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 am a big proponent of DNF – life is too short to read a book you don’t really like. That being said, I did read over 160 books last year – I am on the nomination committee for a children’s book award, so I read a lot of juvenile literature, some of which is HIGHLY enjoyable! If you want recommendations in that category, let me know!
I started a new goodreads page last year. My old one is also chaotic, and I do not have what I’ve read, what I own, and what I want to read separated. Last year I read 77 and dnf’d 13. (I long ago stopped forcing myself to finish books). I don’t keep a tbr on this one, that is in my library list and my amazon account. I don’t count rereads (or IA would be on my lists every year) or books I read on royal road. (since they are not on amazon, there is no entry on goodreads).
This year so far I’ve read one, Anne Bishop’s newest, and dropped one, the worst book I’ve ever read, which I won’t name. I’m embarrassed for the author. Google is right there. I’ve just started the Courting of Bristol Keats, which has been good so far.
I don’t make resolutions. “Do or do not, there is no try. “
While my goal is always 52 books a year, every other year I will have the stipulation that they all have to be “new” books – so I pick a genre I haven’t delved into before or pick a theme. I have discovered a lot of authors I do like this way, but there have been some that became DNF and I have no regrets 😂.
The other years, I can read/re-read whatever I want, but those years typically still have a decent amount of new authors/books as well!
The TBR I had is long gone and I have no regrets! I meander though the bookstores and see what calls to me.
This is year 8 of the 52 book goal, and looking to further my finishing goal of 5 to 6!
Good luck everyone w your goals and Happy New Year!
If it was not worth buying at the time I doubt you will miss it. If you magically finish reading everything you have bought you can always ask the horde for recommendations. But if you are like me that is an unlikely event.
A couple of years ago, I read 365 books in a year.
Obviously, some were shorter, but unless it was an ARC, it had to have at least 100 pages to count. And I didn’t count rereads unless it had been more than 3 years (I have comfort reads that I reread frequently).
Anyway, the next year, I was so stressed. My life was in a different place, I had huge reading slumps, and there was SO MUCH PRESSURE to do the same or better.
After that, I set my reading goal to 50 or 75. If I start falling behind and it stresses me out, I lower the number. It’s the only way I stay sane. I use it as a fun benchmark instead of a competition that I need to win.
I’ve also started letting myself DNF. If I’m at least 25 pages in and not feeling it, I set it aside for a few days. If I come back and I’m still not feeling it, I let it go. If I’m struggling but I’m still curious about it, I’ll skim a few chapters to see if it gets better for me.
It was super hard to do this, I used to make myself finish books, but there are so many I want to read that I don’t want to force myself to spend time on something that doesn’t click with me.
Honestly, I skip the book club reads. It makes me feel bad when I don’t like something that is so highly recommended 😅.
My goal this year is to give audio books another try. I have trouble visualizing when I’m listening to someone else’s voice, if that makes sense.
I am a very casual Horde member and don’t post often, but you asked about ruthless DNFing.
I am a mental health counselor (aka therapist), and this has affected my relationship with reading very poorly — I’m in a many-years-long reading slump now. (I think it is because my job is about stories, and it is now very difficult to absorb stories for entertainment – like Ilona cannot turn off her editor, I cannot turn off my therapist.) What this means is that in order to preserve my connection to fiction at all, I have had to be bitterly ruthless. Here’s my philosophy.
1. The job of the book is to enhance my life; other than paying for it or borrowing it fairly, I have no responsibility to the book. If it is no longer enhancing my life, I put it down. As far as I am aware, this has never hurt anyone.
2. Books don’t get to hurt me without my consent. In my case, with a lot of lived and vicarious trauma on board, that means I’m all about the spoilers and I frequently read the end to check for cliffhangers. You have the right to do this too.
3. There is no such damn thing as prestige fiction for me, I don’t care what celebrities are reading (even ones I admire), and I do not do Challenges. See rule #1.
I think that sums it up. Good luck out there.
I try to read ( mostly listen to) 20 books. month. I reserve actual reading to manuscripts, early reads, proofreading, and ARCs. I listen all day and most nights (I don’t watch much TV) while knitting, doing chores, walking, etc. By setting my goal at 20, I almost always reach at least 200 per year.(Thank goodness for my public library and a librarian who will order anything I want that’s available.) I don’t count DNFs. But if I can’t stand a grating narrator, or if I don’t get hooked in the first few chapters, out it goes! It has taken a long time to break the drummed in childhood rule of “Finish what you start”. If it doesn’t serve me, I am no longer going to do it. If, for example, I’m invited to a party, luncheon, etc. and I don’t want to go, I make polite excuses and spend my time as I wish. When you realize that your time is your most precious currency, only then will you choose how to spend it. You won’t be able to replenish it. If you are still working, there is even less time to call your own. I look at it as the Marie Condo approach to time. So to answer your question, If those lists haven’t served you in the last 6 months, clear them out! There will always be enough books to read. There are 3-4 M books published in English in the US every year (5-6 hundred thousand from Trad. Publishers.)
