DNF: Chime

Chime

by Franny Billingsley

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know. (description from Amazon.com)

This book got such great reviews that it literally pained me that I could not get all the way through it.  I read more than half, hated every minute of it, skipped a chunk and finished the end...just to know what happened.  This was one of those books that just bothered me, deep in my core. It was by no means bad...but I just grit my teeth everytime I picked it up.  I hated how Briony referred to herself in whiny third person all the time! Hated.  Even the plot, which had sounded right up my alley, couldn't get me past that...ugh.

Now, there have been plenty of people out there who loved this book, so please...do not let me sway you from reading it.  Check out the reviews on the web and decide for yourself!