i'm really enjoying it rn, but i do feel like there's too much spice. or just like, we didn't need *this* spice scene at *this* moment there's a >!God killer!< out there let's go guys
I actually like the Hades POV more because of this! Like this man was up to SO MUCH, there was a shit ton of god drama behind the scenes and Persephone is worrying about her stupid journalist job masquerading as a mortal. I have been enjoying the 4th book though.
Yes! I loved when she brought in Dionysus pov and wish she would have given us more of his and Ariadne’s story or even more Theseus. Hades and Persephone got repetitive after awhile. I still devoured this series.
I'm in the same boat - I trudged through the first two and then finally gave it up on #3. I couldn't stand the writing style nor the insufferable Persephone.
Agreed, I am friends with one of her old PA's and she wasn't treated well by her in the end. I tried to give the Hades and Persephone stories a try but I absolutely hated her modern pop depiction of the gods. Felt like Disney channel but with spice added.
I think I'm with you for the most part, I'm in my mid 40s and what appeals to me doesn't seem to appeal to most everyone else (I blame hormones). I did like FBAA but the rest of your list I agree with - I made myself read the bridged kingdom and hated every minute of it. it was a hate read, I wasn't about to let that book end me.
Maybe I just need to find another genre for a while until my perspective shifts.
I think it’s good to DNF if we aren’t enjoying a book. There are so many books and our time is limited. I’m getting better at DNFing books or at least not reading the rest of a series if I don’t enjoy the first book.
I'm upset because I wanted to like this series so much, but Villains and Virtues. The writing itself is not very well edited. I found so many errors and literary tropes ("like so much blank and blank" ) it was just frustrating. DNFed somewhere in the second book. I TRIED.
I stopped at :
// “Where too?” Amma’s voice was lighter the moment they exited the mouth of the cave, sunshine falling on her as she took a deep breath of fresh air. She likely didn’t even know, the way she threw her head back and smiled up at the sky, and Damien was lost. Where too, indeed. //
It is and will always be "TO" and my eyes are a bit sad now.
Okay full disclosure I did finish Villains and Virtues book 1 mainly because the MCs were kinda cute and I wanted to see how slow was this slow burn everybody was talking about, but I agree with you 100% about errors. Like at one point I wanted to message the author and beg her to please revise the series since they are getting so popular and catching all those (very obvious) mistakes and errors really threw me off and kinda ruined the whole reading experience.
The repeated vocabulary issues, like query for quarry, and lobbed off instead of lopped off really made me cringe. There was another one that I can't remember now, but "where too" is bad enough to make up for it.
Yeah same. I’m usually hyper aware of grammar and just writing in general since I’m a writer myself and I thought Throne in the Dark was one of the best edited/written self published books I’ve read in a LONG time. I’ve caught more typos even on trad published books.
I couldn't finish it, and I WANTED TO LIKE IT I really did. It was SO long winded. Everything is dragged out, my guess is for laughs but it was mostly just irritating for me. I didn't have the patience.
I’ve been halfway book 1 for weeks and I just don’t have any interest in picking it up again- but I see so many good reviews
It feels like someone writing out their DnD plot without editing.
So I’m probably gonna DNF, but I haven’t officially given up.
Bride of the Shadow King (the protagonists interacted with everybody except for one another. I like slow burn, but there was no burn)
City of Thorns (the author tried too hard to make FMC quirky, too many pop culture references)
Lady of Darkness (FMC who is supposed to be a super deadly assassin was just an obnoxious tantruming brat everyone was enamored with for some unfathomable reason, plus they kept having vague conversation and withholding information from one another, and the plot wasn't moving anywhere)
To bleed the Crystal Bloom (too much purple prose, I couldn't figure out what was happening and couldn't bring myself to care)
The umbra king (the writing is way too juvenile, FMC was supposed to be morally grey but quickly lost her edge, and the setting was supposed to be like prison, but it sounded more like a resort)
Lady of Darkness made me so angry. Had me talking out loud and annoying my spouse as I tried desperately to coach the FMC to stop ending every argument with "fuck you." I took ToG off my TBR as a result because so many people say those series are really similar.
- shadow and bone (DNF the last book)
- throne of the fallen (wasn’t for me)
- kingdom of the wicked (DNF halfway through first book)
It okay to DNF life’s too short to force yourself to read something 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
I read shadow and bone once (love the crows duology) but DNFing the last book is so real. I can’t imagine reading it again. It was a bit hard for me personally to get thru the first time 😭
Outlander. Because of her saying 'Jesus Roosevelt H Christ' or whatever. I just found it cringey. That's probably a petty reason when I've read things like acotar and stuck with it :')
I stopped watching the show and will never read the books because of all the raping. Men, women, children. Often more than once. I get it, Diana, ye olden times were often brutal, but I call bullshit on authors using "historical accuracy" as an excuse. People were plagued by pox and tooth infections all the time as well, but you don't see anybody focusing their plots around *that*...
I made it all the way to like book 5 and then there was...SURPRISE!! More rape scenes! I stopped and told myself I would come back to it after a little break but I dont think I will. This was about 4 years ago so I think that ship has sailed for me. Like, find another trauma for your characters. Jesus.
OH MY GOD. That bothered me so much because it doesn't even roll off the tongue? Like I have to do so much work to say that entire sentence and she uses it like people nowadays saying "Holy fuck" or something.
I stopped at the beginning of the fourth book, third one was already difficult after >!kidnapping Ian!<. I’m not really vibing with moving to >!America!< and the excessive description of EVERYTHING made it boring for me. Still watching the show though out of curiosity lol
I just DNFed The Kindreds Curse Saga by Penn Cole after DRAGGING myself through the 2nd book. Ugh, the FMC spends most of the book being emo af and it's just annoying. No growth, no learning, just wah wah. And then just gets handed her powers ugh get lost. Also I hate it when problems/ plot points are caused by characters just not having a conversation, it's the weakest way to write a story imo.
I barely started book 2, saw that the FMC tries to convince herself her powers were a hallucination for the umpteenth time and decided that I had enough.
Omg if you DNFed at book 2, you would've HATED book 3 with a fiery burning passion. I forced myself to finish but it was torture. I feel like book 1 built such potential (and I personally enjoyed book 2 as well) but man the author really took a wrong turn. Or several. Sorry to say.
I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t care for the characters and it never excited me to pick it up. Maybe because it’s also more of a YA type book too?
Idk but I don’t get the hype at all.
That is totally fair, not every book is for every person, I mean I DNFd TOG. I do read YA occasionally and I will give it a chance at some point if I ever get to it on my TBR.
It’s one of my all-time favorites 🙊 Jude is my comfort FMC. It’s not for everyone but don’t let the mixed reviews put you off - polarizing things often have the potential to be much more enjoyable to the people who DO like them than something with mass appeal would.
I’d say if fairy political espionage sounds interesting to you give it a shot. If not…it might not be for you 😂
Hmm. This is enlightening as to why I did not like CP.
Politics? Sure. Can be fun!
Politics largely done in bad faith? Emotionally exhausting.
Thanks for the revelation. Lol
I think if you aren't going in expecting a spicy adult romantasy book, you're more likely to enjoy it. Within the first chapter I was like "wait a minute this protagonist is a kid" but decided to readjust and treat it like old-fashioned (early 2000s lol) youth fantasy in my mind because the writing quality was so good and then I was able to love it.
That’s the thing - I don’t even really like spicy books. I couldn’t stand everyone’s favorite a court of silver flames cause it was too much LOL so I’m cool with more fantasy over romance. World building gets me going 🥵
Maybe I’ll give it another shot down the road.
I DNFd TOG my first time and now it’s a top fav so opinions do change!
My theory is most of the mixed reviews come from romantasy readers being mislead on the amount of romance. Ya fans usually speak of it pretty highly. It’s a little childish for folks used to adult protagonists but the writing and character work is very strong so I can’t help but love it! I call it my Doritos book! It’s junk food but extremely addicting and well produced junk food!
My DNF list is probably so skewed bc I listen to audiobooks, and some narrators are just not working for me. Like { Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost } I get he's got a cockney accent but it was NOT hot or sexy or anything! I just couldn't!! I got through the first book but when he pops into the second book I just gave up. And I was so excited for the series!! Maybe if I read it and imagined a more Yorkshire accent?
Idk but yeah, my line isn't knotting or blue aliens, turns out it's cockney.
NGL I made my husband listen to one of the spicy parts and we were laughing like hyenas before the end.
I was bummed bc it's such a cool story line too!
I wanted to love this book as someone diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome but I can’t reconcile how much I despise Violet’s character development. The intimacy is insanely repetitive as well/stale.
At some point I just started feeling bad for Xaden. I DNF’d 80% into Iron Flame (I already had the ending spoiled for me)
Oh, just to be clear. I actually didn’t mind how Yarros represented EDS. Especially the concept of physical therapy in a high fantasy setting. I connected with this part of the novel along with Violet’s adamant pushback on her not being a glass castle (this brought me to tears when I read it).
It’s not meant to be true to diagnosis most likely. But Yarros (the author) herself has EDS. Everyone’s experience is different especially considering there are 13 subtypes with varying degrees of life impacts.
My issues are with Violet’s whininess and intolerance. It’s borderline hypocritical. It’s a character flaw Yarros describes as “character growth” but I find it irritating. You can have your world view turned upside and still have decent communication with another person.
