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What’s the last book you did not finish? And why?

What’s the last book you did not finish? And why?

Paula #review

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144 Answers

Alexandra

DNF?

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Leanne

Did Not Finish 🙂

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Alexandra

Ahh thanks!

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Penny

@Alexandra, I had to think that through too ?

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Alexandra

2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson. It had good ideas but it was just so uneventful.

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Leanne

I’m constitutionally unable to DNF and it makes me crazy. I have been known to speed/skim through bad ones though.

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PaulaQuestion author

i used to be, now I don’t care as much lol

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Alexandra

I too feel this but I’ve decided life is too short to finish bad books.

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Leanne

I need to get where you two are! It’s really stupid to waste time on a book that I don’t like and I know it. Then I finish it. Grr.

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PaulaQuestion author

I’ve also skimmed to the end lol

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Katie

I’m someone who’d rather skim than DNF completely, even if it means I’m spending all my time with that one book so I can get it off my TBR sooner.

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Kristy

Almost Moon. Just couldn’t do it

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Katie

I did finish that one, but I did not like it.

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Briana

Did Not Finish

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Victoria

The keeper of lost things

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Susan

I just consider it a longish pause. Sometimes I go back years later when I’m in the right mood and finish.

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Katie

I sometimes do that too.

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Bouthayna

Emma by Jane Austin.. I ordered another book and it arrived before I could finish so I put it on hold lol

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Shelley

A history book that was beyond dry.

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Anna

11/22/63
Wasn’t what I expected. Too many stories that didn’t have anything to do with the story I was expecting. Thought it was going to be a lot of history but hardly anything had to do with the assassination of Kennedy.

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Ashley

@Anna I was thinking about this being my first SK book. Why did you end up DNFing it?

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Lisa

Same.

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Anna

@Ashley the book is huge but I felt like a lot of the book was just off topic and filler content. The guy goes back in time to stop the Kennedy assassination but he goes back years before the assassination so there are a lot of added stories that are just killing time.
I know a lot of people love that book and it got raving reviews but the backstories just didn’t grab my attention enough to get me committed to finishing it. ?‍♀️
I put it down at 700 pages. Felt like I was wasting too much time on a book I wasn’t enjoying.

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Anna

@Ashley I highly recommend the stand from sk! One of my favs.

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JoAnne

Anna Grace My husband loved this book. (11/22/63)

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Janet

I loved, loved 11/22/63!

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Tim

Loved 11/22/63 too but I have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to Sai King lol

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Bonny

Did not finish

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Martine

Pillars of the Earth. Just.could.not.do.it!

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Tim

I finished it but it’s fairly dreadful tbh

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Boriqua

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. It was not because I didn’t love it (its incredibly well written and interesting), it was a borrowed book and had to return. But will most definitely get it from the library to finish.

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Ashley

Still Me. Also Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. I love all his other books but I’ve been trying to get tyrough this one for almost 8 years… probably time to just give up ?

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Tim

Shades of Grey is the only Fforde I’ve read. I thought it was interesting but good to know his others are better.

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Ashley

@Tim MUCH better. The Nursery Crime Series is amazing!

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Lorrea

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer I couldn’t get into it. I may go back to it though. You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson I will not go back to that one.

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Tracy

An Ounce of Hope by Sophie Jackson. I had read the first book which wasn’t that great and the second book was just very much the same. So uneventful. I gave up about half way through.

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Jenny

Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwall. I finally realized that even though I try to read all the books on my shelf I just couldn’t get through it

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Natalie

Forever by Maggie Stievater. I loved Shiver, really disliked Linger and DNF’d Forever. Shiver should have been a stand-alone and not dragged out to ridiculous lengths.

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Bianca

Sea Witch by Sarah henning. Its so so boring. I read 3/4 of the book and not much happend….

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JoAnne

Too many to remember..
One that comes to mind;
A Man Called Ove.

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Michele

Really? The ending was the best part!?

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Asmita

SITA the warrior of Mithila by Amish
I just didn’t like the story
The Shiva trilogy is much much much better then the Ramchandra series

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Indy

A Simple Favor by Darcy Bell. Main character beyond annoyed me. The story was all over the place and made no damn sense. I just couldn’t.

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PaulaQuestion author

I want to see the movie….maybe it’s better than the book

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Indy

@Paula I think this will be a rare case of the movie being better.

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PaulaQuestion author

@Indy it happens 😉

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Nick

The film is a mixed bag. Starts off ok and the framing device of the vlog is quite effective, but as it goes on an intriguing premise falls into first a rather standard story but is ruined by the story just being overly converluted for the sake of “but wait moment” which practically ends up going back to the status quo.
Anna Kendrick gives the lead a charm and enthusiasm and the direction is very good. The Greek Chorus trio of patents are quite fun.

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PaulaQuestion author

so what you’re saying is have a couple drinks first? ?

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Nick

Yes, a martini with frozen gin

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Michele

@Paula wait! Are you implying that we need a reason to drink??

