It's Not You, It's Me (16)

"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.

The Siren by Kiera Cass

Goodreads says, "Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.  Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude…until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. And though she can’t talk to him, they soon forge a connection neither of them can deny…and Kahlen doesn’t want to. Falling in love with a human breaks all the Ocean’s rules, and if the Ocean discovers Kahlen’s feelings, she’ll be forced to leave Akinli for good. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart."




My Thoughts:
Guys, I loved Cass' The Selection series...seriously one of my favorite guilty pleasures, but The Siren did not work for me at all.  For starters, I wasn't feeling the main character at all. I just couldn't get to know her and she felt very surface-level. I wanted so badly to love this novel, because the premise is right up my alley (there's Sirens, the ocean, forbidden love!); however, it wasn't a good fit.  After the first fifty pages, I felt...well.... bored, so I knew I had to part ways. 

Have you guys read The Siren? I know many people are a fan of this novel, so maybe it's just me. Let me know your thoughts if you read this. 

Stone Field by Christy Lenzi

Goodreads says. "In a small town on the brink of the Civil War, Catrina finds a man making strange patterns in her family’s sorghum crop. He’s mad with fever, naked, and strikingly beautiful. He has no memory of who he is or what he’s done before Catrina found him in Stone Field. But that doesn’t bother Catrina because she doesn’t like thinking about the things she’s done before either. Catrina and Stonefield fall passionately, dangerously, in love. All they want is to live with each other, in harmony with the land and away from Cat’s protective brother, the new fanatical preacher, and the neighbors who are scandalized by their relationship. But Stonefield can’t escape the truth about who he is, and the conflict tearing apart the country demands that everyone take a side before the bloodbath reaches their doorstep." 

My Thoughts:
I love the Civil War time period, plus, the idea of a Wuthering Heights retelling definitely captured my attention initially.  However, the first fifty pages of this book fell flat for me. For starters, the insta-love.... I am not against it, but it has to be done really well for me to get on board. I must feel the chemistry right away; otherwise, I prefer a slow burn or a friendship first. But anyway, the insta-love was hardcore and the main character was very, very dramatic. Plus, they met when he was naked in her family's field. I couldn't get past that. The writing also felt overly flowery to me. It just wasn't a good fit.  

Have you guys read Stone Field? Let me know your thoughts.

What makes you DNF a novel?