DNF Review - The Last Page

The Last Page

By: Katie Holt

Expected Publication: May 12, 2026 by Alcove Press

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A bookseller with a dream of running her beloved bookstore vs. the owner’s out-of-touch grandson who inherits everything. Game on.

From the author of Not in My Book comes another irresistible, bookish contemporary romance.

Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.

Henry doesn’t know the first thing about running a bookstore. With his aging mom back in Tennessee, he plans to stay in New York just long enough to ensure things are running smoothly and then head back home. What he never could have counted on was the beautiful, funny bookseller who loves The Last Page more than any place in the world—and who sees him as the villain who’s come to ruin her life.

But when it becomes evident that the store is in deep financial trouble and Henry and Ella are both at risk of losing everything, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and team up—despite the inconvenient chemistry blossoming between them.

Fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood will adore this rivals-to-friends-to-lovers bookish romance!

I loved Katie Holt's last book. Not in My Book was so much more than I expected, and I have been looking forward to her next book ever since. No lie, The Last Page was probably one of my most anticipated books of 2026. Unfortunately as you can tell from the title of my review, I ended up DNFing this book at 45%. Since my review policy allows me to review books that I've read 25% or more, here's a brief breakdown of why The Last Page didn't work for me.

Ella is one of those characters that think New York City is the best city in the world. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with loving where you come from, loving where you live or any of that. But it can be alienating to readers who don't come from the same location. I have never visited New York City so I can't say that I would love or hate it, but I know that I don't love big cities in general. Too many people in one place makes me anxious. And so I really have no desire to visit New York City. If the opportunity presented itself to me, I probably wouldn't turn it down because I'm open to having my mind changed on something like that. But it would probably not even be in my list of top ten cities or places to visit should I have my choice of locations. And it isn't even Ella's love of New York City that bothered me. It was her disdain for any place that isn't New York City. It was her put down of other places that bugged me.

Henry originally lived in New York but he grew up in Memphis. Sure the size of these cities doesn't really compare, but it isn't like he grew up in the corn fields of Kansas...or let's say the cotton fields of Alabama where I very much live. And so Ella's disdain for Henry's upbringing and all things that makes Henry a non-New Yorker was annoying to me.

Typical of New York and bigger cities in general, the left woke idealogoy permeated this book. Mentions of Bill Clinton in a positive light, George Washington as a fascist, Henry is a fascist, one side character is they/them, discussing people who wear tails and dress in speedos as normal, a new boss coming in and making changes in hopes of helping the store survive were mindblowing to all of the side characters and could only be a way of asserting himself in the most "toxic masculinity" way, anti-JK Rowling, anti-capitalism, anti-anything rural America, anti-anything non-New York, anti-anyone who disagrees with the main character's thoughts, but the ultimate dealbreaker for me was the pro-drag queen story time. None of this is surprising for anyone who comes from New York. This is the exact image in my head of a typical New Yorker and thus only serves to confirm that New York is not in fact for me.

As much as I was looking forward to The Last Page I was so let down. Ella wasn't a likeable character to me at all. And I assume she grows as a character and learns some lessons throughout this book, but I just had no desire to continue to force myself to read a book where the character (and potentially the author?) holds such disdain for things I value and places that aren't New York City. I wouldn't go as far as Henry when he says that "everyone" is automatically patient and kind, quick to smile and slow to judge" here in the South. That is a broad generalization that just blanketly isn't true. But you definitely will get a "bless your heart" before you get a much harsher cursing out. Having recently been on the tail end of a definitely f-you "bless your heart" I can say that it stings no less even if it is coated in sticky sour sweetness. Regardless, I'd rather be from po-dunk broke down, backwoods Alabama than stuck up, upside down New York freaking City. End rant. DNF'd The Last Page at 45% immediately after the positive inclusion of drag queen story time.

Last 10 Books I DNF'd

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Last Ten Books I DNF'd

1. Everything I Promised You by Katy Upperman
2. Lady Helen's Misalliance by Jessica Spencer
3. The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith
4. After Life by Gayle Forman
5. Princess of Air by Natalie Cammaratta
6. The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing
7. Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe
8. The Getaway List by Emma Lord
9. Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke
10. Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by James Strum

Which books are the last ones that you DNF'd? Let me know!

The Rose Bargain - DNF Review

The Rose Bargain

By: Sasha Peyton Smith

Publication: February 4, 2025 by HarperCollins

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The Cruel Prince meets The Selection in this captivating duology opener brimming with heart-pounding romance, vicious competition, and beautiful, cruel fae, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven, Sasha Peyton Smith.

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.

High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste.

But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin… and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.

Fae fantasy meets historical regency England is basically the idea behind The Rose Bargain. It's an alternate reality kind of historical fiction mixed with fantasy elements. I did enjoy The Selection series even though it wasn't without flaws, but I haven't read The Cruel Prince that the description refers to. All of that said, I thought mixing my two (current) favorite genres would be a definite winner in my book. Unfortunately, things didn't work out so well for me. In order for me to write a DNF review, I have to make it to at least 25%. I decided to DNF at 35%.

While I was reading The Rose Bargain, I felt like the reasons for DNFing were so obvious. The characters are all overdramatic. The writing is a bit extreme. So much of the story and the queen reminded me of Bridgerton. Queen Charlotte and Queen Moryen both find some kind of entertainment at the expense of their subjects. Yet the Princes were confusing as well. The girls that were in competition with Ivy. And Ivy herself. Everyone was too extreme and dramatic.

One example is the first challenge the contestants must participate in is basically a maypole dance until only one is crowned the maypole queen. The last six girls participating advance to the next round, and the ones who fell before are now out of the competition.

-Onlookers gasp and cheer as we twirl, but I can't help but feel that they're just waiting to watch us fall like toy soldiers. This is blood sport.

The maypole dance. Where some girls fall down in the mud. Is equated to blood sport. Dramatic much?

I just couldn't. I rolled my eyes. I signed too much. I shook my head. I was annoyed. And I just didn't want to continue. Is the marriage of these two genres impossible to like? Or was it the execution by Sasha Peyton Smith to blame? I tend to lean toward the later. Regardless, I chose to DNF at 35%. Have you read The Rose Bargain? What did you think? Let me know!

Lady Helen's Misalliance - DNF Review

Lady Helen's Misalliance (Seasons of Love, # 2)

By: Jessica Spencer

Publication: October 9, 2024

256 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Clean Regency What is a lady to do when the man she loves is determined to sacrifice their love for honor?

