I am aware it’s now three months into 2016 but I was debating on writing this post. It is a little negative. I start a lot of books that don’t work for me, and sometimes- I just don’t like ’em. I wrote a 2014 post that had 12 books and I’ve either got meaner, or my taste has evolved, because I have 26 for you today…
Lets have a closer look…
Kit by Marina Fiorato
I have such an odd relationship with this book. I loved it when I first picked it up. 200 pages in 2 days kind of love, mentioned it in a Creative Writing essay as an inspiration kind of love. But when I hit that 50% mark and the story changed, it just slowed to a grinding halt. Maybe it was just a slump. I’ll be back for you, Kit.
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
It’s no Mockingbird and really, nothing less would do it for me.
A Blink of the Screen by Terry Pratchett
I really enjoyed these short stories but since I haven’t read any of the Discworld series, I decided to wait on finishing the stories that were part of that world until I had. Once my TBR calms down a bit I’m heading right for book number one.
Small Blessings by Martha Woodroof**
I started reading this one while I was on holiday, turns out I want action when I’m relaxed and relaxing stories like this when I’m stressed.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers*
If there’s one book on this list that you can bet I’ve picked up off my paused shelf and wanted to start again, it’s this one. It’s a slow, comfortable read that I just happened to pick up at the wrong time. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet will be finished, you can count on it.
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
I picked this up after seeing that the movie was on Amazon Prime video and decided that like a good little book blogger I should read the book first. So I attempted it and by the time I got 50 pages in I no longer wanted to read the book or watch the movie or ever hear about this again in my life.
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
I got to exactly 50% through this book before realising I had no idea what was going on and giving up. This is one of three time travel books on this list so maybe there’s something to that.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K Dick
Now this is one that was more- right book, wrong time for me. I plan to pick this up again this year and get further than 20 pages but this is not a readathon read!
True Fire by Gary Meehan**
I wanted to like this one, I really did. Gary Meehan is from my town and I have solidarity with anyone from here. It just didn’t work for me. I was confused for a lot of the time and I’m fairly certain that a pregnant teen doing all that fighting is pretty unlikely. We’ll see if I get the urge to pick it up again.
The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis
The main character of this book is basically my worst Tinder experience’s rolled up into a fictional character. I have no patience for teenage boys trying to sleep with older women for the experience. I was expecting more from Amis.
The Next Together by Lauren James**
I did enjoy this one but I got around 150 pages in, put it down and just never picked it up again. Time travel is always tricky to get right and the pacing was just a little off for me.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
I’ve been looking through my Goodreads status’s as I write this post and my two for this book are: “It reads like a writing exercise I had to do where you list off a bunch of descriptions for every object you see” and “The amount of over-description is ridiculous”. I stand by both those statements. I couldn’t get through it.
21st Century Dead by Christopher Golden
This collection of short stories started off with a bang but quickly went downhill. I’ll pick it up again in time because I love me some zombies but not when I still have The Walking Dead novels on my shelves begging for a re-read.
Gone by Michael Grant
I feel bad about this one. The Gone series is actually my best friends favourite series and she was really excited for me to read it. So was I. But I like my apocalypses with less child death and more survivalism. I might try it again because I am interested in how it goes down, but I know it’s a pretty lengthy series. Is it worth it?
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
I started this series with The Final Empire last year and really enjoyed it! So when I got around to The Well of Ascension I expected the same. But alas, I found myself outside of the world and unable to get back in. I’m sure I’ll try again at some point though.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
Don’t look at me. I’m so ashamed. I blame the weather, the planetary alignments and those godawful movies.
The C-Word by Lisa Lynch
This is an amazing book but the subject matter is a little heavy. I’m so close to the end I’ll definitely finish it when I can deal with reading another 100 pages knowing the author eventually, and unfairly, dies from cancer.
Jennifer Government by Max Barry
We all know my love affair with Max Barry’s other book; Lexicon, so when I hauled this I assumed it was going to blow my socks off. But you know what they say about assumptions. I just didn’t enjoy it. But at least I’ll always have Lexicon (literally. Never letting go of that book).
TimeBomb by Scott K Andrews*
I have no memory of this book. I remember a dark room with a servant but that’s it and in general, not a great sign. Another time travel book, another questionable result.
Bumped by Megan McCafferty
This was my first swap on Read it, Swap it and I was super excited when it came in the post but after half an hour and 60 pages I gave up. It’s very much a tween book and I’m getting too old.
Half Wild by Sally Green
I liked Half Bad! I did. so when I got around to Half Wild I was so ready to continue on with Nathan’s journey but all I found was filler. I’m not decided on if Half Lost is worth treking through this.
The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy*
I started this book as part of a readathon and it could have gone better…
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley*
Another time travel book. I think. Honestly I was so confused by this book that I had to put it down and move onto another. I might have another go when my brain is smarter but for now I just want to read books where I have at least a vague idea of what is going on.
The Timewasters Letters by Robin Cooper
I really enjoyed this book as a youth so when I was in a reading slump I decided that it would be a quick jumpstart kind of read. But really. The only time you’re wasting reading this book is your own.
The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Kahn**
I love a cosy crime novel but I have almost no recollection of this book at all. I was reading it at the wrong time, but I’m going to try again in the next coming months. The cover, writing, general cosy sense is on point.
Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash*
The idea of a witches protection program really appeals to me but I started this at a super stressful time and it couldn’t take me out of that mindset.
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
I’m a fan of Stephen King and I kept reading how scary Pet Sematary was, how spooky, but I got up to chapter eighteen without a fright and decided that out of his 50+ books I was bound to not enjoy one or two of them.
**I won these on Goodreads. My opinion hasn’t been changed by this and I’m not obligated to talk about them!
Imogen's Typewriter. 