First Impression Reviews is a new feature here at Stories
& Sweeties. As a reader and reviewer, how many times do you get asked,"So how are you liking it so far?" We all know first
impressions are important and this is no less true when it comes to books! The
first 50-100 pages can make or break a
book for me, either have me salivating for more or ready to drop it and move
on. So I’ll be chatting about my first thoughts on the opening, the characters,
and the story so far. How it hooked me ..or didn’t. Plus I think it’s fun to see how an opinion of
a book can change between the excitement of starting out the story and the
journey to the end. Each one will, of course,
get a full review when I’m done, but who doesn’t love discussing a book when
they’re in the thick of it? :)
Here’s how they’ll be rated:
For when I'm loving the book so far:
For when I'm enjoying it, but maybe not fully invested yet:
Nope. Not working for me. Getting ready to DNF:
In the comments I’d love for you to jump in and discuss!! Tell
me what you’re in the middle of and how you’re liking it. Tell me what you think of what I’m
reading. And especially if you’ve
already read a book that I’m ready to bail on, I’d love to get your
opinion---vote DNF or Keep going!! (In
those cases, I’ll even provide a little votey widget!)
Check out my first First Impression Review for Princess of Thorns from yesterday's blog tour stop!
I totally know how you feel about the first 100 pages making or breaking a book! I hate giving up on books, but if I am not feeling before page 100, then I have to pick up something else. There are so many good books out there. Have you heard of that thing on the internet where you take a new book and only read page 69 to see if it is good? I did this to a bunch of books, and I think it will work!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually reading an early copy of Duplicity by N.K. Traver. Or maybe I should say, want to start reading since I haven't really started yet. Life keeps getting in the way! Especially with the holidays and all the shopping for Christmas. Hopefully I finish the book before the year is over. I won't reach my Goodreads goal, but I'll be 26/50 if I finish it. And I hope it will be a "Gimme More!" book! :D
ReplyDeleteInteresting how you mention that the first 50 pages are intended to grab the reader. As a writer in the process of finding an agent, your first 50 pages will make you or break you. If you can't catch an agent or an editor's eye in this first 50 pages, you're not going to catch the reader's Interest. Which is why it confuses me as to how a book gets to thepoint of publishing and it's not able to entice the reader. Because how did it even get that far?
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I'd heard a bazillion great things about Jandy Newton's I'll Give You the Sun and I actually went on Twitter at the 30% mark to ask if it was worth it to keep reading. Because I didn't GET it. It was weird and different, and I was like, eh. But then all of a sudden, the pieces all came together and bam! I loved it. It was absolutely brilliant. So that happens from time to time.
I haven't heard of that, but interesting!!! I'll have to try it on a few books and see if it works for me! I wonder why page 69, specifically?
ReplyDeleteEee, I know what you mean with the holidays! It definitely slows everything else in life down, doesn't it? Still, I love them :D Duplicity sounds exciting, I hope it's a "Gimme More" for you, too!
ReplyDeleteOh, I had one like that before! For me, Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano was very nearly a DNF. I actually stopped reading it for a while right around 100 pages in. Then ended up picking it up one day and continued, and it ended up being one of my favorites of last year! I'll have to try I'll Give You the Sun, it sounds really good! I know sometimes I just have to be in the right mood to read certain things.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone just has really different reading tastes and that's awesome. What speaks to one might not do anything at all for someone else. There are definitely some books that I ask myself what the agent or publisher could possibly have been thinking when they selected it, but it must have spoken to somebody, I guess!
This is such an awesome idea for a post!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am reading SIege & Storm (The Grisha #2). I am "Pushing on". Frst book was okay, but I am losing interest with this sequel. But maybe it is because of hectic pre-Christmas season since my mind is wondering elsewhere...will see :)
I love holidays, but I can't help but wish I could turn back time just so I could have more time to do other things. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to start this series for ages, but there is just not enough time in the day!! Someday soon, hopefully, as I've heard nothing but amazing things about the series as a whole. I hope it ends up picking up for you!
ReplyDeleteI love this post so hard. I can't wait to weigh in on books when you are wondering to push forward or dnf. I'm about 20% into Hero Of Ages, the third book in the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. It's definitely in the "Gimme More!" category.
ReplyDeleteAw, YAY :D Awesome post Becky. <3 So excited for more posts like this from you :) Sounds really exciting. I just finished I'll Meet You There last night, and I wanted to DNF it a few times :p Sigh. Planning on reading The Rule of Three next; as I have both ARCs and is on the blog tour on January 5th :) Hope you are having an awesome holiday so far. <3
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tyler! Glad to hear you're enjoying the Mistborn series---I've heard some seriously good things about Brandon Sanderson books!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just saw the covers for books 3 & 4 in your Lost Imperials series---so gorgeous!! Steampunk perfection! :D
ReplyDeleteYes, I just read another review that said the last 30% of I'll Meet You There was what saved it---I have a hard time with books if you have to read that far to get to the good stuff! :D Rule of Three sounds dark and intense---hope you enjoy them both!
ReplyDelete