Beyond Reality discussion

Do you have a rule/guideline for how much of a book you read before deciding to continue to quit? How about how much of a series?

Vibes, mood, something critically wrong with the novel or writing, or just generally feeling it's not worth my time.

I don't have any hard rules I stick by, only to be kind to myself and not try to force myself to read things that negatively affect my mood or my overall reading experience. But even then I'll make exceptions, depending on the circumstance.

For example, when I was reading through the Nebula noms for best novel, there were 3 I DNF'd: one because I felt the author didn't even know the story they wanted to write, another because I thought the characters were cringe and poorly written, and the third because the writer's style was annoying to me (and the story veered off the tracks as well). Then there was another nom'd novel that I probably would have DNF'd if it weren't that it was nom'd and by an author who is very loved by her fans, so I just wanted to see if there was anything in this novel that would appeal to me (and no, there wasn't).

I'm very similar to CJ. I don't have any hard and fast rules. I just stop when I find myself getting annoyed/frustrated/or even angry (depending on book).

I'll also sometimes stop because I find myself not reading at all instead of continuing on with the book. That's a definite sign that I need to move on to something else.

As for the timing, that can happen at any time be it stand alone or series.

I don't DNF many books. I tend to pick stuff I end up liking, but it does happen now and then.

Also no hard and fast rules, although I am by nature a completionist, so a book has to really not work for me to hit the DNF pile. I can actually name all the books I chose myself and attempted but didn't finish, it's such a short list.

I am getting better about abandoning book club reads (i.e. ones I didn't pick) that don't work for me, though. It's generally the style of writing or a terribly cliched plot that stops me. I mostly ask myself if this book is doing anything positive for me; if the answer is no, I stop.

I sometimes encounter the same "this book is stopping me from reading" problem Random mentions above. If it's just terribly written, I'll pull it from my shelves and reading log. In reality, 90% of the time it's a worthwhile but slow non-fiction book, so I try a different format. Having the ebook makes it easier to pick up during short wait times and usually having someone read it to me via audiobook makes it faster.

Random wrote: "I'll also sometimes stop because I find myself not reading at all instead of continuing on with the book. That's a definite sign that I need to move on to something else...."

Same here.

I don't have any hard or fast rules either. I usually just DNF when it strikes me as the right time. It can be anywhere from first chapter to 75% done. I'm at 77 total books DNF'd, or so my GRs shelf says.

The most common time for me to stop a series is after the first book. But I'll also stop if there are too many low rated books in a row, or if it takes too long for the next book. Sometimes I just get bored. I keep track of these too and I have currently abandoned a total of 276 different series. Which is more than twice the ones I've finished.

Honestly it depends
I tried a Dirk Pitt novel and it was tossed almost immediately.
Others it depends
The last book I started and stopped was maybe 20 pages in. It could be mood, last book I did not want anything i had to work at, others are content, the Dirk Pitt was a sexual situation. Sometimes I make it halfway. If it feels like a clean break I will take a pause. I have done it on the last two Covenant books I read from the last series. They are good but the level of depression reading them is just to much. Need a break

I am a completist. I very, very rarely DNF a book; if I do, I usually gave it a good 25-30% and decided I couldn’t follow the story and/or the writing was incomprehensible.
As for a series, if I DNF, it’s because the author also DNF’d. Some series I’ve taken a break to wait for the next book, then decided to wait till the author has completed the series. When that happens, I usually go back and reread/read them all. So it’s not a true DNF.

Random wrote: "I'll also sometimes stop because I find myself not reading at all instead of continuing on with the book. That's a definite sign that I need to move on to something else."

This sums me up too. I used to be much more of a completist who made myself finish every book I started, but I've gotten much better about protecting my limited free time by not wasting it on a book I'm not enjoying. Sometimes I am having a hard time getting into a book for non-book-related reasons (like if it's a very cerebral book and it's a stressful time that calls for fluff), and in that case I'll set it aside with plans to try it again another time. This just happened recently with The Spear Cuts Through Water (too bad, because I waited MONTHS on the library loan list for my turn!). I can tell that I will appreciate the book if I try it again at a time that's not the end of the school year, so I hope to try again soon.

When it comes to series, as long as I'm still curious about what happens next, I'll always go on, but if I find myself not really caring then I don't bother. It's rare that I give up on a series partway through - I'll either read just the first book or read the whole thing.

I can’t DNF any book I begin. For example, I had read half of I Am a Barbarian by Edgar Rice Burroughs about forty years ago. I found the book recently and finished it. Everything else I read until I’m done.
I’m looking at all the books I have read or attempted to read and realized that I would have no books to put on a 'DNF' shelf. Out of 936 books I have read, I have rated two novels with one star and nine with two stars.
I even finished reading The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. That was a challenging read, but I managed to finish it. I gave it one star. Logically, it’s an interesting idea, though.
I also finished Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. I thought it was going to be like the movie, Jackie Brown, which was based on the novel. The novel is different. I didn’t like it and gave it one star.
I remember reading the ending of The Lost Eagles by Ralph Graves. I threw the book across the room and wished I hadn’t read it. But I did. I gave it two stars.

Usually by p. 50 I know if I'm enjoying or learning from it. If I'm bored, or frustrated, I look at others' reviews to see if readers say it gets better later or is worth the work. If not, I have no reluctance to put it down.

I do have to say I am more likely to push further along in book club reads. Especially, if I voted for a book, I feel that I owe the group to give it at least a very good try.