It’s January, so book communities are full of reading-resolutions articles and challenges. This is something I have traditionally ignored.
I’m hugely proud of anyone who sets a goal amount of books for the year, because life is very demanding and carving out the time is an accomplishment in itself, but I’ve never been a numbers person when it comes to reading. I’ve also never managed to make a resolution that involved a specific celebrity’s or club’s reading list without immediately rebelling against it and finding literally anything else more interesting. As soon as it becomes a To Do list, I’m unable to even.
That said, this past year I fell into a rut. When you read and edit in the same genres day in and day out (even when they are your absolute favorites), your brain sometimes refuses to turn off the editor switch. It’s high time to shake the mental snow globe and challenge myself, and I need to make it more playful.
Here’s what I came up with so far:
Exploration
This year, I want to try at least 3 new/long-ignored genres. Trying something new and discovering you love it is one of the best feelings reading has to offer.
I know for some of you the This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me release in March will mark the first foray into isekai/portal fantasy, so the BDH will be with me on this path. For the Horde!
Controversy
I’m deleting my TBR lists.
Ok, take a moment. This is still a safe space. I don’t mean my unread purchased books; sequels and auto-buy authors are also safe.
But the endless Goodreads shelves, bookmarks, and lists that have been accumulating for almost two decades have started to feel less like possibility and more like a pressure that weighs down on my shoulders. I’m a very different person than I was when I started them, they’re chaotically spread all over the place, and I’m realistically never going to catch up. If a book is meant to find me again, it will.
Consider it the reading equivalent of that decluttering trick of turning your hangers around in the closet as you wear the clothes, and donating whatever is left unturned at the end of two years.
Spontaneity
I want to do at least one trust-fall post where I ask for recommendations based on a trope or vibe and then try to read every single book that gets suggested, without being too controlling and selective.
I still love you best of all, but this will probably not happen on the blog. The BDH shows up with thousands of recommendations as soon as Gondor calls for reading aid, and we would still be here next century.
Letting Go of Guilt
At the same time, I want to teach my brain that to DNF is not a sin. Life is too short to finish books you don’t like.
I will give books a fair try, and I will give myself permission to skim, because I know I will still crave closure. But I will no longer force myself to finish because anything else feels illegal.
If you’re a ruthless DNFer, please teach us your ways!
Nostalgic Rereads
As a teenager, I devoured books by South American authors, particularly the Latin American Boom and that distinctive magical realism strain that will forever linger in my brain. García Márquez. Borges. Cortázar. Vargas Llosa. Sabato. I want to reread them with (allegedly) adult eyes and see if the spell still holds and manages to stimulate my reading appetite out of monotony.
Now it’s your turn! The Horde reads a lot and it reads well.
Have you done any of these and how did they go? Will I regret my TBR purge? Is there any reading resolution you’ve made in the past that went particularly well for you? Please brag so we can try it too!
I’m with you on getting rid of the TBR lists. I had so many and was feeling so overwhelmed that I would get stuck and couldn’t figure out what next new book I should read, so would re-read a favorite. That’s not a bad thing to do when you want a comfort read, but it’s not a great way to find new authors/books to love. I’ve actually tried some new authors with mixed success.
I’ve joined the DNF club the past few years. I was a contract editor in a past life, so it’s hard for me to read some of the shiny new authors out there. One or two minor mistakes, no biggie. But if a character’s name or eye color changes halfway through the story – I’m out. If you or someone you know wants to be a professional author, for the love of grammar and content consistency, PLEASE pay for the professional editor.
I’ve also started to challenge myself by reading one new book off a library recommendation list that is in a genre I don’t normally read from or have never read from before. I’ve also been reading at least one “classic” book each year. Both have been pretty fun challenges. The classics are a great option, because you can often find versions of them for free, which means more books without hurting the budget. 🙂
Happy reading, BDH!
I don’t know if “suspense” is one of the genres you’re considering, but Thomas Perry’s Jane Whitefield books are pretty terrific. I recently went back and listened to them all on audiobook. He has other books in other series as well as some standalones. I enjoy the earlier ones, but I will say the last few books have been a little bit too violent for my taste.
Agreed
My reading goal is at least 55 books this year and at least two new authors (which could mean all of the series they write). Last year, I only had the goal to read 50 books, and I read 52 (really, it was more because I only got this count from my Kindle, but I read some hardbacks, and I’m being lazy because I don’t want to count them). I’m already starting to read a new author, Ali Hazelwood. I’m loving her sense of humor already, so I’m sure I’ll read all of her books. Happy reading, everyone.
According to the ridiculous spreadsheet I keep because I’m anal-retentive like that, I DNFed 9 of the 292 books I read in 2025 (of which approximately 65% were re-reads). My personal DNF rule is 50 pages (or around 25% Kindle completion) and if I’m not into it, I’m not into it. I typically note on my ridiculous spreadsheet why I DNFed – in part because I read so very very much that I was starting to have a hard time remembering if I recognized an author’s name because I’d enjoyed them previously or because I did not.
At least half of the reason for the spreadsheet was so I can check past years for an author’s name before I spend money I might regret 🙂 The other half is because I got really curious about my reading metrics (and sick of answering “how many books do you read anyway” with “a lot”). I tend to fiddle a little bit with the pivot tables (yes, there are pivot tables in my stupid spreadsheet) depending on what I’m curious about this year.
As a fellow spreadsheet geek… I love this.
I tend not to make reading goals because I read all the time. So saying, I will read X number of books is just not something I would think to do. It would be like saying I will take X number of breaths this year. It happens with no planning on my part.
About the only thing I do is that I will try to read one non-fiction book a week and that at least one a month will be outside my comfort zone. So rather than history I will read a book on maths. Or crosswords. Or something totally off the wall like how music can shape your brain.
I agree with the elimination of the TBR lists and not feeling guilty about the DNF. Some books sound amazing but they just do not quite hit right. Unless they are something you need to read for reasons just don’t. Perhaps a decade down the road you will pick it up again and this time it will speak to you.
Happy reading to all!
I started to DNF books some years back, just to make room for more books I actually like!
I have two levels to quit a book. level one is I hate it and will never regret not reading it. usually I give it a few chapters or the first 50 pages.
the second level is where I think the book is ok, but I’m not in the right frame of mind to read just now. those I add to a list of books I have started but DNF and may want to read later.
life is too short to keep reading books you aren’t enjoying!
I have a library list I peruse when I want something I may have not had time to read before… but I am willing to remove if it’s been months/years and I still pass them by! I gave up on goodreads when they were acquired by Amazon. I learned to dnf mostly because there were a few books I just didn’t care how they ended!!
good luck and breathe free from lists!
I didn’t know TBRs and reading goals were a thing until recently. I’m not that kind of person anyway.
I’m a mood reader and I just read whatever I’m in the mood for!
also I very rarely DNF since I’m pretty picky about what I read.
