DNFs: Disconnected with contemporary

I've always been a huge fan with contemporaries and can find success relatively easy in this genre. But the big downfall for any book I may read and DNF is disconnection with the book and/or the characters. For review or not, reading is supposed to be enjoyable so sometimes you just have to cut the cord on a current book and move on.

Title: Let's Get Lost
Author: Adi Alsaid
Publication date: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost. 

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. 

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love. 

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

For months now, I've gone back and forth with this one, deciding on if I should try to go back to this. I finally looked at Goodreads and realized that my problems with this aren't going to go away.

If only Hudson could be cut out of this and most of my issues would be resolved. I didn't like him, didn't connect, and was annoyed by his narrative. He was very woe is me, but my main no-no was the fact that insta-love is involved. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do insta-love. I don't like love triangles, but insta-love is way worse. I knew something felt weird about the Hudson/Leila thing (I refuse to call it romance) besides the insta-love, but wasn't sure what. Then I read other reviews and realized it was MDPG (Manic Pixie Dream Girl), which sounds awful. 

I actually liked what I read of Bree's narrative, but boredom and frustration already settled in and I knew I couldn't continue if I had to keep reading about the wonderful Leila and read Hudson's narrative. I really looked forward to this one so it's disappointing that it ended so quickly and badly.

Title: Cut Me Free
Author: J. R. Johansson
Publication date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can’t rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won’t let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.

That’s when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment--without a trace of entry. And they’re addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn’t just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead. 

Like Let's Get Lost, the "romance" in this fell flat. It felt forced and uncomfortable throughout the narrative. The story was interesting at first and I cared for Charlotte. But suddenly, and not too far in, the connection stopped. I couldn't understand why Cam was pursuing Charlotte, who hired him to make her disappear. Being distant, closed-off, and a stranger is attractive and a signal to pursue? The story and the romance fell flat for me, with any intrigue falling away. Charlotte wasn't dislikable, per se, but if I had liked or connected with her more, I feel like I could've stuck with this. 

Instead, another DNF appeared. Life is short. We have to seize the day with our reading. 

Why do you usually DNF? 

DNF review: WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Publication date: May 13, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: An e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Honesty circle time: I don't want to review this book. At the same time, I do. But I don't. The thing is that I want to get my opinion out there (of course), but I feel like I should just go BAAA because as you can see, I DNF'd it. I tried my hardest, I really did. I stuck it out longer than most books I DNF, reaching all the way to 58%. Usually when I'm that far, I keep reading, but go into turbo-skim read. This time, I just skipped to the ending, I couldn't handle the feeling of it being a ball and chain around my neck. 

Me throughout reading. Unfortunately, false.

Problem #1: Boredom. I thought I'd get this problem out of the way since it's the biggie and most obvious one. Usually when I DNF, it's out of boredom. When a book is annoying, but interesting, I actually tend to stick it out. But boring? Adios. We're introduced to Cady, the narrator, who has suffered an accident and can't remember what happened last year. There's this THING that happens, but since she's the narrator, we're left in the dark as well. I feel like I am the ONLY one who was on the same page as Cady. Everyone else's updates seemed to be all "oh, I totally guessed in the beginning," but I had no clue. Now, you'd think that that would help me. WRONG. The only thing it did was make me frustrated because I was completely lost in the story. I was trying to find the plot in it all and wanted something interesting to happen. I love twists and the "big mystery" plot usually in books, but I felt like I was a elementary algebra student who accidentally ended up taking a calculus class. 

Problem #2: The writing. One area the boredom stemmed from was the writing. I can see many people LOVING this style and others not so much. I adored Taherah Mafi's style in Shatter Me and I can see how these are similar, but I didn't like it at all in this one. It felt forced, annoying, and boring. That's a terrible triple threat. 

Problem #3: More awkwardness. This is most definitely related to problem #2 above. Along with the writing, the narrative felt strange. Really random scenes, awkward conversations, the oh-so annoying and repetitive "Gat, my Gat" mantra. It all meshed together and formed this awkward mess for me. Like I said, many people adore it all and thought it was captivating and beautiful. I really wanted to be one of them. 

