We can’t all love everything and some books just aren’t for me. Sometimes I try really hard to love a book but if it’s taking me 4 days to read 100 pages, we need to have the talk. I debated quite a while on whether or not to do this feature, but I thought it would be fun, so Book Breakups was born.
I’m so, so, soooo ashamed that I broke up with this book. If you’ve read my review of Ashes then you might know that I was all THIS IS THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER WRITTEN and just OMGOMGOMG for about half the book. After that half it was like reading a completely different book that might have been good on it’s own, but could not live up to the first half…if that makes sense. Ashes ended on a super scary note and I thought book 2 was going to be awesome….it was not. The first chapter was very promising! There was so much gore and I honestly believed we were back on track. Then all these other perspectives started. It’s been a year since I read Ashes and I didn’t remember who any of these people were. I was so confused. I kept reading to and waiting for things to click and waiting for Alex to show back up. I waited, and waited, and waited. Then I just couldn’t wait any more. The things that disappointed me with the last half of Ashes (Rule) were very much still present and I just couldn’t get into Shadows.
Here are some people that loved it:
Curiosity Killed the Bookworm
Christy’s Book Addiction
Teen Librarian’s Toolbox
Oh, Velveteen. You look so cool with your dark, pretty cover. You sound amazing! Serial killers!? I have a strange fascination with serial killers, so this sounded so promising. The first chapter was fantastic. The MC was haunting her killer and trashing his house. But the synopsis tricked me. I thought the book was going to be a story of a ghost getting revenge, but it’s really about these characters battling the evil(?) that threatens their world, Purgatory. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be at all. I just couldn’t get into the writing as well. The style was very strange and I usually like unique writing styles, but this was sometimes hard to comprehend and very confusing. I read over 100 pages. I was waiting for something to happen, but nothing interesting ever did. I couldn’t make myself read all 400+ pages of that.
Don’t take my word for it! Others loved it:
Me, My Shelf, and I
Books to the Sky
The Book Vortex
Oh too bad about Shadows, I remember how much you loved Ashes.
I think I’m breaking up with Velveteen too. I agree that the first chapter was good. Then it just got boring for me. I have been saying I’m going to go back to it but I don’t think I will,I’m not having any urge to read it anymore..I’m kind of glad I’m not the only one.
candace recently posted..Review: The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent
I’m happy to hear that I’m not the only one with a problem when it comes to Velveteen. It was so promising, but the story was moving super slow.
Lori recently posted..Review: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
Oh no for SHADOWS! That makes me soooo sad to hear! I loved Ashes and it pains me to hear that the sequel does not live up to it’s processor. Oh and Velvetten totally tricked me too and I was confused when I realized the topic is indeed somewhere else. I had a hard time getting into the story, but I get why you just stopped..
DannyBookworm recently posted..Review and Giveaway – Paradox by Claudia Lefeve
I hope you love Shadows too! I really wanted to, but it just went in a direction I didn’t like. =/
I love this feature… I really love that you post reviews that actually did like the book so that we can get both takes on it!!!!
Angie
Angela’s Anxious Life
Angie recently posted..Follow Me Friday # 47 -Shadow and Bone!!!
This feature is very helpful! I haven’t read Ashes or Velveteen though I have them both, and when/if I do get to read them I’ll know to keep my expectations in check. I’m really intrigued about the writing style in Velveteen so I may have to try that one out. Thanks for giving us the low-down on these books.
Lucy @ The Reading Date recently posted..Cover Reveal: OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I hope you enjoy them both, Lucy!
I haven’t heard much about Shadows but I do remember reading really mixed reviews of Velveteen, it sounded odd!
VeganYANerds recently posted..Girl, Missing and Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie
It is very odd!
I too had a bit of a hard time with Shadows. But it did get better about half way through. I have also been debating on Velveteen, but it sounds like it is going a bit lower on my TBR now.
Kate recently posted..Blog Tour: The Templeton Twins have an Idea + Giveaway
I broke up with Ashes, so Shadows won’t ever be on my list. I’ve got a galley of Velveteen though, and I’ve heard so many mixed things that I’m not sure I even want to try a relationship. I probably will though, because I’m a sucker for self-inflicted book torture.
I like this feature!
Ems recently posted..Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Heiber
Thank you!
If you do end up reading Velveteen, I hope you like it!
They both DO sound promising. Sorry you had to break-up!
Autumn @TheAutumnReview recently posted..Futures & Frosting (Chocolate Lovers 2) by Tara Sivec Review
I still haven’t read Ashes yet, but it’s a shame that Shadows didn’t end up being good. Velveteen sounds really great. I have it to read. I hope I like it.
Amy @ Book Loving Mom recently posted..Cover Reveal: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Hmm I haven’t read either of these, but they both ventured into too-scary territory for me. (I’m a total wimp.) Sucks that Ashes wasn’t as good as you were expecting. I HATE it when the second book in a series is a letdown!
KM recently posted..Review: Darklight, by Lesley Livingston
Oh this makes me sad about Shadows. I literally just finished Ashes yesterday (we had book club last night and discussed it!) and I really really loved it, creepy gory parts and all! And the ending?! My stomach clenched from shock. I definitely want to read Shadows, just to find out what things are, but a little bummed you didn’t like it. Hopefully I will! Fingers crossed!
Candice recently posted..Casting Call: Divergent
I loved the creepy gory parts too! I hope that you love Shadows!
That was what I was expecting from Shadows. I was like you on Ashes I loved it at first, got kind of iffy, and at the end I had enjoyed it but I just wasn’t that hooked into the story. They had kind of lost me. I don’t think I’m going to even try Shadows. Ashes was fun but there are other things I’m more excited to read.
Stephanie recently posted..Matched by Ally Condie
I had to recently break up with the Wake series. I really liked the first book, but I was already annoyed just a few pages into the second book. Don’t know what changed, possibly just me, but I had to move on.
I probably will give Velveteen a read someday though!
Kate- Midnight Book Girl recently posted..Stephen King Fall Readalong!
Awee too bad you didn’t like Velveteen. :[ I am still super intrigued by it though so I'll still read it! x]
Addie R. recently posted..[ARC] Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight #1) by Darynda Jones
Loved Ashes, but I was totally grossed out by Shadows which really dampened my ardour!
K R Weinert recently posted..Book Bag (015)
It was pretty gory, huh?
Love this feature, Lori! May have to do it myself because although there aren’t TOO many books I mark as a DNF, there are some. I have Ashes but haven’t read it yet. Sorry to hear the second one is such a let down, grr.
elena recently posted..cover crush: typography