D.J. > Recent Status Updates

DNF - 55%
Normally I wouldn't say anything, but in this case...
I'm bummed because I love the other Off-Campus books, but this one has so much problematic content in it that I can't continue. Lots of misogyny. :(

This book is full of problematic, gross content that I don't think I'll be able to finish it. I LOVED the Deal and the Score so wtf happened here?

This is excellent so far. Lush and atmospheric. Definitely dark. Darker than I'm used to reading, and I love it!

The heck am I missing here? I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm going to finish it. But I'm a little more than halfway and I don't really FEEL like finishing it? It's fine. The book is fine.

Miranda's writing style is so lovely. I would highlight stuff, but I'm afraid I'd highlight the whole damn page.

This has been such a beautiful Autumn read so far. I loved the first Practical Magic (and I esp. love the movie), so this has been such a lovely, quiet novel to read so close to Halloween.

DNF - it's not the book, it's the audio. It will drive you batshit like it did me. I can only listen to so many "she said, he said" so many times before I lose my mind. I hit my limit.

I'm only five chapters in but I can already tell this is going to be a five star read unless something goes horribly wrong.

This is taking me forever to read. It's really boring. :( I'm very bummed. Not much is happening.

DNF - it has nothing to do with Katee Robert, who is an amazing writer. I just don't vibe with monster sex like so many people do, I guess. Whomp whomp.

I wasn't expecting this to be so cute and funny! I love Kenna and Morcant!

This book needs to be re-classified as a horror novel because I have been screaming the whole time I've been reading it. A truly horrific story. Compels me, though.

Okay so I knew what this was about before starting it, but I am grappling with the urge to DNF it because I can't help but yell, "No! No! Ew, girl, no!" every few seconds. Sir, you are grooming and assaulting a child.

Beautifully written prose, though. That's why I can't stop reading. But barf.

This is the best thing I've read all year so far.

This was published in 2016 so I'll give this a pass, but oooooof. Just got to an awkward spot where the author vehemently defends JK Rowling and says she loves her Robert Galbraith books. Ooooh dear. I hope she doesn't still feel that way.

Also she really hates writers groups, jesus.

Eh. I'm annoyed she used 50 Shades of Grey as an example. She mentions how most people who disparaged the book weren't the target demographic but the erotic romance community loved it. Er, no. Actually, we didn't. A large number of romance/erotica readers found it problematic and harmful. So this was off.

DNF 20-25?%

I just can't get into this, sadly. Maybe I'll finish it eventually. The prose is lovely, but it's so very, very slow and I am not in the mood for slow.

Wow, most boring sex scene ever. And people are still shaming folks who enjoyed this book because they "just wanted to read smut?" This was so tame! There are plenty of other books out there that do smut well and I doubt anyone would waste their time reading 90% of the book just to get to this point to read it.

This is a lot of words for not that much going on. I feel like we're sort of going in circles a bit. No answers to any questions. It's inoffensive and not bad, except for some of the words Jennifer's chosen. She uses "oh my gods" far too often. It's weird to read everyone saying "a wee bit" all the time, and we haven't really gone anywhere with the romance despite it being romance of the year last year. Eyeroll.

Hawke has finally showed up, solidifying my opinion that this is not a romance and it shouldn't have been nominated and WON the GR romance category last year. I'm pissed. That award could have been given to an actual romance novel!

It's not bad. I don't hate it.

But please stop saying "females" and "males." You're not SJM. They're men and women, for god's sakes.

Update #2 -

- The modern day speech is throwing me the hell off. A LOT.
- Eh it's still better than Sarah J. Maas.
- Seriously this would be a very good book if it went through more drafting/editing work. I'm angry about that part the most.

I have some thoughts:
- Masadonia is a real country in the real world, North Macedonia
- Penellaphe is a stupid name
- The one bad guy is over a couple hundred years old but is as petty as a teenager
- The world building isn't bad but the execution could use work
- Lots of unnecessary sentences.

Was the editor asleep? This reads like a rough draft. It's not bad, there are elements here I like! But woof.

This is REALLY good so far. Exceeding expectations!

This book has been lovely. It's a slow burn and it's a nice, quiet read. HOWEVER. I'm kinda bummed that I'm not reading this in December. It feels more like a Christmas/cozy read. Still, can't say I regret reading this one, just wish I had started it later this year.

I think it might be time to DNF this for now. Cool concept, but now we're time skipping around and I have no clue what's going on. Still. After 100 pages. Ugh.

Oh my god. When I complained I didn't understand what was going on, I didn't mean INFO DUMP all at once in a single chapter. LOL.

JFC this book is so confusing so far. I'm going to continue obviously but the fact that I'm going "huh?" the whole time does not bode well. Lore is unlikable. The other characters are interesting though.

"Damn, summer vacation has been good to some of these jawns!"

Me: .... Wait, does this take place in Philly?

IT DOES.
I didn't know that. I only picked this book because of its pretty cover. How nice!

Oooof. I just finished -that- chapter. The one about her sexual assault. I knew it was coming, because I knew this was something that happened to her while she was working at a Payless Shoe Store. But I had no idea she'd go into so much detail.

Honestly, I'm very happy she did. I feel like I can relate to her really well now, and I'm happy for the solidarity. I'm proud of her.

I'm surprised with this so far because I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like this. I really hope the author provides solutions to all the problems she keeps bringing up, though.