When I read glowing reviews for this and then finally got accepted to read an e-galley, I jumped up and down and thought "hello, favorite 2014 read." So I had high expectations to say the least. Even if I did lower them, I still don't think this book was quite for me, no matter how interesting it seemed to be. 58% through the book and I still couldn't connect, understand, or even care. 

I TRIED TO HOLD ON.

My recommendation isn't to avoid this book. It's to read other reviews. It's out now so look for it in the library. I'm the black sheep here so obviously, other people have enjoyed it immensely. I just wished I could've been one of them. 

Verdict: A potentially amazing book, but one that made me dread reading. 

Note: Any quotes used may be altered after publication. 

A DNF and a Mini Review

Title: The Edge of Falling
Author: Rebecca Serle
Publication date: March 18, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Growing up in privileged, Manhattan social circles, Caggie’s life should be perfect, and it almost was until the day that her younger sister drowned when Caggie was supposed to be watching her. Stricken by grief, Caggie pulls away from her friends and family, only to have everyone misinterpret a crucial moment when she supposedly saves a fellow classmate from suicide. Now she’s famous for something she didn’t do and everyone lauds her as a hero. But inside she still blames herself for the death of her sister and continues to pull away from everything in her life, best friend and perfect boyfriend included. Then Caggie meets Astor, the new boy at school, about whom rumours are swirling and known facts are few. In Astor she finds someone who just might understand her pain, because he has an inner pain of his own. But the more Caggie pulls away from her former life to be with Astor, the more she realises that his pain might be darker, and deeper, than anything she’s ever felt. His pain might be enough to end his life…and Caggie’s as well.

First line: Most great works of literature have a hero at their core, but this story is an exception.

In the beginning of this year, I constantly won in my winning. I rated my book choices usually around four stars and it actually grew to the point where I was nervous to start a book because I didn't want my winning streak to be over. Fast forward a month or two and you can see that I'm now completely the opposite. They haven't all been too bad, but I don't feel like any of the books I've read recently would appear on the End of the Year Book Survey, that's for sure.

All in all, this book was disappointing. I kept wondering if I would have liked it better if I read it after I read a really good book. Maybe...no. I reminded myself (I talk to myself a lot, if you can't tell) that a book shouldn't depend on another to keep me going, especially an unrelated book. If I like it, I like it.

The prominent problem I had was the boredom. The character, the plot, the writing...it all produced boredom for me. I'm sure Ms. Serle is a great writer and I might pick up one of her other books someday, but this? Yeah, this was boring for me. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it, but the effect it had on me was still enough that I didn't want to keep trying. So I DNF'd it.

Verdict: Hopefully you all will have the opposite experience, but I couldn't care less about anything in this.

Title: The Treatment (The Program #2)
Author: Suzanne Young
Publication date: April 29, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

First line: James stares straight ahead, with no immediate reaction to what I've just told him.

I'm going to channel my inner Augustus and Hazel (if you haven't read The Fault in Our Stars, I suggest you do so NOW) and say that this was okay. What kind of adjective is okay? 

Okay is meant for books that you don't have much to say on (hence the mini review) because it stayed on the middle road for the entire book. There were no scenes that had me on the edge of my seat like the first book, scenes that pulled the emotion out of me, or actually any moment that made me feel as connected with Sloane as I did in the first book. But all of those things don't mean that I viewed this book in a negative way. It was okay. 

We interrupt this review with random, but The Fault in Our Stars-related sobbing.

I still appreciated the thought-provoking questions of mental disorders and suicides and how our society could become. I give Ms. Young a thumbs-up for trying to make me feel urgency as they were on the run from The Program. However, it didn't stick. I didn't feel anything in particular or get that captivated feeling I had while reading the first book in this duology. Thankfully, my feelings for this were much more positive than The Edge of Falling because despite the words above, I wasn't bored. It felt dragging in parts, yes, but I still cared about what happened to them in this messed-up society. 

