DNF December Review Blitz — Day 6: 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 The Dark Days Club (from Goodreads):
London, April 1812.
On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?
Series: Lady Helen
Author: Alison Goodman
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Supernatural
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: Third Person, Single
Publication Dates: December 2015 – November 2018
Source & Format: Public Library–Hardcover
**Disclaimer: I stopped reading The Dark Days Club at 32% (start of Chapter 11) and have opted not to pick up the sequels. Find out why below…**
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
This was one of those series that always caught my eye when I was browsing my library’s collection. And when I read the synopsis, I was intrigued. I adore historical fiction and I don’t get to it often enough in the YA genre. Add to it the supernatural element and I was totally onboard to add it to my 5 Year 5 Book Challenge for the year 2015.
What I Liked:
–The Setting–
I love historical novels with a supernatural twist. There’s just something about the bizarre as it meets the lush society that I find endlessly fascinating.
What I Didn’t Like:
–Way too Dry–
It just felt like this book was taking forever to get somewhere. I was pretty far in and nothing had really evolved besides Helen learning that maybe her mother wasn’t a traitor…which is so obvious it’s painful to anyone who has read a book before.
–Lack of Chemistry–
I was hoping the promise of romance might save this one but no such luck. I didn’t find the banter as engaging as I wanted.
–Helen is Rather Dull–
I get it: she’s lived a life constrained by boundaries outside her control but I wish she had more to her personality. She’s a bit of a “special snowflake” but one you’ve encountered numerous times before.
Will I Continue With the Series?:
No. I’ve read reviews for the sequels to see if this slower start is worth it but they weren’t overly positive so I am stopping here.
Series Rating: DNF
The Dark Days Club DNF | The Dark Days Pact N/A | The Dark Days Deceit N/A
There was nothing to get me excited about this series despite the promising inklings.
Read if You Like: slower stories, historical fiction
Avoid if You: want something with lots of action
- Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey
- Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Dead Series #1)
Have you read this? Should I return to this series? Leave a comment!
