When is it the right time to throw in the towel on a book?
I was with Kristie at the bookstore and I saw a book that I had been trying to read on the shelf. Huh. I picked it up and scanned through the pages until I found where I had stopped reading.
"Kristie, if I read 68 pages of a book and don't like what I'm reading have I gone far enough?"
Kristie laughed and shrugged because she's too kind to call me a moron.
I was surprised that I had actually read that far!
So the question is, when do you as a reader finally decide that you have seen enough? Seen so much that you are positive that the book is heading to the UBS without another pass?
The reason I ask is that lately I can't seem to let myself give up books even when I have started them and put them aside for some reason. I'm trying to remember if I have ever gone back to a book I had started and not liked. I'm pulling a blank but then remembering what I had to eat 5 minutes ago can be a stumper too.
I know that for me it's the guilt thing. Knowing that I have so many books in the TBR pile, I can't get my mind around the fact that I could have wasted money on a bad book! I have heard of people doing the 15 page test but, I don't make time for that at the bookstore. I have tried it a few times and have found out in the first paragraph that a book isn't what I thought it would be. I consider that quite lucky but for the most part, after a page, I'll have decided.
Still, I worry that I will pick up ten books and discover that none are what I was hoping for and at 10 bucks a book I would have wasted ...
Huh.
Not nearly as much as I thought! Okay, it's bad but not as bad as I thought! I was thinking thousands but a hundred? That doesn't seem like it would hurt as bad!
Holy Crap! There we have it folks. I have once again had an epiphany. Quiet! I *can* let go of the books I keep thinking I have to get back to.
Life's too short!
I'm free!!
Ahem.
I would still love to know when you finally give up on a book AND can you let it go or do you hold onto it thinking that one day you will come back to it?
Also, do you want to know the books I have tried and not been able to finish? Would this help you get a feel for how similar or dissimilar we are in our reading?
Just wondering because although it looks like I haven't been reading in a very long time, I have tried other books. Until that *spot* where I am no longer invested.
Actually, I might get some feedback that says, 'Hey, read until page 90! Then if you're still bored move on.'
Hmmm, I like that.
On that note, I have read 68 pages of Shiloh Walker's Hunting The Hunter - on or about page 60 the primary conflict that would have kept the H/H apart has been resolved. Now they are just eyeing each other up for sex and I'm not sure I care.
Opinions?
13 comments:
LOL Give it up Cindy!! hehe
Why force yourself to read a book you don't care about when you could be reading one that you absolutely love? Life is too short.
As for me, I don't do reading tests at the bookstore, because I usually grab books by recommendation. And I feel guilty too if I can't finish a book. But whatever, I'm getting over that and if I start to do things instead of reading a certain book, I just find a new book. :P
Cindy, I test read in the store, sometimes it works...sometimes not. When to give up reading? I ask this question too.
If I hate a book it's a no brainer. I give it maybe 50 pages. The hard part is when it's an author or premise that appeals to me and I sort of like it, but keep hoping it will get better. Then it's a struggle. Most of the time I suck it up and finish it, but not always.
How's that for being no help at all?
Page 68? That's about where I abandoned Hunting the Hunter. I didn't hate it, I was just bored. Too many books, too little time. Why try to keep reading a book that's work when there are so many other appealing books out there.
It's hard to say. Sometimes I give up early on a book when I know it's the book & not me. In those cases I give it maybe 50-75 pages. If I'm not hooked by then, it's over.
If, OTOH, the problem is me then I'll put it away until later. If I've tried a book twice & no matter what it doesn't work than it goes to the UBS.
Usually, I'll give a book a few chapters but if I'm still having trouble after that I more than likely won't finish it. I did give Too Tempting to Touch by Cheryl Holt about 110 pages before I gave up ~ which is way more than I've ever given another book. I wanted to like it that much.
If it just is really not good, I'll give a book 50 pages or 3 chapters (since that's what authors have to submit to "sell" a book - or used to be) - whichever comes first. :o) Of course, if it's awful I could put it down at any point after that.
I too hate to give up on a book so I'll usually try for at least 100 pages.
