Spoiler-Free Blog
Hello, book nerds.
I’ve fallen off my reading schedule after several recent DNFs (reminder: DNF = Did Not Finish). So while I’m busy reading away and getting my life together, I thought I’d share a few of the books I’ve given up on in the last six months or so. Next Thursday, we’ll be back on our regularly scheduled program with a new review (most likely Divine Rivals!).
Please remember: most of these are me things. If you like or still want to read any of these, you should! They just weren’t for me. And I’ll tell you why.
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
This is some OG fantasy right here. It came out in 1996, and it follows a bastard son of nobility who has magic. We follow him from childhood and into manhood as he is secretly trained in the art of being an assassin. I picked it up because I’ve seen it recommended by a lot of fantasy reviewers.
DNF Reason: To be honest, I found myself zoning out and skimming in chapter two. Two! That did not bode well, so I decided to move on. This book is extremely character focused, which isn’t a bad thing, I just wasn’t hooked. If you’re into character analysis and worldbuilding over plot, you’d like this one. I just needed it to have a more immediate plot to grab my interest.
Also, I’m not going to lie. When characters unironically speak in old English, it’s an immediate turn-off for me. I just can’t get immersed in it.
One For My Enemy by Olivie Blake
This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in modern day New York City. Two rival witch families in the criminal underground have mostly coexisted in peace until their tension finally boils over into violence.
DNF Reason: I actually got pretty far, perhaps just over halfway through. Honestly, it wasn’t bad. I just gradually lost interest, and then when better reads came along, I didn’t feel like coming back to it. What drew me out was the insta-love in combination with obstinate characters who all felt a little two-dimensional. I wasn’t expecting it to be a five-star read or anything, but I was hoping it might add something new to the Shakespeare story. It didn’t, in my opinion. But if you’re really into this sort of thing, I do recommend it. It was well-written.
Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine
This was an ARC, and I believe it’s actually slated to be the inspiration for the next season of American Horror Story. It follows an actress who desperately wants to become pregnant but is plagued by strange threats and the sense that everyone is lying to her.
DNF Reason: I really wanted to be into this one, but I never connected with the main character. It felt to me like the story was relying on it being obvious why she would be desperate for a baby. As if that’s what everyone wants, so we as the readers should understand intuitively. But as someone who doesn’t want kids myself, it really wasn’t obvious. I just wanted to shake the main character. If I felt like everyone was gaslighting me, or that I wasn’t physically safe, or that my spouse wasn’t emotionally available, I wouldn’t be so focused on bringing a baby into the world. Like girl, solve your stalker problem first. There was no explanation of her psyche, why she wants to be a mom, what it would mean to her personally, etc. So, I didn’t get her mindset, and wished I understood her better as I was reading. Eventually, I just got sick of her and gave up about 30% in.
Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena
This was also an ARC. It’s a YA fantasy romance between a girl named Roshan who’s a notorious bandit and a prince named Navin who is second in line for the throne. It’s set in a world inspired by 17th century India.
DNF Reason: I gave up about 20% in because it was feeling a bit predictable and slow. The worldbuilding and magic system both felt well-developed though. I’ve just generally moved away from most YA books these days unless it comes highly recommended. I do think if you’re a YA fantasy romance reader, you’ll most likely enjoy this one.
Witch King by Martha Wells
Another ARC that I was initially excited about. It follows a demon named Kai who is inhabiting a dead human’s body. He had been murdered, his consciousness dormant until a lesser mage awakened him on accident – now he’s racing to find out who tried to kill him and why. The story flips back and forth between his current situation and his past.
DNF Reason: I gave up halfway in. I liked the queernorm and non-binary world, but the plot oscillated between being tedious and moving at breakneck speed. I was confused a lot of the time. This is for you if you enjoy super plot-focused books with heavy worldbuilding.
Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun
The last ARC on this list. It’s a new adult fantasy about a young woman’s quest for vengeance and justice in a tyrannical society, set in a world inspired by Nigerian mythology.
DNF Reason: Like the last two, the world-building was strong. But my main issue was with the actual storytelling. I found myself confused and frustrated during the 30% that I read. There were some pacing issues and bouts of exposition that made for an overall choppy reading experience. However, if worldbuilding based on Nigerian mythology sounds cool to you, you might like it.
The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
This YA fantasy follows a girl who wants to join an ancient order known as the Luminaries, who protect the world from monsters. But in order to join, she must survive the Luminary hunter trials.
DNF Reason: I might have liked this if I’d read it when I was 12 or 13 in the early 2010s, but this isn’t for me now. I didn’t like the writing – it had pretty heavy telling instead of showing, and several quirks that bothered me (like the main character constantly “clicking her teeth” and things like that). Overall, it fell flat. I didn’t make it past 17% before giving up. If you’re a young person or generally enjoy younger YA books, you might like to try it.
That’s all, folks – see you next week!