Lady Helen is not overly concerned that she is only passably pretty and not likely to attract many suitors during her London Season. Only a shallow man would choose his wife for her looks. She wants a husband who is likable and worthy of respect, possesses a good character, and has a pleasant disposition.

Mr. Luke Turner is what the ton contemptuously refers to as a Cit. His wealth and upbringing can give him entry into London Society but not make a match with a young lady of birth.

Helen knows that Luke is the only man she can marry. He is kind and gentle and makes her feel comfortable about herself. He loves her, she knows he does, but is adamant about keeping away for fear of endangering her place in Society.

But when the notorious Lord Frampton fixes his sights on her, Luke is the only one she can trust. Will he put aside his scruples to keep her safe?

I went through a rough spell with my reading and DNFd 3 books in a row. Believe it or not, DNFing (Did Not Finish) is actually pretty rare for me. I've DNF'd roughly 57 books over 11 years. But I've come to learn a bit more about what I enjoy reading and what I don't. And I'm less patient with books to see how things end up if I'm not enjoying one. I don't have time to waste reading something that I'm not liking. 

Lady Helen's Misalliance was a disaster. Almost immediately, I questioned DNFing. The writing is truly terrible. I do not criticize someone's work lightly. It takes a lot to sit down and write a book. To execute a plot on paper. I haven't done it. But this book was so, so badly written. I DNF'd at 34%. 

So much of the book was dialogue. When I was younger, I'd often skip descriptions and get straight to the dialogue. Or if I'm in a part that seems to be dragging on, I might skim until the next statement a character says aloud. But I almost felt like Jessica Spencer forgot that you can't write an entire book based on dialogue alone. So much of the in-between description and narration was completely missing. 

And then, the real kicker is that the characters start acting like and even naming themselves as being in love without having more than two interactions between them. The first interaction is where the MC runs over the FMC with his horse. She's stunned. He is attractive. They barely talk. They then meet again where it's discussed that they shouldn't meet again for reputation purposes. I mean 15 words between the two of them might have been exchanged. And this comes from an author who writes nearly exclusively in dialogue. Yet the FMC declares herself to be in love. Then the MC's sister basically tells him that she can tell he's in love based upon some eye contact bologna. 

-"Who was that?" Dora asked.
"Who do you mean?"
"The young woman who left just now. I saw you watching her. Who is she? Is she a lady?"
"Dora, what's it with these questions?"
"Are you in love with her? I think you are. Does she love you too?"
"She is Lady Helen. Lord Frampton was misbehaving with her. Dora, would you mind if we leave? We can come again tomorrow if you wish. I want to be sure that Lord Frampton is not lying in wait for Lady Helen."

You guys, I wish I was exaggerating. I couldn't take it anymore. The writing was weak. The characters had an insta-love thing based upon absolutely nothing. I can't. I can't. I can't. DNF @ 34%. Have you read Lady Helen's Misalliance? What did you think? Let me know!

The Getaway List - DNF Review

The Getaway List

By: Emma Lord

Publication: January 23, 2024 by Macmillan Young Listeners

Duration: 9 Hours, 49 Minutes, 49 Seconds

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.

Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

Have you guys ever had a book that was like a series of events that just seemed to keep you from the book or enjoying the book? That's what happened to me with The Getaway List. At first, I was listening to the audiobook and enjoying it. I was wrapping Christmas presents while listening. But then I decided to lie down in bed and listen one night. You'll be surprised to hear that I fell asleep. NetGalley's audiobooks aren't easy to navigate because the sections are all labeled the same. That made finding the place I stopped difficult. Then, if you can believe it, I decided to start over in case I missed too much, and the same thing happened to me again. No more lying in bed listening to audiobooks. Lesson learned. But then I kept having issues with the content of the book after that. 

Okay, so Riley and Tom were best friends until Tom moved to New York, and Riley was left behind. Riley's mom has kept her busy with any and all extracurricular activities. Tom has stopped replying to text messages. And their relationship has dwindled. Riley and her mom had a falling out after graduation, and Riley decides to take a weekend trip to New York to visit Tom--which turns into a longer stay. Tom's mother is apparently in the film industry and is never home. Because apparently, no one could possibly dislike New York, Riley falls in love with the city, all the while realizing that she has feelings for her best friend. 

Enter my issues. 1) Riley's a little whiny and self-centered. 2) The characters cuss all the time. But it's the type of cursing that seems like the characters feel cool for doing it. (This is a pet peeve of mine...people who drink because they think they look cool doing it. And people who curse because they think it makes them cool.) The excessive language just felt stupid and unnecessary to me. You won't find me complaining about cursing in most of my book reviews. I tend to only mention it when it's excessive. And The Getaway List was excessive and unnecessary. 3) LGBTQ+ agenda. I don't always mention this either, believe it or not. But when LGBTQ+ stuff is thrown in for the sake of checking a box, I mention it. 4) Mostly, I found that I couldn't connect to the characters in a way that I cared about any of them. I kept trying. I kept listening to push forward and make progress. I kept thinking I would get invested soon. And I just didn't. I ended up listening to 62% of the book, and by that point, I usually tell myself that I've come too far to stop now. But I felt so much relief when I finally made the decision to DNF that I knew I made the right choice. 

I tried to like The Getaway List. I have enjoyed Emma Lord's books in the past. In fact, I did rate Tweet Cute as 5 Stars. I hate that I couldn't connect to the characters or the story, but this book was a series of unfortunate events for me. I was not the right reader for The Getaway List, and I ended up DNFing at 62%. Have you read The Getaway List? What did you think? Let me know!

The Forgotten Fall - DNF Review

A Forgotten Fall (A Lord for All Seasons, # 3)

By: Nadine Millard

Expected Publication: September 16, 2022

? pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--All she's ever wanted is freedom, challenge, and adventure. But the longer she spends with the wounded soldier from her past the more she realizes she might just want him.

Francesca Templeworth has never met a man that didn’t somehow disappoint her. While other girls her age dreamed of love and romance and marriage, she wanted adventure and challenges and freedom.

No man has ever held her interest. No man but Adam Fairchild, who’d gone off to war and had never come back.

Adam Fairchild has spent years running from the demons he encountered on the battlefield of war, from a past that he no longer remembers, and a present reality that feels too heavy a burden to carry. Returning to Halton he hopes to find a safe haven. What he finds instead is Francesca Templeworth, a pretty girl with a sharp wit who’s turned into a beautiful woman with a smart mouth.

