Time for another edition of Reshelved in which I share what books I’ve put down lately and which ones I sadly had to take back to the library unread! Check out past Reshelved posts here!
Put Down
Emancipated by M.G. Reyes: Man, the premise of having emancipated teens all living together could have meant for some major shenanigans…and maybe they happened but I didn’t stick around to find out. The little I read unfortunately bored me and I was not digging all the POVs particularly because the characters all felt like cardboard-y kind of cliches that just don’t work for me at all. I put it down VERY early on so no idea if the mystery element would have grabbed me at any point.
Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley: I was so sad I wasn’t into this one!!! I love strange and unique books so it was disappointing that I wasn’t into this one. I got 31% into it and I just wasn’t feeling it at all. Didn’t care about any of it and I was just like either it’s my mood or it’s just a little too strange and offbeat for me. Wasn’t sure but I knew I was stalling to pick it up so it was time to let it go.
A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean: This is not at all a book I put down because of the actual book! The audio was just not working for me. The narrator was REALLY good — especially with the voices — but I was listening when I was driving and I could NOT at all concentrate as well as I needed to with her British accent. AND I LOVE BRITISH ACCENTS. I kept missing things and it was unfortunate. SOO I will be picking this up as physical book sometime soon but had to DNF the audiobook version. I LOVED HER NARRATION THOUGH. SO TALENTED. Just couldn’t concentrate.
Went Back To The Library Unread
(not because I didn’t WANT to read them but I stink at reading things when I’m supposed to)
I did SO bad with my library books recently because I took them out at the same time as I did Froi of the Exiles and because that’s huge (and amazing) it took me forever to read which combined with busy month of May…I couldn’t even think about touching them. SAD. I even renewed them and still didn’t get to them.
More Than This by Patrick Ness: I’m sooooo bummed I didn’t get to this before it had to go back. He was at BEA this year and all I kept thinking about is how everyone loves him and I’ve never read his books :(( DEFINITELY planning on getting this again soon.
How To Save a Life by Sara Zarr : I WILL READ THIS ONE DAY. It looks so like a Jamie book and has been on my list for forever. May was just not the month for me and getting books read.
Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle: I got this out from the library for book club but then OH DUH I realized I couldn’t make book club that month so I just never ended up reading it. I haven’t decided if I will get it back out again. Have you guys read it?? What do you think??
Did you feel differently about any of the books I put down? Or similarly? Which books should I make a priority to grab again from the library??
Frannie Pan @ In Clouds of Pages says
I read a chapter sample of Magonia and really didn’t like the author’s writing style, it was not for me 🙁
And I had that feeling about Emancipated, that it would have been a little too cliched.
I’m sorry you had to put them down 🙁
Jamie says
Yeah the writing was not for me either :/ I really wanted to like that book! Yeah, and with Emancipated I had that feeling too from the description but I was hoping it would prove me wrong because sometimes I feel like the summaries don’t always reflect what’s really inside. I can’t remember what book but I read the summer and it sounded so cheesy and it ended up being this really amazing thought-provoking book.
Sarah says
I’ve been badly wanting to read Magonia byt I’ve seen so many disappointed reviews for it that I don’t really know anymore 🙁
More Than This is an amazing book!! It’s the only Patrick Ness book I’ve read so far but it is amazing 😀 I hope you get to pick it up again soon 🙂
Jamie says
I know some people who super loved it but it definitely wasn’t for me. If you own it already I’d say if you read about 20 pages you’ll know if it’s for you or not.
And YES this is the reaction I always get about Patrick Ness’s books esp this one. Planning on getting it again soon!
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog says
I am currently having library issues lol. I am at my limit on checkouts and all of my holds are coming due. I am like MUST READ FASTER which only makes me read super slow. UGH. So I may have to choose some to reshelve myself.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
Though I adored the start of Magonia, I ended up feeling exactly like you did at about the 30% point. It’s probably for the best. I think that either it keeps you through the contemporary to fantasy transition or you’re going to struggle through it all. It was one of those books I just did not want to pick up, but I pushed through and I should have just DNFed.
Paiva Lewis says
I DNF’ed More Than This, although I love Ness’s Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls! More Than This is told like two stories (that are ultimately one, I’m guessing), and I found the one half so boring that I couldn’t hack it.
Emma @ Miss Print says
I tried to read Magonia last week but I couldn’t deal with the voice at all and wound up walking away when I realized how enormous my TBR had gotten this month. It was sad but I also keep reminding myself that not every book can work for every reader.
Stormy says
I stopped around the same point in Magonia as you did, maybe a little earlier. I like weird/quirky stories so I thought it was for me, but I think it was the combination of the plot + the main character’s voice that I could just not get into at all. It’s funny because I normally love snarky narrators, but the voice did not at all work for me.
I sympathize with your “returning to library unread” problem! The only one I’ve read is More Than This, WHICH I LOVE, BUT. . . if you’re never read Patrick Ness before, I’m not sure it’s the one I’d recommend starting with. So my advice is definitely to get it from the library. . . but also check out A Monster Calls(MY FAVORITE) while you’re there.
Trina says
I also DNFed Magonia, but I did it at page 200. Usually if I make it half way that’s enough of a time investment that I want to see it out to the end, but I just couldn’t deal anymore. I’ve enjoyed offbeat writing and characters before, as well as books with similar world set ups, but all of it mashed together was overload for me. I was really hesitant, but ended up doing a DNF review. It seems like anyone who didn’t enjoy it didn’t enjoy the same aspects. 🙁 I’d be interested in checking out another story by Headley, but this one was just not my thing.
Kay @ It's a Book Life says
If I shared with you how many books I normally return back to the library unread it would be a tad embarrassing for me. I have yet to give Magonia and Emancipated a try but they are on my TBR pile. As you know sometimes just not being in the right frame of mind or having a book not be what you expected can change how you feel about it a book :/ Better luck next time.
Jillian says
I haven’t read Magnolia yet but I’ve been wanting to….problem for me is lately everything other people are loving I either can’t get into or flat out hate! So frustrating!! Plus I need a book club to discuss with because no one by me reads what I like
Try reading Sarah Macleans series. It’s anazing!!! Book 2 is one of my favorite books of all time!!!!
Ciara says
I haven’t read anything by Patrick Ness (yet) either but I do really want to, and More Than This is actually the book I’m really tempted by. He has a new book out later this year and I just love the premise of it so I want to read one of his older books before that. I hope you get to read one of his books at some stage too!
Alexa S. says
I’m so glad to hear you’re not setting down A Rogue by Any Other Name for good! It’s such a fun historical romance read (and coincidentally, you’ve reminded me I need to continue on with the series).
Mel@thedailyprophecy says
Emancipated: be happy you didn’t continue. I was so far in I just had to finish it, but damn that was boring, cliche and to top it all off: a terrible open ending. I just found out that it’s part one in a series, but I won’t be continuing that one for sure.
Tiffany (AboutToRead) says
Emancipated was not a very memorable read so you didn’t miss anything there.
Cassie (Happy Book Lovers) says
Don’t know how I’m just seeing this, but I’ve actually just written up a DNF post about recently unfinished books and Magonia is on my list as well. I feel the same, I got about halfway through and just didn’t care about the characters, plot, any of it. So sad because I was so in the mood for a good fantasy (which is why I’ll be starting some Sarah J. Maas binging pretty soon here).