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How far in do you read before you decide the book is crap and put a stop?

How far in do you read before you decide the book is crap and put a stop?

Kelvin #questionnaire

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130 Answers

Amy

First chapter lol

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Debi

Same!

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Laura

I try to get to page 50 at least, usually 50-75 pages in.

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Toni

even if it’s rubbish once I’ve started I need to finish it lol x

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Alison

My latest book I got to about quarter of the way through before it got better and now really enjoying it – it’s frustrating when you don’t get that instant draw from the first page …

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Belinda

Some you know immediately. But I have a rule 25 percent gets marked. If I’m not absolutely loving the book.. I pu

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Belinda

Put it down…. Cat pre sent my previous post

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Erin

If the first chapter doesn’t catch me I get rid of it

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Kelly

Like a quarter

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Beverley

I keep reading because just because it hasn’t grab me yet doesn’t mean it won’t

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Lucy

It depends if it catches me. If I find myself wandering off or picking my phone up etc while reading then I give it 25% and sack it off if still not hooked

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Ashleigh

Usually 100 pages, but have only not finished two books in my life.

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Louise

About 50 pages or so … but the last time I read a book that I wasn’t enjoying I carried on … still didn’t enjoy it at the end which I thought would show me why it was worth the effort…. xxx

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Dominique

30 pages?

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Susan

Page 100

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Susan

I’ve just finished one that irritated me all the way through. But I finished

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Melissa

I’ve done the same, it’s crazy isn’t it! Id happily turn off a crap film but give me a crap book and there is no way I’m abandoning it!

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Alison

I do that too, but I don’t really know why!

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Kelly

Was 100…. now it’s 50

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Cynthia

10% of the way through, usually. Or 100 pages, whichever comes first

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Susana

Until I realize that my mind has drifted to what is going on around me

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Premi

I always finish the book but bad books, I skim thru entire pages and somehow reach the end

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Donna

I don’t always finish a book anymore but when I did that’s what I found myself doing

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Wendy

I vary it depends if I think it’s slow, bad or not my thing. I try for around 50 – 100 but some don’t get that far.

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Suzy

Page 100 I agree

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Melissa

I rarely give up on a book. If it’s crap it ends up in a ridiculous personal challenge to finish it. Sounds like madness when I write it down ?

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Wendy

I used to do that but now I’m older I’ve got to the stage where I’ve so many to read and life’s too short to continue with a book I’m not enjoying.

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Febinger

I do it to.

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Joan

I agree, but in the last 25 books that I’ve read, I haven’t come to one that I’ve wanted to give up on.

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Wendy

I’ve not had so many recently either Joan. However when I went to a book group I gave up on quite a few but sometimes it depended upon who picked them.

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Brian

i go to 500 pgs for a bio. All else I keep going. hoping for a good end. Sometimes I waste my time…That stinks…

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Beth

I try to finish the whole thing if I can then just whinge about it a lot ?

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Bipasha

Even if its crap i cant put a stop. I always finish it. Or else I feel i am disrespecting the whole concept of reading!!!!

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KelvinQuestion author

Life is too short and my TBR stack is too high to waste on books that doesn’t strike a chord ?

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Jay

I strive not to give in, then get my neighbour to read it for his opinion.

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Carla

If I’m struggling to read a book, I switch it to audio and listen walking to work or doing the housework/ ironing.

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Sharyn

I’ve just given up on 21% / 64 odd pages because the themes of lying to your spouse, secret abortions cheating are not what I want to read about.

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Becca

About three to 4 chapters then meh if I’m not into it

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Julie

First chapter if it doesn’t get me by then I’m gone…

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Donna

50 to 100, some times it will suprise you and get better!

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Holly

A chapter or two, sometimes 50 pages, sometimes more …

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Clara

Half way

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Grainne

Depends on the size of the
book. Sometimes page 100 is 1/3rd through and sometimes it’s 1/10th……I didn’t enjoy “Jonathan strange and mr Norrell” until page 96. After that I could hardly put it down. That being said, life is too short to read a book you’re not enjoying.