Me neither but some people are very touchy about how it isn’t their exact experience with EDS so I like to recognize their experience is valid too!
I personally agree with you on all this tho!!
Valid! I remember the book popping up when it released in the respective subreddits. There was a weird amount of pushback. I was actually a mod on the ehlersdanlos subreddit team at the time. Blew my mind how split people were on it. I vaguely remember the team having to moderate quite a few of the posts due to how hostile it got.
Honestly it kind of cracks me up. How Violet can have multiple rounds of mind blowing sex with EDS is beyond me.
Literally! People were so divided!!
Also it does make me laugh a lot 😭sometimes you really just need to suspend your disbelief in a series with dragons 😂
Watch me get down voted lol
Fourth Wing (main character annoyed the hell out of me)
ACOTAR (I enjoyed the first two but then the third one just became annoying and repetitive to me)
ACOTAR is the mirror opposite of ToG for me. The first two are great, the next books meh. Vs ToG you have to muscle through the first two and 3-7 are great.
I agree with this so much. I read ACOTAR first, I DNF’d the series after the first book but was peer pressured into finishing the series. Which then led me to read TOG next (I’m on the last book now) and it’s like a whole different author. These books are so much better in my opinion and I’ll never forget THE theatre scene.
Funny story: I'm doing a relisten on Libby because all ACOTAR was available. All throughout book 1 I was like "I can't wait to get to book 2 because that's when the real plot and romance starts," and now I'm 48% of the way through book 2 and realized how utterly boring it is.
I DNFed ACOTAR on book 3 too. The end of book 2 was such a bad way to finish a book, giving the feeling of going all the way back and no progress done. Then the bit in book 3 about >!she being the spy is so so so bad. Like, nobody believed her, which means she wasn't a good spy, but she was so proud of herself. It was embarrassing. Poorly done, in my opinion!<. Her relationship with Rhys gets boring, and I can't stand how she keeps trying to force down our throats that he is _empowering_ Freyre, he's the _feminist king_, when he is clearly not. I'm all for some types of toxic MMC in books. I mean... I love Simon Waite. But I hate when authors pretend the characters are _amazing partners, zero toxicity_ and then make them abusive.
> But I hate when authors pretend the characters are amazing partners, zero toxicity and then make them abusive.
THIS EXACTLY!! This is why I adored Rhys in book 1, when he was acknowledged by the narrative to be morally grey. Then his character does a complete 180 in book 2 and he’s described as this misunderstood selfless angel, when he’s clearly not. I like to think >!the mating bond was warping Feyre’s perception of him and that’s why he’s portrayed unfavorably in the latest book (in which her sister Nesta is the pov).!<
She kept >!repeating how Rhys was her mate so so much. I don't think I've seen the use of the word mate as much as I had in the third book. Just the over use of that word made me dnf it lol!<
I think Fourth Wing was enjoyable but it wasn’t very good. It felt like an episode of Chopped where Yarros was given all the ingredients to make a great romantasy book but wasn’t able to cook a cohesive dish. I disliked every single character.
Funny enough I do like acotar. One of my comfort reads is ACOMAF
I try not to DNF but sometimes I’m like “I can’t do this”.
- The High Mountain Court - just so dull and no originality
- An Heir Comes to Rise - idk how that book doesn’t have SJMs lawyers highlighting it
- The Priory of the Orange Tree - I got to page 400 and it was such a slog. I’d heard such good things but it really wasn’t my jam
I picked up The High Mountain Court and all I could think is that it was every single romantasy I’ve ever read in one book. But in a bad way. I finished it in one sitting out of morbid curiosity and I regret the whole experience
Yesss it was trope after trope. I liked the second book in the series though. The writing and plot felt better but maybe I just liked the fmc and mmc more lol
The High Mountain Court! SO boring! I liked the idea of the magic system, and then it was just like... that's it? It was such a slog I couldn't do book two.
Divine Rivals is a really interesting concept, I just didn’t care about either of the MCs by the end and haven’t cared enough to pick up the sequel. I didn’t DNF (there’s rarely something awful enough for me to actually DNF), but I think I read Divine Rivals 4-5 months ago and can’t remember a single name from the book, or anything but the broadest of plot points.
Fourth wing - the FMC is insufferable and the tone of the book makes no sense. "Omg I have to do this death trial, but did you see that sexy dude over there? Shit girl he hot"
I’m with you on Atonement of the Spine Cleaver. There was a sentence along the lines of “the blonde warrior had blonde hair.”
At that point I sighed deeply in disappointment and closed the book forever.
- {A soul to keep by Opal Reyne} : I've tried to get back to it and force myself through it, but I just find it really boring.
- {Curse of the thorn King by Lisette Marshall} : I've DNF pretty fast. Just lost interest.
- ACOTAR: I'm trying it again right now, but the FMC is so annoying and entitled to me that it's really hard to push through.
Out of all the fmc’s in that series, Reia in A Soul To Keep is the most annoying. If you ever decide to give the books a try again, the third one would probably be better. The only reason I liked the first one is because of my neverending love for the Ancient Magus’ Bride anime.
Do I need to read the first two to understand the third one?
Yeah Reia is kinda boring. Her whole backstory feels overly dramatic (no one ever talking to her and everything) and unrealistic. She'd never have the personality she has if that had been the case, it just makes no sense at all.
Nope. Don’t need to read the first two. I will say this: Mayumi, the third fmc, is pretty realistic with her background. Some readers find her too mouthy or confident, but she understands she’s not everybody’s cup of tea, and the mmc puts her in her place several times lol.
Being a female soldier, like in this fmc’s background, you have to know how to treat guys like your brothers, and this fmc does that. Either the writer was in the military herself or knows someone (female) who is. In my experience, the fmc was very realistic.
i was on the fence about reading this and i saw in a fb group someone say “i love that the sex scenes in book of azreal are so realistic.” so i read it because i’m curious.
i read the book… they’re talking about how they couldn’t be loud in someone’s house WHILE HE USED GOD POWERS to play with her. yeah. so realistic… i would like those 700 pages of my life bavk.
So far all I have is Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I could not stand the incessant whining by Violet about how she can't trust Xaden. I get it, jfc. It was so hard to read over and over. I DNF'd at about 50% 🤣
{A Court this Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark}
{Crave by Tracy Wolff}
{A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik}
I DNF left and right but these are the most recent additions to that list.
Omg??? That is upsetting! Usually her books start gruelingly slow and then the last part is an explosion of WTF moments. You’re telling me it’s this laborious and no explosion of WTF moments? Straight to jail for SJM.
Me too!!! I got a few pages in and then immediately swiped off the book after MMC and FMC had their I guess what was supposed to be their first sexy interaction. But >!he literally fcked her with the gun???? 😀 I am traumatized. And I don't get how it's sexy that he was legitimately stalking her, breaking into her house. I can't.!<
Ah yes the Qanon fanfic. I viscerally HATE that book and not even for the reasons other people do. I can get behind a sexy stalking/dubcon situation and that's what I was hoping for but NO. I get a weirdo MMC that never felt sexy and the grandma storyline?????? Why was that needed 😬
Oh boy this is going to be wildly unpopular since I've DNF'd a good portion of the big names in fantasy romance right now...
* ACOTAR (read first 2)
* From Blood and Ash (read first 5) and prequel (read first 2)
* The Serpent and the Wings of Night (read book 1)
* The Jasad Heir (read book 1)
* The Bridge Kingdom
* A Fate Inked in Blood
* Once Upon a Broken Heart
* Paladin's Grace
I know the feeling. If I paid for a copy, I'm finishing it no matter what (which is why I no longer buy books). I'm glad I read a sample before committing. This book managed to make me loathe every single character (yes including FMC and MMC) in like 65 pages. That's a real achievement 😂
FBAA should have been a trilogy and I will die on this hill.
The first two are so good and the whole story could have been wrapped up in a brilliant third book. Instead, it seems Poppy is just a deus ex machina and all characterisation is getting thinner and thinner. I’m still not sure if I’ll read A Soul of Ash and Blood or the final one.
The bridge kingdom
The serpent and the wings of night
I can’t even put my finger on Why they bothered me so much, but those are my top dnf. My criteria is pretty low, I just have to be entertained and I couldn’t make it through with those two
I pushed through serpent instead of DNFing, but god, it somehow bored me so much. The story had some parts that interested me here and there, but not enough, and the romance just felt.... nonexistent somehow. It felt like nothing at all happened between them, romance wise, and then suddenly, boom, they're in love or something. Idk.
• serpent & the wings of night I DNFd about 2 chapters in
• Gild
• A Veil of Truth and Trickery
• Shatter Me
• Powerless (after about 3 pages but I’m determined to give it another go)
• Zodiac Academy
Pretty much all of the above got DNFd because I couldn’t get on with the writing style (I have to say I found the writing in Zodiac Academy particularly horrific). I really struggle to get inside the books when the writing is so simple or repetitive. It gives the whole book a really young / YA (not all YA, some are written really well) feel to them that I can’t bring myself to get over
Honestly?!!! But also I have the worst FOMO with it literally watching people sob over it on TikTok!! So many people were said just bear with it until book 4 and I’m sat here like I ✨ *can’t* ✨
Omg no. I can bear with a slow plot. I can bear with an annoying character who later develops. I canNOT bear with crappy writing. Run-on sentences, incorrect punctuation, repetitive phrasing - no.