I think I may be too picky about what I start to be a DNFer. There’s a few books I have bought on rec or blurb that have been DNSed (did-not-start) tho! There’s also a rare few that are DNRRed (do-not-re-read).
A recent example is that I am currently on a reread of Anne McCaffrey dragons of pern saga – skim Renegades for the important bits, cos I just don’t care about Thella Jayge or Aramina; sometimes don’t bother with Moretta (tho I am reading it now) – as she says in the preface “this may not be the story you wanted”; should probably get rid of all the ones with Todd McCaffrey – too different in tone, not to my taste.
I loved the P.E.R.N. novels too, which led me to the Temeraire saga by Naomi Novic. It’s about sentient dragons from all over the world during the Napoeonic war. I read the whole 9 books about ten years ago and just listened to the audiobooks this December. Simon Vance did a great job narrating.
I looked at my local library recommendations. They change it month to month.
I always try to read ( mostly listen to) 20 books. month. I reserve actual reading to manuscripts, early reads, proofreading, and ARCs. I listen all day and most nights (I don’t watch much TV) while knitting, doing chores, walking, etc. By setting my goal at 20, I almost always reach at least 200 per year.(Thank goodness for my public library and a librarian who will order anything I want that’s available.) I don’t count DNFs. But if I can’t stand a grating narrator, or if I don’t get hooked in the first few chapters, out it goes! It has taken a long time to break the drummed in childhood rule of “Finish what you start”. If it doesn’t serve me, I am no longer going to do it. If, for example, I’m invited to a party, luncheon, etc. and I don’t want to go, I make polite excuses and spend my time as I wish. When you realize that your time is your most precious currency, only then will you choose how to spend it. You won’t be able to replenish it. If you are still working, there is even less time to call your own. I look at it as the Marie Condo approach to time. So to answer your question, If those lists haven’t served you in the last 6 months, clear them out! There will always be enough books to read. There are 3-4 M books published in English in the US every year (5-6 hundred thousand from Trad. Publishers.)
I am Ruthless for DNF. Here are the rules.
It has to be engaging. If you don’t care by the end of the first chapter, you won’t care.
If the author doesn’t actually know what they are talking about, put the book down and walk away.the last thing you need in your head is wrong information, even in a fiction format. The writer that can’t be bothered to research is not someone I want to read.
For the something different, here is an author you might remember from your youth. Andre Norton was much translated into Cyrillic. She was the grand dame of science fiction for fifty years. From the days of manual typewriters. Books are short and action oriented.
And for the really different, James Tiptree. She wrote under an alias and attended cons under the alias of Raccoona Sheldon. Robert Silverberg famously said that there was no way a woman could write as Tiptree did. I can only imagine how many debates the on the subject. Her rl history is extraordinary.
Lastly, Cordwainer Smith, another legendary writer with a military intelligence career. He wrote the definitive textbook on psychological warfare, still used around the world.
Happy new year
Yes, great rule. Also if the main characters aren’t people you want to spend time with, don’t!
I as a rule dont do the set reading list, book count, all I do is feel guilty or disgusted. instead I shoot for hours reading, and I usually lowball it and estimate a year end amount based on when I hit it. usually I hit it and I review the year and realize I had a good year all around, and if I didn’t hit it ot had a low number I realize I did really well in a year of hard moments and I recognize I did so even if it meant putting reading on a back burner. As for nostalgia reads go back and go back often, just because they may have been written for children or teens does not mean there is not nuggets of adult wisdom in there.
As for the tbr… im bad at listening that I dont maniacly review regularly, so I couldn’t tell you the last time I looked at them when I know ive created them and only occasionally recognize that what im reading is in fact on a list somewhere… oops
also, (so long wonder today, sorry 😅🤣) for dnf, I give it anywhere from 15-30 minutes. if im not happy with it, im done and I count it as my regular attempt at trying something new, even if I didn’t like it. ive found that it made me upset that carried into other things about the time I wasted rather than being happy about finishing more reading time. this ive found led me to more aggressively dropping something that wasn’t making me happy to read, and picking out whats ai and what isnt, rather than Jonah and the whale devouring what ever I had started. (side eyeing my younger ‘what evers free on Amazon pre-KU’ years)
I used to finish every book with ruthless determination. Now? If I’m not fully immersed after the first couple of chapters, back to the library it goes. I also refused to read books by male authors, with the exception of a select few (very select, very few, as in just 1, maybe 2). Now, I reads the synopsis and if it sounds like a good book, regardless if the author is male or female, I give it a go. For a time, I also limited the genres I would read, but now I read almost everything, except for most spy/government intrigue novels. I get enough of that in the news.