If I decide to read a book I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it.
also I think being a mood reader helps, as if I’m not in the mood for a particular title, I put it down and come back to it another time when I *am* in the mood for it.
I am a ruthless DNF’r because life is short and the TBR list is long. My dad’s rule was 100 pages but mine is a few chapters (of a new author) and more if I have previously liked the author to give them a chance to convince me. If I DNF, I don’t count it as ‘read’ but I do mark it so I know not to go back.
It’s a … voice check for me- a vibe, a sense of the story. It’s impossible to explain but I know it very quickly when it’s present. I read several hundred books a year, and only add sequels and favorite author releases to my TBR lists. I like the idea of new genres though. Your nostalgic reads are ones I’ve never read.
I know it horrifies my reading friends, but I am a ruthless DNFer. If I’m not engaged about a third of the way through, I will jump to read the end and be done with it. Never with Ilona Andrews — that’s why I love their writing so much 🙂 Life is too short to feel forced to read something you don’t love.
My mom finished ever book she started, she said she ‘owed’ it to the author.
There are no authors at my house so I don’t owe them anything. 😉
I got it in my mind that I NEED to put everything I read on Goodreads. If I didn’t, it didn’t count. This year, I am not going to set a number goal. I plan to read some new genres and try the “ read and embroider” idea: read a book then embroider a meaningful small meaningful patch on a (sweat)shirt. I plan to still read on my Kindle but use “real” books more too.
You will not regret purging the TBRs. No one needs that kind of pressure.
I DNF a lot of books in 2025. I took a lot of books out from the library on other peoples recommendations and meh, they were not for me. Really not for me. Time is precious, if a book isn’t even a tiny bit interesting in the first chapter, DNF.
One book had a woman self-described as pitiable. Nope.
My re-reads are mostly from the last 10 years. Having tried to read older books again, most of them don’t stand the test of time. I did re-read a bunch of Anne McCaffrey’s books, still good.
Yes! and Mercedes Lackey.
I read what sounds good. it might be a comedic caper or a serial killer book. it may be a historical romance or a cozy mystery. Most often though, it will be an urban fantasy book. I also enjoy steampunk stories, space operas, or maybe a recommendation from someone who knows or writes what I like. the overwhelming majority of books I read are written by women.
One thing that helped me become a DNFer was coming up with a fixed rule for determining how much reading was “enough” to see if I’d like it. There have been plenty of books I’ve read and liked that took a while to get into, but more that never got there. Eventually what I decided on was giving a book 100-Age pages to get me into it. So as I get older, have less time, and know more about what I like, I give a book fewer pages to get good, while also giving the book a fair chance.
You mentioned Latin American authors. I would recommend Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
No number goals but need to work on DNF. I have approximately 10-12 books sitting around with a bookmark in them, started “in the mood” and lost it as life changed. I re-read based on which world/life/character tickles me now. Also, tend to devour all books by a new author immediately. House Andrews is always good for a “get away”.
In 2026, I aim to feel less guilty about not enjoying books that are “it”. The prize winners, the autobiographies of famous people, the soul-crushing happily never whatevers, the ones that have massive following on BookTok that are based on abuse, suffering and despair…
No thank you, after a long, tiring day I would rather go home to the best inn in the Galaxy, bask in the comfort the kind and brave innkeepers provide for me, and read about the endless shenanigans of their more or less murderous guests.
I hope whatever books you will pick up, will give you that comfort and a bit of happiness.
I am in the DNF camp, too, but I have a couple of strategies to engage with a book. It’s easier when I take out a book from the library, because it’s risk free. Sometimes, I won’t finish, but I will put it on hold again, as I might be in the right frame of mind to finish it months later (or sometimes I’ll have it on a suspended hold until I’m in the mood to read it). Sometimes, I’ll read the first three chapters and the last three chapters of a book. In some cases, I may take out the audiobook (this works well with non-fiction).
I have looked at many of the “100 best books of….” and realized that I’ve not read any of them, and I don’t let that bother me (it’s the same with “best film” lists). I like what I like, and if I can find find a friend (or horde) to fangirl with, I’m happy!
I gave myself permission to DNF a few years ago, as I came to the realization my time and brain bandwidth was too short to slog through: books that were poorly edited; plots that meandered all over the place with nothing really happening; characters I really hated.
I could mention a few books I absolutely refused to read after flipping through a few pages at the bookstore ( here’s looking at you, “50 shades of whatever”), but they may be someone’s absolute favourite. If you’re into that, go for it!
I’ll never bookshame anyone, for me if I find my brain checking out, skipping pages to get to something, anything, that moves the plot along, I fire it into the donate/pass along box with no regrets.
Happy New Year. When it comes to what I read each year, I don’t put pressure on myself. When I see a book that appeals, I generally buy it and read right away. I don’t like having a bunch of books lurking in my kindle app that I haven’t read or that I’ll get to eventually. That just causes me stress. I have no problem not finishing something that I just don’t like after I start it.
That being said, there are books I absolutely cannot wait for and have to try to be p*tient. Especially a certain wedding we might get to attend this year with fangs. Being p*tient is soooo hard, but I will preorder the moment I’m notified it’s an option.
I am a voracious reader (like many here), and I do have a goal on Goodreads that I usually blow out of the water, so I don’t really stress about the count. But because I read so much, I need to track my books for the ones that I have read or the ones I do want to read. Then I have to cull through some of my TBRs for book club to find ones that the group might also enjoy. I have also found that I like some of the reading challenges on Goodreads and find areas that I would not normally enter to read – or areas that are sorely lacking in my reading repertoire – like the Native American month selections.
I have also improved on my abilities to DNF. Like so many others, I struggled with it. I usually read 50-100 pages and then if I am really not enjoying the book, I go on Goodreads to read some of the lower scored comments. If my dislike is shared (and usually better verbalized), and someone else has suffered through the book, then I am more than happy to chuck it and continue on to something I do prefer. Sometimes I read the end too… but usually at that point I move on. [Also, because I listen to many books while commuting, if I find myself loathe to get in the car and head home, then chances are I should stop listening to that book – looking at you “Cutting for Stone”!]
One thing I taught myself is to also clear my physical TBR–just because I bought it, doesn’t mean I still want to read it months (years–eek!) later & the sunk cost isn’t worth the space the items are taking up in my house & brain.
My reading goal last year was just to record every book I read over 250 pages. I have a terrible memory and thought this works help if I need to explain or describe book plots to people (I work in a library, so this happens fairly often). This year’s reading goal is going to be more of a challenge. I worked at a bookstore a number of years ago, and while there collected quite a few advanced reader copies. However, most of them have been sitting on my shelf unread. Since I’m running out of shelf space, I’m going to see how many of them I can read this year and if I want to keep any of them afterwards. I’m a big mood reader, so we’ll see how week this goes.