But to all of you who hate love shapes (triangle, square, etc.), here's your warning: for a time, there was this weird love square or quadrilateral-kind-of shape hey, look at the sucky math girl using geometry terms! happening. While it wasn't a huge deal for me, it also wasn't okay. 

Verdict: An okay sequel to a book I loved greatly. Le sigh.

DNF: Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Title: Maybe One Day
Author: Melissa Kantor
Publication date: February 18, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

Thoughts: 

I really wanted to like this one. I loved the cover, the publisher, and was feeling the premise. How could I not like this? 

Top Three Reasons Why I DNF'd:

1. Boredom. I was so bored. It was entirely forgettable and the only time I did remember it was when I was filled with dread because I knew I had to read it. I couldn't connect with the main character, I couldn't feel invested into the situation or the cancer, I couldn't feel the emotions. I felt as if all the emotions the characters supposedly possessed were stilted. I couldn't feel anything. Not a thing, except for...
2. Annoyance. Kantor might have been trying the risky route of having an unlikable main character. It's very possible. I, however, felt the vibe that we should be sympathizing with whatever her name is Zoe and I couldn't. Not. One. Bit. Pretentious, self-centered, and stupid were the first three adjectives that popped up in my mind. She stuck her nose up at the cheerleaders, who were horribly stereotyped, and behaved like a self-centered brat when she found out her best friend had cancer, and oh yeah! She wished her best friend's brother had cancer instead. Okay, I understand there's shock happening and I can't say 100% for sure that I wouldn't have the same thought BRIEFLY if it was me, but she rationalized it. She came to a point that she thought she was correct in her thinking. WRONG. 
3. Realism. This goes back to Zoe's stupidity. What high school student doesn't know what leukemia is? Anybody? That's right, everyone knows...except Zoe. Then Olivia finds out she has cancer after an unrealistically short time, the doctor makes a special trip just to talk to explain to Zoe, and remember, Zoe doesn't even know what leukemia is. I can't stop groaning. 

There are many, many other bloggers who have loved this book. They were hit in the gut with feels or experienced something more pleasant than I did. I salute them and wish I was them, but alas, I didn't enjoy it. I kept telling myself that maybe one day I'd finish (get it? Maybe one day I'll finish Maybe One Day? Ha, so punny).

I have seen a lot of bloggers talk about why they don't DNF or how their resolutions are to DNF more. I'm not saying that I go on a DNFing spree, but especially lately, I've realized the importance of my time. Reading is supposed to be fun. I should be able to look forward to my reading time instead of looking for something else to do so that I could avoid a book (yes, that actually happened). I want to enjoy reading and utilize my time so that I don't waste it on a book that I dread. So I have no regrets for my decision here. 

Verdict: Well, this is awkward since it's a DNF.

The Good, the Meh, and the DNF

Considering that I am not the greatest at promptly writing a review after I read a book, I have had some books completely unreviewed while others took a a bit longer than normal to write, trying to remember things about it. So instead of trying to write a full review on something that I don't have much to say on, I decided mini reviews would be the best route again.

The Good: 

Title: Defiance

Author: C.J. Redwine

Publication date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Mini review:

I either see trusted bloggers squeal about this book or excitedly exclaim over its not-out-yet sequel, Deception. I love the cover, I love the plot, I love the reviews on it. So why did I start it so late? I think it all boils down to expectations and wanting to leave it in some reverend spot in my mind. Why taint the image of it? However, I knew I had to buckle down and read it.

Defiance completed my expectations and went beyond it. It sucked my time away, left me in Rachel's world long after I finished it, and made me wanting the sequel instantly. I know there are negatives, there always is, but I was too enamored by the book that I did not care or notice that much. The POVs switched from Rachel to Logan, which I liked since I wanted to see both of their thoughts. Rachel was stubborn, feisty, and strong. Of course, along with that, she sometimes let her emotions and thinking dictate her actions, which can be stupid. However, that's what happens when you receive a strong heroine. Logan was sensitive, strong, and cute all wrapped up in one. I honestly don't see how you can want more from him.

