DNF: Getting Over Mr. Right

Getting Over Mr. Right by Chrissie Manby
DNF
Bantam Books, 2012
I read 97 out of 288 pages
Fiction "Chick-Lit"

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to be a quick review since I only read about 1/3 of the book (plus the last few pages to see if it got better-it didn't.) I was excited to read a book which seemed to promise a woman getting dumped and then getting mad, presumably taking revenge on the jerky ex-boyfriend. And at first events seemed to be happening apace with the dumping happening and the struggling to understand. The writing was snappy enough and was reminding me somewhat of Sophie Kinsella (both being British after all).

But Ashleigh could not let go. She went to his place of business trying to win him back, she yelled at him, she stalked him and his new girlfriend, she seemed determined to keep them together despite his obvious disinterest,  the good advice of other people in her life and the fact that she was taking time off, thereby threatening her ability to earn a living. I eventually gave up when she spent hundreds of pounds on a psychic hotline trying to find out if she'd get back together with her ex. Her desperation was appalling and what at first seemed to be funny grew depressing-her cartoonish antics revolted me.

BUT all my hope was not lost! I read the last few pages to see if it ended with her having finally banished her loser ex from her life. If it had, I would have persevered to the end. Alas it was not to be. She spends the entire book after this guy and doesn't seem to have learned anything. This might be a good read if you're angry after going through a break-up but it was not an enjoyable read for me at all.

DNF-The Keepers of the House

The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau
Open Road, 2012
Originally published 1964
226 pages
Adult; Fiction; Historical

Source: Received an e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this while browsing on Netgalley and requested it as part of my campaign to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winners (as it stands I have read...5). This are supposed to be some of the best works of American fiction and I definitely want to be open to exploring that.  of course, it also tends to mean a change of pace from my usual reading diet of YA romance and dystopian. That can be good or bad.

In this case, I was just not connecting with the book at all. After reading the summary, I thought it could be really interesting with its examination of community as the book covers seven generations of the same family in the same small Southern town and racism, especially with the book coming out during the Civil Rights movement. Unfortunately I didn't see much of that in the first half of the book.

Instead I had stories about the beginning of the Howland family, death, an extravagant wedding, and how the Howland ended up taking his servant as a mistress. I was also very confused about what year it was (post-slavery, pre-WWI, I think). And, as a literary novel, there were a lot of descriptions especially of the swamps; I feel like there were pages of them.

I'm not saying I'll never give this book a try at a later date but it did not spark anything in me since the characters were flat and indistinguishable and the plot moved as slow as molasses. I need more excitement before I can invest in a book.

Overall: DNF-not the book for me.

DNF

I just wanted to track two of the books I tried to read recently but couldn't finish for whatever reason.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman
I thought this would be cool to read because I saw that it was considered a more adult Harry Potter and I needed something to read before the movie came out.  But I was just not connecting with it.  The magic was not interesting enough to me and I didn't like any of the characters.


Passion Play by Beth Bernobich
I won this through Goodreads' Firstreads program and I was super excited!  But about fifty pages in, the main character was about to be raped and I just could not handle it.  I will try to return to it another time when I'm in a better frame of mind but at the moment, it was too much for me.

The King's Touch

The King's Touch by Jude Morgan
Review, 2002
536 pages
Historical Fiction; Charles II
DNF

Source: Library

Summary: James is the first illegitimate child of Charles II, exiled would-be king of England.

Thoughts: I've talked before about how I love Jude Morgan so that is the reason why I wanted to read this. But I could just not finish it and I believe it contributed to my reading slump.  When I decided that I would just return it to the library, I felt so much happier.  Knowing that I wouldn't have to slog through this cheered me.  I still plan to read it someday so that I can say I've read all of Jude Morgan's works but I will need to be in a different frame of mind.

DNF: A Dangerous Love

A Dangerous Love by Sabrina Jeffries
Avon Books, 2000
373 pages
Romance; Historical

Source: From a friend

Summary: Griff is officially a bastard but if he agrees to marry an ailing earl's daughter, he can receive proof of his legitimacy.  He figures he'll visit, skulk around the place, find the marriage certificate and take off.  To aid his search, he switches place with his manservant so that he has more free time.  He did not count on feisty Lady Rosalind though who suspects him of something and may just lead him to the altar.

Thoughts:  I really wanted to start "Romance Week" off with a book I loved but I did not like this book.  Right away I did not like Griff and I hated his plan as it is one of my least favorite romantic tropes.  Pretending to be somebody else NEVER works! I loved Rosalind and her sisters, with their Shakespeare-inspired names and vibrant personalities.  But I couldn't make it through-I tried over a period of almost two weeks but I couldn't do it.  They obviously fall in love and get married but I just don't care about him.  I've been finding that's really important to me to like both the hero AND the heroine, which was not going to happen here.

Overall: If you're a fan of the author/have had good experience with this trope, check this book out.  If you're like me though, skip it.

Cover: Well, the focus is on a hated character so that would be a negatory.

DNF-Fingersmith

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Rivershead Books, 2002

511 pages

Historical Fiction; Romance

I only ended up reading about 200 pages which includes Part I and part of Part II partly because I ran out of time and had to return it to the library and partly because I didn't like it that much. Sue, the narrator of Part I, is not particularly likeable in my opinion and the Victorian area is not one of my favorites (unless it's the aristocracy/royals). I may try to read this again in the fall but for now I will let it go.