The book you like most discussion
How do you decide to abandon a book?
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Liz luv
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Mar 31, 2025 07:26AM
If it takes me more than a year to read
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There is a moment when I think, there are a lot better books out there to read and not enough time to read them - why am I wasting time on this one? That usually happens less than a hundred pages in - and I might give it another 50 pages but then I just have say - all I will remember about this book (if I force myself to finish it) is how much I hated it or how boring it was. Accepting that not every book is made for everyone is also helpful when I review of a book I DNF.
Sometimes, it's a soft DNF, and I put it down until I am in the mood to read it. I know I will really enjoy this book, but I am not enjoying it now for whatever reason. A hard DNF, I will probably never touch again. I try to give at least 100 pages. If, for whatever reason, I am hating the book or I am dreading picking it back up. Or any other reason I just know this book is not for me, I will possibly DNF knowing my TBR is so long, I will never try it again.
I don't DNF often. I will speed up the audiobook to just finish a book unless I am truly hating it. I like to finish things, even if it's half a$$ed, 😆. But I don't feel bad when I do it.
if it doesnt invite me to get comfy in a chair or on the couch with a cup of coffee or tea because the plot isnt exciting halfway through (being patient here)
It's so hard for me to do... but if I HATE it or am totally lost or bored after 50 pages, I'm out.
if I'm not getting into the story or the writing style is annoying me lol
Broke my 'never DNF a book rule'...when l ran into Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings listed amongst the '50 Classics you should read before you die'. 100 pages in...just couldn't do it.
I always like to finish something that I started. I try my best to finish it no matter how boring it gets. But, I abandon it when I don't have the time to read or when it is too monotonous or just simply unreadable.
I don’t usually dnf books because I’m always optimistic that it’ll redeem itself… But the night circus did not give me any hope at all, it was basically pretentious “fancy” talk. I abandoned it after 100 pages or so. So basically the first 100 pages determine if it’s worth it or not.
I like to finish books I start but sometimes it just does not work out that way. There have been a few that just could not hold my attention, they had no real plot or they drug the story put so long I no longer cared what happen. I dread reading. Every time I think I want to read I think of the book I am reading and how I just do not care what is happening in the book. So I do.not read. That is when I am like nope that is it. I AM NOT READING ANYMORE OF THIS BOOK.
I read for enjoyment if I dread to read it is no longer enjoyment so why bother, they have too many other books I might enjoy reading.
Not really in certain amount of pages. Sometimes I will try to at least read 100 to 120 pages.
am I the only one who has to finish the book not matter how bad
I used to be of the mindset that I had to finish a book once I started it. Now I have come to the realization that I am not going to waste time reading something that I am not enjoying. Time and life is too precious.
usually if I keep zoning out or just skipping pages on pages. But if it's just boring I give it untill the 45% - 50% mark before DNF'ing. But sometimes less than that
i've been trying to be better at dnf-ing a book that if i'd really rather read another book. but a lot of the time i end up forcing myself to finish the book because i feel some sort of obligation to :(
I used to feel really guilty when I dnfed books but I realized that it isn’t because the book is bad or I don’t like the author it’s just that everyone has different things they like. Reading is supposed to be fun so I keep that mindset.
It looks like I haven't given the same answer twice. My rule of the thumb has been to read the first 50 pages, and if it does not pull me in by that point the book gets tossed onto the DNF shelf. But recently I was reading a new book and felt like I had taken a sedative, yawning more by the second.Thing is I had bought it and felt like I should read the entire book and perhaps make a better choice in the future. So I did.
I think it is always a hard decision to make when you are thinking about abandoning a book. No one wants to do it, but sometimes it's just not our cup of tea and continuing feels wrong. I always do 50 -100 pages. Then I consider what the book has to offer and if I could struggle through and finish reading it anyway. This isn't always the case, as sometimes there is no interest remaining and it makes further reading feel dreadful.
