DNF&Y [11]

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! If you would like additional information, please click on the DNF&Y tab at the top. If you want to join, you can link up at the bottom!

Me and Me by Alice Kuipers

Synopsis (via Goodreads): It's a perfect day for Lark's dream date with Alec from school. Blue skies, clear water, a canoe on the lake. Alec even brought flowers for Lark's birthday. Everything is just right … until they hear screams from the edge of the water.

Annabelle, a little girl Lark used to babysit, is struggling in the reeds. When Lark and Alec dive in to help her, Alec hits his head on a rock. Now Annabelle and Alec are both in trouble, and Lark can only save one of them.

With that split-second decision, Lark's world is torn in two, leaving her to cope with the consequences of both choices. She lives two lives, two selves. But which is the right life, and which is the real Lark?

Me and Me is about how it feels to be torn in pieces, and how to make two halves whole again. This mind-bending novel from Alice Kuipers, expert chronicler of the teenage heart, explores loss and love, music and parkour, all while navigating the narrow space between fantasy and reality. 

DNF at 21%

I received an ARC from the publisher 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 Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I've finally decided to give up on this one. I thought maybe I wasn't in the mood for it, but Me and Me never really clicked for me. I found myself getting increasingly aggravated with the characters, until I just couldn't do it anymore.

Lark had to choose between saving a guy she liked and a young girl she used to babysit. Someone was going to lose, and Lark had to choose who that was. You would think an experience like that would shake someone up, but Lark doesn't seem very distressed by it. She's taking risks and scaling buildings the very next day so she can feel alive.

Me and Me shows us what would have happened if Lark had saved Alec, but it also shows us what would have happened if she'd saved Annabelle. There are only a few chapters in this book, but they alternate between parallel universes. It's hard to discern which one is real, or if they both are. I wish this had been explained early on, because it would have saved me a lot of confusion.

Also, Lark and Alec were not likeable people. I disliked how easy it was for him to convince her to ditch her plans with her best friend for him. He didn't care about her or her other friendships; Alec only cared about himself and how Lark fit into his life. On the other hand, Lark shouldn't have been so willing to cancel her plans with Lucy. Lark was late for work on multiple occasions (because she was with Alec), and Lucy always covered for her. When the two of them finally made plans, Lark broke her promise because Alec asked her to. Ugh.

I think there were only nine chapters in this book, but each chapter was broken down by days (sometimes times and places). It was a little hard to follow, and I wish the transitions had been done somewhat differently. I briefly started the second chapter (where Anabelle is saved instead), but quickly realized this wasn't going to work for me.

In the end, I just could not connect with the characters. Lark was flaky and seemed unbothered by the tragic events on the lake. Her music always came first (unless Alec said something), and she would ignore everyone until she'd worked out the song in her head. Alec was possessive and kept her away from her friends. They were really frustrating people.

I've heard there is a twist at the end, so if this sounds like something you'd like, stick with it. It might surprise you. It just wasn't a good fit for me.

∕

Moonlight over Manhattan (From

Manhattan with Love, #6) 

by Sarah Morgan

Synopsis (via Goodreads): She'll risk everything for her own Christmas miracle...

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list--dealing with Madi's temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi--how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple--he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there's nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan's kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all--letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

DNF at 31%

Moonlight over Manhattan is another book I tried to read for the #HoHoHoRAT, but it really didn't work for me. The story was repetitive and I felt like the characters were on a loop. This book could have been a lot shorter if some of the repeated dialogue had been removed. There was also an oversharing of thoughts and feelings, and nothing was left to the imagination.

Both Ethan and Harriet were unbelievable characters. I didn't feel like their decisions and conversations were authentic, and it was exasperating trying to read through one of their interactions. Additionally, all of the characters sounded almost exactly the same. At one point Harriet was talking with an elderly lady, and I would often confuse the two. I kept having to stop, go back, and re-read a few paragraphs to figure out who was saying what.

Things fell into place a little too easily, and their situations weren't very believable. Also, some of the medical terminology was complex and went soaring over my head. I started skimming those parts because they weren't relevant to the overall story, and felt like a way for Ethan to show off. He may have been good at his job, but his arrogance was unattractive.

