Net Work Book Club discussion

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Just when you decide to 'give up' on a book, does it get interesting?

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message 1: by David (new)

David Staniforth (davidstaniforth) | 36 comments If I like the writing style I'll give it longer, but otherwise probably a couple of chapters.


message 2: by Linda (new)

Linda I try to stick with it but end up skimming through to get to the end.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments Not usually, no. If I give up on a book, I seldom go back to finish it, and if I do 95% of the time I realise I was right to bail on it in the first place. There's nothing worse than wishing you hadn't wasted however many hours reading schlock.


message 4: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments If I'm not enjoying/liking a book I tend to leave it awhile, then go back to it after I've read a couple of others. If I still feel the same when I go back to it, then it's dumped. I think there are too many good books waiting to be read, and I'm not wasting time on a book I dislike.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments I have learned that in these days of book series, chapter books etc. if I read two or three books by the same author/in the same series consecutively the style etc starts to pall. So I jump around and change when I can.


message 6: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I do that Ori. I like book series, but only read them 2 at a time, otherwise they start to get jaded.


message 7: by Justin (new)

Justin (justinbienvenue) Ehh..sometimes. Most the time if I'm not feeling a book it starts dipping further into me not liking it. However every once in a while just when I'm ready to give up on a book it takes a surprising turn, gotta love books like that.


message 8: by Justin (new)

Justin (justinbienvenue) I hate when people say oh you dont have to read the first one to get the second. Okay that's all great and everything but if you don't mind, I like to read books in the order to which they are! Lol.


message 9: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I also prefer to read in order. You can guarantee if you start reading a series at book 3, there will be mention of the previous 2 books, so it's just easier to start with the first one.


message 10: by Linda (new)

Linda Oh no! I could not read them out of sequence either.


message 11: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I have done it occasionally, but only because one of a series has been free on Amazon. If I enjoy the free one, I start the buy the series from the beginning, then re read the free one again in it's turn.


message 12: by Justin (new)

Justin (justinbienvenue) Suze wrote: "I also prefer to read in order. You can guarantee if you start reading a series at book 3, there will be mention of the previous 2 books, so it's just easier to start with the first one."

Right? Sometimes when I'm reading a lone book not in a series I sometimes have to go back to the beginning because I either forgot what was mentioned or I'm confused. If I'm reading the 2nd or 3rd book in a series and they make references to the previous books and I have no idea what they are talking about how can I know? I'll have to read them first.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments To me, now, that is the mark of a poorly-written series. A good series novel should stand alone without a) making the reader feel lost and confused OR b) choking you with long passages of repetitive back-story, which puts off readers of the series in order. I actually started to read Vol 2 of the Yellow Rose series, but when the author merrily ruined Vol One for those who hadn't yet read it (among whom I was one) by even telling you who the baddy was and what they did and why, I gave up right there. Not to mention her fondness for "Merlot" to mean "red." Ugh.


message 14: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I don't like it much when references to a previous book in a series is long and protracted, but I don't mind the occasional mention, as it can sometimes help me recollect what I did read previously. I certainly don't think it's fair for spoilers to be in any book.
I have noticed I seem to be reading series and trilogies more than stand alone books these days, and when I do read a book not of a series it always leaves me wanting more. I'm just greedy I think.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments It seems to be the trend, Suze. It's all series and chapter books and etc.


message 16: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I won't buy chapter books, I want the whole thing. It's bad enough waiting for the next book in a series to be published, let alone the next chapter.


 ♕ ❤  ♕ Princess pink diamonds posh bird LINZY.x.♕ ❤ ♕ (marilyngoodreadscom) I thought all books had chapters Suze.


message 18: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments ♕ ❤ ♕ Princess pink diamonds posh bird LINZY.x.♕ ❤ ♕ wrote: "I thought all books had chapters Suze."

Ha ha, very funny. I mean the ones where they are published in 2 or 3 chapters at a time and each one is classed as a book. It's not only the paid ones I avoid, but all of them. When I sit down to read a book I want to know I have it all, not just the first couple of chapters.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments I remember when back in the 90s the paperback publishers started inserting teasers into the back of books. They'd give you a few pages and then...nothing. Supposed to make you want to rush out and buy the book, but I found it annoying and childish, as commercial ploys go.


message 20: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments It annoyed me too, and it annoys me just as much on the kindle. I hate it when I buy a book which says 300 pages, and I get 250 pages of the book and the other 50 pages are ads for other books. I've stopped reading a couple of authors because of this.


T4bsF (Call me Flo) (time4bedsaidflorence) You're definitely not on your own there Suze.... that's really annoying.


Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments In fact, I've been trying to find which of Katie Fforde's books started with a woman running a sort of student residence in her house...they put a few pages in one of my paper books, none of which I can put a hand on right now...maybe I'll never find it again.


message 23: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments Ori, I've just started a new thread called Name That Book. I"ve copied and pasted your comment on there, and hopefully somebody will know the title for you.


message 24: by Jazzy (last edited Jun 27, 2014 12:34PM) (new)

Jazzy Lemon (jazzylemon) | 71 comments I've never read anything by Katie Fforde, but after reading a little about all her books, I think it's this one, Ori - Artistic License

Fed up with looking after a houseful of students, Thea Orville throws caution to the winds and takes off to Ireland with Rory, a charming but feckless artist.


message 25: by Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) (last edited Jun 27, 2014 01:32PM) (new)

Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) | 2568 comments I think that might be it, Jazzy. Katie Fforde is far from intellectual, and her basic setups are pretty thoroughly interchangeable, but for mental popcorn moments, she's awright.

Always there's a big rambling house, usually with an Aga or similar oldfashioned range.
Always some older woman drinks neat whiskey--a lot of it.
Always somewhere in there is a heavily pregnant woman, married or not.
The jobs or dreams are pretty thoroughly Sloane Rangerish.
Always "she" and "he" get into one of those silly Meg-Ryan-in-the-80s "misunderstandings" that could be cleared up with one straight question and one straight answer, but instead carries on for a good third of the book.

But then there are moments in life when I will eat peanut butter straight out of the jar on a spoon, or my finger. Cloying? Yup. But, at odd moments, exactly what I want.


message 26: by Suze (new)

Suze | 764 comments I'm currently listening to The Crimson Petal and the White which was recommended. Has anybody read or listened to this, and does it get any better. It was recommended to me but after listening for over 3 hours I'm not completely bored with it, and if nobody can tell me it gets better I'll send it back and choose something else.
http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fiction/T...


message 27: by Justin (new)

Justin (justinbienvenue) Right now? No. I am wanting to give up on this book i'm reading and I keep reading hoping something will get interesting but it's not happening. If nothing has come together after I reach chapter 20, I am out!


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