DNF Review: Red Witch

Crow Moon: Red Witch | Anna McKerrow

Published by: Quercus Children's Books, March 10th 2016

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Post-Apocalyptic

Pages: 416

Format: Ebook

Source: Quercus

Seventeen, heartbroken, powerful; Melz has run away from home, run away from the safety of the Greenworld. In the cities of the Redworld, Melz discovers she's special, desired. And not just for her magical talents. When Melz meets the young but influential Bran, their attraction is instant and electric. In the Redworld, with Bran by her side, unrestrained by the customs of her former life, Melz knows she can reach her true potential. But the world Bran wants to give Melz is ravaged by war and violence. Oil is running out, and people will do anything to gain control of the remaining resources. Melz may be more powerful than ever, but even great power can be a curse when used against you. 

THIS BOOK DROVE ME MAD.

From the accent and dialogue - someone from Yorkshire constantly saying 'Aye', one young woman from York IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC/MODERN WORLD saying 'ow do flower?' and 'nice ta meet thee' when I've never met anyone here who said flower as a pet name in MY LIFE and thee in a contemporary setting?????- to the romance. 

Okay, the romance, I don't know if this book is building up to something epic because I'm too irritated to finish, but ... Bran is manipulative, secretive, and there's something about him that has red flashing lights going off and mental voices screaming DANGER, AXE MURDERER. If it ends with Melz hitting him with a cricket bat because he assaults her, fine, I see the signs and that was well foreshadowed. Otherwise? Run!

I liked Melz way more than Danny though, but where romance is involved she's just as naive. She might have seemed savvy and aware of Bran's creepiness in parts but others ... she lets him touch her, feels sparks and connections with him, etc.

Just, nah. This book is 100% not for me. Maybe if you're not from Yorkshire, it won't do your head in quite as much. Bran probably will though.

DNF at page 160

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DNF Review: Steal The Sky

The Scorched Continent: Steal The Sky | Megan E. O'Keefe

Published by: Angry Robot, January 5th 2016

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 448

Format: Ebook

Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley

Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city’s elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sights on their biggest heist yet—the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia.

But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa’s government. The sudden paranoia makes Detan’s plans of stealing Thratia’s ship that much harder. And with this sudden power vacuum, Thratia can solidify her power and wreak havoc against the Empire. But the doppel isn’t working for Thratia and has her own intentions. Did Detan accidentally walk into a revolution and a crusade? He has to be careful—there’s a reason most people think he’s dead. And if his dangerous secret gets revealed, he has a lot more to worry about than a stolen airship.

Another DNF? For gods' sakes, 2016!!

I like my fantasy fast, and this just ... wasn't. It starts off with a bang but after that, it feels drawn out, and each thing that happens reads like a repeat of stuff that's already happened. There was action, but it didn't feel like action. It just read really slowly.

It didn't help that I didn't care for Detan. I liked him in the beginning but his immature, irresponsible personality got really grating really fast. I get the feeling he's meant to be funny and charming but nah. He was doing these really reckless things for the tiniest reason, and I kept wondering what the point was... I liked Ripka, and would have enjoyed this book more had it been from her POV, I think. 

All that combined into me having no care whatsoever what happened to the characters or with the story.

The world is superior, though, and the world building was very well done. I just wish I liked everything else, and that it wasn't so slow. Also what the heck is with the ship on the cover? Tricked me into thinking the majority of the book would be set on it! Nope, Detan just wants to steal it but doesn't bother getting around to stealing it (at least not in the first half!)

DNF @ 45%

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DNF Review: Song of Blood and Stone

Earthsinger Chronicles: Song of Blood and Stone | L. Penelope

Published by: Heartspell Media, January 13th 2015

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 257

Format: Ebook

Source: Heartspell Media, via Netgalley

Enter an alternate 1920's world of magic and adventure in this gripping, new adult, fantasy romance... 

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her magical abilities are feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive – an injured spy who steals her heart. 

Jack’s mission behind enemy lines nearly cost him his life but he is saved by the healing power of a mysterious young woman. Together they embark on a perilous journey straight into the heart of a centuries-old conflict. 

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation. 

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.

New Adult. Recommended for readers 17+.

I'll be honest and say I didn't finish this book, so maybe all of what I have to say is irrelevant by the end of the book.

