Play Book Tag discussion

How long do you read before giving up on a book you're not sure about?

I'm about 25% in to the one I'm reading now, but it seems to be headed towards a possible sci-fi theme and I'm not too crazy about where it's headed. I feel like I've spent the last week wasting my time.

I rarely to never DNF, even if I hate something so thoroughly. It's just not in my nature. But I'm rare that way. But I must admit, when I want to get through a bad book, there's an awful lot of skimming. I can't classify it as real reading....

Give it up. Life is too short to waste on book you aren't enjoying. You may pick it up later when you are in a different state of mind.

I used to very rarely give up on books but I am too busy to feel guilty about putting it aside now.....do your jobs, authors! Engage me! lol

I'm like Amy, I rarely DNF a book. But, I do shelve them for later because I think it might just be my mood at the time. But, if I do shelve it for later, I usually give it about 20-100 pages depending on the book and what's going on in my life at the time.

Amy wrote: "I rarely to never DNF, even if I hate something so thoroughly. It's just not in my nature. But I'm rare that way. But I must admit, when I want to get through a bad book, there's an awful lot of sk..."

This is very much like me, too, Amy.

I know I've given up on one book in my life (The Mill on the Floss), and I don't remember if I finished Frankenstein or not (they both would have been around the same time period that I read them, as well).

I have this odd hope that the book will get better. But, I do end up skimming much of it, like you do, Amy.

I read to be entertained, charmed, thrilled, impressed, etc. If none of that is happening I move on. I have too many books in the house and on my Kindle that need my attention to continue a book that is dragging.

If you are 1/4 of the way through a book and aren't engaged toss it. I have no problem doing it. Just tossed If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. Just not my cuppa.

If you're 25% and it's short, I might finish. If it's over 300 pages, I'd quit. I only finish books I'm not enjoying if it's for a book club (and sometimes not even then) or if it comes highly recommended and I expect it to get better. I've never regretted quitting a book and I've certainly regretted spending too much time on one!

I used to stubbornly read until done, but resented the book and the author afterwards.
Because of this, I think I have discounted other books by these authors unfairly.
So now, if I'm not feeling it, I set it aside for a bit, try again, and give it as much as I can stand. Sometimes it's all about my mood at the time of reading, and I end up loving the book. Other times, it goes to resale or donated to the library.

I used to finish books, but now I've decided that life is too short. As others, I'm mostly reading to be engaged (entertained or learn something).... if that's not happening, I will stop. If I think it's because I'm just not in the right mindset, I will shelve as DNF-will-try-again.

I used to always finish a book, even though it was not engaging. That was until I was around 25. In the past 10 years that's changed dramatically, and is now the complete opposite. I have no regret in DNF'ing a book if I don't like it. I don't do that with short books, however. I'll usually give up after 100 pages or so, depending on the length of the book. Only some of them did I DNF after a few pages (Naked Lunch, The Satanic Verses - I knew right away they were not my cup of tea).
Life is short, so why should I waste my time reading a book I don't like?

LOL - what Marina said. Used to force myself to finish every book I read, back in my 20s. From around my late 30s I decided I was getting too old to waste my time, as there are too many books, not enough time! Though I will finish a book I am not enjoying if I need it for a game.

I normally don't mark a book as 'started reading' until I'm about 20-25% of the way through with it.

Then my generally "rule" is if I have marked it as started reading- I'll force myself to finish it. But if I never even put it on my goodreads account as reading, I don't finish it- it was never recorded and it's like it never happened.

Joi wrote: "I normally don't mark a book as 'started reading' until I'm about 20-25% of the way through with it.

Then my generally "rule" is if I have marked it as started reading- I'll force myself to finis..."

Lol. That's awesome.

Based on the comments here, I DNFd a few books that I put on my save for later shelf. I started thinking that I'm probably never going to want to read them again. And, if I do, I can always put them right back on my shelf. I removed 7 books yesterday from my shelf, instead of counting them as complete DNFs, lol.

I basically used the "Nancy Pearl" rule. Nancy Pearl is the retired City LIbrarian for Seattle, and is a frequent guest on NPR.

With the EXCEPTION of books assigned for school or for book club, Nancy states:
1) If you are age 50 or younger .... read 50 pages. If you aren't engaged by that point, set it aside. It's not the book for you at this time.