Another thing, which I have done on the rare occasion and that some people may disagree with, is that I take a look at the reviews. I personally never do this before starting a book, but if I am in the middle of a book and I'm considering to abandon it then I take a quick scan through a couple reviews to see what other readers think. Sometimes I have found that like me, other readers have felt the same but mention that the story line picks up or the book is worth reading.
It isn't very often I don't finish books. What I found is that I sometimes read a short book, or perhaps a non-fiction if I am reading fiction in-between. This usually refreshes my mind and makes continuing that little bit easier.
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I agree completely. I just abandoned a book that was so boring I could not force myself to open it again. I know other people have liked it but it wasn't for me. Period.
if I can't stay focused and I feel like I'm forcing myself to read it, it's gotta go
After the first chapter if I think it's boring I just keep it on a shelf
I give up on a book when I feel like it's just wasting my time. Life is too short and there too many excellent books out there to waste time on one I really don't like.
ive read through books ive hated but i give up if i see 0 potential at all, if im still bored in the first few chapters, or if i dont like the writing style
I hang on way too long and usually finish. That is not good advice though. When a Book I can tell has terrible writing and by Chapter 2 gets worse I stop. Some books get so complicated, I get a Notebook Out and Start Cataloguing Time Lines and Characters. This is a Message to DNF. Still, my advice is if you are reading about 20% in and it just Slogs for You. Stop, DNF. Pick Up a Book You Like. Can always try the other book another time, but probably not. Too many books we enjoy.
When I feel like it will take way too many pages for the plot to develop ,or that the writing style gets on my nerves
When the book feels like a chore or assigned reading, I know I can skim thru till the ending. Or if it’s real bad, just jump to the last few chapters. Even worse, I’ll google the ending then give the book away.
If it is on my kindle, I usually dnf if I am not interested until 45%, but if it is a physical copy (OF MINE ESPECIALLY) I try my hardest to finish it, even if it is wasting my time and I 100% know I will give 1 star or something, but because of the endings, it usually goes up to 2 or 3. I still will be mentioning it on my review tho.
When you cover atleast 45-60 pages and are unable to enjoy the book/just bored/unoptimistic, is when u decide to abandon the book :D Don't feel bad though. It's natural;)
For me it depends on the book. When I find myself reading another book instead and don’t pick it back up within a week, or I just don’t feel like reading it, I mark as DNF. Sometimes I will go back later and read it. For example, I’ve picked up and abandoned All Systems Red once before because I didn’t feel like reading it at the time. Right now I’m reading it, enjoying it, and I know I’ll finish it.
I don't abandon books but I hate read
I personally rarely ever DNF books because it feels like a crime haha I will only put down a book if it becomes far too disturbing or if I feel it will affect me mentally in a way I don’t want it to, if that makes sense. For example, texts that tend to romanticize very dark topics. I don’t think I’ve ever put down a book because I was bored of it, when I think about it, though I understand why some people do!
I have several on my shelves that are highly praised, but I DNF'd them over 2 years ago, and will probably discard them. Why? The conversation is stilted, or, in the case of one self-study, it is based on the author, not what the author learned, though. Another I finished because it was written by someone important to me, but if I hadn't known the writer would probably have round filed it.
How I choose to DNF a book is if It does not capture my attention from the first sentence or I cannot make it past page 100 after a couple of days
In fiction, if the plot is too boring and meaningless. In Non-fiction, if I don't agree thrice (my patience limit is thrice) with a concept
The last book I DNF'd was because the writing was along the lines of "this is pat." "he said hi." "pat was young." "pat was tall." like it was so... infantile in the way it was written with a maximum of about 5 words per sentence. Normally though its just if the story is boring or its just not grabbing my attention for whatever reason.
You just know bcuz it gets harder and harder to pick up the book and continue reading. There is an upside to this dilemma which is you will most likely come back to this book later down your reading journey and you’re ready for it.
