Books I've DNF'd Recently!

[@doglover12345andfr]

Some of us just aren’t “cozy” readers and that should be normalized.

[@Miichaninwonderland]

what do you mean you'd be scared to see yourself with a moustache? You've always had a moustache 😏🧔

[@estack24]

Having recently gotten into cozy mystery, i want to check out Death by Bubble Tea! I haven't DNFed anything too recently. But also as a mood reader, I am "currently reading" more than 10 books 😅

[@books_with_clementine]

For cozy fantasy, I might not be the best person to say this since I loved Legends & Lattes, but I would recommend the prequel Bookshops & bonedust, since it has more plot in it? A better rec might be Emily Wilde, as it does have some creepy vibes but is a cozy academic setting, and it does have a plot, an animal companion… so cozy but not too cozy?

[@changminfangirl]

I second this! I enjoyed Bookshops & Bonedust much more than Legends & Lattes.

[@books_with_m]

I don’t know if you’ll enjoy Grady Hendrix but I’m not sure if those were good to start with. Honestly, I’ve never even heard of those haha if you want to try his books, I’d say read his newer ones, particularly my best friend’s exorcism, horrorstor or the southern book clubs guide to slaying vampires. All 3 are fun to read!

[@paigewilliams6919]

I agree! Stick a toe in his newer stuff. How to Sell a Haunted House had me terror laughing and throwing the book across the room.

[@araya5232]

You should try Hörrorstore by Grady hendrix. It's his best imo and it's based off a haunted "ikea" like store. It was great

[@melissahastings3568]

I read legends & lattes and was like ???? What’s up with all the hype?? I didn’t even think about picking up his second book.

[@oliverharris60]

Me too. The writing was odd to me, the relationships felt rushed and out of the blue, I didn’t connect with the characters apart from a side character, but not enough to salvage it. I finished it but absolutely no urge to read the second!

[@viraswaggy6480]

watching you brings me so much comfort please never stop making videos or yapping ❤

[@kizzyneetyan]

Given I also DNF'd Legends & Lattes, now I need to check out Can't Spell Treason Without Tea to see if that works better for me!!

[@Erazona]

I felt the same way about both of them; I was bored the whole time 😬

[@jessdibb]

My recommendation for Legends and Lattes is to try the audio book! The person who wrote it is a voice actor and it makes it so much more dynamic. Completely understand if it's just not a vibe you like though. If you ever want to try it again, just try the audio book 😊 In a way I also like Bookshops and Bonedust better.

[@BellaRosenfeld22]

For cozy fantasy with enough plot to pull you through i think the Ravenfall series (its middlegrade), the Spellshop, Where the Dark Stands Still, Flowerheart and then anything by T. Kingfisher!! I liked Legends and Lattes but it is definitely not my favorite of the bunch

[@271skippy]

I could have sworn it’s spelled “mustache.” 😮

[@dobetterwithchristian4472]

It is in America. Apparently the britts spell it with an extra o

[@books_with_clementine]

That’s because in French we write it with the o… and by the way Jesse, it is indeed pronounced like you wanted to in French… just saying 😂

[@xEmmaberryx]

I dnf'd How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix a few months ago. I somewhat liked the writing style, but got maybe 30 pages in before the dnf because of how frequently it mentioned the car accident. Granted, it's on me for not searching up potential trigger warnings, given that it is a horror book, but I feel like if it's mentioned on every other page, it's excessive. It was also triggering because of what was going on in my life at the time, but also my own personal trauma. Sadly, a hard dnf.

[@thebookishvalkyrie]

If you’re looking for a cozy coded fantasy with real stakes and plot, I would recommend T. Kingfisher’s Nettle and bone. I wouldn’t really call it cozy fantasy, but I would call it grim cozy fantasy.

[@mysteryfan28]

I recently DNF a book that I borrowed from the library. I forgot the name of the book but I knew it was a romance but as I kept reading it I found I didn't like the two main characters. So I decided to stop reading. I'm going to return it to the library tomorrow afternoon.

[@lifeandtabroad]

Not even an hour after upload and I am hereeeeeeeee baby!!! I feel like I have leveled up in my Jesse stanmanship!

[@jenniferclark677]

The mustache sounds sooo interesting! I think you'd like The Spellshop for cozy fantasy, and Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix! It's a non fiction that talks about pulp horror novels from the 70s to 90s

[@eskow0616]

Yes, "Paperback's From Hell" is a good study about horror novels in the 70's and 80's with very little Stephen King in it. There are a lot of original covers and it is a lot of fun. Read "The Final Girl Support Group" and it was meh. I think Hendrix is very good at concepts but lacks the talent for the execution.