For most of my early adult life I read science fiction exclusively. Then around 2006 I was waiting for my son in a Borders bookstore and came across a book called Dime Store Magic. It was the first time I’d heard about Urban Fantasy. I’ve been an Urban Fantasy fan since, which is how I discovered Ilona.
I have no suggestions, but I wish you well on your mission.
+1 for Dime Store Magic! ANOTHER one I will have to reread
Don’t know if it was a purge but if a book doesn’t hold my attention pretty much from the get go I simply return it to the library if I borrowed it from there or place it in the second hand bookstore pile if I’m not going to keep it. If the bookstore doesn’t want it I either donate it to one of those ‘Little Free Libraries’ we have in our area or the local community center. No guilt, just a realization that there are many other books to try if the one I’ve got isn’t doing the entertaining job:)
There is a young man on IG reading the classics chriskindareads, and he is inspiring me to find ones I never read. Banned books are another source I want to mine. I spent much of this past year on rereads for comfort but I’m ready to try different things this year
as a diehard DNF’R…..I read for fun, escape, and to process emotions knowledge in my hobbies and peace. a book that does not bring joy in some form is a waste of time I could be having joy. the only books like this I’ll finish are one a where someone says explicitly that the first book or so is rough but at a specific point it becomes the thing. if I reach and surpass that specified point and it’s still meh. DNF. If I don’t love it I move on “There’s too much chocolate cake to eat to eat cookies I don’t like.”💁
that being said I also assess if I’m in a meh mood and could it be flavoring a book. those I add to another pair and may revisit later. if I’m not in a meh mood and I still feel meh about it, it’s gone.
I stopped looking at my GoodReads tbr list! I just kept adding books and it got too overwhelming. I forgot why I added them to be honest. And I believe I did not finish 2 books this year because I didn’t like them. It wasn’t easy but I felt like I was wasting my time.
Good luck!
Last year I got a Fairyloot subscription and was inspired by Project Shelf Control Togo read the books in my home and keep or unhaul, and the result was that all but a handful of the books I read were new reads.
I ended the year being kind of burned out (cause lots of new books and information but also just Life Stuff) and decided to just reread a bunch of Jennifer Estep and forgot how much FUN they are.
So I’ve decided, in the new year, I’ve decided I’m also going to go back and just reread the things I decided to keep on my shelf and move across the country a bunch of times that I haven’t touched in years
This past year is the first time I’ve guiltlessly DNF’d any book at all, let alone multiple books. It was incredibly freeing. You are right, our time is too valuable to waste trying to slog through something I just can’t get feels for.
I also really feel your burning of the TBR list … there’s so much in mine, and I honestly can’t even remember what drew me to some of them. I got rid of good reads years ago, but my Libby TBR is kinda ridiculous right now.
After I finish my current read, I think I’m going to go back on my own reread binge, starting with TA White in preparation for the new Firebird book. The problem is that I have so many older series that are absolute faves, and there’s so many books in each series that I may be in nostalgic reread mode for the first half of the year 😆
+1 on the Firebird.
A few years ago I did my first Goodreads book goal. I passed it in August. Then the next year I resolved to only count new reads with a realistic goal (I’m a massive re-reader), and I failed miserably. To be fair, it was a highly stressful year and comfort reads (thank you House Andrews) was all that got me through.
Then I stopped counting.
I’m now in a place where I’m planning a new read goal again. I also picked up an old book, not an old favourite but an author I liked (Robin Hobb), and read High Fantasy for the first time in 20 years (PNR and UF have a hard hold of me) and I’m enjoying it. Time to put down the internet and pick up Book 3
I’ve done the #readwhatyouown thin on Booksta & that helped clear some of my physical TBR but I can only really stick to it for a short period. Deleting my TBR sounds so freeing. I may try that!
As a younger reader, I believed that I HAD to read every single book I borrowed from the Library.
Suddenly, in my 20’s or 30’s, I just stopped and gave myself permission to Not Finish before the books were returned.
I think this came out of too many books where I did not give a s*** about the main character. Or, fersure, when I couldn’t keep them straight in my mind (why Game of Thrones and not The Goblin Emperor? Maybe bc I became invested in the latter but all the former characters tended to die off?)
Probably it also connected to how much time I had. Life is too short to care about any book that doesn’t grab you at some point.
RE NOSTALGIC REREADS (sort of)
I tried reading Vanity Fair as a teenager. Hated it. Went back in my 30’s and laughed through the whole thing.
Read The Lord of the Rings as a teenager. Loved it. Reread several times but it just wasn’t the same. The movies, however, are great to review every single time.
Interesting topic….And as usual, I have SOOOO many opinions! 😂
Instead of a TBR list, my list of books to read has always been my “hmmmm, this might be interesting” list, and I have never tried to read everything on it. I just like having recommendations when I’m looking for something new to read. (Note: MANY of the books on my list came from comments on this blog! HA, Mod R, and the BDH never steer me wrong!)
I will also say that when I do pick up a book I don’t know anything about and I don’t like it, my approach to DNF has always been ‘hmmmm, this book is just not speaking to me….so why am I wasting more time on it rather than on something I might like?” I have no desire to waste precious reading time, so DNF it is.
New genres? Sure, why not! Again, more times than not I try new genres because I read about them in comments on this blog and they sounded interesting. 😁
Finally, re: an annual goal for number of books read: I don’t set a specific numeric goal but I do try to best my record from the prior year. If I don’t meet it, no biggie. It probably was because I read some really big books that took longer than usual to finish.
Of course, this year I have decided to enroll my almost 67-year-old self in the local college and get a Liberal Arts Associates degree (for no reason other than because I want to and I love to learn new things) so I have a feeling I will be reading a LOT in the next couple of years! 😂
-Instead of a TBR list, my list of books to read has always been my “hmmmm, this might be interesting” list, and I have never tried to read everything on it.-
yes! this! my list is where i go when i’m looking for something new to read, that i already know piqued my interest. nothing on the list is a *have to*. its just a pool of possibilities i dive into.
I try to finish every book I start. I’m not great at DNF’ing a horrible book but might manage 3 a year when truthfully it should have been 20. LOL. I’m always hoping the book will turn around and turn out better. I don’t have a TBR for the reasons you mention. I only download samples of what I think I might enjoy and maybe 50% of those turn into actual purchases. Samples have become a life saver so I don’t have to fear the DNF monster as much. 🙂
Ruthless DNF er here. If it doesn’t grab me by the cheeks and squeeze in the first 2 chapters, I’m done. I’m too old for bad books.
Words that have stayed with me about the DNF debate – I attended a talk by a visiting librarian who said not allowing yourself the option to start but not finish a book was likely to stifle your willingness to explore new authors and genres.
I have left books in the dust. There are some books that have rated as absolutely 5 stars and I started the first chapter and thought 5* really?! Not for me, and donated them.
I don’t do TBR lists or keep a check list. On my bedside table I have four books that I am concurrently reading. Once done they are traded in or kept for rereads. Audiobooks are a lifesaver, I can listen while doing simple minded chores.
