When To Abandon A Book

I ran across this quote taped up in my B&N awhile ago and it really got me thinking. At the time I was reading something that wasn't really keeping my interest and overall a huge disappointment. After a lot of internal debate I almost set it aside for good, As of today, I wish I had.

Part of my book addiction stems from the feeling I get when I finish a book. When I close the cover I feel triumphant, as if I've conquered that world and trudged through all of the obstacles right alongside the hero. When I finish a series, the sense of accomplishment is even greater. Stories, whether I'm reading, watching, or writing, are a way for me to escape the mundaneness of day to day life. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE my happy little life. But for me, books are a portal to another time, another realm, where anything is possible. Stories help to tame my adventurous spirit and my wanderlust, without the cost of plane tickets or a time machine.

But what if a book isn't doing that for me? What if the writing is sub-par or the characters are annoying? Should I just give up all the time and commitment I've already invested in it? Not to mention the hard earned money I paid for it. A lot of times, I'm reading ARCs for other authors and committed to finishing and reviewing the book. What's worse, is a boring book will take me much longer to finish.

My question is, when is it okay to abandon a book? Taking in all the factors of money you paid and any commitments you verbally made to it, where is the line. I'd hate to buy a beautiful book, hate it, but have it sit on my shelf unfinished. It feels like giving up before the race is over. Before the battle is won.

What's worse, is what if this book is part of a series? What if it's the second book in a series? You already own the first two, but the second one was so bad that you have no interest in the third. It may not seem like a big deal, but those gorgeous books are displayed on your shelf with a piece missing. That would never fly on Instagram. It's just not right!!

But what do you do? Do you waste money on a book you have no interest in reading, just for the sake of appearances? Do you really want to support an author that disappointed you? Do you leave that world unconqured and abandon the quest halfway through? And what about when the movies come out? Will you go see them? You can't just ignore a movie of a book that you read.

This is my struggle and it is real. Someone help me out. What's the right thing to do??

#booknerdproblems

Book Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Synopsis

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Review

 

Despite it not being what I expected, I enjoyed Red Queen enough to add the next book Glass Sword to my birthday list. It wasn't one I wanted to rush out and buy, but one I was looking forward to reading.  

Overall, this sequel was quite a disappointment. Aveyard's usual turn of phrase which I adored in the last book, was spaced few and far between. The whole rebel military unit setting was not my particular cup of cocoa, but what really bothered me most was that Glass Sword was like reading an alternate version of Mocking Jay; all the melodrama and self loathing without any of the good parts. Mare was frustratingly negative, winy, cowardly, cold, and harsh through the entire book. It was like dealing with Katniss on the brink of her breaking point all over again.

Here's the difference though-I actually liked Katniss. Sure she was over dramatic and a pain in the rear all through book three, but it had taken two whole great books to get there. I felt like she and I had been through more than what I had witnessed with Mare. Because of that I was able to deal with Katniss's suicidal mind set much easier. I guess Mare and I don't click. And I guess that's the real reason I didn't like Glass Sword. It all takes place through Mare's POV and most of the story is told through her jaded thoughts and opinions. There were times I just wanted her to shut up and let the actual story happen.

What saved this book for me was the ending, which was pretty good, it just took way to long to get there. Before I read the ending, I was convinced I wasn't going to pick up the next book. But alas, I feel bad just leaving things where they ended so I'd like to know what happens next. Regardless, the third book is not high on my priority list. 

2.5 stars

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Other Books of Honorable Mention (2015)

I'm officially reading my the last book I will finish in 2015. Normally, I save this blog space to talk about independently published and small press books. Before the year closes, I wanted to highlight some great books I've read this year that are from more well known publishers or bigger companies that I haven't mentioned here before. Because let's face it, who wants to limit their reading experience to just one genre/author/publisher?

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I instantly fell in love with this cover and decided I must have it. (Little tip: Target will price match anything Amazon sells so I got this HARDCOVER for 9 bucks!!) I found out I was slightly deceived, though. The artwork suggests Renaissance court intrigue and drama, which there is, but this story is more dystopian/sci-fi, which kept throwing me for a loop since they would run around castles in pretty clothes and then use their electric super powers to glitch out the security monitors. But all that aside, it's a great book. Kind of reminded me of Game of Thrones and X-men. Definitely getting book two. Hopefully in hardcover. 

My family knows how much I love anything Renaissance so I got this for Christmas last year. It's different than anything I've ever read. It's a collaboration of about 12 different authors and each author writes an act. It's a very interesting story, but drags a lot, depending on who's telling the story. It's kind of a heavier (and long) read so I'd recommend doing a little research on it before investing in it.

This book was great. It's a very subtle Cinderella retelling, but what I liked most about it was the beautiful, unique world and the elaborate masks and costumes. When I read a book I want to escape to another realm, and What is Hidden provided me with just that. I'm definitely reading the sequels! Coincidentally, this book comes from the same publisher who is doing my latest book Sigil in Shadow. So, if you're familiar with this book, you'll probably like mine too!

This is one of the last in the Bloody Jack series - a chronicle of adventures concerning a young orphan girl who disquises herself as a boy to get a job on a ship. Excellent, excellent story telling! This series got me through some tough times and one I hope my daughter will read one day. "Jackie" and I have been through a lot together and I will be very sad to say goodbye to her.

I re-read this before I went to see the movie. Not the best in the series but still, "not the best in the series" in a brilliant series is still an amazing book.

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I've got one more review coming up before 2016, but I'll be busy as I expect to get a lot of books for Christmas! What were some of your favorite books this year, indie or otherwise?