[@astoldbykat]

I just DNFed "Ordinary Monsters" by J.M. Miro. I picked it up at a book sale last year on a whim, without reading the first page, because it sounded interesting, but when I started reading it I could just tell from the first 20 or so pages it wasn't going to be for me. Also possibly soft DNFed "You, Again" by Kate Goldbeck. I heard it was first Reylo fanfiction, and once I started reading I couldn't unsee that at all.

[@KayBethBookish]

I'm getting much better with dnf's this year and as a result have been having so much more fun with recording videos! Also if you are still after boba books, I can recommend Cafe con Lychee by Emery Lee, which features it as part of the plot!

[@eht367]

I'm finally in a place in my reader journey where I'm allowing myself to DNF and it's *SO DIFFICULT*. I keep trying to tell myself it will get better and I just need to stick it out, when a bigger part of me knows that if I like a book, I shouldn't have to stick it out 🙃 That said, I DNFed 3 books so far this year: "Sun of Blood and Ruin", "A Court of Thorns and Roses", and "How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying" (still devastated about the last one!)

[@lancergirl101]

I haven’t DNF’d any books this year. Not that I’m against or can’t DNF. I just had a good year for reading. However, I am getting close to DNFing the book I’m currently reading. Deliver Us From Evil by Ralph Sarchie. The only reason I haven’t DNF’d it yet is because it’s my sister’s book and she has been begging me to read it. I just can’t get into it though

[@angelekay3843]

7:50 Grady hendrix fans: The Grady Bunch?

[@paigewilliams6919]

I'll allow it 😂

[@pdangerina]

Please please please, do give Grady Henrix one last chance and read My Best Friend’s Exorcism, it’s sooooo good and funny!

[@shelbylynne3999]

Loved this video! Sometimes just talking everything out is the best thing! Would definitely love more of these!!

[@JustADudeDoingSomething]

Hello! Just recently rediscovered your channel after a looong while due to school and life stuff, but in the time I was gone your introduction style and energy took a full 360 that it confused me if I had the wrong Jesse. 😂 You usually have a high burst of energy at the beginning of your videos, but now it's more smooth and calming and feels more professional which really surprised me. Anyway, I've been getting back into reading again and I'm really excited to hear about your opinions. I've missed booktube so much and I've missed reading so much. I'm glad to be back! 😁

[@renmochizuki464]

If you want to try cozy fantasy you should try the prequel of Legends and Lattes. It has more of a plot. It’s still super cozy but it does have a plot and more of an end goal. I get it that Legends and Lattes wasn’t for you. It honestly was just a right time right place for me. I reread it again and honestly didn’t love it.

[@ishitaasen3733]

Hi, Jessie !! Nothing. Just wanted to tell you that I love your channel. I've been a subscriber since 2017 and your videos are practically the only thing i watch on KZbin anymore. Keep doing what you're doing, you're my comfort space

[@HP-ej3bo]

I've dnf'ed 2 recently. First was one that I wanted to read because I saw it on your channel. That was chosen ones by Veronica Roth. I found the concept interesting, but the execution fell flat, I didn't care for the story or any of the characters and I just got to a point where I didn't care anymore. And there was also the alpha's son by penny Jessop. I like to read werewolf fiction, I have a fascination with it. So believe me when I say that this is the most cliché book I have ever read in this genre. Every trope, every story beat, every character decision was predictable as hell. And on top of that, it wasn't written well either.

[@LadyDisdain23]

I saw someone commented about the french pronunciation, but fyi Jesse you might like the Australian English (and other English dialects closer to British English) pronunciation of moustache too! The emphasis is on the second syllable and the vowel is further down & back in the mouth: "m-stuhhsh" (or /mɘˈstɐːʃ/ for my IPA friends)

[@lizbradley7489]

I'm reading this book called Autopsy of a fairytale it's true crime meets once upon a time it's so cool and very interesting to read

[@OliviasCatastrophe]

I love Mexican gothic but yeah it’s very much the gothic book structure that is quite classical with slow build and atmosphere and then it crescendos at the end. So if you don’t like that structure you absolutely did the right thing in DNFing it! Gothic is one of my favourite genres though so I eat up that slow build every time 😅

[@spiritofthefaerie]

If you'd like to give cozy fantasy another go, I would recommend The Spellshop. Legends & Lattes didn't work for me either, but there is an actual plot in The Spellshop and, while it's not the heaviest plot, it does give the book momentum to keep moving forward and the character does face actual challenges throughout.

