Book Shame - Books I didn't finish (Lots of controversial ones in here!)

See how Buffy's trying but doesn't quite look convinced?
That was me reading these books.

Today I thought I would show you my worst DNFs*. These are either books that I didn't finish and never plan on picking up again or books I just might end up finishing one day. The funny thing is that many of those books are actually quite popular and have hordes of fans. So if you see a favorite book of yours here, don't feel in anyway that I'm trying to bash your beloved book. We all have such diverging tastes so what may work for me might not work for someone else and that's totally fine :) 

So let's start...

(*DNF - A book you Did Not Finish)

1. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the first book in the Lords of the Rings trilogy and while I did read and enjoy the Hobbit (twice!), I just couldn't finish this one. Like I said in a previous post, the fact that the characters are constantly singing is what turned me off with this one. However, this is one of those 'might finish it one day' situations. I really want this to happen. I just don't really feel like picking this up again anytime soon. We'll see how it goes! 

2. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

OMG this series... I thought the first book was quite good. It was fast-paced and had lots of adventure and magic. And of course, there was an awesome dragon too. Then beginning with book two, it kind of totally went downhill. Aside from the not so subtle Star Wars and Lord of the Rings similarities, the books were unnecessarily long with passages that could have easily been cut down and events that could have been skipped altogether. I mean, book three has whole chapters dedicated only to dwarf politics!!! I really struggled to finish books 2 and 3, mostly because I had actually spent a good portion of my savings on them. But when I got to book 4, I just couldn't do it anymore. I stopped 100 pages into it and honestly, I don't thing I'll ever pick up the book again. 

3. Emma by Jane Austen

This might come off as a shocker to fans of Jane Austen but it's true, I couldn't finish this book. First off, I never really liked romance and comedy as book genres and those are the genres that primarily fit Jane Austen's books. Now just because a book is a classic doesn't mean you necessarily have to like it, especially if it's from a genre you don't enjoy. I've tried several Jane Austen novels now, including Mansfield Park, Emma and Pride and Prejudice, and I still don't enjoy her works the way I enjoy the works of other classics authors. I guess I just prefer books that have a more serious or dramatic tone. That's probably why I love Jane Eyre so much. Again, it really boils down to personal preferences. I do plan on re-reading Pride and Prejudice one day to see if my opinion has changed. And despite having abandoned Emma about midway through it, I also plan to read it again one day and actually finish it. Jane Austen is just not on top of my priority reads for the moment with regards to classics.

4. The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare

As a great fan of The Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices series, when I saw that Cassandra Clare had released a new book, I immediately got my own copy and started reading it right away. That book was The Iron Trial, which she had written with Holly Black and... I hated it. It's a middle-grade book but I don't think that's why I didn't like it. I mean, I love the Percy Jackson books and these are also mid-grade books. The Iron Trial was super cheesy, even for a book intended for kids. And despite trying very hard not to, I couldn't help but note the similarities with Harry Potter. I really tried to give this book a chance but in the end I just gave up. I'm really looking forward to Lady Midnight, Cassandra Clare's next release, but I don't think I'll ever pick up a middle-grade book by her again. 

5. Unravel me by Tahereh Mafi

I read Shatter Me, the first book in the series, mostly due to the hype it was getting in the book community. Despite it having a rather weak plot and lots and lots of cheesiness, I did quite enjoy Shatter Me, mostly because I saw it as a guilty pleasure read. With Unravel Me though, the guilty pleasure element kind of wore off and I was left struggling with yet another cheesy and weak plot. I really hated how hard the author was suddenly trying to make us sympathize with Warner when in book one he had been such an asshole. And to make us like him, the author found no other way than to turn book one's love interest, Adam, from a sweet and loving guy to a jealous guy with anger issues. These character developments were so random and sloppy and that pretty much killed the series for me. I know this series has lots of fans, but it just wasn't for me I guess. 

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Okay, please don't hate me for this one guys! Look, I do enjoy John Green's writing. I mean I read Looking for Alaska and Will Grayson, Will Grayson by him and I genuinely love both of these books. However, I truly feel that Looking for Alaska was a superior story than the Fault In Our Stars. I think my main problem with The Fault is that is had been overhyped for me. So, when it didn't end up living up to the high expectations I had developed, it just came off as disappointing and I had to put it down. So I guess overhype is what truly ruined this book for me. I'm not saying it's a bad book. In fact, I agree with most people in that it has a beautiful story but I honestly think this book was overhyped. If someone would ask me for a John Green recommendation, I would totally recommend something else than The Fault in Our Stars.

Okay so let the debates in the comments begin! Did I mention a book that you loved in this post? Or maybe you read one of these books and you, too, didn't like it? Comment down below and tell me what you liked or didn't like about the books I mentioned. Looking forward to your comments!

