Congratulations on adopting! I gave up my daughter for adoption right after I had her when I had just turned 17. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do or will ever have to do. It was a mostly closed adoption but they send me pictures of her a few times a year and she's so happy! I got to pick out the family who wanted to adopt her myself and I know I made the right choice. She has everything she could ever want or need, she has a stable, happy home and which is far more than I could have provided her when I was 17. The world needs compassionate people like you to adopt and give a child the best life they could have! I know made the right choice and i can't handle reading anything negative happen to children either. Good luck on starting the adoption process! Any child is going to be lucky to have you for a mother

My dad was adopted, half of my siblings were adopted. My children will be adopted. You are a wonderful person.

Hey just an FYI you put up a picture for book 3 (A Storm of Swords) in ASOIAF instead of book 2 (Clash of Kings) :) love your videos!

It amazes me how you can rememeber all the plots of your DNFs. I can't remember my name sometimes, and more important, the plots of my finished books! (Which is like 3 books).

You probably weren't enjoying Storm of Swords as the second book in the ASOIAF series because it's actually the 3rd book. You missed everything in A Clash of Kings, which is actually the second book and picks up right where the first book left off.

I love detective fiction, but everyone recommending you Chandler and Hammet is out of their goddamn mind. That's like if someone told you they didn't like alcohol and you said: "Oh, I know! Drink this 80 proof vodka straight from the bottle! Ignore the burning sensation!" If you want to start and you you don't know where, start with detective stories blended with other genres. "Caves of Steel" or "The Yiddish Policeman's Union", "Crocodile on the Sandbank" or "The Name of the Rose", "The Historian" is detective fiction about vampires, "Daughter of Time" is about Richard III's historical legacy. Do NOT start with pure, unblended American hard-boiled noir. Just don't, you wont enjoy it. (And also, you don't have to read genres you don't like, it's all okay and you're doing great.)

I'd say we, readers don't always DNF books when the books aren't our type. Sometimes we are just not in the mood for that particular theme. Quite a lot times I have loved re reading the books that I had DNFed 😂

I didn't realize there was a controversy with Memoirs of a Geisha. It says it is a novel, so I read it as a Fiction. It was quite enjoyable. That is a very sad scenario between the author and Ms. Iwasaki.

"A Storm of Swords" is book 3, and "A Clash of Kings" is book 2 :v The rest of the vide is aswome.

Storm of Sword is the third book in the series.

On an unrelated note, your hair is always so on point 😍 I did finish The Husband‘s Secret and I think I quite enjoyed it but as you were talking about it I realized I had retained exactly nothing about this story 😂 Priory was on my TBR but I usually find overly long high fantasy novels with an uninspiring plot (according to the synopsis) not super appealing, it seems I made the right decision 😅

In A Song of Ice and Fire A Clash of Kings is book 2, A Storm of Swords is book 3

Aww I loved Far From the Tree so much. But yeah, sometimes even really good books are so emotionally draining. I am glad you eventually picked it back up.

Not newish at all , I’ve seen all your dnf’s videos this year but still watching the entirety of this one 😂 love you merphy I wish you a good day !

I really admire you, Merphy. There are many children out there who need love and family. And you're a wonderful, loving person, any child would've been blessed to have you as their mom. Same goes to your husband too.

couldn't agree more about Priory, and I did finish it 😅 I'm just hoping for the day you decide to try A Song of Ice and Fire again 🙈 I get what you're saying about his writing, but my god those characters and the plot are brilliant!

I just enjoyed listening to you trying to recall the synopsis for each of these 😂

Cool been waiting for this list for a while Love your channel 😋✌️

"Two kingdoms, dragons, feuds . . . It was really boring."

I think this is a really good video to do because it's interesting to hear you reflect on the past dnf's

I picked up mazerunner after watching the first movie. For me, it was easy to follow and sometimes even too childish in a post apocalyptic scenario, but it entertained me fairly well.

Good luck with your adoption process! You and your husband are doing a wonderful thing ❤️

I almost DNFed the second song of ice and fire book as well, but I'm really glad I pushed through because the third book really makes it worthwile. In my opinion, the second book is the slowest book of the series, but it does get better!

I didn't know there was a controversy about Memoirs of a Geisha but it's one of my favorite books and the movie adaption is beautiful. Personally I don't let anything outside of the actual book influence my opinion of it.

Also, thanks for your review of The Priory of the Orange Tree. It makes me glad, that even though I love the cover art, I was able to buy it for Kindle for $3 on Cyber Monday. I won’t feel nearly as bad giving up on it if I don’t end up liking it.

A storm of Swords is the best novel in A the Song of Ice and Fire series to date.