I read on a Kindle and am pretty ruthless when it comes to my TBR pile. I download lots of samples, many from BookTok. If a book doesn’t hook me in the first 3 – 5 pages, I delete it. If a sample lingers for more than a month, I delete it. And I got over the guilt a long time ago – my free time is too short and there are way too many fabulous reads out there. As much as possible, I’m trying to lead a should-free life. Less resistance, more flow.
I will try any recommended book if it perks my interest…but will DNF any books that won’t grab me. Sometimes I will skim the book and see if it changes my mind. Life is too short to slog through an uninteresting book. That said…I do like to read books by journalists and some politicians. Sometimes they are tough to get through just because of subject. I do enjoy seeing their different perspectives and insights. I like some historical novels and some plain romance. When I’m in a slump and no new books appeal to me I’ll reread some of my old favorites. I don’t really have a TBR list per se…I’ll just look up a recommended author and go from there.
Love all your perspectives! Go Horde!
On the DNFing – I have a Libby tag that is “DNF 🤷🏻♀️” which is my clue to myself that I didn’t get into the book, but it likely wasn’t the book’s fault, but a reflection of where my head was when I tried to read it. That way, I can go back and give it another try if I want.
Since I read from the library pretty heavily, I tend to use this for books that came off a hold wait, I start and then stop early in the read, but it’s not the book, but the genre (I’ve been one a sci-fi binge and it’s a mystery) or the trope just isn’t speaking to me, or I don’t have the attention span for something.
It’s helped me be more comfortable with the DNF.
Also, 100% support letting go of old TBRs. You are right, you aren’t the same person you were and your interests have changed!
While I’m good at DNF, it isn’t any behavior I can teach- I have ADHD. If I don’t get pulled in, I set aside/remove download from kindle and honestly forget about it. It does make me enjoy re-reads better than some folk I know since even if I read an entire book I always forget enough to always read something new the next turn around
I want to be clear: this is not me blasting her. This was just a landmark moment in my life. It broke me as a lifelong reader, and eventually I reinvented myself into someone who could walk away from a book if I wasn’t into it.
For me, that book was Death Angel by Linda Howard. I remember that day so clearly, and it’s been almost 20 years. There were also many things going on in my life at that time, like getting my first guide dog, so I’m sure that makes the memory stick a little more than it otherwise would.
In short, I didn’t vibe with the book. It was the first time I couldn’t finish a pleasure read, and I felt defeated. Thank the universe for maturity, but at the time, it really did feel like my whole identity as a reader (which was also a quintessential part of my personality) had been irrevocably damaged. Dramatic, I know, but.
Anyway, after a while (and it took years, actually), I realized it was okay to walk away from a book I wasn’t enjoying, no matter how deep into it I’d gotten. Oh, I probably should say I made it like twenty-seven chapters into Death Angel before tapping out. That was also a pride pricker; not gonna lie. I now know it as the Sunk Cost Fallacy, but I didn’t have that language at the time.
Knowing when to walk away is just as much a skill as knowing when to stick it out. I can now appreciate this lesson in a way I couldn’t before.
As for the rest, I read according to my favorite authors’ release schedules. I’m picky, and I’ve accepted that. I’m trying to become more open to other people’s suggestions, and have recently taken a chance on Maria V. Snyder’s Chronicles of Ixia series and really like it.
Happy reading to all, wherever this year’s books (and those of years past) may take you.
I will read the books selected by my bookclub but I also want to challenge myself and branch out so I wanted to try and complete the “52 Book Challenge” for 2026
Thank for the insights and ideas!
I’ve really begun to lean on the “download a sample” option to help cut down my TBR list and the DNFs as well. As the doldrums take hold and my concentration levels sink, I find that those first few chapters from a new book and/or author will capture my attention and intrigue, or put me to sleep or sending my mind into overdrive on all of my worries, anxieties, and so on. So my lists get whittled down, time is saved, and my bank account is a bit happier. Win/Win
Life is fleeting, enjoy what you can when you can.
I did the TBR flush 2 years ago after an illness that left me home for 2 months. i thought great time to catch up! instead, i discovered that i had evolved and was more curious than i thought. So now i get inspired by the suggestion of this blog, friends who rarely read and twice a year, i go into second hand library and let the books find me. No regrets!
I’m shameless with the DNFs. Unless I encounter something I know won’t do for me, I have a 10% rule. That’s how long a book gets to secure my attention (I have never quit a House Andrews book and am confident I never will). I do have a TBR a mile long, I will try out booktok recs, reading is a thing I love that benefits nobody but me, and life is too short to spend that limited time on a story I don’t enjoy. That said, I joined a book club that largely selects books outside of genres I like and I’ve been pleased with myself for branching out with that book per month and have only chosen to quit one of them for being a wholly miserable read. Read what you like and like what you read!
I don’t stop right at 10% or after an equivalent amount of chapters, that’s just my bar. Anytime after that is fine, even being most of the way through. I also use a DNF tag and like the idea of using the ‘read a sample’ option more!