[@julielocktree]

Totally agree with you on soft DNFing and rereading the beginning again, while I didn't like it before. I find this so hard and quiet often this keeps me from trying again. So sometimes, if I do not wait to long and I still know what happend, I just restart a book where I left off... 🤷🏼‍♀️ This really helps me giving a book a second chance.

[@srijitabasu7436]

For cozy fantasy always choose T J klune. I feel like the characters change a lot of dynamics in cozy fantasies and je does it really well

[@katherinedarby7402]

Agreed! Absolutely loved The House In The Cerulean Sea and the characters definitely made it a worthwhile read

[@srijitabasu7436]

@katherinedarby7402 I also read under the whispering door and absolutely loved it. Made me a sobbing mess

[@craftyyams4960]

I feel the exact same about cozy fantasy! I tried to read the spell shop but there was just no tension, nothing to keep me interested. I love cozy games and I think spell shop and legends and lattes would make great switch games, but as books it was hard to keep interested

[@tyghe_bright]

I *love* Woodworm, but it's a strange book and I get that not everyone would enjoy it. I hope you get another chance at it.

[@Dolly_the_Witch]

1:43 we love all the yaps ❤😂

[@mnfst1]

Seriously, why is no one discussing 'Manifestation Hacks by Olivia Cooper? This forbidden book is a goldmine of knowledge that can sincerely change your life

[@Wolfblood21]

Now I wanna read the mustache. Definitely catches my attention with the mystery aspect of it

[@mial6076]

Highly recommend “We sold our souls” and Southern book clubs guide to slaying vampires” when it comes to Grady Hendrix, especially the latter. Just know it’s not really about a book club, but it is a really interesting combo of horror, slice of life in a quaint southern town, and social commentary. It’s the book that finally got me back into reading after almost a decade!

[@daniellewilliams1459]

Hey Jesse, bestie I’ve been getting better at DNFing books although it was hard in the beginning. I can’t wait to read some more books before the end of this year .

[@aletachristopherson7847]

Grady Hendrix certainly writes some wonderfully offbeat books!

[@rhondasruminationsonreading]

Never feel bad about dnf'ing! I am still learning that this year lol. There are so many books and so little time, so why waste it on something you aren't enjoying?

[@Nikolai_Fox]

I have tried a few Grady Hendrix's books and I also haven't enjoyed them. Like you, unless something sounds really interesting I don't think I'm going to pick up another book by him. I did love Legends & Lattes but completely can see why it doesn't work for people.

[@mplbooks]

I haven't tried Grady Hendrix yet, but the one I'm most interested to maybe pick up is "My Best Friend's Exorcism." That's actually the ONLY one of his books that sounds even a little bit intriguing to me.

[@emmal7510]

Before you unhaul Legends & Lattes, you might want to give the short story in the back a try. Its got a bit more action than L&L, since it's set before she retires. Note: I'm assuming the extra short story is standard in copies of the book.

[@effervescent6979]

You're so correct about Mexican Gothic, the last chunk of it is an experience & it definitely picks up more. I think you were right in DNFing it right now, because I read this with a book club and it is um.. something.

[@outi3852]

That mustache thing kinda happened to my dad! He'd had a mustache as long as I could remember, and then shaved it when I was almost 30. The only ones who noticed were me, my husband and my mum, everyone else was like "what mustache? I don't remember you having one 🤨".

[@DreamAmongStars]

I've only read 2 Grady Hendrix books: Horrorstor and How to Sell a Haunted House. Horrorstor was okay, I gave it 3/5 stars, but I really enjoyed How to Sell a Haunted House! I can see you really enjoying it as well, as long as puppets don't freak you out

[@aterrill18]

I’ve been having a hard time reading because of being stressed and depressed by recent events too. :( I get it. And actually, several of the ones you DNF’d, I pushed through but didn’t like them, so I should have put it down (Legends and Lattes, Mexican Gothic,etc.). I need to get better at putting books down!

[@Krystalle17]

I've only read 2, but I would recommend them, also read them from the library before buying, lol. I first read My Best Friends Exorcism, there is one scene that as I started at the beginning (which was just a weird, strange, feeling that.....somethings going on here), and EVERY WORD I read I just got sicker and sicker, kinda guessing what was about to be shown to me, and when I saw/read it, I nearly wanted to barf, IT WAS PERFECT! It was enjoyable, but I didn't wanna reread that scene again, lol, once was enough. I recently read Horrorstor, and omg, SO GOOD! I left me wanting more in a good way, and makes me wanna reread it, so I'm hoping to get it around xmas.

