Tag: a darker shade of magic

Books I Almost DNF’ed But Thankfully I Didn’t {Top Ten Tuesday}

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170605 TTT Books I Almost DNF'ed

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Welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!

Today’s all about DNF’ing (Did Not Finish). I have a difficult relationship with DNF’ing. On one hand I am a big supporter of DNF’ing because really, there is not enough time in life, so why spend it on books you’re just not liking? But on the other hand, I rarely DNF myself. Because I always think it’ll get better. Most books take a little time for me to really get into, and I don’t want to lose the opportunity to miss out on a possible favorite book, just because the beginning was a little hard. And honestly, it happens more often than not.

Here are a few examples of books or series I’m happy I didn’t DNF (and yes, there are some surprising books here):

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Ten Books I Struggled To Get Into But Ended Up All-Time Favorites Anyway {Top Ten Tuesday}

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170905 Books I Struggled To Get Into

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Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!

Today’s Top Ten is all about books that I struggled to get into. Now, beginnings are something I usually struggle with. As much as I love reading a new story and getting to know new characters, the beginning is almost always a struggle.

I start reading and find I have to force myself to continue reading. But usually when I’m reading and get a few chapters in (this can be from the 2nd or third chapter, but it can also be about halfway the book), I start getting invested in the story and attached to the characters. And THAT’s when I switch from forcing myself to read to really enjoying a book. And this struggle with beginnings is something that’s a ME-thing, not a BOOK-thing. Because some books or series that have become my all-time favorites started as a book I was really struggling to get into.

You may be surprised by some of the books I had this issue with…

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Get Hooked From The First Sentence – Favorite Opening Lines {Top Ten Tuesday}

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170307 First sentences

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Hi and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday! Today’s another freebie so I decided to talk about opening lines.

The first sentence in a book is super important. It’s supposed to draw your attention, get you interested, set the tone for the book and get you hooked right away. It should suck you into this new fictional world from the get go. That’s a lot of pressure for one sentence, of course, but it is possible! The proof is in these ten examples:

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Hello, New Favorite! — A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab {Book Review}

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a-gathering-of-shadows-by-v-e-schwabTitle: A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2)
Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date:  February 23rd, 2016
Standalone/Series: Book 2 in the Shades of Magic trilogy
Genre: Adult – Fantasy

Goodreads link

My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: NEW ALL-TIME FAVORITE!

What it’s about:

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift–back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games–an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries–a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

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