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What is your give up point if you are not enjoying a book?

What is your give up point if you are not enjoying a book?

Susan #questionnaire

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95 Answers

Lesley

As soon as it’s not grabbing me. That can be the first page. I’m old enough to know what I like by now 😉

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Mary

I’ve been there

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Kath

20%. Or if I don’t care who dies!

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SusanQuestion author

This is the problemI don’t know what crime has been committed yet, and I don’t care. Dare I say there is too much waffle. I have heard it called padding!

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Anne

just ditched one after 40% , after scanning through a few chapters quickly, i hate giving in

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Denise

About 4 chapters. Though sometimes I’ve picked up a book a few months later that I had put down and I could finish it.

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Lesley

Especially at the first ‘What??? You have to be kidding’ moment.

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SusanQuestion author

There is none of that Lesley! Maybe if there was it would keep me interested.

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Lesley

@Susan 🙂 Spot the howler? That can be fun sometimes.

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SusanQuestion author

IT is just so boring., there is a crime going to be committed but I just don’t t care, what when or where!

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Lesley

@Susan Life’s too short 😉 I have a low boredom threshold, especially as I get older.

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Viv

I a’m not enjoying it though

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Viv

Don’t know what happened there. Should have read I always finish but it might take ages if I’m not enjoying it!!

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Mary

About 50 pages

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Theresa

First page.

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SusanQuestion author

Wow @Theresa! Have you read Bloq by @Alan? It definitely grabs you from the first page.

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Alan

Thanks @Susan. That’s high praise. 🙂

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Alfred

I totally agree Susan

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Alan

Thanks, @Alfred.

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Stephanie

I’ve read a few chapters in a book at mo I’m meant to review and just not getting into it but gonna try perservere a while longer x

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Lindy

50 or 60 pages? I sometimes read on just to give it a chance

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Janet

Me and my daughter both follow the 100 page rule !! X

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Gwyneth

This isn’t set in stone for me, it really does depend on the book – I feel like giving some of them more of a chance than others!

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SusanQuestion author

That is true, some books are a slow burner.

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Juliana

Approx 50 pages

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Lynette

Probably the first chapter. Life’s too short to hope it will get any better! x

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Marie

Have just recently decided that if a book is hard to read I will give in,far too many books to read and so little time.

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Malcolm

Really interesting and varied views.

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SusanQuestion author

I Agree @Malcolm.

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Kirsty

100 pages x

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Melissa

100 pages if im not feeling it

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Carol

2%

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Sandra

Has been known to be 2 pages, but no set amount.

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Carol

I stick with it and then wish I hadn’t. I never give up…just in case it gets better. Actually, that’s not true. I once gave up 20% in to a pile of drivel because I wanted to murder the writer for terrible writing, spelling and grammar.

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Alan

I very rarely give up. When I do, it depends on the book as to where I stop.

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SusanQuestion author

I rarely give up Alan but the book I am reading at the moment is like watching paint dry!

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Alan

If I find that it’s a major struggle to engage with the book, I will pack it in.

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Ann

First few pages and I know!

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Francine

When I have to keep reading the same page over and over because my mind keeps wandering.

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Annette

Probably 40 percent, but yours is s good indicator @Francine

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Louise

Alway give it to about the 2nd chapter

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Sallyanne

As soon as I realise I’m not enjoying it!

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Kath

Depends on what I’m not enjoying about it. There’ll just come a point when I think… Sod this, life’s too short…

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Lesley

Can I just say, at this point, that IMHO it is not fair to leave a review on a book you’ve given up on, especially early on. I’ve had one bad one from someone who stopped reading in the first paragraph – of itself perfectly fine, but not for the reason they gave. Those who’ve read Ted will know what I’m referring to 😉

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SusanQuestion author

Here lies my problem Lesley. It is a Netgalley approval.

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Lesley

Oh dear 🙁 Then I really feel for you.

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SusanQuestion author

I can’t possibly leave a review for a book I have not finished.

