This week, the BTT question is about perseverance: "If you’re not enjoying a book, will you stop mid-way? Or do you push through to the end? What makes you decide to stop?"Interesting questions. There was a time, not too long ago, when I would have simply said "Life is too short to read books I'm not enjoying." Well, life is still short, but these days, what with ARCs and reading challenges, sometimes I will try to finish up a book that isn't really turning out to be my cuppa. This doesn't happen too often because I'm pretty careful about choosing my books. And as to what makes me decide to stop - well, that's a little hard to define and could be any number of things. But if a book isn't touching me emotionally or intellectually, then it's time to give it up.
And usually I'll know whether or not I like a book long before I'm midway through it. Usually. Sometimes there are exceptions, of course; but in general, I know after the first couple of chapters or the first few pages whether or not a book is for me. And if it's not, then yeah, I don't mind stopping and moving on to something else. Lots of books out there calling my name, you know?
Totally agree. And I feel at my age, my tbr list has become my "tbr bucket list" so if the story doesn't grab me, its time to move on.
ReplyDeleteCMash
I agree with your answer, but, I do abandon a book after the first 50-75 pages if it is to boring for me. However, I have other reasons for stopping mid-way when reading a book and tossing it aside.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I think why should I waste time reading something I don't like when there are so many more to choose from..
ReplyDeleteHere is my BTT: Giving Up post!
There are too many books and too little time to waste reading something that's not doing it for me, however, if I'm reading the book for a reason, then I try to stay with it.
ReplyDeleteHere's my BTT post.
I need to get better at abandoning books, but I'm still at the point where I'll keep plugging along.
ReplyDeleteAgree! There is a sense of freedom when you can abandon a book knowing it is just not for you. Especially as there is so much to choose from.
ReplyDeleteI read fairly quickly, so sometimes I'm midway into a book before I scrap it just because of that. With the Fay Weldon one (glad to know it's not just me!) I wanted to see where she went with the modern Decameron gimick, and it wasn't until the original main character essentially disappeared that I lost interest.
ReplyDeleteI just can't stop! I always hope that it will start getting better!
ReplyDeleteGreat answer!! I've wasted lots of time reading books I just never got interested in.
ReplyDeleteSame here; I usually have several unread books at a time. Why force myself to commit to one when there are others I could be actually enjoying?
ReplyDeleteI try hard too... but if I start to feel like I'm forcing myself, then I need to stop. Trouble is, I'll give a book too many chances, and I'll end up finishing it anyway.
ReplyDeleteif it is an ARC or a book I got for review, I will give it an extra hard try. Otherwise, if I don't like it by the time I am 1/4 ways into it maybe, I give up.
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