When I got the chance to get a review copy (via Netgalley) for Jinn and Juice by Nicole Peeler, I was beyond thrilled. I loved Peeler’s Jane True series. Peeler’s writing is awesome because of the way she makes you connect with her characters (snark, wit and a loveable charm). However, it is with great sadness that I had to DNF Jinn and Juice.
Meet Lyla: Jinn, belly dancer, and the hottest new urban fantasy heroine in town.
To escape an arranged marriage, a jinni granted Lyla her wish: to live a thousand years as a jinni herself.
Now, her servitude is ending, but there are a few obstacles in Lyla’s path to freedom. A Magi intent on binding her again, a jinni bent on vengeance, and not to mention the nightmare from her past that threatens to make her curse permanent — and claim her very soul.
Jinn and Juice is the first in a new series by fantasy writer, Nicole Peeler set in a world of immortal curses, vengeful jinni and belly dancing.
First, what I liked–Peeler’s writing. She still has that same ease that is easy to follow and weaves a good tale into her world building. I really wanted to like Jinn and Juice because I adore Peeler and her writing.
But like I said, I had to DNF it. My time is extremely limited these days and I just could not connect with any of the characters, let alone with the story. My attempt at reading Jinn and Juice came back in February 2015–when admittedly I was in a slump. I had every intention of making an effort to go back and re-try Jinn and Juice. However, I kind of realized, as I got OUT of my slump, I didn’t *want* to go back and try to read Jinn and Juice again. I’d been devouring books left and right, and I didn’t want to spend what minimal free time I had trying to read a book I couldn’t connect with. So I officially DNF’d Jinn and Juice. This decision made me incredibly sad.
Why couldn’t I connect? I like Peeler’s writing. I think the problem lies within Lyla herself. Maybe I had expectations, similar to Sarah (another LE reviewer who’s reviewed Jinn and Juice)–namely some sort of expectation that Lyla would be as loveable as Jane True. Jane had a self-assuredness about her…along with spunk, grit and snark, that endeared me to her. Lyla, not so much. I spent most of the time wondering WTH the point of all this was. I felt like Lyla kind of rambled on and wandered aimlessly. I’m sure as the story continued, some of this disappeared; but, I couldn’t devote more time with a character I didn’t connect with and just didn’t care enough about to find out the rest of the story.
So, with a heavy heart–but an ever expanding Mt. “TBR” pile–, I DNF’d Jinn and Juice, to try and make headway for stories I could connect with–and devour–on the ever shrinking amount of free time. I do hope your experience differs from mine, because I adore Nicole Peeler and want her new series to do well.