Verdict: I WANT THE SEQUEL NOW. 

The Meh: 

Title: The Elite

Author: Kiera Cass

Publication date: April 23, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: an ARC sent from Skye via YA Book Exchange

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Mini review: 

With The Selection, I had annoyances reading it, but since I was addicted to the idea of it (reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine and so are competitions), I tried to just enjoy the book. But when I was done reading it, I couldn't stop being aggravated with it. Despite all that, I wanted to read the sequel because it's like one of those interesting, but yucky snacks where you can't stop eating it, but you don't really know why you continue to do so.

I can basically recap with these short sentences: America can't make up her mind about either guy. Maxon is beyond patient. Aspen resembles something slimy in my mind. Marlee's "shocking" revelation was like strobe lights in a cave (that make sense, don't deny it). The King was despicable. The rebels got better, but not to the standard I wished for. I was completely annoyed with America at least 90% of the time.

I just have to touch on one point before I move on to the next review and this might make it longer than "mini," but it has to be said. I wanted to grab a microphone and preach to the thousands after continual "feeling complaints" from America. The thing with America is that everything is based on her feelings of the moment. Unlike Rachel from Defiance, there is no backbone to them. She hops from boy to boy, back and forth, based on how she is feeling at the time. Maxon makes me so happy, I want to stay with him forever. Oh, Aspen always made me happy. Aspen is making me not feel good, I want to be with Maxon. Maxon is making me feel upset, I want to be back with Aspen. Aspen makes me feel safe, I should be with him forever. I love Maxon so that should make me feel happy, right? 

FOR THE LOVE OF CUPCAKES AND ALL THAT IS WRITTEN BY ALLY CARTER. She literally complained once, "Can't he see how unhappy he's making me?" I wanted to throw my ARC at the wall right then and there. You should never be with someone who's mistreated you, used you, etc. However, it makes me sick that so many girls are fawning over this behavior and I honestly hope they don't replicate it. Because, guess what, the key to having a long-lasting relationship is not based on feelings. It is not based on happiness. Ask any couple who has been married for a long period of time (no, that is not 3 or 7 or 10 years) if they were ever unhappy. Think to the elderly couples who have been married 50 or 60 years. Through thick and thin, in sickness or in health, for richer or for poor, through happiness or sadness, they stayed together.

If everyone based their relationships on whether or not they're happy, everyone would be alone. You should never base your decisions on how happy it makes you feel. Happiness comes and goes. Joy stays more constant, but relationships will struggle and that person will make you wish for a baseball bat in your hand sometimes. You stick through it.

Verdict: I have to rate it a "meh" because I still want to read the third book, but I felt that America's whininess tainted the whole book even more so. 

The DNF: 

Title: Falling Under

Author: Gwen Hayes

Publication date: March 1, 2011

Publisher: New American Library

Source: an ARC provided through ARCycling.

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Mini review: 

I first want to thank ARCycling for giving me this book and for the blogger who donated it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it. I try to give books a chance and several chapters, but I don't think I even reached chapter 5 before I had to grab a different book. There are many books in my TBR pile that I need to catch up on so I simply did not want to sit through something that I had no connection to. 

We are shown and told repeatedly in the beginning of how sheltered Theia is, but I think it went too far in such a short period. I was bored. I wasn't invested, I didn't care, and I am truly trying to be polite, but Theia's narration was dull. I felt like I was wasting precious reading time. Yes, maybe I should have given it more time and maybe Theia would get better. However, I don't have regrets on it. 

I do suggest people give it a shot though. While I may DNF it, someone else might eat it right up. 

Verdict: What more can I say than I that I DNF'd it? 

Check back later this week for my Fierce Reads 2013 Tour recap! There shall be pictures :) 

Happy Father's Day!