These are the I’ve DNF’d in 2020 + my pile of shame…

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018.

Today’s prompt was books you’ve abandoned. I have 5 official DNFs so far for the year, so those are listed first.

But I thought this was also the perfect time to mention my pile of shame… the books I’ve started, put down, and still haven’t finished 🙈

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DNFs

1. Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book but I just couldn’t get into it. I’ve decided to stop reading YA contemporary, at least for the time being. I’ve struggled to connect with these stories recently and I don’t want to keep DNF-ing or giving them low ratings. This follows two teens who hate their parents and form a relationship and I just didn’t care…

2. Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough

This is easily one of the worst books I’ve ever attempted to read. I gave up at the 33% mark because this was like reading the script to an episode of the Real House Wives. I’ve heard that it only got worse from there so don’t read this one.

3. Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

I tried so hard to get through this! I loved Blanca & Roja but sadly I just couldn’t get into this one. I’ve heard from other readers that love Anna-Marie McLemore that this was their least favorite too, so I don’t think I’m alone. This cover is absolutely stunning though…

4. All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

This was the final YA contemporary I gave a try. There was literally nothing wrong with this book – it has a diverse cast, important themes, etc. But I didn’t care about the teenage heroine’s problems… I have seen really great reviews for this book though, so I recommend checking it out if this is a genre you love!

5. A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

WHY IS THIS CLASSIFIED UNDER ROMANCE?! I will never get over this… I read over 50% of this book only to realize that this is the world’s driest historical mystery. I don’t know how or why this gets shelved under romance but there was no damn romance. Or hint of one! The main character was insufferable and this book lacked any emotion. I felt like I was reading a history book… I’m so disappointed because I really wanted a series similar to Veronica Speedwell and this was not it.

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Pile of Shame

6. A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3) by Sarah J. Maas

I started a reread of this series back in March and got about half way through this book before I put it down to start the OWLs readathon in April. I do want to go back and finish this reread at some point!

7. Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson

I’ve gotten 25% into this book and put it down for one reason or another twice now… Not because I’m not liking it – because I definitely do! Life just seems to get in they way every time. I was doing a buddy read of this series back in March but it got put on hold because so many people were struggling to read. We just picked it back up so I should finish this in May!

8. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I only got about 11% into this in April… I really want to read this before I read Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson because this ending is spoiled in there. But I was trying to listen to this on audio and I just wasn’t a fan. This first part was weird and kinda boring so it just wasn’t happening. I’ll try and physically read it at some point though.

9. Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

I randomly grabbed this on audio when it first released but I wasn’t enjoying the narration so I put it down. I think I got about 12% in when I decided I wanted to read this physically instead. I do have a library copy so hopefully I do that before I have to return it in June!

10. From Lukov With Love by Marianna Zapata

Another random audiobook I started and never completed. I started this in early March right before we started gearing up to work at home. So it got pushed aside and I haven’t gone back yet. I only think I got about 8% in. I’ve heard RAVE things about this author so I’m really excited to eventually get back to this one!

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What recent books have you DNF’d or put aside??

♥♥♥♥