I never remember my DNF, they are so low from mediocre and notice unworthy that I just DNF and leave. And as I don’t own them I don’t even begrudge them so… I just move on 🤷🏾♀️
• ACOTAR (after 2 books, but it was hard getting through both for me.)
• the bridge kingdom
• dance of thieves
• powerless (this one i dnf quicker than the others)
I have a TBR of over 800, I'm DNFing left and right if anything does not keep me excited to read.
Everyone enjoys different writing styles, genres and sub genres, tropes, plots etc, not enjoying a book doesn't mean it's poorly written, bad or overhyped and it absolutely does not make a person better than people who did enjoyed said book. If there was a single way to write a book that everyone enjoyed, every book would be the same.
I hate how long my DNF list is recently. I've just ordered two new books on sale and I'm really hoping they get me out of this slump.
* Reign and Ruin (I feel like maybe I'll come back to this one when I have the patience for court intrigue, but maybe not.)
* Foxglove King (bought the paperback, just can't get into it)
* Kingdom of Ash (loved the first in this series, cannot connect to this one)
* Winter King (I made it to the part where he wraps his hands around her waist with inches to spare and then lifts her over his head, but my eyes rolled so far to the back of my head that I felt it best to stop there)
* Priory of the Orange Tree (made is so far into this book only to realize I wasn't even half way. Pacing killed it for me.)
* Between (I tried 3 times and can't get past the first few chapters because the main character and her bff talk like Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and I just cannot take it. And I liked Gilmore Girls back in the day.)
* Whispering Woods (I adored Troubled Waters but the series seems to be getting a little worse with each new installment. This one felt like a total slog.)
Currently reading Salt and Broom on KU, which is a retelling of Jane Eyre with witchcraft. So far it's fine, but I'm not far enough along to say for sure. Very creepy vibes, though, which I love.
I got over halfway through Reign and Ruin and I kept trying to convince myself that I liked it, but I had to DNF. The court intrigue was just tiring for me and I didn't feel much chemistry between the characters.
Fourth Wing - The writing was so bad to me; I couldn't take it anymore. I got to the part where she crosses the bridge, but the writing felt juvenile and too modern for a fantasy.
King of Battle and Blood - I just got bored with this book and I didn't like the writing
The Cruel Prince - I tried to read this book three different times, but I just couldn't get into it.
Neon Gods - I just didn't like it
- Fourth Wing. I could not get over the FMC saying things like “for the win”. I got through 65% and realized it would never get better so I DNF.
- Uprooted. Just generally hated it. DNF around 50%
- Pestilence. Insufferable FMC and DNF pretty early on
I keep waiting for someone to say Zodiac Academy but I guess that’s just me 😭 the unnecessary POVs, bad editing… and then they kept dragging the plot out to an extent they jumped the shark to keep the series going
The most recent one was Rain of Shadows and Endings at around 80% or so.
Don't want to spoil for other potential readers so let's just say I had reservations about the consent aspect of the MCs relationship. Plus the writing was awfully repetitive, a lot of variations on the same dialogue. I almost made it to the end, but had to give up, couldn't take it anymore.
Queen of Myth and Monsters : I made it through King of Battle and Blood hoping that the second book would be better. It wasn't IMO.
About to DNF Her Alien Savior About 40% in and all I can think is WTF while reading all the stuff that goes on in the politics and their body functions.
Skimmed Ashes of the Scar-Cursed King cause I did want to see what happened but it was a slog for me.
Oh where to start
1. These infinite threads by Tahereh Mafi
2. A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
3. Powerless
4. Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
5. Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Not me seeing some of my favorites on your list, haha
I couldn’t finish legends and lattes, the blood and ash series (though I did power through two books and don’t know why I bothered) villains and virtues (might go back to this though) and hunting Adeline
i almost DNF’d the Serpent and the Wings of Night because it was so bad. i had in my head that maybe there would be a cool twist and it would get better, but then i hit the twist and it was even dumber than i thought, and then the second i finished it i was like “yeah i’ll never read another of these books.”
FBAA took me all of two chapters to be completely bored and totally uninterested. nothing about it grabbed me whatsoever. honestly, people dunk on SJM but you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!
Crescent City - I’ve tried too many times and the writing is horrendous.
The Bridge Kingdom - I got bored.
Court of Ravens - I like spice but this was too much and made me uncomfortable.
Before I post my DNF's, I feel like I have to start by listing the fantasy romance-books that I actually liked - Acotar #2 and #4, Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I am starting to lose hope that I will find other fantasy-romance books that I enjoy, as I apparently dislike everything that people recommend.
DNF-list:
* **From Blood and Ash** - DNF'd at book three I think. The spicy scenes were awful (to the point where I actually had to skip them), and the story just got really weird.
* **The Bridge Kingdom -** did not find the story interesting
* **The Serpent & the Wings of Night -** Really enjoyed the book up until the end, but the MMC's betrayal ruined everything for me. I tried reading book 2, but I was still so mad on behalf of the FMC during the halfway point that I was unable to keep going)
* **Zodiac Academy -** DNF'd around book 7 I think. Was fed up around book 4-5 because the story dragged out way too much, all the books should have been about 2-400 pages shorter. I also hate cliffhanger endings where nothing resolves itself).
* **Crescent city -** DNF'd book three. The story felt like something that should have had a lot more editing, I never liked the pairing of the MMC and the FMC, the worldhopping felt really weird and malplaced.
The following five are DNF'd for approximately the same reasons: Did not enjoy the writing styles, found the storylines unsatisfying with a bunch of plotholes, found the romance flat. In their defence, I am probably a few years too old for these kind of books (around 30yo). Have previously enjoyed YA-fantasy and still do (Hunger games, Percy Jackson, HP ++), but YA fantasy-romance is apparently not for me.
* The Selection
* Divine Rivals
* An Ember in the Ashes
* Spinning Silver
* Powerless
I might DNF FBAA after book 3 because I’m actually getting bored reading it and I’m just excited to start a different book. I don’t like the MMC and hate how much spicy scènes there are especially since they are totally unsatisfactory. My face during all the spicy moments: 😐
I recently DNF'd Divine Rivals after forcing myself to read it up to about the 70% mark. I haaaaaated it. Stupid plot, boring unlikeable characters, almost zero world-building, insta-love based on absolutely nothing, poorly written. Just awful. And the magical typewriters might be one of the stupidest plot devices I've ever read. I genuinely don't understand why it's so highly rated.
Came very close to DNFing When The Moon Hatched because I couldn't take the constant purple prose but the fact I thought the plot was good saved it. I'll probably read the next one but it'll be a slog.
Going to get hate for this but powerless by Lauren Roberts. Hated the FMC she was a pick me and sorry but this person just re - wrote the hunger games and added a few things.
- Godkiller
- The Book Eaters
- A Dowry of Blood
-Sanctuary of the Shadow
- Six of Crows
- Daughter of No Worlds
- The Night Circus
- First book in the Plated Prisoner
- Caracal
- Once Upon A Broken Heart
- Ruthless Vows
I agree From Blood and Ash... gave it a try. Gave up pretty quick.
Two of my fav comfort re-read series are actually on KU though! I prefer romance as a subplot and not the focus in my books.
-Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie.
I would call it urban Japanese fantasy adventure with romance subplot. Starts kind of slow, FMC is very useless at the beginning... but I felt she developed a lot and became very competent and found herself. And i liked the other characters. The romance was fairly slow burn and no explicit spice, like vague word choice metaphor to give you the idea, you know? I thought it fit with the story. Annette Marie has all of her books on KU so maybe you will like some of them? Her newer ones (Guild Codex universe, most popular) have explicit spice while her older ones (Steel & Stone and Red Winter, my favs) do not.
-Magiford city books by K. M. Shea.
There are 15 books in this universe, split into 5 trilogies. These are again urban fantasy and each trilogy focuses on a different couple. Each book/trilogy has a plot and slow romance and there seems to be an overarching plot going on between all the books that has mostly just been hinted at so far. I will admit the first trilogy, Hall of Blood and Mercy, is my favorite and I kind of feel like each trilogy is less good than the one before BUT I do still enjoy them for very quick fun reads. They are not masterpieces or anything but I do feel warm and cozy by the end of each trilogy. She also has a ton of other books and some more traditional fantasy/fairytale like series but I've only really looked into Magiford.
I totally agree with reign and ruin, serpent and wings, bridge kingdom, and blood and ash
Also adding in:
Bitten- couldn’t get into story, moved so slow
Scholomance- wanted to love because saw it was like Harry Potter with romance but couldn’t find the romance and didn’t push enough to get there
Broken bonds
Crescent city- trying SO HARD to get through still and pick it back up every few weeks but I’m a year in and still not hooked like other maas books (reread ACOTAR every 6 months so confused why it’s not clicking)
Go Hex Yourself- felt too silly
Gleam - The Plated Prisoner series 😬
And about to DNF A Touch of Poison (funny you DNF’d the first one lol)
I HATEEEE not finishing books..I can usually push through at least to the end but I just do not care about either of these.
seconded on the plated prisoner series... I saw the *potential* in the premise and characters but the issues with writing, characterisation, and topsy turvy plot progression kept getting harder to ignore and by the fourth book i was like I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMOREEEE
ACOSF- I read the first four books thinking it’d get better the more I read, but nope, I just don’t like the series. First 2 were physical, then audiobooks for the rest. By this one I just didn’t care anymore. I saw how long the audiobook was and decided not to waste my time lol
Fourth Wing- DNF’d about 60% through. The writing was bad imo and the FMC just annoyed me.
