**While this discussion is being published, I’m probably in the airport waiting for my flight or maybe already on the plane and pissing myself because of excitement for my very first solo trip ever, gross haha. That being said, I’ll be reading your comments and replying to them once there’s a wifi available here or if ever my phone’s data connection is working fine, *wink.
I was planning on finally posting this discussion after reading Katie Ashley’s The Proposition last year but got caught up with my busy schedule. Tough life I know, haay.
Btw, after reading my very first book that made me almost threw my Kindle across pacific ocean (drama queen, I know haha), I’ve been curious eversince to know what other readers reason to decide on dropping a book. And yes, this discussion is long overdue.
I really hate DNF, so as much as possible I don’t drop them if I see some few points that I like or acceptable. But lately, I’ve been fed up with the increasing number of books in my TBR that is, to make it mildly, unpleasant. So as part of this year’s goal, I decided to just let it go if I don’t like it. Finishing it won’t make it much better anyway.
So what makes me decide to drop a book?
To make it easy, I’ll just list them below:
- Betrayal. I really can’t stand betrayal especially if it’s close to the main characters, and much worse if the betrayer is one of the characters that I love!
- Cheating and third parties. Especially if the third party is b*tchy or is a j*rk.
- Unrelatable characters/story.
- Horrible writing style. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt.
- One or both the main characters are doing stupid things over and over again. Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a reason for DNF.
- Repetitive. Eye roll, roll, roll.
- Cliche, unrealistic and corny dialogues. Proper moderation please.
Wait?! You’re going on another adventure? I can’t wait to see the post about it. How exciting. I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do a big travel like that by myself.
As for DNF’s. I usually call it quits when I’m unable to connect with the story. Whether it’s the writing style, lack of character development, or just being bored while reading… those are the moments when I decide enough is enough. You’d be horrified to know that I DNF’d 3 books yesterday until I found one that actually held my interest.
It was kind of daunting at first Kristin, but I’m glad that I conquered the fear because my! I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t ofcourse a perfect first solo travel because there’s no such thing as perfect but the experience was worth it and I can’t wait to do it again.
I really hate it when DNF strikes, and it happened to you 3 times in a row?! I’m not sure what I would have done if it was me, maybe another round of anime watching or eating? Hehe
Enjoy your solo adventure! As for DNFs, that happens RARELY. Most of the time, I try to finish a book no matter how long it takes. But there was one particular book that I called quits. I can’t remember the title because it was a few years ago, but I remembered dropping because the story was so lame and it was terribly written. I thought that if I continue reading it, I might pick up some grammar mistakes and reflect it on my work. I was a budding content writer at that time and I didn’t want to risk it.
Thanks Dar. I sure enjoyed my travel which I will be posting in the blog soon 🙂
That definitely was a bad book. Good thing you ended it before it’s too late Dar 🙂
A solo adventure, how exciting!!
I believe the most important feature in a book is how well it’s written. I’ve been reading a lot of stories that started out well, continued great, but ended up disappointing. However, I generally DNF books that make me feel absolutely nothing whatsoever. No connection with any of the characters, no emotional sympathy, nothing at all.
Hehe, thanks Fran 🙂
True. Thinking about it now, I guess the writing style is the number 1 concern with most readers.
Recently I DNF’d book for the first time. The hero lied to the heroine making her believe he was someone else and then slept with her, This happened in the first 15 percent of the book. From there everything went downhill and I could not continue to torture myself. 🙂
Dang! I would hate that too
There are only a couple of things that make me DNF a book. Child abuse, animal abuse and something that shocks for the sake of shocking the reader with no real story line for it will make me throw the book out.
That sure are a deal breaker especially if the abuse thing. Thanks Mary for joining the discussion 🙂
Hmmm, I typically ever DNF. I have noticed that recently, if I find myself struggling to get through a book, I’ll set it aside and pick it up in a week or so. But I don’t really DNF. I try to be super super picky with what I read, and that helps. Cheating and abuse would definitely be reasons for DNFing, and love triangles. It’s an interesting thing to think about!