Ethan was mean and caused Harriet's stutter to resurface, but then he handled the situation too perfectly. He was apologetic, didn't finish her sentences, waited patiently, and had conveniently dated someone (a speech therapist maybe... I can't remember) who knew a lot about Harriet's condition. He referenced some of the things he'd learned while dating her, and them presumed to know everything about Harriet and what she was going through. It was obnoxious. 

Speaking of Ethan, he was controlling and demanding. He put Harriet in uncomfortable situations and expected her to comply with his wishes (which she did). She saw his requests as an opportunity to challenge herself (to step outside of her comfort zone) even though she felt unsafe and wanted to do things differently. I hated how easily she gave in to his demands, and that everyone else approved because he was a doctor. That doesn't mean he isn't hiding an axe in his closet! It was insane. His personality, her decisions -- all of it.

Harriet was too perfect -- too innocent -- and therefore wasn't very relatable. If people like Harriet actually exist, they are few and far between. As an example, she attempted online dating, but seemed extremely surprised that people would lie on their profile pages. She was also incredibly friendly with homeless people (bought them food, gave them money, knew their life stories), and went out of her way to help the elderly (groceries, cooking, exercise). She avoided conflict, took everything at face value, never questioned people's decisions or stood up for herself, and was entirely too trusting.

After awhile I stopped caring enough to continue.

∕

Wilder by Andrew Simonet

Synopsis (via Goodreads): I met Melissa in the rubber room, a.k.a. in-school suspension. And that’s not her real name.
She had secrets, I had enemies.
“People are either useful or dangerous,” she said. “One or the other.”
“Which one am I?” I said.
“You’re both.”
Meili was right. (That’s her real name.)
You can solve a lot of problems if you don’t mind getting hurt.

Jason Wilder is in permanent in-school suspension for fighting. Meili Wen gets there by breaking a girl’s finger. Jason and Meili don’t just connect; they collide. Two people who would never cross paths―outsiders from radically different backgrounds―they form an exhiliarating, unpredictable bond. When circumstances push, they push back. There’s no plan. And there’s no stopping.

"I am so crap. How can you stand being with me? Don’t answer that or I will crash this thing with both of us on it, swear to god, are you ready?”
Yes. No. Didn’t matter.

I reached both arms around Meili’s waist as we zoomed down the hill.

DNF at 17%

I received an ARC from the publisher 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.

My reoccurring thought: What the fuck? Wilder was crazy and extremely convoluted. It was often difficult to follow their conversations, because they were random and bounced all over the place. I could tell the author was trying to build suspense, and I'm sure there would have been a big reveal later on, but I didn't want to stick around to find out.

Melissa, Meili, or whatever her name actually is, was condescending and evasive. The girl's secrets had secrets. She's supposedly in danger, but seems to be the only person that doesn't care. She's brash and abrasive, combative and cruel. “You’d do alright in a thong, wouldn’t you? Make a fortune dancing at a gay club. Is there one in town?”

Neither character was relatable, but Wilder was desperate and eager to please the girl he'd just met. He knows nothing about Meili, but he's willing to do whatever she asks him to. I think he would have chopped of his hand just to see her smile for a few seconds. She seriously treated him like garbage, and he kept trying to make her happy. "And you’re very cute for blushing. I mean, it would be cute if you were twelve. At your age, it’s a bit sad, isn’t it?” Why was he so obsessed with her from the beginning? He should have had more respect for himself.

Wilder and Meili had a toxic and extremely unhealthy relationship. She would ignore him at school, turn down his offer to hang out, and then show up unexpectedly at his house. She was constantly changing her mind, and I honestly don't think even she knew what she really wanted. However, she was more than happy to take someone else down with her.

Also, where the hell did Manny come from? He was abusive and threatening, but only because he "cared" about Melissa. Apparently, the two share the same dark secret, so he's being a protective douche canoe, but dude was aggressive. He also went from being Wilder's best buddy to his worst enemy in a single conversation. It was like watching someone play ping pong, but with a grenade instead of a ball.

In the end, my annoyance outweighed my curiosity. I was tempted to skip to the end just to see what their secrets were, but I had no desire to share that experience with them.

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