I made a promise to myself a long time ago; a classic, and a non-fiction at least three times a year and if I find that after two chapters it’s not doing it for me, gone. I love spending time with my peeps, picking up a project, or taking a walk and reading is my “thing”. I am not going to waste my time being bored.
I read between 2 and 4 books a week. I have to admit I am retired and can do that now! LOL
I used to finish every book I started and was very proud of that. Now in the crazy new world of kindle and self publishing and so many more books available, I decided that I don’t have enough time to read books I’m not enjoying. Poorly edited – DNF. Unlikeable characters – DNF. Just not grabbing my full attention by the end of chapter 2 or 3 – DNF. I only buy select authors now and read everything else on my library app. If I love it I will then buy the book. Time is too precious too waste on boring books.
Of course anything by House Andrews’ is an automatic pre-order.
the dnf was my block for so long. eventually I realised it was slowing down my reading by insisting I finish everything..and making reading time miserable and pushing me back to doom scrolling. once I realised I was accidentally giving up my time by making myself finish books that weren’t for me, was easy to let them go and find something by a trusted author to go to next- this step was key. had to know what I was going onto was definitely an improvement.
This! Don’t waste time on books you don’t like!
For DNFs, I give a book a hundred pages. If I haven’t gotten into the story and characters by that point, I’m never going to. I’m usually irritated enough by then that it’s easy for me to put it down.
For me, the book I hate the most is the one where the ending spoils everything that came before. In that case, I tend to get on Goodreads and pontificate at length how stupid that particular book was.
I don’t set a goal, when I’m in a reading groove the amount of books I’ve read in a year drifts into the 1000s. See me reading all 30 Anita Blake series in two weeks while on PTO.
I’m also a mood reader, so I’ll specifically look for a book that is of the mood I’m interested in at the moment. That’s how I discovered LitRPG for sci-fi.
I have no issues DNF’ing a book. If I’m reading a book that makes me roll my eyes or just can’t keep my attention then I just close it and move on. It wasn’t for me, and that’s ok because it might be for someone else. Time is my most precious commodity and I’m not wasting it on a book I don’t like.
I’ve never burned up my TBR. But I download samples from the Zon as my TBR list. And I’ll routinely delete them when I’m looking for a book and realize I am no longer interested in that sample. (My TBR is 2300 right now).
Good luck on your reset! I hope you find some amazing reads out there.
My goal is to read 25 new books. I tend to do more rereading. This number is lower than the new books I read in 2025, but I’m going back to school this month and I don’t know how much fun reading I’ll actually be able to do.
For Nostalgic Rereads, I just reread Little Women. Amy made me laugh and I cried when Beth died. Knowing what is going to happen makes no difference with that book.
I am currently rereading my Georgette Heyer books and the Vorkosigan saga, and find they still hold up.
Mostly my goal in 2026 is to reread all the paperback books I have treasured and kept for years and decide: Don’t keep, I have outgrown this one. Keep the print copy because I want to hold a book when I read this. Replace the print with the digital or audio book to save space. Or … I still love this one so much that must have it in all formats.
Edgar Rice Burroughs and H.G Wells
Unfortunately not the same as an adult. Some things gleam and inspire only once.
To DNF a book:
Close it, remove the bookmark for good measure.
Then, put it down. Throw a blanket on it, or get it out of sight.
Forget about it. Absolve self of guilt.
Have fun!
I don’t do DNFs, because I just haven’t read a book I didn’t enjoy in years. By this point I know what I like, and careful attention to reviews, ratings, and what my Goodreads friends with similar tastes thought of a book ensure I don’t need to DNF any. 🙂
This past year I did ruthlessly purge everything on my TBR that was under a certain rating overall on Goodreads. I’ll still never read what’s left and I’m always adding more but that’s ok, maybe will do another purge soon. But I have a short list that I mainly work off, and the big list is just a reminder that I thought a book sounded interesting if it comes up again because someone recommends it to me, etc.
I did actively try new authors and neglected genres in 2025 because I felt like I hadn’t in a while, but 2026 will be a return to favorite series because I only have so much reading time. I’ve been wanting to reread some nostalgic favorites as well, mainly from childhood actually, so will see how that goes.
DNF: I have a rule that if I’m not happy reading a book after 50 or 100 pages, I get to stop. This is easier with library books.
If I’m having trouble stopping, I get out the next to be read book and read a few pages.
Also, I have given myself permission to read selected chapters of nonfiction books.
I just blogged about when I DNF and why. I’ve been an avid reader for almost my whole life and until late in December of ’25, I’ve never had a TBR list. Now I do, but it’s very informal. I’m reading a lot of ARCs, so release dates make the rules. Otherwise, I read what I feel like reading when I feel like reading it.
I think of it this way: life happens and the author would certainly prefer a reader who’s rested, comfortable, and ready to engage over someone who’s stressed, irritable, and needs a vacation and a massage in the quest way. Maybe a few mojitos. Do both of you a favor and either do not engage while in the wrong headspace or shut things down and back away slowly. You can always come back to it later if you want.
* worst.
Love autocorrect.
i had to learn that i could DNF a book. it is an ongoing battle, i still fight my brain on this. but there are a million other books out there i’d like to get to! i don’t need to be wasting my time on a book that doesn’t make me happy. i think practice is the only thing that makes DNF easier to do.
i have 3 TBR lists, and none of them on goodreads. one is a list of series’ that i am currently reading. i write down what the next book in the series is. i don’t generally like to read a whole series straight thru one after the other. i need to mix it up and bounce between different genres. i also include upcoming/new releases in the series i’m reading, and when that release date is. i get my books from the library so i have to keep checking the library website to see if they got it on order yet so i can put it on hold.
the other two lists are of books that caught my eye. one is nonfiction, cookbooks, craft books, garden books, home improvement books. the other one is fiction. i include notations about the genre/type of book it is, and if something about the book in particular caught my eye. are there dragons? is there a dog? is there humor? is a disability involved? when i need a new book to read, i open the notebook and flip thru looking for whatever appeals in the moment. i don’t always start at the beginning of the notebooks, sometimes i flip to the end, sometimes in the middle. sometimes i flip to a random page and drop my finger and just go with it. so yeah, three notebooks.
i learned that if you set a reading goal on goodreads, you can change the amount of that goal at any time! including dec 31. sometimes life happens, and i really hate failing.
I used to finish every book I started, but like you I decided life is too short. If you find yourself not caring what happens, or thinking “are you kidding me?”, then start another book. You can tell yourself you’ll come back to the first one if it helps. I bet you don’t.
I am the most ruthless DNFer I know. I once stopped reading a book after the first sentence. It was that horribly constructed. I decided if they couldn’t write a decent first sentence for the first paragraph, there was no point to read further. Ask yourself if it’s worth the time you will never get back.