I always seperate the art and the artist, so when books have massive controversies i don't mind too much. Both memoirs are interesting in their own right, though I understand your stance on not wanting to touch them.

New to the channel, don't know why this is the first one I want to watch, but it is a good gauge of whether we like the same books or dislike the same things in books.

Merphy I've got a book recommendation for you it's called the hunting party and it's about a group of friends at a remote hunting lodge in Scotland, but one of them has been murdered. It's set in the present and three days before the murder happens. It switches perspectives through all the friends and the owners of the lodge. It is written by Lucy Foley and I think you will love it. It is a bit like Agatha Christie but a bit edgier

I loved loved loved Far From the Tree by Robin Benway. I’m really glad you finished it.

Havent watched your video yet but I saw red sister in the thumbnail... Im a little over half way through grey sister and Im really enjoying it! Hope you give it a 2nd shot! 😊

I think I heard you say that Storm of Swords was the second GOT book. It’s the third, which I am sure someone already told you. I hope you gave Clash of Kings a shot and went back to Storm of Swords. Anyhoo, new to the channel, but I love how passionate you are for books, and while I might not always agree, it’s great to have another person in the trenches!! Thanks for posting!

Love your vids❤️ I find it interesting the you have a hard time with Martins writing for ASOIAF but loved The First Law. I find Abercrombie’s writing difficult and getting through the series is difficult for me. But I blew through ASOIAF! Haha I think watching the TV show first is probably why I found it easier lol

Hi, been watching for a while, really enjoy the channel. I have a suggestion for a mystery/murder series you may like. It's the Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow. Stabenow is a native Alaskan and her protagonist. Kate Shugak is Aleut. The first book picks up 18 months after she left the Anchorage DA's office where she was in investigator and left after to a horrific event. She returns to her family's homestead in what is called the "Park". Kate becomes a private investigator to supplement her subsistence living, so this a mystery/detective series. However, it's the world Stabenow builds that is the heart of the book. The "Park" is a fictional place, akin to Denali National park. It is inhabited with both non-natives (park rats) as well as native Americans from various tribes. Stabenow populates her books with these marvelous, colorful characters. She weaves in the culture of the Aleut, the problems and politics of the region along with the social issues such as alcoholism Kate is a great character, a 5' tall tornado that everyone in the Park knows not to tangle with. A lot of what goes into fantasy world-building is present here and the Park and the Alaskan wilderness are characters in the books. Oh, and yeah, Kate has a half-wolf named Mutt.

I'm going to have to pick up Far from the Tree ... adoption/foster families strike true to my heart given my history. I rarely read contemporary but the concept simply tugs at my heartstrings to not give it a go one day... hopefully I wont become an emotional wreck when/if I do, LoL.

Memoirs of a Geisha is such a good book though. I understand the controversy puts you off but I read it like it was fiction, it's easier to enjoy that way.

A couple people mentioned this already, but A Clash of Kings is actually the second book in the song of ice and fire series. You were reading a storm of swords, which is the third book.

They’re gonna love your library and wealth of knowledge on books.

I came back through your videos to see what you thought of The Priory of the Orange Tree because I knew you'd read it. I'm now disappointed 😂. I read it this month and it was my first 5 star of the year. I absolutely loved it and was so gutted when I found out it was a stand alone. I loved everything you hated and didn't find it boring at all. Looking back, I think the reason I didn't pick it up earlier was because you said you hated it but the cover swayed me in the end.

My husband and I are in the middle of our adoption process and I finally picked up and finished Far From the Tree yesterday. SO MANY EMOTIONS! Especially since we are adopting older children from the foster system. But yes, I agree it was worth it. Easy 5 stars for me. If you have any other favorite adoption related book recommendations I’d love to hear them! either fiction or nonfiction (religious or secular) 💖

I understand your feelings about Kasie West because the last three or four I just haven't enjoyed as much as the first ones. I also get the feeling of wondering if it's you, because I definitely have had a lot of life changes and it just makes it hard for me to figure out if I still like it. The last one she released reminded me a lot of the beginning characters, so maybe try that one.

Definitely voting for Red Sister. It feels kind of long for being the first book in the series, but it's worth it.

I'm really interested in Far from the Tree now! Are you and your husband reading The Connected Child? Karyn Purvis?

Would you ever read His Dark Materials?

Omg, when you were talking about Lifelike’s slang mess and brought up Maze Runner! I had the SAME reaction! I finished Lifelike because I was reading it for a class, but it was AWFUL! One of my least favorites ever. Same with Priory of the Orange Tree. I didn’t get as far as you did, but it was boring and I wasn’t about to commit to 800 pages if I was bored. Edit: Memoirs of a Geisha used to be my favorite book. It’s still a good book. I honestly don’t think enough of the events of the book can be true for either of them to be completely 100% right. I understand if you are uncomfortable with it because of the controversy, but the story is enjoyable if you pick it back up. Thanks for all your hard work!