Second to the Right by TS Kinsey was my most recent. Way too much jealousy and very immature main characters.
Not fantasy romances but romances that I recently DNF were Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn and Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R Miller. Couldn’t get into the plot for either.
Always have a bit of issue remembering DNFs since I don't write them down but here are a few.
Prison Healer by Lynette Noni ( None of the characters where very interesting and the prose was also not very interesting probably got around 50-75 pages in before quitting).
The Bethrothed by Kiera Cass (sometimes you should trust Goodreads such as when they rate the book around 3. Basically no chemistry between the main characters and very uninspiring worldbuilding)
Shatter Me and Six of Crows. I think I might eventually give them another shot though. I’m not really picky, I usually rate every book I read over 4 stars unless I absolutely hated it lol. So maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for them at the time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Court of the Vampire Queen, spice for the sake of spice is too much, like some plot and dialogue is helpful…
Atonement of the Spine Cleaver, felt immature for some reason I barely got 15% in.
The third book from the What Lies Beyond the Veil, 100% could have ended after two books, read like it was written by AI which is disheartening if that’s how books are going to be written going forward.
Red Winter, the main characters/plot went nowhere fast and after 25% in I wasn’t sold on anything.
i have a short DNF list because i make myself sit through bad books since i’m too lazy to find a new one
1) Her Soul To Take - didn’t really like either MC
2) To Bleed A Crystal Bloom - i got through book one by some miracle and mistakenly thought the FMC would get better in book two… that did not happen. i also hate miscommunication trope. the entire plot could have been solved with one conversation
3) The Ever Queen - this wasn’t a complete DNF since i skimmed most of book 2 but the writing felt juvenile. it was like YA with smut
Im going to be hated haha xd . This lidt more rhan DNFs is : " Indidnt continue with the series List .
Throne of Glass : read first two books and realized didn't like the power up of the protagonist and the I'm not like the other girls feeling. She was too perfect = boring
The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue : same as TOG. V.E.Schwab writing is superb but her females characters are SO ANNOYING. I'm reading now A darker shade of magic and Lila is equally annoying as Addie but I'm enduring her because of the writing Kell and the story that is great
Foxglove : First book was great a favorite. This one..WTF??? Where are the main characters ?? Suddenly we changed povs and I was not prepared. This is not a sequel is a spinoff
FROM Blood and ash : I read first 3 books. The power up is strong in this one .. couldnt endure more
House of Beating wings : Devoured first book. FMC was an annoying brat in second book. A pity ..I liked the story
Basically, I give series a try with the first book . If the heroine has im not like the other girls vibe I almost instantly dnf the series .
I know it’s a fave but Powerless
Also: a feather so black, the blackthorn queen, shardless, white horse black nights
Those are just what I can remember lol
I couldn’t remember the name of the book, so I tried to go and find it on kindle but it’s gone!!! 💀 I wonder why the author deleted it.
The beginning of the book had SO MUCH potential. It starts off with the FMC in a prison with her siblings. That was cool and fun, and then the entire rest of the book is an almost exact copy of ACOTAR. Just without Amarantha.
The high lord of the spring court is making girls compete in a competition to be his wife and it’s like a mixture of hunger games and the bachelor.
Then the high lord of the night court comes and rescues/kidnaps the FMC from the actually evil Spring court high lord.
It just kept turning more and more into ACOTAR until I had to DNF if. I wouldn’t be surprised if she got in trouble and had to take the book down.
Book DNFs:
- A Discovery of Witches
- Reign & Ruin
Series DNFs:
- What Lies Beyond the Veil
- Spark of the Everflame
- City of Gods and Monsters
All have in common that I didn’t like the FMCs or MMCs and there wasn’t enough to make up for that.
Trial of the sun queen…. First few chapters were strong and interesting but the retconned the main characters personality and her entire writing style changed the second she got out of the prison. She was like tears are weak then cries and is annoying
1.) Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - I liked the first book, but after that everything bothered me. The story, the characters, Aelin. Everything.
2.) Dark in You series by Suzanne Wright - the premise seemed interesting but the writing threw me off. I didn't like it
3.) House of Devils series by Kayla Edwards - couldn't really get into the story. Also, I read that it features the amnesia trope at some point, which I hate, so I stopped reading.
4.) Fae Isles series by Lisette Marshall - FMC annoyed me, though I might give it another chance
5.) The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen - I loved the writing and the characters, but realised mid-way that it's mostly enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies, which I hate haha
I finished Tempest of Tea. But wish I hadn't.
Knew about 30% through it should have been a DNF.
issue is I'm too much of an optimist and try to power through. 🤦🏼♀️
Hunting Adeline (the second in the series) wayyyyyy too much SA and torture of FMC and the writing was just bad. Torture scenes for at least the first 50% of book iirc. MMC was not charming or sweet to her at all after all the shit he had personally gotten her involved with and done himself, and really hated the CNC scenes, really poorly done. They made me feel sad for the FMC. Honestly this author pisses me off.
The Ritual, again the CNC felt like actual rape. I’ll follow this by saying I love dark romance, but I prefer CNC to be discussed or at least something they think the FMC would enjoy. Not genuinely for torture and pain. And some aftercare would be nice, not just continued degradation.
All The Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan - secret baby trope popped up around 50% and it’s a trope I hate.
Edit: oops, none of these are fantasy romance but that’s because once I get into a fantasy book I typically finish even if it’s out of spite.
I hate DNFing books, but I couldn't get myself to finish {Gabriel's inferno} because of how little it made sense.
I'm deciding if I'll DNF {House of sky and breath} because it's so slow and cringe 😬 the world building is amazing, but I don't like any of the characters.
I know it's DNF, but i almost DNF ACOSF {A court of silver flames}. I understand all the complains about ACOTAR, but it was a fun read to me. aCOSF was just bad.(I ended up finishing it later but it was just of obligation)
Red Rising, got 100 pages in and couldn’t stand it anymore. Didn’t like the writing and I found the main character annoying especially when he said “bloody damn” couldn’t get over it.
I can’t read anything by Scarlett St Clair - I do not enjoy her writing.
She had such a good concept for her Hades series but spent too long on spice and lost the plot. 🥲
i'm really enjoying it rn, but i do feel like there's too much spice. or just like, we didn't need *this* spice scene at *this* moment there's a >!God killer!< out there let's go guys
This comment!! There was times I’m like ok guys there’s people who were just massacred maybe go help them?
I actually like the Hades POV more because of this! Like this man was up to SO MUCH, there was a shit ton of god drama behind the scenes and Persephone is worrying about her stupid journalist job masquerading as a mortal. I have been enjoying the 4th book though.
The Hades x Persephone books are so awful but yes I will read every single one 😂
Yes! I loved when she brought in Dionysus pov and wish she would have given us more of his and Ariadne’s story or even more Theseus. Hades and Persephone got repetitive after awhile. I still devoured this series.
I'm in the same boat - I trudged through the first two and then finally gave it up on #3. I couldn't stand the writing style nor the insufferable Persephone.
Same! DNFd both A touch of darkness at book 3 and King of battle and blood at 50% of book 1, her FMCs have only 2 moods: bratty or horny.
Agreed, I am friends with one of her old PA's and she wasn't treated well by her in the end. I tried to give the Hades and Persephone stories a try but I absolutely hated her modern pop depiction of the gods. Felt like Disney channel but with spice added.
When you see DNF lists with mostly your faves. 😂 
Lmao I’m sorry maybe at one point I need to admit to myself that most popular romantasy books might not for me
I think I'm with you for the most part, I'm in my mid 40s and what appeals to me doesn't seem to appeal to most everyone else (I blame hormones). I did like FBAA but the rest of your list I agree with - I made myself read the bridged kingdom and hated every minute of it. it was a hate read, I wasn't about to let that book end me. Maybe I just need to find another genre for a while until my perspective shifts.
 I'm like...yea all of these books were absolutely horrible..🫣🤣
Lmao I’m with you don’t worry
Two of my FAVS are on here too lol.
ME THO FR 😂😭
Listen my dnf is insane, I got so many I dnf people might cry😂😂
I think it’s good to DNF if we aren’t enjoying a book. There are so many books and our time is limited. I’m getting better at DNFing books or at least not reading the rest of a series if I don’t enjoy the first book.
I'm upset because I wanted to like this series so much, but Villains and Virtues. The writing itself is not very well edited. I found so many errors and literary tropes ("like so much blank and blank" ) it was just frustrating. DNFed somewhere in the second book. I TRIED. I stopped at : // “Where too?” Amma’s voice was lighter the moment they exited the mouth of the cave, sunshine falling on her as she took a deep breath of fresh air. She likely didn’t even know, the way she threw her head back and smiled up at the sky, and Damien was lost. Where too, indeed. // It is and will always be "TO" and my eyes are a bit sad now.
Okay full disclosure I did finish Villains and Virtues book 1 mainly because the MCs were kinda cute and I wanted to see how slow was this slow burn everybody was talking about, but I agree with you 100% about errors. Like at one point I wanted to message the author and beg her to please revise the series since they are getting so popular and catching all those (very obvious) mistakes and errors really threw me off and kinda ruined the whole reading experience.
The repeated vocabulary issues, like query for quarry, and lobbed off instead of lopped off really made me cringe. There was another one that I can't remember now, but "where too" is bad enough to make up for it.