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Actor finally cast as Jace in the TV adaptation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments!

Today I have just a quick announcement post for you guys. Last year saw the release of the movie adaption of the first book in Cassandra Clare's best-selling series, the Mortal Instruments. Fans had been waiting for months to see Clary, Jace, Alec, Magnus and everyone else come to life on screen. The movie though, ended up being quite the letdown, stalling the production of future installments in the series. But just when everyone had pretty much given up the hope of ever seeing Jace and Clary on the screen again, ABC announced that they would be adapting Cassandra Clare's book series for the small screen. 

Now, a few months later, things seem to be finally moving. While production expected to start in June, the TV show not only finally has its official name - Shadowhunters - but it seems that castings have also already begun. While this should put the dream-casts polls to rest, it also gave way for a new wave of anticipation and excitement which only got wilder earlier today upon the first official casting announcement yet.

Fans of Shadowhunters everywhere, the wait is over! We now officially have our new Jace Wayland! 

Dominic Sherwood, whom some of you might remember from Vampire Academy where he played the part of fire-wielding Moroi Christian, has been officially cast as Jace. With longer hair, some hair dye and a few runic tattoos, he might very well turn out to be the perfect Jace.

Nothing has yet been announced regarding the parts of other main characters and fan favorites such as Clary, Alec, Magnus or even Valentine, but from their latest casting I'm very hopeful the other castings will live up to fans' anticipations and stay true to the characters we love from the books. 

Check out the official Facebook page of Shadowhunters to get the latest tidbits about the upcoming TV adaptation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series by clicking here. 

Are you excited for Shadowhunters? What do you think of the casting choice for Jace? Comment down below and let me know!

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Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - Book Review

With the movie adaptation coming out this May, I thought I would do a review of Far from the Madding Crowd for those of you who might be interested in discovering the book. And in case you were wandering, yes, the book is awesome! 

The Plot

Carey Mulligan and Tom Sturridge as Bathsheba
and Sergeant Troy in the 2015 movie adaptation

After inheriting her late uncle's farm, Bathsheba Everdene comes to Weatherbury to take up her new role as mistress of the farm. Her great beauty and independent personality soon catches the attention of three different suitors: the loyal shepherd Gabriel Oak, the gentleman farmer Boldwood and the dashing and seductive Sergeant Troy. Subject to the love of these three men, Bathsheba is drawn to make a decision that ends up hurting more people she had accounted for. What initially started as a mere game of seduction then takes a dramatic turn, casting the shadow of tragedy over the fates of these four people. 
  

My Review

The Characters

Terence Stamp and Julie Christie as Sergeant Troy
and  Bathsheba in the 1967 movie adaptation

This is a highly character-driven book and has beautifully written character developments. Bathsheba is a very interesting female character, being very independent and highly spirited for a 19th century woman. She is mistress of her own farm, handling a job normally held by men. Her strength of character is however deeply challenged when she finds herself drawn in the midst of a love rectangle and as the story progresses, we get to see the vulnerability of this seemingly strong woman, highlighting Thomas Hardy's skill at depicting highly realistic characters. Gabriel Oak, the most loyal of her suitors might seem as a slightly naive character at the beginning of the book but as story unfolds, he undergoes a very interesting character development which makes him the most interesting male character in the entire book. Devilishly seductive Sergeant Troy might seem like your typical rogue lover at a first glance but his character, too, hides depths that are gradually explored as the book nears its end. Farmer Boldwood, who becomes so enamored with Bathsheba that soon his very existence depends on her, is a sympathetic character in his own way, though as a person he is quite difficult to like. Aside from these main players, the book also features several well-depicted side characters who, in one way or another, end up impacting strongly on the story.

Penguin English Library Edition

The Story
With its several intelligently interwoven storylines, this story has many layers to it which the reader will slowly explore over the course of the book. What may seem as a mere love story soon takes a dramatic spin bordering on tragedy. With events quickly unfolding one after the other, you won't be able to turn the pages quickly enough. 

The Prose
This is a 19th century classic but the English is still quite accessible to modern readers due to the simple but beautiful writing style. Thomas Hardy has a very beautiful narrative voice and throughout the book I'd sometimes find myself looking up from the page to ponder for a few seconds over a beautiful line I had just read. 

The Ending 
This is one love story which does not quite come with a fairy-tale ending. The ending was very satisfying though and very much in line with the scope of the story. And although not everyone gets to have their happy ending, all the characters' arcs conclude quite smoothly. 

The Rating
I gave this book a very well deserved 5-star rating on Goodreads.

As I mentioned earlier, the movie adaptation is coming out this May. Anyone else is anticipating its release? For those of you who have read the book, what do you think of the choice of actors? Personally, I consider Carey Mulligan to be an awesome actress but I'm not sure if I like her as Bathsheba. I'll leave my judgment for after I watch the movie though.

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