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Michelle

If I’m not bothered by page 60 or so then I won’t bother any more. I ALWAYS used to finish books, but don’t now as there as so many good ones I won’t waste time on bad/mediocre

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Farnoush

I give it a quarter of the book.

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Stacey

Ummm.. I can’t stop once I start. ?

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Nikki

About 50 pages unless its highly recommended ill try push through until about 150 pages. I used to never DNF but now theres too many good books i want to read.

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Jeanne

50 pages

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Lynn

I have a 100 page rule

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Dario

Depends how bad is it. Sometime 10 pages sometimes up to 100

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Allie

Half

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Carol

I can tell after the first few pages if it is for me or not. I usually download the sample first on Kindle.

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Maria

Two chapters

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Sandy

100 pages

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Samantha

I have never stopped reading a book once I’ve started it. I just have to finish!

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Simon

Used to HATE not finishing them especially if I have paid for them. Now I get a lot of free ones via kindle and if they are no good I just delete

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Angie

2-3 chapters

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Mary

About a third of the way in. I have read books before that I did not like because I paid for the book, but the cost of the book is nothing to the cost of my time and me not enjoying the book.

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Rachel

Around 50%

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Heather

I power through and finish it or I will start another book and come back to it

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Sandra

Approx 50 pages…you can usually tell by then…lol

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Elle

About 10-20%.

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Anjana

I have to give it a couple of chapters at least

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Bree

I try to make it to 50 pages.

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Christi

My friend has harassed me for years to read This much I Know Is True by Wally Lamb. I’m half way thru it and feel obligated to finish it but I’m so bored. And Numerous people have told me how wonderful it is but I’m honestly not loving it

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Deana

That’s exactly how I felt about The Lovely Bones,
Everyone raves about it…I HATED it!

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Christi

@Deana ahahaaha and you liked Wally and I liked Lovely Bones.
Next on my list is what you recommended to me
I think it’s Allen all the strange and wonderful things. Did you love it?

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Deana

@Christi All the Ugly and Wonderful Things.
I have it if you want the hard copy.

Image may contain: text
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Deana

@Christi and yes, I loved it! I’m getting ready to start The Nightingale, which you recommended to me!

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Christi

I loved the nightengale!
Everyone on here says pretty much the same.
Yes, I’d love to borrow it if you don’t mind. I have a buttload of books you can borrow too!

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Deana

@Christi I will bring it to the studio tomorrow night!

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Cynthia

I finish it

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Traci

50-70 pages

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Mallory

Maybe 10-20 percent? I read for enjoyment…if I’m not enjoying it I’m not going to waste my time.

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Mary

There are too many good books out there to read something you don’t like. I give a book about 50-75 pages before moving on

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Cheryl

At least 100 pages

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Angela

I’m in the 50 – 75 pages group.

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Joane

I don’t stop for some dumb
reason I still want to
know the end of story ???

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Anne

I usually read to the end.

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Stormy

If I’m not captured by the first paragraph I move on. I will try a bit longer if it has good reviews.

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Joanne

I have this thing where once I start a book, I MUST finish it. So even if it almost kills me, I push through. ?

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Nick

sometimes a book can start off slow especially a debut but often half way through the author gets more relaxed and the book ends up awesome

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Andrea

I quit a book in a popular series before I finished the first page because the writing was so bad. The characters introduced on the first page were described with an absurd gathering of superlatives.

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Wendy

I think I know what book that was ? I’ve never actually started it though because of what I’ve heard about the writing.

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Joanne

A few chapters

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Carolyn

100 pages

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Stephanie

About 50 pages

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Emma

I never deem a book as crap, just not my thing. Around half way x

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Wendy

I must admit they have to be very bad before I do that and I tend to say they’re not my thing too (though I truly have come across a few bad ones over the years). Being perfectly honest I’ve even come across some award winning ones that I haven’t liked.

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Nick

me too, there is a book that has been out for a while, everyone raves but im 2/3rds through it and Im really struggling and it is by award winning author

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Kari

50 pages or so

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Eileen

2 or 3 chapters – if I’m not enjoying the story or identifying with the characters then I’ll give up.

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Dina

Around 10-15% on kindle

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Carrie

I think sometimes I have to be in the right mood. I started “A head full of ghosts” and gave up after chapter 1. Few months later I picked it up again and it’s one of the best books that I’ve read.

