I’ve recently delved back into a pastime that I had allowed to slip away from me for a while: reading.

It has been great to visit the worlds crafted by the pages of works of fiction again, but I feel I’m starting off on the wrong foot with the one I decided to start.

I have a rule that, until now, I don’t think that I’ve ever broken. No matter how bad a book or series is, I don’t quit - I finish it. I tried as hard as I could to finish the books, but I had to throw in the towel this time with The Cursebreakers Series.

I devoured the first book of this trilogy in no time at all, and I loved it. It is the author’s take on a tale inspired by Beauty & the Beast. The premise was darker than the original, but there was a lot of promise and ingenuity. Obviously, the author loved these characters, and I did too. There were healthy amounts of flaws and strengths that made the characters all feel more human and relatable – I liked it. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second entry.

I went to the library and plucked the remaining two books off the shelf. I was certain I’d finish them. I had never failed in my efforts before. It was inconceivable that I wouldn’t complete the series in a week.

The beginning of book two was OK, engaging. Then, it became readily apparent that a new character being introduced was going to grate on my nerves. I forged through until about halfway through the second book, hoping the female lead I was reading about would be swapped out for the heroine from the first book that I liked much better. Unfortunately, she was quite permanent. I closed the book and decided I was done.

The author went to great lengths to portray this character as unattractive and entirely imperfect, yet every descriptor they used about her after the initial introduction was contradictory. It lauded her for her perfection, her beauty and her various unparalleled talents – but off-set it with her flimsy insecurity. Her character lacked any real depth, in my opinion, and didn’t feel authentic at all.

Not only that, but there was obvious set-up I saw from the first few paragraphs about this character that set the groundwork for a love connection with another character who was undergoing an identity crisis of sorts. Apparently, it was not debilitating enough that he couldn’t completely defy his character in the span of about 60 pages and lose all realistic character progression to fall in love with this character.

To sate my curiosity, I decided to look up the ending of the series online and save myself the time spent reading it – and I’m glad I did! For once, it feels like failing a goal is actually a win. Here’s to hoping the next series I pick up fares better results.

Standard reporter Nikki Childers can be reached at 473-2191.