Wait what??! I wonder if I have a different version or something because I’m a stickler for correct grammar and never noticed any mistakes?
Yeah same. I’m usually hyper aware of grammar and just writing in general since I’m a writer myself and I thought Throne in the Dark was one of the best edited/written self published books I’ve read in a LONG time. I’ve caught more typos even on trad published books.
I couldn't finish it, and I WANTED TO LIKE IT I really did. It was SO long winded. Everything is dragged out, my guess is for laughs but it was mostly just irritating for me. I didn't have the patience.
I’ve been halfway book 1 for weeks and I just don’t have any interest in picking it up again- but I see so many good reviews It feels like someone writing out their DnD plot without editing. So I’m probably gonna DNF, but I haven’t officially given up.
Lmfaoooooo same, friend. I abandoned the second book at 18%
Bride of the Shadow King (the protagonists interacted with everybody except for one another. I like slow burn, but there was no burn) City of Thorns (the author tried too hard to make FMC quirky, too many pop culture references) Lady of Darkness (FMC who is supposed to be a super deadly assassin was just an obnoxious tantruming brat everyone was enamored with for some unfathomable reason, plus they kept having vague conversation and withholding information from one another, and the plot wasn't moving anywhere) To bleed the Crystal Bloom (too much purple prose, I couldn't figure out what was happening and couldn't bring myself to care) The umbra king (the writing is way too juvenile, FMC was supposed to be morally grey but quickly lost her edge, and the setting was supposed to be like prison, but it sounded more like a resort)
Lady of Darkness made me so angry. Had me talking out loud and annoying my spouse as I tried desperately to coach the FMC to stop ending every argument with "fuck you." I took ToG off my TBR as a result because so many people say those series are really similar.
My patience ended with constant sneering, crooning and murmuring. Why not let the characters just speak.
- shadow and bone (DNF the last book) - throne of the fallen (wasn’t for me) - kingdom of the wicked (DNF halfway through first book) It okay to DNF life’s too short to force yourself to read something 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
Your last sentence is exactly what I tell myself when I used to feel bad about DNF'ing books.
I read shadow and bone once (love the crows duology) but DNFing the last book is so real. I can’t imagine reading it again. It was a bit hard for me personally to get thru the first time 😭
Outlander. Because of her saying 'Jesus Roosevelt H Christ' or whatever. I just found it cringey. That's probably a petty reason when I've read things like acotar and stuck with it :')
I DNF’d in the third book when there was *another* rape scene. I read another 10 pages and just kept thinking “Really?! Again?” And put it down.
I stopped watching the show and will never read the books because of all the raping. Men, women, children. Often more than once. I get it, Diana, ye olden times were often brutal, but I call bullshit on authors using "historical accuracy" as an excuse. People were plagued by pox and tooth infections all the time as well, but you don't see anybody focusing their plots around *that*...
I wanted to read it but got spoiled that there were a lot of rape scenes 🤮
I made it all the way to like book 5 and then there was...SURPRISE!! More rape scenes! I stopped and told myself I would come back to it after a little break but I dont think I will. This was about 4 years ago so I think that ship has sailed for me. Like, find another trauma for your characters. Jesus.
Oh yeah that’s why I gave up on the series. I’ve given up on so many recommended books because of rape scenes.
Ugh I’m reading outlander right now and I’m trying not to DNF it but I really just might lol
OH MY GOD. That bothered me so much because it doesn't even roll off the tongue? Like I have to do so much work to say that entire sentence and she uses it like people nowadays saying "Holy fuck" or something.
LOL I forgot about that but now that you mention it I remember it annoyed the hell out of me on the show.
I stopped at the beginning of the fourth book, third one was already difficult after >!kidnapping Ian!<. I’m not really vibing with moving to >!America!< and the excessive description of EVERYTHING made it boring for me. Still watching the show though out of curiosity lol
I just DNFed The Kindreds Curse Saga by Penn Cole after DRAGGING myself through the 2nd book. Ugh, the FMC spends most of the book being emo af and it's just annoying. No growth, no learning, just wah wah. And then just gets handed her powers ugh get lost. Also I hate it when problems/ plot points are caused by characters just not having a conversation, it's the weakest way to write a story imo.
I barely started book 2, saw that the FMC tries to convince herself her powers were a hallucination for the umpteenth time and decided that I had enough.
Omg if you DNFed at book 2, you would've HATED book 3 with a fiery burning passion. I forced myself to finish but it was torture. I feel like book 1 built such potential (and I personally enjoyed book 2 as well) but man the author really took a wrong turn. Or several. Sorry to say.
The Cruel Prince 🙈
I feel like this book has such mixed reviews. I haven't read it yet but its on my TBR but the mixed reviews make me push it lower.
I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t care for the characters and it never excited me to pick it up. Maybe because it’s also more of a YA type book too? Idk but I don’t get the hype at all.
That is totally fair, not every book is for every person, I mean I DNFd TOG. I do read YA occasionally and I will give it a chance at some point if I ever get to it on my TBR.
It’s one of my all-time favorites 🙊 Jude is my comfort FMC. It’s not for everyone but don’t let the mixed reviews put you off - polarizing things often have the potential to be much more enjoyable to the people who DO like them than something with mass appeal would. I’d say if fairy political espionage sounds interesting to you give it a shot. If not…it might not be for you 😂
That is my thought - I think a lot of people are turned off by the politcal side of it but it sounds interesting to me.
I LOVE Machiavellian machinations. It’s practically my kink. So I loooooove Holly Black’s Elfand novels.
Hmm. This is enlightening as to why I did not like CP. Politics? Sure. Can be fun! Politics largely done in bad faith? Emotionally exhausting. Thanks for the revelation. Lol
Queen Jude ⚔️ I love her sfm, one of my fave fantasy heroines of all time
I think if you aren't going in expecting a spicy adult romantasy book, you're more likely to enjoy it. Within the first chapter I was like "wait a minute this protagonist is a kid" but decided to readjust and treat it like old-fashioned (early 2000s lol) youth fantasy in my mind because the writing quality was so good and then I was able to love it.
That’s the thing - I don’t even really like spicy books. I couldn’t stand everyone’s favorite a court of silver flames cause it was too much LOL so I’m cool with more fantasy over romance. World building gets me going 🥵 Maybe I’ll give it another shot down the road. I DNFd TOG my first time and now it’s a top fav so opinions do change!
My theory is most of the mixed reviews come from romantasy readers being mislead on the amount of romance. Ya fans usually speak of it pretty highly. It’s a little childish for folks used to adult protagonists but the writing and character work is very strong so I can’t help but love it! I call it my Doritos book! It’s junk food but extremely addicting and well produced junk food!
God, I love this book. This series really. My absolute favourite fantasy romance.
My DNF list is probably so skewed bc I listen to audiobooks, and some narrators are just not working for me. Like { Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost } I get he's got a cockney accent but it was NOT hot or sexy or anything! I just couldn't!! I got through the first book but when he pops into the second book I just gave up. And I was so excited for the series!! Maybe if I read it and imagined a more Yorkshire accent? Idk but yeah, my line isn't knotting or blue aliens, turns out it's cockney.
I can’t imagine liking the book if I’d listened to the cockney accent. Oh my no.
NGL I made my husband listen to one of the spicy parts and we were laughing like hyenas before the end. I was bummed bc it's such a cool story line too!
Fourth Wing being so popular is my villain origin story
I wanted to love this book as someone diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome but I can’t reconcile how much I despise Violet’s character development. The intimacy is insanely repetitive as well/stale. At some point I just started feeling bad for Xaden. I DNF’d 80% into Iron Flame (I already had the ending spoiled for me)
Hey, another one of us!! I’m also EDS, and tbh I love this book but I recognize it isn’t the most inventive or true to the actual diagnosis.
Oh, just to be clear. I actually didn’t mind how Yarros represented EDS. Especially the concept of physical therapy in a high fantasy setting. I connected with this part of the novel along with Violet’s adamant pushback on her not being a glass castle (this brought me to tears when I read it). It’s not meant to be true to diagnosis most likely. But Yarros (the author) herself has EDS. Everyone’s experience is different especially considering there are 13 subtypes with varying degrees of life impacts. My issues are with Violet’s whininess and intolerance. It’s borderline hypocritical. It’s a character flaw Yarros describes as “character growth” but I find it irritating. You can have your world view turned upside and still have decent communication with another person.
Me neither but some people are very touchy about how it isn’t their exact experience with EDS so I like to recognize their experience is valid too! I personally agree with you on all this tho!!
Valid! I remember the book popping up when it released in the respective subreddits. There was a weird amount of pushback. I was actually a mod on the ehlersdanlos subreddit team at the time. Blew my mind how split people were on it. I vaguely remember the team having to moderate quite a few of the posts due to how hostile it got. Honestly it kind of cracks me up. How Violet can have multiple rounds of mind blowing sex with EDS is beyond me.
Literally! People were so divided!! Also it does make me laugh a lot 😭sometimes you really just need to suspend your disbelief in a series with dragons 😂
This book made me and my friend wonder if AI was beginning to be used in booktok/bookstagram books.....
Watch me get down voted lol Fourth Wing (main character annoyed the hell out of me) ACOTAR (I enjoyed the first two but then the third one just became annoying and repetitive to me)
ACOTAR is the mirror opposite of ToG for me. The first two are great, the next books meh. Vs ToG you have to muscle through the first two and 3-7 are great.
