Last week I mentioned that my reading so far this month seemed to be going pretty slowly and I think I know why I felt this way, because I’ve encountered a couple of DNF books.
The first one was The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver. I had wanted to read a book by this author of the popular Lincoln Rhyme series so I started this standalone book. This story starts off when someone calls 911 from a vacation cabin after a home invasion. Maybe I shouldn’t have started off this book in the evening or I don’t know but after about 35 pages I just couldn’t go on. So it goes back on the shelf.
The next one was Birdman by Mo Hayder. Again, another author I’d heard so much about but after about 30-40 pages into the story I just felt like I had walked into the middle of a well-established series. I lost track of characters and it was getting quite gruesome and probably not exactly what I should be reading right before going to sleep.
To be honest, I think it was more of “me” and not the books. I had finished a couple of thrillers recently and probably should have ventured into a different type of mystery – maybe a cozy for a change of pace? Ah well, I am sure I’ll go back to these books eventually but for now they’ll wait.
I did read The Automatic Detective by A.Lee Martinez and that was a nice change of pace, for a while at least. I was amused by the beginning of the story with the set up of a world inhabited by highly evolved robots, mutants and even a talking gorilla. This is so not my type of book but again I was entertained. However, around the middle there’s a big reveal and then I got a bit tired of suspending disbelief. This is one I read for my mystery book group so I did finish it, but I’ll tell you more about it later.
For now, I think what I really need is to just revisit with one of my favorite sleuths. How about you, any false starts lately?
I’ve been lucky lately, but I’ve been there. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s me or the book, but either way, the book’s got to go. Hope the rest of the month is good to you.
I can empathize with you, although it has been awhile since I’ve laid a book down. I was tempted, REALLY tempted, but forged ahead on those that lost me early in the story. It is an interesting phenomenon, and I do believe it may be about 65% due to my moods, 35% unengaging writing. Sometimes I just lose my tolerance! It is frustrating! There are so many good books out there, and so many on my shelf, I don’t have time for it!
I’ve had moments like that…there are books I know I’d normally enjoy but I just can’t get into at that time for whatever reason.
I’ve been terribly sick lately and don’t know if it was the sickness or the medication, but I just couldn’t get into anything. I tried Billie Letts, Micheal Malone and Beth Gutcheon. At times like these I reread Pride and Prejudice and that seems to help get me back on track.
I have had a couple false starts myself this month. I picked up Raveling by Peter Moore Smith and I just find it kind of wonky. I also started Under My Skin by Alison Jameson…and although I am a third of the way through, it just isn’t holding my interest. I’ve also had The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson on my bed side table for months. I don’t know why I am having such a hard time reading it…but I suspect that I’ll have to start at the beginning again even though I am about half way through.
I’ve had several DNF books this month, too. There are just so many good books that I don’t want to waste my time on books that leave me cold. A trip to the library yesterday may help, and I have some good nonfiction in progress, but I’m not reading as much at the moment.
This year has been ALL false starts for me. So frustrating. I can’t wait to get out of this reading funk. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one that this happens to.
I’ve had a ton of false starts this year like Tigerheart by Peter David. It still kills me because after chapter two I wanted to put the book down but instead read for another hundred pages before finally doing so. =( I really hate false starts when it’s books I paid for.
I had spent 2 weeks on The Kingmaking and finally gave up this week after reading 200 pages…there were just too many instances of me going back and forth and looking at what page number I was on. I generally like King Arthur stories, but this one was just not holding my attention.
DNF’s always make me feel unaccomplished. When I start a book I want to finish it, but that is not always practical. I actually feel like I wasted time when I finish a book I knew from the beginning I wasn’t going to like…
I’ve been really lucky lately. *knocks on wood* I have a couple of books, though, that I started several times last year and could never seem to finish: The Little Friend by Donna Tartt (and The Secret History is one of my favorite books!) and Little, Big by John Crowley.
I took The Automatic Detective out of the library after I read your entry. I did enjoy it, but it did drag after awhile. A fun read, though-thanks!
