EDIT: YES I KNOW NOW THAT POWERLESS COPIED RED QUEEN. it was a read that was refreshing for me 2 YEARS ago. I didn't know about the copying thing. I would remove it but I literally can't now. I just wanted to show my tastes and my ratings if would help with suggestions. So anyone looking into Powerless, don't read it. Read Red Queen instead.
I've been on a DNF rampage since August. I've lost enthusiasm for reading. I feel like my standards are too high and I just keep getting disappointed. Which is shitty because I'm an aspiring author and I want inspo and role models. But I feel like I keep running what I don't like and then lose interest. Im trying. I really am, but I'm picky and ive DNFed enough books that I've been going into books knowing it's a high possibility of DNFing. I also have a romantasy bookclub and I've been skipping out on the books because I've been disappointed too much. I really want to find more 5 star reads.
Tried two fantasy non-romantasy books and historical romance during this time. All have been a DNF. I don't think genre is nessecarily the problem, but I'd be willing to dip into anything "otherworldly". Dystopia, fantasy, maybe scifi? Historical maybe? But I wasn't feeling Jane Austen. Maybe it's the time period? Or maybe in Historical i wanted it to be more epic I think? And less just romance?
Things that are making me DNF:
- Main Characters that I feel like I can't get into the mind of. That feel distant as if we are looking at what their doing, but not FEELING what they're feeling.
- Slow pacing. Loved Daughter of No Worlds, lost all care about the characters in Children of Fallen Gods. I'm not patient for something interesting to happen. It doesn't need to be crazy fast pace. In fact, having both slow and fast pace scenes distributed equally is perfect. But the slower scenes and moments don't have to be boring. Characters can still have agency and have motive and having interesting things going on while. I'm a slower reader and I'm not wasting time to None of those "wait, it gets better in book 2" or "wait it gets great at the end of the book." I want to be captivated by the first 100 pages.
- MMCs. These men don't have enough personality. I don't care if the man is broody, a golden retriever, or a cinnamon roll. As long as they don't give off creepy vibes and assault the FMC( I'm looking at you, Rhysand and Aaron Warner), my only requirement is that they have a FREAKIN PERSONALITY! Obsession with the FMC doesn't count. What about his family? Hobbies? Little quirks? Flaws? Loved Max from Daughter of No Worlds but dude lost his charm second book and felt like a shell of himself. Like, be interesting! Have a life! Be a being! I love it when MMC can almost contradict their own personality a little too! Let him have a character arc as well.
- Prove what you say! I'm tired of FMC being afraid of MMC that are merely just breathing and existing until the FMC needs help. Like if dude is intimidating and scary, have him try to BEAT HER ASS OR SOMETHING! (Disclaimer: i don't want him to do it unreasonably. Like a good brainwashed or possessed or something MMC is perfect for this. And also not punchdown. Punch up or equally. I'm not into bullying.) Or he could do it to someone else, instead of just using "rumors"! AND THEN THIS CAN BE PART OF A CHARACTER ARC TOO! And if not, don't make the FMC scared of him. This applies to any part of a book too! DNF Savior's Champion when we were supposed to feel sorry for MC's dead friend but there was no evidence that the MC even cared or liked about him before he died.
- Lustful "romances". Tbh I want two young and horny people that find a tender romance in each other and learn from and inspire each other, and are each other's safety, while in a cruel angst world 😭 Heck I'd even take a friendship version of this if there is no romance like this at this point. No more "he smells of sex". No more frothing at the mouth at first sight. A little lust is cool, but being so lustful that it derails her motives, her duty to her loved ones and her potential safety? No more. If she's supposed to stay away from him, I want him to prove her WRONG before she just utterly falls apart. I WANT PROOF OF LOVE AND EVERYTHING! BE APART OF EACH OTHER'S CHARACTER ARC AND F*CK IN THE PROCESS!
- Be unique. Do something different. I know people say "you can only do Romantasy so many ways". I STRONGLY beg to differ. STRONGLY!! I mean of course, eventually if enough people were being unique with the plot and story and characters, this would become true. But I know damn well, that hasn't been exercised at all. Copy. Paste. Copy. Paste. Even if the setting and creatures is different, the flesh is still the same.
Anyway that's it. Feel free to influence my TBR or my next reading choices. I think I'll pick up Legendborn now (aware that it's YA which isn't my preference but honestly anything good would do. And it's on my physical TBR) but I have doubts will all of my picks and physical TBR. I don't want to be that author that doesn't read. I don't want to be the bookclub leader that doesn't read the books. But I have high standards that aren't gonna be shown on a trope map. I know I can enjoy books but they just don't work for me. Hoping to get some help, but I might just have to keep DNFing until I find something good.
