When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Started: 24.8.26

DNF: 27.8.26

Paperback

A bit repetitive?

Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Started: 22.8.26

DNF: 24.8.26

Paperback

A DNF. Weird names for the sake of having weird names. 

The Witches At The End Of The World by Chelsea Iversen

Started: 16.6.26

DNF: 16.6.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Animals on the cover

I only got to page 40, but I was already finding the character of Minna to be quite annoying. I just don't think I was in the mood for female rage and witchy revenge.

Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

Started: 6.6.26

DNF: 7.6.26

Paperback

TBR prompt: Added to list in 2025

I wasn't really looking forward to reading this book. It's about Anna, whose parents committed suicide within a few months of each other, except she's not convinced that it was suicide. I can't say that this particular subject matter appealed to me, so I've decided not to continue.

Revival by Stephen King

Started: 30.5.26

DNF: 31.5.26

Paperback

Why am I doing this to myself? I knew before I started this challenge that I didn't really like Stephen King novels, based on the few I'd read. Another DNF. He's just too... wordy... 

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Started: 28.5.26

DNF: 28.5.26

Paperback

I'm not having much luck with Stephen King so far. Another DNF. I think it's just the amount of detail that he goes into about every little thing; it's just too much, I feel kind of bogged down in it all. This is what has put me off in the past, why I haven't read many of his books.

I didn't really know what the story was about - I knew it featured a cat - but I read a few reviews and quickly realised that the plot wasn't going to be one that appealed to me. I skimmed through it and read the last few pages, but I don't regret not finishing it.

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Started: 23.5.26

DNF: 23.5.26

Paperback

When I told my other half that the next SK book that I was going to read was Salem's Lot, he said something like "ooh, you can't beat a good vampire story". My heart sank. I really don't like vampire stories... So I'm not going to force myself to read over 700 pages of something that I'm not really interested in...

Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio

Started: 20.5.26

DNF: 22.5.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Under 300 pages

Well, I seem to be in a bit of a reading slump at the moment, because I couldn't even finish a book that's only 108 pages! It's a silly reason for not continuing, I suppose, but I didn't like the way the characters were speaking to each other, or some of the nicknames they used - I was confused just a few pages in. And things being referred to as The Lump, and The Hole... I don't know, it was just bugging me. Fungi and a rat on the cover are a clue, and I think I'm done with botanical horror for now...

The House On Cold Hill by Peter James

Started: 18.5.26

DNF: 20.5.26

Hardcover

TBR Prompt: From the top shelf (of my bookcase)

Oh dear, it's another DNF! As much as I love a good ghost story - and this was a haunted house ghost story - it just wasn't holding my interest.

In The Woods by Tana French

Started: 18.5.26

DNF: 18.5.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Grey book

Another DNF, another one that could've been the last prompt because I'd been putting this off too. Not for me.

Box 88 by Charles Cumming

Started: 17.5.26

DNF: 18.5.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Book I've been putting off

Well, with a TBR prompt of "book I've been putting off" there was always a chance that I wasn't going to get far with this, and I'm afraid I DNF'd it just a couple of chapters in. Not my cup of tea.

Dark Voyage by Helen Susan Swift

Started: 12.4.26

DNF: 13.4.26

Kindle

TBR Prompt: Set in the early 1900s

I really wanted to like this book, as it's the first in a series of five, I believe all set in Scotland (I'm not sure if they're connected). I made it to page 30 but I just couldn't get past the awful dialogue, it felt so stilted and wooden. This, in turn, made it very hard to even begin to like or get a feel for the characters. It's a DNF, and I'll be removing the other books from my TBR list.

Little Addictions by Catherine Gray

Started: 30.3.26

DNF: 12.4.26

Kindle

Extra book choice - not TBR

This was another Kindle Daily Deal. I'd just read The Unexpected Joy of The Ordinary, and I was curious what this would have to say about phone addiction. I don't think I'm completely addicted to mine, but I would like to spend more time away from it. Again, it's well written and there's nothing wrong with it, but I just read the bits I wanted to rather than the whole thing, so I'm classing it as a DNF.

Glimmers by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips

Started: 30.3.26

DNF: 12.4.26

Kindle

Extra book choice - not TBR

I picked this up as a Kindle Daily Deal. This book is about Glimmers, which are the opposite of Triggers. It suggests that we should try to notice as many glimmers in our days as possible; those moments which make us smile, laugh, feel loved, joyful, connected, experience a positive emotion or reaction.

There are explanations about how the nervous system works, and how glimmers can contribute to feeling calm, present and safe.

The sisters who wrote the book give a lot of examples from their lives, in particular a turbulent childhood, and there are spaces for you to write about your feelings (obviously not in the kindle version), so it's a bit like a workbook too.

I DNF'd the book, not because I disliked it in any way, but just because I felt I'd got enough out of it by about the 25% mark.

