Wednesday 2 February 2011

Double DNF

Awakened by Ednah Walters
Goodreads
Copy obtained: UK Book Tours

I liked this one to start with, but gave up after about 150 pages and skimmed the last 100 of the book. I like the ideas, some of the mythology is really great! But early on I found myself irritated with the characters. The main character, Lil, has just found out what she is and that she's got these powers, and yet every single person keeps assuming (despite knowing she's only just discovered them) that she knows pretty much everything and is surprised when Lil has to remind them she knows nothing. It's something that improved a little, but then later on I found myself tiring of how the characters interacted. People seemed to be one way about something one moment, then the complete opposite the next without any justification. I struggle with flatter characters, and that's what I felt here. The few paragraphs towards the end I read made me glad I'd decided not to bother finishing it. Shame, I wanted to like this one, and I'm sure it'll work for some with the strong mythology, but the missing elements to character development meant it didn't work for me. I will say that the boy, Bran, is pretty hot though...


Possessions by Nancy Holder
Goodreads
Copy obtained: UK Book Tours

I liked the premise for this one and I really love some of Nancy's other works, but within 40 pages I'd had enough of the main character and there wasn't anything else about it that I was enjoying enough to make me continue. I'm not quite sure why I had such an obvious 'not for me' reaction to the book, but I did. I just didn't click with any of it and decided I'd rather move on and try something else. Again I'm disappointed because I do usually like Nancy's work, but it certainly won't stop me picking up her future titles!

6 comments:

Lynsey Newton said...

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy them but thanks for your honesty :)

Claire (Cem) said...

@Lynsey it was just bad luck I think LOL But I'm glad I was able to give them a try at least! Certainly don't regret that. :)

Avery said...

That is such a booger Claire! (but at least you didn't have to buy them when you could have bought something else you would have liked better)... And I am jealous of your skills to put a book down and not finish it, especially when you aren't feeling it. I cannot make myself do that at all and a lot of the time I kick myself for reading something I wasn't enjoying when you know, I could have been reading something fantabulous.

Claire (Cem) said...

@Avery a few months back I would have finished both. I'm slowly teaching myself to not bother if I'm not feeling a book and spend the time on something else!!

Jessica @ a GREAT read said...

Bummer Cem! I still might give Possessions a try since it's in the mail somewhere. I like Nancy's other works too.

Hope you have a GREAT read for now though!

Leanna Elle said...

Sorry to hear the books didn't work out for you - I appreciate the honesty too! I was offered the Ednah Walters book for review a while back, but passed on it.