Since this is such a cool idea, let’s thank April for doing this! Big props to her. She’s at Good Books, Good Wine and she made the entire thing up!) I know you would like to participate too! There will be a sign up on each day of the challenge. (Sign up here for the fourth challenge!)
What is the last book you flung across the room?
Here’s the synopsis:
ANNA VAN HOUSEN HAS A SECRET.
A gifted illusionist, Anna assists her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage shows and seances, easily navigating the underground world of magicians and mentalists in 1920s New York. For Anna, the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini – or so Marguerite claims – handcuffs and sleight-of-hand illusions have never been much of a challenge. The real trick is keeping her own gifts secret from her mother: because while Marguerite’s power may be a sham, Anna possesses a true ability to sense people’s feelings and foretell the future.
But as Anna’s powers intensify, she experiences frightening visions of her mother in peril, which lead her to explore the abilities she’s tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a society that studies people with gifts like hers, she begins to wonder if there’s more to life than keeping secrets.
As her visions become darker and her powers spin out of her control, Anna is forced to rethink all she’s ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna’s visions merely illusions? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite’s tricks?
From Teri Brown comes a world bursting with magic, with romance, with the temptations of Jazz Age New York — and the story of a girl about to become the mistress of her own destiny.
Sounds amazing right? Wrong. I had such high hopes for this one and the cover even made me want to read it. I just knew that the magic, the Jazz Age, and the love interest would have me so invested in this story that I wouldn’t want to put it down. Alas, when I was reading it I was able to get into the story, but it seemed like there was no point to the story. It seemed like all they were doing was going on and on about Anna’s magic and not telling anything good or bad about it, just that there was something going on. I ended up DNF-ing it because there was absolutely nothing going on. It had that feeling of a second novel in a series that seems more like a filler. Well that wouldn’t have been a problem…. Except this was the first novel in the series. So, because I was so disappinted, I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to chunk it at the wall. It had the potential to be epic and it just fell flat.
Oh, wow! That book is on my TBR list. *crosses off list, only 2000 books left*
I once flung a book that I ended up absolutely loving because something that made me SUPER STABBY happened. It still makes me stabby to think about it. lol It was The Knife of Never Letting Go. Such a great series though. I don't think this one you mentioned would be for me either.
Sorry you didn't like it as much!! I'm a sucker for pretty covers so I would totally read it!
spicedlatte.blogspot.com/2013/07/15-days-challenge-day-4-throwing-books.html
It's the worst when a book you are expecting to be amazing totally lets you down. I've had that happen before, and it makes me resent the book even more than if I hadn't had high expectations.
That's unfortunate. This one does sound good and the cover is great! Hopefully you don't have to throw any books in the future!
Brittany @ Spare Time Book blog
My post: sparetimebookblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/15-day-blogger-challenge-day-4.html
Thanks again for brainstorming with me–I listed a few books that just didn't live up to the hype (in my mind) and that were disappointing. 🙂
I actually enjoyed Born of Illusion, granted it wasn't the best book around but I thought it was entertaining enough but I do agree with some of your points, very valid, it did drag somewhat on unnecessary things.