DNF Review: Matchmaking Beyond the Veil by Mara Townsend

Matchmaking Beyond the Veil (Telltale Ghosts, #1)
by Mara Townsend
Self-published
LGBT, paranormal, romance

Endure the company of his rival…or suffer ghostly retaliation.

Emery Belmont is a snarky, uptight realist who likes his life ordinary. Like any skeptic, he’s content using mundane explanations to write off signs of paranormal activity. That’s no longer an option when the spirit haunting his house wrecks his new kitchen, forcing Emery closer to facing the supernatural truth. Desperate for a new handyman, he unknowingly hires his hot ex-rival from high school to fix it. Paxton Santos, Emery’s former lacrosse team captain, followed in his father’s footsteps to take over the family business. Annoyingly, Emery requires his talented hands more than he needs to keep Paxton out of his life. However, getting Paxton to leave after the repairs may prove difficult with the meddlesome ghost taking a shine to him, which Paxton seems to take in his grating, good-natured stride, remaining irritatingly unruffled by numerous weird occurrences.

Emery is bombarded by mysterious paranormal hijinks, keeping Paxton at arm’s length, and deciphering things that aren't quiet what they seem. There’s nothing Emery hates more than an unfinished puzzle. In his determination to solve this one, Emery reluctantly opens himself up to new possibilities all while trying to remain firmly rooted in life the way he prefers it—orderly, logically explainable, and, above all else, ghost-free.

Join Emery and Paxton as they face off with a spirit that has no limits to how far it will go to push them together, enduring locked doors, faulty plumbing, and sharing a bed. Together they are determined to navigate their way out of this mess using any means necessary to send the ghost packing. Will they make it out of the traps awaiting them before their pesky tormenter gets any other ideas to make things worse and further blur the line between them?

DNF at 35%

I was super excited for Matchmaking Beyond the Veil because the blurb sounded captivating and thrilling. However, the book feels very different from the blurb. Third way in and there's no ghost, minimal amount of anything paranormal and definitely no chemistry between Emery and Paxton.

Emery is unlikable character and he's meant to be unreliable narrator, which I usually like. However, Emery doesn't have any redeemable qualities. He's privileged snob, judgmental, mean and immature, and he belittles everyone. He mentions constantly how he made his own money and didn't use his trust fund, but he's still a snob as he claims to be above menial labour. He obsessively stalks Paxton while he works, going as far as keeping a log of things Paxton does. Then there's the judgment, where he deems a person untrustworthy because they styled their hair "like it was still the unsavory parts of the nineties." And Emery's rivalry with Paxton in high school? Apparently Paxton became the captain of lacrosse team (he aimed to play professionally) when Emery wanted to be the captain (he played just for fun). That's it: that's the reason why Emery resents and hates Paxton. That just goes to show how immature Emery is. I hate the guy, and I certainly believe that he doesn't deserve Paxton, who's kind and hard-working.

For me, the biggest problem is the writing style. It's very slow and incredibly descriptive - everything from weather to clothes to house is described to detail, and it happens in every chapter. Emery also spends most of the time musing and there's not a lot of dialogue or action to balance the descriptions. It became tedious fast and I ended up skimming for pages and not missing anything. Nothing simply caught my attention in the writing style.

I really tried to continue reading this, but I can't make myself to pick up the book again. Third way in and not much have happened, certainly no ghost in sight, tedious descriptions for everything and one of the most unlikable main characters, I'm giving up. This is not a book for me.

No star rating since I did not finish

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

DNF Review: Top Shelf by Allison Temple

Top Shelf (Seacroft, #1)
by Allison Temple
Published by Allison Temple Books
LGBT, contemporary, romance

Martin is a ghost. Well, not really, but he might as well be. Job gone, home gone, self-respect gone, and no one even seems to notice. The only person who really sees him is Seb, the artist who lives above the used bookstore.

Seb haunts the edges of Seacroft in search of beauty. He knows how to excavate the hidden value in abandoned things--whether it's in the pages of forgotten books or in Martin's stuttering attempts to rebuild his life--and transform them into works of art.

Two lost souls, Seb and Martin discover the strength they need to face eccentric townies and their dysfunctional families together. But as friendship sparks toward something more, neither man wants to risk what they've only just found. It takes two to fall in love, but it will take the whole community to bring their beauty to life.

DNF at 31%

Top Shelf sounded very exciting - I love books set in bookstores and quaint town can be really atmospheric setting. However, it became clear very soon that this isn't a book for me.

While Martin is sympathetic character who needs a hug, Seb is something entirely different. He's rude and acts like an asshole around Martin - and what's worst, he's aware of his behaviour but does nothing to change it. Just few chapters in and all he does is take out his bad mood on Martin, who doesn't deserve it. Quite simply, I can't stand Seb. Martin deserves so much better after the life he's had and since they barely have any chemistry, I cannot root for them as a pair.

Martin is only character I liked, as others seemed more or less unlikable - not as bad as Seb, but not very likable either. Temple's writing is good and if I'd liked the characters, it would have been much better story, but I don't feel like reading about a hero, who's like Seb, certainly not in a romance novel.