Was super excited to read this. NA fantasy! POC! But ... it wasn't entirely what I expected.

First off let me say it's awesome for being racially diverse and brilliantly portrays racial discrimination. That's about all I liked...

What I didn't realise about this book was it was Fantasy Romance, not straight up Fantasy. Instead of the romance, I really just wanted to learn more about the magic and the world - it's apparently an alternate 1920s but it didn't seem so AT ALL. It had a definite feel of high fantasy, so I feel a bit cheated out of my alt 1920s. It definitely had some 20's inspiration but would I have been able to tell it was set on Earth in the 1920s if I hadn't read the blurb? Not even a little.

In points it reminded me of paranormal romance novel, and don't get me wrong, I love PNR - but I have to be in the right mood to read it. And since I expected a fantasy book ... it wasn't what I wanted. This is why I was hesitant to get into new adult. I loved the Descendants series so much because it blended what I love about both adult and YA but didn't sex everything up. Song of Blood and Stone kinda ... did. There were awkward periods of lusting that interrupted what would have been a nice, realistic romance, and there was a sex dream which made me cringe horribly. This really put me off the interesting world and story.

Not to mention this one line that made me put the book down and say "what the fuck???" out loud:

Her smooth skin was a confectioner's delight. His stomach growled. When was the last time he'd eaten?

Not nearly as good as I'd hoped, but if you're looking for a unique and diverse romantic fantasy, definitely give this a shot! (Just adjust your expectations from regular fantasy.)

DNF @ 38%

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Until We Meet Again (DNF Review)

Until We Meet Again | Renee Collins

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire, November 3rd 2015

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Historical, Time Travel

Pages: 322

Format: Ebook

Source: Sourcebooks Fire, via Netgalley

They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever. 

Mehh. Didn't like the characters, thought they were flat and ... I don't know, naive maybe, trusting. One of them could have been an axe murderer and they'd just be like 'you're so pretty and mysterious~~~~' so I didn't connect with them. The girl almost drowned and I wasn't bothered at all. Not invested in the least. Plus, despite the historical parts (this is dual POV apparently!!) and the "time travel" I found very little science in this science fiction in the first 30%. Seemed more contemporary, and not the kind I'm into. Just not for me.

DNF @ 32%

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The Fire Sermon (DNF Review)

The Fire Sermon: The Fire Sermon | Francesca Haig

Published by: Gallery Books, March 10th 2015

Genre: Adult, Dystopia, Post-Apocalptic

Pages: 284

Format: Ebook

Source: Gallery Books, via Netgalley

The Hunger Games meets Cormac McCarthy's The Road in this richly imagined first novel in a new postapocalyptic trilogy by award-winning poet Francesca Haig.

Four hundred years in the future, the Earth has turned primitive following a nuclear fire that laid waste to civilization and nature. Though the radiation fallout has ended, for some unknowable reason every person is born with a twin. Of each pair one is an Alpha - physically perfect in every way - and the other an Omega burdened with deformity, small or large.

With the Council ruling an apartheid-like society, Omegas are branded and ostracized while the Alphas have gathered the world's sparse resources for themselves. Though proclaiming their superiority, for all their effort Alphas cannot escape one harsh fact: Whenever one twin dies, so does the other. Cass is a rare Omega, one burdened with psychic foresight. While her twin, Zach, gains power on the Alpha Council, she dares to dream the most dangerous dream of all: equality. For daring to envision a world in which Alphas and Omegas live side by side as equals, both the Council and the Resistance have her in their sights.

I've been reading this book a full week. I'm at 50%. And I swear nothing has happened yet. There was a slight burst of plot when the main character rescued a guy from a tank in a laboratory, and while that sounds pretty exciting and cool (it was!) NOTHING ELSE HAS HAPPENED. They've walked, and walked, and stopped for a bit in a town where they made food and sat around and did nothing then started walking again. I'm halfway through the book and literally nothing is happening, so I don't see the point of continuing. I could carry on reading and all the plot might happen in the next 10%. Or I could read until the end and still nothing will have happened. There's a bit of hinting about a rebellion, but that's non-existent at this point. The dystopia of it all has essentially dropped off. It's become just everyday life and walking, which is not something I want to read about.

