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kari's Reviews > A Discovery of Witches
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)
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THIS IS ACTUALLY ZERO stars, but it won't be listed if I put zero, so, just so you know - ZERO!.
I thought this was going to be a really entertaining read, but I'm giving up. The main character makes no sense, whatsoever. We're told that she isn't able to do magic and then she does magic. Huh???
And then we have the vampire sneaking in her window and watching her sleep, fascinated by her sleeping. Where have I read this before? Let's see....... can anyone think of where they might have read this? Anyone?
I don't care that she glows when she sleeps. I already know it's because it's linked to her ignoring her magic or because it's trapped inside her or because she's simply too cheap to buy a nightlight(yes, I made that last one up), but I'm not really intrigued enough to find out.
What I've learned thus far is that the author is very proud of her knowledge of Oxford and the library there. I could have used far less information about walking around the town, where she goes rowing, where she's sitting in the library for gosh sakes and other unimportant minutiae.
I got this book before it was listed as part of a trilogy.
BEWARE, series alert.
I might have found the energy to finish this one off, but I can't imagine reading three books like this one. Nope, not gonna do it.
Fifty pages. That's it. Thank you and good night!
Had to create a brand new shelf for this one: "books-i-choose-not-to-finish"
On the positive side, I'VE DONE IT! I've actually stopped reading a book that I felt was a waste of time. I didn't think I would, but I did it. (Yes, I know it's a small thing to celebrate, but I'm going to do my happy dance anyway!)
I thought this was going to be a really entertaining read, but I'm giving up. The main character makes no sense, whatsoever. We're told that she isn't able to do magic and then she does magic. Huh???
And then we have the vampire sneaking in her window and watching her sleep, fascinated by her sleeping. Where have I read this before? Let's see....... can anyone think of where they might have read this? Anyone?
I don't care that she glows when she sleeps. I already know it's because it's linked to her ignoring her magic or because it's trapped inside her or because she's simply too cheap to buy a nightlight(yes, I made that last one up), but I'm not really intrigued enough to find out.
What I've learned thus far is that the author is very proud of her knowledge of Oxford and the library there. I could have used far less information about walking around the town, where she goes rowing, where she's sitting in the library for gosh sakes and other unimportant minutiae.
I got this book before it was listed as part of a trilogy.
BEWARE, series alert.
I might have found the energy to finish this one off, but I can't imagine reading three books like this one. Nope, not gonna do it.
Fifty pages. That's it. Thank you and good night!
Had to create a brand new shelf for this one: "books-i-choose-not-to-finish"
On the positive side, I'VE DONE IT! I've actually stopped reading a book that I felt was a waste of time. I didn't think I would, but I did it. (Yes, I know it's a small thing to celebrate, but I'm going to do my happy dance anyway!)
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A Discovery of Witches.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
April 19, 2011
– Shelved
April 19, 2011
– Shelved as:
books-i-choose-not-to-finish
April 19, 2011
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 218 (218 new)
message 1:
by
Jamie
(new)
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rated it 1 star
Apr 19, 2011 06:47PM
I loved your review! My Kindle says I'm 88% through this snoozefest yet here I am, still trolling goodreads for a spoiler so I can put this thing down! Just torturous! You saved yourself 4 hours of your life you'd never get back.
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I just could not go on with it. I was so bored and frustrated. How can you take a book about witches and vampires and demons and make it so dry and lifeless?
Jamie wrote: "I loved your review! My Kindle says I'm 88% through this snoozefest yet here I am, still trolling goodreads for a spoiler so I can put this thing down! Just torturous! You saved yourself 4 hours of..."Oh, and I'll be waiting for your review. You have more patience than I do LOL
Your reviews are too damn awesome Kari. I get excited when I see a new one. lolOh, I also celebrated when I first quit a book. I still try not to do it (although actually I just decided to quit one a few minutes ago) but I really started feeling lighter. I wouldn't go back for anything!
Thanks! This is my first stopping of a book and it felt really good. I'm like you, I hate to give up and think I'll miss out on something good. But then I've found that my first impression usually turns out to be the right one. Not always, but usually.
This review made me laugh. I myself have struggled with finishing it but I hate to give up. I'm about half way through and still trudging along.
Oh thanks. This was a first for me, to quit on a book. I just couldn't keep going. I'll be waiting to hear what you think when you finish. Let me know.
You made it further than I did...I read about 30 pages before giving up.
Kara wrote: "You made it further than I did...I read about 30 pages before giving up."Oh it's very tough for me to ever give up, and I was going to give it a go, but then I saw it's part of a trilogy and nope, not willing to read THREE books I won't enjoy. No way. �
I finished it and I was not disappointed at all..the history involved in this book along with the detail of alchemy was interesting and very intriguing. I wish you would have stuck with it...not for everyone, I guess.
