Second Chance Pile - Read or Unhaul It Challenge #2

 I'm doing it again. I need the motivation and help. The pile is still too deep. If you don't know what this is I'll explain. I'm reading five chapters of a book, randomly selected from the Second Chance pile of my personal library, and deciding whether to finish or DNF (do not finish) it. Let's dive in. 

1. I pick up a book at random from the pile. 

2. I read at least 5 chapters. 

3. I decide if I keep going or DNF (do not finish) it. 

4. I review it. 

The process above is what'll happen to these books. I'm trying to do at least three per blog. If I DNF two in a row, I pick five. If I'm not enjoying myself and I'm not compelled to keep reading I will put it down. Onward!

The White Rose Resists by Amanda Barratt

Courtes of moonglotexas.com

This was given to me by a coworker, who loves historical fiction. I trust this coworker's taste, but I'll admit that I dropped this book 19 pages in. The book was not poorly written, nor was it bad. It's about the students in Germany who resisted the Nazi regime. It came highly recommended and this was the copy I was gifted.  The problem is me; I didn't want to sit through the hard emotions this book was serving up only 19 pages in. I was not here to be depressed, I was here to be entertained. This is why I don't pick this genre up without a friend's suggestion. Given that, I didn't make it to chapter five at all. 

You'd love this if you like historical fiction, the 1940s era, and history from the time of Hitler. You'll put this down (like I did) if you don't want to wade through the dark emotion this serves up. It comes right out with it in the first chapter alone. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas vibe is what this gives you. Please decide accordingly, now that you know. Anything this heavy should have a warning on it. It has left my library. 

The Last Bookshop In London by Madeline Martin

Courtesy of lostinbookland.com

I got bored at chapter two. I will not lie. I wasn't invested in the main character and couldn't care less. I'm not the audience for this. You might protest that this book was great, as would my coworker who gave me the book, but I'm not the audience for this. 

The basic idea is that a woman moves to London in wartime to work at a bookshop, amidst London getting the brunt of the war at the time. I don't know any other details. Really, I skimmed chapter three, and the interest in the book, for me, wasn't any better. I feel bad because the same coworker who gave me the book above gave me this, yet, I have no will to finish it. 

Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin

Courtesy of Audible.com

Again, I see that historical fiction is not something I'm an audience for. I was only in the prologue. I stopped reading. The mental distress of WWII era books is not my thing. I'm learning more and more what I don't want to read for leisure. Again, this book was given to me by the same person as the books above. I feel bad, but now I know our tastes differ (which isn't a bad thing). 

The basic plot is about three women during the WWII invasion, set in the Netherlands. If you like hearing about the underground you might like it. I was not bored, yet the emotional weight was already present in the prologue. Keep in mind this isn't going to be a light reading experience. I've learned that I don't want to sit with this heavy, dark emotion. The world is already dark enough without reliving WWII. 

The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln By C. A. Tripp

Courtesy of Kobo.com

Do you want to know if Abraham Lincoln was gay? I don't. I picked this up with no thought whatsoever and have no idea why. The writing was also geared toward researchers, so there you have it. It was not written for leisure reading. My eyes glazed over at the wording alone. I'm not keeping it. It'll be in the little library with the rest of them. 

If you have an interest in knowing if Lincoln was gay and sleeping with a man, go ahead and try it out. I don't have any interest in such things. I can freely admit it makes no difference to me what he did with his free time and why his marriage was like it was. He was a president who ended slavery. That's all I need to know. 

Storm Front by John Stanford

Courtesy of Goodreads

I listened to chapter one and was already intrigued. I did look up if I needed to read it in order of series, but thankfully I don't. It has the feel of Philip Marlowe without the Noir-style flair. It starts with a stolen archeological stone and gets more complicated from there. They end up chasing this stone and the man who stole it all over the place. You've got a rough, hardboiled detective feel in a small community in Minnesota. It's connected to Israel (as the dig stone came from near the Jordan River). It has a possible Israeli operative in it. It's a quick, easy read for an afternoon or morning. 

Do keep in mind that the F-bomb is spoken. Please note that if you hate cussing. Also, there are minuscule traces of sexist dialogue (some dialogue that irks me a little), but it isn't as bad as I thought. It isn't out of the ordinary for the hardboiled detective genre. It's easy to get past. Specifically, it is usually attached to or about a character nicknamed "Ma" (who is a mother, but not to our main character). Side characters often comment on her boobs. I was at least happy they didn't describe her body in detail while she skinny-dipped - they let your imagination fill that info in. The same goes for sex; they did not describe it, just hinted that it happened. 

Another thing that irked me is specifically ball/crotch/testicle-related dialogue or figures of speech - all of which happens way too often, and never in a sexual connotation. If it happened once I wouldn't be commenting on it, but it happens at least 8 times in the book. I cringe at it every time. Also, I cringed every time they mentioned Ma's boobs. Seriously.  Stop! 

All that aside, it was a 3.75-star book. It was above average and I liked it. I'm keeping it. It's the only success story in this blog. If you like Marlowe and don't mind a rough Minnesota Agent, you'll like it. Also, if you dislike reading sex scenes, you'll be happy with it.  

Concluding Thoughts

I know some of you might be in a similar position to me, that you might be given books you aren't sure of. My best advice is to try them. If you love it, great, but if not you tried. That alone is a mark of friendship. I also advise you not to lie about your thoughts and tastes to spare feelings. It'll help your friend find books you'll love later on when you are honest. Maybe they don't even ask your thoughts, for all you know. 

One of the original books I had for this challenge is the second in a series, so I'm keeping it. It's no longer on the second chance pile, at least until I read the first one. I had to change my book selection mid-challenge. This is the fastest I've burned through the pile, yet. Only one is staying, and that is Storm Front. Despite some of the cringe, I am keeping it. It passed my test (whether it is better or equal to 3.5 stars). I learn more about my reading tastes with every challenge. I might get through my books before Christmas, at this rate. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.