Let me paint you a picture. It time to pick your next book. You happily stare down your shelves, bouncing around excitedly, thinking which world you’re going to inhabit next. A book blogger might go by their review schedule and pick something that needs to be reviewed soon. Or if you’re not a blogger, you just want to read whatever catches your attention. The point is, after doing the hard work of choosing your next read, you are excited because NEW BOOK. Time to READ. SO EXCITING. You start reading, but hmm…you kind of don’t seem to really to be into it. In fact, you’ve done the rounds of checking Twitter/Instagram/Facebook twice and you’re only in page 17. What does it mean that you would rather check out the hot mess that is your Facebook feed than read? Should you give up? Read a few more pages? And if you do read a few more pages, how many pages should you read until you figure out that it just not the book for you?
Those are the questions I was asking myself just a few weeks ago. I had a picked up a book that was sent to me by the publisher and I was happy to start it. Once I started it, I would read a page, then next thing I knew, I had picked up my phone to do a social media run. I realized I had wasted 20 minutes doing so and went back to my book. Again, my mind and eyes started to stray. I found myself unable to focus on the book because I couldn’t click with the main character and nothing about the book was calling to me. But figured I just hadn’t read enough about the story and pressed on. I read a few more pages but finally had to the closed book, put it back on my shelf, feeling like I didn’t want to read.
Let me clarify, I closed the book feeling like I didn’t want to read that specific book anymore. I wasn’t liking the main character and the story wasn’t pulling me in. So after 17 pages, I went to the back of the book and read the last 3 chapters. Yes, I read the ending. I decided I wasn’t going to read the book anymore because why should I read something that I wasn’t enjoying? It would only result in me having a bad reading experience, anyway. I used to read and finished books even if I wasn’t enjoying them all the time. After having a lot of bad experiences when I had originally wanted to give up on it, I ended up writing a negative review. I’ve had to learn to just let it go and move on to the next book.
So what I’m trying to say is let’s chat about this! At what point do you give up on a book? After a certain amount of chapters? Pages? Or do you just power through it? Tell me down below.
I'm sort of like you. When I realize that I really just don't want to read a book, I stop. There are so many wonderful books in this world and there's not time to waste on books that just aren't right for you. Reading, for me, is a hobby. I do it because I like to, and the second it feels more like an obligation than a hobby is the second I put down the book I'm reading. Great discussion! I always love to see other people's takes on DNFing books because I feel like everyone's approach is different.
ReplyDelete~ Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover
I agree! There are so many books out there to read that I shouldn't just hate read a book. But then I also worry I might be missing out on a great book by just not giving it a chance. But I rather take that chance and just go back and read it than taking that chance with every book. Thanks so much for commenting!
DeleteThis happened to me recently when I picked up a book I really wanted to read. I was so disappointed I didn't get drawn into the book. At 14 pages I stopped and I picked up two other books and finished them instead. After I finish those I thought I could go back and finish the other one; still haven't made it past page 14. If you're not enjoying it why waste your time and energy?
ReplyDeleteExactly! Or maybe it just wasn't the right book for you in the moment. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteWell, I used to power through. No matter what. Then once the TBR mountain started to be built, I realized I'd likely never have time to read all these books, so if I'm not enjoying a certain book, why waste time to finish it?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard. I even recently powered through one review book because I adore the author so much and kept hoping that the book would pick up. That there would be a huge turning point where I am like finally!! But sadly it never came and I just read a 400+ book and pretty much hated it. Well...not hate. Just didn't understand as well and didn't enjoy. My mind would drift to other things and some part of me was still reading but when I zoned back in, I would have no clue as to what I just read.
Generally, I give a book about 50-100 pages. It might be a little too generous, but it really depends on the book I'm reading. Who's the author? Am I a devoted fan? What's the genre? Is it a review book or personally bought? Do I feel like there's a chance for redemption? Will the book possibly pick itself up and make me love it?
All tons of tiny detailed questions that have me debating as I read. 50ish pages? A 100? Get to where I feel like the "adventure" or bulk of the plot is beginning?
I usually won't stray farther than 100 pages though. Unless, like with my last near DNF it's from an adored author. Then I just hopelessly read and wait for it to pickup. If it ever does.
And sometimes I might DNF even before all that. Last year I sat down with one review book and literally read one or two pages (it was an eARC so I have no idea how many pages it really was) and just felt so bogged down already. It was a slow start and I was thinking to myself, I so can't wait to read "my next book". Then I thought...why am I doing this to myself? And promptly DNF'd the book so very early on.
Depending how much I read also depends if I bother with a DNF review. For that particular read, I didn't. Others I usually do if I've read enough to form some sort of opining on it that feels more conclusive or useful. I just want to explain to people what wasn't working for me and why I dropped the book entirely.
I do still feel a pang in my heart every time I DNF a book, because I really only pick up books I want to read. And if one isn't working for me, I'm sadden by that.
But short answer is I usually decide between 50-100 pages depending on the book and author. But yeah, there's really more to it than that! So I don't think I have a short answer! LOL!
I was thinking of having at least a minimum # of pages before quitting but I just couldn't find a right balance. But I completely see where you're coming from with giving an author you've already read a chance on a book you're not loving a chance. I think I'm the same way too because I did it last year and I ended up not loving it as much as the other books. I think it may just be something we'll come across every now and then. Thanks so much for your comment!
DeleteOh gawd! I didn't realize I typed so much! Sorry for that! LOL!
ReplyDeletePlease, no worries! Sometimes, it the best way to get your idea across.
DeleteI have definitely found myself DNF'ing a lot more since I started a blog and now have access to so many more books. I probably do need to be more picky about what I request and review but it's hard. I don't think there's a bright line formula for DNF -- but the same thing is for me -- if I don't want to read a book and/or dread each chapter/keep checking my email, etc. then that book may just not be for me. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteI keep saying I should be more picker when it comes to requesting books but it so hard to do! But I am learning to just trust my gut when I realize that a book may not be for me. Thanks for commenting.
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ReplyDeleteI hate giving up on books, mostly because I feel like I could be missing out on a jem, and it would be a shame to put it down especially if it were to get better in the next chapter. I never did that as a kid but as I grew older, I don't know if I wanted to be more "sophisticated" with a larger number of books to reference in random conversation, but it began to make me hate reading. Now I'm on a desperate search to find a book that reawakens my love for reading and it turned out to be the Happiness Project right now. But putting down a book does seem like the best thing to do after a while, I just need to learn to say no.
ReplyDeleteCielo || www.buildingtheconfidence.wordpress.com
I know what you mean by sticking it out with a book only because you think it might get better. But that's why I'm learning to to trust other people to tell me if it absolutely necessary to read said book because it'll change my life. But in the mean time, there are millions of other books I could be reading that I will probably enjoy so I don't want to stick with something I'm hating. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteAt this point in my life if I don't have the pull from the book then I drop it. I definitely try to give it a good chance though. I usually won't drop it until after i've read at least 50 pages. If you can't hook me in 50 pages then you're doing something wrong, not me! But anywho, there are too many great books out there to waste time forcing yourself to read a crappy one.
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