All Adam wants is to hide himself away, miserable in the darkness. But he didn’t count on the most stubborn woman in all of Christendom insisting on dragging him back into the light.

Francesca can’t fight her attraction to Adam any more than Adam can fight is own to her. But until he learns to let go of the past, what hope do they have of a future together?

Adam is the one man she’s never forgotten. But the question is, will he let himself fall?

Initially the description of The Forgotten Fall sounded interesting. I didn't get very far before I felt torn over the writing. On the one hand, I was curious about the family that can't seem to abide by society's rules. Yet it became clear that Cheska's inability to follow the rules of polite society would likely land her in a sexual situation. Her disdain for any kind of rule is only a recipe for her to break the ones that are convenient at the time.

Obviously Adam has been through trauma considering he went to war, was injured, and lost his brother and father before he made it home. And then he only sought to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Magically, one interaction with Francesca is enough to make him want to turn things around and start living. One addiction to another essentially.

I can't discount Adam's trauma. And I've never been one to be opposed to love helping someone through a difficult time or changing their opinions of their struggles. But I also believe that we can't live our lives completely for others and sometimes the work we have to do on ourselves is outside of others. I'm not describing this very well.

Basically, my struggle with the writing is that the characters felt like victims of their own lives and emotions. As if they had no control over anything that happened to them, any choices were made by default based upon their emotions. Perhaps the last 40% would have changed pace and the characters would have said "no" to their emotions and used their "thinking brain" (aka their frontal lobe) to make decisions. Writing from an emotional standpoint can easily suck readers into the characters, but the characters need to have a spine. They need to do more than feel.

Unfortunately, I decided to DNF The Forgotten Fall at 60%. I always wonder if the remainder of the book would have redeemed it for me, but I just do not have extra time to read something I'm not enjoying. I found myself sighing and holding my breath not because I was anxious to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next, but because I truly wanted to be doing anything other than reading this book. I know that sounds harsh. I'm sure there are readers out there that would love this book, but the characters were too much of victims for me--when they had a right to be and even when they didn't. Have you read The Forgotten Fall? What did you think? Let me know!

The Last 10 Books I DNF'D

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is The Last Ten Books I DNF'D.

1. Together We Caught Fire by Eva B Gibson
2. A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier
3. Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters
4. All the Water in the World by Karen Raney
5. Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno
6. Crazy on You by Crystal Bright
7. Heart of Thorns (Heart of Thorns, # 1) by Bree Barton
8. Before I Let You Go: Stories for My Grown Son by Kirsten Wreggitt
9. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X R Pan
10. Ice Wolves (The Elementals, # 1) by Aime Kaufma

(DNF = did not finish) So tell me, which books have you DNF'd lately? Let me know!

Crazy on You - DNF Review

Crazy on You (Love and Harmony, # 3)

By: Crystal B. Bright

Publication: February 12th 2019 by Lyrical Shine

pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Shut out the noise and listen to your heart . . .

Worse than a one-hit wonder, Tassia Hogan is a one-line wonder. Infamous for a memorable, extremely provocative verse, her music career is going nowhere. Finding a decent man to date has also proven fruitless . . . they all think she’s as wanton as those lyrics. But now her label is offering Tassia the chance to shine—with a catch. The album is duets. Her partner is a Country Western singer. And he’s just as reluctant to agree as she is.

Hyde Love has been in the music business since he was eleven, and he’s becoming more and more disenchanted with it. Collaborating on an album seems great in theory, but Tassia is an R&B singer. Melding their sounds and personalities will be difficult—though not as tough as keeping things strictly business. Getting involved with his partner could prove career-wrecking, yet discovering the real Tassia could be earth-shattering.

I picked up Crazy on You because it reminded me of another book I recently read (You'd Be Mine, review coming soon) which also features two musicians who are thrown together and forced to collaborate. I enjoyed that book so much that even the hint of something similar was worth checking out. I felt like the premise of Crazy on You had so much potential.

Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed with the plot choices or the writing of Crazy on You. First of all, there were some continuity issues for me. Maybe I missed something, but there were times I couldn't follow the writing because Crystal B Bright would bounce between the present and character flashbacks without making it obvious which time period the character is describing.

But perhaps my biggest issue was how both characters couldn't stop thinking about each other in a sexual context. Obviously, when we find someone else physically attractive there's a level of doing so that's sexual, but I don't understand how every positive trait or experience between these characters sparked sexual thoughts. You can appreciate someone's talents without thinking about jumping them constantly. And unless your relationship is only based on sex then you will have other positive thoughts. And if not, then that's not a relationship I care to read about. And if that's not bad enough, the first encounter was just laughable. I mean there's body wash... And even though it wasn't specifically stated this way... It just isn't supposed to go... inside. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

After I got to the body wash scene, I needed to take a break, and after I put Crazy on You down for 30 minutes or so to complain to Husband, I realized that no one was forcing me to go back. And if I can go on with my life knowing I'm not finishing a story and it isn't going to drive me crazy not knowing how things end, then that's the type of book I can DNF and move on to something I'll enjoy more. Crazy on You: DNF'd at 63%. Have you read Crazy on You? What did you think? Let me know!

Ten-Step Drawing: Animals - DNF Review

Ten-Step Drawing: Animals

By: Walter Foster Creative Team

Publication: August 7th 2018 by Walter Foster Publishing

128 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Arts, Crafts

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Featuring illustrated tutorials for drawing 75 different animals, Ten-Step Drawing: Animals breaks down each subject into 10 simple steps; moreover, all you need is a pen or pencil and a piece of paper!

Handy prompts help artists by encouraging artistic individuality, as well as helpful tips for drawing other subjects not featured in the book. Ten-Step Drawing: Animals is sure to encourage even the most reluctant amateur artist to break out a pen and paper and doodle to their heart’s content!

Ok so my first mistake was assuming that "ten steps" = ten lines. I kind of feel like this book is cheating a bit because each of these steps often includes a lot more than one line or shape. Each step might have multiple pieces to it, and for me that kind of defeated the purpose.

I don't know why I thought this would be easy...maybe because the description made it seem so. And even the steps themselves seem easy. But you can't just say "draw a flat ovalish shape" and have the results come out looking like the illustrations in this book. Well perhaps someone out there could, but me...not so much.