2) If you are over age 50 ... subtract your age from 100, and that's how many pages you should read before setting it aside (either permanently or "for now"). SO if you are 63 years old, you'd read up to page 37. Nancy jokes "If you are 100, you may judge a book by it's cover!"


That being said, I don't abandon books very often, most probably because I choose what I plan to read pretty carefully. But when I do I do NOT feel guilty about it.

I agree with BC on the choosing what I read carefully. I do not plan in advance but peruse my TBR when I am ready to start a new book and select it based on what strikes my fancy. I find there each time is a book that I keep coming back to.

It is also the reason I do not participate in reading games. I am the worst, not only because I am slow, but because I NEVER want to read what I HAVE to read.

The library puts a little wrinkle in that plan, but I have returned many a book that I waited MONTHS for just because I wasn't in the mood.

It is also the reason I do not participate in reading games. I am the worst, not only because I am slow, but because I NEVER want to read what I HAVE to read.

I agree 100%

Book Concierge wrote: "I basically used the "Nancy Pearl" rule. Nancy Pearl is the retired City LIbrarian for Seattle, and is a frequent guest on NPR.

With the EXCEPTION of books assigned for school or for book club, Na..."

I like that idea. However, I don't always read my book club books either, lol. And, I definitely didn't read my assigned books from school when I was younger.

I'm like Nicole, "I NEVER want to read what I HAVE to read."

I love Nancy's rule --- hadn't heard it, and right now I'm 50 so I get to read less starting next year :-D !!!

I do try to finish book club books, but if I don't it's not sweat. If I really like it but just ran out of time, I might arrive "late" so I miss some of the book discussion but can still socialize.

I have decided against finishing the book. It was well over 400 pages, so even at 25%, I had a ways to go to finish it.

Last book I forced myself to finish, other than 100 years of Solitude which wasn't that bad that I was screaming, was the Magicians by Lev Grossman. I may have skipped entire chapters just looking for something interesting. And let's not forget the Real Woman's Guide to Magic. If you see either of those in a store on on a kindle- run, don't walk! Lol!

I liked The Magicians Amy. 8o We aren't perfectly similar! Lol.

Shuva wrote: "Kim, curious to know which book it was that you DNF'd!? "


It was Going Bovine by Libba Bray.

I only finished The Magicians because I was reading it for a game. It was a real struggle, and I gave it 2 stars.

Things can't be %100 similar, but you're still on my shortlist, Jen. Did you see my personal ad seeking a reading twin? It's somewhere in the thread of the Dinner, under quirky.

I think we both have The History of Love, and Ready Player One coming up. That will be a good time to see how we line up...

The point at which I decide to stop is when it feels like work to he through a few pages. I used to refuse to DNF but like Nicole said now I think life's too short and there are too many good books to get to

Haha, I'll look Amy. I'm struggling to get into the History of Love. That I will finish because so many like it. I'll give it a longer chance. :)

Oh, I just remembered that I gave up on The Brothers Karamazov about 2/3 of the way through. I just couldn't take it any more.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "How long do you read before giving up on a book you're not sure about?

I'm about 25% in to the one I'm reading now, but it seems to be headed towards a possible sci-fi theme and I'm not too crazy ..."

I'm pretty much in Amy's camp of very rarely DNFing, but that's because I'm compulsive. I can only think of two books I didn't finish, and one of them, it was more like I set it aside for the future (which has yet to arrive). However, I actually think my own behavior is illogical . . .there's SO MANY books. Why torture yourself? Yet somehow I feel compelled to finish . . .

The one killer for me . . .Cold Mountain. I'm sure I could finish it now.

I usually always finish a book but I'm reading Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. It gets wonderful reviews but I would rather have my intestines ripped out with a fork than continue. Maybe I'll cleanse my palette with a nice serial killer novel before picking it up again.

Olivermagnus wrote: "I usually always finish a book but I'm reading Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. It gets wonderful reviews but I would rather have my intestines ripped out with a fork..."

Ha ha ha!! I think if it is preferable to get "your intestines ripped out with a fork", it is best to stop.

I quite often set books aside planning to return to them, and then I never do. As with Olivermagus, when that intestine ripping urge comes along, I'm happy to move on. ;-)

Shuva wrote: "In my family we say, 'I'd rather be disemboweled with a wooden spoon' ..."

My favorite is - "I'd rather kiss a sheep
(or if it's REALLY bad ... kiss a sheep's A##)