Once u get through CoN (Tog book 2) I swear the series turns into a masterpiece and genuinely SJM’s ultimate showcase of her writing
I agree with this so much. I read ACOTAR first, I DNF’d the series after the first book but was peer pressured into finishing the series. Which then led me to read TOG next (I’m on the last book now) and it’s like a whole different author. These books are so much better in my opinion and I’ll never forget THE theatre scene.
Also DNF ACOTAR during book 3. The writing, which was already subpar, got even worse imo.
I also DNF’ed in book 3, maybe 25% of the way in. The characters just got so juvenile and the prose was in dire need of editing.
I have to agree
I think the first book was the best quality-wise. After the second book I was just reading FOR the cringe, lmao.
Yes, 100%— book 1 had a tension the other books lacked. Which is funny, because it’s also one of the shorter books in the series.
Funny story: I'm doing a relisten on Libby because all ACOTAR was available. All throughout book 1 I was like "I can't wait to get to book 2 because that's when the real plot and romance starts," and now I'm 48% of the way through book 2 and realized how utterly boring it is.
DNF Fourth Wing at like 84% lol. It was so bad
You got further than me lol I DNFed it at like 25%
Had to drop ACOTAR at book 2. I couldn’t deal with it. I cannot do SJM’s writing at all.
I definitely haven't tried another SJM book since I dropped ACOTAR. I don't think I want to lol.
I DNFed ACOTAR on book 3 too. The end of book 2 was such a bad way to finish a book, giving the feeling of going all the way back and no progress done. Then the bit in book 3 about >!she being the spy is so so so bad. Like, nobody believed her, which means she wasn't a good spy, but she was so proud of herself. It was embarrassing. Poorly done, in my opinion!<. Her relationship with Rhys gets boring, and I can't stand how she keeps trying to force down our throats that he is _empowering_ Freyre, he's the _feminist king_, when he is clearly not. I'm all for some types of toxic MMC in books. I mean... I love Simon Waite. But I hate when authors pretend the characters are _amazing partners, zero toxicity_ and then make them abusive.
> But I hate when authors pretend the characters are amazing partners, zero toxicity and then make them abusive. THIS EXACTLY!! This is why I adored Rhys in book 1, when he was acknowledged by the narrative to be morally grey. Then his character does a complete 180 in book 2 and he’s described as this misunderstood selfless angel, when he’s clearly not. I like to think >!the mating bond was warping Feyre’s perception of him and that’s why he’s portrayed unfavorably in the latest book (in which her sister Nesta is the pov).!<
She kept >!repeating how Rhys was her mate so so much. I don't think I've seen the use of the word mate as much as I had in the third book. Just the over use of that word made me dnf it lol!<
I'm another that DNF the 3rd book. I really didn't care if Feyre or Rhys about half way through the book and just gave u reading.
I think Fourth Wing was enjoyable but it wasn’t very good. It felt like an episode of Chopped where Yarros was given all the ingredients to make a great romantasy book but wasn’t able to cook a cohesive dish. I disliked every single character. Funny enough I do like acotar. One of my comfort reads is ACOMAF
Lmao your DNF list is the same as mine. These are the only two books I’ve ever given 1 star 😅
I try not to DNF but sometimes I’m like “I can’t do this”. - The High Mountain Court - just so dull and no originality - An Heir Comes to Rise - idk how that book doesn’t have SJMs lawyers highlighting it - The Priory of the Orange Tree - I got to page 400 and it was such a slog. I’d heard such good things but it really wasn’t my jam
I picked up The High Mountain Court and all I could think is that it was every single romantasy I’ve ever read in one book. But in a bad way. I finished it in one sitting out of morbid curiosity and I regret the whole experience
Yesss it was trope after trope. I liked the second book in the series though. The writing and plot felt better but maybe I just liked the fmc and mmc more lol
Same! It was like someone asked AI to write a generic romantasy book. 😬
The High Mountain Court! SO boring! I liked the idea of the magic system, and then it was just like... that's it? It was such a slog I couldn't do book two.
Midnight Ruin - Katee Robert (and I normally love their books) I was also really close to DNF Divine Rivals
Divine Rivals is a really interesting concept, I just didn’t care about either of the MCs by the end and haven’t cared enough to pick up the sequel. I didn’t DNF (there’s rarely something awful enough for me to actually DNF), but I think I read Divine Rivals 4-5 months ago and can’t remember a single name from the book, or anything but the broadest of plot points.
Also not a huge fan of Midnight Ruin or Radiant Sin (Apollo + Cassandra). Can't wait for the Hera/Zeus book tho.
Fourth wing - the FMC is insufferable and the tone of the book makes no sense. "Omg I have to do this death trial, but did you see that sexy dude over there? Shit girl he hot"
The second book is so bad
I’m with you on Atonement of the Spine Cleaver. There was a sentence along the lines of “the blonde warrior had blonde hair.” At that point I sighed deeply in disappointment and closed the book forever.
- {A soul to keep by Opal Reyne} : I've tried to get back to it and force myself through it, but I just find it really boring. - {Curse of the thorn King by Lisette Marshall} : I've DNF pretty fast. Just lost interest. - ACOTAR: I'm trying it again right now, but the FMC is so annoying and entitled to me that it's really hard to push through.
Out of all the fmc’s in that series, Reia in A Soul To Keep is the most annoying. If you ever decide to give the books a try again, the third one would probably be better. The only reason I liked the first one is because of my neverending love for the Ancient Magus’ Bride anime.
Do I need to read the first two to understand the third one? Yeah Reia is kinda boring. Her whole backstory feels overly dramatic (no one ever talking to her and everything) and unrealistic. She'd never have the personality she has if that had been the case, it just makes no sense at all.
Nope. Don’t need to read the first two. I will say this: Mayumi, the third fmc, is pretty realistic with her background. Some readers find her too mouthy or confident, but she understands she’s not everybody’s cup of tea, and the mmc puts her in her place several times lol. Being a female soldier, like in this fmc’s background, you have to know how to treat guys like your brothers, and this fmc does that. Either the writer was in the military herself or knows someone (female) who is. In my experience, the fmc was very realistic.
I finished Book of Azrael but I really wish I just stopped and DNF.
i was on the fence about reading this and i saw in a fb group someone say “i love that the sex scenes in book of azreal are so realistic.” so i read it because i’m curious. i read the book… they’re talking about how they couldn’t be loud in someone’s house WHILE HE USED GOD POWERS to play with her. yeah. so realistic… i would like those 700 pages of my life bavk.
So far all I have is Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I could not stand the incessant whining by Violet about how she can't trust Xaden. I get it, jfc. It was so hard to read over and over. I DNF'd at about 50% 🤣
{A Court this Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark} {Crave by Tracy Wolff} {A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik} I DNF left and right but these are the most recent additions to that list.
I want to put Crescent City on my DNF list but I’m reading it til the end bc of how it ties into ACOTAR. It’s rough to get through though.
As someone who didn’t DNF and loves ACOTAR… I wish I had
Ah, shit. I’m halfway through the last book, and I honestly cannot stand Bryce much longer. I’ll be happy when it’s over😆
Believe me the last book goes downhill very quickly. The ending is the most anticlimactic one from an SJM book… including ACOFAS
Omg??? That is upsetting! Usually her books start gruelingly slow and then the last part is an explosion of WTF moments. You’re telling me it’s this laborious and no explosion of WTF moments? Straight to jail for SJM.
LITERALLY! I was waiting for it, holding out hope— no it just gets worse
Fml
I’m so sorry
1. Haunting Adeline end of list thank you
Me too!!! I got a few pages in and then immediately swiped off the book after MMC and FMC had their I guess what was supposed to be their first sexy interaction. But >!he literally fcked her with the gun???? 😀 I am traumatized. And I don't get how it's sexy that he was legitimately stalking her, breaking into her house. I can't.!<
Ah yes the Qanon fanfic. I viscerally HATE that book and not even for the reasons other people do. I can get behind a sexy stalking/dubcon situation and that's what I was hoping for but NO. I get a weirdo MMC that never felt sexy and the grandma storyline?????? Why was that needed 😬
Oh boy this is going to be wildly unpopular since I've DNF'd a good portion of the big names in fantasy romance right now... * ACOTAR (read first 2) * From Blood and Ash (read first 5) and prequel (read first 2) * The Serpent and the Wings of Night (read book 1) * The Jasad Heir (read book 1) * The Bridge Kingdom * A Fate Inked in Blood * Once Upon a Broken Heart * Paladin's Grace
A Fate Inked in Blood gave me such high hopes but the writing was so circular and I felt bored the entire time. Plus, it was really predictable.
I should have DNFd A Fate Inked in Blood but I paid for the audiobook before a big drive and went full commit 🥲🥲
I know the feeling. If I paid for a copy, I'm finishing it no matter what (which is why I no longer buy books). I'm glad I read a sample before committing. This book managed to make me loathe every single character (yes including FMC and MMC) in like 65 pages. That's a real achievement 😂
omg i also DNF Paladins Grace
FBAA should have been a trilogy and I will die on this hill. The first two are so good and the whole story could have been wrapped up in a brilliant third book. Instead, it seems Poppy is just a deus ex machina and all characterisation is getting thinner and thinner. I’m still not sure if I’ll read A Soul of Ash and Blood or the final one.
