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How do you deal with bad/don’t want to read books?
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I have a “DNF” shelf alongside my read and to-read shelves.
I have an abandoned shelf for books I really don't want to continue with, and a back-burner shelf if I think it might just be that I'm not in the mood at the moment, and may want to continue with later. I may or may not give it a single star if I think the fault lies in the book, not in me.
I have a DNF shelf and I usually don't review or rate the book unless I really didn't like it for an specific reason that I think other readers might have an advantage knowing before picking that book. I can't avoid DNFing around ten books per year when I read 170 books or more.The book stays on my reading challenge so I know that I picked it up before, not that I forget any book I set aside really.
I also have a DNF shelf, and I'm thinking about creating a DNF-but-might-try-again-later shelf for those I put aside because I just wasn't in the mood for them at the time. Books that I've DNFed with no intention of ever picking them up again get a 1-star rating from me if I really disliked them, or 2 stars if there was something specific I liked but it just wasn't enough for me to want to continue reading.
I have a "did-not-finish" shelf for books that I've started, gotten a ways into, and then abandoned. I also have a "not-for-me" shelf for books that I have no intention of ever even starting despite their showing up regularly in lists like the ones you mention.There's a place on the "Write a review" page for a book that lets you add a private note even if you're not reviewing a book. That's where I leave myself reminders about why I might want to read a book, why I'm not going to read it, or why I didn't finish it. (Thanks to Anna for pointing out this rather obscure GR feature.)
I moved this to the Goodreads folder, because from what I understand you're looking for a way to differentiate between read books and don't-want-to-read books on Goodreads?I think what you're looking for is an exclusive shelf. Goodreads help article here, or if you can't click on links, google "goodreads exclusive shelf".
Jon, in case it might aid in understanding why an Exclusive shelf is probably more useful to you than just adding another normal shelf which I think is what you were referring to in your first post, below is a screen shot of how a book will look to you if you have it shelved under a custom exclusive shelf called “test”. So if you had an exclusive shelf called “DNF” or “Avoid” or “NOOOOOOO”, you could click on a book that sounds interesting and immediately see that you have it shelved that way without having to dig any further.
I ditch 'em, and put them in my DNF shelf. If I've read at least 35% I might review it; if not, I just leave it unrated.
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Like many others in this thread, I've created a DNF shelf that is toggled as exclusive. I don't bother shelving books I'm not interested in reading--there are more books on my two "want to read" shelves than I could read in fifteen years, so there's no reason to add to the clutter I've already created for myself!
In addition to my DNF shelf, I have a "not my cup of tea" shelf. (I don't generally shelve books I don't want to read either, but I use that for books on collected shelves I'm not reading [Boxall 1001, SFFBC, etc.] and also if I keep picking up a book I've already decided against because I keep running into it on rec lists, which sounds like the problem you're having.) As YouKneeK showed above, once you have a book on one of those exclusive shelves, GR will show you what exclusive you have it on wherever you see it, including Listopias and such.
Mod
I love GR exclusive shelves so much. I've probably gone a little bit overboard!
I have a DNF shelf that I use for books I didn't like well enough to continue, but I also have a Will Try to Revisit shelf for books that I simply couldn't get into at the time, but might like better in a different mood. That may seem like a small distinction, but I feel there is a big difference in genuinely not liking something either for content or writing, than just "not feeling it" at the time.
I didn't know about exclusive shelves, that's awesome and probably the answer I'm looking for :)Thanks everyone for your ideas/help.
Allison wrote: "I have a shelf for dnf and one for books I've decided not to read for whatever reason. both are exclusive so they don't interfere with my read or to be read shelves"I was looking up a book once and I saw you had it shelved as "Future Allison Don't read this" or something and always wondered what that book did to you 🤣 . . . Now it makes sense.
I hunt down the author and make them rewrite the parts that I didn't lik... er, why are you all looking at me like that?
I quit reading them most of the time, but it was years before I realized I could add a 4th shelf that could be the only one (like want-to-read, read and currently-reading) so most of them are not left on my shelves.
Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "I love GR exclusive shelves so much. I've probably gone a little bit overboard!"Me too! So very useful!