Dee wrote: "I finished it and I was not disappointed at all..the history involved in this book along with the detail of alchemy was interesting and very intriguing. I wish you would have stuck with it...not fo..."I'm glad you liked it. I've read lots of reviews praising it, but I gave it as much time as I was willing to invest, particularly when I saw that it was the beginning of a series. And if I read one book of a series, I have a tough time not reading the rest of the series, something which I'm trying to stop doing. It just wasn't for me.
I have the same feeling when I read the book, so bored that I need to check the review. Glad I did, your review is awesome.
Lee wrote: "I have the same feeling when I read the book, so bored that I need to check the review. Glad I did, your review is awesome."Thanks, Lee. I do wish I liked this one, the premise sounded interesting. Oh well.
i'm so glad i'm not the only one who found this book tedious! i really felt my spirit leave my body on that part where Matthew plays billiards and chess and stalks deer... and on and on and on! argh!
Your review was right on target. What a boring book! I couldn't believe that it was getting rave reviews on B&N and Amazon. Then as time passed and more people read it, the 1 and 2 star reviews started showing up. How about all that tea drinking, napping, and deciding which black pants to wear???
I know. I couldn't take any more of it. Pointless.
Can you spell "hype?"
Kagama wrote: "Can you spell "hype?""Exactly!
EM wrote: "There was no story."It has all the elements of what I thought would be a really exciting story. Witches and vampires and demons and a strange book... but then way too much tea drinking �
You forget the yoga:P
Kagama wrote: "You forget the yoga:P"I' trying to forget all of it :-)
kari wrote: "Kagama wrote: "You forget the yoga:P"I' trying to forget all of it :-)"
Haha,I understand.Its kind of like that "The Ring" tape lol
Kagama wrote: "kari wrote: "Kagama wrote: "You forget the yoga:P"I' trying to forget all of it :-)"
Haha,I understand.Its kind of like that "The Ring" tape lol"
True LOL
People get highly defensive when I say I didn't like it. Wonder what the author thinks of the less than stellar reviews. I'm paranoid though, I gave a one-star review to a book on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and the author kept writing to me, basically harassing me about how she had 5 star reviews on all her books....yeah, all the 5 star reviews were given by other authors. She really creeped me out!
EM wrote: "People get highly defensive when I say I didn't like it. Wonder what the author thinks of the less than stellar reviews. I'm paranoid though, I gave a one-star review to a book on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and the..."Ooh, I would NOT like that. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. One's person's favorite book is another's snoozefest.
She was really obnoxious and didn't give up easily. And a crappy writer at that hahahahhaa.
Twilight for adults!
oh thank goodness! I was starting to think I was the only person in the world who hates this book. I haven't even finished it yet - I'm only up to where she first goes to France with Superman (as you so adeptly put it), but I just. Cannot. Keep. Reading. Gah. And I think I would be too scared to meet the author really - she's obviously one of those SuperWomen who can do everything brilliantly. She knows everything about illustrated old manuscripts, an expert on alchemy, probably an Olympic rower, The World's Bestest Wine connoisseur, teaches an award-winning yoga class...let's see, is there anything she can't do? I went to sleep dreaming of Mary Sue.
Oh that's terrible. There is a thread posted somewhere in which an author rips into a reviewer, ends uup f-bombing several times and going bonkers. It is funny, but also sad that someone trying to have a career as a writer would behave that way. Even the authors of what are considered today classics had critics.
Jaki wrote: "oh thank goodness! I was starting to think I was the only person in the world who hates this book. I haven't even finished it yet - I'm only up to where she first goes to France with Superman (as y..."Vey true! I still don't understand all the five star reviews. I keep thinking did we read the same book? Not to put down anyone's opinion.
Angie wrote: "Twilight for adults!"Exactly. And that isn't a compliment LOL
kari wrote: "Oh that's terrible. There is a thread posted somewhere in which an author rips into a reviewer, ends uup f-bombing several times and going bonkers. It is funny, but also sad that someone trying to ..."Ah yes, I've read that thread. it's like a train wreck - you don't want to keep on reading cos you're feeling so bad (and horrified), yet you just keep going. LOL
Jaki wrote: "kari wrote: "Oh that's terrible. There is a thread posted somewhere in which an author rips into a reviewer, ends uup f-bombing several times and going bonkers. It is funny, but also sad that someo..."Yep, so true. LOL
I gave a book a 1-star review and the author was very harrassing and verbally abusive to me. I was so creeped out that I pulled down a lot of my info, deleted my reviews and reported her to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. She wouldn't let it go until I deleted the info. She had many 5 star reviews and when I checked the reviews I realized they were all written by other Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ authors and made a comment about that. She flipped out. I read that some authors have also tried to get reviewers/readers to change their ratings on Amazon as well as Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
KARI: you should post your review on Amazon. It's better than the book!!! You need to review the new Jodie Picoult book too...it was awful. I would love to read your review of that one!!!!!
