Do you read the ending of books first?

[Dale]

I like it,

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

All valid points of view.
Nevertheless I still reserve the right to read my books any which way I want to. Back to front, front to back, upside down - my book, my way of reading:)
Upside down would be tricky however..........

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

It should be good for the brain as the blood would rush to the head. Or maybe you would just turn the book upside down..........

[Kathryn]

Phrynne wrote: "All valid points of view.
Nevertheless I still reserve the right to read my books any which way I want to. Back to front, front to back, upside down - my book, my way of reading:)
Upside down woul..."

For anyone who's read The Poisonwood Bible, that just made me think of Adah - she had hemiplegia and had some developmental delay, in some respects, but was very advanced in others - she was a prolific reader and used to read back to front! I wasn't quite sure how she managed this! Nor was I sure whether it was just the words she was reading backwards or the whole book!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Kathryn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "All valid points of view.
Nevertheless I still reserve the right to read my books any which way I want to. Back to front, front to back, upside down - my book, my way of reading:)
..."

I haven't got around to reading that yet but you just sold me! To the top of my TBR it goes:)

[Kathryn]

Phrynne wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "All valid points of view.
Nevertheless I still reserve the right to read my books any which way I want to. Back to front, front to back, upside down - my book, my w..."

Maybe you can tell me how Adah was reading backwards, Phrynne!!! I got the impression it was the whole book backwards, but not sure ;-) I listened to it as an audiobook, which I don't actually advise - I think there was too much to take in as an audiobook - I'd have been better off with a print book so I could flip back and check things.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Kathryn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "All valid points of view.
Nevertheless I still reserve the right to read my books any which way I want to. Back to front, front to back, upside down..."

I recently enjoyed reading Flight Behavior so The Poisonwood Bible was high on my TBR list. I will take particular note of Adah's reading skills when I read it:)

[Sandra]

When I used to read category romance books by the truckload, the only way to determine whether it was worth the effort, was to read the ending. If the ending wasn't well done, then it was a forget that one and move on to the next one.

I sometimes still read the ending for other genres and it never spoils my enjoyment of the book. But that's just me I guess.

[Lynn]

If a book looks like it could be part of a series (and it's not made clear on the cover) I'll take a peek at the last couple of paragraphs to see if the story actually has an ending.
I really hate reading through 300 odd pages to find the story is left unresolved.
This has been a real issue for me in the past, particularly with science fiction/fantasy and more recently with young adult.
It's one thing to read a series because you enjoy the story and carrying over secondary or tertiary plot lines is to be expected but it's another thing entirely to be left with major cliff hangers at the end of a book.
A quick look at the last couple of paragraphs can save a whole lot of aggravation and let me spend my time on books that offer some payoff for my commitment.

[Bronwyn]

I have just come across this discussion and I thought I would put my bit in, even though no-one has been here for awhile. I nearly always read the either the last couple of pages or the last chapter of every book I read. Not usually until I have read a few pages, I find I am more tempted to do so earlier when I don't really like the story and sometimes the ending encourages me to keep reading. If it is a sad ending I usually don't read the book because I like happy endings. Sometimes when I read these pages too early in the story they don't tell me anything because I have not got far enough into the book.

[Lynne]

I confess to having done this from time to time, usually if the suspense is too great!

[Lawrence]

Only if I read the first chapter or more and think I may not like to read the book, then, only very seldom does the ending pique my interest enough to read the whole book.

[Steve]

My wife does this with thrillers and it drives me crazy. She gets too stressed otherwise. "That's the point!" I tell her.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Steve wrote: "My wife does this with thrillers and it drives me crazy. She gets too stressed otherwise. "That's the point!" I tell her."

Lol! Like peeking through your splayed fingers when they are pressed firmly against your face...so you can't see!

[Kathryn]

It's so interesting to hear people's different approaches to reading!! Love it!

[Kathryn]

I was reading The Forsyte Saga recently and realised partway through that there was another book following the Forsytes, A Modern Comedy, and I read the blurb for it which was a mistake because I knew then that someone's daughter married someone else's son, neither of whom had been born at that point of where I was up to, so that spoilt it a little for me!!

[Leonie]

I think I've just run screaming from the room, yelling "No! No! Don't do that, Pleeeeaaassseeee!"

