DNF December Review Blitz — Day 8: I’m sharing my thoughts on some book series that I have marked as incomplete as I have never finished the first novel in the series. Find out why these weren’t for me:
Synopsis for Ruined by You (from Goodreads):
Can one summer change your life?
Maggie Simpson has one summer left before college starts. And the last place she wants to spend it is in Green Falls, TX with her mother’s family. She was annoyed when her mother announced the change of plans at the last moment, but as she reconnects with her cousin Sarah, she realizes a summer away might be exactly what she needs.
Maggie decides to find a summer job to keep herself occupied, and to help pay for college. She is ecstatic when Scottie gives her a job at a local watering hole, The Hill Country Saloon, to find a band to headline the annual Battle of the Bands competition.
One night, Maggie meets sexy and mysterious Haden, and he agrees to help her find a band for the competition. As Maggie and Haden work side by side, secrets are unleashed that make Maggie question everything she thought she knew about Haden, and the reason for her summer in Green Falls.
Secrets, so powerful, that her life may never be the same.
Series: By You; Maggie & Haden
Author: Kelly Harper
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
There are also novellas.
Book Order: Chronological (Ruined by You & Saved By You) & Connected (Finding You & Undone by You)
Complete?: There are plans for a 4th book but no release date.
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Drama
Heat Rating: unsure
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: June 2013 – ??
Source & Format: Own–eBook
Disclaimer: I stopped reading Ruined by You at 30%. Find out why below…
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
A classic case of I dunno how I learned about this series but I bought it shortly after its release.
Or course, I didn’t get around to reading it until a few years later when I pulled it out for my #ShelfLove Challenge 2017. I had a pretty good idea of what Haden’s secret was going to be but I wasn’t sure what the purpose of the trip to Green Falls would be. So I was looking forward to uncovering those…
What I Liked:
–Battle of the Bands Premise–
I thought this was a fun situation to put the two leads in. I’m a sucker for musicians in my New Adult novels so this was right up my alley. I liked that it was a goal they had to work towards and not just a circumstance in the background (I hope that makes sense!).
What I Didn’t Like:
–Maggie’s a Little Angsty–
Ruined by You is actually one of those novels that straddles the YA-NA line but I ended up grouping it as NA because the premise is much more NA. Anyways, it has that angsty-ness that is common in YA.
Maggie is obviously upset that she has to spend her entire summer away from the place she calls home–and I get that. But I just didn’t like her attitude as a whole.
–Very Slow–
I found Ruined by You to be really slow. I was 30% of the way through and Haden and Maggie had met maybe 3 times and those were fairly brief. I also found that not much else was happening with Maggie. Honestly, I think more was happening with Sarah (who is the lead in Finding You). The band search hadn’t started; the romance wasn’t taking off like I wanted it to; and no inklings of secrets were on the horizon. I just needed a little more to stimulate my interests.
Will I Finish It?
No. I’ve read so many great NA novels with these elements that take it to that next level and this just wasn’t one of them for me.
Series Rating: DNF
I think this would be a great intro to NA novel for those who like a slower story. If you have patience to big reveals, check it out!
Read if You Like: YA/NA novels, contemporary
Avoid if You: dislike quick romances
- Slammed by Colleen Hoover (Slammed Trilogy #1)
- Reflect Me by K B Webb (Reflect Me Series #1)
Have you read this? Should I return to this series? Leave a comment!
