Three Things That Instantly Make Me NOT Want to Read a Book

You might have seen last week's post on Things That Instantly Make Me Want to Read a Book, and here it its counterpart. What things make me pass a story without giving it a second glance?

1. Genre. Though I consider myself fairly widely read, there are some genres I don't enjoy as much. It's not that I have anything against that genre, it's completely a matter of personal taste. Some just don't draw me in.

2. Poor editing. Oh my goodness, poor editing drives me crazy! If a book is full of spelling errors, misused words, or missing punctuation, I will either quit reading it or suffer through and give it a lower star rating in my review. 

3. An Unprofessional Cover. We all judge books by their covers, even though the adage tells us we shouldn't. If I would be embarrassed to post the cover on my blog, I won't read the book. Editing and cover design are two things you shouldn't skimp on.

Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

"Authentic Worship" by A.W. Tozer

I love the writings of A.W. Tozer, and worship has always been very important to me, so I was excited to have the chance to read this book. Tozer is so rich that you have to read slowly. While I enjoyed this book, I didn't get as much out of it as I hoped, and that could be just because it's a very busy time of year and it was hard to focus. Perhaps if I read it again I would feel more immersed in the writing.

 

I still highly recommend Tozer, especially the transformative A Cloud By Day, A Fire By Night, or his devotional A Daily Pursuit. Thanks to Bethany House for continuing to get Tozer's works in front of today's audience.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

"Man of Shadow and Mist" by Michelle Griep

 

Rumors swirl about Sir James Morgan. Is he a man or a beast? Villagers are convinced he might be one of those famous vampires who hail from Transylvania—the home of Sir James's ancestors.

Rosa Edwards doesn't believe anything of the sort. As a librarian and a champion for education, she wants everyone to understand that vampires are fictional and there is nothing to fear from Sir James. However, as she gets to know the man herself, she must admit there are more than a few strange things about him and his home that might leave people wondering.

James searches for a cure for his mother's illness while Rosa tries to fend off a determined suitor who won't take no for an answer. Can it be that the two of them can help each other through their predicaments?

I loved how Michelle Griep weaves a tale of mystery with deep layers of faith and hope. With a story that could contain such darkness, she shines a ray of light. There's still plenty of Gothic overtones, but they do not overtake the main themes. Rosa is a very determined heroine and there's a vulnerability to James despite the protective barriers he carries around his heart. You can't help but hope for the best for them all the way through to the surprising conclusion to the story.

I received my copy of the book from NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own.