Sometimes I check out a book from the library, or buy it from the bookstore, and then I just don’t finish it. I have talked about how I can be quick to DNF a book here, so I figured I would share my list of books that I just can’t seem to finish.
I purchased Fury by Elizabeth Miles quite some time ago. Tales of revenge are always the sweetest to me, but for some reason this story and I just aren’t clicking. It has all of the ingredients for a good story, but it just doesn’t deliver. I have tried reading it a few times to always end up putting it back on the shelf after only a few pages./span>
Dark and creepy books are usually my thing, so when I heard of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff I eagerly bought a copy. But alas, I have not finished it. The cover sucked me in but the dullness of it keeps me from wanting to read it. It’s awful because I want to know what happens next, but I can’t bring myself to keep reading. I have read two other Yovanoff books with no problem (and reviewed an anthology she was featured in over here), but her debut is not for me.
Bought on a whim and forever abandoned to the back of the bookshelf. It was interesting with its Native American mythology, but after a while it lost me. There wasn’t enough action or suspense to make me want to read any further. I hardly remember any major plot points to be quite honest. Trickster’s Girl by Hilari Bell is just another dust collector in my stacks.
Thankfully, my friend let me borrow The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weitgarten, so I didn’t go through the heartbreak (see what I did there?) of buying yet another book that I didn’t finish. After the protagonist writes a message to her boyfriend on her stomach with a Sharpie (or some such nonsense), I quickly shut the book and moved on. No, just no. I couldn’t support the obnoxious main character.
There are a few of my DNFs. I know I have plenty of more where they came from, but what can I say? I don’t have time to waste on books that don’t capture my interest? Which books have you DNFed recently?
In Italics 
Mel@thedailyprophecy
I had the same problems with The replacement. I absolutely LOVE the cover, but what a horrible boring story..
Mel@thedailyprophecy.
Arial at In Italics
Yay! I am not the only one. I wanted to like it so much, but it’s just not going to happen.
Aly (@HeartHeartsBook)
I borrowed the Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers from the library awhile ago. I finished it, but I heard there was going to be a sequel…FOR WHAT? That book was yawn inducing.
Aly @ My Heart Hearts Books
Arial at In Italics
I am relieved to know that the rest of the book wasn’t anything special. I wonder how well the sequel will do.
kezia1098
Haha I’ve never been really interested with these books so I guess I won’t be reading them for now…
Arial at In Italics
Your instincts are spot-on! I would just stay away from them too.
Megan @ Adrift on Vulcan
I feel like I’ve been DNF’ing a lot of books lately, too. I don’t know if it’s because I’m just going through some kind of funky phase, but for some reason a lot of books haven’t been catching my attention.
1. Fury – I saw this on sale the other day, and was SO tempted to get it, but my wallet was already feeling considerably lighter thanks to the shopping I’ve been doing, so I decided not this time. I’m so relieved I didn’t. I’m glad you decided to DNF it, because reading a book that isn’t really grabbing you is literally a form of torture. >.<
2. The Replacement – GAH, so disappointed for this one! I love the cover, but if it's slow moving? No way. Boring books are almost immediately DNF'd for me. Such a shame, though, because I was really looking forward to reading this one.
4. The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers – Even the title puts me off, to be honest. And LOL. At least using a Sharpie to write on her stomach is better than getting an actual tattoo? 😛 *sigh* The dumb things teens do in books…
So sorry you had to go through such a horrid time with these books! Even though I feel bad DNF'ing — sometimes — it really can't be helped. As for me, I recently DNF'd THE RETURNED by Jason Mott. I read up to 47%, and all that while, I couldn't get into it. It was because of a four-star review that I kept telling myself to continue, because I was waiting for the sudden bang of action, but it never came.
I also gave up on THE WEIGHT OF SOULS by Byrony Pearce, because the protagonist annoyed the hell out of me. Eh.
Hopefully your next reads are better!
Arial at In Italics
I have been trying so hard not to DNF books lately. Recently though I have had a pretty good reading list, so the compulsion hasn’t come over me recently. I hate when I get in that weird mood. Hopefully you find some better books soon!
I wish I had spared my wallet the pain of buying Fury. The MC was just so irritating and I could never get past page 20.
I would say if you could handle a slower paced book, you should give The Replacement a try. But I’m a lot like you – I want there to be a pretty fast pace. The cover deceived me too. I hate when that happens.
TSSoH isn’t a book I would normally buy either. But my friend let me borrow it so… I tried to read it. I really did. But yeah, silly teen characters always doing dumb things. I guess I should look on the positive that she didn’t get a tattoo.
At least I have been reading some entertaining books lately. There are SO many books coming out in the next few weeks that I can’t wait to buy.
I have heard of The Returned, and while it sounded intriguing, I didn’t think it would be a book for me. It seemed almost a little more philosophical than what I want to read at the moment. Good for you for getting to 47% though! The Weight of Souls was a book I was thinking about reading. Thanks for warning me!
I hope you have some better reads in the future too!
Tanya Patrice
You are so not missing anything by DNFing The Replacements! It goes on and on with the same “woe is me I’m different” business until the end, at which point, it doesn’t really matter how it ends. Just that it did and you no longer have to read it anymore. So yeah – don’t feel bad about the DNF 🙂
Arial at In Italics
I am glad to have some reassurance! I always felt like there was something good waiting at the end, but after your comment, I think I will just lay it down for good!