Anna – I usually am pretty good about being able to tell if it was just me or the book. In this case I’m sure it was just not the right time for both of the books. But it is a bummer when it’s two books in a row that you have to put aside isn’t it!
Sandy – I definitely set aside books I’m not enjoying. I figure there are too many others waiting for me but I also know I’m a “moody” reader so half of the time the books I put aside are books that do go back on the bookshelf for another try later on.
Nymeth – It’s weird isn’t it. I hadn’t had that happen in a while so this particular time it was a bit frustrating but luckily I do have a couple of other books going on that I am enjoying!
Melanie – Oh when I’m sick I barely read. If I do I’m usually reading something very light or magazines. So I do understand that. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon and get back to your reads!
Christie – Bummer! Now those are all books in different genres right? Maybe you are going through a bit of a reading funk? I hate that and luckily it doesn’t happen often. Hope you find your next read is a really good one, one you can’t put down! 🙂
jenclair – Ooh, a trip to the library is a good antidote to reading blahs! 🙂
nik – Hopefully you find a good fun book. I usually just try to read a different genre and that usually does the trick.
Vasilly – Oh isn’t that the truth! You feel like you should be able to go return it at that point. well, maybe you can pick up the book later and see how it goes then!
Serena – 200 pages?! Oh girl, I give up at the 30 page mark usually if the story isn’t holding my interest 🙂
Kailana – Exactly! I just think man, I could be halfway through a good book! Ah well.
priscilla – Yay good for you! I have The Little Friend somewhere in the stacks. I remember being so excited when it came out but just haven’t gotten to it.
Janet – Yeah, the beginning I quite enjoyed but oh man by the end I just wanted to finish it. I guess I wanted more of a mystery and less emphasis on the sci-fi! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it though! 🙂
Over the past few years, I’ve done a 180 when it comes to False Starts. I now find them liberating. Whenever I stop reading a book, it only makes me more eager to find the right book…and that book tends to be just what I was looking for. But sometimes it takes me over 200 pages to realize the book isn’t meant to be finished. I read about 250 pages of William Martin’s Citizen Washington and simply have no inclination to ever pick it up again.
It took me years to get over the feeling that I had to finish whatever book I started. Years and years. THen I finally realized life is way too short and there are way too many books out there to waste time on something I’m not enjoying. Now — I liked “The Bodies Left Behind” by Deaver. I thought it got a little ot there, and I did get bogged down at some point. But onward and forward. I ditched, however, “Never Tell a Lie” by Hallie Ephron. Loved the latest Susan Elizabeth Phillips, the name of which completely escapes me. Am current reading both fiction (Dean Koontz’s latest – Your Heart Belongs to Me”) and a great self-help book on reducing the guilt in my life, “Escaping Toxic Guilt” by Susan Carrell. Let’s face it, we all face guilt about SOMETHING or another! With me, it’s spending time on books instead of keeping the house cleaner than it could be and not doing enough with/for my kids. She even has a great section on I’m really enjoying both the current books.
its always frustrating when you dont enjoy a book and wind up not finishing it. I nearly quit on ‘The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing’ but I stuck it out and was glad I finished it, it got better towards the end.
Mike B. – That’s a great way of looking at it! Oh see, if I’d invested 200 pages I may just go all the way with it. That’s why I limit myself to 30 or 40 pages 🙂
Lizzie – Yep, life is too short and there are too many books waiting! I think I would like The Bodies Left Behind but I need to pick that up another time. I don’t read self-help books too much but escaping toxic guilt probably is something I could relate to! haha.. Thanks for letting me know about that one. I’ll have check it out 🙂
bookworm – Oh I felt the same way about Girls Guide… I didn’t like that book too much but I think I kept expecting it to be like Bridget Jones’s Diary which I loved.
I started Surfacing by Margaret Atwood and didn’t finish. I didn’t finish Casiono Royale by Ian Fleming or Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson. The rest have been keepers.
Sometimes you’re just not in the mood for a certain book. I’ve got a book by Mo Hayder in my stacks. It might be the same one, I can never remember since the UK and US titles are different. One of these days I’ll give it a try.