Another thing I've always struggled with in drawing is perfectionism. Art is much more subjective and unless I'm copying or tracing an image, it will never look like what I see in the illustration or picture. And what's in my head never translates to paper.

Aside from that, I knew from the very first animal that this book was going to be too advanced for my skill level. Let's take a look at the first animal in the book.

I'm not quite sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. Sadly, Ten-Step Drawing: Animals was quickly DNF'd. Have you tried Ten-Step Drawing: Animals? What did you think? Let me know!

The Astonishing Color of After - DNF Review

The Astonishing Color of After

By: Emily XR Pan

Publication: March 20th 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

480 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magic Realism

Source: Publisher (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.

Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.

Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.

I'd seen The Astonishing Color of After available for review from both NetGalley and Edelweiss and decided not to request it based off the description. The cover pulled me in to read the description, but I wasn't sold from there. I couldn't tell if this book was supposed to be contemporary or fantasy. Honestly, I enjoy both genres, but I don't tend to like books that try to mix them up. Or ones that start with a character who has no knowledge of this fantastical world that they live in but just aren't aware of. Sometimes an author can make this work, but I just wasn't sure about The Astonishing Color of After. Due to my restricted reading time, I decided to take a pass.

However, the publisher ended up sending me an unrequested hardcopy. At this point even though I don't feel an obligation to read a book I didn't request, I thought I'd give it a try. Surprisingly I was pulled in quickly. The description tells you about this, but I wasn't expecting to jump right into it. Leigh kisses her best friend and flees his house immediately. As she makes it home her house is swarmed with people due to her mother's suicide. Two huge emotional moments--the first being completely dwarfed by the other.

Truth be told, I wasn't completely turned off by the fantastical moments of The Astonishing Color of After like I worried I might be. The writing was really good. Like really good. So why, you might wonder, did I DNF this book that I was enjoying at page 136ish? Here's why:

-"Never do it on a farm," said Charles in a mock low voice, leaning toward Caro like he was saying this in confidence. "No matter how beautiful and sexy your girl is." There was extra emphasis on the word sexy. "Papi," Caro pleaded. She looked mortified. "What are you so embarrassed about?" said Gaelle. "I loved a few women back in my day." "More than a few," said Mel, "the way I heard it" Caro's grandmother ignored this. "You love who you love. There's no changing that. You do your loving whenever, wherever you wish--"

I don't believe in this philosophy...you love who you love... I've had this philosophy pushed down my throat with books, TV, and media to the point where I'm over it. And I've come to the point in my life--reading and real--where I just don't need it. I'm over it. Done. The end.

All else considered The Astonishing Color of After was enjoyable for the 136ish pages that I read. The writing was quite good. But I'm over the "do what makes you feel good" and "love who you want" philosophies. Have you read The Astonishing Color of After? What did you think? Let me know!

Heart of Thorns - DNF Review

Heart of Thorns (Heart of Thorns, # 1)

By: Bree Barton

Expected Publication: July 31st 2018 by Katherine Tegen Books

464 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.

Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch.

But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Heart of Thorns had a slow start to me. Typical young girl betrothed to a prince she doesn't love and assumes her marriage is doomed to be loveless without even knowing her soon to be husband. She's mad at her father for arranging such a marriage. Especially when all she wants to do is hunt down and exact revenge on her mother's murderer. Eh. I was bored. During this time Mia experiences some events and feelings that felt very disorienting to me. Of course, the reason for that is because Mia has magic that she doesn't know about (not a spoiler because it is in the description). I knew this to be the case, but I still felt like these scenes could have been handled in a better way that would have been less jarring to me.

Once Mia has her first undeniable experience with her magic and she and Prince Quin become allies on the run together, things got interesting to me. These two go from combatants to allies and reluctant friends to some sparks of feelings. During this time my interest was piqued and I wanted to keep reading to find out if Mia and Quin's feelings were real or if Quin was simply enthralled by Mia and her magic. Even though this was the most interesting part of the story for me, I still felt lulls in the pacing of the book and my interest would lag at times.

Mia and Quin finally cross the border of Glas Ddir and the river kingdom and it feels like they've stumbled into an alternate reality. Even though this isn't a case of alternate dimensions, the feeling for me was the same. And unfortunately, I don't tend to enjoy this feeling in books.

Also unfortunately when we get to 60% the political messages of this book really begin to amp up and continue until 75% when I ultimately decided to DNF. Let's address them...First off, there's the major feminism message. Now I have nothing against girl-power (being a woman myself and all). I have nothing against equal rights between men and women or in the belief that the two sexes are equal. What I do take issue with is men-bashing. And that's what this story felt like to me. It wasn't about women's empowerment. It was about how all men have dominated, raped, and tried to silence all women throughout all of human history. Some quotes to back this up:

-"For the entirety of human history, weak men have been afraid of powerful women."

-"For centuries," Lauriel began, "men have found ever-new ways of oppressing women. Our bodies have been receptacles, both container and contained; our wombs soft and pliant for the children we were meant to bear our husbands, whether we wanted to or not. We have been restricted, silenced, and confined."

-Men have always been threatened by the power of women.

-"Ah yes, I suppose it's true what they say: girls will be girls." (stated obviously by some moronic and sexist male)

This isn't even taking into account that there are basically 6 male characters mentioned in the entirety of the 75% of this book that I read. There's the evil king who wants nothing more than to subject, silence, and rape most women. There's the evil duke who wants to kill the prince and assume the succession of the crown who also happens to be a sexual pervert (while not specifically stated as such this is hinted at). There's the prince himself who (minor spoiler) turns out to be bisexual. And then there's Mia's long time friend Dom who turns out to be gay. And Mia's father who was manipulated by and potentially hated her mother, who lead the kingdom in hunting down women with magical powers, who has likely spent most if not all of Mia's life lying to her. There's no heterosexual male character that was decent at all.

I also found myself annoyed by the back and forth nature of the "facts" surrounding Mia's childhood, her parents, their relationship, and how they both felt about her. While I realize that DNFing kept me from getting to the ultimate revelations that Mia certainly had over all of these situations, I just felt like she was so quick to judge things as fact without having or considering all of the information. She was quick to place blame and hate upon people who likely didn't feel those things, and that coincides with the overall message I felt from this book--especially it's portrayal of men in general.

