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My already high DNF count is even higher because my Kindle deleted all couple hundred books I hadn't head yet, so in trying to replace them, a number I read already got onto it. Blah.

DNF #100: The Shadow of Black Wings by James Calbraith. I started reviewing books in 2012, and this one was published in 2012. I'm certain I read it, but I can't find mention of it in any of my reviews... Since it's a reread and another review said the story just cuts off in the middle, in hopes to get you to buy book 2, I'm DNFing this one.

DNF #101: Secret of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst. I tried to read this one last year as well, but DNFed it. "Checking Goodreads, I discovered this book does one of the worst things ever: It has no ending, it just gets cut off and continues in the next book." Review here

DNF #102: The Scavengers by Michael Perry. I read this one back in 2019. I loved the first third, but it went downhill from there. Review here.

DNF #103: A Bone from the Dry Sea by Peter Dickinson. This one was published in 2015, so I should have a review for it, but it's another one I can't find. I read it for sure though, and hadn't enjoyed it. Goodread reviews agree, review after review calling it "boring".

DNF #104: Pictures of You by TJ Alexian. I read this one in 2014. I liked it, but it's not the type of book I usually read, so I moved on to something new. Review here.

DNF #105: Voices in the Snow by Darcy Coates. A new book! Finally! I just wish it had been a better one. The most cliche of cliche horror stories. Every single element was unoriginal. Another reviewer described the main character as:

Have you seen the GEICO commercials that make a spoof about horror movies? Teens are being chased by something evil on the grounds of a scary mansion. To get away, one teen suggests hopping into the idling car and driving to safety. But the majority say going into the basement or hiding in the cemetery would be safer!
thistlechaser: (Book with cat 1)
Pictures of You by TJ Alexian/[livejournal.com profile] tedwords.
(Book received free for review from the author.)
Rating: 4/liked (1-5/hated-loved)

There were a number of elements in Pictures of You shouldn't have worked for me, but they did and I ended up really enjoying the book.

It's told in first person: With rare exception, that never works for me.
The POV is a teenage girl: That alone would have sent me running in the other direction; lately I've read so many painfully bad books with a teenage girl POV.
It has a paranormal element (except not really), and usually that would make me uninterested in a book that is otherwise set in the normal world.
Also, while reading the book, I realized it was something I never read: A book set in the modern, normal world. I can't recall ever reading a fiction book set in our world with just normal, average people in it. I suppose I probably did as a teen or kid, but as an adult? I can't think of one.

So, that's a long list of things that I wouldn't usually like, but TJ Alexian made it work. All the characters, from the POV girl to the more minor ones, were believable as real people, and I was interested in knowing more about them.

The story was a mystery (with lots of other elements as well), and while I don't usually read those, I enjoyed it here. At one point I was sure I knew the ending and I didn't like it, but it turns out I was wrong. For a while I thought it was in fact a ghost responsible, and I didn't like that. I don't believe in ghosts (or anything there's not proof of), so to have it come up in what was otherwise our world annoyed me. I'm happy I was wrong! Not only am I happy to have been wrong, I enjoyed that I was fooled!

Ashley (the main character) and her family were trying to cope with the loss of Daniel, Ashley's brother. On top of that, videos of Daniel were getting posted to Youtube and emailed to her directly. Who would have such videos? Why would they send them to her anonymously? And leave cryptic little messages from "Daniel"?

I hadn't expected the ending at all, but looking back on it once I was finished, it fit.

Recommended!

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