I have not finished a lot more books now than when I was young. Part of it is my reading style. I now tend to read about 3 books at the same time. Short attention span? Maybe. But it keeps me more engaged than 1 book at a time (unless it is House Andrews, which of course I speed through) When I find I have been procrastinating getting back to a book, I as myself: “Where is my time better spent? Continuing to read this? or trying out a new writer?” Part of this may be House Andrew’s fault, their books never drag. I’m a lot less tolerant of a dragging plot now.
As for finding new books, one of my main sources is the library. I live in Austin TX, and we have a great library. You can get on their website, and if you are looking for something new, they have a recommendation section divided by category. You can also look for what books have won awards. Also, if you love a particular book, near the bottom of the page for that book is a reference to all lists that anyone has made that includes that book (a great way to find similar authors).
It’s been pointed out to me to try a method of, if the books has not caught your attention by then end of the 2nd chapter and is not getting better skip to the last 2 chapters and read the end if the end is good enough then read the whole book if not it’s done.
Dear Mod R, you have spoken from my heart with your habits of running away from any attempts to organize your reading! Please imagine me running along, yipping and hollering in joy.
As adults, we know how to reach goals. We are used to it, we master it every single day, don’t we?
What I find rare and precious as an adult, is going on adventure – meander along, push stuff with sticks and discover something interesting.
That is what reading is for me.
So I keep it like this:
1. No lists, no obligations. “If a book is meant to find me again, it will” – yes!
2. I always read the preview on Amazon, checking the language, the technical aspects of writing and the chemistry with the main character. I stopped trusting reader’s reviews. Different people value different stuff in books. I only use my own judgement and choose my adventures myself.
3. If I bought a book and it doesn’t grab me, I either change to “God Mode” and short cut to the last chapter, or DNF ruthlessly. Why should I continue to trudge through mud and moskitos if I could be somewhere else, doing something more interesting?
4. If I get a book recommended, I will check it. I never promise to read it.
Actually, I proceed the same with music. Books and music are for my personal enjoyment, and only I myself have the right to decide what to enjoy.
Hope this helps / resonates / supports anyhow?
Thank you jnet, for number 2 – I read the Amazon samples also. I’ve had books where the story description sounded great, but I just could not get past the author’s “voice”. I want to be engaged in the storytelling not read a dissertation. The sample usually lets me know pretty quickly if I want to follow the author on the journey.
I’ve also DNF on series that I liked initially, but the characters did not evolve. The books became repetitive rather than building on the original foundation. I want people and worlds that I look forward to visiting again like friends.
Reading for me is necessary for my optimum survival, like breathing and food. If I don’t / can’t read, I am not balanced / refreshed / reset; I obviously am not getting enough quiet / alone time.
I read 3/4 fiction, 1/4 nonfiction — depending on the book and the day, I can read a book in a day — but more realistically I read 3-5 books a week on average.
I bookmark new releases coming out by authors I favor, recommendations by people I know/follow, titles I come across in other ways.
Except for books I know are keepers (which I purchase for my personal library — yes, of course, I buy/own every single Ilona Andrews book), I usually request books from my local library.
When I come across a new-to-me author with more than one published book — or a series! — it’s like finding gold.
I mostly don’t read things that are poorly written, or fiction that doesn’t feature at least one character I care about.
I definitely reread books/series I love.
All of this is just because I like to write about reading 🙂
I don’t make reading resolutions.
I read what I like, what I can get my hands on, what I find enjoyable / enticing / interesting / necessary.
I do have wide interests in terms of genre, and I usually throw in a palate cleanser book on my own accord if I am dwelling too long in one genre.
Reading — good.
Happy New Year to House Andrews and the BDH — more books, more glory!
[I mistyped “glory” as “gloary” and immediately googled to see if in fact “gloary” is a word even though I was pretty sure I’d never come across it before … seemingly it is not a word, and yet, it may well be my word for 2026 (I was going to repeat my 2026 word which is “simplify”). I haven’t defined it yet but I do claim originator status for gloary.]
Hey, if we like reading, we like words, right? 😉
I think dumping the algorithm-based lists is a smart move. I have also been feeling overwhelmed with recommendations since I joined Instagram for the book giveaways. Ha! How many have I won? Zilch, Zero….sigh.
I am also becoming a staunch DNF supporter. Who has the time to read a book that doesn’t bring you something you need, or want , like education or enjoyment? Some people love to be devastated by books. No judgement from me, but that is not my reading goal. We should be as true to ourselves in our reading picks as in anything else. Don’t be bullied into reading something just because you feel like you should.
Have fun in your reading selections this year and enjoy your new found freedom from that feeling of oblig*tion!
I always try to accomplish a reading goal… every year my books read list has gotten smaller while my TBR list keeps growing, so wish me luck!
