Writing a less than flattering review

I know that we all hate them.  We don't like to read them and I think the majority of us really don't like to write them because we've become friends with the authors.  Some may skirt the issue or post what they liked about a book.  I feel I cannot be honest to myself if I don't explain why I didn't like the book.  I would never attack an author (and I hope that in any of my posts that has never happened) and criticize the author for decisions a character makes or does, etc...

Sometimes all it takes is a continuity error that I can't seem to get over.  Maybe it has to do with clunky writing and dialogue (Now grant it these are advance copies I'm reading, it's bound to be in there!).  Or it just doesn't sing to me.  Some books have bored me in the past.  It happens.

I remember about 10 or so years ago, my mom tried desperately to get me to read OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon.  I was so into Jane Austen, EM Forster, Evelyn Waugh, Brontes, Byatt, Hornby, and Fielding (Helen, not Tom).  I tried so hard to read that book.  I read the first 100 pages and just. couldn't. do. it.  My mom said, "Keep going." I couldn't so I stopped.  She would regularly ask me if I'd finally read it.  My answer was always no.

Finally three years ago, I decided that I would it another chance.  Yep, the first 100 pages bored me to tears, but I stuck with it and I'm happy I did because I actually really enjoyed it!  Now, me and my mom do not have the same taste in books at all.  I always preferred good literature whereas she read those cheesy romance with Fabio on the cover.

Sometimes you have to go back to a book during a different time in your life to enjoy it.  So a book I may not enjoy right now, I might enjoy the finished version or I might enjoy it two years, five years, 10 years down the road.

I don't like writing negative reviews.  But sometimes I have to.

Ascendant, Diana Peterfreund

How do I say this... I gave up on this book.  It's a DNF.  I don't think I've ever publicly acknowledged that before.  And I'm really upset, too.  I LOVED the first book so much that I had such high expectations for this one.  I read about 208 pages and I just cannot go any further.  I tried.  I'd read in the morning, at lunch break, and then when I got home at night.  It was taking me forever to read it.

I just couldn't get into Astrid's story.  Some situations seemed extremely contrived and I found that bothering me more and more.  Plus, with this version (ARC), there were some glaring errors that I hope were picked up in the finished copy.

Astrid leaves the Cloisters originally to bodyguard Cory.  Cory has somehow lost her powers to fight unicorns.  However, a tip from Neil (Cory's uncle), Astrid takes a side trip to France to try to catch up with Seth Gavriel.  They person who stole the innocence from Phillipa, Astrid's beloved cousin.  Who is also the Donna of the Cloisters.

Astrid finds not Seth, but Brandt, her ex-boyfriend who set all of this unicorn hunter stuff in motion.  And from there, Astrid goes to Gordian (oh no, not them again!) to meet with Martyn Jaeger's estranged wife.  Of course, Isabeau has a job for Astrid keeping the Einhorns on the property well-mannered.

Yes, and now we are up to where I stopped reading.  I just found it insufferable.  Perhaps I'll read the finished version.  Hopefully they picked up on the continuity errors.

Nightshade, Andrea Cremer

Reading Level: Young Adult  
 

Paperback: 464 Pages

Publisher: Philomel 10.19.10

Parasols: 3 

 

I had some issues with this story.  I liked it.  But I had issues.  Calla Tor is an Alpha wolf in charge of the Nightshade pack of teens.  She has been promised to the Bane Alpha wolf since they're inception.  Which just happens to be on Halloween, which just happens to be their birthday.  Problem number one.  Using a pagan holiday as a rite of passage.

Second problem.  Calla helps a seeming less helpless guy who is being torn to pieces by a big bear.  In the Colorado mountains.  Calla easily morphs into wolf mode and feeds said boy her blood so he doesn't die.  Said boy is now hopelessly in love with the wolf-girl.  Wolf-girl is feeling the pull of the hapless guy.

Shay Doran is a boring character.  I didn't get the whole why Calla and Shay seemed to immediately fall for each other.  There was no spark, no electricity.  There was nothing there.

Yet, Ren Laroche, the male Alpha that Calla is promised to is all sorts of electric, he sends sparks shooting down Calla's back and gets her good and hot.  Ren is who I want to see Calla with.  He's a much more dynamic character compared to Shay.  It was almost like Cremer was writing the book and gave up on Shay and became more enthralled with Ren.  I certainly know I did.  Ren is the saving grace and what saves this review from giving it two parasols.

The situations that Shay and Calla find themselves in are contrived to the point that I couldn't wait for Ren to show up and tease Calla some more.

Some of the minor characters are decent.  Calla's brother Ansel is cute.  His puppy love for Calla's beta is predictable.  What is unpredictable is the out couple Mason and Neville.  I'd like to see more of them in the next book.  Two gay wolves.  Interesting.

There are twists and turns to keep you guessing and keep you interested in the story when Shay is not around.  The history of the Guardians (wolves) and the Keepers (masters) is interesting.  The subplot including the Searches (humans) is not fully fleshed out so you have a hard time wondering what they are after.  It's not fully explained and that can be a bit of a problem.

This installment ends so quickly and so bizarrely that I'm still trying to figure out what happened.

So thumbs up to Calla and Ren.  Thumbs down to Calla and Shay.

I don't normally talk about covers, but this has got one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a long time.

Torment, Lauren Kate

Reading Level: Young Adult

Paperback: 464 Pages

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers,9/28/10

Parasols: 2

I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't remember the events from the first book, FALLEN. However, I requested this book, and really wanted to read it. I just had some problems with it.

First off, Luce is hurried off from Sword & Cross to a school in California. San Francisco to be exact. It's for her own safety and due to a truce that Daniel made with Cam. I can't even remember the name of the school or her roommate.

I liked FALLEN a lot, but this story was one that I've read before. I've seen before. There is nothing new here. Daniel tells Luce that he has to stay away from her for her own safety. Blah blah blah. Yet, he shows up nearly every other page. Luce is finding out what the black shadows are. And really, the explanation was just about as ludicrous as you could get.

Even Cam the bad guy who's probably the most interesting character in FALLEN is boring in this installment. I know people are looking forward to this book, but I say skip it and read something else.

Delirium, Lauren Oliver

Reading Level: Young Adult
 

Paperback: 440 Pages

Publisher: HarperTeen, 2.1.11

Parasols: 5

One thing Lauren Oliver will never suffer from is a sophomore slump.  Her second book amazingly outshines her first book, and I thought that would be really hard to do!  

Oliver has written a dystopian world that is not that far from our world.  Love has been eradicated with a cure that takes place once you've turned 18.  Girls and boy prior to this have been segregated so as not to create any feelings between the two sexes.  This is all they know.

DELIRIUM starts with Lena obsessing over her evaluation that takes place before the 'cure' is administered.  With the help of her aunt, she has her answers down pat.  Lena wants the cure because she doesn't want to be reminded of her mother who's 'cure' never took and ended up committing suicide because she couldn't deal without having love in her life.

During the evaluation, Lena is choking miserably and she is afraid that she will not get the life that she has worked hard for.  But luckily for her, a stampede of cows interrupts her evaluation.  Unluckily for her, she's caught the eye of a guy.

This story sang to me.   My heart swelled and I fell in love all over again with the characters in this book.  I was gripped and literally holding on to the book for dear life.  The book left me breathless and wanting more, more, more.  Lauren Oliver tells a damn good story and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.  I have been forcing this book on co-workers, friends, anyone who will read it.  I loved it that much.

I know that it doesn't come out for a while, but I encourage everyone who read and loved BEFORE I FALL to go out and buy this book.  You will all have a brand new favorite author.