[@Jess-fp2wf]

I’m a huge Grady Hendrix fan. I get that his humor isn’t for everyone BUT if you love like 90s campy horror that actually has heart, please please, please read My Best Friend’s Exorcism. It’s one of my favorites.

[@kingboogy7706]

It feels like a crime to be here within 1 hour of the video getting posted

[@mirrojas]

I read my best friends exorcism, which was the first book I ever read from him and I liked that book. Made me teary eyed at the end.

[@lorielewisham]

How far did you get with Legends and Lattes? There is conflict--not like a war-but there is conflict. I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook

[@sarahiatt0147]

A few popular books that I’ve DNF’d, out of sheer boredom while reading - Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and the Night Circus. I also read the entire Red Queen series and DNF’d the final book because I just didn’t care anymore - female main character was sooooo whiny and couldn’t make a decision to save her life.

[@Runzel-02]

I have read a few by Grady Hendrix (but not the ones you've read), and I liked The Southern book club's guide to slaying vampires the most. And I think it would fit your reading preferences the best imo...

[@osunale]

I enjoyed Legends & Lattes, but it wasn't a fave. It also didn't feel very cozy to me... there's a pretty terrible thing that happens and it definitely undid some of the vibes. I LOVED Bookshops & Bonedust though! I'm really glad I gave that one a chance despite just feeling so-so about Legends.

[@dreamimdreaming]

Jesse being totally nice even to the books he clearly hated and still apologizing for not liking them❤️😂

[@MarjanaBosnjak]

I am exactly the same. I don't like the buildup to last the entire book and for nothing to happen. There need to be twists that keep my attention, otherwise it's just 300 pages of nothing and then the reveal

[@deermangivefast]

I just finished a book called Airy Nothing by Clarissa Pattern and omg I think it would be so up your alley, it does not have enough hype (I think like 70 reviews on goodreads???) it ripped my heart out in the best way

[@linamekawatches214]

I was very ambivalent about Legends and Lattes, but one I really loved instead that you might like was House Witch by Delemhach! (Bonus maybe, it's a shorter series!)

[@louisity]

Oh no! Legends & Latte are vibes? Might not be my cup of tea. 🍵

[@Kissinglife-Tina]

Right now I’m listening to The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, and it’s giving me what I wanted from Legends & Latte. Never heard of the book, just tried it out on a whim, and it’s so cute!

[@pamelakibildis1177]

Great Video Jesse and just curious have you gotten A Fire Endless Yet? Cause I’m really enjoying it and I know you will too Have a Great Week & Happy Reading 📖😊

[@raquellepollock1566]

Mexican Gothic - if you try again… audiobook was the way for me! Grady Hendrix - he is pretty gross but depending on my mood I can thoroughly enjoy. I really liked the creepy puppet house one. I wasn’t able to get into Legends and Lattes either, and I find cozy books to be comfort re-reads.

[@maliszam2954]

I regret reading Mexican Gothic (still traumatized by it😰)but then again, I’m not a horror reader and didn’t know much about the book when I picked it. I actually liked the atmosphere and overall gothic feel in the beginning and it did drag some, but I wish I stopped before the twist happened.

[@Kimberly5453]

I have straight up dnf'd all the same books, except for Legends and Lattes, lol.

[@kairitetra]

I've DNFed 13 books this year, the most recent being Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, which made me sad because I was looking forward to that book.

[@rattlethestars699]

I agree with you on Grady Hendrix. I have read both 'Final Girl Support Group' and 'How to Sell a Haunted House' this year and hated them 😅

[@Litterati]

I DNF’d A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the book so much as I started it and then my mood changed. 😂 I hate when that happens. I have to be in the mood to read certain kinds of books and it dictates what books I pick up.

[@irinalysak4920]

Just this morning I decided to dnf Where The Crawdads Sing. I started it only because it was on my tbr for too long and realized that I'm just not in a mood for this book

[@pennyspreferences561]

I DNFd the Witch and the Tsar last month. I just couldn't buy into this powerful witch being under the thumb of the pathetic Tsar.

[@katherinedarby7402]

I'm actually surprised that I enjoyed Legends & Lattes as much as I did... I'm usually like you and a need a little more drama in my books! 😅 Check out Rick Riordan's "The Sun and The Star" if you haven't already! I wouldn't call it cozy fantasy, but it definitely moves at a slower pace than the other Percy Jackson books. /end yapping session 😂

[@bookdragon3877]

Recently instead of calling it DNF I call it CBB. Couldn’t Be Bothered! This is important because I have such a hard time letting go of books that I don’t enjoy and put hours in when I should be reading something I love. Changes the perspective.