I used to make myself finish any book I started, but now I give up after around 50 pages if I'm not enjoying it. But I still feel a little guilty AND angry about wasted money (though you're right it's not THAT much).
And I don't do the in-store test read. I buy mostly on recommendations. I hardly ever read cover blurbs either because they can be so misleading.
I am a glutton for punishment, I swear, because I will stick with a book long past it's due, especially if it's a rec. I just hate to give up on a book. I have a Holt book that is just so boring, and such a rip-off of her own stuff, yet I finished the darn thing. It was like penance, or something. Maybe for being a moron myself LOL.
What Jennie said. I still don't like giving up on a book (when I've gone through the huge trouble that I go through just to get the book to Uruguay, it's awful to get rid of it unread), but I'm getting better at it. Though very often I just throw it back in the TBR with the hope I might change my mind and like it someday.
When a book becomes too tedious for me to go on, then I know I’m not going to finish. Usually around the 50-60 mark. If I still haven't gotten into the story by then, I’m probably not going to finish it. Unless someone has told me to keep going 'cause it's worth it.
But really, I’m bad with this too, because I have a tendency to keep books I’m not really enjoying just because I think I might enjoy them later. It’s probably the guilt factor for me too. I have so many books that I feel guilty knowing I wasted money on one or that I’m going to waste money by not finishing one. But that’s just how it is, sometimes. Sometimes, a book just isn’t to our taste. I’m trying to get tougher with getting rid of these books but it’s hard for me! LOL.
Ames - I know, but I keep thinking the book might get better - ugh!
Rosie - Oh yeah, if I hate it I know to drop it. The hard part is when you thought it was a good premise but you're just bored - then I wonder if it's me or the book. I have done the 'suck it up and finish' it thing but sometimes those end up as rants on my blog ;)
JMC - Why is it that knowing someone else bailed makes you think it's okay to bail also. Weird. Knowing you stopped at about the same page for the same reason pretty much cements my decision to move on. Still, if only I can get the book out of the house!
Bookwormom - I think it's fair to say you give books more of a chance than I do - I was in a horrible slump about 5 years ago now and the only way I got out of it was to force myself to finish ever book I picked up to read. Some of it was hard going but it kept me on track. I just don't want to have to implement that again!
Devonna - oh yeah, if I have hit the midway point and I'm bored then I'm fine with moving on. It's when I'm still in the first quarter and sometimes chapter of a book that I wonder if it's me or the book.
Zeek - LOL - stubborn ;) I have put books down that I was semi-enjoying to never pick them up again - weird how that works - sometimes it when every thing is hunky dory but there are about 20 pages left and you know there is going to be a kidnapping or something so I decided that the 'I love yous' is where the book ended.
C2 - 3 chapters - I wonder if I can implement that ;)
Kyahgirl - 100 pages? You're a stronger woman than I ;)
Jennie - I used to plow through the books also in order to get out of a killer slump but then I gave myself permission to bail on the books that were boring. When I was in the 'killer slump' I could easily put a book down 3 pages in and not want to ever pick it up again. Bah.
I've been buying on recs but I am trying to branch out with new authors so every once in a while I have a book that I haven't heard about.
Stacy - LOL! I was once like you, come to the dark side ;) I think someone had compared an author to Brockmann and I was all 'yeah, baby' until I started to read the book. I made it 3/4 of the way through before I decided life was too short.
Rosario - If I had to wait as long as you do I'm not sure I could ever justify giving up on a book but then that's my own issue - as you can see, I have almost instant access to books and feel guilty about not finishing them!
Dance Chica - YES!! Why do I think I will prefer the book later? I'm not sure that has ever happened for me! You and me both on not knowing when to set the books free.
Cindy
You know..I'm the same way, Cindy. Sometimes I just can't stop reading a book even though I hate it. I'm retarded like that sometimes and I should be getting help for it, but I won't because it's too expensive, but meh...I stop reading the book only when I find something else that I'd rather be reading instead. That could be anywhere from page 23 to page 123...*shrugs shoulder*
This was a great post though, and Kristie J is too cute, you guys are lucky that you guys get to go book shopping with each other all the time!
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