Tuesday Thingers: Non-finishers

Tuesday Thingers is hosted by Wendi of Wendi's Book Corner. If you'd like to see more or participate yourself, head on over to her blog and leave a comment. And this week's topic is about all those books you just can't manage to wade through:

How often do you find yourself struggling through a book (if you HAD to estimate)? How far will you read before you stop and consider it a DNF (Did not finish)? Will you skim ahead and see if it gets any better? Once you put it down, do you still write a quick review? What do you do with the book when you are done?

Well, generally I try to find out as much about a book as I can before I start reading it, so most of the books I begin I also finish. However, once in a while I'll inevitably pick up something that turns out to be not what I was expecting or hoping. And in those cases, I think it's best just to move on to something new.

It usually only takes a chapter or two (occasionally, not even that much) for me to decide whether or not a book is for me. But sometimes, before completely abandoning a book, I do skim ahead to see if any of it is more to my liking, or to find out how the book ends (good to know, even if I don't like the way it gets there). And although I might mention that I tried a book and didn't care for it, I don't think I've ever written a full review of a book I haven't read in its entirety – that would be too much like cheating on an exam. Of course, that means that now and then I'll have to read something that doesn't appeal to me – a book I wouldn't ordinarily have finished. Unfortunately, that's happened to me twice lately – both of my most recent Early Reviewer books from Library Thing were books I probably wouldn't have finished if I hadn't felt obligated to review them. And in one case, I was glad I finished the book because it turned out to be better than I'd expected when I started it. So maybe there's something to be said for sticking it out, no matter what your literary taste buds may be signaling.

And as for what I do with the books I don't finish – well, that's a good (though embarrassing) question. I'd like to say I don't keep them; that I donate them or give them to friends who might find them more palatable. Or swap them for other books. But in reality I have to admit that when a book comes into my custody it's usually mine for life! Like it or not. One of these days, I'm definitely going to have to do something about that – before rescue workers have to break down the door to my apartment and dig through the piles of paperbacks that have toppled over and buried me alive!