I have or should I say, HAD a rule that if I pick up a book to read it, I need to finish it. Don't ask me why I thought that I needed to do that, but I did. It didn't matter if it was a book I bought, one that was gifted to me, or one that was sent to be reviewed. If I started it, then I finished. There have been a few times I finished a book and wondered why I didn't just put it down. In the end, that would have been the best thing for both the book and I. Not that I did anything to do the book, but I wondered why I wasted time reading it (I know that's harsh to say), when I could have been doing something else. Being a mom, there is always something else I can be doing, but I enjoy reading on my down time which sometimes can be in the middle of the night.
I freely admit there's been plenty of times house cleaning was put on hold for a day as I couldn't put a book down. Don't judge.... lol You know the books I'm talking about. You get so wrapped up into the book that you literally can not walk away from it until it's done. That may mean the phone goes unanswered, you reschedule a lunch date, etc. Then there's a handful of books that I completely struggle to get through. Sadly enough this has happened to me recently and I wondered why I didn't just put the book down.
I've come to admire those readers who can put the book down and walk away from it. I started to talk to friends about it to see what they did. Don't laugh, but it bugged me when I didn't like a book and there's been times I've wondered if it was just me, as some of these books have been ones people have just raved about. In case you're wondering, no, I've not posted reviews for the books I'm talking about. I've been left feeling frustrated for one that I didn't like the book at all and two that I spent time reading it when I really should have just put it down. I don't want to regret spending time reading a book I didn't like.
Recently I decided to follow the 100 page rule. If I'm not into a book by 100 pages I'm putting it down. We'll see how well I do with that, as I've not yet applied this rule. There's so many fabulous recent and new releases I want to read, not to mention a huge to be read pile that won't stop growing, that when I sit down to read I want to enjoy that time. In reality, I know I'm not going to love or like everything I read, which is why we have the rating system we do on MM's, and we do post 2 star reviews. There's been books others have loved, that I didn't like, and there's been ones I didn't like that others loved. Even with the few books I started out not liking, by the end I loved them, which is another reason I try and finish each book that I start. The books I'm talking about wishing I didn't read are the ones you would either give a 1 star rating to or wouldn't rate at all.
I wanted to ask you guys, what do you do? Do you follow a rule when it comes to book reading? Do you read everything you pick up or do you have a certain page rule? I'd love to know your thoughts.
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I normally try really hard to finish every book i start. I always worry that it will get good at the end and I will have missed out or something. If it isn't very good in the beginning I sometimes put it down read another book and then come back to it at a later time. I have definitely considered the 100 page rule because there are so many other books I want to read, but I think I will always go back and finish the other book. I have a horrible guilty conscience or something! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, I can't NOT finish a book once I start it. Off the top of my head, I can think of THREE times in my life that I didn't finish a book (don't recall which titles, though). I always feel like I should give the book a little more time, and next thing you know I'll have finished it. I wish I could be one of those people who will put a book down if they don't like it. Then again, there really aren't that many books that I haven't enjoyed. I'm only now just starting to realize that I don't HAVE to continue/finish reading a series or trilogy just because I've read one or more books that were not truly enjoyable to me.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, definitely keep us posted on how your 100 page rule works out for you!!
I, too, try really hard to finish a book. But if it just isn't my cup of tea by around 100 pages, then I give myself permission to not finish. However, it does not mean it's not a good book - other readers will certainly enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I have to finish a book or a series even if it is the worse thing in the world. When I finish I get mad at myself for not putting it down when there were many other books that I would have enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteI have only recently put down a book that was beyond horrible. Vowing to myself that I will not read the rest of the series no matter what.
If it's a stand-alone book then I'll usually read at least one-third of it, but there have been times when I've only made it up to page 50 or even less, then decided to call it quits. (I have 4 kids and have better things to do with my time than read a horrible, beyond boring book!) Books in a series are different, though; I finish those, no matter what.
ReplyDeleteIf only I could adopt my "it's okay to quit before finishing" policy on movies. *sigh*
Thank you so much for your comments! I already feel better knowing I'm not the only one lol
ReplyDeleteTwo Readers- I know exactly what you're saying! I have a guilty conscience if I don't finish books too. I've also ended up loving a book by the time I got to the end of it.
Christi- YES!! I completely agree! I know of 3 books that I literally put down, but other than that I can't do it. I love your comment that you don't HAVE to continue reading. That's something I just recently realized to (don't ask me why it took me so long to realize it).
Darby- I admire you've been able to do that! I really wish I've done that more recently. I agree, just because you don't like it doesn't mean someone else will. I'm hoping I can really stick w/ my 100 rule.... we'll see how that goes. I may need to ask you for help. lol
Kat-Exactly! I wonder why I finished it when I could have read something else I've been wanting to read.
CrimsonInk- Yes! It's knowing that I have other things I need or should be doing that makes me so frustrated at myself for finishing a book that I've not connected with. I like your movie analogy. I have no problems shutting a movie off I don't like, I don't know why I don't put down a book I don't like.
ReplyDeleteI used to read everything through no matter what. I don't have time anymore and there are just too many good books out there. The 100 page rule is a great one that I now follow.
ReplyDeleteI normally try to finish reading a book I have started. However, I figure my free time is valuable to me and when reading a particulr books becomes more painful then pleasurable...it's time to stop. Luckily I have only run into this with one book. I really like the 100 page rule and will have to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteHeather- I'm wondering why it's taking me so long to imply this rule. I'm so glad to know other people follow it!
ReplyDeleteChris- I agree! Free time is valuable and I'd rather spend that time reading a good book.
I try to finish every book I start. Even the bad ones. But finishing for me is not based on interest, but whether I have time or not. There are so many books that I have started, then put down, and then just never got back to them. It wasn't because I didn't like them. It's just the way things are.
