I quit at page 100 if I can’t get into a book by then..what about others?
I quit at page 100 if I can’t get into a book by then…what about others?
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I quit at page 100 if I can’t get into a book by then…what about others?
The first 3 chapters
I guess I’m particularly picky. I give it a few pages. I’ve been known to read a paragraph or two and then be like “Nah. I’m good.” lol.
I stick with them until the bitter end.
That’s worthy of a compliment! Way to go!
No, no it’s not. I keep thinking they’ll get better, but they never do. And yet, I do it every time.
same here, their have only been two i have not ever gotten through,
I’m terrible, I can’t do that at all. If my imagination isn’t gripped by chapter three I have to give up. You have my respect for sticking with out @Nicki. ?
I am in until the end…the bitter end!
I give it a quarter of the book.
Life is too short to read books that bring you no satisfaction or pleasure.
That’s generous. I try to at least go to 50.
3 or 4 chapters, but sometimes sooner if it becomes obvious that I won’t enjoy it.
I give it 10% of the book’s total pages. Life’s too short for books which don’t float your boat!
I know usually by the first page.
I know what you mean, you kind of get a feel for the book immediately and can tell if it is, or isn’t, for you.
Exactly! Like you start reading and you don’t get into it. Done. But then I come back later and I like it. It’s like I’m not ready to hear the story yet.
Yeh, or your frame of mind has changed.
Yep. Exactly!
I have never not finished a book lol but I don’t buy a book unless I research it or read part of it in the store. If it’s something that I’ll enjoy I buy it, if it doesn’t grab me I leave it there and move on. I’ll spend hours in a book store to sometimes only walk out with one or two books.
A few pages
I always finish the book, but Im beginning to think the way forward it to try a couple of chapters then move on.
You’re more generous than I am. I only go to page 50. Way too many books on my TBR and not enough free time to waste my time/energy/focus on a book I’m not enjoying.
I tend to finish them as well, but rethinking that with age!
I try to fight through bc I won’t let myself quit
I try never to quit but sometimes I just gotta call it a day lol
That’s about right.
First paragraph. If I’m not interested in reading it and don’t need to for work or research / as a courtesy for someone, that’s where I end.
If I don’t like a book then I leave it and go back to it another time.
I have done that with several e.g. the Storyteller, The Return. and have been pleased that I have re tried.
It depends. Sometimes I skip a couple of chapters, kinda speed it up, so to speak. If I still can’t get into it after about 50-60 pages, I give up. I may try to reread it at another point.
I usually quit about 100 pages in also
A number of years ago I formulated a rule. 300 pages or less, I had to push through 50 of those pages before I could give up. 300+ pages and it’s a 100 page goal. If an author can’t make his or her book worth reading in that generous space, then I don’t need to put more work into it.
To be honest never
About that
Hmm, three or four chapters is my limit. My imagination needs to be gripped by then or it becomes a chore to read!
I must read to the end even if it doesn’t catch my attention at all. I must be OCD. lol
I probably quit even sooner than that.
First chapter
I read about 50 pages and then dump it if I’m not into it. Life’s to short.
Between 50 & 100. Truthfully, if I’m suffering/struggling to much before that, I just close the book!
For me, reading is supposed to be enjoyable. If I have to struggle reading it just to get through it, I wont read it. I love reading books that I get angry, because I have to stop reading it for whatever reason and get excited to get back to it. 🙂
It always depends on the author and the novel ?
50
This is why I gave up going to book groups, the books were always so dreadfully worthy I couldn’t get into them, then if you confessed you got really disapproved of, it was worse than school lol! Life is too short to read a book you don’t enjoy, end of.
Page 50
I don’t have a set page number, but if I’m not into a book i have no problems with stopping it. I’d rather not, but there are way too many books on my tbr to waste time on ones that I’m not enjoying. Especially since my concentration and attention span is not the best so it will take me FOREVER to finish a book that I can’t get into.
I don’t have a set page count, but a book generally has to capture my interest fairly early if it’s going to EVER do it (if I get through the first couple of chapters – or less, if it’s all about super-long chapters – and the story doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere, I’ll likely set it down and quite possibly not return to it). Most writing texts, for example, will advise you to capture the reader’s interest no later than the first page – or even the first sentence, if that’s possible – and as a reader I can see the validity of this argument. I won’t waste my time on a book that takes forever to get to the point or something that’s really worth my attention.
