Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic:
Books I've Abandoned
I actually do not often abandon books. After 40+ years of reading, it's safe to say I know what I like and I'm pretty much an expert at choosing what I want to read. :) But there are always duds that slip in under the radar. They are few and far between (so few that I only have five to share here), but they do happen.
And it should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, if one of these is your favorite book of all time, or one you truly loved, I am thrilled for you. Really. I'm not bashing the books or the authors, they just didn't work for me at the time I tried to read them. No coming at me. LOL
So here are five books that I gave up on/DNF'd/abandoned...
Have you read any of these books?
What's your most recent DNF?
Great list! I don't think I've heard of any of these, but I'm sorry they didn't work for you.
ReplyDeleteProof that they can't all be winners. :)
DeleteHonestly, I need to get better at my book selection. I have a tendency to give books a shot when I have a gut feeling they won't work for me for X reason.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for being so skilled at this already!
My TTT .
There are so many books that I am genuinely excited to read that I just can't be bothered to spend time of the ones that's aren't thrilling me. :)
DeleteI remember you bailing on Epic Love Story. I liked it, but I can understand it not being everyone's cup of tea. If I made a list of my DNFs it would be really long. I don't like to waste time, and I won't stick with something that I really am not enjoying.
ReplyDeleteI used to be bad about forcing myself to finish books but I got over that a long time ago. There's just no point in reading something you're not enjoying.
DeleteI read Cowboy Christmas Redemption. It was okay. Not much to the story, to be honest.
ReplyDeleteThat's what it felt like, Gen. I got more than 50 pages in and it felt like not much was happening.
DeleteGood list you have there. The only one on there I have read is Own The Wind and KA is my catnip but I can see why that book wouldn't work for everyone. DNF is just part of the life and we all have various reading tastes in certain elements in the genre.
ReplyDeleteI know KA has a huge fanbase but I found that the writing just wasn't for me and I couldn't connect with it. *shrugs* It happens. :)
DeleteI've gotten super good at figuring out if a book is for me or not too, especially in the past 2 or 3 years. I haven't read any of the books in your list but I can't say I feel drawn to any of them.
ReplyDeleteThat's good, Nick, because I can't say I recommend them. LOL
DeleteI do not force myself anymore to finish books. Great topic for this meme!
ReplyDeleteSam here, Cindy. My limited reading time means I want to spend it wisely. :)
DeleteI've heard the title This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story but I haven't actually heard much about the book itself. It's a cute title/cover though! Sometimes you win some, sometimes it's just nah and that's totally OK. I had to put a little note at the top of my post too in case I offended anyone 😂
ReplyDeleteIt does have a cute cover but, oh my goodness, every character was so unlikable to me. I just couldn't do it.
DeleteI used to feel bad for not finishing a book, especially when it was a review copy. After reading and reviewing for as long as I have, that guilt has gone away. There are so many great books that I connect with that it doesn't make sense to spend time with something I don't enjoy. Plus I don't think a review of a book I'm not enjoying is going to be valuable to my readers or the author.
ReplyDeleteSo right, Ethan. When it's for review, it's not likely I'm going to have positive thoughts if I force myself to read it.
DeleteI read This Is an Epic Kind of Love Story and liked it, overall.
ReplyDeleteI hate to dnf books but I'm getting better at it. I just dnf'd Real Men Knit.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Funnily enough, I was just watching a BookTube video and she was saying that she had just DNF'd Real Men Knit.
DeleteI haven't read any of these. I was interested in that Brenda Novak book at one time, but I never did. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat was the first by Novak I'd tried. Maybe I'll give her another go one day.
DeleteI read 'Cowboy Christmas Redemption' and loved it. I also rarely give up on books. But sometimes we just have to. There are just to many books and to little time to keep reading every book.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Maureen. :) Much better to spend our time reading what we love.
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but I do DNF quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteI used to force myself to push on through but those days are long gone. :)
DeleteI'm not that great at choosing books I'm sure I'll love... but I'm so bad at DNFing! Heh. It sounds like you just... pick right almost every time?? Envy!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
LOL I guess I'm lucky, Nikki? :) Mostly I tend to stick with the authors I know and love. That helps a lot.
DeleteI read Christmas in Silver Spring and loved it. I understand that not everyone is going to like the same books because our taste varies and that is what makes us unique. I rarely DNF a book, I guess I am lucky enough to picks books I know I would enjoy. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI think if I had tried the Novak book at another time I might have had better luck with it. I was feeling slumpish so that probably contributed a lot.
DeleteI've actually been pretty lucky at not having to abandon much either. It definitely happens though. As I was doing my list I realized that my problem seems to be more a matter of me not getting to half the books I see and think I want lol. And then forgetting about them... :)
ReplyDeleteI can relate to that, Greg! :)
DeleteI wish I was better at picking books I'll love! Often I pick up something that sounds right up my alley but the execution is lacking. I haven't read any of the ones you've given up on.
