DNF&Y [41]

 

DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! 

Heartless (Immortal Enemies, #1) by Gena Showalter

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Vengeance is irresistible…

Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees. He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne. Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess. Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues. But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?

When I saw a book by Gena Showalter on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. Unfortunately, it was the second book in a series (really wish they'd listed that somewhere in the description), and after doing a little research realized it would be better if I read them in order. Luckily, my library had a physical copy of Heartless that I was able to snag. Sadly, this book was a major flop, and not at all what I expected from Showalter. 

For starters, both of the main characters were fucking psychopaths that needed therapy and possibly a padded room somewhere. Chantel "Cookie" said she was "murder curious" before ever leaving the human realm, and didn't really balk when she inevitably killed others. Kaysar's vengeance was understandable, if a little over-the-top. Although, I wasn't sure why the need to destroy his enemies overpowered his desire to search for his sister. Sure, one was more easily accessible than the other, but he seemed like a pretty motivated dude. 

Also, Cookie??? Do you have any idea how distracting it is to be reading about blood and gore only to have the character referred to as a snack? Every time I read the word "Cookie" it lessened the severity of the story. I think it was a poor choice in character names, and the one Kaysar eventually gives her isn't much better. Briar Rose? Seriously? It was unoriginal and unimaginative. I also have no idea if I'm pronouncing his name correctly, and stopped trying to sound out his last name entirely. 

The worldbuilding was lacking, the characters were dull and simple, and the story was repetitive and unnecessarily long. Additionally, the mental whiplash from the main characters was exhausting and exasperating in equal measure. Basically, it went like this:

Chantel: "You lied to me! I'll never forgive you!"

Kaysar: "I promise to do better."

Chantel: "Okay! One more chance."

Kaysar: *allows another truth to surface*

Chantel: "You lied to me! I'm leaving!"

Kaysar: "I will give you jewels! Also, I will do better."

Chantel: "Of course! You're sexy! One more chance, okay?"

Kaysar: "VENGEANCE SHALL BE MINE!"

Chantel: *gleefully murders everyone*

Kaysar: "You are perfection."

Chantel: "I think I want to go home now."

Kaysar: "MINE."

Chantel: "You're so hot when you're angry."

It was basically this for 200+ pages. There was no character growth, no exploration of the world, and just mind-numbing dialogue between two unhinged people. Chantel assumes she can navigate Kaysar's world because - get this - she played a VIDEO GAME that was similar. Killing in the game and killing in real life? Why would that be different? It was obnoxious. Her understanding of the world was limited, yet she thought she could just survive without too many problems. I got about halfway before calling it quits. (★★⋆☆☆)

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

🎧 Narrated by Eva Kaminsky

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie … although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

The lack of communication in this book was slowly driving me insane. There were soooo many secrets and "missed opportunities" for honest conversations. And it wasn't just the kids . . . the adults were equally shady and evasive. At one point I actually wanted to SCREAM IN FRUSTRATION. That's when I knew I needed to stop trying to finish this book. It clearly wasn't working for me, and I'm not going to force myself to continue something I'm not enjoying.

The narrator was great, so bonus points for that. 

Unfortunately, everything else about the book made me cringe. The awkwardness between Abby and Leo, her reluctance to confront anyone about anything, and even the relationship between her and Savvy. Abby had so many opportunities to talk to Leo, Connie, her parents, Savvy, and yet she chose to avoid, avoid, and avoid some more. Every time I thought a conversation was inevitable, something would conveniently happen that kept her from being able to talk about it. I can excuse one or two "unexpected" disruptions, but it can't happen over and over again and still be believable. (★★☆☆☆)

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord [Blog Tour: Review]

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Tweet Cute blog tour hosted by Wednesday Books. I'm thrilled I get to share my thoughts on this book with you! Review snippet: "Emma Lord has delivered a deliciously sweet rom-com that's full of banter and the best kind of suspense." 🍧

Title: TWEET CUTE

Author: Emma Lord

Pub. Date: January 21st 2020

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Buy Link: Click here

Goodreads: Click here

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming — mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account. 

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese — that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life — on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate — people on the internet are shipping them?? — their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

𑁋𑁋𑁋

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Reading Tweet Cute was like hearing an ice cream truck on a hot summer day. You didn't know you wanted something, and then suddenly it's all you can think about. (Grilled cheese food truck? Anyone?) This book was impossible to put down, and it was refreshing how snarky-sweet and unpredictable the story was. I'm thrilled Lord managed to keep me on my toes, and was pleasantly surprised with how everything played out.