It can depend on why I’m reading it, and whether I have found any redeeming qualities that make me want to finish reading.
100
I like the the rule: Minus your age from 100 and that’s how far you have to read before you quit.
If you get to that page number and still are not enjoying it, then stop and put it down, for at least a little while. The best part is, as you get older you have to read less and less of the book before you can put it down! ?
I am reading a book by an author I have read many of her books and enjoyed them. If this book of hers I am reading now was the first it would have been the last! But am too stubborn not to finish it. The only book I never finished wasLadies of the Club
Same
I only make myself suffer to page 50.
Me too. After 100 pages I reckon I gave it a fair shot.
I might not make it to 100 but as others have said, I might go back & try it later. I have to be in a certain mood for the book.
Maybe thirty pages. Usually, I can tell within a few pages.
30 to 50 pages – I’ve been half way thru too
usually somewhere between 50-75 pages, if I am not interested in the book I don’t take the time to read. So its either give up or don’t read very much. I would rather read something I enjoy,,,,there are just too many books out there to get stuck on 1.
I read the first paragraph and the last sentence of every book. That usually tell me all I need to know
I get the first paragraph bit, but I couldn’t read the last sentence before I’d read the book. I would hate to know what it was all of the way through the book.
Every good book has a great last sentence. Something my mom always said.
Ha ha, I don’t dispute that at all @Michael. It would just always be on my mind, trying to work out how the book reached that sentence before I was ready to know it! Each to their own. ?
I’ve just had to check out the last sentence of my debut book @Michael, just to test your theory…it could be stronger. ?
So, your first book isn’t the greatest? Hmm, I do read the middle too.
Depending on the length of the chapter, I’ll try to get as far as Chapter 6 or 7 before giving up.
I can’t do that at all, gotta finish it, even if I have to do some skipping
Yup, me too.
I try to read about 10%of the book before deciding if it’sworth my time.
If I can’t into it by the first chapter I’m done
I don’t have a page or chapter, but when it hits me I just quit. Sometimes I try again.
I can recall quitting only two books -The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (I have tried twice and will probably give it another shot) and an autobiography by Oscar Levant.
I cant quit a book, it drives me crazy….have to finish all of them
I’m feel the same. I might go back another time and try again
I’ve done that too -sometime the timing is just off for the book to click on the first go
I really try not to give up on a book especially if it was highly recommended. ..but sometimes I get to the point of just wanting to throw it across the room. ..then it’s time to quit…lol
Wow lots of great answers! Now I am curious if those who “must” finish the book no matter what share any other common denominators! Age? Geographical area? Personally I am in the “life is too short “ if you’re not enjoying it move on camp. Thanks everyone, I really enjoyed knowing what others do.
I use a 20% rule. If I’m not into it by 20% I call it quits.
I don’t plan it, but it’s usually 80-100 pages. Also, If I’m thinking too much about how much I want to read another book while reading one I just put it down (this works as relationship advice too. Lol) .
Depending on the length of the book it’s usually between pages 75 and 100 although the other day I had one that I quit after page 20 because I hated the main character.
50
My mum didn’t raise a quitter. I finish it. To the last damn word. ?? Especially if I paid good money for it.
Often, it‘s a more unconscious process. I start another book, but leave it under „currently reading“ on goodreads. Sometimes I‘ll continue/finish it at a later stage, but if it‘s still there after a year, I delete it and give up on it.
This doesn‘t happen often, as I usually do some research before starting a new one, plus I can develop some interest for a variety of topics.
Still, I think life is too short to read books I really don‘t enjoy!
I had a English teacher that said if you can’t get into a book by the third chapter let it go she was my highschool English teacher. And it’s worked for me ever since
Twenty
I can only recall quitting one book – Lisey’s Story by Stephen King. I don’t remember how far into it I got before I gave up, though. Reading assignments for school taught me to be able to finish and at least mildly enjoy almost any book.
I quit when I just can’t push myself anymore
50 pages
50-75
and that’s even with a touch of “skimming”..Life is too short not to read good books! 😉
I might switch to audio b/c that can make it easier sometimes depends on the book but usually it never a book I choose but a book club read b/c those are the more complicated books I read so I usually follow through
Chapter 1.