I have almost as many exclusive shelves as 'tagged' shelves.
I do have a "not for me" exclusive shelf as well as a dnf.
I would never star a book I didn't at least try. And I star almost none of my dnf books, either. It's just not fair, to author or to other readers, to give, for example, one star to a book I don't want to read but my friends love.
Kandice wrote: "I have a DNF shelf that I use for books I didn't like well enough to continue, but I also have a Will Try to Revisit shelf for books that I simply couldn't get into at the time, but might like bett..."That makes a lot of sense. There are probably a few dnfs I've reviewed that should be on a shelf like that.
I rarely DNF but I kind of want to make a DNF shelf called "Nope" now
just don't finish it. why would you waste you're time on a bad book when there are so many good books left to read?
Similar to others, I have these two exclusive shelves: "maybe later," and "ditched." In my six years on Goodreads, I've found that I revisit no more than 10% of the "maybe later" books, so maybe I'm more generous than I think in labeling then that way?Love the idea here of "future me don't read this," too! That could be for books that I hear about specific "hard no" topics from others. I keep forgetting to check people's reviews before reading (and then getting to 90% and realizing I should not have read it because it's Just Not My Thing), so hopefully I wouldn't have the same problem if I'm the one who shelves it.
HeyT wrote: "I rarely DNF but I kind of want to make a DNF shelf called "Nope" now"I spent the majority of my life finishing every book I ever started. After I had kids and my reading time got limited, etc, I started DNF books. I also cheat and check the ending after I've started a book most of the time because I have some permanent stressful things as part of my life right now so try to limit sad/bad/horrible endings.
Karin wrote: "HeyT wrote: "I rarely DNF but I kind of want to make a DNF shelf called "Nope" now"I spent the majority of my life finishing every book I ever started. After I had kids and my reading time got li..."
this made me laugh. My sister is disgusted at me, for many years i have a quick look at the end of the book to check that the main character is alive and happy, other wise i dont read the book
recently she found out her son does the same thing. Since he didnt know i did it we are now calling it a family trait as my uncle tells me my grandmother also did it
i feel there are so many good books out there why waste time on one that will bring you down
hope your "stressfull things' in your life will disappear soon, chin up etc. i wish you luck. Keep reading happy books
Kateb wrote: "Karin wrote: "HeyT wrote: "I rarely DNF but I kind of want to make a DNF shelf called "Nope" now"I spent the majority of my life finishing every book I ever started. After I had kids and my readi..."
Thanks so much :)! Some of it will.
I try to finish all of the books I start. I hate the idea that maybe the book became really good after I put it down. However, I do have a "do not read again" shelf which also serves the purpose of avoiding some authors I didn't really like as much.
I used to force myself to finish every book I started, no matter how little I actually enjoyed it. That has changed recently as I have come to the conclusion that there are just too many good and interesting books out there to waste time on books I don't enjoy.
Generally, if I'm not invested after a third of a book at most, chances are I will just leave it be.
I usually try to power through it, telling myself "I can do it!!" but if I truly don't feel like finishing one, I either procrastinate it, read one chapter at a time, or often just forget about it.... I only have two books on here marked as did not finished, but I am sure there are plenty more I never got through
I’m looking at all books I have read or attempted to read and realized that I would have no books to put on a DNF shelf. Out of 845 books I have read, I have rated two novels with one star and nine with two stars.I even finished reading The Sound and the Fury by William Falkner. That was a hard read, but I finished it. I gave it one star. Logically, it’s an interesting idea though.
I also finished Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. I thought it was going to be like the movie, Jackie Brown, which was based on the novel. The novel is totally different. Didn’t like it and gave it one star.
I remember reading the ending of The Lost Eagles by Ralph Graves. I threw the book across the room and wish I hadn’t read it. But I did. I gave it two stars.
I pick my books by recommendations and read more books from authors I like. I must be lucky to get mostly good books.
LOL, Gary! I've thrown a few books across the room :)
Michelle wrote: "LOL, Gary! I've thrown a few books across the room :)"Not me - I read on a Kindle and that would be a rather expensive impulse to give in to.