Obviously as I'm mentioned, there's gay and bisexual characters which I don't expect to never see in fiction, but I am so over and beyond feeling like these characters have been pushed down my throat over the last ten years of reading. Even though this always annoys me, I wouldn't have felt so strongly about it had Heart of Thorns not felt like such a political statement. Quin turning out to be bisexual was the straw that broke the camel's back and ended up being the deciding factor for me to DNF this book. Truly I'd been feeling a weight upon me every time I had an opportunity to read and I found myself dreading picking Heart of Thorns rather than being excited to see what was going to happen next. This is not how I want to feel while reading.

And you know what is probably the smallest but most annoying thing of all...in this fictional, fantasy world, I felt some President Trump bashing. My political and personal opinions of him as a person and as a President of the United States don't even come into play here. If I can pick up the major hints that you're dropping about this subject in your fictional fantasy world then you've done something seriously wrong here. I personally do not read for politics. I don't want to know, nor do I care what the political stance is of any given author. That crap doesn't belong in my reading life.

And you know what's so sad about all of this? The writing of Heart of Thorns wasn't so bad. I was impressed with the vocabulary that made sense but even caused me to look up the definition of a few words. That's always a good thing in my opinion as long as it doesn't happen too often. I even had a few quotes highlighted that I liked and looked forward to initally sharing under my "favorite quotes" section. Bree Barton did, however, use the word "tributary" a few too many times, but overall had all of the political messages and propaganda been removed, I likely would have ended up really enjoying Heart of Thorns. I don't rate DNF books because I don't feel like that's fair and the DNF stands for itself on how I felt about a book, but if I did, Heart of Thorns would likely receive the lowest rating unless the last 25% could somehow redeem itself for the beating I took over the political messages. And for me to DNF a book with so little left to finish really says a lot. Have you read Heart of Thorns? What did you think? Let me know!

Before I Let You Go - DNF Review

Before I Let You Go: Stories for My Grown Son

By: Kirsten Wreggitt

Expected Publication: November 27th 2017 by Bloomscript Inc.

184 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, Biography

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--“I was petrified we would have a girl. Everything about having a girl was horrible to me—the princess parties, the fear for her safety, and the emotional roller coaster ride. But mostly I was afraid she would be like me: suicidal, unable to make brave choices, and trapped inside a body she didn’t love. I was terrified I would have to face that mirror in two places every day.”

“Before I Let You Go” is a journey of Kirsten Wreggitt’s life through motherhood and marriage, and her self-discovery along the way. It is a collection of stories she wanted to share with her grown son about her life’s greatest lessons. These were stories she could not talk about with him because they were too uncomfortable or raw. As she says “In here, I can say the things that catch in my throat. I can say the things that make your eyes roll. In here, I can safely share what I have always wanted to tell you but the time was just never right.”

Among the many stories in this book, Kirsten shares stories of the difficulty of marriage, the struggle to love herself and her body, the triumph of facing her fears, the pain of loving a child, the regret of decisions, and the freedom of knowing yourself. She discusses these with a rare honesty and sometimes offers up surprising advice as a result.

Before I Let You Go is a woman’s reflection on the halfway point of her life and the journey to get there. She shares the joy of the journey and being in the moment: “I am not anticipating the next stop—I am here paying attention, and loving what I see.” She shares the struggle with finding her purpose: “And what if I still never really know why I am here? I still must eat. I still must drink. I still must sleep. And I must love. And love? Even if that is all there is, that changes everything.” And she shares her most difficult question of all: “I am face to face with my mortality, and though I have loved others and was loved by others, the only question that remains is “Did I love me?””

I had such high hopes for Before I Let You Go. Having just had a baby boy 8 months ago, I loved the idea of a mom writing a book of things she wants to say to her son before he leaves her house to move out on his own. I've often thought of doing something similar for my daughter and now son as well. I'm sure it isn't an entirely original idea. But I was so excited to see what this book was all about.

However, I quickly realized that Kirsten Wreggitt and I have some very different thoughts on life, parenting, and especially religion. First off, I was confused about her intro to Before I Let You Go where she discusses being unable to have serious/in depth conversations with her son. And I found this pretty sad. Of course, I don't want to be too judgemental yet considering that my children are quite young. But my parents never shied away from difficult conversations with me. And even aunts and cousins and various other family members. I won't say that anyone enjoys difficult conversations, but the importance of them and the love we have for each other prompt us to move past discomfort in order to get to the heart of things. Of course though, there have been specific people in my life that are particularly difficult to have a deep conversation with so I can understand...a little.

Also I'm a Christian and I'm quite confident in my faith and beliefs. I wasn't far into Before I Let You Go when I first had the thought that Kirsten Wreggitt needs God in her life. This isn't a judgment upon her. She just seems so lost. Her letter to her son (at least the portion that I read) was filled more of questions than answers for him. And while I don't claim to have all of the answers to life's big questions, I do know the One who does have those answers. Kirsten Wreggitt has a section dedicated to "church", and it was during this section that I couldn't stop thinking "she's missing the entire point." First off, the modern American version of "church" is quite different from what the Biblical meaning of the word and what we see in the first century. While God does know that we need each other and He designed us to help each other on our journey from Earth to Heaven, the thing that she's missing is Jesus. Even if she mentioned His name...what she "got out of church" was "community". It was about this point that I started pondering DNF. Once I reached her section about sitting down with a spiritual teacher I confirmed my decision and only kept reading until 25% to meet my own requirements for a DNF review.

Ultimately the differences in my faith, parenting philosophies, and general outlook on life made me realize that Before I Let You Go and I aren't the right fit for each other. I'm not the right reader for it, and it isn't the right book for me. I DNF'd Before I Let You Go at 25%. Have you read Before I Let You Go ? What did you think? Let me know!

DNF Review - Ice Wolves

Ice Wolves (Elementals, # 1)

By: Amie Kaufman

Published: March 27th 2018 by HarperCollins

326 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--Everyone in Vallen knows that ice wolves and scorch dragons are sworn enemies who live deeply separate lives.

So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he has to question whether they are even related. Still, whether or not they’re family, Anders knows that Rayna is his best and only true friend. She’s nothing like the brutal, cruel dragons who claimed her as one of their own and stole her away.

To learn what he needs to rescue her, Anders will have to enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves that values loyalty to the pack above all else. But for Anders, loyalty is more complicated than blind obedience, and friendship is the most powerful shape-shifting force of all.

I have to admit that I am not normally a fan of middle grade books. Yet I decided to give this one a try because I've enjoyed Amie Kaufman before and because...well dragons of course.