As I was reading it, I did start writing down 'glimmers' as I noticed them. I've never been any good at keeping up with a gratitude journal, which is a similar idea, and sure enough, I only kept this up for a few days. I don't disagree with the idea of trying to record the good stuff, but for me, I'd liken it to going to a concert and spending the whole time 'watching' via your phone as you take photos and videos. Having to remember to write things down seemed to take me out of the moment. So I will continue to try and be aware of the glimmers, but I'll just notice them quietly, in my head.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Started: 2.4.26

DNF: 2.4.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Oldest book on my list

I got to page 104 but I wasn't enjoying it. A story about an author whose wife disappears without a trace, I found the MMC to be quite whiny and helpless. I get that he was grieving, but after the story jumped to a year later, it felt like every other sentence mentioned how much he loved his wife and couldn't write or do anything, really, without her. It was very repetitive. So I'm afraid I read some spoilers, then skipped to the end and read the last couple of chapters. There was definitely a big twist or two, but I'm not sorry that I DNF'd this. I do like books that are set in Scotland, so I presume this is why I had this book on my TBR, but even the Scottish island location wasn't enough to save it. I used to read a lot of thrillers but I definitely think my tastes are changing and these kinds of stories don't appeal to me as much as they once did.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Started: 26.3.26

DNF: 26.3.26

Kindle

TBR Prompt: City setting

I chose this book for the city setting prompt, as it's set in London. It follows an apothecary called Nella, in 1791, who dispenses poisons to women across London for the purposes of disposing of men. This aspect of the story appealed to me, as we all like a little bit of female revenge, don't we? There was another POV from a woman named Caroline in the present-day, who was an American currently in London. I believe it was a pre-planned anniversary trip, but she was there alone after finding out her husband had been cheating on her. I'd only read up to the end of chapter three, but the story hadn't really grabbed me at this point, and then I read some online reviews, which persuaded me that I probably wasn't going to enjoy this book, so I've decided to DNF (yes, I'm easily influenced!) 

A Taste Of Darkness by Various Authors

Started: 12.3.26

DNF: 22.3.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Short Stories

I read the first one, didn't enjoy it, and then didn't want to pick this book up again. To be honest, the reason that I have this book in the first place, is because last year, I was looking for some more grown up / young adult books that might be suitable for my son. He's read all the Wimpy Kid books (amongst others), but also some Goosebumps, which got me thinking about the Point Horror books that I used to read when I was young. And since I like the horror genre, I thought it'd be cool if I could start him off on it too! (My dad introduced me to James Herbert and Stephen King). So I found this and added it to my Amazon Wish List so that I didn't forget about it, and then ended up sharing my list with my other half so that he could buy me some books for Christmas. I didn't really have time to 'curate' it first, otherwise this book wouldn't have made the priority list.

I don't think I'm interested in reading any more, but I think I'll put it on my son's bookshelf in case he ever wants to give it a try.

I have to admit too, that I think it's suffered from being the last book from my TBR choices. There are a few days left in the month, so I could take my time reading it, but instead I'm going to pick out one or two bonus prompts for the rest of March, since I've had a couple of DNFs.

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Started: 14.3.26

DNF: 22.3.26

Kindle Unlimited (/Audiobook)

TBR Prompt: Continue a series

When I read Dungeon Crawler Carl I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, although I think I said that I wasn't in a hurry to start book 2. When I pulled out the TBR prompt to 'continue a series' I had a couple of options to choose from, but I'd been hearing so many good things about this, that I decided to give it a go. I really wanted to like it, but I think the gaming aspect of it is just a bit too much for me. I coped with the novelty of it in book one, but this time I found my eyes glazing over a bit with all the AI stuff about classes and points and skills and quests etc. I did try listening to the audiobook for a bit, but I think I'm in  a minority as someone who doesn't really enjoy the narrator's voice. 

I think that if you're not heavily into the LitRPG genre, or into gaming (I'm not), then reading the first book is probably enough to give you a taste of what it's all about, but continuing with the series is probably unnecessary. When I read all the positive reviews for the whole series so far, I do get a touch of FOMO and feel like I should push through, but I just don't think I can face another 7 books of basically the same thing (ie fighting the enemies to progress to the next level). So this is, quite reluctantly, a DNF.

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Started: 14.3.26

DNF: 14.3.26

Paperback

TBR Prompt: Red book

I only made it to page 34 I'm afraid. I knew what the book was about, so it's not as if that was a shock, and it's not that I felt particularly squeamish reading those first few pages. But it's a pretty horrific subject matter and I just didn't think I needed that in my life! It's ok to say "this is not for me!" I did skip through the rest of the book so I got the gist of the main parts and the ending, and that didn't change my mind.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Started: 2.3.26

DNF: 7.3.26

Kindle Unlimited

TBR Prompt: First in a series

Aww, I really wanted to like this, but I just wasn't feeling it. Viv, an Orc, wants to give up the fighting life and open a coffee shop, in a town where nobody knows what coffee is. The first dozen or so chapters are about her converting an old livery into said cafe, and then selling the coffee once her gnomish-made coffee machine arrives. She acquires an assistant, and then a baker to make some baked goods and... it was all very twee and cute and cosy and just... not for me. It felt like a DIY / makeover show in book form to begin with, and then a guide to how to run a business. I didn't dislike it, but I just didn't love it either.