Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

There are those books that are just really not 'your' thing. I read all of Mister B. Gone, and hated every second of it. I kept thinking that the story would make sense by 'the next chapter'... it didn't happen.
I also had a hard time reading The Gunslinger, but I really found it interesting; hard read but interesting... :/

What I mean by 'your' thing is; not all books are gonna be liked by every reader. We all try to step outside of our known genre's, but sometimes it is a failed attempt. I hate not finishing what I start. :(

Yes, I have about 3 that I just could not finish. Almost had another yesterday, but I forged ahead. Usually for me if the writing is poor or the story line is ridiculous (and I love paranormal so you have got to be really ridiculous) then I have to stop.

When I start rolling my eyes and gnashing my teeth, I toss the book aside.

I've got enought books on my TBR list that I'm not going to waste time on any book I've started that I'm just not enjoying. I can always go back and try it again some other time, but if I feel like I am fighting my way through it it is just not worth it. I've got a special shelf on Goodreads for books I could not finish so that I can maybe go back and try them again some day.

I agree with you, Joseph.....I have waaaaaay too many books on my TBR list and reading should be a joy, not a chore. (We got enough of that in college!!!) So if the book becomes a chore, it is put aside. It is like food you hate......you don't eat it just because someone else likes it........diversity makes the world go 'round.

Yep. Like Joseph said, there's too many potentially good books that I haven't read yet, so I'd rather not waste my time on something I don't enjoy. I'm pretty good at gauging whether or not I'll like something within the first 50 pages - I'd rather give up and read something better than keep reading, get angry, and give a one-star review. :P

Joseph wrote: "I've got enought books on my TBR list that I'm not going to waste time on any book I've started that I'm just not enjoying. I can always go back and try it again some other time, but if I feel lik..."

I couldn't agree more... I am reading a classic right now, that I just want to chuck; but I don't want to give up... ugh. :(

I was reading early this year, but had to stop 2/3 of the way in because I just couldn't get into. I'm going to try again next year just to see what the fuss is about.

had to put this book aside because the FMC was getting on my nerves with her whining. Plus this book is 600 pages long. I will also try and finsh this book next year

another book I couldn't get into. I'm going to try and see what the fuss is about

I remember this book being all the rage when it first came out. I remember trying to read it and not really liking it. Can't remember if I finished or not. Another book that's getting a second chance.

The best thing about books 2-4 is that I own them so i can take my time reading them

I also feel pretty bad when I don't finish a book, but I got about 30 in my dnf shelf. I realized at some point that trying to finish books I didn't enjoy always results in 1 or 2 star ratings and me more frustrated than ever. Now, unless I stopped reading the book because I was not in the mood for that kind of thing and not because I didn't get it, I'll leave it unfinished. As Joseph and others said, I have way too many books in my TBR to waste time on books I don't like.

I stopped reading CATCH 22 in college. it bored me to tears. But I loved all Joseph Heller's other books, SOMETHING HAPPENED has wonderful opening AND CLOSING TIME is sad. I barely made it through THE GODFATHER, Dreary, Puzo being hired to be one of the screenwriters of SUPERMAN was silly. DELIVERANCE was slow. But those were when I was in university. Made in through Bush's book, then deleted it from my kindle.

Alondra wrote: "There are those books that are just really not 'your' thing. I read all of Mister B. Gone, and hated every second of it. I kept thinking that the story would make sense by 'the next ..."

I had the same experience with the series. I did finish 1 & 2 but 3 I never did finish. I felt bad because they were loaned to me by my nephew who is a huge Stephen King fan. I loved The Shining and I bought Rose Madder but just couldn't read The Dark Tower books.

I have suffered through some books i did NOT like because of rave reviews by others, ... or they were authors i had liked their previous books so i thought the author would pull it out and be interesting but NO. Examples: The Road, Anil's Ghost, Gilliad.........but generally if i am not hooked by about 50 pages or so i quit and i don't feel guilty; maybe i feel cheated that i wasted my precious time reading that far.

I don't have any set rules, but if a book doesn't hold my interest, I'll put it aside and come back to it later.

If a book has not caught my interest within the first 100 pages, I put it aside for a while and come back to it later. But there have been books where I refuse to finish it because it is super boring and/or horribly written. For example, I stopped reading Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. I could not stand the way he wrote it, he was contradicting himself through out it, and the topic alone annoyed me.

I used to ALWAYS finish but lately if I don't like it by about chapter four, I put it on my dnf shelf. Way too many books that will hold my interest to waste my time.

I always try very hard to give up on a book once I start it, but sometimes it's just not possible to finish it. My best example is the auther Toni Morrison. I want to read her. I want to like her books. But each time I start either Beloved or A Mercy I just get past the first 20-30 pages. And it annoys me for I WANT to read it, damn it! LOL
I'm getting the the conclusion that I just don't like her style. And like Joseph menitioned earlier, with all the books on my to-read list I'd rather move on to the next author/book and hope I like it!

I usually don't stop reading something once I've started. Occasionally, I will start something and realize I am in the mood for a different genre and I will just put it aside for later. However, I will quit reading somthing if I am really not getting anything out of reading it. I figure there are thousands of books I can't wait to get my hands on...so why waste time on one I don't enjoy. For example, I had heard so much about how great A Confederacy of Dunces was...but it took me over a week to get through about 80 pages. I normally get through at least two decent length books in that amount of time, so I decided to chuck it and move on to something that didn't make me want to strangle someone.