I made it to 37% and my overwhelming feeling was that of forcing myself to pick this book up and read. This is more a statement about where I am in my life right now than the book itself. I have never had less time to read than now and so more than ever I want to be reading books that I'm really enjoying and not ones that require me to force myself to continue.

Ice Wolves is narrated by 12 year old Anders who has always felt a little in his sister's shadow. Not that he was jealous of her but just that she was better at most things than him. She took the lead and really took care of him. So he is quite unsure of himself. I know Anders starts the book in such a lowly state so we can see him grow as a character but I struggle with weak characters.

The setup of events to come feels a bit predictable also. I mean certainly I've been surprised in times past when things felt predictable and then some twist came in that threw me off what I'd been expecting. This is possible. However, the vibe I was getting was one that didn't exactly have me excited about continuing the find out what was going to happen to see whether I was right in my predictions or not.

Ice Wolves wasn't a bad read at the point I decided to DNF it. More than anything, I just felt an obligation to continue reading because this was a review book rather than a desire to continue based upon the story and characters. This is likely my own fault as my real life situation leaves me so little time to read that I probably shouldn't have requested a middle grade read when those don't typically appeal to me. I can see myself potentially returning to Ice Wolves at a different time in my life--perhaps even when my children are at the middle grade reading level. Have you read Ice Wolves? What did you think? Let me know!

The Sound of Light - DNF Review

The Sound of Light

By: Claire Wallis

Published: July 17, 2017 by Claire Wallis

320 pages

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

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Goodreads description--My littlest girl has always been a bit peculiar. It was nothing I could ever put a finger on, but I always knew there was something inside her that made her a different kind of special. A deeper kind.

K'acy's got a light around her, one that'll just about knock you over, especially if you don't see her coming. She's got music in her soul, too. Deep, resonating music that echoes and hums, just like the notes that come from the bass guitar she's had attached to her hip since the day she turned thirteen years old.

She's got a hell of a secret, yes, but she does what she's got to do to make it one worth having. She takes care of people. She changes their stories. I spent my life telling both of my girls that you always gotta do what's right, even when it hurts, and it makes me proud to know she was listening.

I saw the way she looked at that boy on the day they met, and I knew right then that things were going to change. Two different people from two different worlds is nothing but a recipe for heartbreak, and when the lies pile higher and higher, it can change a person into something they're not.

It took me dying all those years ago to finally figure out just exactly how special my K'acy really is, and even though I'm not with her anymore, I don't want that boy and his family to change her. I want her to keep doing what's right, even when it hurts.

Because that's who she is inside. That's her deeper kind of special.

**This stand-alone novel from Claire Wallis is intended for readers age 17 and up.**

DNF @ 44% - Warning...I might get a little "preachy" on this one.

I really loved Claire Wallis's PUSH series. And so when she contacted me about reading and reviewing The Sound of Light I jumped at the chance even though the description was a bit vague for my normal tastes. Well Holly got a chance to pick it up and start reading The Sound of Light before I did so I asked her how she was enjoying it and her response was that it was a little slow and she wasn't hooked into it yet. And then a week or so passed and I noticed that she'd not marked it as finished on Goodreads yet so I asked her again about it and she said she was still struggling to connect to the romance and some other issues. So I was a bit discouraged and put off picking up The Sound of Light for even longer than I intended. The main reason is that I just don't have the time to read that I would like and so when I hear the word "slow" associated with a book I really have to evaluate whether it is worth me looking into or not. I finally picked it up. And yeah I found myself struggling as well.

The very first issue I had (which Holly had also warned me about) was the swapping narrators. This isn't always an issue for me. Typically if there are only two narrators who follow the same story in the same chronology then I'm fine. But that's not the case here. K'acy is the main narrator, but occasionally there are chapters from her dad's POV as well as chapters written from the POV of different deceased characters who used to live at the nursing home where K'acy works. I really find that books that jump around chronologically aren't my favorite so this was the first thing that bothered me about The Sound of Light.

Also, I found myself battling my feelings for K'acy in general as character. She plays bass guitar--which I don't care much for except for how it fits within the whole of a great band--for a funk band--which I don't have any connection to as I don't listen to this type of music. I could appreciate the uniqueness that these two facts bring to her character, but it made no connection with me on a personal level. K'acy also comes from a split family. Her mother left when she was young for a "preacher" of what sounds very much like a cult. Because K'acy's mother was religious, K'acy seems to have taken a negative view toward God. Her attitude was much like "how could God allow His children to suffer and die." Or something to that extent. So I couldn't connect to her in this way either considering my Christian background. I'll discuss this more in detail later. K'acy also subscribes to the philosophy that all people "deserve the best life." Despite their actions and how they've lived their lives apparently. And this is yet another philosophy that I personally can't agree with. Again...I'll discuss this in more detail in a bit. And then there's one final kicker that's a huge spoiler that I'll discuss in a hidden paragraph that K'acy also believes in that I couldn't support.

K'acy's struggle with God is not a unique one. Many people wonder how God could allow His creation to suffer. Yet what people don't understand is that this world wasn't created as it is. This world was perfect. God gave us free choice because of His love for us. But that free choice allows us to choose against Him. And that's how and where sin entered into the picture. Because God allows us to choose what isn't good for us bad things happen. And we chose and continue to choose against Him time and time again. And yet we want to shake our fists and blame Him for dealing with the consequences of our own choices. Sure there are things that happen in life that we didn't necessarily choose--like a loved one getting cancer or a car accident--but ultimately all the bad boils down to is our path away from God. God even loved us to the point of sending His own Son to die for us so that He could redeem us back to Himself. So He could buy us back from our sin. But we still reject Him. We still blame Him. We still want to accuse Him of being unloving. So I really struggled with K'acy's attitude toward God. Especially because when it boils down to it, God didn't make K'acy's mom leave her family. He didn't "tell" her to do it. Yet that's really what she's mad at Him about.

