I Quit 2 Books In A Row

I’m not writing a review for these books. I’m not. I’m just… making notes.

 

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Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Narrator: Phoebe Strole, James Fouhey
Published by HarperCollins
Published on 9 February 2016
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RRP: $17.99

Destiny and darkness collide in this romantic, sweeping new fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan.

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok's lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna's survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn't stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

I quit Reign of Shadows at 29% when it became obvious to me that it was just another instalove paranormal romance, with the female main character unable to think about anything other than the boy who popped into her life – NAKED. And the boy seemed like this wannabe badass who couldn’t quite go through with it. It’s derivative and utterly predictable, and I only got so far because I was literally about to quit the audiobook when what I thought was a twist was revealed… But it wasn’t enough to keep me interested in the long run.

 

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The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Narrator: Christian Coulson
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
Published on 27 June 2017
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RRP: $18.99

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

As for The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, I pretty much loathed the main character from the first page. Sure, it’s a gay love story and the love interest is a person of colour, but you know what? Diversity bonus points don’t work for me. Nothing that this main character thought or said made me sympathetic in any way. This is supposed to be YA, but the MC too many mature vices, and he’s incredibly spoiled and entitled, but I already dislike him so much I don’t want to wade through this looking for redemption. And sure, maybe  he does get better – like Sam in Before I Fall, who is a member of a bully clique at the start of her book and not exactly role model material – but I’m not intrigued or interested enough to find out. I quit this at 3%.

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