The DNF era begins

Did Not Finish.

I tried to hold it off for as long as possible. For over 30 years (more than 3,000 books), I had a streak of finishing every single book that I started.

I no longer do that.

It wasn't a single book, or a single moment that has led me to this. It's a case of the straw breaking the camel's back. I've read many, many books that I have disliked in my life. In fact, I've read more books that I've hated than most will read in a lifetime. I'm estimating at least 500. That is a lot of time spent doing something in leisure time that you aren't enjoying.

So what to do about the rating system? Most reviewers use "DNF" as a rating in itself. I've never liked that, because it can give the impression that the reviewer is gaming the system to avoid giving negative ratings.

Here is my plan.

When I DNF a book, I'll still read half of it. That way, it's still fair to the author when I give the negative rating. I've read enough books to know that if the writer hasn't hooked me by the halfway point, they never will. This is beyond generous, because I typically know much sooner than that.
Now onto the regularly scheduled program:

BEST OF THE MONTH

Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

This was a tough decision. Saving Noah was running a very close race with Matt Haig's The Humans, Jess Lourey's The Quarry Girls, and Freida McFadden's The Housemaid. Saving Noah falls into a subgenre that I call "grey area morality tales." In that way, it has a lot in common with Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. Protagonists that you feel guilt for siding with, and antagonists whose hearts are in the right place. The result is an ethical magic trick of a novel. This is not an easy read, but it IS captivating.

WORST OF THE MONTH

A Fetish for the Sick by RE Shambrook

Extreme horror for extreme horror's sake. I do like extreme horror, but this brand of it isn't for me. The violence and depravity becomes numbing and I begin to feel apathetic towards characters. That's never good.

The rest:

Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe Lansdale (collection). Not surprisingly, a great collection from Joe. Grade: B
By Reason of Insanity by Shane Stevens. Good as police procedural. But slow moving due to ancillary plot points. Grade: C
A Room for the Dead by Noel Hynd. Good story, but easy to put down. Grade: C
Nocturnals Omnibus by Dan Brereton (graphic novel). Stunning art with average stories in this occult series. Grade: C
Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry Book 2 of his fantasy series. Book 1 was better. Grade: C
The Humans by Matt Haig. For fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But maybe better?! Grade: A
Slippin' Into Darkness by Norman Partridge. Love Dark Harvest. This one seemed to be written in a different style. Grade: C
The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden. Outstanding domestic drama if that's your thing. Grade: A
The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey. Lourey is always good, but this is her best. Grade: A
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. Award-winning sf. I'm drifting further away from this genre. Grade: D/DNF
The Eyes of the Cat by Jodorowsky/Moebius (graphic novel). Short and simple. Left wanting more. Grade: C
How the Skin Sheds by Chad Lutzke. Not a huge fan of the splatter westerns, but this is the best one. Grade: B
At Fear's Altar by Richard Gavin (collection). Nothing to see here. Grade: C
Eyes in the Dust and Other Stories by David Peak (collection). Do yourself a favor and read Corpsepaint instead. Grade: C
The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones (collection). I keep giving him a chance, but I've really only enjoyed Mongrels. Grade: C
Beyond Redemption by Michael Fletcher. Complex fantasy. Not for me. This is another genre I'm drifting from. Grade: D/DNF
Medieval Spawn and Witchblade by Haberlin/Holguin (graphic novel). Great art, good story. Grade: B
The Wehrwolf by Alma Katsu. 2023 Stoker-winner for novella. Very good. Grade: B
The Triangle by Robert Ottone. 2023 Stoker-winner for YA. Not as good as Katsu's. Grade: C
The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor. Very unengaging writing style. Grade: D/DNF
Proctor Valley Road by Morrison/Child (graphic novel). Very fun monster story. Grade: B
The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter. Disturbing character study. Shirley Jackson award-winner. Grade: B
Sourdough and Other Stories by Angela Slatter (collection). Fantasy stories, some good, some bad. Grade: C
Nausea by Jean-Paul Satre. Couldn't get past the meandering style. Grade: D/DNF
Malpertuis by Jean Ray. see above. Grade: D/DNF
Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall. Now this is the kind of dark fantasy I can get behind. Grade: B
Lost Girl by Adam Nevill. Great setup, but Nevill slows the story down considerably. Grade: C
Blindsight by Peter Watts. Hard sf. Can't do it. Hard pass. Grade: D/DNF

As expected, my new reading strategy increases my numbers. Might need a second job.

Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com??
Twitter: @pinheadspawn