I always give a book a chance. I know right off the back that ill dislike a book within the first two chapters. Sometimes I've gotten to chapter 10 and I'm still not impressed but with some books that are world building, I have to keep going in order to really get the story. But if read the first 3-5 chapters and I'm not drawn to something or pulled into the plot. I normally slowly read it like a slow burn romance and sooner or later I'll get to it.
When another one catches my eye. I have to be in the right frame of mind for a book. When I read non-fiction, I usually read to when I learned what I wanted to learn. The the book is abandoned until there is something else in it that I want to learn. It can take a very long time, but I usually circle back to non-fiction books and eventually finish them. Other books, such as Jane Austen books, I just can't finish. And, every book by Ayn Rand has been totally abandoned. The writing is appalling. Austen's books just haven't interested me.
I find that I usually try 100 pages too, but truthfully, usually when I abandon a book, it is mostly due to style of writing, so I can usually tell pretty quickly. However, I am fairly stubborn, so I think I have only really abandoned maybe 5 books ever. If anybody abandons books, I would like to know so I don’t start them.
if I'm 30% in and not really enthralled, I'm out...life is too short
Though question. I think if I really feel the hate and pain flowing through me then I will dnf it. But it takes a lot because I'm quiet patient and devoted to think that the story will suck me in. I'm stubborn I know....
I can completely understand. For me, if I don’t care what happens to the characters, then why bother. I am also an optimist, and that translates to me giving books a lot longer than I should.
It involves multiple factors: depends on how much time I have already invested, how much time is left and how much I am hating the book lol
I don’t abandon books enough. I tend to hold on tight and hope for it to get better 😞 It usually does not. This is the opposite advice I give others. If you have read about 20% and it just isn’t working, then stop reading it. You can always start again at another time.
Im usually trying to read it even though it makes me feel bored, but if I feel REALLY pressured, I just start another book
If I get like 50 or 60 pages in the book and I am like I could care less about this book. Sometimes I will actually regret reading Tim if it is a book I just can not get into or I am bored to death with I am done.I read for enjoyment and relaxing if I have to regret or force myself to read it then I am no longer enjoying it. So why bother when they're so many more books out there I might enjoy.
I recently DNF a book (and I do that very rarely). But the characters were just annoying me too much and the plot was lousy too. The book was full of profanity (which I hate - these two characters were supposed to be in "love" but they were only disrespecting each other and calling each other swear words)... And their "relationship" was them only getting together in the bedroom to do activities. There was no actual relationship. I think the whole book was just an excuse to write certain types of scenes. Plus the one character was doing the most idiotic stuff. I think it was supposed to be funny but it only irritated me something awful. Wasn't funny.
I was like 200 pages in...
I don't. Drives me mad seeing people leave reviews for books they don't complete. Of course I end up reading books I hate but the satisfaction of writing a reviews with all of the information is elite. Saying that, I DNF 50 Shades of Grey because it was pure s**t. Out of all of the books I've ever read, this was the most poorly written. The grammar, the characters, the writing was awful and I couldn't do it to myself.
I'll finish books that I don't enjoy or that make me feel uncomfortable or that just aren't my genre but I draw the line at work that should never have been printed and sold by a publisher for quality reasons.
It made me mad to have this tripe recommended to me by people on line and in real life who evidently had never read another bloody book.
So quality matters more than content for me.
Also, I've unintentionally DNF paperbacks that I've lost in the house or left in the car and then got too swept up in other books so have to start it from scratch again (I'm looking at you Tess of the D'urbevilles, and Walk in the Woods - I love Hardy and Bryson, it was just me being forgetful and careless).
Oh and Les Miserables was taking me forever so I got to 50% through and told myself I'd get back to it another time and treat it as a series. In my defence, Victor Hugo spends the first 10% of the book describing the Bishop. I'll get back to it one day but I'm not starting from the beginning again!