Slow and bland, and I didn't like how the "bad" and "infected" twins were all disabled. Way to be insulting.

(Sidenote: WHAT IS WITH THE UK COVER? Because of that I thought this was early YA, almost middle grade???????? The cover is so juvenile, not adult at all.)

DNF at 50%

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Mad About The Hatter (ARC Review)

Mad About The Hatter | Dakota Chase

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, August 20th 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

Pages: 190

Format: Ebook

Source: Harmony Ink Press, via Netgalley

This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….

Henry never believed his older sister, Alice’s, fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter—an odd but strangely attractive fellow—just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each other intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.

Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives. 

What is it with me and reading Alice In Wonderland retellings even though I don't overly like the original? Why do I do it to myself? I'll tell you why with this one - gay representation drew me in. Sadly I didn't like the world, the characters, the threat, the story, or the romance. This is just gonna be one of those kind of reviews.

First, I never connected with the characters. Although it was a totally new and inventive thing to tell this story from Alice's brothers POV, he was just pretty uninteresting. I didn't particularly like Hatter either, after a while. At first I enjoyed his wit and humour but either that dropped off towards the middle or I got tired of it. And when you put those two characters together ... well, no sparks whatsoever. Even though Hatted had 'feelings' for Henry after a day.

The rest of Mad About The Hatter will be better for most people than it was for me. As with the original the world was just ... weird, and not in a good way for me personally. The author did a very good job world building, with enough detail to make everything fleshed out (and I can't say how much was of their own creation because I barely remember the gist of the original.) The story was bizarre, but not interestingly bizarre, just plain wacky. Not a fan of that. When they left Wonderland I thought I might enjoy the story more but I still wasn't that interested, sadly. The threat ... well, it's the same old same old, nothing new brought to the Red Queen, and it never felt dangerous. It felt like there were no true stakes, like nothing bad was ever going to happen to the main characters despite threats of beheading getting thrown about all over the place. I can't explain it.

So not a good choice for me, and despite its LGBT representation, I wasn't a fan. Maybe you'll get along better if you're a fan of the original.

DNF at 58%

(Apologies for the spate of negative reviews lately. Hopefully I can get back on track with my reading and write some proper reviews! I don't like being so down on everything!
~Saruuh)

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The Infinite (ARC Review)

Gates of Thread and Stone: The Infinite | Lori M. Lee

Published by: Skyscape, March 10th 2015

Genre: YA, High Fantasy, Magic

Pages: 378

Format: Ebook

Source: Skyscape, via Netgalley

The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

I wasn't overly impressed with the first book, but there was enough things I liked for me to enjoy it. Not so much with this book. The first 10% wasn't so bad, but I just got more and more disillusioned. I didn't like Avan anymore, the world was expanding and I wasn't that fussed on it even though I should have loved it (underground cave city!) and I just lost interest in the story. The issue I had in the first book where I didn't care overmuch about the characters became worse in this, and by 25% I had stopped caring about literally everything, reading for reading's sake. Unlike the first book, I couldn't get into this at all and I didn't enjoy it.

DNF at 41%.

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The Accident Season (DNF Review)

The Accident Season | Moira Fowley-Doyle

Published by: Corgi Childrens, August 18th 2015

Genre: YA, Magical Realism

Pages: 288

Format: Ebook

Source: Corgi Childrens, via Netgalley

It's the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.
The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara's life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara's family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items - but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

This is one of those books that I never really got into. I liked parts (the mystery around Elsie) but hated others (the lack of answers about Elsie and how dragged out it was.) From the start, I never really clicked with any of the characters, but I kept with it because I've heard it's LGBT+ and assumed there was a f/f relationship, which, if you squint, there sort of maybe might be one, but it's only a kiss and one written as playful and meaning nothing. But I've only read the first 54% so maybe this changes later. Mostly the main character seems to be in love with her stepbrother, but her stepbrother seems to be in love with both the MC and her best friend at different intervals, and the best friend seems to be in love with everyone. Nothing was clear cut.

The main thing that made me DNF was I just got tired of waiting - waiting for the accident season to be explained, waiting for answers about Elsie, waiting for the main characters to figure out Elsie was dead (still no confirmation on this at 54% but I'm assuming she's a ghost), waiting for the romance to become romance, waiting for any clue this was a LGBT+ inclusive book, waiting for everything to kick in and for the story to get better, the magical element to become as prevalent as the realism. 