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I couldn't either Leonie:)

[MaryG2E]

This is my slightly weird practice regarding the ending of books:
I have developed a habit lately of going to the last page of the book I am just starting, and noting the number of pages. Usually I'll read the last sentence, if not for any other reason but to assure myself it is the last page of the story, and not part of the appendix. Then I divide the total number of pages by two, and earmark the exact middle of the book. That way I know what stage I'm at, and it helps me to keep plugging along to the end.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Brenda wrote: "I couldn't either Leonie:)"

I can:)

[Adriana]

Well, I had this habit of reading just the last sentence of the book... Why? No reason, I can recall... Just like daring myself to do something risky I guess... :)
And Mary, about counting the pages and memorizing where the middle of the book is... well, I do it every single time and afterwards I work with the fractions to check how is my progress...Oh, and I use 2 book markers, too. One to sign where I stopped and the other one to mark where I began to read that day... then I can check the speed I am reading... Does it sound too crazy to you guys?...

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Adriana wrote: "Well, I had this habit of reading just the last sentence of the book... Why? No reason, I can recall... Just like daring myself to do something risky I guess... :)
And Mary, about counting the page..."

Lol...no, you are doing what ereaders do automatically these days! ;)

[Angela]

Well, depends on the book. I admit to skipping to the back to check out what happens between the characters. Saddest part? I've even done this with romances, even when I know they'll end up together, just because, you know...I just have to check!! LOL My worst thing, though, is sometimes doing it in a thriller or mystery when I have to see whodunnit...

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Angela wrote: "Well, depends on the book. I admit to skipping to the back to check out what happens between the characters. Saddest part? I've even done this with romances, even when I know they'll end up toge..."

Lol...You must be wringing your hands at the Christmas Tree waiting till presents opening time Angela!! :)

[Angela]

I'm not that bad! I only shake a few boxes!!!

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Angela wrote: "I'm not that bad! I only shake a few boxes!!!"

Hahaha! I am!

[Angela]

Bad girl, Julie. I'd NEVER do such a thing *apart from, you know, look, sniff, shake*

[Sally906]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Angela wrote: "I'm not that bad! I only shake a few boxes!!!"

Hahaha! I am!"

Joining you in the naughty Christmas corner Jules - have to poke and prod pressies under the tree. Have been known to unwrap them see what it is and wrap them up again - I am very good at acting surprised on Xmas day.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Sally906 wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Angela wrote: "I'm not that bad! I only shake a few boxes!!!"

Hahaha! I am!"

Joining you in the naughty Christmas corner Jules - have to poke and prod pressies under the tree. H..."

Lolol! I have never unwrapped any, YET, Sally, but have been known to poke, prod, squeeze, sniff, shake, feel and generally analyze the shape of many a parcel under the tree! :D

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Angela wrote: "Bad girl, Julie. I'd NEVER do such a thing *apart from, you know, look, sniff, shake*"

Haha...that was me before I graduated! ;)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Naughty, naughty you people;) No wonder I wrap, then box and then wrap again;)

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Brenda wrote: "Naughty, naughty you people;) No wonder I wrap, then box and then wrap again;)"

（*＾ワ＾*）

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

LOL!!!

[K]

Noooo, never. I don't like spoilers.

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "Naughty, naughty you people;) No wonder I wrap, then box and then wrap again;)"

Would be a challenge for me - but I'm up to it - LOL!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I wish people wouldn't put spoilers in reviews! It's sad that they have to spoil a story for everyone else...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I try to follow the blurb as much as possible:) And I know that the majority don't do it on purpose:)

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "I try to follow the blurb as much as possible:) And I know that the majority don't do it on purpose:)"

Me too. but some people rate blurbs as spoilers - so you're always going to upset someone :)

You know I read a mystery book review once that had who the murderer was - along the lines of 'I couldn't belive Sally was the murderer'. It was on a blog and there was a lot of furious comments - it is still there I go and check every so often. Is an active blogger - so have scratched him/her from my blog watch list

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Oh that is shocking! I don't blame you for getting rid of that person. I was actually reading the blurb of a book I just finished a day or so ago, and someone had put the FULL facts of the WHOLE story in it! Right down to the ending, who was killed etc! I deleted that quick smart and re-pasted the correct blurb! I wondered how many people had read it and thought - well I don't need to read that book now! Luckily I didn't read it first:)

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "Oh that is shocking! I don't blame you for getting rid of that person. I was actually reading the blurb of a book I just finished a day or so ago, and someone had put the FULL facts of the WHOLE st..."

I usually copy the blurb before I start my review on my blog - but often leave part of it off or rewrite it

[Ebony]

Well um sometimes only if its a really long book