In a similar vein, K'acy keeps talking about how her dad taught her that everyone "deserves the best life." And I'm sorry but that's bull. There's nothing I've done in my life that could possibly earn me a free pass from all the bad things. There's nothing that I've done that could earn me a pass from death or suffering. I sure haven't been so good that I earned it. I've messed up. I've lied. I've cheated. I've stolen. I've not been what I should be. I don't deserve any good thing. What is good that I have is a blessing and a gift from God because of His great love for me and because of His grace and mercy. One of the deceased patients that narrates basically explains how he raped his secretary to show her that he was dominant over her--that women were less than. And yet he discusses how K'acy was there for him in the end and how she treated him like she cared. And who knows...maybe K'acy's "gift" doesn't allow her to see a person's past or what that person truly is deep inside, but I found myself completely annoyed that K'acy could offer him grace, compassion, and forgiveness that she can't extend to God--despite God not really needing those things from her. God hasn't wronged any of us. Yet this man was a rapist. And she can find it in herself to give him what she cannot give God? I don't buy it. And at the very least, her thought process is flawed.

SPOILER (highlight to view): The deal breaker for me was that I was starting to piece together some clues about K'acy and what exactly she was using her "gift" for. And so I texted Holly and asked if K'acy was killing the people she sees are going to die. Normally I don't ask questions like this. And normally Holly wouldn't answer so she asked "are you sure you want to know?" And I was like "yes, I really want to know." And she replied that yes essentially K'acy is killing the patients that ask her for help. And I'm sorry, but I can't agree with assisted suicide. I just can't. And so I asked myself if I wanted to continue to read a book where the character obviously fully believed in her philosophy, and the answer was a resounding NO. I don't care to read a character continue to try to justify this. I realize that this might not be such a black and white topic for some, but I have a firm stance on this subject. End spoiler.

All of these factors but especially the one in the spoiler left me with the undeniable decision to put down The Sound of Light. The narration and chronology jumps. The bass guitar for a funk band. The contempt toward God yet utter blind forgiveness for flawed man. The spoiler I can't support. It just told me that this isn't the book for me. And IF I had continued reading and not much changed, I'd be looking at a 1 or 2 Star rating at best. I truly hate that I felt this way because I've enjoyed Claire Wallis's writing in the past, and even the writing itself was at times beautiful in The Sound of Light, but I just don't have the time or the inclination to continue to read something that I'm not enjoying anymore. Have you read The Sound of Light? What did you think? Let me know!

Banished - DNF Review

Banished (Forbidden, # 2)

By: Kimberley Griffiths Little

Published: February 2nd 2016 by Harpercollins

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--She thought she’d lost everything . . .

After spending months traveling the harsh, unforgiving Mesopotamian desert, Jayden reunites with a broken, injured Kadesh. Although everyone was convinced the violent and unpredictable Horeb, Jayden’s betrothed, killed the handsome prince, Jayden knew in her heart that her love was alive and safe. But their reunion is short-lived, as they learn Horeb is on their trail and determined to take back the girl he has claimed. Soon, the two star-crossed lovers are on the run toward Sariba, Kadesh’s homeland, where, as heir to the Kingdom, he plans to make Jayden his princess.

But the trek to Sariba is fraught with heartache and danger. After narrowly escaping being stoned to death for a crime she didn’t commit, and learning that her sister has disappeared, Jayden’s only solace is her love for Kadesh. But even he is keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that will change everything.

This gorgeous and enchanting sequel to Forbidden, is full of love, danger, and heated passion that will leave readers breathless.

I put off reading Forbidden because I'd seen some negative reviews about it. Because of the negative reviews, I started Forbidden with really low expectations. And I think it's because of my low expectations that I ended up enjoying Forbidden as much as I did. And well Forbidden ended with a cliffhanger that left me actually anxious and excited to get to Banished. Yet my experience is nearly the opposite when it comes to Banished.

When I re-read my review of Forbidden, I was reminded that Jayden did make some decision that I felt weren't the brightest and conflict seemed to be written in for the sake of conflict, but this didn't happen until the last 70% of that book. On the other hand, Banished felt like it began (and persisted) in this direction for me. Jayden was annoying me from almost the very extreme beginning of Banished. She'd just fled for her life from Horeb and the city they were in after trying and failing to talk her sister Leila into joining her. Yet no sooner does she arrive back in the land of Edom and finds safety that she's devising her plan to head BACK into danger, back to the city she just left, and back to try to beg her sister to come with her. I just felt like she'd just tried and failed at that so why turn around and do it again. It's not her fault that he sister is an absolutely moron. Jayden can't make Leila leave the temple and her chosen life of prostitution any more than Horeb can force Jayden to marry him. So I really just felt immediate frustration with Jayden from the very beginning of Banished.

Also, Jayden just realizes that while she might love Kadesh, she doesn't know everything about him. His family, his home, the politics of his land, his past, other potential suitors. She knows nothing. But instead of trusting Kadesh as he's given her no reason not to, she goes into a place of insecurity and distrust. Plus while they're trying to run for their lives, she's demanding answers. He tells her that he'll discuss things with her in due time, and now is not the appropriate time, yet that doesn't seem to actually sink in with her. It just caused me to roll my eyes when she reacted the way that she did.

Part of the downfall of my reading Banished was that I put it down to read Morning Star by Pierce Brown when it released. Morning Star is in a league of its own and the difference between Pierce Brown's writing and Kimberley Griffiths Little was a stark contrast. While Pierce Brown's writing is full of twists that you never see coming, all I felt in reading Banished was a sense of doom over the conflict and "twists" that were headed in the direction of the characters that was no more subtle than a bull in a china shop. Jayden is constantly musing about an "unknown threat" that she sense and can't put her finger on so that puts the reader on their toes at all times looking out for these dangers. Whereas, in Morning Star I knew twists were coming because of what I'd experienced with Pierce Brown's writing up until that point, yet I had no idea what those twists would be and the characters didn't constantly wonder about these unknown threats either. It was more a matter of "showing" versus "telling" when it comes to writing styles if that makes sense.

All of those frustrations combined caused me to keep putting Banished down in favor of reading something else. Every time I put Banished down, I had full intentions of coming back to it and finishing. I hate making it so far into a book only to determine that I don't plan to finish it. Ultimately, I made it 54%. When I realized that my reading time has become so limited that I only finished two books each in the months of March and April I decided that I just don't want to spend that little reading time on a book that I can't wait to put down in favor of something else. If this were any other time in my reading life, I'd probably keep going. And who knows, I might have ended up enjoying Banished, but as things stand now, I've decided to DNF Banished at 54%. I hate to do it, but I feel the relief already just from having made the decision, and that's how I know I'm making the right call. Have you read Banished? What did you think? Let me know!

