportunity to give the book, but like my mini-review said, if I had seen better ratings I would have given it more of a shot. Seeing all the negative feedback assured me that this wasn’t really a case of a rough start.
What did I do with the ARC? Gave it away to another blogger who will hopefully enjoy it more.


Title: Evidence of Things Not Seen
Author: Lindsey Lane
Format I was reading: ARC received from Macmillan
Started reading: 9/14/14
Date marked as DNF: 9/14/14
Marked DNF at: 50 pages
Reason for marking DNF: (Mini-review from Goodreads) Started and then shortly thereafter, marked as DNF. Made it about 50 pages in and what in the world is this book. It’s only 225 pages long so 50 pages in and we learn nothing about Tommy. Practically nothing except he was nerdy and into weird nerdy things. That about sums it up. The different POVs in this book (I mean, as far as I made it) were just… weird. I don’t mind heavy subjects and serious issues, but to throw in topics of sexual abuse like it was, and seemingly serving no purpose to the plot…? I mean, I didn’t finish the book, but what purpose does this serve to tell the details about how a girl is abused by her cousin and her uncle and give explicit descriptions of things that she went through? I don’t even know how she’s connected to all of this… or anyone really. Anyway. It may have gotten better if I kept reading but I felt totally taken by surprise at all of this intense content with no context at all how it related to Tommy. In fact, I don’t even know who Tommy is. This is a big issue with too many POVs too. Who are all these people and why do their stories relate? I’m not saying their stories don’t matter because clearly they have stories to be told… But maybe they shouldn’t have been told in this book. Maybe they need their own books because to tie this into the mysteries of Tommy’s disappearance… it just didn’t seem to fit. This just really wasn’t what I expected it to be and I just don’t feel interested in continuing.
What did I do with the ARC? Gave it away to another blogger who will hopefully enjoy it more.


Title: Lailah
Author: Nikki Kelly
Format I was reading: ARC from Macmillan
Started reading: 10/2/14
Date marked as DNF: 10/4/14
Marked DNF at: 70 pages
Reason for marking DNF: (Mini-review from Goodreads) I decided to put this one down. It wasn’t going terribly but I just wasn’t getting into it. I just have so much on my plate right now that I’m really being pickier about what books I pick up in the first place and what I want to devote my time to finish. If I had to rate what I read, it’d be about three stars? But I think I also have a Twilight complex and I almost can’t NOT compare vampire books to it. Anyway. Wasn’t awful but just not connecting with it and I think I need to put my time towards something else right now.
Extra Comments: This is a DNF I feel TERRIBLE about. I had the opportunity to meet and interview Nikki Kelly and OMG, she is just the SWEETEST. Seriously one of the sweetest authors (or just one of the sweetest people) I’ve ever met. (I sincerely hope she doesn’t see that I didn’t finish her book because I honestly feel BAD about this one. That’s the trouble when you make a personal connection with an author and you haven’t read their book yet!) Anyway. I was getting along just oooookay with LAILAH, but ultimately it wasn’t grabbing me and it just felt like I wouldn’t make that connection there. The people who had rated it high on Goodreads were people I know to have different tastes than I do when it comes to this genre so I felt confident putting it down (for now). Maybe I’ll try to revisit it again when I have more time to sit down and really get into it!
What did I do with the ARC? Got it signed by Nikki and gave it away! 🙂


Those are my latest DNFs! These are actually all from a couple months ago so that’s good that I haven’t been DNFing TOO much lately. There was a while where I wasn’t finishing a LOT because I was just trying to get through books and I wasn’t choosing wisely. With time at a premium before my wedding, I was being very choosy! Do you have any that you agree with? Any you’re disappointed I didn’t enjoy?

Hi, I'm Brittany!
Hi, I'm Brittany!

I'm an avid reader, candle-maker, and audiobook lover! Here you'll find book reviews, fun blog posts, and my other loves of photography & craft beer!

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10 thoughts on “DNF Digest [3]

  1. Nicole @ The Quiet Concert

    Lailah was the only book really on my radar of the 3 but I wasn’t running to pick it up in the first place. I am still largely undecided if it’s my cup of tea and seeing your DNF (which would likely have turned into a middle-of-the-road rating) isn’t making me think it is. In all likelihood I won’t ever read it, but I haven’t given up on it entirely yet.

    Reply
  2. Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl

    I ALSO DNF’ed Evidence of Things Not Seen! I completely agree with your statement “and what in the world is this book”. I’m not sure I hung in there as long as you did, but I guess I’m glad about that!

    Really scared to start Starry Night. It sounds like something I’d love, but the mass of negative reviews has me choosing something different every time.

    Reply
  3. Stormy

    I DNF-ed Evidence of Things Not Seen too, for the same reason. Why so many POVs? Those did nothing for me.
    It’s too bad about Starry Night–I’ve seen the low ratings but man, I still love that cover. Sigh.

    Reply
  4. Charleen

    I don’t think I’ve ever DNF’d an ARC after only 15 pages, but I’ve given up on other books that early. Sometimes you just know it isn’t for you… sure, you MIGHT be wrong, but with some books I’m perfectly okay with never finding out.

    Reply
  5. Angie

    Hahahahaa omg Starry Night. Nikki started reading that and telling me how bad the writing was so I made her text me pictures and I was like yeaaaaaaaa nope never mind I’m not borrowing that. STUPID BEAUTIFUL COVER CURSE.

    I’ve been on the fence about Lailah. It seems like a thing I’d enjoy but also I love triangle and I am trying to avoid those.

    Reply
  6. Haley

    I hate it when I can’t finish a book. I recently got an ARC of Forbidden by Kimberly Griffiths Little because of a giveaway I entered. I only made it 140pgs into the book before I had to just give up. 140 pgs in 5 days is too slow for me and my college classes were so busy. I’m not a historical fiction fan, but because it was ancient history, and supposedly read like a fantasy, I gave it a shot. I liked the setting, but nothing really interesting was happening. Then I decided to read something else that was paranormal: Exquisite Captive and I enjoyed it so much. Sometimes you just have to move on if you not enjoying something. It’s not like they’re required reading for school. But it sucks when it’s a book you bought and had signed. Just come back to someday.

    Reply
  7. Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction

    The hardest thing I’ve found with blogging are those moments where you don’t love the book but you absolutely adore the author. I feel like sinking into a hole. It is good that we can still pass the book and get it into the hands of people that it will mesh with though.

    Reply
  8. Kelsey

    You’re not the only one who I’ve seen DNF the Body in the Woods. It sucks when we DNF books but I’ve had at least 2 recently that I just couldn’t get into. It’s good that you gave them away to other bloggers in the hopes that they might like it though 🙂

    Reply

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