June 2026
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    I've been on a DNF rampage since August. I've lost enthusiasm for reading. I feel like my standards are too high and I just keep getting disappointed. Which is shitty because I'm an aspiring author and I want inspo and role models. But I feel like I keep running what I don't like and then lose interest. Im trying. I really am, but I'm picky and ive DNFed enough books that I've been going into books knowing it's a high possibility of DNFing. I also have a romantasy bookclub and I've been skipping out on the books because I've been disappointed too much. I really want to find more 5 star reads.

    Tried two fantasy non-romantasy books and historical romance during this time. All have been a DNF. I don't think genre is nessecarily the problem, but I'd be willing to dip into anything "otherworldly". Dystopia, fantasy, maybe scifi? Historical maybe? But I wasn't feeling Jane Austen. Maybe it's the time period? Or maybe in Historical i wanted it to be more epic I think? And less just romance?

    Things that are making me DNF:

    \- Main Characters that I feel like I can't get into the mind of. That feel distant as if we are looking at what their doing, but not FEELING what they're feeling.

    \- Slow pacing. Loved Daughter of No Worlds, lost all care about the characters in Children of Fallen Gods. I'm not patient for something interesting to happen. It doesn't need to be crazy fast pace. In fact, having both slow and fast pace scenes distributed equally is perfect. But the slower scenes and moments don't have to be boring. Characters can still have agency and have motive and having interesting things going on while. I'm a slower reader and I'm not wasting time to None of those "wait, it gets better in book 2" or "wait it gets great at the end of the book." I want to be captivated by the first 100 pages.

    \- MMCs. These men don't have enough personality. I don't care if the man is broody, a golden retriever, or a cinnamon roll. As long as they don't give off creepy vibes and assault the FMC( I'm looking at you, Rhysand and Aaron Warner), my only requirement is that they have a FREAKIN PERSONALITY! Obsession with the FMC doesn't count. What about his family? Hobbies? Little quirks? Flaws? Loved Max from Daughter of No Worlds but dude lost his charm second book and felt like a shell of himself. Like, be interesting! Have a life! Be a being! I love it when MMC can almost contradict their own personality a little too! Let him have a character arc as well.

    \- Prove what you say! I'm tired of FMC being afraid of MMC that are merely just breathing and existing until the FMC needs help. Like if dude is intimidating and scary, have him try to BEAT HER ASS OR SOMETHING! (Disclaimer: i don't want him to do it unreasonably. Like a good brainwashed or possessed or something MMC is perfect for this. And also not punchdown. Punch up or equally. I'm not into bullying.) Or he could do it to someone else, instead of just using "rumors"! AND THEN THIS CAN BE PART OF A CHARACTER ARC TOO! And if not, don't make the FMC scared of him. This applies to any part of a book too! DNF Savior's Champion when we were supposed to feel sorry for MC's dead friend but there was no evidence that the MC even cared or liked about him before he died.

    \- Lustful "romances". Tbh I want two young and horny people that find a tender romance in each other and learn from and inspire each other, and are each other's safety, while in a cruel angst world 😭 Heck I'd even take a friendship version of this if there is no romance like this at this point. No more "he smells of sex". No more frothing at the mouth at first sight. A little lust is cool, but being so lustful that it derails her motives, her duty to her loved ones and her potential safety? No more. If she's supposed to stay away from him, I want him to prove her WRONG before she just utterly falls apart. I WANT PROOF OF LOVE AND EVERYTHING! BE APART OF EACH OTHER'S CHARACTER ARC AND F\*CK IN THE PROCESS!

    \- Be unique. Do something different. I know people say "you can only do Romantasy so many ways". I STRONGLY beg to differ. STRONGLY!! I mean of course, eventually if enough people were being unique with the plot and story and characters, this would become true. But I know damn well, that hasn't been exercised at all. Copy. Paste. Copy. Paste. Even if the setting and creatures is different, the flesh is still the same.

    Anyway that's it. Feel free to influence my TBR or my next reading choices. I think I'll pick up Legendborn now (aware that it's YA which isn't my preference but honestly anything good would do. And it's on my physical TBR) but I have doubts will all of my picks and physical TBR. I don't want to be that author that doesn't read. I don't want to be the bookclub leader that doesn't read the books. But I have high standards that aren't gonna be shown on a trope map. I know I can enjoy books but they just don't work for me. Hoping to get some help, but I might just have to keep DNFing until I find something good.

    Have read and liked: Daughter of No Worlds, Fourth Wing (minus Xaden, but the rest of it was interesting enough), The Spellshop, The Everlasting, Powerless (though idk if I'd like it reading it now?), Heartless Hunter.

    Read and was meh: Spark of the Everflame, Uglies, Shatter Me, Belladonna, Quicksilver, the Great Gatsby

    Read and hated: ACOTAR and Of Blades and Wings

    DNF: From Blood and Ash, Serpent and the Wings of Night, Savior's Champion, Whom the Belles Toll, Paladin's Grace (it probably would be good but I surprisingly found that I actually don't want to read about people older than 30? I'm young myself tho), Burn for Me, Pride and Prejudice, Children of Fallen Gods.

    Physical TBR: Legendborn, Hunger Games, The Princess Bride, Just Stab Me Now, the Love Hypothesis, One Dark Window

    by articlioness

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    1. You and I have similar book requirements / peeves.

      Want good character development and action that shows instead of tells? Dungeon crawler Carl. I’ve fallen in love with so many of these characters. The fandom has a true parasocial relationship with them because they are so well written.

      Carl the MMC has a good arc that shows growth and he makes mistakes and generally owns them.

      The female characters have flaws, depth and complexity and don’t exist as physical objects for the MMC either.

      It’s recommended all over here for a good reason.
      It’s a sci-fi book series, it’ll be 10 in total, 8 books are out now. It’s hard to describe in a way that doesn’t sound unhinged but I’ll try.

      For the tone of the books, book 1 feels kind of silly, and by book 8 it’s insane action and heavy narrative.
      Book 1 also leans heavily on video game jargon but that really falls away quickly, and I know a TON of non-gamers that are as obsessed with it as I am.

      My favorite things about the book series is the character development, it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve laughed and also genuinely cried because of how compelling the characters are. The author does a great job of discarding tropes too which I love, and writes honest and complex characters.

      It’s often compared to hitchhikers guide meets hunger games meets maze runner meets squid game but it’s definitely of its own thing.

      I’d highly recommend the audiobooks, a single voice actor does an incredible range of voices, easily exceeding 30-40 voices across the series.

      In short, it’s about an alien corporation that seizes earth to mine its mineral resources, and gives the survivors a chance to regain control of earth by completing a challenge course called the world dungeon. The course is 18 floors and is televised to the galaxy which drives profits for the corporation. The protagonist Carl enters the dungeon with his cat who Gains human level intelligence and fights alongside him.
      It’s a cool mix of sci-fi – aliens taking over earth, and fantasy – the characters use magic, etc.

      Ive listened to the series easily 10 times. The fan base is amazing and the author is kind and engaging. It’s very cool.

      I also love this persons take on the author and series:

      [https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonCrawlerCarl/s/NjyFFPXFHC](https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonCrawlerCarl/s/NjyFFPXFHC)

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