I also used to be a ruthless must finish everything I start person, but now, if it doesn’t bring me joy, then I’m done. I also used to only read one book at a time, but now I can be in the middle of half a dozen and not be bothered.
Good luck on all your new books resolutions! Happy Wintering. ❄️
So much of what you wrote strikes a chord in me. When I was much younger I had to finish everything I started. Now if it does not delight me within 50 pages, or sometimes less, I will leave it behind. I also give myself permission to skim to the end if I find it dull. No worries House Andrew, all your books are worth reading fully and more than once. I am at a phase of rereading my old favorite series. Some are wonderful and some no longer interest my older self. That’s okay, too. Life is too short to spend it on things that are both unnecessary and of limited value. Happy New Year to all and I wish you enjoyable, stimulating and uplifting reading throughout the year!
I love your letting go and changing. I too have had trouble with being a DNF’er.
If I truly don’t want to waste the time I googled the ending and then I’m not missing out and it gives me closure. It is the only way for me.
I’m not a DNFer. I always firmly intend to finish. I just give myself permission to be bored and wander off to another book that I find more interesting at the moment. Sometimes, I do actually return to the mood that started previous book. Sometimes not. They are still technically not lost
I will refuse to finish a badly written book. Not enough time in a lifetime for that pain.
I do admire people with objectives but I am unable to commit to one! I read what I want, when I feel like it!
Right now, i’m doing my sixth run of Kate Daniels. I’m getting to a point where I really appreciate some details that would have escaped me at first.
I started a book in November, got traumatized by having to spend a couple of days at the hospital, can’t figure out my way back to that book. I’m not far enough to have been hooked so it’s difficult. Do you have tips for when that happens?
I had a bit of that last year and had to go to pure fluff stories for a while to cope. If you can’t or aren’t ready to revisit this one due to trauma let it lie there til you can. May be better to start from scratch to get back into the groove.
I have been known to read a book backwards when I get to the point I don’t want to continue I always have to read th e last chapter. then I might read the next to the last chapter and continue backwards to where I stopped. I have also given myself permission to not finish a book if it doesn’t hold my interest. I also like to reread books I read when I w as younger, on more than one occasion I have said to. myself I know that I read this book but this is not what I got out of it the fir s t time I read It.
I am a pro DNFer. I typically read the first 3-5 chapters of a book, and if I am still interested, or have been surprised, or can’t predict the end, I keep reading. If I am bored, for whatever reason, I will skip to the end and read the last 4 chapters – this typically gets you to through climax of the story and the wrap up. If you want to DNF a manhua or manga, read the last 15 chapters of the main story. I have never DNFed an IA book, fyi; I can never predict what will happen next.
My latest nostalgic reread was a pretty good sized chunk of Andre Norton’s Witch World. I think I ran across Three Against the Witch World just before I started high school, and started LOTR that fall (via Scholastic Books…99 cents for the Ballantine paperbacks, one a year!). It was my intro to modern F/SF…
I had almost forgotten (it had been a while) how lovely her writing style was. Good stories, and most have worn well over time.
Agreed. I have approximately 130 of her books and wish I could find the remainder of them. I am rereading them right now.
If I were a resolution maker (never ever), I’d resolve to read less and walk more! (Ain’t happening’)
It took me a while to get to the place where I regularly employee DNF strategies. What I will do now is to give the book a hearty try (that depends on the quality of the writing so it’s not a page limit or chapter number) and then I will read the third to the last chapter. If the third to the last chapter, which often contains the lead up to the denouement, interests me, I will go back and fill in the other chapters. Sometimes I will pick up from where I left off, and other times I will dip in every fifth chapter or so (depends on how the book is organized) until I get to the point where the book clicks for me again.
Totally agree on the DNF. If it doesn’t grab you, don’t waste your time. I used to run a bookstore, and amassed a fabulous collection of dead tree books. A couple of years ago, a lack of space and the realization that I had more books than I could ever possibly read, I forced myself to ruthlessly cull them based on whether or not I would re-read them. Our school libraries here are always short on funding, and they received my culls with joy. It felt so good to help and so liberating to lighten my collection to just the books I truly love. I still acquire new reads, so I do the purge every year now, and our local school librarian lights up when she sees me lugging in boxes of books. They keep what they know will appeal and be acceptable based on the age range, and share the rest. It’s definitely a win-win situation! (Needless to say, but HA is on my list of must keep, lol)
I thought you were planning on trying to read every suggestion from one of these blog posts and I was legit worried about your sanity for a second 😂
Happy New Year!
For the last… three?… years, part of my reading goal has been to “DNF early and often” generally (because I’m now in my 50s, and life’s too short to force myself to keep reading something I’m not enjoying), and I’ve gradually gotten better at pulling the pin when I’m partway through a book. Most months last year I DNFed at least one, and occasionally two books.