ReplyDeleteI always try to finish a book, because I keep telling myself "maybe it gets better! if I put it down now, I won't know, and then I'll wonder..." but then often I end up frustrated. I've recently started to discontinue reading books that I'm not enjoying, but I always feel guilty about it =/
ReplyDeleteI try to read every book I pick up. In the year and half I've been blogging there have only been a handful of books I've read that are DNFs. I go by he 100 page rule but sometimes I keep reading anyways thinking to give it more of a chance.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the exact same way you were. I had SO much trouble giving up on a book, no matter how hard it was to finish. Now, I use the 100 page rule. A lot of times, I'll go past the 100 pages and just start skimming when I get bored. Sometimes, the book will pick up in a few chapters, and I'll end up reading the rest of it. Other times, it just keeps going downhill. That way, I've invested myself in at least the first 100 pages, but I can kind of get a feel for the rest of the book as well before putting it down for good.
ReplyDeleteI had written a long comment telling how i finish every book I read, but i thought about it and I noticed that if the book is solid, I always try to finish it, but if I have it in any digital form, if i don't like it I close it, telling myself i'll come back to it later, but i don't do it. So i think if you are going to reading having to give yourself a peep talk to continue, it's not worth your time!
ReplyDeleteThere have only been two books that I have stopped reading and never picked back up again. I think about finishing them just for the fact that i hate to leave a book unread but it's been over a year since i started them and I dont feel like re-reading a book i never really got into even past the 100 page mark. Just recently I read "Unearthly", and thought it had a good beginning, I just had a hard time being drawn into it and losing myself in the story. About halfway through, I was so happy I decided to keep going because it was a very sweet love story and brought tears to my eyes. So now when I am reading and I am having a hard time connecting, I just think of "Unearthly" and I haven't been disappointed since!
ReplyDeleteI have found a couple books that I didn't like at first but the more I read them I was glad I didn't put them down. I havn't found a book I didn't like yet. I am sure I will one day. I like to give my books the same treatment as I do people, I may not like it at first but over time things change. Usually, my problem with a book is the way the author has written, so I read and attempt to adapt to the writing style.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be best to figure out why you don't like the book, is it not progressing fast enough? Are the characters bland and uninteresting? Is the story difficult to follow? If this is the problem then giving the book time could help. If you put the book down after just a little bit of time you may never realize you liked the book. I want to be able to say I read it and didn't like it, not I read part of it and lost interest.
A friend of mine is very much the type to stop reading something he is interested in, he is also the type to read four books at the same time...a talent I very much envy!
Thank you so much for all your comments! I've enjoyed reading how many of us are a lot of like with our reading habits and I've loved reading your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte- I've done that a few times, and when I went back to read the book I ended up liking it. I just needed a break from it for awhile.
Alyssa- It would be so much easier for I didn't have feel guilty about it. I can totally relate.
Jenny- There have been ones that once I got past 100 pages, that I ended up liking them. I do worry that w/ the 100 page rule if I'll be cheating myself out of a good book. I think lately I've been more frustrated with the ones I have read and haven't enjoyed.
Natalie-That's a great idea! I need to do that- skim after the 1st 100 pages if I'm not into it to get a feel for the ending.
Lara- Well said! I'm going to remember that!
tawnymedina- I loved Unearthly and I agree that it was after the 1st 100 pages that it really picked up for me. I'm like you, I don't like to leave a book unread, and I'm trying to tell myself that it's okay to just stop. That's my biggest problem.
Rebecca-Great analogy! I love that.
You know what? Since I have discovered reading...never read as a kid and not for enjoyment really until the past few years...ashame I know!...there are just SO many books out there I want to read? If it does not grab me with in the first few chapters? I am outta there. Sorry. I am not gonna waste my time when there are hundreds/thousands of good books out there waiting for me!!
ReplyDeleteI tend to feel guilty about not finishing books too! unless it`s incredibly violent or inappropriate, then I just feel disappointed because the book could have been so much better without those elements. Then I do tend to stop reading the book. However, sometimes I think it`s important to go back to novels that you`ve started and never finished because they were boring at the time. For example, I think it was in junior high that I tried to read "Emma," but I lost interest and didn't finish. Well, I went back to that book after a few years had past and finished it and loved it! I also just recently finished "A Tale of Two Cities" (mainly because Tessa loved it so much in "Clockwork Angel") and about the first 230 pages weren't that interesting but after that the plot thickened and the ending was really touching. I don't regret having read it. So sometimes I think it's worth it to put a book on hold and come back to it or at least put it aside and if you still remember it a few weeks or months later then maybe it's worth it to finish. Other times when I know a book is a classic or supposed to be good then I try to finish it just to see if it really is as good as everyone says and to form my own opinion about it!
ReplyDeleteI didn't have a rule; but, also, usually, I finish every book that I start. When I find a book that I don't like... then I put it down for a while. I give me time to reconsider it. It can be days, weeks, even years! You can't love every book in your life and, probably, you can find a lot of books that aren't for you; but I've also found that, sometimes, it's about the moment that you read it ;)
ReplyDeleteTracy- That is a great point! There are a lot of awesome books out there and I'd rather read one that gets my interest than one that doesn't.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte- I agree, sometimes it is worth putting a book on hold and coming back to it. I've done that before and ending up enjoying the book I put on hold.
Extremo- So true!!
I think it is different with each book. For example, I know that the books in the Need Series didn't pick up until the end of each book. Sometimes it is just that I get to a certain point and I know I can't take anymore. For example that happened with Thirst #1 where I got to a certain point and I just threw the book to the end of my bed and could not do it anymore.
ReplyDelete