I’m surprised that I’m even writing this post. I have been under the mindset over the past 23 years that I must finish books if I’ve started them. I’m not a quitter.
I’ve learned recently through trial and error (lots of error) that if a book isn’t making me happy or sparking my interest, I should let it go.
Marking a book as “DNF” (did not finish) doesn’t mean that you’re a quitter or not determined or that you should be discouraged. Sometimes, it just means that you value your time enough to know when to let go.
If you love something, let it go. If it returns, it’s yours; if it doesn’t, it wasn’t. If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they’re yours; if they don’t they never were.
LOL sorry, that was gross. Am I getting a bit too dramatic for this light of a topic?
Below are the books I’ve started and haven’t finished this year. I can’t say that I won’t (or will) finish these books because maybe one day I’ll pick up the book again and love it and finish it in one sitting. The world may never know.
The Goldfinch is a book that I started merely because it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013. It seems like everyone raves about it. I just cannot keep myself into it!
According to my Goodreads account, I started the book in April of 2015 and I’m 62% of the way through the 774 pages. Yes, you read that correctly.
There are definitely segments of the book that are more appealing to me than others. For me, the parts I enjoy are more at the beginning of the main character’s life – from the explosion that began the book, to living as an orphan in New York City. As the book goes on, I become less and less interested.
Basically, the plot is that there is an explosion at the MET and Theo (the main character) steals the painting, The Goldfinch. He keeps and protects this painting as he grows up and progresses through addiction and the mundane.
This book is dense.
I’d love to continue with this book, but I’ll need a big cup of coffee and a few days to crack on uninterrupted. I keep picking it up and getting confused because it’s been so long and then I put it back down. Oops.
Through this, I learned that you don’t have to read something just because everyone else is.
Gone Girl is a book that I have listed as DNF because I saw the movie while I was reading the book. Rookie move.
I can’t say that I wasn’t enjoying the book, only that my parents really wanted to see the movie before I was ready.
Even though I’m sure the book is great, I just know too much.
I love how brilliantly crazy the characters are and how the book preys on perception.
Amy & Nick seem like a totally normal couple until Amy goes missing one day. It’s hard to describe the plot without spoiling too much, but there are major twists and turns.
Overall, I wish I could wipe my brain of the movie and keep chugging along with the book. Through this, I learned that sometimes you just have to let it go and get back up on the horse sometime soon. I really do like the characters and recommend the book, though.
All puns aside, Misery by Stephen King is a bit of a miserable read. I’m the girl who can’t honestly say she’s ever enjoyed Stephen King’s writing (I didn’t like Carrie, but at least finished it) because it seems like he’s writing for the screen and not for the page.
I cannot believe that this has over 4 stars on Goodreads. There is a huge possibility that this book gets better, as I’m only a third of the way through the book, but so far it is painful to even read a page of this book.
I don’t find it to be scary and the first 80 pages could be 20 if it was my perfect world.
The plot is very interesting to me, and that’s what drew me to it. Paul Sheldon is a world-renowned author working on his latest work when he is in a car accident. His rescuer? His biggest fan (and later captor). Again, the plot sounds great. I just believe that Stephen King’s writing just isn’t for me. Sorry, Stephen.
Through this, I learned that I while I should get out of my comfort zone, I shouldn’t force myself to complete something that I just don’t want to do. I have many more books on my shelf that deserve my love and my copy of Misery deserves a more loving owner.
Hopefully I don’t ever have to do another iteration of this, but if that time comes I’ll bring this back. I hope that you’re encouraged to live your life and pick up books you actually enjoy instead of frustrating yourself and not moving forward in your goals!
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