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Lesley

@Susan People do, sadly, all too often.

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Alexina

Just let them know why on feedback to pub company. I’ve done it before for N G

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SusanQuestion author

Thanks @Alexina, I will do that.

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Kath

I had a real stinker for Netgalley once. I left feedback that I’d started it three times but was unable to get on with the style (a bit pretentious) so I didn’t think it fair to review. I later checked the Amazon reviews. I was not alone in that feeling! It’s the only NG book I’ve failed to finish.

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Carol

2 chapters

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Joan

The first 50 pages

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Jonathan

Between 50 – 100 pages

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Vicky

As soon as I get bored. I lasted until page 71 of a book I was reading a few months ago, then thought ‘Life’s too short for this’ and gave up!!

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Tom

When I dread to pick up the book and continue. When I will make a dental appointment for an extraction first. When I call up the most obnoxious person I know just to avoid reading further. How do I know? It is what happened with “DUST” by Patricia Cornwell.

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SusanQuestion author

I used to love her early Scarpetta books.

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Tom

Paige Elizabeth Turner You paid too much.

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SusanQuestion author

It could have been a lot worse Paige,you could have paid full price.

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Andrea

It’s very very rare that if give up……last book I gave up on was Marion Keynes, ‘the women who stole my life’ total thumbs down. I had previously enjoyed her other books but this was a total let down.

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Debbie

I can’t give up! The worse book for me was james Patterson, thomas berryman number. I had to finish it although it was hard going.

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Jo

Around 20% mark.

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Alfred

If you are not enjoying dump it

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SusanQuestion author

Straight to theorist @Alfred! Lol

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Alfred

Too many books to read!

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SusanQuestion author

It was supposed to say straight to the point!

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Susan

The end

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Emma

Me too @Susan ??

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Susan

I think the minority I’m too curious I think I am going to miss the big wow end lol ????

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John

I always struggle through to the bitter end. It took me three years to read Crime and Punishment, which is definitely the most depressing book I’ve ever read.

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Malcolm

50 pages

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Mike

@Michael 50-60 pages, max. Life’s too short to read something that you are not gripped by.

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Mike

@Michael Thanks for the likes, Susan, Alfred, Sarah, Lucy. and Ann.

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David

I’m with all the other responders.

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Caroline

100 pages for me – that gives it a fair chance

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Heather

I don’t give up

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Hazel

About 3 or 4 chapters. However I have to read the ending chapter just in case I was wrong to give up. On a couple of occasions it’s got me back to persevering but that’s only if I have nothing available to read except the cornflake box! ??

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Danielle

100 pages for me too!

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Anika

Try not to but at least half way

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Laura

If I can’t get into a book after a couple of chapters I then give up

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Louise

I never give up, I skim read if it’s not my thing.

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Jane

About 50 pages

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Judy

I try not to but when I was about half way and getting bogged down I gave up

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Pam

If the book has less than 300 pages: 50; else 100.

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June

Normally the 100 page mark.I have tried with various books to struggle to the end and found it was a waste of time and I feel absolutely deflated.

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Laurence

No more than 2-3 chapters. Sometimes it’s just the author’s style that stops me – not the characters or storyline.

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Lucy

10% or 50 pages, whichever comes first

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Hannah

This equation need to have a variable to allow for enhanced font size

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Lucy

Omg I can’t believe my random perimeter has inspired THIS 😉

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Hannah

20% on the kindle 80-120 pages irl.

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Mel

If the spelling, punctuation and grammar are bad, it gets about 20 pages! X

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Dorothy

I can’t give up. I do skim sometimes but give up, never – it’s like not stepping on cracks in the pavement for me!

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Emma

First page. No hook, I’m out.

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Heather

I’m sure you will have missed out on some amazing reads.

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Heather

I’ve read many many amazing books but can’t honestly say it has been the first page that has me hooked. What can an author do in that first page that can make you decide so quickly?

1
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