Pepper's parents were mostly nonexistent. Her mom was too busy with work (until it and Pepper became synonymous), and her father lived in another state. His lack of interest in his daughter's life (like not asking about the Twitter war, or how she was feeling about it) was upsetting. She knew he knew something was wrong, but neither of them broached the subject. He was happy to stay in his corner of the world and let events unfold on their own. Divorced parents can still be present in their children's lives, even from a distance. Her mother was incredibly frustrating for the better part of the book, and I hated how she belittled Pepper's efforts. Not once did she consider what a massive time-suck her requests would be for her daughter (a senior in a very competitive private high school), or concern herself with Pepper's feelings about the whole shebang.

Jack's parents were slightly better, but that's only because his mom was awesome. She was attentive, caring, and totally there for her family. Grandma Belly was pretty fantastic, too. Unfortunately, his father made some pretty questionable decisions that had a lasting impact and came with repercussions. I really didn't like that certain revelations and underlying issues were left unaddressed and unresolved. I think knowing the how and why were helpful, but the adults in books need to be held accountable for their actions as well.

I definitely prefer character-driven books, and Tweet Cute has that in spades. I loved the two main characters, but I also enjoyed the interactions with their families (yes, the families I was just complaining about). Nothing was perfect -- not by a long shot -- but it was a realistic portrayal of love, flawed relationships, and imperfect people. We see them overcome the negatives in order to pursue the positives, and watch as they find new footing in the world. Note: I can dislike something and still think it was an accurate representation of how the world works. Additionally, the sibling relationships were very relatable, if somewhat underdeveloped. I would have enjoyed seeing more interactions between Pepper and Paige (her older sister), and Jack and Ethan (his twin brother).

Tweet Cute was probably longer than it needed to be (a little lengthy in the middle), but from start to finish I never wanted to stop turning the pages. I also wish the author hadn't waited until the last minute to spill everyone's beans, because I thought it added unnecessary tension to already complicated situations. However, this is one of those books you just know will eventually become a television show, Netflix series, or movie. Overall, I had very few quibbles (mostly just the stuff about their parents and the length of the book), and look forward to reading whatever this author writes next! Emma Lord has delivered a deliciously sweet rom-com that's full of banter and the best kind of suspense. (★★★★☆)

About the author: 

Emma Lord is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, grilled cheese, and a whole lot of love. Her sun sign is Hufflepuff, but she is a Gryffindor rising. TWEET CUTE is her debut novel. You can find her geeking out online at @dilemmalord on Twitter.

Early praise: 

"Tweet Cute delivers in every possible way: a perfect enemies-to-lovers romance, a whip-smart plotline, and endearingly real characters. I devoured it.” - Francesca Zappia, author of Eliza and Her Monsters

"Sweet and fun! An adorable debut that updates a classic romantic trope with a buzzy twist." - Jenn Bennett, author of Alex, Approximately and Serious Moonlight

“A witty rom-com reinvention for the Twitter age, Tweet Cute pairs delicious online rivalry with deeply relatable insights on family pressure and growing up. This fresh, funny read had us hitting ‘favorite’ from page one.” - Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of Always Never Yours and If I’m Being Honest

My Weekly Pull [90] & Can't Wait Wednesday [60]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday (when the stars align in my favor) to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Daredevil #12 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Julian Totino Tedesco

Spider-Verse #1 by Jed MacKay, Juan Frigeri, Wendell Dalit

Canto #5 by David M. Booher, Drew Zucker 

Transformers Ghostbusters #5 by Erik Burnham, Dan Schoening, Nick Roche

Jacob's comics for the week!

Savage Avengers #6 by Gerry Duggan, Kim Jacinto

Punisher #16 by Matthew Rosenberg, Szymon Kudranski, Greg Smallwood

Marvel Comics #1001 by Al Ewing, Amanda Conner, Rod Reis

Batman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #6 by James Tynion IV, Freddie Williams II, Kevin Eastman

Absolute Carnage Immortal Hulk #1 by Al Ewing, Filipe Andrade, Kyle Hotz

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Expected publication: January 21st 2020

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!