⚠️DNF⚠️
The problems started with the narrator pronouncing the MC’s name like the word “urine”. 🤣 Then a colonel somehow had a four poster bed in her tent on the battlefield?! I couldn’t. I just could not.
⚠️DNF⚠️
I made it through 75% of the book hoping it would get better. I can’t put my finger on why, but this book was too YA for me. The narrator seemed very young (I think she’s supposed to be about 12). I think part of it is that the MC is so determined for so long to adhere to the tenets of a religion that is actively harming her. I finally couldn’t put up with it any longer.
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One of my least favorite books in my favorite series of all time, the Deverry saga. Whenever I read this one I’m always tempted to skip the sections set in the past. Thankfully narrator #ruthurquhart made listening to those parts less of a slog. I’m looking forward to the next book!
⚠️DNF⚠️
House of Crimson Hearts was a book club pick for Amivireads’ Lavenders and Daggers Book Club. Unfortunately, it was so poorly written that I had to DNF. I tried just reading for the smut and that didn’t work for me either, the writing was that badly in need of an editor. Hopefully next time the book club will select a better book that’s available on audio.
I share my DNFs with you because I would want to know if someone with similar taste DNFed a book I was considering. I would love to see DNF stats for books on Goodreads and StoryGraph. DNFs happen.
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I picked up Powerless for a book club. It’s a YA romantasy that explores what would happen if it was illegal to not have superpowers; in other words, to be powerless. And what happens when you fall for one of the princes whose father has killed your father and made your existence illegal? Oh, and who you’re supposed to fight in a series of deadly trials? This was a little too YA and contrived for me, but I was rooting for the main romance, so I might continue the series anyway.
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The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith was a pick for my friend AdventuRyn‘s Botany Book Club. It’s about Elena, who is a vine witch—a witch that specializes in caring for vineyards and making remarkable wine. When we first met Elena she has been cursed to live in a bog as a toad. She manages to break the curse and return to her vineyard seeking revenge, only to find that it’s no longer hers and is under attack by dark magic. I only gave this book 3 stars because the plot was fairly predictable, the romance lacked chemistry, and I kept imagining much more interesting plot twists the author could have done. I enjoyed it enough despite that to finish it but will not be continuing with the series.
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Third in the Daevabad Trilogy, an epic fantasy set in Egypt and a mythical country of djinn by one of my favorite authors. If you’re looking to decolonize your bookshelf, give this trilogy a try!
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Rachel Maddow by Lisa Rogak is a great look at the AIDS activist and MSNBC news anchor. While I knew she went to Stanford, I didn’t know that she didn’t have a very good time there, or that she comes from a town near mine. I learned that she was an AIDS activist before many people knew what AIDS was. I also learned about the tremendous amount of work that goes into her show, her past in radio, and that while I respect her, we probably wouldn’t be besties. Rachel does not read this biography, but the producers found a narrator with a voice very close to Rachel’s, which makes for a pleasant listening experience. Recommended for fans.
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The Last Camel Died at Noon is probably my favorite book by Elizabeth Peters. We get to visit a lost oasis where ancient Egyptian culture still lives. Elizabeth Peters uses all of her extensive expertise on the subject to bring it to life. And it’s just plain fun!
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The Girl From the Other Side is a quiet, sad manga that’s ultimately about love in the face of loneliness and prejudice. In contrast to the story, the art style is warm and fuzzy, adding to the melancholy and dreamlike feel. This manga wasn’t for me, but I understand why it is so popular.
Honeycomb's Hive 