Books 1 and 2 of 2021 : The Forbidden Library, The Dog with Seven Names, DNF: The Meek, Cross...

[thistlechaser]

Finished:
The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler. My first book of the year! It wasn't bad, it just didn't hook me at all. A Middle Grade book, I think it would work a lot better for young readers. In it a young girl discovers she's one of the few who has secret magic powers, and she has to adventure through a magical library to survive. I liked the worldbuilding, loved the magic system, the main character was fine, but the whole book just never clicked for me. Even though it ended on a mild cliffhanger, I'm not going to continue with the series.

The Dog with Seven Names by Dianne Wolfer. Like Forbidden Library, this book should have been a good match for me but wasn't. It wasn't bad, just never really engaged me. In it a dog was born in Australian in World War Two, and basically it was a view of the war through a dog's eyes. The dog was both way smarter than a dog should be AND had mild magical powers, but both sort of worked and it never bothered me even though the story was meant to be realistic. I learned a lot about Australia's role in WW2 and the dog character was wonderful. I just never felt that driving need to read just another page more.

Abandoned:
The Meek by J.D. Palmer. So bad. Just so bad. End of the world story, but the only people left were the most evil people on Earth or victims for those evil people. Whole book was just torture porn with a heaping helping of rape tossed in. Even greater offense was that none of it even made sense. A healthy young man was kept as a dog by a half-crippled old man (wore a collar, slept on the floor, ate out of a bowl). Same old man kept a healthy young woman captive as his "breeding doll". Either one could have kicked his ass and escaped. DNF 10%. (Only reason I got that far was how short it was.)

Crossing to Paradise by Kevin Crossley-Holland. I have ~400 books on my Kindle, but they're all books I want to read. How in the world did this book get on it? It's nothing like what I usually read. In it a young girl in early England goes on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Main character seemed fine, but the story just wasn't one I cared to read about. DNF 5%


Partial book credits:
Point reached in DNF books: 10 + 5 = 15%
Previous abandoned book total: 0%
New total: 15% (zero books)

Comments

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

That was like, *exactly* my reaction to the Wexler. "That's nice. OK?" It was fun, just not something that tugged me on to the next iteration.

(Crossing to Paradise may actually be one of my genres of thing, but I have so many other things to read that I'm not reading that it's not worth looking for.)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Wexler's book was one that really made me think when I finished it: What makes that spark that hooks us? All the pieces seemed there, I liked everything about it, it should have grabbed me and made me want to read.

I know the feeling on not seeking out more to read. I'm trying very hard to only add books I really, really want to read to my pile. I rarely look at adult fiction anymore because I have more than enough YA/MG books I want to read and those are shorter. One day I'll retire and do nothing but read!

[jeane nevarez (from livejournal.com)]

Well the dog one looks like maybe it was kinda cute. Your brief description made me think of Bel Ria by Sheila Burnford (but there's no magic in it)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I thought of you multiple times while reading it! If you like historical novels, it might work better for you. I learned a heck of a lot about how WW2 hit Australia. I hate to admit this, but I hadn't known Australia was involved in it at all. Maybe I had learned about it in high school, but I hadn't at all remembered now.

The magic was really, really minor. The main character dog's father was a dingo, so she had his golden eyes and could sometimes see into the past. It wasn't realistic, but it was so minor, I didn't mind it much.

It wasn't a bad book at all, but unless you care about historical novels, I'd say pass on it.

[jeane nevarez (from livejournal.com)]

Historical fiction is really hit or miss for me. I'll make a note of it, for a 'maybe'!