This year, I’ve decided to quantify it further. My challenge to myself to hit the DNF button THE MOMENT I suspect that a book will be less than a 3-star (for books with diverse characters/settings), or less than a 4-star (for books without). Why the discrepancy? Because I’m trying to read more of the former this year, and it’s easier to read the latter by default, so I’m willing to persevere a little longer with the ones I want to read more of.
All of this is in service of trying to get my Kindle unread library down from its current ~350 to under 150 by Dec 31. Wish me luck!
Happy New Year! I have started deleting some books off my TBR, if they’ve been there for a long time and I still haven’t read them I figure I’m not that interested.
I also started DNF’ing more, I used to always make myself finish, but if I’m not that interested or enjoying it after 100 pages, it usually feels like I just wasted my time if I make myself finish. Sometimes, I just tell myself I’ll try again later.
I didn’t read as much this last year, but I remind myself that I read for fun, and I never entered any contest about it, so I’m not gonna worry about how much everyone else has read.
My Nan makes it a habit of reading the end before the rest so she doesn’t waste her time. As soon as I no longer enjoy a book I stop reading it. Finally learning the ability to discern what works like my high school librarian encouraged me to. I used to devour anything just to read but I have other things I need to spend my time on now.
I have DNF’ed video games, books and TV series because time is too valuable to force yourself to finish something that should be enjoyable but isn’t. I’ve found myself to be less grumpy now that I’m not forcing myself to “check off a box.” It gets easier with practice..Good luck!
Reading has always been my number one activity. I had learned how to read by age 4 and it was all gravy from then on. The worst punishment my parents could hand out was to forbid me any reading material that was not strictly an assignment. I’d go through the cabinets reading soup labels. I read read our encyclopedias, page by page. How could an encyclopedia not be necessary reading? Kindle has been a mixed blessing and curse. Literally a world of books at my fingertips. My two passions, reading and gardening, eat up all extra money. And sometimes I think I garden so as to have a nice place to read. I’m not choosy about genre, but my method for DNF is: if I am not enjoying a book, I read the end. Do I like the end? Hate the end? If I approve the ending, I might struggle through the book, looking for redeeming features. If not…done and dusted. On to the next.
When I received my first Public Library card the wonderful Librarian met with our school group and taught us about checking out the books. She told us that books held a special purpose in educating, exploring other cultures, events and should also be fun. This wonderful woman said that of we happened to choose a book that wasn’t something we could get into or was baddly written, it was fine not finishing it. Life is to short to spend time with those kinds of books 📚
hi there!
I am a “ruthlessDNFer”. My logic is that there are already more great books out there than I will ever get to read so any wasted time on something I am not enjoying is a tragedy.
I may miss a gem or two that got better near the end but I consider it worth it. The only exception to this is my book club books which I push through regardless.
I started DNFing in 2018 which coincidentally is when I discovered House Andrews. I’d always read more well-written books than not so the concept of not finishing a book stressed me out. Discovering (and loving) HA books made me realise that finishing a book I’m not enjoying takes time away from reading or discovering a book I (will) enjoy. Now I unapologetically walk away from what’s not working.
I like all your ideas and to dump lists. If it’s been there over a year, it is probably good to just let it go. As to the DNF, I do that all the time because I can’t be wasting my time on a book I am definitely not enjoying when there is a literal stack of great reads awaiting me. I usually give a book a few chapters but if I’m having to force myself to continue, then I stop and start a different book.
First book I ever DNF’d was “Tess of the d’Urbervilles.” When my Humanities college prof asked a question about the book, I told him I couldn’t answer because I hated the book. I told him the people were loathsome and unbearable and Tess was a simpering, obsequious twit that I wanted to slap myself. After the second time I threw the book across the room, I gave up. He asked me why. He had to work really hard not to laugh. 🙂
I can tell early on when I’m going to hate a book so I skim heavily, basically reading a few words per page and dialog. Sometimes something will happen that will catch my attention, so I read a little more closely for a while. A few books have redeemed themselves, but if I hadn’t switched to coarse skimming, I’d never have known. DNF isn’t really a thing anymore, but I wouldn’t be able to write a paper about some of them.
Ruthless DNFer here! Life is too short for books you’re not enjoying. Think of all the other great books out there you could be reading with that time! Not all books are for everyone, target audience is complicated, be freeeee 💜💜
I am ruthless with DNF books. If
A character doesn’t connect or capture my interest, if the plot is too derivative or the tropes too tired, I let it go. Someone else will love this book. Right now I’m working my way through the Jack Reacher books, chronologically. And waiting for Maggie🥰
I DO enjoy finding new authors to read. Since House Andrews appeared on the scene, that is practically all I am reading on my kindle, but I do occasionally delve in P. Briggs, B. Sanderson, and Jim Butcher. I’ve re-read most of House Andrews works, most more than once. I am also an avid re-reader of my physical books. Most of my favorite authors have passed on but their stories are still part of my favorites list and I still re-read them. Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey, Elizabeth Peters aka Barbara Michaels, Terry Brooks, Terry Pratchet all share shelf space along with other favorite authors. Some authors I read more than others which has resulted in some books falling apart. Alas, I do not have enough bookshelves to contain all my physical books and they number at least 3 times my kindle book list. DNF has never occurred to me regarding books. If after I’ve read a book that I didn’t like, then I abandon that author and get rid of that book. I have used DNF with movies though.
