When do you stop reading?

[Jane]

If I get to 50 pages and I'm not pulled in - I know I'm in trouble - if it is something that came highly recommended I'll give it to 100 and if it doesn't have me by then - I put it down with few exceptions.

I wish I would have followed this rule with "Twilight" recently but because of the hype I read the whole thing - I should have stopped - as I did not see what all the passion for this book was about.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I try the 1st 50 pages.

[Robin]

I hate not finishing a book for a face2face group - and up until recently I've never "not" finished any book I started. But I'm reading more now - and have more I want to get to - thanks to this group (lol).

That I don't want to waste my time on books that really are not "catching me". That being said.....

If it is a "assigned book" I'll read to 100 and if nothing happens will give it up there. I've had to give up the following since adopting that rule....

Julie and Julia 365 days, 543 recipes one small apartment

Across the Sea of Suns - a Sci-fi novel that bored me to tears

Unbearable lightness of being - I know a lot of people like this (and my friend who recommended it hates that I gave up) but I thought it was pretentious and I couldn't get behind all the meaningless sex.

Wife of GR author: Michael J. Sullivan | The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)

[onmerryday]

Like everyone, I feel like it's a duty to finish a book after I start it no matter how long it would take. There are some books that took me years to go to the last page. When that happens, I feel proud of myself somehow even though it is a bad reading.

Actually, I would give up a book when its protagonist did something I absolutely dislike or something very very bad happen to the character. Well, it also depends on my mood at the time too. If I happen to read a rape scene or something violence while I am already depressed, I will throw the book away and will probably never touch it again.

Now, think about the quote "So many books, so little time" I may have to set my rule too. However, when I think I will go to at least page 100, I always doubt if I may miss good part after that. There's a lot of books that gives you real excitement after 200 pages or so. You never know when it 's going to happen!

So, I think I stick with method of 'skipping' when I don't like any part of any book I read instead.

[Donna]

I stop reading when I am sleeping and even then I dream about the book that I am currently reading which is sorta strange.

I am one of those people who read at any second they get! I read when I am in the card with my hubby, waiting in line, and the like.

Some may think it's annoying but my friends and family usually know i am bound to do it at some point!

[Bird]

Like many other posters, I used to feel obligated to finish a book once I had started it. However, now that I have literally hundreds of books on my TBR shelf, I refuse to force my way through a novel if I'm not enjoying it. There are way too many awesome books out there for me to waste my time on one that I can't get into. Also, my main reason for reading is enjoyment, and I figure if I'm dragging my feet through a book, it kind of takes something away from the whole notion of "reading for pleasure," you know?

[Petra X]

I rarely put a book away forever that I can't finish. I did give up on the Satanic Verses though and I'm struggling with the Sociopath Next Door. (I have a sociopath living next door and I'm trying to understand her motivation but the book is boring).

[Robin]

Bird - I'm exactly like you - I used to always read all the way through - but now with this group - and some other face2face I just can't waste my time with "slogging through". Now the only exception to that is - if it come very highly recommended I'll give it more time or even take it all the way to the end.

[Donitello]

You can lose money and earn it back. You can lose love, and regain it or find new love. Sometimes you can even work your way back to good health. But time, once lost, is gone forever. Therefore, I am ruthless in dropping a book that doesn't speak to me.

Too many good books out there, WAY too little time.

Yours in heartlessness,

Doni

[Allison]

i will usually give a book 100 pages, and if i don't like it, i move it to the come-back-to-later shelf on goodreads.
a lot of these books come recommended to me, so i want to give them a try. most times, i find that when i'm not enjoying a book, it's because i'm looking very forward to reading another book instead.
for instance, the ragamuffin gospel is on my come-back-to-later shelf. i know and i feel that i need to read this, but i wasn't in the right state to get through it, it wasn't anything that they author did or didn't do.