All Things Halloween DNF Review - The Iron Queen

The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey, # 3)

By: Julie Kagawa

Published: January 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fairies, Magic, Urban Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

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Goodreads description--The New York Times Bestseller

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

I guess Julie Kagawa and I just aren’t meant to mesh. And this is a shame because I really love the covers and idea behind her newest series Talon. I’ve read 4 previous books by her and while there wasn’t much wrong with them, I just didn’t find myself hooked into them either. I read The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. I was interested in and enjoyed The Iron King, but The Iron Daughter felt like it would take FOREVER for me to get through. At the end of The Iron Daughter I really felt apathetic toward the series. I mean it wasn’t awful, but I just found myself in a place where I didn’t really care much about the characters or what happens one way or the other. At this point, I’m halfway through the series and I own the final two books. I feel a deep desire to at least try to complete the series. Yet The Iron Queen wasn’t calling to me at all. My friend Paula finished the series and said that she felt like The Iron Queen was the best of the series. So I figured I just needed to press on.

I’ve found that some books that I don’t enjoy spending my limited reading time on are much more enjoyable to me in audiobook versions where I can multitask and therefore not really feel like I’m “wasting” valuable reading time because this time would be spent doing some chore or other and now I’m killing two birds with one stone. Often times, books that seem to dddddddddddddrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggg in print form really pick up pace in the audio medium. So I went in search of The Iron Queen on audiobook. Of course, the library didn’t have it, but I did find on YouTube (although I can't find it now when I'd like to link to it) a random (to me) girl reading The Iron Queen. She’s obviously not a professional and this was not a professional quality video, but it served my purposes. Unfortunately, it cuts off around the 55% mark (I believe). Since I do own the kindle version of this book, I said “well I can finish reading it from here.” But no. No I can’t. I made it an extra 9% to a whopping 64% total completed, and I had to put it down again.

Like I said, I can’t really pinpoint that there’s anything wrong with this book or the series or even Julie Kagawa’s writing except that I find myself disconnected from the characters and disconnected from the story. I find that I don’t care what happens, how things end, or that all of the characters survive or end up with their happy endings. I just…don’t…care. At all. I really did have all the intentions in the world of picking this book back up since I’ve read 64%, but after months and months of putting it off, considering picking it back up, and coming back to the conclusion that I’m perfectly okay with not knowing how things end, I decided to finally officially mark The Iron Queen as a DNF.

Have you read The Iron Queen? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Invincible - DNF Review

Invincible

By: Amy Reed

Expected Publication: April 28th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

336 pages

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--Evie is living on borrowed time. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer several months ago and told that by now she’d be dead. Evie is grateful for every extra day she gets, but she knows that soon this disease will kill her. Until, miraculously, she may have a second chance to live.

All Evie had wanted was her life back, but now that she has it, she feels like there’s no place for her in it—at least, not for the girl she is now. Her friends and her parents still see her as Cancer Girl, and her boyfriend’s constant, doting attention is suddenly nothing short of suffocating.

Then Evie meets Marcus. She knows that he’s trouble, but she can’t help falling for him. Being near him makes her feel truly, fully alive. It’s better than a drug. His kiss makes her feel invincible—but she may be at the beginning of the biggest free fall of her life.

I made it slightly over 40% into Invincible when I decided to DNF it. DNFing is still not easy for me, and especially being 40% in made this a difficult decision. I’ve never had cancer. I can’t begin to say that I know by even the slightest stretch of my imagination what it would feel like to be diagnosed with cancer. So the description of this book drew me in. Yeah, it makes sense that having been through something as traumatic and life-changing as surviving cancer—especially miraculously when everyone included you didn’t think you would make it—would make it impossible to return to your prior life. The things you cared about before just don’t seem that important in the grand scheme of life and such. And having been through so much it would make sense that Evie needs to feel alive more now than ever before. I can see that causing her to do some risky things—including date a potentially dangerous guy or bad boy. That’s what pulled me in. But that’s not exactly what happened (at least up until the point I decided to DNF).

The beginning of Invincible is a period of time referred to as “then.” Evie’s recently broken her leg and discovered that her cancer has even made it into her bone marrow—not a good prognosis. Her doctors offer a 4-7% survival rate if she signs up for a clinical trial. So her situation is pretty dire. In the hospital she’s made friends with two other patients, Caleb & Stella. Caleb and Stella are the only ones in her life who can remotely relate to what she’s going through and what she’s been through. Her parents, her pre-cancer best friend, and her boyfriend just don’t get it. They hover. They care. But they don’t get it. This part I could relate to and I was interested in. But then something happens.

Evie is declared pretty much cancer-free just about the same time as a traumatic event takes place. I can’t begin to say that I know what the grief Evie feels is like. But Evie just turns into such a brat after this. The description says that Evie is grateful for every extra day that she gets, but that’s bull. Evie was the most ungrateful person. She even says: “I know I should be grateful I’m alive. I should be grateful for my mom and her car and the stupid hospital and doctors and their great medical training. I should care about the orphans. I should care about something, anything. But I don’t.” More than anything I was screaming at Evie to quit her whining. To snap out of it. To have a perspective change. Maybe I haven’t been through cancer, but my cousin has. And you guys I have never in my life seen someone go through something like she did and maintain such a positive attitude. I know there were times when she was down and depressed and overwhelmed. I know she had to fight the mental battles just as frequently as the physical ones. But I saw her time and time again be grateful for the little things. And in the end, my cousin didn't make it. Yet even in death she remains a symbol of hope to all who knew her. So I want to say that it’s a slap in the face to everyone who hasn’t been miraculously healed of their cancer, but then I remind myself that Evie isn’t a real person. As I said, I can understand how she would still be struggling mentally and emotionally. She’s been through a lot. But that doesn’t mean it was enjoyable for me to read.

When it got to the point where “DNF this book” first entered my mind, I thought that I’d come too far. So I tried to press on. I read some more. And the more I read the angrier I got. I kept telling myself that surely Evie learns all of these important and deep life lessons. There has to be a reason why Caleb has faith in God and Evie was “miraculously” healed other than for Evie to throw it back in God’s face. There has to be some redeeming elements of this book. So I decided to do something that I never do. I went to Goodreads to check out the reviews. And there weren’t many. But the ones I saw…well they offered me no real hope for Evie or Invincible to have a redeeming ending. With that being said, I decided to DNF, and the sigh of relief I felt upon making that decision was big enough to validate my decision.

Have you read Invincible? What did you think? Let me know!