Books and Ladders: dnf

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23 Aug 2016

DNF Round Up!

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 23 August 4 Comments

I have been very open and vocal about DNF-ing books, but I don't typically post my DNF reviews on my blog. I find I don't have a need to fill my blog with them since I read so much. But I thought I would showcase my last(ish) 10 DNF reviews for you so you can see what I've been reading and not finishing and to get a bit further understanding of why I DNF books. There are a variety of reasons below but most of my reasons include that I was bored while reading these.

The Mountain of Kept Memory

Author: Rachel Neumeier
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Saga Press
Publication Date: November 8, 2016
Where I Stopped Reading: 23%

Why?
This SCREAMS everything that I would love from the description but oh man is that first bit hard to get through. Not only did the story slowly trudge along after an initial burst but the writing was just not good. Paragraphs would be dedicated to saying the same thing over and over in slightly different ways. It was like when you know you need more words for your essay but have nothing else to say. I think maybe the writing was trying to be somewhat Purple Prose-y but it failed completely. I had such a hard time getting to this percentage to be honest so I just am not going to move forward.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29088076-the-mountain-of-kept-memory

The Assassin’s Blade

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass 0.1-0.5
Source: Purchased from Chapters
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Where I Stopped Reading: 12%
Why?
This is also the death of me reading the Throne of Glass series. I read both Throne of Glass & Crown of Midnight and while I didn't hate them, I definitely wasn't super intrigued by them to continue on with Heir of Fire. I feel like Throne of Glass was pretty cliche and there wasn't much that actually happened. And in Crown of Midnight I thought it got better but it just didn't quite pique my interest. So I put off Heir of Fire.

But I see more and more people starting this series/continuing this series and LOVING it and I keep thinking "what am I missing" so I thought the novellas in here would ease me back into the world. They are only 10 chapters ish each so it really shouldn't have taken me too long.

However, I didn't even make it through the first novella. I almost didn't make it past the first page. I really cannot stand Celaena, who thinks she is the specialist of special snowflakes, and the whole situation is just absurd. I *do* like that she is (supposedly) a badass who also likes to dress up, but she isn't really a badass. She just fakes it tbh. We hear so much about how badass she is, yet we never actually see her do anything. So ???

Anyway that's just my griping. Feel free to love this but I do not.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22529351-the-assassin-s-blade

20 Jul 2016

#Review: BARKING MADNESS by Ryan Hill

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 20 July 1 Comments

BARKING MADNESS

Author: Ryan Hill
Source: ebook via Author
Publisher: Self-pubbed
Publication Date: October 19, 2014
Rating: DNF @ 5%

Summary:
RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 17 AND UP DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS, DRUG USE, AND MILD VIOLENCE.

"My life is crumbling away before my eyes while I do nothing to prevent it. I have visited too many funerals, for too many friends who haunt my dreams. Everybody dies eventually, right? No, everybody dies young when they befriend me. Was I born to die young? I don't think so. I'm the only one here with the nerve to stay alive. I can't be left alone. Not with that hollow man, the one who hides his face. That's what he wants, me to be alone, because once I'm alone he's going to kill me!"

Seventeen-year-old Rosetta Harper is plagued by nightmares of a masked man. With her father’s new career move, her family has just relocated from Florida to the small New England town of Ashwood. A quiet town and close-knit community where you know your neighbors, and trouble is a word unspoken. But soon after her arrival, her world and the worlds of her classmates come crashing down.

Michael hates his family and feels alone and unloved. He only finds comfort when he's with his friends, but even they get on his nerves. Everything about Ashwood and his life bores him, until Rosetta Harper moves into town. With her as a new classmate, Michael finally gets the excitement he was looking for, but it may be at too high a cost.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24473052-barking-madness?ac=1&from_search=true

Purchase:

Amazon

Disclaimer: I was sent an ebook of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 5%

Oh man. I usually try to make it 25% of the way through a novel before I DNF it, but there are some exceptions to this rule. This is one of those. After two chapters I know that I am not going to enjoy this one so I am putting it down. The description makes it sound like it will be a great paranormal YA novel -- and there was a great opening scene -- but I just can't do it.

18 Feb 2016

Why I DNF Books + When You Should Give Up And Call It A Day

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 18 February 5 Comments

One thing I never did before blogging was not finish a book. I would power through and finish no matter what, even if I wasn't a fan. This year though, I have started to change. I have set rules and limits for myself for how far I will go with a book before I decide I have had enough. And I think this is something we ALL struggle with: the question of when, why, and how we DNF a book -- and then what do we do after? So I'm going to run through how I determine whether I will continue with a story and give you guys some advice for how to come up with your own guidelines (or steal mine, I'm chill with that) and what to do once you actually HAVE DNFed a book.

Jamie DNFs A Book

This still doesn't happen very often, but I do have a shelf dedicated to it on GR. Actually, two sort of. I have an "on hold" shelf where I put books that I'm just not feeling right off the bat (~10% or less) that I think maybe I will come back to and give another chance. And I have my DNF shelf where I put those books that I just couldn't get through.

First In A Series/Standalone

But you don't care about that, lbr. So to the goodies. First up, a "checklist" for when to DNF a First In A Series/Standalone. These are always a little tricky because you have to give the book enough time to get past the character introductions and into the actual plot.

So my thinking is...

If I'm not enjoying it after 25% of the book (or thereabout)
If I roll my eyes twice in a way that also make me want to bang my head off the table

This could be for any reason, but I know my reading style so if the plot is very trope-y but not well written, it will be a quick DNF for me

Insensitivity for trigger warning things
I can immediately guess what is going to happen (and I am right)
Writing style is making it difficult for me to follow the story (a la SHATTER ME)
I cannot connect to the characters at all (even to dislike them)
Poor grammar, lots of mistakes, etc. (only in finished copies, though)
Toxic relationships that are treated as being romantic