Rita wrote: "I always try very hard to give up on a book once I start it, but sometimes it's just not possible to finish it. My best example is the auther Toni Morrison. I want to read her. I want..."

Her earlier works are much easier reads. She said on Oprah that if you have to read a book more than once, it is called "reading"... she sounded so full of herself. I refuse to pick up her books anymore, because I feel like books should be enjoyed and not feel like torture. Just my opinion, many love her works... :O

Alondra wrote: "Rita wrote: "I always try very hard to give up on a book once I start it, but sometimes it's just not possible to finish it. My best example is the auther Toni Morrison. I want to rea..."

Indeed!

Yes. If it can't keep my attention after 100 pages, I give up.

If the book I'm reading doesn't progress or get interesting enough by the time I'm about 30% of it, I quit.

Some books can be a bit slow/demanding to get through, that's ok - but if the book really starts to annoy me, bad writing, lame plot, I give it up right away.

Also if the writing is fine but I just don't care for the story/characters I let it go - that recently happended with The Paying Guests - I just got bored 1/3 through. On to something else! :-)

I hate DNF'ing books, but I think I've done it more this year than any other in memory -- I find myself getting picky about things I like and don't like in books. I think it's a good thing, so I don't waste my time on books just because other people think they're good. What's good for you might not be good for me, and vice-versa.

Most of the books I don't like are ones I've gotten from the library, so that means all I have to do is take them back. If it's a book I own that I'm not a fan of, I just donate it to clear out space for books I do like.

I don't give up books often, but if I know for sure they won't be for me, I will DNF.

I, myself just give it the best effort that I can. I know when I need to set a book aside, but I give it usually roughly 100 pages. But, here is another twist on the original question: What about when reading with children? I cannot stand some of the ideas in a book, but the child I am reading with is loving it. Do you keep reading for the children or do you cut it off when you can't stand the dang book?

Tiffany wrote: "I, myself just give it the best effort that I can. I know when I need to set a book aside, but I give it usually roughly 100 pages. But, here is another twist on the original question: What about w..."

Tiffany, I don't have kids of my own, but I am a Youth Services librarian. I have to say that so long as the book is not going to be a bad influence on the kid, keep reading. For the good the child, get them hooked on books so that when they can read for themselves, they will.

Joseph wrote: "Tiffany wrote: "I, myself just give it the best effort that I can. I know when I need to set a book aside, but I give it usually roughly 100 pages. But, here is another twist on the original questi..."
I unfortunately or maybe fortunately have continued to read and we are less than 60 pages away from finishing. The book is called by . I have a few problems with the book starting with the bullying and going to the whining. But, with that being said it has opened up a lot of dialogue to discuss the children. But, I have to agree with you Joseph which is why I keep reading it. I am glad to know that you agree with the reading regardless of my feeling. It still makes it hard. Good thing I love my children.

Yes I do. Why read books you don't like? I have finished 1 or 2 but that was only because I won them in a giveaway and I felt I had to finish to leave a complete and well thought out review. If I don't make a connect after 50 pages for romance and 100 for fantasy and sci-fi I don't continue with the book.

I couldn't agree more with those of you who say "too many books waiting for my kind attention to waste any time on those who bore me" but at the same time I find it difficult to put it into practice. Its like gambling, you lose, you lose again but you go on playing hoping that this time you will win.
So I go on reading hoping that it will catch my attention.
I've just done it with "Last exit to Brooklyn" - I have put it aside, but I will give it another try some time.
This unless I really think it's a bad book - badly written, stupid etc...

ASP wrote: "I couldn't agree more with those of you who say "too many books waiting for my kind attention to waste any time on those who bore me" but at the same time I find it difficult to put it into practic..."

I sometimes feel guilty not finishing a book. Especially when I know that the author sacrificed and put so much effort into it. But, there are times when I start a book and I just can't get into it. I keep trying and trying, but I'll find myself wishing I was doing anything else but reading that book. That's when I'll give it up and find something else to read.

Some classics I have a hard time finishing, like dickens

Ashley wrote: "ASP wrote: "I keep trying and trying, but I'll find myself wishing I was doing anything else but reading that book. That's when I'll give it up and find something else to read. "

Yes, when I find myself saying "It's been two days and I haven't read at all." and it's because I don't like the book rather than life has me busy I'm ready to throw in the towel on a book. Sometimes I put them aside to try again later sometimes I completely abandon them.

Usually on around the 3rd or 4th eye roll, I can't take it anymore and I will quit. I have a book shelf dedicated to those books.

I've been reading The Portable Dorothy Parker for years. Alot of stopping and starting. I've probably stopped reading a book completely , maybe, six times

I've been reading Herodotus' The Histories for well over 10 years. I read a few pages, and then fall asleep. It's not that I don't like the book. It's just very dry and boring. It's a great book for insomnia.

I'll give the book 20 pages. If it is a chore, it gets donated to the library.

I try to push myself to finish the book even though it is dull and draggy. If I ever stop reading a book, I will keep the bookmark inside incase I want to continue to read it again.

Harry wrote: "If I ever stop reading a book, I will keep the bookmark inside in case I want to continue to read it again."

I do the same.

I used to make myself finish a book if I started it but now if I can get into it by the 4th chapter or just find myself not liking it I put it away. If I own the book I will put it on my shelf to try again another time but if I have tried to read a book 3 times and still can't read it then it goes in the donation stack. At that point I would rather it go to someone who may enjoy it.

I am a mood reader so I try to give it a few tries before giving up completely. Some books I have come back to and enjoyed very much, others not.