DNF: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Published September 18th, 2012

Scholastic

416 pages (Paperback)

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“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. (From Goodreads)

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Stopped reading at page 290 of 408.

I tried really hard with this one, but just couldn't get into the story.  I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters.  It's not that there was anything wrong with them, but rather that they just didn't fit my tastes.  I felt confused, and not in the good, can't-set-it-down way.  I had no clue what was happening, and, again, felt no connection to the story.  

That being said, I do understand why so many people love this book.  The writing is solid and I can see where the story would appeal to many people.  There is a maturity to the book that stands out.  There is also that complexity that I talked about above.  There was a brief period about midway through the book that I really enjoyed, and a plot twist that I thought was awesome.  Ultimately though, it just wasn't for me.

DNF: Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Published October 9th, 2012
Delecorte Books for Young Readers
464 pages (Hardcover)

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days. 

It’ll be brutal... and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her. (From Goodreads)

Gave up at: p. 276 (57%)

I tried really hard on this one.  I was sent this one from The Fake Steph as part of her monthy TBR Intervention giveaways, which makes it even harder to DNF, but I got too bored and too lost.

I was confused from the start, and not in the good way of plot-building.  This book just makes no sense to me.  It also doesn't match what I expected.  I'm lost on the characters roles and what the **** they are doing.  After a while, I got bored of being confused.

This is a book that I may try again, but there are just too many other titles that I would rather be reading to keep going here.

Much love, Samantha

DNF: Confessions of An Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Published August 28th, 2012
HarlequinTeen
272 pages (Paperback)

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)(Sorry. That was rude.) (From Goodreads)

Stopped reading at page 165.

I never really got into the story here.  Rose is a fourteen year old high school freshman, dealing with the lose of her dad, and her brother leaving for college.  Of course she is going to be emotional.  I was a basketcase in the 9th grade.

The story never felt realistic or like it was headed anywhere, and that is why I stopped reading.   I kept pushing through what felt like long periods of nothing exciting, hoping for anything to happen.  

I did like the random words and definitions at the start of the chapters.  I thought this was a cute and creative touch to introduce each chapter with.

From what I read, I think this book would be great for an audience closer to the main characters age of 14, who may be able to better relate to Rose.  After all, we all had that older crush at that age (admit it, you know exactly who I'm talking about...).

Much love, Samantha