ReplyDeleteI tend to stick with authors I know and love, but even then there's the occasional dud.
DeleteI have gotten way better at dnfing in more recent years - probably because i have an overwhelming number on my tbr as is! Ha. That's too bad that these didn't work for you! I actually also dnfed a cowboy one from maisey yates so I prob won't be picking up the one you listed either.
ReplyDeleteThat was my first by Maisey Yates and I didn't really dislike it, I just realized I didn't care what happened. LOL But I was also in the midst of a reading slump so I might give her another try at some point.
DeleteI loved Cowboy Christmas Redemption and Own the Wind, but I totally understand that they didn't work for you. A reader's taste is varied and it all comes down to personal taste/preference. Also, I know Kristen Ashley, while she does have a huge fan base, has a very distinct writing style that doesn't appeal to all.
ReplyDeleteI used to try to power through and finish books, but I don't feel guilty for DNF-ing now. There is only a finite amount of free time and I'd rather not waste it on a book I'm not enjoying. Like you, though, I've gotten pretty good at picking stories that I know will work for me and passing on the ones that I know will not, so thankfully I don't have to DNF often. :)
I think I might have enjoyed the Maisey Yates book at a different time. I was in the midst of a reading slump and struggling to get through anything. Maybe one day I'll try something else by Yates. With Own the Wind, I think it's a matter of me not clicking with KA's writing. Just one of those cases where it's not for me. I have a lot of blogger friends that really love her, though!
DeleteI am pretty good at picking out books that I know I'll like, but when I take a chance on a completely new to me author, I don't know how it's going to turn out. I use to power through books, but with limited time to read, I DNF if I can tell it's going to be under three stars. The only book I read on your DNF list was Own the Wind. I enjoyed the story, but can see where readers would either love it or hate it. Thanks for sharing Tanya :)
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Same here, Lindy. My reading time is at a premium so I don't want to spend it on books that I'm not enjoying. Why bother?
DeleteI’ve gotten a little pickier about the books I pick up. Sometimes even though they sound really good they don’t turn out that way sadly so I just have to out it aside and move to another book.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Jenea. I actually think I'm even more choosy now than I used to be. I experiment less and tend to stick with what I'm more sure that I will love.
DeleteI've only read This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story. I don't mind DNFing a book - too little time to struggle, but it can be a bummer when you really thought you'd enjoy it. Like you though, I'm pretty good at figuring out what books I'll enjoy.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I picked up This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story after reading a friend's review who really liked it. Unfortunately that was one of the few times our opinions differed.
DeleteI haven't read any of these. I'm terrible at picking romance novels to read - I DNF a lot of them! I'd say I'm an expert at picking other books to read, though!
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT list.
It sounds like you're great at choosing books in your genre(s) of choice! :)
DeleteI've not read any of these, and luckily I don't plan on it hahah. I think my last DNF was Reverie? I don't think I have DNFed anything in 2020 yet, crazy!
ReplyDeleteWow, no DNF's in almost 5 months is pretty awesome!
DeleteDNFs are few and far between for me, too. I couldn't even come up with 5 within recent knowledge. Yay for us!!
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky that way! :)
DeleteI've not read any of these and I don't think any of them are on my TBR. I don't DNF often but I've definitely had a few duds in the past 6-8 months, mostly in the YA fantasy category.
ReplyDeleteYA fantasy is always a tricky genre for me.
DeleteI tried to read Catch Me When I Fall and gave up really early on it. It could have been my mood at the time but after about an hour of the audiobook, I just couldn't do any more of it. I do have a couple of the books from the Kristen Ashley series on my tbr list so I am crossing my fingers that I will have luck with that one.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even make an hour into Catch Me When I Fall, Carole. LOL I didn't like the narration but it wasn't like they had anything good to work with, anyway (IMO). The writing was sooo overly-dramatic and I just couldn't handle it. I hope you have better luck with the KA books!
DeleteI DNF In An Instant some weeks ago. Itwas too dramatic for me :-(
ReplyDeleteOverly-dramatic is a big no-go for me, too, Sophie.
DeleteWow, this would have been my kind of TTT post, I DNF so many books I don't even feel bad about it anymore so I'm impressed there are so few on your list, you're obviously a more committed reader than me. I've not actually read any of these, though, so can't even say if I agree with you DNFing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that's it's I'm a more committed reader... probably more like I take fewer chances with what I read and tend to stick with what I know I'll love. Years ago I felt back when I DNF'd but now it's like, "nope, goodbye!" LOL
DeleteI don't remember the last time I DNF'd... But your Own The Wind entry broke my heart, lol. I love that book! Totally understand why people would struggle though. (Especially with Ashley's writing style in general, to be honest.)
ReplyDeleteSorry to break your heart, Nicci. :) I know Kristen Ashley has a huge fan base. I was even thinking maybe it was the right book at the wrong time but really I just think her writing style is not for me. Womp womp.
Delete