This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure policy.
To DNF a book for me is always so painful. (Do Not Finish for those of you who don’t know the acronym (I didn’t used to)).
There was once a book I was going to put in my DNF pile but I decided to push through and I was surprisingly happy with how it turned out.
If I had given up then I would never have read it and experienced the book.
However, I have tried to push through books that I would have DNFed and felt like I wasted so much time!
So my question that I pose to you is do you like to DNF books or do you struggle through to give it a chance?
For me, personally, I don’t often DNF books, so when I do, I don’t bother to continue. There are so many other books out there that I want to read, on top of school work, that I really don’t like to waste my time on, well…, crappy writing. And trust me, some stuff is really bad.
Especially when you blog, you get emails from up-and-coming authors who want you to read their book for free.
When I was younger I’d take everything but didn’t know about honest reviewing and would try my best to spin a bad book in a good light. But now I have to be clear that I will give an honest review because some of the stuff I’ve read is just so painful. Thankfully some send me previews so I can immediately say no before I get into it.
I mean, have you ever gotten an ebook from an up-and-coming author, agreed to read and review it and wanted to just die as the writing was so bad? I’m talking 50 Shades of Grey bad and then even worse.
As my time is precious, I now vet everything I read. Books from the library, if I don’t like it I won’t finish it as my TBR pile is as tall as Mount Fuji. With e-books I generally say no anyway because I hate reading on my phone, but sometimes something catches my eye (like the one I’m reading now!).
If after like fifty pages, it’s just to bad, I don’t finish and I’m okay with that. Sometimes you just don’t click with a book.
I agree. Sometimes I just can’t get into it and I really won’t be able to finish.
This is one of those questions I wish I could answer better! I feel if I invested more than 25% of my time into a book and don’t like it, I still need to finish. One – hoping it turns around, and/or Two – I already wasted 25% for nothing? I know, I know…its not logical thinking. With so many good books, why waste your time – but its easier said than done! I need to get better at this for sure.
I definitely agree with that. I’ll keep trying and then suddenly I’m 50% through and I’m like I can’t stop now. I used to be really bad at it but since I’m so busy now I just have to stop. I feel guilty, but at least I can read something else that I actually enjoy. It’s a tough decision.
I have considered DNF on books that I went ahead and finished and was glad I did yet have also stuck with roughly the same amount of those I wish I had quit as they never improved but I had too much invested. So I set a limit of 10 to 20% – if I’m not feeling it by then – I’m out.
That’s a good way to do it. I like your idea!
I always think I should stop a book, but it hardly ends up happening!
It can be hard to stop reading a book, especially when you are a decent way through.
I very rarely DNF. Most recently it was a romance that read like porn – I like seriously steamy but it has to have a proper story. The book that I decided to DNF read like porn.
I really hate to DNF a book because I feel like I can’t give my full opinion unless I’ve read the full thing. I will DNF if it has trigger warnings I wasn’t warned of (which happened last month), or if I really just can’t bear to read anymore. It has only happened a couple times though and I don’t do it unless I have to.
Oh I agree with that. Sometimes there are books that don’t warn properly about the themes and I just have to put it down as it’s just too much.
But that’s a really good point.
I always push myself to finish a book no matter how bad it is. Am I torturing myself? I just don’t like to give up.
That’s very impressive! Props to you for never giving up!
If a book doesn’t grab me with the first few pages, I’m not going to read it.
I do completely agree!
I feel you. I try to finish the book. But if I can’t get into it 100 pages in… well I just don’t finish.
I agree. Sometimes you just really can’t get into it sadly.
I agree with you! There are too many books to read! No need to waste time! If after 50 pages I am bored I usually stop!
Definitely!