Books I Couldn't Finish (2)

I used to finish ever book I started, whether I was enjoying it or not. But life is short. I’ve realised that I don’t have time for books I’m not full involved in any longer so if I don’t like something or don’t connect with it as much as I want to, I’ll put it aside. It still makes me feel guilty though, especially if I received them for review so I still want to talk about them, explain why I didn’t like them. Here are the most recent books I DNF-ed.

Prince of Shadows, Rachel Caine

Now, I love Rachel Caine and Romeo and Juliet so this was a sure winner for me. I can’t even articulate my devastation that I couldn’t even get through it. Prince of Shadows is told through the point of view of Benvolio which I thought was a genius move, but it just didn’t click with me. This book had none of the addictive quality of Rachel Caine’s books that usually keeps me up way past my bed time. I was incredibly disappointed that I couldn’t get in to this. Hopefully I’ll be able to give it another go at some point soon.

Where the Rock Splits the Sky, Philip Webb

Where the Rock Splits the Sky had the feel of an old-school Western at first, then it became a post-apocalyptic Western, and then there were aliens and I stopped reading. The plot had so much promise, but I couldn’t handle that mix of genres, especially when the context of the world wasn’t even hinted at, let alone explained in the 50-or-so pages I read. I usually like a bit of mystery and I love being drip-fed world building, but this was so frustrating that I couldn’t carry on with it.

Breaking Butterflies, M Anjelais

I was extremely excited about Breaking Butterflies: a young debut author, a gritty contemp and it is published by Chicken House – what could go wrong?! And yet I felt nothing for the two main characters – I can’t even remember their names! – and the writing just wanted as sharp as it could have been. As I was reading, I was restructuring and editing the story, and I don’t like that when I read. I want to become involved in someone else’s world, not make it mine in that way.

Sophie

Take Me On, Katie McGarry

Pages: 384

Publisher: Mira INK

Release Date: 1^st June 2014

Edition: UK e-proof, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, Crash Into You

Champion kickboxer Hayley swore she’d never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can’t stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honour. Suddenly, Hayley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Hayley promised herself she’d stay away from. Yet he won’t last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Hayley. About who he really is. But helping him fight for her is a shot at redemption. Especially as it’s his fault her family is falling apart. He can’t change the past, but maybe he can change Hayley’s future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they’ll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

While the fourth book in Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series wasn’t my favourite, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’m starting to find the stories of these novels a little formulaic. There’s the rich one and the down and out one. Sometimes one of the characters has gone from one to the other, sometimes, one has fallen from grace, and there are some tragic histories and sad families. West and Hayley were just another version of Echo and Noah, Beth and Ryan, Rachel and Isaiah. And yet, I did still enjoy Take Me On.

The aspect of kickboxing and how different Hayley’s life is to what it used to be was really interesting. Not having an athletic or competitive bone in my body it was cool to learn about something so alien to me, especially when Hayley’s confusion and hurt about competing was thrown into the mix. I didn’t have the emotional investment in Take Me On that I had in Pushing the Limits or Crash Into You, but I can’t pinpoint why – both West and Hayley are interesting characters and they sizzle as a couple.

Even though I felt lukewarm about Take Me On, I am intrigued to read the next book in the series, Breaking the Rules, the continuation of Noah and Echo’s story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mira for the review copy.

Sophie

Letterbox Love #50

Letterbox Love all of the lovely, lovely books I’ve gotten in the post, bought and everything else. Summaries are taken from the cover, or Amazon/NetGalley/Goodreads in the case of e-books, unless otherwise stated. Hosted by Narratively Speaking.

For review:

Heir of Fire, Sarah J Maas (e-proof)

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in the same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true identity, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

This third novel in the Throne of Glass sequence, from New York Times bestsellign author Sarah J Maas, is packed with more heart-stopping action, devastating drama and swoonsome romance, and introduces some fierce new heroines to love and hate.

I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE THIS IN MY LIFE! Thanks NetGalley and Bloomsbury!

Maybe One Day, Melissa Kantor (paperback)

A person’s whole life, she’s lucky to have one or two real friends. Friends who are like family.

But when your best friend is diagnosed with a terminal illness, what happens next might not be what you expect. Through sixteen-year-old Zoe and her best friend Olivia, discover the bittersweet tragedy of a new ‘normal’.

A heartbreaking story of two best friends facing the hardest future of all – a future without each other.

Loving the sound of this! Thanks HarperCollins!

The Giver, Lois Lowry (paperback)

Intelligence. Integrity. Courage. Wisdom.

These are the qualities a Receiver of Memory must have. And one more which can only be named, but not described.

The Capacity to See Beyond.

Jonas lives safely within the community, a place where there is no war, no hunger and no pain. But when he is selected as a the Receiver of Memory, he starts to discover dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of his perfect world. Secrets that will lead him to undertake an incredible journey...

It is finally time for me to read this now the film adaptation is approaching! Thanks HarperCollins!

The One, Kiera Cass (paperback)

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

This trilogy is such a guilty pleasure. I’m really anxious as the whether I’ll want to hug this book or throw it across the room... Thanks HarperCollins!

Louder Than Words, Laura Jarratt (paperback)

Words on a page...

          They’re beautiful, powerful.

Words in my mouth...

          They don’t work.

They choke up inside me and won’t come out.

My pen has a freedom my mouth has never had. The las6t person I spoke to was my brother, Silas, and I was six. Since then, not a word. Silas says he’d give anything to hear me speak again.

Now I sit here and think the same thing about him.

A moving and heartwarming novel from the award-nominated author of Skin Deep and By Any Other Name.

Yay! I love Laura Jarratt’s novels! Thanks Electric Monkey.

Dangerous Boys, Abigail Haas (e-proof)

It all comes down to this.

Oliver, Ethan and I.

Three teens venture into an abandoned lake house one night. Hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage.

Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding.

The other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives?

And is his death a tragic accident?

Desperate self-defense?

Or muder...?

Chloe is the only one with answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece the story together – a story of jealousy, twisted passion and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful faces...

Dangerous Girls was one of my favourite books last year so I’m super excited for this – I just hope this lives up to it! Thanks NetGalley and S&S!

Bought:

Picture Perfect, Holly Smale (hardback)

Harriet Manners knows that:

- New York is the most populous city in the United States.

- Its official motto is ‘Ever Upward’.

- 27% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.

But she has no idea how her family will cope Stateside. Or how to ‘become a brand’ as the models in New York put it. And, even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren’t coming from her boyfriend...

Does geek girl go too far this time?

So looking forward to this!

I also got a finished copy of Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison’s Lobsters, Katie McGarry’s Take Me On and the Penguin Clothbound Classics version of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.

Sophie

BLOG TOUR: Giveaway of Haunt by Curtis Jobling! (CLOSED)

Today I have a few bits and pieces to celebrate the release of the first book in Curtis Jobling’s new series, Haunt. Enjoy!

Has the trailer whet your appetite? Good! It was made by Curtis’ old school Penketh High School who specialise in the media and visual arts.

The lovely people at S&S are offering a copy to giveaway to a lucky UK winner! Fill out the Rafflecopter below to be entered.

The giveaway is UK only and will close Sunday 8^th, 11:59pm GMT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EDIT: And the winner is: @cache1337. The winner has been contacted. Thank you for entering!

DISCLAIMER: S&S will be providing the prize and once I have passed on the winner’s information, I will no longer be in control of the prize. I will not be liable for ant prizes going missing on delivery.

Sophie