Here’s a DNF / but-still-crave-closure hack I use all the time. Read the first paragraph of each chapter. (This is easy with a Kindle/e-book, as there’s a drop-down menu of the chapters. Just go to the next one.) Most authors start chapters in ways that signal what has happened, so you miss next to nothing. And, by definition, the book is boring (or you wouldn’t be skimming) so you’re not missing anything vital. If a chapter is unexpectedly interesting, read it. You can always go back to skimming when the book flags.
I’ve usually got a few books on the go. If I find I’m just not going back to a particular one, then I let it sit there.
It’s not DNF. It’s DNF yet.
Sometimes I go back to them – maybe it was a vibes thing, maybe another book grabbed me so hard that all else ceased to exist (this is often the fault of House Andrews!), and maybe I just don’t like it. It’ll become clear in time.
And if it’s a dead tree edition, then eventually it makes its way to the donation bag with no tears shed.
I’m not big on reading goals – I have one on Goodreads cos my kid likes to see how much I’m reading. I don’t include rereads and reallllllly smutty smut (cos I hide that from the kid!!).
This year though I have a goal to read more indigenous authors and some non-fiction about First Nation experiences in Canada. I know I’m still too ignorant about this and want to fix it. No numbers, just a heartfelt intent.
I have never regretted my tbr purge. Even books that sounded good 5 years ago might no longer interest me today. I also finally learned to DNF. I have so much stuff lying around that I enjoy more. I don’t have time for books unsuitable for me. Except gifts. I can’t DNF gifted books. Cost me significant time and motiviation last year. My only reading goal for last year was to read all the already bought physical books that were on my shelf for 2 years or more. (Or throw them out after a DNF.) Very proud of the result, I only have books left now that I acquired in 2025. Leaving stuff too long just doesn’t work for me. I recommend guilty pleasure books in between reading goals. In my case those are cozy mysteries. Low effort, high comfort reading. And rereading my favorites, like Ilona Andrews.
If I am getting into a funk about not finding new material (extremely difficult as I am having a seemingly too long list of no-no’s) and not wanting to reread again the same favourite books that often help me after a too long search for something new, I find it helpful to pick either a kind of biography from people living through extraordinarily difficult times / circumstances or fiction books done by someone who did a huge amount of research or grew up in a culture not similar to mine.
Examples: Alexandre Dumas books count as good in historical details, quiet some of them are connected, what makes them a kind of series.
C.S. Forester’s Hornblower books, that are really good with the RL details too,
Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe book series (I do not like some of his other book series),
Pearl S. Buck’s Imperial Woman (bcs great in details and its about an existing person of history)
Biography wise the biggest impact on me has/had J. Michael Straczyinsky’s Becoming Superman (we have some overlap in growing up details, his are way worse than mine)
I do that for a month or so, and then I am ready for diving into the ‘normal’ books again
I won’t gives book recommendations then. Won’t. Won’t. Won’t.
Oh well: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Happy New Year. Love from Germany
Somehow, over the years, my reading evolved from being an exploration of the world in its multitude of shapes and colors and became a pure feel-good escapism.
I’ve had a hard time recently making myself read a well written non-fiction in a topic that I am trully interested in, and I blame my youtube documentary habit for it. My brain has just gotten lazy.
I still buy these books, but then they sit on my shelf sad and abandoned.
As my goals this year are revolving around less time on line – more time irl, I have commited to reading through that entire non-fiction shelf and not adding to it until I do so. Wish me perseverance, please.
Deleting the TBR list: 10/10 Do recommend. Also, DNF for the win. Sooooo much less stress.
Not really a resolution, but a thing I like to do is read two books – one “feely”, and one “thinky”. One for pleasure and one to teach me something.
I’ve become a ruthless dnf(er). Why? Life’s too short to finish a book that I’m not enjoying. I read the first two chapters, if I’m interested I finish it, if I’m not, if I find I don’t like the characters or the setting or the writing style, I abandon it. Two chapters is usually enough for me to decide.
I also swop genres regularly. A couple of fantasy, an action one, a biography, a historical one, a romance, a cosy style one. Sometimes I read a series then swop other times it depends on my mood.
With all the Books I have, I’ve been known to complain that I’ve nothing to read so I will re read some of my favourites again.
I don’t watch much tv anymore just a select few things on streaming so reading is my ho to.
I’ve finally given myself permission to not finish books and I’ve stopped keeping a TBR list except for a select number of authors otherwise it gets overwhelming.
I mostly read on my kindle but recently bought an induction headset and found I like listening to murder mysteries while working. I’ve tried reading from the same author but it’s just not the same. I think it’s the narrator that makes the difference. He’s very good. I intend to investigate different genres that I haven’t read this way on the future.
They do say change is as good as a holiday.
Wow, your reading habits are very different from mine. I don’t have TBR lists (lists? plural?). I occasionally download a free book on amazon with the idea to give it a try, but most of the time I either forget about it, or give it a glimpse and decide it’s not for me. Nowadays, I often look into the suggestions from Kindle Unlimited to discover new authors.
I’m a prodigious DNF-er. Usually it takes less than a page for me to decide to skip a book. Occasionally it takes a few chapters. It mostly has to do with writing style – whether I like it or not. Even for the books I like, I have no problem skip-reading scenes that aren’t very interesting for me, and moving straight into the nice ones that make me want to linger. After all, I’m just reading for myself. Last year, to my surprise, I discovered I liked many sci/fi books suggested by Kindle Unlimited. I didn’t consider myself at all a sci/fi reader, but some of those books just clicked. So I think your resolution to expand into new genres is a very good one.
By the way. In 2020 before surgery I ruthlessly decluttered every category from cutlery to books and from clothes to bedspreads. Still living so I might have regrettet some decisions but I let go of 50% of my stuff.
Dead tree books had to leave because they took to much space. I kept approximately 100 from 2000. I kept my Most beloved books ant the ones I want to read again some time. But the rule here is to read them and then throw them away. For my kindle right now I apply the same rule. Read once the delete.
I agree with the sentiments. A hobby is meant to be that.. a hobby. the moment I try to to do list it becomes a chore. Hence sometimes forgotten books and yarns projects. Life is too short to feel pressured when reading for pleasure… and hey if you miss out by dnf, you may come back to it (e.g me and Asimov’s Foundation series) and eventually you’ll be in a place to appreciate it, as opposed to forcing a finish which is distasteful on many fronts. life is too short. Wishing you all the best in this new paradigm and to new adventures in new and forgotten realms and times. Happy new year!
The only books I still feel vaguely guilty about DNFing are “classics” – those books that end up on best 100 books of all time lists. Yet, they remain unfinished after decades.
These days, with Kindle Unlimited, I have no reservations about whipping through a book and dumping it whenever I get annoyed or bored. Like so many,if a story has caught my interest but the writing has not, I might skip to the last couple chapters.
