There is no rule saying you MUST finish a book you’ve started
If you’re like me, once you start reading a book you have a sense of obligation to finish. Almost as if not finishing is against some bookish rule. I’m here to tell you, it’s OK to stop reading.
Never feel like you have to force yourself to finish a story that you are just not that into. Doing so will probably leave you bored, frustrated and worst of all, may turn you off of reading all together. If you are not enjoying a story, it’s OK to set it down and move on, as blasphemous as it may feel.
My Guideline
My personal rule of thumb is I set the book down at 50 pages. If I have no desire to pick it up again the next day I move on. My opinion is that if the author has not been able to grab and hold on to my attention within the first 50 pages, then the story just is not my cup of tea. And that’s OK, not all books will be loved by all readers! Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. If I’m reading a book (usually a classic) that I know is a slow-burn and have it on good authority that it will get better, I trudge through. But if I’m reading strictly for pleasure and a book is putting me to sleep, I abandon ship and move on.
Some readers will tell you to get at least 1/3rd of the way through the book before you make any judgments. It’s a personal decision, but at the end of the day if you’re struggling to flip through the pages, please don’t be afraid to put the book down.
Here are some other book turn offs that you might relate to:
- If the book cover does not grab my attention – I know, I know “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. But I do.
- If the main characters name is hard to read/pronounce – it slows down my reading and is a big turn off.
- If the author uses way too many fake words – This happens a lot in fantasy, if I’m lost in a sea of made up words before I’ve had a chance to grasp what’s going on, I’m out.
- Too many characters – If I’m starting to get way too confused with all the different characters, sorry, gotta pass.
- If I stop and realize, wow I don’t care how this story ends – I put the book down and never look back.
Move on to a book better suited for YOU
Listen readers, life is way too short to feel like you have to grind through a book. There are so many amazing stories out there, don’t bother reading a book you simply don’t like. It is perfectly understandable to move on and find a book that you actually enjoy reading.