Technically, I “finish” all books I start, but mostly because if I start to hate the characters, they do something so stupid plot wise it throws me out of immersion, it starts showing signs of tropes I LOATHE, or otherwise just doesn’t hold my interest, I will skip to the end and read/skim the last 2 chapters. Sometimes I go WTH?? and go back to read the middle, but most times I’m like “yep, ended up where I thought” and then I can move on to the next book, or go reread something I love.
I make a point of not making reading goals. If it feels like I ‘have’ to, then I will enjoy it less. Just read when you can and want to.
I’ve tried rereading childhood and teen favorites and it didnt totally work. They weren’t written for adults and after being jaded by adulthood it isn’t the same. However, I do suggest it. Even if adult me saw them as fanciful and even a little silly, I still love the
nostalgia. It’s so comforting.
It took 40 years but I can confidently say I don’t question DNFing books anymore. If the book isn’t intriguing, if I’m not totally invested, I put it down. Life’s short, ya know?
The thing about a TBR is that you grow as a person and your preferences change. You’re likely to lose interest if you don’t get back to it quickly.
I love the trust fall idea, sometimes a random suggestion from a friend turns into answering a blog post 20ish years and many books later ❤️
Thanks for posting, these are good ideas! I hope we all have our best reading year yet?
If I think a book is not going somewhere I like, I sometimes look up the plot summary online and then decide whether or not it’s worth reading to see how they get there. Sometimes it inspires me to finish and sometimes it just gives me closure on the story so I can walk away.
I completely deleted my Goodreads account 4 years ago and with it went my tbr shelf and I’M NOT SORRY. 😂 It had way too much on it anyway. So, a week ago I made a new account. My reading methods have changed so I won’t be adding to my tbr shelf unless it’s on pre-order or something like that. Or something I’m serious about reading in the next few months. If I don’t do it within 6 months then I’m removing it. So, I’m giving myself rules. I’m a different person than 4 years ago so this won’t be difficult for me at all.
Out of the 420 books and novellas , I read in 2025 4! were nonfiction , I am so proud of myself.
Most Of them were reread of books I have read before. I read Franklin L baums, oz books and sky island. I reread all of j d robb’s “in death” series, And Lisa Shearin’s Series about paranormal new york. Rhys Bowens”spyness”. The only book list I have of what’s coming next from my favorite authors.The Andrews are on the list.just read the posts about DNF- if I can’t get past the first 2 chapters I wish ebooks took returns- don’t waste my time. tried to read all of the Pern books, but many are not available..I will see about a state wide library though. love Dianne Wynne Jones, and Grace Burrowes 2 totally different genres.
Well yah, Kindle Unlimited makes it easy to try on lotsa books & yeah I do dump’em if they can’t keep me engaged. For me, it’s more about story because I am not a grammar Nazi — to a certain extent I can read the bad grammar & tenses like it’s a dialect, so long as the story keeps me engaged. Love the coming of age and overcoming odds stories, my catnip of choice. Heh bought the original paperback Agent of Change from a B.Dalton in the mall many moons ago as well as some chapbooks by Meisha Merlin, go Liaden universe! Kindle makes it easy to make lists of books i might read or buy! Do i go back & prune the lists? You betcha! Anyway lately been enjoying the Glyphwright Chronicles by Jeremy Fabiano, but I admit that if late my guilty read has been (clutch those pearls, Martha) male fiction, specifically action type harem-lit! And so I recommend to you Cavalier’s Gambit by William Arand (only 1 of his pen names), with plenty of action, a bit of mystery & a ton of male bawdy humor (but not tasteless, instead hilarious). But yeah the action is great (“2 words, ‘photo op'”) the story makes u root for the MC & his girlfriends, and the bad guys are bad. Lotsa fun for a genre that’s sposed to have me clutching my pearls (I guess). Try new stories? Heck yeah! can hardly wait for Maggie! Delete away at those lists, no pt pretending! Go BDH, we will conquer ALL the books — if only cuz there’s so many of us LOL
I also loved Latin American magical realism in my teen/college years and recently decided it was time for a re-read from a new, more mature perspective. My discovery was that, while I’ve moved largely to audiobooks because they’re convenient, I can’t take in my old favorites that way. Luckily, I still have a number of them as physical books, so my goal is to work through those.
DNFing requires perseverance! And developing strong resistance to guilt: but it is worth it. My mantra became “life’s too short” repeated frequently and particularly relevant at my age.
Happy New Year! I’ve just read six weeks of Blog in one fell swoop. So good to catch up💜
These are my two most prominent reading rules.