Now if I have paid for a book individually that is a different matter. That is becoming few and far between since the number of excellent authors on KU has exploded. If I shelled out extra bucks, I will stick with it and won’t skip to the end, though I might put it down for months and years. However I rarely buy a book now. even from a favorite author, without reading the three chapter intro sample.
My tbr lists are pretty useless, as ModR said, I was a different person back then.
Sub genres like isekai are a little puzzling/annoying to me. I persist in keeping to the highest divisions possible, like Romance or Fantasy. That is probably because I let Kindle’s algorithm do the work of recommending new books, or more reliably, look to the BDH for a new author to try.
As I look at it, it is surprising to me how much I have changed my reading habits due to the book marketing changes I thought I was sneering at.
I read tons of books, always have….usually with Kindle unlimited and I don‘t know how many books I read every year. I used to be not able to not finish a book, but now if a book doesn’t catch me with the first few chapters I let it go…Somehow reading calms my otherwise busy brain.
My goal for this year is to read less and start reading all the “real copies” that are waiting on my book shelves instead of reading them on my kindle.
And read the Lord of the Rings trilogy once more, it’s been ages since I’ve read it. And the Ilona Andrews books I can read again and again (or listen to the audiobooks), they just make me happy.
I don’t do new year resolutions, but yesterday I reread Iron Convenant and restarted with Kate Daniels #1. I already restarted it some month ago, but I was in a bad mental space and couldn’t handle the solo fighter scenario back than.
That will take some time, I hope.
I love reading, it’s a joy to me so I don’t give myself reading goal or target. If I am out and about without my Kindle or book, I’ll read magazine, the back of the cereal box, bottle, menu, whatever I can get my hands on. Hmmm… maybe I am a aimless reader, but it’s fun to me and I learn many trivial facts that help no one haha…
I used to have a huge book and National Geographic collections, but have purged most for practical reasons and kept a few that I love or have sentimental values.
Agreed with an Austen fan here, I am planning to reread her books cos it’s her anniversary and I love her books 💕
I have always gone back to reread old favourites whenever I needed a comfort read. Since the pandemic comfort reading is now making up more of my time than reading new things. So much so that I made a list of authors and series and what month/year I last read them. I am trying to spread them out so I don’t get tired of my favourites by rereading them too often. That said I am 63 and have been collecting books since 4th grade. I did a major purge of my library when I retired and moved to a condo. I had to downsize! So anything I couldn’t remember and hadn’t thought about in decades got punted. I have reread some of the series I kept for the move, only to discover my tastes have really changed in the past couple of decades. I can no longer tolerate some of the casual misogyny and other bigotry that crept into some of the older books.
I have been DNFing books for the past couple of decades too. Life is just too short to waste on a book that is making you unhappy or angry as you read it. I read to escape and so I prefer books with a guaranteed happy ending and characters that I can get invested in. House Andrews never disappoints. I’m also a huge fan of many books by M.C.A. Hogarth, Lois McMaster Bujold, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Patricia Briggs, Amy Lane, Amy Aislin, Alanea Alder… honestly there are too many to name. (Those last three write romances so they are very different from the prior authors I mentioned.)
I am a DNFer. The first time I pick something else to do instead of read “that” book again, I ask myself if I care if the main characters live or die. If the answer is no. I stop. Period. And, although I should not do this, I often do not read other series by the same author. I really should allow each series to stand on its own, but I don’t. I move on.
I’m both a ruthless DNFer, as well as someone who purged my TBRs years ago. I’m just at that point in my life when reading time is precious; I am not going to waste it on something I don’t actually enjoy. Even more horrifying, if I bought a (physical) book and haven’t started it or not motivated to finish it in two years, I’ll donate it to a local library. No point in hoarding books I don’t enjoy/won’t read, when I know there are people out there who will.
I do want to finish the KD series this year though (I know, I know, but I hit a reading slump and a spot of depression somewhere in the middle, and couldn’t get myself to pick up the next one in the series yet). That, and read some non-fiction/fiction adjacent books this year. Something related to storytelling/GMing, project/time management or crafting or traveling, maybe. (If anyone has suggestions, please let me know!)
I am all about the DNF, though I don’t leave reviews to that effect.
Just because it didn’t work for me, that doesn’t mean it won’t work for anybody else. Art is subjective.
I’ve been writing so long that if I open a book and it makes me start editing it because it’s badly written, I’m off to the next book. I have done that so much, when I find a writer who does NOT make me DNF, I latch on and don’t let go.
I also read the same books over and over, if I feel depressed.
Especially audiobooks, because I can listen to them when doing housework, which I loathe.
Thanks for getting me hooked on Graphic Audio, btw. I love the hell out of those.
I relate to a lot of what you just said (especially the housework bit – bleugh). It annoys me when people leave bad reviews after reading 17% or so of a book. To my mind, all that means is they got a first, gut reaction to the book which, good or bad, can’t tell me if the book is worth trying or not. They might have been in a particular reading rut and would have hated anything they picked up. They don’t know if that slow beginning was leading up to a fantastic climax. Honestly, if we all read books like that, no one would have got to the end of Lord of the Rings.
I am a ruthless DNF’er. If I’m not excited to pick up a book, say I’ve got a craving for something else, then I will pick up that something else. Reading is for pleasure unless it’s a book assignment. If the first book starts knocking on my brain a few days, weeks or even years down the line, I’ll find it again and finish it. But, if that book never comes back, so be it. It wasn’t my thing or it was my thing but it wasn’t done in a style I liked. Authors don’t want you to punish yourself by reading their work: that’s where bad reviews come from.
Dearest IA, I am an additive DNF’er. I give a book the first 3 to 4 chapters, and If I am not engaged by the end of chapter 3 or 4, I close the book! I always have others to read. Amazon’s “try a sample” has truly cut down of the practice, but occasionally I get to the 5th or 6th chapter and the book just doesn’t keep my interest, evolves into word salad or just just gets stupid, so I bail. But then; on to the next discovery. Try it, and I hope it helps.
I am definitely a DNFer. If I don’t enjoy a book after two chapters, it goes in the thrift shop pile, or gets buried by current stuff on my Kindle. Sometimes with authors I have previously enjoyed I notice that I am reluctant to pick up a new book, choosing Crosswords over reading, when I have a new release in hand. I will set those aside as well.
I read a lot of books. At least 2 per week. They are how I get to sleep each night, and of course when waiting for things, traveling, and when sick I read. I don’t get sick a lot but I do travel a lot.
Your books take awhile, and are honestly my reliable favorites. Close behind you are books by Patricia Briggs, Terri Reid (although these are very quick reads), Jeannine Frost, Jana De Leon’s Fortune series (although I don’t buy the Mudbug ones), Faith Hunter, and Chloe Neill. I just started a new series that I am enjoying a lot by Julie Mulhern, and I am spending a lot of money ripping through those.
