Question for you - if you're a person who is able to set aside a book that's not working for you, how many pages do you give it before you make that call? Does that number vary based on the length of the book? I'm trying to give myself permission to give up on books but I'm never quite sure at what point I can feel like I've given the book a fair chance.
Mystery March is looking more and more like a complete bust. I need to read half of
The Goldfinch for book club this month; I want to finish
Outlander, I've got another TLC Book Tour coming up this month and I'm hoping to finish my nightstand book for Classics Club. I just don't see a whole lot of room for mysteries in there, do you? Now I'm thinking Mystery May.
Solomon Northrup's
12 Years A Slave was adapted into the movie by the same name and John Ridley won an Academy Award Sunday night for his screen adaptation of it. Have you read this book? I'm not sure I could watch the movie - a couple of the ladies at the party I was at the other night said they were sobbing through the last 15 minutes of the movie. I don't need to make a public spectacle of myself but I'm okay with a reading a book that has that same effect on me. Every year after I watch the Academy Awards, I'm just certain that I'll pick up several of the books that were turned into movies in the last year. I even pick up some of the books but I haven't actually read many of the recently nominated books. Hmm, maybe a challenge for next year?
These books arrived at my house this week:
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Oleander Girl by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Now if I were reading three books a week, this would not be a problem. But I'm not. So it is. Also, it's hard to read the books that I already own when there are new books to be read. Did you pick up any new books this week?
Good idea for a reading challenge. I almost downloaded 12 Years a Slave this week, but am really trying to get my virtual shelf under control these days. As for giving up on a book, 50 pages is usually my rule... but I've also given up beyond the halfway mark for a book that started strong and then went nowhere.
ReplyDeleteI will give up a book in the first chapter if the writing style doesn't grab me. No regrets.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much time for reading or blogging lately, and I've been pondering the same question about giving up on books. I try to give it at least 50 pages, but sometimes you know early on that a book isn't for you, so why bother slogging through to a certain point if you're just not enjoying it? That's what I tell myself, especially where there's so much to read, and so little time! :)
ReplyDeleteI heard someone say once that you should give a book at least 50 pages before quitting, but they were also talking to teenagers at the time. For those of us who might be older than that, I say 25 pages is plenty of time to know if you want to read a book. (Although, truthfully, sometimes I don't get past the first page.) Life is too short to waste on so-so books.
ReplyDeleteI normally give something 50 pages and if there's nothing redeeming or I just flat out am not interested than I give up. I'm reading review books as fast as I can. I have a hard time making myself read books I already own too! Glad I'm not the only one.
ReplyDeleteI usually give somewhere between 50 and 100 pages until I will give up on a book, depending on length. If I'm unsure I will keep going for another 50 pages to see if it's worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten out of control too with my virtual bookshelf. I read somewhere that if you aren't planning on reading it within the next 2 months to not buy it. So I've decided to not buy a book unless I'm planning on reading right away. So far it has saved me a few bucks this last month!
ReplyDeleteI usually give a book about 50 pages, but if I have an inkling that it might turn out to be a winner, in spite of the slow start, I try to give it another 50 pages. Some of my all-time favorite books hit their mark around page 80.
ReplyDeleteI give a book 75-100 pages. Life is too short and there are too many fabulous books around, but you also need to give a book a chance, and 75-100 pages (depending on how long the book is) is enough for me to know if it's going to be a book I enjoy or a book I can't stand.
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