No star rating since I did not finish

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

DNF Review: Brotherhood of Shades by Dawn Finch

Brotherhood of Shades
by Dawn Finch
Published by Stone Cold Fox Press
YA, fantasy

From the chaos of Dissolution rises a secret order, a Brotherhood formed to protect the world of the living from the world of the dead.

Adam, a teenage boy living on the streets of London, knows nothing of the fantastic and precarious world that exists just beyond his reality – until he dies, cold and alone, aged 14. After years of rejection, Adam discovers he is important, and the Brotherhood needs him. His recruitment to their Order will take him on an adventure that spans the worlds of both the living and the dead, as he and a living girl (14-year-old Edie Freedom) battle to solve a prophetic riddle and save the world.

DNF at 20%

I was super excited for this - it sounded like epic adventure. However, try as I might, I can't get into the story and I'm so confused of what's happening here. There's barely any explanation for anything; while the blurb makes it seem like Adam, a 14 year old boy who died, is the main character, this far he's barely been in it. It's been mostly narrated by D'Scover, who's one of the dead guys, and his perspective doesn't really explains things as he already knows how everything works.

I'm also not impressed by the writing style. There's a lot of dialogue, sometimes pages worth of it without anything else, and the dialogue is rather stilted and stiff. There's problems with pacing and this far, it's been really slow. I took a look at other reviews and it seems like there problems doesn't go away, and since I have so hard time focusing on and continuing the story, I decided to DNF it. Brotherhood of Shades simply isn't for me.

No star rating since I did not finish

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

DNF Review: What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

What If It's Us
by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
Published by Simon & Schuster
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance

Meet Ben and Arthur. Ben is a battered dreamer who's shipping his ex-boyfriend's things back to him. Arthur is new to New York and struggling to fit in. After an memorable meet-cute in a New York post office, the boys lose touch only to be brought back together via a 'missed connection' advert. Is it fate? It looks like it. But after a series of disastrous first date, Ben and Arthur may have to accept the universe should've minded its business.

DNF at 20%

I'm a bit nervous, because most seem to adore and love What If It's Us. I have enjoyed Albertalli's previous books and read/loved one short story from Silvera. I was so excited for this and went in expecting adorable romance, because that's what all the early reviews were praising the book for. However, I struggled with every page since I started reading this last month, and after battling through twenty percent, I put it down. I haven't been able to pick it up, because I get upset just from thinking about it.

What's my problem with What If It's Us? Everything. Sure, the writing is not bad, but the difference between Ben and Arthur's chapters, especially with the feel of them, is huge. Arthur's chapters feel like silly romantic comedy; there's flashmob proposal, goofing around and stalking a guy he finds attractive. That's actually one of my big problems with the book: Arthur's decision to stalk a person, who might not even be the guy he spoke with. I didn't find it cute, I found it appalling. Not only that, Ben's chapters are as far from romantic comedy feel as one can get. Ben pines after his ex-boyfriend, who Ben dumped, and it's quite extensive pining. I couldn't see how this situation could develop into relationship. When they met, there wasn't really chemistry, and Ben's way too hung up on his ex. It's not something I like to read about, so all of this is a case of it's me, not the book. Sometimes enjoyment doesn't line up with the story and its characters.

After all that, I took a peak how the story ends and it solified my decision to DNF the book. I'm not going to put myself through a story and characters I don't enjoy for such an ambiguous ending. I also really read other reviews, and some indicated that the things I found problematic wouldn't disappear. I don't often DNF books as I like to give them a chance to change my mind, but this time I can't get myself to pick up the book again.

Overall everything just felt so juvenile, which I get, it's contemporary young adult, but the amount of second hand embarrassment I felt every page was something I've never felt before. Simply, this one isn't for me. I guess it's so hard for me to say it and to officially give up, because I had such high expectations and the book is so hyped up.

No star rating as I didn't finish the book.

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DNF: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Abandon (Abandon, #1)
by Meg Cabot
Published by Macmillian Children's Books
Paperback (borrowed from library)
YA, fantasy, paranormal

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

First did-not-finish book for me and I did ponder for some time whether finish Abandon or not. However, I have many books for review and for fun waiting for me and I couldn't get myself reading a story that didn't do anything for me.

 

Abandon started like I expected: there was all the elements I expected there to be. There was new life for the main character, NAME, and flashbacks with the Underworld and escaping from death. Thrilling, exciting and just like I had hoped it to be. Then the story hit the wall. Nothing really happened besides quite boring high school stuff and even that didn't happen much because there was flashbacks and then there was useless information that were just throwed there. Like, hey, you've read over hundred pages and now I can tell you this new character trait that do not sit well with the storyline. I lost my interest. I wanted the paranormal stuff, the Underwolrd and the mystery of it but instead I got boring high school drama.

 

There was potential and there was some promising-ish things when I stopped reading (around 142 pages) but the story didn't hold my attention. Maybe some day I'll pick this up and finish it, but definitely not now.

 

And even because I didn't warm up with the high school stuff that doesn't mean anyone else wouldn't. If you like paranormal stories within high school, then I say, go for this! Not my cup of tea but might be yours. There wasn't anything wrong with the writing itself, so if it sounds intriguing for you, grap it and give it a  go.

 

No rating because I didn't finish.

 

Abandon on Goodreads.