The Oh-So-Sad DNF Collection: Take 4
I have had a decent run of books lately and there have only been two that didn't quite work out for me. I don't like to DNF but I also don't like the idea of struggling through a book that doesn't get along with me and there are simply too many books in my pile(s) right now.
The face you make when you put your damn glasses on, read the fine print and realize the book you've just been accepted for on Netgalley is nearly 800 pages long.
I don't know if I can do this one, folks. I'll give it another try in a few weeks . . .
Quite a few weeks later:
Nope, this book is too long, too meandering and too cruel. I will never finish it. Sorry, Netgalley. I suck and I need better glasses.
It pains me to do this because I purchased this paperback brand new and I don't splurge that often but I am going to DNF this one after reading the first section (roughly 100 or so pages). The cover is lovely. Breathtakingly creepy. But it's the contents that count. Unfortunately, I was attempting to read this novel at the same time I was reading Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand for the Ladies of Horror Fiction Goodreads Group and the two have too much in common but one was more engaging. And it wasn't this one.
The stories are both focused on sisters, creepy woods and missing girl(s) and they started to meld together in my brain which was a little troublesome and it slowed me way down when I picked up either book. Here There Are Monsters didn't grab me hard enough to keep me and I did not like either of the two sisters, Skye was an angry, resentful and selfish teen and her sister came across as much younger than she was supposed to be and she was strange in a not-so-great way. The parents were also jerks blaming one sister for not doing their jobs for them when one of them goes missing. So, yeah, the people here aren't people I really want to share too much headspace with. It was also missing the creep factor for me. I may pick this back up again after I take a breather. Or I may not. So no stars from me at this moment in time.
Lustmord: Anatomy of a Serial Butcher - Book One by Kirk Alex
The face you make when you put your damn glasses on, read the fine print and realize the book you've just been accepted for on Netgalley is nearly 800 pages long.
I don't know if I can do this one, folks. I'll give it another try in a few weeks . . .
Quite a few weeks later:
Nope, this book is too long, too meandering and too cruel. I will never finish it. Sorry, Netgalley. I suck and I need better glasses.
Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé
It pains me to do this because I purchased this paperback brand new and I don't splurge that often but I am going to DNF this one after reading the first section (roughly 100 or so pages). The cover is lovely. Breathtakingly creepy. But it's the contents that count. Unfortunately, I was attempting to read this novel at the same time I was reading Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand for the Ladies of Horror Fiction Goodreads Group and the two have too much in common but one was more engaging. And it wasn't this one.
The stories are both focused on sisters, creepy woods and missing girl(s) and they started to meld together in my brain which was a little troublesome and it slowed me way down when I picked up either book. Here There Are Monsters didn't grab me hard enough to keep me and I did not like either of the two sisters, Skye was an angry, resentful and selfish teen and her sister came across as much younger than she was supposed to be and she was strange in a not-so-great way. The parents were also jerks blaming one sister for not doing their jobs for them when one of them goes missing. So, yeah, the people here aren't people I really want to share too much headspace with. It was also missing the creep factor for me. I may pick this back up again after I take a breather. Or I may not. So no stars from me at this moment in time.
Over 800 pages! No offense but that cover isn't screaming extremely long in-depth horror novel. Glad you got out when you did.
ReplyDeleteI've since learned to be stop my impulsive Netgalley grabs. That was the one that told me to pause, look up reviews and always check the word count!
DeleteI don't even feel guilty any more about the books I DNF. I figure it's them, not me. ;D
ReplyDeleteHa, I need to adopt that attitude! I always feel the guilts.
DeleteCan't love them all! And goodness 800 pages about a serial killer, that is a bit much!
ReplyDeleteYeah, even for me :)
DeleteAnd the 800 page book is only book #1🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteI think this was actually 1 & 2 squished into 1. That's where I got confused and misled when it was offered on NG.
DeleteWow. It's such a long book. And if you aren't enjoying after 100 or so pages, I can understand not finishing it. I'm glad I didn't tackle this as I really can't not finish a book. They haunt me. LOL
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. They haunt me too.
DeleteBooks with that number of pages scare me! I get twitchy enough with 300-400 pages! I DNF long books that have nothing happening in the first 100 pages!
ReplyDeleteGood choice!
Delete800 pages?!
ReplyDeleteYep, I had to tap out.
Delete