Have a wonderful week, Vanessa. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Wow, that’s great to hear Alyssa. Unfortunately for me, most of the books in my TBR were from the time that I just haphazardly adding books in my list. I think it’s just last year that I started to get picky and only add books that I really really love.
Happy travels, Vanessa!
I DNF about 10 books a year these days. I never used to do it and then realized I was wasting good reading time on something I didn’t like or made me mad. I try to give it about a third of the book before making the decision. Sometimes I’ve gone back and tried again, but most of the time I don’t.
As to the specific reasons I’ll drop a book: Hmm, boring, cheating involved in a romance, a hated trope (love triangles and secret babies are a nope for me), people doing stupid or hurtful things over and over, a really loose and confusing plot, a plot with toooo much going on and no focus, can’t stand the main character, too much author ranting (politics, religion, philosophy, causes, etc). And probably more.
I’m horrible about dnf’ing but getting better.
I hate cheating, repetition, or dragging something out forever will probably get me to quit though.
For What It’s Worth
That’s definitely a turn off Karen, especially the dragging something out. Urggh
Yep, slow pace ticks me off too as much as stupid characters.
I hardly ever DNF but I’m proud I did one already this year. I’m not going to force myself to read stuff I’m not enjoying anymore lol
True. If it’s not working, then it wouldn’t make sense pursuing the book 🙂
Sometimes I have to know what happens or I’ve gone so far in a book the challenge is to finish it. So I don’t dnf often under those circumstances. If it is earlier in the book and I can’t connect to anyone or anything I’ll dnf. My big dnf… animal abuse or death for no reason at all. I’ve read a couple of books that would work fine if they took it out and just had no real place in it.
Have fun on your adventure!
Abuse is definitely a big turn off. Thanks for joining this discussion Melissa 🙂
Great discussion! I recently had a dnf and it was because I just didn’t care what was going to happen next. That is usually what happens with me. I only had one dnf in 2017 so I don’t do it often but it is usually just because I don’t care what else happens in the book.
I can totally understand Carole. I don’t count my dnf, but I guess I did 1 or 2 books last year. Hopefully I won’t have to deal one this year though.
I’m terrible and will drop a book without any worries if it’s not interesting me. Usually I try to give it until at least 50 pages for a standard length novel. Usually a horrible character who’s just downright offensive and disrespectful will make me not bother reading on, or even if it’s just not hooking me. That’s why most of my reviews are positive, anything I don’t like or not enjoying I just don’t bother reviewing. As readers we tend to feel so much guilt don’t we, maybe 2018 is the year where we can DNF without the guilt to our hearts content <3
True. But I just learn lately not to dwell with the guilt especially if it what makes me happy. Hope we’ll get better this year Kelly 🙂
With me it’s if I’m just dreading reading it, for one reason or another. I had this recently with a book and it was actually making me angry to think about reading it – at that point I knew it was time to put it down and get to something I’ll enjoy! <3
Charlotte | https://charlotteidek.com
I experienced that one too, but my curiosity got me so I ended up finishing the story. In result, I was pissed for the rest of the day, good thing we have stocks of sweets 😉
Haha! <3
I really hate DNFing books as well but I’ve been becoming more okay with the idea recently after finishing some books that made me ask myself why I bothered. For me the main thing that will make me put a book down is if I just find it to be THAT boring. Lack of a good plot or clunky writing can make the experience feel like a chore and that’s not how I want to spend my time, especially when there are so many other amazing books out there!
True. If it’s not working, just hop on to the next book. With so many books being published everyday, it won’t run out 🙂
Luckily, it doesn’t happen to me that often. If I have to DNF it’s partly due to me not relating with heroine. If she’s annoying AF, then I have to toss the book. LOL.
Yep, that one too. If one of the characters are annoying, I’ll say goodbye and grab another book 🙂
Ooooh, good question! I don’t think I have any particular trigger. Sometimes, there’s just something about whatever I’m reading that enrages me (and not in a good way) and I’m done. Sometimes, I just fail to connect, on any level, with what I’m reading and it feels like a chore so I quit. Reading time is short and shouldn’t be wasted on something that feels like a chore, y’know?
True about that 🙂