Here are some of the books I started reading but couldn’t finish, for whatever reason. They will be put under  “In Dispute” on The List. Sometimes beginnings or circumstances keep good books from getting finished and not because they are bad books. The Final Empire is a perfect example for me of a bit of a dry start combined with my just not being ready or receptive for that particular style. Once I was ready I discovered the awesomeness that is the Mistborn Series. Even now I wonder why I didn’t finish that first book years ago. So, just because I couldn’t finish a book doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad book. If it’s a bad book I’ll go out of my way to finish so I can tell you all exactly why it’s bad.

So, here are my recent failed attempts (DNF).

The Colossus Rises (Seven Wonders #1) by Peter Lerangis

I had difficulty getting through the beginning of this book because it’s had too much flash and not enough substance. Spent the first few chapters learning about all these people and they aren’t important to the story. It shows a character who is overpowered with weaknesses and issues that are mostly ignored. There are plenty of explanations but I felt no connection to the main character. Since I wasn’t invested in the character I didn’t care what happened to him and only a couple of chapters in I started hoping he’d die because then that would be interesting…..and someone else would become the main character. Morbid, but it’s how I felt.

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

I read for entertainment. This book wasn’t written for entertainment. It was written to tell a story and to highlight and emphasize issues. This just isn’t the type of book I read. I was willing to suffer through it but I had an increasing feeling of hopelessness. So, I did something I pretty much never do…..I skipped to the end. I was glad I did because the ending was pretty dark and more than a little hopeless. I probably wouldn’t even have mentioned this attempting this book but I’d already read and reviewed the prequel, The Book of Phoenix. They feel very different and only barely connected with each other.

Dragonheart by Ceclia Holland

Put simply this book was….boring. For me personally, if there is a dragon in it, on the cover, and in the name, then it better not be boring. The characters were too bland for me and the storyline even more so. I kept skipping several pages waiting for the story to get interesting…..but it never did.

It wasn’t poorly written, but I was clearly not the target audience. I can see how others might like it, so there’s that.

Avalon by Mindee Arnett

I barely even started this and couldn’t stomach it. The tone and premise are awful. A teenager is running an intergalactic thieving gang/organization which has never been caught and when the kids become adults they leave the gang. Considering most of the kids are under the age of 16 it begins to make things seem improbable. Then there is the premise that teenagers are ignored completely. Because, you know, they never do anything wrong or cause any trouble…..ever. If it wasn’t such a crucial element it wouldn’t be that bad but it is the reason they’re never caught, never suspected, can get away with any and everything and are so successful. Last, the main character was unpardonably annoying.