No, I'd never toss my Kindle like a frisbee, either. But physical books? I certainly have thrown them. I think the last one was a Robin Hobbs book.
Gary wrote: "I’m looking at all books I have read or attempted to read and realized that I would have no books to put on a DNF shelf. Out of 845 books I have read, I have rated two novels with one star and nine..."I've read a few books recently I would have loved to toss across the room, but I just purchased a new Kindle Paperwhite and didn't want to break it.
As an author myself, and knowing how much time and effort goes into writing a book, I hesitate to give poor reviews, so instead I've created the DNF shelf. I appreciate the suggestion from this thread.
Michelle wrote: "No, I'd never toss my Kindle like a frisbee, either. But physical books? I certainly have thrown them. I think the last one was a Robin Hobbs book."if those last couple of Stormlight Archives books had been paper books, I would have been tempted.
Al wrote: "Gary wrote: "I’m looking at all books I have read or attempted to read and realized that I would have no books to put on a DNF shelf. Out of 845 books I have read, I have rated two novels with one ..."One and two star ratings don't always turn me off of a book that has good ones as well. It lets me know that a book wasn't read only by friends of the author. There's nothing worse than trying out a highly rated, poorly written self-published novel that was rated by friends and family only.
After all, I loathe some of the big classics such as The Grapes of Wrath--I can't stand Steinbeck's novels and I read a few because when I was growing up I finished every novel I ever started.
That said, there is some good stuff out there in the self-published world that has been well-edited and crafted with good input, etc.
there are so many books out there, plus i am a big fan on re reading a fav series that i wonder why waste time on a book i dont find interesting.i give a book 20 to 30 pages to get my atttention , if not its gone. KIndle books are deleted, paper books are taken to the local charity shop
Dont' like dnf'ing, so I'll just force my way to the end by listening to the audiobook at ~2x speed.Also, I still like know how things end. And knowing that the book was bad all the way till the end gives me proper closure. It means that I can go on hating the book in peace knowing with absolute certainty that there was nothing redeeming about it by the end.
Michelle, throwing a book by Robin Hobb would do some serious damage to your home! I hope it was a Soldier Son book. I kinda wanted to throw those, even though I love the Realms of the Elderlings. I have never liked DNFing and have always tried to get through books I was not loving and have usually found something redeeming about it. That said, I must have a fairly good grasp on what books I will like based on blurbs and reviews by people I trust/have similar tastes with, because I rarely dislike a book enough to give it less than 3 stars.
Diane, I made sure that I aimed for the sofa, so it bounced and hit the floor :). No, it was Fool's Assassin.
Sonny wrote: "Dont' like dnf'ing, so I'll just force my way to the end by listening to the audiobook at ~2x speed.Also, I still like know how things end. And knowing that the book was bad all the way till the ..."
Putting on a Little Old Lady Voice "When I was your age I was the same way." ;) I'm not short, nor am I old (I can't be old as long as I have living parents, IMO)
But on a more serious note, there is nothing wrong with slogging through, and sometimes I still finish books I don't like.
what's worse is slogging through a book only to find it ends with a cliff-hanger
CBRetriever wrote: "what's worse is slogging through a book only to find it ends with a cliff-hanger"Yes, I agree with this wholeheartedly! It makes me angry.
CBRetriever wrote: "what's worse is slogging through a book only to find it ends with a cliff-hanger"Agreed!
One thing I’m wondering is how other people deal with books that they don’t want to read, or start reading and decide are bad and they don’t want to finish.
I read a lot of books, and it’s getting harder to find new ones. This means I spend a lot of time looking at forum posts and other sources for new recommendations. As you can imagine, there’s a fair amount of repetition when someone online asks “what sci-fi books should I read”?. I’ve read most of them, and when I come across a new one I will try it, or read reviews etc to see if it’s my kind of thing. If not, I’d like a way of noting that, so I know not to check it again.
I can add it to a “don’t want to read” shelf, but that isn’t very obvious should I look it up again after coming across it in another list 6 months later. It’s similar with a book I get a couple of chapter in and don’t want to continue. I can mark it as 1 star, but putting it down as “read” just seems off.
Any thoughts/ideas? Am I the only one with this problem?
Thanks