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Mini-Muse Monday: Book-Tossing Time
I realized a few weeks ago that I have never read the books of several authors I’ve either become good friends with or have participated in varies projects with. Some of them write genres I don’t read, and I know they won’t read mine for the same reason, but many do write my favorite types of books.
I know it’s impossible to read everything I’d like to, but I decided to make more of an effort to be supportive, and besides, it’s a great way to poke around and see what other readers are enjoying.
In recent weeks, I’ve attempted to expand my reading repertoire and have cracked open a whole bunch of books, mostly of authors whose work I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading.
I have little spare time, though I have always loved to read. I try to set aside time every evening to indulge.
I’ve read a few really extraordinary novels, a few that were quite good, but I probably wouldn’t read another by the author, and I had three I did not finish. They weren’t awful, by any means, but the voice and story didn’t engage me.
I used to read an entire book, cover to cover, no matter what, but that has changed. As I said before, I have little spare time, and reading a book that just isn’t doing it for me, when there are so many I could be reading … Well, I don’t feel guilty anymore when I close it (or push an icon on my Ipad) and move on to the next story on my list.
I know readers haven’t finished my books. They tell me quite bluntly in a review. Hey, I’m okay with that, because you might be surprised at the authors of some of the books I haven’t finished, although I’d never be rude or unkind and tell them.
For this Monday’s discussion, what I’d like to know, is do you always finish a book once you start it, or, like me if the story isn’t for you, do you put it aside?
What other than not liking the story all that much will cause you to close the book permanently?
Thanks, Collette. Like you, I refuse to finish a book I don’t enjoy. I mean, what’s the point?
Usually I can tell within the first few chapters whether I want to go on reading. How much of a dish do you have to eat to tell if it tastes good?
The most common reason why I stop reading concerns the protag’s situation. It must grip me. If it doesn’t, okay, on to the next of the few thousand books in my TBR pile.
Another reason is bad, usually amateurish style. This is becoming increasingly common as self-published books proliferate. Ditto bad editing. That is, no editing.
I’m not all that demanding when it comes to style and editing. Of course substance matters more. But when the style and/or editing are so poor they ruin the reading experience, I’ve had it.
In selecting what I read, the main theme of a story counts for more than any other factor, such as author or genre. I sort out works with themes I don’t like by reading the blurbs, but I can’t catch them all. Once in a while an author will spring one on me, usually well after the first few chapters. It doesn’t matter how late in the story this happens; I won’t finish the book.
Finally, and this is kind of vague but that’s unavoidable, I won’t finish a book if it fails to meet my expectations. It might meet the expectations of millions of readers. Doesn’t matter; I’m not millions of readers. It’s got to meet mine.
There’s an old saying among librarians: “Get the right book to the right reader”. And who can best determine whether a book is right for me? I am.
Very well said, Mary Anne. I can think a some specific books (and authors) who have gotten rave reviews, and I couldn’t stand the book.
I love what you said about how much of a dish do you have to eat.
It’s okay if we don’t like a particular book, and I get that my books aren’t for everyone either.
I try to always finish a book I start, but there are times when I can’t get into the book and it’s a DNF–but I would never review a book rudely because of it.
Me either, Denise.
i usually do finish the book , but not always leave a review because i don’t want to be rude
I think you speak for the majority of readers!
There are a lot of books that I’ve set aside in the past year. It wasn’t intentional but when I think about sitting down to continue them, I’m just not that interested. If I’m interested in a book, I will sit and finish it in one sitting because I’m a fast reader. Pretty much if I set it aside, it didn’t hold my attention and in order for me to continue, I’d need to re-read what I already read and it doesn’t seem worth it.So maybe it’s not the writer at all but that I have no memory lol.
If I really love a book, I’ll stay up late because I cannot put it down. Sometimes I force myself to read a bit more of a book that really isn’t holding my interest hoping it will speak to me later. That usually doesn’t happen.
Like you, I’m learning to let bad enough alone. I have been surprised by the quality of writing in some cases–not happily, unfortunately. What I am tempted to do is carry on in the hope that it will improve. For time efficiency I guess I really should stop that. Then there are others which I read–written by writers on the loops–that are so wonderful that I become a loyal fan. I’m still not good enough at disciplining email, blogs, etc. so that my reading time doesn’t encroach on my writing time. But then, some blogs (like this one) are so interesting that I have to chime in!
I too have discovered some fabulous authors that way!
I, too, have finally reached the point of not finishing books I can’t, for one reason or another, get into. Occasionally, like some of you, I’ll begin one that doesn’t hold my interest right then, but I know might, when I’m in a different frame of mind. Those, I’ll put in a different stack to revisit later. There are certain things that throw up flags for me, however, and cause me to move on permanently. But when I find a book and/or author I like, I can gobble those pages right up.
I’m reading a book right now that I probably should put aside since I’m only reading for about 15 minutes before I get bored and stop. It’s not that the writing is bad; it’s quite good. But the story and the voice just aren’t working for me all that well. I feel bad because I really wanted to like the book. Like you, when I love a book, I can’t read it fast enough.
I guess it has something to do with always finishing what you start. That’s how I used to be with books. I finally came to terms with having such a big stack of books to read, that this could not continue especially if I wasn’t enjoying the book. Now I act sort of like an editor. I read the first 30 to 50 pages and if it’s not there for me, I respectfully close that book and move on to another.
I hear you, Mary. With the stack of books (well, ebooks don’t really stack) I have too many I want to read to waste my time reading a novel that just isn’t doing it for me.