Friday, January 8, 2016

It's Not You, It's Me (14)


"It's not you, it's me."  Some books just don't work for me, whereas other readers may have really enjoyed them.  This feature will be showcasing books that I never finished or reviewed; you know…...the dreaded DNF.

The Many Lives of John Stone by Linda Buckley-Archer
Goodreads says, "An English teen questions all she knows about aging when she encounters a set of journals that date from the present back to the reign of King Louis XIV in this blend of contemporary and historical fiction from the author of the acclaimed Gideon trilogy. Stella Park (Spark for short) has found summer work cataloging historical archives in John Stone’s remote and beautiful house in Suffolk, England. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and her uncertainty about living at Stowney House only increases upon arriving: what kind of people live in the twenty-first century without using electricity, telephones, or even a washing machine? Additionally, the notebooks she’s organizing span centuries—they begin in the court of Louis XIV in Versailles—but are written in the same hand. Something strange is going on for sure, and Spark’s questions are piling up. Who exactly is John Stone? What connection does he have to these notebooks? And more importantly, why did he hire her in the first place?"

My Thoughts:
Guys, this one should have been a hit for me. I love time travel, but the novel was rather wordy. The writing style was reallllllly tough for me to get into.  Also, the time travel wasn't exactly what I was expecting. As I was reading it, I was questioning how this novel could work for young adults.  So, needless to say, I was disappointed. 


DaVinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott
Goodreads says, "Young, beautiful, and witty, Ginevra de’ Benci longs to take part in the artistic ferment of Renaissance Florence. But as the daughter of a wealthy family in a society dictated by men, she is trapped in an arranged marriage, expected to limit her creativity to domestic duties. Her poetry reveals her deepest feelings, and she aches to share her work, to meet painters and sculptors mentored by the famed Lorenzo de Medici, and to find love. When the charismatic Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Bembo, arrives in Florence, he introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers—a world of thought and conversation she has yearned for. She is instantly attracted to the handsome newcomer, who admires her mind as well as her beauty. Yet Ginevra remains conflicted about his attentions. Choosing her as his Platonic muse, Bembo commissions a portrait by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them—one Ginevra can only begin to understand. In a rich and enthralling world of exquisite art, elaborate feasts, and exhilarating jousts, she faces many temptations to discover her voice, artistic companionship, and a love that defies categorization. In the end, she and Leonardo are caught up in a dangerous and deadly battle between powerful families."
My Thoughts: Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book. For starters, there was a lot of historical descriptions, which I normally like, but here it felt very textbook-ish. I need more than just history in my novels, so I DNF it. I am questioning whether I put it down too soon though, because it appears from other reviews that things start to pick up.


Have any of you guys read these books? Let me know your thoughts. 

14 comments:

  1. I haven't read either of these and now I don't think I will. Sad when books don't quite work for us but there are too many other books to read so I don't usually keep reading if I dislike something. I am about to DNF How to Be Brave which was supposed to be my first book of the year. The main character makes a bucket list of sorts (to really live her life and in honor of her mom who died young) and one of her goals is to smoke pot. Not my kind of thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly my thoughts, Christina! That stinks you are going to DNF How to Be Brave...if it doesn't work for you though, it definitely isn't worth your time. I completely understand! Thanks for visiting, Christina!

      Delete
  2. I'm so glad that you didn't try to suffer through them, Christina; there are too many great books to enjoy! The one that you have posted as your currently reading title looks interesting (The Other Me); can't wait to hear what you think!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, Tara! I definitely give books about 50 or so pages before I give up on them. I am definitely intrigued by The Other Me. My first adult read of 2016! Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  3. Eek! Textbook historical descriptions would be a huge turn-off for me, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it's just a no-go. I don't want to feel lectured to. Thanks for visiting, Meg!

      Delete
  4. I'm not much of a historical fiction reader (though I have been getting into it more lately), so I probably won't turn to these books any time soon. The textbook history descriptions sound like my worst nightmare, tbh. I like historical fiction that doesn't particularly feel like history--it feels like you're there. I'm sorry that they didn't work for you, though. It always sucks to DNF a book, but it's usually for the best. Thanks for sharing!

    ~ Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, me too. I think Philippa Gregory does a great job of doing exactly that if you are looking for an adult historical fiction author. Thanks for visiting, Lefty!

      Delete
  5. Oh I'm glad I saw your review of DaVinci's Tiger. I've been eyeing it for days now, so you saved me a few bucks, at least!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it just wasn't for me, but I have read some awesome reviews for it, so maybe I should have stuck to it. Thanks for visiting, Joy!

      Delete
  6. Sad to hear both of these let you down! DaVinci's Tiger sounded really good. I had high hoped for John Stone, as I loved the author's Gideon Trilogy, but maybe she got a little carried away trying to go from MG to YA, ending up with a style that was too wordy? Who knows, but sad all the same!

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Becky. I have promised myself to not stick with books that I'm not really feeling after 50 pages or so. I had high hopes for DaVinci's Tiger, but I couldn't stick with it. Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  7. Too bad on both of these Christina! The fact that DaVinci's Tiger reads a bit more like a textbook in the beginning is a huge mark against it for me, I need more than history in my books too. I can appreciate all the research that goes in and the desire to put all of it on paper, but I need something else to really draw me in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, me too, Jenny. Exactly my thoughts! Thanks for visiting.

      Delete

I really appreciate your comments. Thank you!

 
Design by: Designer Blogs