Summer of DNF

Sorry for the slow month. There has been a lot of traveling for me this summer and I’m back from what is probably (hopefully) my last road trip before the fall season sets in, because I am feeling absolutely beat! I can’t believe I’m about to type these words but I am actually looking forward to September when school starts up for the kids again so my life can get back to its regularly scheduled programming. I feel like not much productive has been achieved in all this chaos. Not to mention my poor feet could use a break.

Plus, the other thing that has taken a hit is my reading. Mind you, not that I’ve stopped, and in fact I think I’ve been reading more than ever, but for some reason, nothing that I’ve been picking up for the last couple weeks seems to be sticking. I guess it’s natural to be pickier when it comes to book choice when you’re on the road and looking for a beach read versus something that’s a drag, but it’s been ridiculous. So you’ll be getting more of these DNF posts from me in the near future, I’m sure.

Granted, of the half dozen books I’ve been crazy sampling lately, not all have been banished to the abandoned pile just yet. Some just might need another chance when I eventually switch my mind off vacay mode, so for now here are comments from a few DNFs from earlier this summer I just need to clear off my plate. For most books, the DNF decision was made around the 25-33% mark, enough to safely say I gave it a fair shot. Keep in mind though, just because I DNFed a book doesn’t mean it was bad, just that, for whatever reason, I wasn’t feeling it and saw no compelling reason to continue. But what doesn’t work for me might work for others; hopefully my perspective can assist you in determining whether you’ll enjoy it or not.

I received review copies from the publisher(s). This does not affect the contents of my reviews and all opinions are my own.

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

Mogsy’s Rating: DNF

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology

Series: Book 1 of Fate’s Thread 

Publisher: Del Rey (June 4, 2024)

Length: 416 pages

This is a contemporary fantasy inspired by Asian mythology in which a nine-tailed fox pairs up with a trickster god to track down a demon before it can destroy the mortal world. If you like any of the elements described in above, I think it will be a match made in heaven. However, the book has also been described for fans of K-drama, and I really think that’s where the story and I had our disagreement. No judgement if you enjoy watching K-dramas, but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do less. It’s just not my thing. I prefer my stories with a little more action and a little less moody broody lovey drama, so no surprise this book and I ended up splitting. K-drama enthusiasts though, run to pick this up!

Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Mogsy’s Rating: DNF

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Nightfire (June 11, 2024)

Length: 352 pages

It’s the 1990s, and five queer kids are forcibly sent to a desert converssion camp in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Utah by their families. Hey, sounds like a great premise for a terrifying novel about a group of characters who confront and persevere against the horrors of isolationa and abuses inflicted upon them! Problem is, in the effort to make the story as shocking and violent and repulsive as possible, the author appears to have forgotten to make it actually interesting. What’s going on? Who are all these people? Who cares! I’m no stranger to extreme horror but at the very least I expect a readable plot and decent character development. This is my first experience with the author and I’m willing to give her work another chance, but if this is indicative of her style, I’ll likely bail again.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Mogsy’s Rating: DNF

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Flatiron Books | Macmillan Audio (April 9, 2024)

Length: 400 pages | 12 hrs and 57 mins

Another unpopular opinion time. I’m a big fan of Leigh Bardugo, especially as of late with her adult fiction, namely the publication of her Alex Sterns novels. Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating The Familiar, but in the end it fell short of expectations. Granted, there’s nothing really “wrong” with the book, and I think it will perfectly satisfy the author’s fans. However, I really am starting to doubt the abilily of authors, and not just Bardugo, to write historical or folklore-inspired fantasy for adults that are not simply a rehash of the same thing we’ve seen a thousand times before. Honestly, the only author I can think of who reliably and consistently still has fresh takes and unique ideas in this subgenre is T. Kingfisher. The Familiar, unfortunately, exhibits the same pitfalls as everything else–too tropey, too predictable, too unimaginative. I lost interest about half way through, when I realized I could already guess the remainder of the major plot points and how the book will end. Just as an experiment, I skipped ahead and confirmed I was right, so at that point, I saw no more reason to continue.