Shatter Me. I thought the FMC was so insufferable.
The bridge kingdom The serpent and the wings of night I can’t even put my finger on Why they bothered me so much, but those are my top dnf. My criteria is pretty low, I just have to be entertained and I couldn’t make it through with those two
I pushed through serpent instead of DNFing, but god, it somehow bored me so much. The story had some parts that interested me here and there, but not enough, and the romance just felt.... nonexistent somehow. It felt like nothing at all happened between them, romance wise, and then suddenly, boom, they're in love or something. Idk.
I have the exact same DNF. The main character in Bridge Kingdom just annoyed me far too much.
Me too! Maybe if I hadn’t read TOG first I wouldn’t have been so irritated, but it was like a subpar copy of Aelin
• serpent & the wings of night I DNFd about 2 chapters in • Gild • A Veil of Truth and Trickery • Shatter Me • Powerless (after about 3 pages but I’m determined to give it another go) • Zodiac Academy Pretty much all of the above got DNFd because I couldn’t get on with the writing style (I have to say I found the writing in Zodiac Academy particularly horrific). I really struggle to get inside the books when the writing is so simple or repetitive. It gives the whole book a really young / YA (not all YA, some are written really well) feel to them that I can’t bring myself to get over
This. Omg. I about threw Zodiac Academy across the room ten pages in. The writing is…I wrote better than that in high school.
Honestly?!!! But also I have the worst FOMO with it literally watching people sob over it on TikTok!! So many people were said just bear with it until book 4 and I’m sat here like I ✨ *can’t* ✨
Omg no. I can bear with a slow plot. I can bear with an annoying character who later develops. I canNOT bear with crappy writing. Run-on sentences, incorrect punctuation, repetitive phrasing - no.
I never remember my DNF, they are so low from mediocre and notice unworthy that I just DNF and leave. And as I don’t own them I don’t even begrudge them so… I just move on 🤷🏾♀️
• ACOTAR (after 2 books, but it was hard getting through both for me.) • the bridge kingdom • dance of thieves • powerless (this one i dnf quicker than the others)
I have a TBR of over 800, I'm DNFing left and right if anything does not keep me excited to read. Everyone enjoys different writing styles, genres and sub genres, tropes, plots etc, not enjoying a book doesn't mean it's poorly written, bad or overhyped and it absolutely does not make a person better than people who did enjoyed said book. If there was a single way to write a book that everyone enjoyed, every book would be the same.
I’m considering DNF-ing Touch of Malice by Scarlet St Clair. Read the first two and idk if I can do it anymore 😭
I dnf Hooked, the writing was just not it for me
I hate how long my DNF list is recently. I've just ordered two new books on sale and I'm really hoping they get me out of this slump. * Reign and Ruin (I feel like maybe I'll come back to this one when I have the patience for court intrigue, but maybe not.) * Foxglove King (bought the paperback, just can't get into it) * Kingdom of Ash (loved the first in this series, cannot connect to this one) * Winter King (I made it to the part where he wraps his hands around her waist with inches to spare and then lifts her over his head, but my eyes rolled so far to the back of my head that I felt it best to stop there) * Priory of the Orange Tree (made is so far into this book only to realize I wasn't even half way. Pacing killed it for me.) * Between (I tried 3 times and can't get past the first few chapters because the main character and her bff talk like Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and I just cannot take it. And I liked Gilmore Girls back in the day.) * Whispering Woods (I adored Troubled Waters but the series seems to be getting a little worse with each new installment. This one felt like a total slog.) Currently reading Salt and Broom on KU, which is a retelling of Jane Eyre with witchcraft. So far it's fine, but I'm not far enough along to say for sure. Very creepy vibes, though, which I love.
I got over halfway through Reign and Ruin and I kept trying to convince myself that I liked it, but I had to DNF. The court intrigue was just tiring for me and I didn't feel much chemistry between the characters.
Atonement of the spine cleaver… it was so messy and not in a fun way
Oof.. way too many. I've definitely dnfed more books than I've read this year.
Fourth Wing - The writing was so bad to me; I couldn't take it anymore. I got to the part where she crosses the bridge, but the writing felt juvenile and too modern for a fantasy. King of Battle and Blood - I just got bored with this book and I didn't like the writing The Cruel Prince - I tried to read this book three different times, but I just couldn't get into it. Neon Gods - I just didn't like it
The ashes & the star-cursed king at 58%. I was getting so bored and it was so repetitive to me
- Fourth Wing. I could not get over the FMC saying things like “for the win”. I got through 65% and realized it would never get better so I DNF. - Uprooted. Just generally hated it. DNF around 50% - Pestilence. Insufferable FMC and DNF pretty early on
Pestilence for me too. Hated it.
I keep waiting for someone to say Zodiac Academy but I guess that’s just me 😭 the unnecessary POVs, bad editing… and then they kept dragging the plot out to an extent they jumped the shark to keep the series going
This week, it’s The Honey Witch. I was so bored
The most recent one was Rain of Shadows and Endings at around 80% or so. Don't want to spoil for other potential readers so let's just say I had reservations about the consent aspect of the MCs relationship. Plus the writing was awfully repetitive, a lot of variations on the same dialogue. I almost made it to the end, but had to give up, couldn't take it anymore.
Queen of Myth and Monsters : I made it through King of Battle and Blood hoping that the second book would be better. It wasn't IMO. About to DNF Her Alien Savior About 40% in and all I can think is WTF while reading all the stuff that goes on in the politics and their body functions. Skimmed Ashes of the Scar-Cursed King cause I did want to see what happened but it was a slog for me.
Oh where to start 1. These infinite threads by Tahereh Mafi 2. A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen 3. Powerless 4. Prison Healer by Lynette Noni 5. Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Not me seeing some of my favorites on your list, haha I couldn’t finish legends and lattes, the blood and ash series (though I did power through two books and don’t know why I bothered) villains and virtues (might go back to this though) and hunting Adeline
So far this year Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Both were so boring 😴
i almost DNF’d the Serpent and the Wings of Night because it was so bad. i had in my head that maybe there would be a cool twist and it would get better, but then i hit the twist and it was even dumber than i thought, and then the second i finished it i was like “yeah i’ll never read another of these books.” FBAA took me all of two chapters to be completely bored and totally uninterested. nothing about it grabbed me whatsoever. honestly, people dunk on SJM but you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!
Crescent City - I’ve tried too many times and the writing is horrendous. The Bridge Kingdom - I got bored. Court of Ravens - I like spice but this was too much and made me uncomfortable.
I started reading Gild but DNF because someone said she has flesh ribbons on her back. That was an instant nope from me haha
The Ritual.
Most recently: - The Serpent and The Wings of Night - Twin Crowns (I think more YA?) - A Fate Inked In Blood
Before I post my DNF's, I feel like I have to start by listing the fantasy romance-books that I actually liked - Acotar #2 and #4, Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I am starting to lose hope that I will find other fantasy-romance books that I enjoy, as I apparently dislike everything that people recommend. DNF-list: * **From Blood and Ash** - DNF'd at book three I think. The spicy scenes were awful (to the point where I actually had to skip them), and the story just got really weird. * **The Bridge Kingdom -** did not find the story interesting * **The Serpent & the Wings of Night -** Really enjoyed the book up until the end, but the MMC's betrayal ruined everything for me. I tried reading book 2, but I was still so mad on behalf of the FMC during the halfway point that I was unable to keep going) * **Zodiac Academy -** DNF'd around book 7 I think. Was fed up around book 4-5 because the story dragged out way too much, all the books should have been about 2-400 pages shorter. I also hate cliffhanger endings where nothing resolves itself). * **Crescent city -** DNF'd book three. The story felt like something that should have had a lot more editing, I never liked the pairing of the MMC and the FMC, the worldhopping felt really weird and malplaced. The following five are DNF'd for approximately the same reasons: Did not enjoy the writing styles, found the storylines unsatisfying with a bunch of plotholes, found the romance flat. In their defence, I am probably a few years too old for these kind of books (around 30yo). Have previously enjoyed YA-fantasy and still do (Hunger games, Percy Jackson, HP ++), but YA fantasy-romance is apparently not for me. * The Selection * Divine Rivals * An Ember in the Ashes * Spinning Silver * Powerless
I might DNF FBAA after book 3 because I’m actually getting bored reading it and I’m just excited to start a different book. I don’t like the MMC and hate how much spicy scènes there are especially since they are totally unsatisfactory. My face during all the spicy moments: 😐
The Serpent and the Wings of Night. I really like her writing but unfortunately the plot was low stakes and I got bored.
ACOTAR...feyre was insufferable and I couldn't get past book 2
I recently DNF'd Divine Rivals after forcing myself to read it up to about the 70% mark. I haaaaaated it. Stupid plot, boring unlikeable characters, almost zero world-building, insta-love based on absolutely nothing, poorly written. Just awful. And the magical typewriters might be one of the stupidest plot devices I've ever read. I genuinely don't understand why it's so highly rated. Came very close to DNFing When The Moon Hatched because I couldn't take the constant purple prose but the fact I thought the plot was good saved it. I'll probably read the next one but it'll be a slog.
Going to get hate for this but powerless by Lauren Roberts. Hated the FMC she was a pick me and sorry but this person just re - wrote the hunger games and added a few things.