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Indy

@Nick movie and a drink lol

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Bergen

The Enemy Inside by Steve Martini. It was incredibly dull

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Laura

Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury. The writing style made it a difficult read for me. I got about halfway through and still found it dull, so I figured it wasn’t worth it.

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Alexia

A Discovery of Witches. It just was too long and wasn’t holding my attention.

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Sarah

@Alexia is this what the new tv show is based on?

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Vicky

I struggled through The Goldfinch and wanted to quit!!! But it was Book Club selection so I made myself get to the end… none of us liked it!

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Victoria

@Vicky Same here…I wanted to toss it.

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Janet

@Vicky agree. I kept hoping it would improve!

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Tricia

I removed this book from my TBR list, the reviews on this site all seem to be in agreement. No one likes it.

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PaulaQuestion author

@Tricia I’ve heard people say they love it and hate it. There seems to be no in between

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Tim

A fan here! Lol. Though it is a bit overlong in truth.

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Jackie

“New Job, New You.” I thought it would help me embrace my new job, but it ended up being about people who changed careers and started their own businesses. Fun to read their successes, but not was I was hoping for.

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Nora

Illuminae. The plot was stuck and didn’t move at all. The catalyst of the events didn’t have any motives. This is probably revealed later, but I shouldn’t have to finish the book to even have a slightest hint of the big picture. The characters were annoying and flat. Their romance was ridiculous. The characters talked like teens online in the early 2000s with a few new slang words added, which made it seems like “old people trying to be cool like the kids these days” and thus felt fake. .

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Victoria

A Man Called Ove. It was boring.

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Rosun

I really enjoyed that one.

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PaulaQuestion author

I did too, but I know quite a few didn’t

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Victoria

@Rosun I know I’m in the minority… So many claim to have loved it. I just didn’t even like it! ?

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Collette

What a complete Ashling. Too old to have any empathy with Ashling!

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Ishah

Okay, kill me, but i couldn’t finish 1984 by George Orwell. Undoubtedly, its a good book, but last few pages were too dark for me so i couldn’t continue.

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Melanie

i finished it but barely. not an easy read. i love the story, but the writing style is a JOB.

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Susan

Cell by Stephen King. Wasn’t feeling the zombie storyline.

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Melanie

when i was younger, i had a rule that if i started a book, i’d finish it. i followed it for years. then i began to realize how many books there are out there that i want to read. it would be stupid to waste my time on a book i wasn’t enjoying. i’ve never finished one ernest hemingway book. he’s one of the most overrated writers ever. lol

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Dodi

Omg, Hemingway is one of my favorites!

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Melanie

@Dodi believe me, i’ve taken a beating over the years for my opinions on ernest’s writing! lol it’s so interesting to me how varied people’s likes and dislikes are, when it comes to books, movies, and music. when i was younger i could be quite intolerant and snobby about books and music. but you like what you like and there’s nothing wrong with it. except for new country music, just no. lmao

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Noel

The first hunger games. Everyone spoiled the ending for me. ?

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Donna

Over 30 years ago I did not finish Lord Jim & never will it was just 1 depressing page after an other. My book mark is still there.

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Thérèse

The Woman who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone. I kept falling asleep it moved so slow.

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Annie

The Crown Tower. It was dumb. That is all.

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Niki

The Summer Guest by Justin Cronin. I tried but it was too slow. Plus I took the book to the pool and it got soaking wet.

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Jill

Funnily enough, it was this week, the first time for ages. I thought I’d read some of the Agatha Christie’s I’d not done yet and it was Postern of Fate. It was so twee and repetitive. I’ve found out since then it was one of her last books and she may have been going through a form of dementia. Very sad.

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Erin

Violent Ends, I Swear, and The Emerald Atlas. Violent Ends is about a school shooter, I Swear is about a high school girl who kills herself, and I have been traumatized by high school enough. And The Emerald Atlas was one fantasy novel I didn’t actually enjoy reading, which is strange for me.

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Nicki

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. I thought I would love it,but I found her attempt to make the subject matter humorous to be boring and distracting.

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PaulaQuestion author

On my TBR

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Paula

Redemption Falls by Joseph O’Connor, it’s kind of a sequel to ‘Star of the Sea’ which I love, I just couldn’t get into ‘Redemption Falls’, it went on a bit & most of the time you are never sure who is narrating☺️?

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Jennie

I’m pretty sure the last book I didn’t finish was Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. The reason I didn’t finish it was because I just didn’t like the story line. I felt like it was going no where. I was really confused, it felt like a first novel rather than a second one. It was a real let down considering Girl on the Train was such a good book.

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Rayanne

I’m going to get back to them….

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June

Two by Two, Nicholas Sparks. Just couldn’t get into it. Kind of boring.

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Nick

The Machine Stops by EM Foster. I left it on the bus by mistake

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Tim

IT by Stephen King, I did’nt find it entertaining at all.

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Dodi

One of my favorites!

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Joel

Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel

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PaulaQuestion author

How come? It’s on my tbr ?