[@jessethereader]

I love that!

[@nobbynobbs5319]

I actually dnfs 2 books. One was the second book of a series but it was horrible and another one was long live evil. All my reader friends loved long live evil but I found it boring in writing stil. I do agree with mexican gothic but it does really get good at the end.

[@jennawar13]

I loved legends and lattes but DNFed can’t spell treason without tea 😂😭

[@ravent3016]

Have you seen Demon World Boba Shop: A Cozy Fantasy Novel by R. C. Joshua

[@seraphyna07]

Horrorstore is a good one, so is southern guide seducing a vampire. Skip how to sell (creepy dolls no thank you!)

[@SarahHulse314]

I have never dnf'd a book before but I should've for a Little Life!!!! Actually I have once but other than that I haven't

[@ifloatupwards]

Explains why there are a lot of people reselling Legends and Lattes. I DNFed The Serpent and the Wings of NIght only because; like you, I too did not finish before the due date. lol

[@purplexzombie3371]

I'm glad I started with HORRORSTÖR by Grady Hendrix- I adored it. I want to read Southern Bookclub's Guide to Slaying Vampires. October was a DNF month for me, an absolute tragedy. I wish i had DNFd Mexican Gothic. I figured things out so fast and then just a book of build up was a huge let down

[@citronatko4762]

Unfortunately I read the legends and lattes and i HATED it

[@francescathomas3502]

You posted a brutal unhaul today = 25 Nov 2024. One of the books you unhauled was Legends & Lattes. On that Brutal Unhaul video I l left a comment saying that I loved Legends and Lattes. Mostly because it is a Found Family story and that is my most favourite trope. I also wrote that the 2nd book in the series does not use the same characters, although the story does take place in the same universe. So there was no continuity for me. And there was also no found family trope. I ended up DNFing Book 2.

[@caitlyn.m.t9618]

I haven't dnfed any recently. One of my current ones, Spinning SIlver may be a dnf. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty I am liking about it, far more than A Deadly Education which ended in a dnf in like the second last chapter, but I don't like the direction it has started to go in and it might be turning into a type of read I actively try to avoid. It doesn't help that certain reviewers has gushed over this book and it is not so much that I don't trust them or that our taste are wildly different , but there is a certain type of book that they love that I hate and they seem to be implying that this is one of those. I can understand your issue with Mexican Gothic, which I love by the way. I may recommend for you to be careful around gothics because you can find that format a lot in them. You may prefer Gods of Jade and Shadow by the same author, partly because it doesn't follow that structure. In this we follow a girl who is a maid to her family and even stated that if she was more romantic she would view herself as a cinderella figure. She does have dreams though and she wants to live. When she accidentally releases a Mayan death god she binds them in a way in which he is draining her life force. He can only break it if they restore him to his full power. So they have to track down the missing body parts of his body and restore him to his throne. So there are plot events and they are travelling to different locations while getting multiple perspectives from her, her family, the villains and more. I deeply loved this.

[@Darrkness]

I've had a really good reading year and haven't DNF'ed any books.

[@Kafia_]

Thank you for your yap it is wonderful ❤

[@tonichantelle9661]

I also hated Mexican Gothic i just didnt get it- the writing was cryptic to the point where i was bored with the weirdness, also legends and lattes I also didnt like but the second one bookshops and bonedust is much better! If you want a good Grady Hendrix book you should read Horrorstör and if you like that may I diggest Fantasticland by Mike Bokoven. Really good horror books x

[@tonichantelle9661]

Suggest*

[@_mermaidguts]

I contemplated reading Legends & Lattes until Lexi (Lexi aka Newlynova) said reading it was like watching game play of a cafe simulator 😂

[@emmal7510]

If words that are pronounced differently than they're spelled bother you, avoid maps of England. For example, Worcestershire (of sauce fame) is pronounced wuster.

[@gabriellabatel]

Good to know about Mexican Gothic

[@fictionesque1992]

jesse liberalism reveal 👀🎉

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I loved legends & lattes 🥹 valid reasons for not liking it though lol

[@Jess-fp2wf]

I’m a huge Grady Hendrix fan. I get that his humor isn’t for everyone BUT if you love like 90s campy horror that actually has heart, please please, please read My Best Friend’s Exorcism. It’s one of my favorites.