Twilight: the college years LOL...
EM wrote: "I gave a book a 1-star review and the author was very harrassing and verbally abusive to me. I was so creeped out that I pulled down a lot of my info, deleted my reviews and reported her to Goodrea..."That's just wrong. I have a review of a book that people ripped into so many times that GR removed some of the comments as inappropriate. I was called all kinds of things and told I was stupid and didn't understand good writing, etc. Finally I added a disclaimer that if anyone simply wanted to rip me I wasn't going to leave their comments and that put a stop to it. But seriously everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's what GR is about.
EM wrote: "KARI: you should post your review on Amazon. It's better than the book!!! You need to review the new Jodie Picoult book too...it was awful. I would love to read your review of that one!!!!!"Is that Sing Me Home? I read House Rules and had some major problems with it. I think Picoult and I aren't a good match LOL
EM wrote: "Twilight: the college years LOL..."How true! �
I would like to add to this conversation but I am afraid that would just be repetitive and I really don't want to keep repeating the same ideas over and over and over because constant repetition is monotonous so to avoid repeating the same mistake, I will say again, that I don't want to repeat myself- hummmm...sounds an awful lot like this book ;)
Nancy wrote: "I would like to add to this conversation but I am afraid that would just be repetitive and I really don't want to keep repeating the same ideas over and over and over because constant repetition is..."BRILLIANT!!! lol �
I have to agree. If I could give it zero stars I would.
Barb wrote: "I have to agree. If I could give it zero stars I would."I wonder how this one even got published. I guess someone said hmmm, vampires..... witches..... this will be a hit!
And sad to say, people like me did buy it after reading rave reviews in several literary publications. You just can't trust anyone LOL
kari wrote: "Barb wrote: "I have to agree. If I could give it zero stars I would."I wonder how this one even got published. I guess someone said hmmm, vampires..... witches..... this will be a hit!
And sad..."
I had to laugh at the last paragraph in your review.
On the positive side, I'VE DONE IT! I've actually stopped reading a book that I felt was a waste of time. I didn't think I would, but I did it. (Yes, I know it's a small thing to celebrate, but I'm going to do my happy dance anyway!)
That is EXACTLY what happened to me. I always suffer through books to read to the very end, even if I'm not liking them. This book was the first one I asked, 'Why am I torturing myself to finish it?' Luckily, I borrowed it from a friend & didn't buy it. That was the only good thing about it! LOL!
kari wrote: "EM wrote: "KARI: you should post your review on Amazon. It's better than the book!!! You need to review the new Jodie Picoult book too...it was awful. I would love to read your review of that one!!..."Yes, your review will be more entertaining than the book, I'm sure!
her new one is "Sing Me Home"...really awful LOL.
Barb wrote: "kari wrote: "Barb wrote: "I have to agree. If I could give it zero stars I would."I wonder how this one even got published. I guess someone said hmmm, vampires..... witches..... this will be a hi..."
Oh you are lucky. Did your friend like it?
EM wrote: "kari wrote: "EM wrote: "KARI: you should post your review on Amazon. It's better than the book!!! You need to review the new Jodie Picoult book too...it was awful. I would love to read your review ..."I may see if our library has it. The premise of that one didn't even sound interesting.
Barb wrote: "kari wrote: "Barb wrote: "I have to agree. If I could give it zero stars I would."I wonder how this one even got published. I guess someone said hmmm, vampires..... witches..... this will be a hi..."
Oh and that's exactly what I did. Asked myself why I was continuing when I was so bored and have so many other books around to read. I'm proud of being able to finally stop myself. If I hadn't seen that they've updated it to the start of a trilogy I likely would have continued because I am that stubborn. But when I looked at reviews and they NOW have it listed as part of a series, that finished it for me.
kari wrote: Oh you are lucky. Did your friend like it?" All she said when she gave it to me was, "You have to read this and tell me what you think."
She finished it, but is a huge skimmer when she reads. I can't do that. She thought it was "OK", but had to roll her eyes at the "him liking her in blue; the watching her sleep etc." and all the other similarities.
I really wonder how it was published and how much the reviewer in my Entertainment Weekly was paid to rave about it.
AND A SERIES!!! Are you kidding me?