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Joel

It’s VERY dry, and the way it’s written can make it difficult to read. I plan on coming back to it at some point because I did find it interesting. I’m just not ready for it yet ?

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Janet

Oh no. On my bookshelf

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Tim

It gets confusing in places, and it can be unclear which particular “Thomas” she’s going on about. Still loved it though and the sequel is even better.

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Linda

The 49th Mystic by Ted DEkker

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Janet

No One is Coming to Save Us. My first book in book club!

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Vickie

You. It was crass, crude, disgusting, base…

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Sarah

@Vickie who is the author? Trying to think if it’s the same one I’m thinking of x

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PaulaQuestion author

that’s one of my favorites tbh, I’ve read it twice and enjoying the show

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PaulaQuestion author

@Sarah Caroline Kepnes

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Vickie

@Sarah Carolyn Kepnes

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Sandy

Confessions of a Sociopath…Second half was toooooo boring.

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Margie

Ghosted. I was so looking forward to it and then it was…boring. I’ve heard that you have to get about half way through for it to pick up, but I’m not sure I’ll ever try to finish it.

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Stacy

The magicians lie… hoping to pick it up again. It was real no holding my interest.

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Whella

I’m giving another one day for Donna Tartt’s ” The Goldfinch “… if nothing changes, i’m dumping it.. so flat and boring..

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Thérèse

I hear you. I’m not encouraging you to dump it, but it sure felt good when I did.

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Monica

Didn’t finish that either.

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Vicky

@Thérèse same

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Tim

I enjoyed it but I know lots of people didn’t. The Secret History remains my favourite.

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Lisa

By Gaslight, Steven Price. It was a 720 page book, I read nearly 300, just too boring for me. I moved onto Lethal White by Robert Galbraith.

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Tricia

I got through 25% and gave up. My notes were: I can’t seem to wrap my head around this book.

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Whella

@Thérèse I’ve been wanting to dump it since last week.. but part of me says not yet.. at nearly page 500, still flat and makes me sleepy.. i’ve been patient with this book.. one day more and then time to grab for a much better read

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Altaf

Did not finish The Fountainhead. Though I had read it twice in the 1990s.

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Mary

The Dark Tower books.. I adore Stephen King but I always stop and walk away..only to try again and stop again.

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Whella

@Vicky I feel you.. i’m struggling with it now.. i’m giving it one more day then dump it if nothing happens

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Tricia

Skippy Dies by Paul Murray https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9247845-skippy-dies In my review: I’m 19% done with Skippy Dies: I hate this book. It is all over the place and no defined plot at 19% in a 600 page novel.

I give up

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Tim

That’s been on my tbr pile for ages. It’s just slipped a few notches lol

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Shannon

A Game of Thrones. I couldn’t get into it. So, I put it in the on hold pile to come back to at a different time.

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Venus

Ditto! Good to hear I’m not alone

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Alyssa-Marie

Friend request … it was totally ? boring.

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Pennie

Just finishing The Good Daughter–not liking it at all. TOOO LONG and drawn out.

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Tia

The Diviners by Libba Bray just couldnt get into it

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Anna

The girl with the dragon tattoo…

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Vicky

I finished but I didn’t love it at all

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Anna

Vicky James Rowe I don’t get on with lawyer/journalist stuff. Love a good police crime drama tho

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Tim

The “Girl” books got better as they went on imo. The first one is a bit of a mess tbh

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Kimberly

The Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I read Towles’ first book, Rules of Civility and looked forward to this second. I simply didn’t care what became of him by halfway through.

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Courtney

When Asia Was the World….it just wasn’t the book I thought it would be.

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Nitin

Under the dome by Stephen King

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Tricia

Me too

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PaulaQuestion author

How come?

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Tim

Ooh loved that one. Even the ending which it’s fair to say “divides opinion” 😉

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Penny-sue

The last days of Rabbit Hayes – too depressing

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Priyanka

Sapiens. The book is interesting but I am not good with non fiction

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Shauna

The Alienist- so drawn out and boring

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Sarah

Jake Tapper’s novel, The Hellfire Club. It was a name dropper from the 1950’s US Senate, a who’s who of yesteryear. It went on and on and on. I gave it fifty pages, but when Senator Joe McCarthy entered the room on page whatever and began chit-chatting with Senator Humphrey, I was done.

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Dodi

I find it very interesting that there are such diverse answers to this question. We all have our own tastes, and I love it. I myself have found it difficult to finish books from time to time, but I’ll just give it a pause & come back to it at another time.

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Mediha

“Pasha ” , Julian Stockwin but I’ll go back to it. The book is good I think I wasn’t in the right mood for it or got distracted by another books.

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Alexandra

In the minds of Billy Milligan. Too slow and full of small detail that drive you a bit crazy 😀 Too many unimportant ones for me at least.

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Tim

The Bourne Conspiracy. Awful tripe.

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Ellen

Woman at the Window.

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Ellen

I found it depressing and meaningless.

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Michele

The Library at Mount Char – just couldn’t get into it.

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