Ampersand Book Club discussion

Poll time again!

I've picked up a few books lately that I 1) just couldn't get into or 2) wasn't in the mood to finish. (That's one problem with having Goodreads: if I'm not immediately sucked into a story, I have a whole list of suggestions for other books to read!)

For example, I'm wondering whether or not to abandon The Graveyard Book. I was enjoying it, but I put it aside for a few days, and now I feel I'd like to move onto something else. I also started Sandry's Book, which is supposed to be classic fantasy. But after the first chapter, I wonder if I'm too old to appreciate it!

So how do you decide when to abandon a book? Do you decide after a certain number of pages? Depends on what other books are in your queue? Or when it's due back at the library?

My obsessive quirk mostly forbids me from abandoning a book; in fact, I've only abandoned 5 since joining Goodreads and keeping track of such things. But of the ones that I have, it's only taken a couple of chapters for the most part before I decide to throw in the towel.

Incidentally, I have read every single one of Tamora Pierce's books and loved them all. There are three separate series with those characters - Circle of Magic (Sandry's Book, Tris's Book, Daja's Book, Briar's Book), The Circle Opens (Magic Steps, Street Magic, Cold Fire, Shatterglass), and Circle Reforged (The Will of the Empress, Melting Stones, and the newest one, Battle Magic)

I noticed that you'd rated Sandry's Book. So you had no trouble reading the series as an adult? I loved Pierce's Alanna series when I was young, but I haven't read any of her books since. I just finished another book that was for younger readers, and it just seemed too simple to me.

I have a great fondness for kids/ya fantasy, so I'm slightly biased, but no, I didn't think they were too simple. They also get older in each of the series, so while they are very young in the first quartet, it's not such an issue with the later two series

I only abandon books I absolutely loath. The Eight was the last one I gave up on. I hated it because it was so full of itself!! Oooh there's a great prophesy or some relic of ancient powers but it's super secret so we can't tell you what it is! I could tell that they were going to teasingly refer to it for hundreds and hundreds of pages. But considering the mystery surrounding the thing, the story itself was deathly boring.

I find that the other abandoned books on my shelf are all similar in this regard...totally full of their own virtue and superiority. I should've abandoned The Goon Squad and that Oe Kenzaburo book that I also hated for the same reason.

I'd much rather finish a book that embraces it's terribleness rather than those that pretend to be great.

Another side note, are we picking a book for March or waiting for people to catch up with Life After Life/The Golemn and the Jinni?

Yeah I was just asking M about it yesterday. If she has no suggestion, I'll pick one unilaterally! Lol.

Unless anyone here has a suggestion? :)

I suggested the last time, someone else have a go! Sadly the project I am on is sorely cramping my reading style :-(