Have you tried Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz? It's sort of a detective mystery novel but it has supernatural and thriller elements. I've only read the first one so far but I really enjoyed it and I thought you might as well!

Regarding detective stories, have you tried Truly Devious?

Do you have a review of The Magicians by Lev Grossman? I was looking through your videos and couldn’t find any thing.

The only book you dnf'd that I have any interest in is Red Sister.

I also DNF'd A Storm of Swords. Currently trying to restart the series but not really finding the motivation. Especially because it looks like GRRM might not get to complete the book series. I've already been waiting for another series (the KingKiller Chronicles) that might never see its end so I'm really slow to pick up ASoS again.

I'm so glad you didn't waste time on The Husband's Secret. I absolutely hated every single page but I also have this thing where I cannot leave a book half-finished. It's so full of cliches, absolutely hated the portrayal of female characters. And SO MANY STEREOTYPES! I remember, as soon I finished, I wanted to burn the book but sadly it was on my Kindle. And, spoiler alert and TW- I absolutely loathed how they turned a violent attempt to murder by a psycho, jealous boy into something forgivable by the epilogue. He attacked her with the intent to kill, she dies as well, but voila! She doesn't die because of the attack itself but Due to a genetic disease that she has and it worsened the effects of the attack. The epilogue was so apologetic in nature! hey! Please don't hate on this man who tried to kill a girl. She would have died anyway. He was just an innocent, jealous, stalking creep. I have literally never felt the rage I felt while reading this book, and I have read some pretty shitty books. The rage was enough to make me comment on KZfaq, something I never do. In case it wasn't clear enough, this book was my worse decision of 2019. I HATED IT.

I remember a while back you were talking about Gardens of the Moon. Did you ever get to it?

I like how you go into details of books. Like the general story line some main characters of the book. What one eho would read it can expect from the book. EVEN on books that you DNF! For me that places you on a plane above soooo many other book reviewers. Its not spoiling a book if you tell us something about whats in it. Rant over. Lol

Heard you mention Gone Girl. I haven't read that one. But I read Sharp Objects and was so good! The HBO show was really good too.🙂

girl of paper and fire sounds like the plot of a very elaborate p*rn :/

I was so sad when you said Far From the Tree and then you explained why and it totally made sense. i can't wait to read it. i've dreamed of adopting a teenager for many many years. I'm hoping to be able to adopt or foster a teen within the next six years. Also i pushed through with Priory and let me tell you, you didn't miss a thing. lmao

I implore you to continue giving a song of Ice and fire a try. You say you love worldbuilding, and I honestly cannot think of a series I have read that has a world that feels as alive as George R R Martin’s creation

Have you read the magicians trilogy yet? I think you might like it

Did you read the bone season by Samantha Shannon... or anyone else? Did you find the two books similar in the writing style? I read the bone season a few years ago and i'm just curious

There's a book on the top middle shelf over your right shoulder, second book from the left. What book is that?

Oh my gosh!! Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer? I haven’t heard anyone else talk about it but I loved it so much!

Honestly, I hope you go back at some point and give Mr. Mercedes another chance. I'm not big on the "detective" type stories, either, but Mr. Mercedes was terrific, as are the other two books in the trilogy, Finders Keepers and End of Watch. I've only just begun to delve into Stephen King, and I've only read five of his so far, but Mr. Mercedes is my favorite right now by a pretty wide margin.

I loved Priory it was one of my top reads of the year!

I'd send ya my books if only to have them ripped apart. It might be fun. My second book went out last October. Since then, I've been dying to re-edit my first book, as I see all my mistakes. And as I write my third book, I see the mistakes of the second. I guess it'll haunt me forever.

Do you have statistics on how often you DNF books?

About ASOIAF, George and that series are insanely popular, but that writing style isn't for everyone. I'm curious about what exactly you didn't like about it. To me, George's style reminded me a lot of Robert Jordan's style, but with less drag, less repetition and tons of action. I love series that have thick, dense, almost excruciatingly detailed writing.

I thought I'd read something by Chandler, then realized I'd just seen some of the movies. And was confusing him with Dashiel Hammett & Mickey Spillane. They're good, BTW.

I totally get how the book you were reading about adoption could have been way too much emotion. I’m adopted, and I’ve had a lot of trouble with infertility and miscarriages. I had to DNF The Light Between Oceans because there came a point in the book where I knew that someone’s Mama heart was going to be broken, and I just couldn’t. From what the ladies at my book club said, there doesn’t seem to be a good emotional payoff in the end, either, so I have no desire to ever finish the book.

