It’s Friday and this time, I am overly excited to take part in the weekly meme hosted by J.R. @ Eternity Books because I suggested the topic – yayy! It’s something I’ve been struggling with my whole bookish life, so I’m super excited to share my thoughts and read your responses!
#1 Reading should be fun
Reading, for me, is a hobby. I read because I enjoy to dive into different worlds and plot lines. It gives me the space and time I need to recover from the everyday stress I believe everyone is just all too familiar with. And if I then feel obligated to finish books even though they might stress me, discomfort me, bore me or even decrease the fun and excitement I usually feel when I’m about to read – that would spoil the fun.
#2 Time is too precious
Life is short, people. I am only a teenager and I can already feel it. If it isn’t school or work that takes up most of your energy, it is family & friends, your health and if it isn’t that, it almost always is something else you have to worry about. And therefore, why waste time on bad books if you are only given so little?
#3 There are so many good books out there
Why should I struggle with reading bad books when there are so many brilliant ideas, authors and stories out there that are just waiting to be discovered. I am sure many of you have huge TBR piles with books you are dying to read but never really get around to because life gets in the way – without the pressure of having to finish a book, you have one more chance to read a great book.
Wait: but should we give the books a chance?
Yes. I usually give the book fifty pages and then make the cut. My dad always says: If you like the first page of a book, buy it and if you don’t, leave it. And so there I have a pretty solid pre-selection and can be (only) a little certain I’ll enjoy the book. But once bought, I usually give it 50 pages, sometimes 100 if I feel like it might develop a little more. But I never force myself and I’m happy about that!
I guess it’s everybody’s personal choice and so I’d stick to the phrase: do what makes you happy! But I would definitely advocate that not finishing a book isn’t something you should feel bad or guilty about! Enjoy your weekend and happy reading!
Blogger Books 
Reading should be fun is definitely the most important to me! If I don’t enjoy a book, why read it?! I read for fun ahah!
I always struggle with when to stop though, because what if it gets better in the next chapter..
(www.evelynreads.com)
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Yes, reading should never feel like an obligation you’re not looking forward to!!!
And I know, I never know, but sometimes when I lay a book down to do something else, I never have the urge to pick it up again and then when I start a new book, I suddenly realize I DNF that one! So thankfully, it’s decided for me sometimes haha! But I totally get it, I’m always scared that I’m missing out a great book!
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Great post Jane!! I definitely agree with all your points! Reading is for fun, and life is definitely short and it’s a waste of time reading a book you don’t like when you could be reading something that you love! It’s ironic though, considering the fact that I DNFed a book yesterday, after reading 74% of the book…lol
Happy reading and thanks for sharing your suggestion!
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Thanks so much! Yes, life’s definitely too short to read dumb books haha! And haha I totally know that feeling, it happened to me as well (many many times haha)!!
You’re welcome, thanks for choosing my suggestion 😍😍😍
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I’m not really one to decide to DNF a book. I have a weird obsession with having to get to the end even if it is an agonizing and boring journey there. That being said, I have DNF’d books before usually because I just never picked them up after having put them down the last time XD But in my past there are many, many books I should have DNF’d
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I totally know what you mean, I had that with some books as well, but it was super hard for me and I had several reading slumps afterwards… It’s just super depressing for me haha 😂😂 And I’m the same way, I just don’t pick them up again and then half ignore them and then never read them again or spare them a second glance haha
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