The synopsis caught my eye -- a romance about a Jewish woman in 1830s London looking for a suitable husband sounded promising, but sadly, DNF at 30%.
The synopsis caught my eye -- a romance about a Jewish woman in 1830s London looking for a suitable husband sounded promising, but sadly, the story itself just wasn't for me. The historical fiction elements were very interesting, and if the book's focus truly had been on the Jewish community's struggle for security and acceptance in London society at that time, it probably would have worked for me. There were just too many scenes about racing pulses, forbidden touches, etc -- basically, the romance tropes overwhelmed the good stuff, and I could not keep going....more
I got to 20% without having any idea what this book was about, and decided I didn't care enough to find out.I got to 20% without having any idea what this book was about, and decided I didn't care enough to find out....more
My first DNF of the year! I think this book will appeal to many people -- it just wasn't a good fit for me. There are interesting tidbits about animalMy first DNF of the year! I think this book will appeal to many people -- it just wasn't a good fit for me. There are interesting tidbits about animals and how their senses work, but the scientific explanations and details were way more involved than I was willing to spend time on. I read about 1/3, enough to get the general idea. Not bad, not boring... just not for me....more
DNF at 42%. I'm so disappointed! I've really enjoyed the 3 other books by this author that I've read, but this one never drew me in. There are some elDNF at 42%. I'm so disappointed! I've really enjoyed the 3 other books by this author that I've read, but this one never drew me in. There are some elements of good stories here -- a young woman who's a murder magnet, a sentient spaceship, Earth's first contact with aliens... but this far into the story, I'd expect to feel engaged, curious excited, and instead, found myself mostly slogging along. ...more
DNF at 25%. The premise seemed promising, but the incessant use of footnotes throughout the book is a huge distraction, especially in e-book format. MDNF at 25%. The premise seemed promising, but the incessant use of footnotes throughout the book is a huge distraction, especially in e-book format. Maybe it would see less annoying in a print edition, but the structure and footnotes made it practically unreadable for me, and I wasn't engaged enough in the story to continue making the effort....more
DNF at 20%. I'm not invested enough to continue. The premise is interesting, but I feel like I should understand much more about the world-building byDNF at 20%. I'm not invested enough to continue. The premise is interesting, but I feel like I should understand much more about the world-building by now....more
Changed my mind about reading this one, once I realized that it's a Great Gatsby retelling. That was not clear from the blurb I read!Changed my mind about reading this one, once I realized that it's a Great Gatsby retelling. That was not clear from the blurb I read!...more
DNF at 20%. There seemed to be some intriguing elements in the set-up, but the world-building felt excruciatingly slow to me. By 20%, there should havDNF at 20%. There seemed to be some intriguing elements in the set-up, but the world-building felt excruciatingly slow to me. By 20%, there should have been a clearer picture of what was going on and why. I finally realized that I was forcing myself to keep reading when it wasn't holding my interest, and decided to put it aside....more
DNF at 10%. After an interesting opening, the next chapter is a long, deadly dull lesson on Egyptology, and I just could not sustain enough interest tDNF at 10%. After an interesting opening, the next chapter is a long, deadly dull lesson on Egyptology, and I just could not sustain enough interest to keep going. ...more
DNF at 9%. I don't mind blood and gore, but a gross comment by a character turned me off, and I wasn't liking it enough to continue anyway.DNF at 9%. I don't mind blood and gore, but a gross comment by a character turned me off, and I wasn't liking it enough to continue anyway....more
DNF at 60%. Couldn't stand the main character or the stupid choices she makes. I can't bring myself to read any further.
A note on release dates: When DNF at 60%. Couldn't stand the main character or the stupid choices she makes. I can't bring myself to read any further.
A note on release dates: When I received this ARC, the release date was listed as May 2020, which is why I started reading the book now. It looks as though the release has now been pushed back until January 2021, which is why this seems to be such an early review....more
A mother's description of her daughter: Her hair was a dull shade of cornmeal, and her skin was pale, sallow almost, and sprinkled with freDNF at 20%.
A mother's description of her daughter: Her hair was a dull shade of cornmeal, and her skin was pale, sallow almost, and sprinkled with freckles. She had Jack's nose, flat and prominent as an Eskimo's, and two lumps, tablespoons of flesh, that represented breasts.
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