Mostly I got bored of waiting, and the characters weren't enough for me to keep going. Sorry, The Accident Season, but you just weren't enough for me.

DNF at 54%

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The Girl At Midnight (DNF Review)

The Girl At Midnight: The Girl At Midnight | Melissa Grey

Published by: ATOM, April 28th 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 361

Format: Ebook

Source: ATOM, via Netgalley

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

Oh boy.

My review of this is going to be in two parts - the first 50%, and the second.

First:

The Girl At Midnight is a unique, magical story that feels like a real life fairy tale when you read it. It's original and compelling, and I didn't hate most of the characters. I wasn't sure about the Caius and Dorian POVs but the rest of the book made up for them.

I loved the quest to find the Firebird. I loved how original the world-building was, and the whole society of birds and their quirky underground community. The marketplace was cool. The travelling through doorways was AWESOME. The writing is evocative and lyrical in parts, and there were some really great quotes that I loved. 

I was excited to see where the story would lead next!

Second:

One percent into the second half (ONE PERCENT) The Girl At Midnight changes violently from a captivating fantasy, a vital quest, and a desperate scrabble to survive to ... mostly romance. The quest and the Firebird take A MAJOR BACKSEAT. And what comes to the front is a cliche, forced romance (love triangle!!! Yay!!!) between Echo, the pretty alright main character, and Caius, who is a morally corrupt tortured asshole. But not your average tortured asshole. One who is just vile and makes me retch.

I wanted the story to keep moving forward, but it slowed down considerably and allowed for moments like this:

Their fingers brushed when he took the key from her hand, and a shock ran up his arm, stronger than static.

And this:

There was something monumental about her. He was beginning to understand what drove a certain breed of man to make art.

This comes from a guy who is hundreds of years old, should be immune to the teenage cliched crush, is terribly hung up on his dead wife, and yet ... this ridiculous romance starts to form. And I've read it a hundred times before and I am just not interested. I wanted to read to the end for the awesome quest but by that point I could see that it had already been kicked down the ladder of priorities.

Sorely disappointed. This book was seriously awesome and wonderfully unique, and would have easily made its way onto my favourites shelf, but then the catastrophe of a romance happened.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world-building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

DNF at 71%

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (DNF Review)

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest | Melanie Dickerson

Published by: Thomas Nelson, May 12th 2015

Genre: YA, Historical

Pages: 368

Format: Ebook

Source: Thomas Nelson Fiction, via Netgalley

"Swan Lake" meets Robin Hood when the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant by day becomes the region's most notorious poacher by night, and falls in love with the forester.

Jorgen is the forester for the wealthy margrave, and must find and capture the poacher who has been killing and stealing the margrave's game. When he meets the lovely and refined Odette at the festival and shares a connection during a dance, he has no idea she is the one who has been poaching the margrave's game.

Odette justifies her crime of poaching because she thinks the game is going to feed the poor, who are all but starving, both in the city and just outside its walls. But will the discovery of a local poaching ring reveal a terrible secret? Has the meat she thought she was providing for the poor actually been sold on the black market, profiting no one except the ring of black market sellers?

The one person Odette knows can help her could also find out her own secret and turn her over to the margrave, but she has no choice. Jorgen and Odette will band together to stop the dangerous poaching ring . . . and fall in love. But what will the margrave do when he discovers his forester is protecting a notorious poacher?

I thought I was going to love this. Coming off the back of Dark Triumph, I had a serious historical craving. I thought this would be a great book for me. It ... wasn't. It was much slower than I expected, even accounting for the usual slow historical build up. I kept waiting for something pivotal to happen, for the pace to pick up, but by 61% I realised it wasn't going to. It wasn't building up to anything after all. I was waiting for Jorgen to find out Odette was the poacher but after a while I got bored even of that. The romance was fine but a little flat and I didn't get attached to either main character. I thought they were nice, good people, but that was about it. The plot was barely there. The historical period I actually enjoyed - I liked that it was set in Germany, and it was written so accurately it felt true. I liked the weaving in of German words. 

But the story and characters and pacing really let this book down. I lost the desire to finish it, and so didn't.

DNF at 61%

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