I've had the same experience with Kasie West :-/ I realllllly hated Fame, Fate and First Kiss- it's definitely one of the worst books I read this year. Sadly, I didn't love her summer release, Maybe This Time, either. I think I might be done trying her new releases but I still love some of her backlist.

Have you ever read the Illuminae Files(Illuminae, Gemina and Obsidio)? You may like it.

Fucking thank you, The Big Sleep was assigned from a college course I'm taking and I just absolutely hate it.

A detective one you might try is Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series.

oh my god, I'm so glad someone else said it, I tried to read a song of ice and fire too and hated it the writing style was so flawed going into far to much detail about frankly inconsequential things, meandering on already fully fleshed out parts while seeming dismissive of the actual story,

I feel sad you dnfed Red sister. You missed the great friendships they've developed in the last 2 books 😔

I already know imma be satisfied by this video.

Kind of sad that you didn't likw Priory because I actually liked it. It was amazing from start to finish. I guess it's one of those books whose popularity is really controverial. (Also, try the ASoIaF series some more)

You keep putting a storm of swords in the thumbnail. It’s clash of kings you DNF’d.

Invisible is an amazing crime thriller by James Patterson I would recommend the audiobook it's an experience. That's just a recommendation from someone who's not into detective novels to someone else not into detective novels

I'm a bit late here but if you want some very unconventional detective story with a truly unique (if a little sarcastic) MC you might wanna try Paul Tremblay's "The Little Sleep". Mark's a narcoleptic whose episodes makes his every day seem like halfway between the diaries of an amnesiac and a drug-fuelled psychotic episode, but with a solid story attached to it.

Oh boy. Clash of Kings is definitely a rough one to get through 🙈. Took me 2 years the first time... And like 6 months on the reread 😂.

Huh? The Big Sleep was recommended to win you over? I love crime & detective fiction. That would not be in any of my suggestions.

I love all the books by John Sandford if you ever want to try detective type books again.

Didn't you like Isaac Asimov's I ROBOT series? You might want to try his mysteries, perhaps his Black Widowers series, most of which were short stories.

I almost gave up on Nevernight.

As someone who was in the foster care system, Far From the Tree sounds like it should be a great book and something I could relate too.

The ultimate detective books are by Agatha Christie. I love all the Hercule Poirot books I've read so far. Some that everyone seem to love are "murder on the orient Express" and "and then there were none" (that's not a Poirot book, however).

Far From The Tree was amazing. A five star read for me.

I read My grandmother sends her regards and apologies last week and ik was my favoriete Backman book so far. I felt really connected with Elsa as a child of divorce. She represents my inner angry child very well.

Did she start the a song of ice and fire series with the 3rd or did she read the first 2?

Unpopular opinion. I liked A Clash of Kings more than A Storm of Swords. I'm curious though, as you called Storm the second novel in the serious, did you go right from AGOT to ASOS, skipping Clash entirely?

If you like AI’s with distinct personalities, you should read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams if you haven’t already! It’s kind of a spontaneous mess, but in a way that’s what makes it so great

I would skip The Duchess Deal and pick up The Governess Game (the second in the Girl Meets Duke series) instead. It's a slow burn romance and features my favorite book children, who happen to be adopted. I think you'd love it.

You're really missing out with Memoirs of a Geisha :( yeah, the controversy sucks but ignoring that, it's such a beautiful love story and I usually hate love stories. The movie also has controversy cuz they used Chinese actors but its SO well shot and beautiful and it's my favorite movie along with the music score

You may have given up on finding the right detective novel, but if you haven't then I'd recommend The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. I also don't read a lot of detective novels, but this once has a lot of funny and unique characters.

How do you remember so many details about your DNFs? I DNF very few books, but generally I find them so bad that I purge them from my mind (or never connected enough to remember anything anyway). The only memorable DNF was Stephen King's Talisman. It was by far the worst book I ever tried to read. I got it back in 1985, and forced my way through about 120 painful pages. I finally had to put it down and end my misery. The writing style never connected with me (if the rambling had a style). I never cared about a single character in it. It was so bad I never picked up another King book. The synopsis reads like something I would love, but the book itself was painfully, and memorably, bad. Any other DNF... I can barely remember the title. 😎

Yea Priory was like the it thing for 5 seconds and now no one talks about that book anymore.

I should DNF more, I struggled through the Master and Margarita because so many people had told me it was brilliant but it didn't work for me. I did DNF George R R Martin's A Storm of Swords, although it wasn't really an active decision I just got distracted by other shorter books and went back to it less and less frequently until I just stopped picking it up, his books are just so long.

Wait did you skip "A clash of kings" and go straight into "A storm of swords"?

Woah mr.mercedes is amazing

3:27 Ever read/reviewed the Shack?