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Jordan

Once I start, I refuse to stop even if it’s awful. But honestly I give it about halfway to determine whether I like it or not

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JoJo

I have to read it all ?

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Becky

50 pages maybe 75

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Lyndel

Not too far. I try to stick with it thinking it will change but some of them I just can’t do it.

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Kaytee

All the way to the end. I rarely dnf. There have been a few that I wanted to give up on but started to really enjoy after about 200 pages. But that also goes into my review of the book. If I’m not hooked after about 50ish pages then it looses a star.

My best example is gone girl. Took me over half the book to become interested. Once I got past the part one I was really liking it! But overall I gave it 3 stars because i had to read about 230 pages before I was exited.

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Larraine

Half

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Paul

I’d say about 1/3 of the way in. Crap is kinda harsh, I think it’s just not the book for me.

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Aleisa

I just read until my interest fizzles out. Sometimes, it’s 5 pages, sometimes 5 chapters, sometimes I finish the book and keep writing new chapters in my head.

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Kimberley

50 pages

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Lorie

Life’s to short to read crappy books ???????

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Paul

I try to make it to at least a 100 pages. 50-75 at worst if it’s killing me.

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Hayley

It depends upon several aspects. Generally wait until the books are 99p but sometimes a book on here is being taljed about aoot and it maybe 3.99 I.e Eleanor Oliphant. I was struggling with it and was encouraged to persevere and I’m glad I did. Another one I paid 1.99 for was he said, she said. I was 50% through and I was in no rush to pick it up and I just needed to know 3 answers which was kindly given to me so then I ditched it. But mostly my attitude is life is too short to read a book that’s not enjoyable but I don’t like wasting money so I try a bit harder xx

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Sommay

50

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Judy

100 pages

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Amy

I bitterly read every last word and resent the time lost??

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Jennifer

I usually know within a few chapters

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Gill

40 pages

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Sara

i give it the same time i do a movie. if u cant hook me in first twenty pages or twenty minutes, goodbye u are too slow

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Neil

About one sitting: 50 pages

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Laura

I can never give up on a book, but I do try to be selective when choosing.

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Vicki

40-50 pages.

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Rock

It varies. I have stopped after 10 or 15 pages in, then again I listened to all 39 hours of Don Quixote.

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Wendy

I’ve found that sometimes audiobook format can help. I listened to War and Peace in audiobook format and as much as I loved it I’m not sure I’d have got through it in ordinary book form especially some of the war bits.

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Susie

Usually the first chapter.

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Phyllis

100 pages

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Alison

I used to read a whole book even if I hated it. I resented it and now a book gets 50 pages to prove itself to me or its discarded. I’m much happier with that.

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Janet

When I realize I am bored to death, I put it in the book case until I can get to the library and give it to the “Friends of the LIbrary.” Tha’ts usually somewhere around the end of the second chapter.

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Jenny

I rarely given up on a book completely. Just recently I read A Brave New World, I’d had many false starts on that about 9/10years ago but it stayed on my bookshelf until I tried again

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Mary

2 chapters max

I used to read it anyway but have decided can’t do it anymore, there are far too many books out there to enjoy 🙂

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Sallee

This is the beauty of the Kindle! I never thought I would like the Kindle, but the joy of always having a book to read far outweighs the weirdness and at least you can read the sample, before deciding whether or not it is crap! It usually takes me a couple of chapters – however some “writers” have such an awful style, that it sometimes takes about three pages!

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Sandra

50 or so pages

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Janet

100 pages and then I find someone here who has read it to find out what happened!

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Susan

First 50!or so pages. But also have sometimes later if plot becomes implausible.

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Kymm

Depends. I’m pretty forgiving. I usually give the book at least 100 pages to grab my attention if after that I’m still not into the book I usually put it away and start another. However, if everyone on here says it’s a phenomenal book I’ll give it another 50 or so pages, just in case I’m missing something. You people usually are a good source for good reads!

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Sonja

2 Chapters

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Kristina

Usually around 50 pages. Sometimes sooner if it’s poorly written.

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