I read a lot of non fiction too, loving history in all its forms, and self sufficiency, plus DIY. My husband and I are converting a church camp with 20 acres along a river into a main residence with several Air BNBs, and are doing most of the work ourselves, in our 60’s.
Yeah, you need to enjoy books without nit picking, but it might not be possible to switch brains on that. I have never had a nitpick brain, and flat out do not see spelling nor grammar errors once I get into a book.
Happy reading and Happy New Year!
I snickered reading “If you’re a ruthless DNFer, please teach us your ways!”, because I definitely am one. If I don’t get hooked in the first chapter, I return/delete the book (unless it’s a NF “teaching” book, such as cookbook or art book).
Life is too short. Why let myself get pressured by lists or “best of category” labels? My reading genres tend to change quickly, so if I’m no longer enjoying the genre, I switch to another or go reread a beloved book.
You don’t have to feel guilty not reading a book, instead focus on the pleasure you get from reading what you enjoy.
Have a wonderful 2026!
I dumped my Goodreads TBR pile this year. I still have much shorter lists in my Amazon Kindle list and Kindle Unlimited list. but getting rid of my Goodreads list allowed me to actually use Goodreads again! previously I would go on there and just feel guilty about not reading anyone if the hundreds of books on there!
I’m so excited for This Kingdom Will not Kill Me! I have read manga and manwha like this but never read the actual novels so I’m excited!!
happy new year!
Every so often I purge the goodreads tbr list. Truth is I keep clicking on books and never read them.
Goodreads is the family spreadsheet.
My goal of 100 is doable, I only track new books not rereads and it collects books in an easier list than the 5000 or so we’ve read. Mostly so I can see what I read at years end.
I hate any kind of forced reading. If I don’t read 100 books, I’ll just lower the number in December
Some time ago (last summer) I had nearly 240 books on the wishlist of my favorite book retailer, not counting the TBR books I already had at home. It really started to feal more like pressure than fun. And all the time, every time I used my smartphone I would get more recommendations. So I started to trick myself. Every time I put a new book on my wishlist I have to strike two other books from the list. As of now, I’m down to 183.
I used to finish every book, even if it felt like wading through sludge, but I don’t do that any more. If I don’t feel any connection to the story in the first third or if I feel like it could get better but doesn’t until the second half, then I DNF. There is really not enough time to read books that don’t move me in any way.
TBR and other lists. I have a habit of buying used older computers (which can still be updated with current security updates). We buy them used from our local community college as they update, much cheaper and my current is much more powerful than I would have ever bought myself…had been a math and CAD computer. Although I backup things, whole lists can be lost when one finally breaks (every 5 years). It can be very freeing. I used to buy all my books, but all the moving and packing over the years… Now I read mostly from the library. I remember giving my grandmother a hard time (long line of readers in our family) for skipping ahead to read the ending and deciding if she will continue… Over time and for more than twenty years, I have become my grandmother. Life is too short…..
Hello,
I, also, always finished a book even when I disliked it. I gave up that compulsion a few years ago, and have never looked back.
Life is just too short, and I have too many other books to read, to continue reading a book I don’t like.
I also gave up my TBR options, and now I only read whatever comes to hand and interest. Haven’t regretted that either.
I wish you all the best with your new reading adventures. I don’t think you’ll regret your choices, or the freedom they will provide.
Smiles and blessings, Nancy
I don’t do book lists or book clubs. I see it as being forced to read things and my brain rebels! I hated being forced to read books in school (I read them but I didn’t like it lol) so I won’t do it to myself. That being said I get lots of recommendations from friends and coworkers that I will put samples on my reader or save at my library. Many don’t make it past the sample stage lol
I will admit I’m a huge skim/ read the ending if I get too anxious. It allows me to settle into the book so I can pay attention not keep wondering what’s going to happen. Reading ahead, it doesn’t ruin the book for me. I will not finish books if it feels like too much work or I get annoyed with it. I’m very good at putting it down to take a break, getting distracted, and just not picking it up again. lol. By that time it has to be returned back to the library or I delete it from my reader page to make room for new books.
I will admit that I don’t venture too far away from my preferred types of books. Once in a while I’ll pick up a different style/trope and usually it reminds me I like what I like and that’s ok.
Reading has always been an escape/safe space for me. I try really hard to keep it that way. It can’t be a to do thing or forced.
I don’t do book lists or book clubs. I see it as being forced to read things and my brain rebels! I hated being forced to read books in school (I read them but I didn’t like it lol) so I won’t do it to myself. That being said I get lots of recommendations from friends and coworkers that I will put samples on my reader or save at my library. Many don’t make it past the sample stage lol
I will admit I’m a huge skim/ read the ending if I get too anxious. It allows me to settle into the book so I can pay attention not keep wondering what’s going to happen. Reading ahead, it doesn’t ruin the book for me. I will not finish books if it feels like too much work or I get annoyed with it. I’m very good at putting it down to take a break, getting distracted, and just not picking it up again. lol. By that time it has to be returned back to the library or I delete it from my reader page to make room for new books.
I will admit that I don’t venture too far away from my preferred types of books. Once in a while I’ll pick up a different style/trope and usually it reminds me I like what I like and that’s ok.
Reading has always been an escape/safe space for me. I try really hard to keep it that way. It can’t be a to do thing or forced.
Longtime public librarian here. I wholly support your resolution to DNF and book that doesn’t match your current mood (or that you just plain don’t enjoy).
French writer Daniel Pennac created a Reader’s Bill of Rights. Third on the list is the right to not finish.
I have been working to convince friends, family and book club colleagues that it is ok to DNF. You can always pick up the book later and give it another try. Sure, at first it might feel uncomfortable to put down a book unfinished, but being uncomfortable never killed anyone.
I read a book until I’m bogged down then go to the last three chapters just to find out how it ends. Mostly E books, free and cheap, and I’m better about deleting them. I do collect favorite author books in E format simply for the ease of storage, portability, and font size. I’ve been hunting for new authors as many of my autobuys are in their 70s and 80s now. I forsee most of them retiring simply due to aging and illness personally or family members. I reread a lot especially when I’m more apt to get interrupted. I mostly listen to favorite audiobooks when I drive or something I’ve read as I need to concentrate more on my driving as I age.
Hi Ilona. In my opinion, TBR lists are like those interesting-looking foods in the fridge that you bought when you went shopping REALLY hungry. You have way too much. It becomes almost a chore to try it all. A lot of it will spoil. With books, if I haven’t read it in a reasonable amount of time, it probably won’t ever get read. Purge the list. I find that the really good books keep coming up in conversations with friends, book club meetings, and articles. Really good books don’t spoil. They won’t allow themselves to be forgotten. When you want something new to read, they’ll still be around.
DNF – it has to capture my interest in the first 50 pages. Otherwise, nope.
