Books You Couldn’t Finish (DNF) or That Didn’t Work For You - 2025

[Liz]

I was disappointed in I’ll Be Right Here . My 2.5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PattyMacDotComma]

A sad DNF. I was so looking forward to this and nearly bought a copy as a gift, but figured I'd better read it myself first (thank you, library). I tried, I really tried, to finish Somewhere Beyond the Sea, the second book in the Cerulean Chronicles by the imaginative T.J. Klune.
My comments on Somewhere Beyond the Sea

[Robin]

I listened to The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard. DNF - Gave up at 42 percent.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

DNF this one at 40%

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski

A multi-perspective literary fiction focussed on a death in a small town. Too disjointed for my liking.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

This book was simply awful. I was hoping for a cozy "witchy" book because I enjoyed the first book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Debra]

My review for A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S. Kaufman

If you want to read a good Robinhood retelling, I'd definitely NOT recommend this one.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Canadian Jen]

Couldn't finish this one...too many themes. Counting Backwards . My thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Debra]

My 2 star review for The Bachelorette Party

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

The Teacher - Freida McFadden - (Massachusetts)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
1.5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg

The audiobook shattered my state of paradise. Might work better for those who enjoy stream-of-consciousness writing.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang

I expected much better of this Korean hit, but it seems quite confused about the age group it is targeting.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Faith]

My review of The Other People by C.B. Everett

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

The Twin's Bodyguard by Veronica Forand 3-Stars
Switching places could get the wrong twin killed.
My Review

Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble 3-Stars
Forces want to destroy, and greed is only one motive.
My Review

[Carol]

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - Cheryl Strayed - (California, Oregon, Washington)
Genera: Backpack journey through the Mojave Desert
2.5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Fake Death - Victoria Tait - (England)
Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery Series Book #1
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

Disappointed in this one 3* for

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Flying in Colors by Padma Prasad Reddeppa

A middle-grade historical fiction set in 1970s India. The setting and era are unusual for this genre, but the writing didn't work for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

Supposed to be an adult historical fantasy combining Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. but the writing style was a bit too YA for my liking. If you still want to try this, do NOT opt for the audio.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liz]

I’m the outlier, but I really didn’t like The Locked Ward . My two star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Never thought I'd be an outlier for this historical fiction. :(
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Robin]

I listened to Dawn's Hidden Threat by Elizabeth Goddard.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Perfect Score- Christina Lee
Eastern U Pirates Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
2★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Mark]

Closing out the month with the disappointing Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda]

My review for Cry Wolf by Michael Gregorio

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

The Egg and I –Betty MacDonald – 1*
Betty MacDonald’s “memoir” of her life as a newlywed on a chicken ranch in the Olympic Penninsula area of Washington was a runaway bestseller when it first appeared in 1945. I have to give her credit for making a life “in the wilderness” with the man she loves, despite her own background of relative privilege. But I was highly disappointed in the book. I do not at all like the way MacDonald portrays the local people, especially the Native American population. I know times were different then, but I don’t find denigrating others funny or charming or even excusable.
LINK to my full review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Books 1 & 2 of the Sunken Archive duology by Sylvie Cathrall, and both almost equally disappointing.

1. A Letter to the Luminous Deep


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

AND

2. A Letter from the Lonesome Shore


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Robin]

I listened to What Lies Between Us by John Marrs.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

The Draining Lake - Arnaldur Indridason - (Iceland)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
2.5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Be Gay, Do Crime: Sixteen Stories of Queer Chaos

This promised to be a fun anthology, but it was more tiresome. Hardly any crime and a lot of R-rated content. Might work for another reader, but not for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Stay in the Light - A.M. Shine - (Ireland)
The Watcher's Trilogy Book #2
Genera: Horror/Fantasy
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop by Jaimie Admans

One of my biggest disappointments of 2025. Never thought this author would let me down! :( Mine is an outlier review yet again...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Sentence: Stories by Mikhail Iossel

A collection of one-sentence stories that simply didn't come together.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

An American Tragedy - Theodore Dreiser - (New York/Illinois)
Genera: True Story
2.5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

The best thing about this cozy fantasy was probably the cover. Mine is an outlier review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Little Bird Sleeps by the Sea by Yuu Minaduki

I expected something more impactful from that wholesome cover.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Women of Note by M.J. Buckman

My bad July run continues with this disaster of a read. It had such potential! But the writing and editing did no favours to the book.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

The House on Tradd Street by Karen White 🎧 3-Stars
Not what I wanted it to be.
My Review

A SEAL's Duty by Jennifer Lowery 3 1/2-Stars
SEAL vs Stalker. Guess who wins?
My Review

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez 3 1/2-Stars
Can true love break the curse?
My Review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The weakest two stories of the Alibi collection are the middle two stories.

Story #3: False Note by David Lagercrantz

I don't know if anything was lost in translation, but I didn't like this much.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Story #4: The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian

The ending makes this among the worst short stories I have ever read.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liz]

Kill Your Darlings was one big slog of a boring supposed mystery. My two star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

by Danielle Steel

My review 2 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

by Gillian Anderson

My review two stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Prophecy by Lisa Zimmermann

An urban fantasy possible better for older YA/NA readers.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

by Melissa Panarello

My review 2 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Laura]

The sixth and final book of the London League series by Rebecca Connolly was a disappointing, confused mess. I gave it a generous 2**

To Sketch a Sphinx

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Third Act of Theo Gruene by Talya Tate Boerner

If you can tolerate an overly precocious child character, this book might still click better with you. Mine is an outlier opinion.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

He Falls First by Jill Shalvis 2-Stars
It's Called Life
My Review*

[Laura]

Gave book #2 of the Seasons of Change series a 2** rating and review. Cannot recommend it.


A Forgiving Heart by Kasey Stockton

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kat]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've loved other Wendy Walker books, but this was a big miss for me.