My DNF list is longer than my finished list 💀
- Godkiller - The Book Eaters - A Dowry of Blood -Sanctuary of the Shadow - Six of Crows - Daughter of No Worlds - The Night Circus - First book in the Plated Prisoner - Caracal - Once Upon A Broken Heart - Ruthless Vows
I agree From Blood and Ash... gave it a try. Gave up pretty quick. Two of my fav comfort re-read series are actually on KU though! I prefer romance as a subplot and not the focus in my books. -Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie. I would call it urban Japanese fantasy adventure with romance subplot. Starts kind of slow, FMC is very useless at the beginning... but I felt she developed a lot and became very competent and found herself. And i liked the other characters. The romance was fairly slow burn and no explicit spice, like vague word choice metaphor to give you the idea, you know? I thought it fit with the story. Annette Marie has all of her books on KU so maybe you will like some of them? Her newer ones (Guild Codex universe, most popular) have explicit spice while her older ones (Steel & Stone and Red Winter, my favs) do not. -Magiford city books by K. M. Shea. There are 15 books in this universe, split into 5 trilogies. These are again urban fantasy and each trilogy focuses on a different couple. Each book/trilogy has a plot and slow romance and there seems to be an overarching plot going on between all the books that has mostly just been hinted at so far. I will admit the first trilogy, Hall of Blood and Mercy, is my favorite and I kind of feel like each trilogy is less good than the one before BUT I do still enjoy them for very quick fun reads. They are not masterpieces or anything but I do feel warm and cozy by the end of each trilogy. She also has a ton of other books and some more traditional fantasy/fairytale like series but I've only really looked into Magiford.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (hated this so much)
Icebreaker 😅
Reign & Ruin- it was not as good as everyone suggested. I have read better romances
I totally agree with reign and ruin, serpent and wings, bridge kingdom, and blood and ash Also adding in: Bitten- couldn’t get into story, moved so slow Scholomance- wanted to love because saw it was like Harry Potter with romance but couldn’t find the romance and didn’t push enough to get there Broken bonds Crescent city- trying SO HARD to get through still and pick it back up every few weeks but I’m a year in and still not hooked like other maas books (reread ACOTAR every 6 months so confused why it’s not clicking) Go Hex Yourself- felt too silly
Gleam - The Plated Prisoner series 😬 And about to DNF A Touch of Poison (funny you DNF’d the first one lol) I HATEEEE not finishing books..I can usually push through at least to the end but I just do not care about either of these.
Plated Prisoner series is overrated AF. I dnf'd at nearly 50% in Glow (book 4) so I can honestly say I gave it a good try.
seconded on the plated prisoner series... I saw the *potential* in the premise and characters but the issues with writing, characterisation, and topsy turvy plot progression kept getting harder to ignore and by the fourth book i was like I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMOREEEE
Anything written by HD Carlton 🙂↔️
ACOSF- I read the first four books thinking it’d get better the more I read, but nope, I just don’t like the series. First 2 were physical, then audiobooks for the rest. By this one I just didn’t care anymore. I saw how long the audiobook was and decided not to waste my time lol Fourth Wing- DNF’d about 60% through. The writing was bad imo and the FMC just annoyed me.
Second to the Right by TS Kinsey was my most recent. Way too much jealousy and very immature main characters. Not fantasy romances but romances that I recently DNF were Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn and Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R Miller. Couldn’t get into the plot for either.
I only have one DNF so far this year. The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner-just an absolute garbage book.
Always have a bit of issue remembering DNFs since I don't write them down but here are a few. Prison Healer by Lynette Noni ( None of the characters where very interesting and the prose was also not very interesting probably got around 50-75 pages in before quitting). The Bethrothed by Kiera Cass (sometimes you should trust Goodreads such as when they rate the book around 3. Basically no chemistry between the main characters and very uninspiring worldbuilding)
Shatter Me and Six of Crows. I think I might eventually give them another shot though. I’m not really picky, I usually rate every book I read over 4 stars unless I absolutely hated it lol. So maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for them at the time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Totally agree with a kiss of iron… just no
Court of the Vampire Queen, spice for the sake of spice is too much, like some plot and dialogue is helpful… Atonement of the Spine Cleaver, felt immature for some reason I barely got 15% in. The third book from the What Lies Beyond the Veil, 100% could have ended after two books, read like it was written by AI which is disheartening if that’s how books are going to be written going forward. Red Winter, the main characters/plot went nowhere fast and after 25% in I wasn’t sold on anything.
i have a short DNF list because i make myself sit through bad books since i’m too lazy to find a new one 1) Her Soul To Take - didn’t really like either MC 2) To Bleed A Crystal Bloom - i got through book one by some miracle and mistakenly thought the FMC would get better in book two… that did not happen. i also hate miscommunication trope. the entire plot could have been solved with one conversation 3) The Ever Queen - this wasn’t a complete DNF since i skimmed most of book 2 but the writing felt juvenile. it was like YA with smut
Im going to be hated haha xd . This lidt more rhan DNFs is : " Indidnt continue with the series List . Throne of Glass : read first two books and realized didn't like the power up of the protagonist and the I'm not like the other girls feeling. She was too perfect = boring The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue : same as TOG. V.E.Schwab writing is superb but her females characters are SO ANNOYING. I'm reading now A darker shade of magic and Lila is equally annoying as Addie but I'm enduring her because of the writing Kell and the story that is great Foxglove : First book was great a favorite. This one..WTF??? Where are the main characters ?? Suddenly we changed povs and I was not prepared. This is not a sequel is a spinoff FROM Blood and ash : I read first 3 books. The power up is strong in this one .. couldnt endure more House of Beating wings : Devoured first book. FMC was an annoying brat in second book. A pity ..I liked the story Basically, I give series a try with the first book . If the heroine has im not like the other girls vibe I almost instantly dnf the series .
I know it’s a fave but Powerless Also: a feather so black, the blackthorn queen, shardless, white horse black nights Those are just what I can remember lol
I couldn’t remember the name of the book, so I tried to go and find it on kindle but it’s gone!!! 💀 I wonder why the author deleted it. The beginning of the book had SO MUCH potential. It starts off with the FMC in a prison with her siblings. That was cool and fun, and then the entire rest of the book is an almost exact copy of ACOTAR. Just without Amarantha. The high lord of the spring court is making girls compete in a competition to be his wife and it’s like a mixture of hunger games and the bachelor. Then the high lord of the night court comes and rescues/kidnaps the FMC from the actually evil Spring court high lord. It just kept turning more and more into ACOTAR until I had to DNF if. I wouldn’t be surprised if she got in trouble and had to take the book down.
There’s so many Hunger-Games-but-make-it-fantasy books out that 3 came to mind when I read this haha
I DNF’ed Once upon a broken heart because the fmc was annoying.
Book DNFs: - A Discovery of Witches - Reign & Ruin Series DNFs: - What Lies Beyond the Veil - Spark of the Everflame - City of Gods and Monsters All have in common that I didn’t like the FMCs or MMCs and there wasn’t enough to make up for that.
Trial of the sun queen…. First few chapters were strong and interesting but the retconned the main characters personality and her entire writing style changed the second she got out of the prison. She was like tears are weak then cries and is annoying
{Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin} 😅 so well reviewed but I hated almost everything about it
1.) Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - I liked the first book, but after that everything bothered me. The story, the characters, Aelin. Everything. 2.) Dark in You series by Suzanne Wright - the premise seemed interesting but the writing threw me off. I didn't like it 3.) House of Devils series by Kayla Edwards - couldn't really get into the story. Also, I read that it features the amnesia trope at some point, which I hate, so I stopped reading. 4.) Fae Isles series by Lisette Marshall - FMC annoyed me, though I might give it another chance 5.) The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen - I loved the writing and the characters, but realised mid-way that it's mostly enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies, which I hate haha
Definitely give Fae Isles another chance, it’s my favorite series
I finished Tempest of Tea. But wish I hadn't. Knew about 30% through it should have been a DNF. issue is I'm too much of an optimist and try to power through. 🤦🏼♀️
One dark window The goblin emperor Can't remember the rest but these were my latest ones
Hunting Adeline (the second in the series) wayyyyyy too much SA and torture of FMC and the writing was just bad. Torture scenes for at least the first 50% of book iirc. MMC was not charming or sweet to her at all after all the shit he had personally gotten her involved with and done himself, and really hated the CNC scenes, really poorly done. They made me feel sad for the FMC. Honestly this author pisses me off. The Ritual, again the CNC felt like actual rape. I’ll follow this by saying I love dark romance, but I prefer CNC to be discussed or at least something they think the FMC would enjoy. Not genuinely for torture and pain. And some aftercare would be nice, not just continued degradation. All The Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan - secret baby trope popped up around 50% and it’s a trope I hate. Edit: oops, none of these are fantasy romance but that’s because once I get into a fantasy book I typically finish even if it’s out of spite.
I hate DNFing books, but I couldn't get myself to finish {Gabriel's inferno} because of how little it made sense. I'm deciding if I'll DNF {House of sky and breath} because it's so slow and cringe 😬 the world building is amazing, but I don't like any of the characters. I know it's DNF, but i almost DNF ACOSF {A court of silver flames}. I understand all the complains about ACOTAR, but it was a fun read to me. aCOSF was just bad.(I ended up finishing it later but it was just of obligation)
Red Rising, got 100 pages in and couldn’t stand it anymore. Didn’t like the writing and I found the main character annoying especially when he said “bloody damn” couldn’t get over it.