I am a guiltless DNF type of person. If a book doesn’t catch and hold my attention, I have never been able to finish it. For me books are an escape something that takes me out of my headspace. If I have to force myself to keep reading it, it is no longer enjoyable and has now become an unwelcome and unwanted obligation and chore. I’m 40, this is not the Pizza Hut Book It club, I’m not receiving a free personal pan pizza at the end, it’s not accelerated reader that I have to do for a grade, it’s supposed to be enjoyable and if it’s not it is ok to not finish. I will read until I no longer can. I also will leave fair and constructive review stating that I did not finish, and that the book was just not for me. I refuse to tear someone or their writing apart because I didn’t enjoy it or just couldn’t get into the story. That is someone’s heart and soul, time and effort in that. I read big name authors and a lot of lesser known authors, some authors just aren’t getting the right direction or editing help that they need and deserve. I want to build people up and try to help in whatever little ways that I can. The same way I would hope they would do for me if I ever write a book(that’s the dream). I have never really kept a TBR list, again it’s supposed to be enjoyable and a list just feels like pressure. I also reread books a lot they bring me joy and out of my headspace, she already knows this and you know her but when my mom passed in 2020 9 days before my 35th birthday I was in a very dark space. My dad had passed when I was 18 in 03 and all of my grandparents were gone also. I found The Dark Prince Series (part of The Night Huntress World) and it took me out of that head space. Books can save you from yourself and your own thoughts and deserve to read time and time again. Life really is to short and you never know when time is up not to enjoy it. Loss has left its mark all over my life from a time when I was very young, read for pleasure and for joy not out of a sense of guilt or obligation.
Life is too short to force yourself to read a book that you aren’t enjoying.
I did the TBR purge and it was a huge relief! I felt the exact same way as you- it started to feel like a burden and no longer matched my tastes, since some books had been on the list for years and I no longer remembered why I put them there. (Was it just because of a pretty cover?) I dedicated an afternoon to winnowing down the list to books that still looked interesting and had an Goodreads rating over 4. Then I searched for every book at my library and on Hoopla. I added it to lists there so I could borrow them where I knew they were available. Simple availability cut most of the list out. Now my Want To Read list is all books that haven’t come out yet (looking at you, TKWNKM!)
Stuff Your Kindle events have taught me to be a ruthless DNF-er. Generally for me, a book doesn’t start off badly and improve significantly, so I’ve given myself permission to skim, read a recap online (I love the Recaptains), or skip to the last chapter to get closure without taking the time to read the entire book. I won’t rate a book when I haven’t finished it, as that doesn’t seem fair, but I’ve saved myself the time.
Doing both of these has made reading much more enjoyable for me, hopefully it will for you, too!
I didn’t completely delete my TBR list BUT I did visit it and clean it up some. I realized some books that I had wanted to read no longer resonated with me.
I became comfortable with DNF-ing because I gave myself the requirement of making it to 100 pages in the book before deciding it wasn’t for me. If the book hadn’t hooked me or garnered my interest at that point, I know I gave it my best and it was okay to DNF 🙂
I used to set a reading goal for myself to try to read a certain number of books during the year but the burden of trying to compete with others and hit a number just for the sake of hitting a number was ruining reading for me. So I focused on habits instead. I’ve increased how much I read by taking books with me places and reading when I’d normally have my phone out and I always read for 30-60 minutes before bed to help me unwind. I love it.
Happy New Year everyone!
Ilona, it has made my day knowing you’ve read “my” authors, the ones who filled my childhood and adolescence with their words and their use of the language. I grew up in Argentina so the fact that their books where at one time or another banned by the bureaucrats in charge, only made them more appealing. Enjoying an author in their /your native language lends itself to appreciating the nuances of the usage, the subtle alterations and metaphors that often get lost in translation. I could add more names to your list… the important part is they are still with me and I reread a passage when I need it: it’s like talking to an old friend.
More to the point of your resolutions: I’m terrible at letting go of unread books and even worst at DNF. During 2025 I timidly started practicing both, with conditions: I need to find a new interested reader for my books, I cannot just throw them away. It used to be easy to donate them to institutions (from public libraries to schools and retirement homes) but not so much now.
All in all, good resolutions to work on during 2016!
Sorry to disappoint, Socorro, but it’s me this time, not Ilona!
Hahahaha! My fingers typed what my unconscious was thinking: 2016 instead of 2026! Wow, very meaningful to me… I’ll have to think about this 🤔
Cheers and new books for 2026!
I ditched Goodreads ages ago. And it didn’t affect my life at all. It’s just busyness masked as useful so they can steal our reading habits to sell. Almost every Discord I’m in has a book nook channel & lists are so easy to find. You won’t be at a loss.
DNF is actually easy. If you don’t like the book put it down & grab a favorite. Get lost again in that beloved friend & whatsits won’t even be on the radar.
I guess I am a ruthless DNFer. I really don’t have a lot of time and I definitely don’t want to waste my precious time reading something I don’t like or even don’t feel at that time. It can be for various reasons. Sometimes it is a great book but I just can’t handle that type of sadness or angst at that particular moment. I usually read the end to feel closure while understanding that I’ve missed the journey that really makes the closure but I’m okay with that. I have a couple non fiction books I’ve tried to read multiple times and just haven’t gotten through them yet. Maybe this is the year I make it, or maybe this is the year I stop trying. Something to think about.
When I am reading a book that I have doubts about, on whether I should finish it, I skip ahead to about five chapters from the end. If I find that chapter engaging and interesting, then I’ll go back and persevere. if not, it’s a do not finish book.
I did just about everything you’re talking about doing two years ago, and I am a happier reader for it. I cannot review every single book I read. I cannot read every single book I download. Auto-buys are auto-reads 99.999% of the time. Every now and then I’ll buy something I just can’t get into, and after years of forcing myself to read something I didn’t enjoy I just…stopped. It’s okay to not like every book.
And FYI, I read Kate Daniels – the entire series – every couple of years or so, because it’s my comfort series. I read The Stand over and over, read Ali Hazelwood whenever I need a juicy romance. And it’s ALL okay.
I’m a ruthless DNFer. There isn’t a trick. If you’re not enjoying it, why waste your time? Ditch it. No one has to know. I don’t leave negatives on Goodreads just because a book doesn’t suit me. I just move on. I also have no interest in going back to read five star reads from years ago. I’ve thought about it, but why possibly spoil a good memory of a good read? You may not like it years later and spoil that memory that was so good at the time and place you were in and that book filled the need, which it may not now. I’m stuffed if I can find good books now though. I constantly reread books I love just to keep that high. In the “old days” I used to get my book recs from like-minded Goodreads “friends”, but now all of them have either disappeared or read far and wide and that doesn’t help me anymore. Reading is such a part of my life, since I was a little kid always my nose in a book, and I can’t find a good book for any money. I used to find them so easily. I know they’re out there, I just can’t find them. Hours and hours scouring Goodreads and I come up with nothing that takes my fancy. It’s the bain of my life.