It's Not You, It's Me (12)

It's not you, it's me."  Some books just don't work for me, whereas other readers may have really enjoyed them.  This feature will be showcasing books that I never finished or reviewed; you know…...the dreaded DNF.

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius 

Goodreads says, "Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved. Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life. Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him. Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both? Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time."

My Thoughts:  I love all things Tudors, so I thought this book would be right up my alley, but I couldn't handle the modern interpretation of these historical figures.  For starters, Katherine of Aragon was described as a Barbie-cheerleader.  Whhhhattt?  From what I've read, Katherine was a smart, deeply religious woman and that's not how I saw her in this novel.  Maybe she could have been casted as a goody-two-shoes Catholic school girl instead?  Also, I love Anne Boleyn, but in this novel, I really didn't care about her, so I knew right away that this book wasn't for me.


A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn 

Goodreads says, "London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime. But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker—a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth."

My Thoughts: I love Deanna Raybourn's books, but I couldn't get into this one. For starters, I couldn't relate to the heroine.  She seems too good to be true. She also hunts for butterflies. True story. She is witty, smart, a non-conformist and all the guys love her. *cue my eye roll* I feel like I have met this heroine so many times before and sometimes I like my heroines with a tragic flaw. Anyone else? There are some awesome reviews for this book,  but the first fifty pages left me unimpressed.  I heard the second half is better, so maybe I'll pick it up at a later date.

So, what do you think? Have you read any of these books? What's the last book you DNF?