Sometimes I start a book and have a huge urge to check out the last chapter, to be sure certain characters make it through. I haven’t given in to that since the first book of The Silver Brumby series…so long ago.
I have a hard and fast rule that if I do not “feel” the book after the first three chapters, it is a goner.
Life is too short for bad books.
I used to make myself finish every book I started. Then I realized when I didn’t care for a book, I just wouldn’t read for days. Made no sense. So now, if I don’t find myself eager to read the book within a few chapters, or if it goes into territory I am uncomfortable with (rape, domestic violence, child abuse and such) and have a visceral effect on me, I immediately DNF. There are too many great books out there to read or reread to read stuff that isn’t working for me. I much prefer fantasy and paranormal type stuff, but I find I like to alternate genre’s, even when reading series (which) is the majority of what I read. I read as many as 300 books a year, as I’m retired, so I now rely heavily on the library and Kindle Unlimited. There are some authors that are automatic buys such as Ilona, Nalini Singh, Deanna Chase, Patricia Briggs. Also a big fan of JD Robb, but get her new one from the library, too pricy for me!
one thing I have allowed myself to do more is DNF a book. I grew up in a time where there wasn’t easy access to books I liked so I always made myself finish a book. now with easy access and more and more authors writing things that I like, I’m now allowing myself to DNF a book that I’m not enjoying without guilt. I do my best to try and appreciate the work put in by the author but I also have a big TBR list that will likely have something on it that I would enjoy better.
I read around 80 books every year but I never set myself up for a reading challenge. I also don’t have a TBR list. And I DNF rarely but it happens.
What is my motto: The book I read must be entertaining/captivating. This means while I have a genre/type I read whatever comes along and keeps my interest (can be 10th reread of an IA book, can be Viktor Frankl “Man’s search for meaning”, some erotica, “The courage to be disliked”, Jessie Mihalik Books, “Be useful” – I think you get the gist).
How do I find books: I am a library girl and only read ebooks. I basically browse the shelves and I am a big fan of “if you liked this try that”. I also ask ChatGPT and have with it an ongoing discussion what I should read next based on my last reads or the mood I am in.
In general I read the blurb and if I like it I start the book. If I don’t get into the story within the first chapter (or fall out of the story at a later point) I stop. I love reading and there are so many books out there that are perfect for me so I don’t want to spend time on something that makes reading a chore. The only challenge I have with this is when people recommend a book or even worse give me a book and tell me they loved it and then ask me regularly if I already read it. The challenge is to let them down gently when I DNF or did not even start it.
Another “problem” I have: I normally always read when my kids are in bed and more often than not I read long into the night because the book is just so good 😊.
I fully agree with your new year resolutions. And I wish you entertaining, captivating books this year that will give you laughter, make you sad, let you await eagerly your partner and just make you happy.
And now I have to go hiking with my family through the snow in the freezing cold after less than 5 hours of sleep because of another wonderful book 😊.
On my kindle unlimited I always read the sample first before committing to reading the book. I started doing this after I was stuck reading a booking that started good but I lost interest in after the first couple of chapters.
Last year was my read all the half finished stuff (bc my OCD demands it) but the samples helped me so that I don’t get bogged down with a massive list again
I made a resolution last year to branch out from my go-to genres (urban fantasy, zompoc/apoc, and some romantic suspense & mystery authors) and expand my horizons a bit. I actually read few new books in my go-to genres last year (although I did re-read a lot of old favorites) but I read dozens of general fiction, historical fiction, and non-fiction books. Very happy with that — and hope to continue with it while hoping to find new authors I really enjoy in my go-to genres (urban fantasy in particular). I hope that it’s a foregone conclusion that Ilona Andrews is one of my go-to authors!
I really curse sometimes that I read
The weird feeling of duty to finish a book even if you’re not enjoying it really resonated with me. It’s nice to know it’s not just me, and that an an acronym has even been coined. And reading mindfully, slowing down and enjoying the craft is definitely something I’d like to focus on. I’ve discovered that what I read and how fast I read is a good barometre for my mental health. 2025 was very challenging but in 2026 I have the bandwidth to re-visit books I’ve read in the past, re-read series (all/any Ilona Andrews of course!) and tackle longer books. I’m already re-reading Melissa J Cave’s ‘Traitor’s son’ series which I only discovered in November. Excellent for anyone who wants to dive into an imaginary medieval world while waiting for Hugh’s next installment!
My name is Judy and I am a DNFer. The older I get, the more I realize I will never Read All The Books. Life is short and filled with so much and I will no longer waste my time trying read a book I either don’t like or is poorly written (or on at least one occasion was so badly edited). I also confess to being a Skimmer. And a Skipper. If I have read at least a quarter of the book and it is not holding my interest, or I can’t stand the protagonist, and/or I have already identified whodunit, etc., I will skip to the last few chapters to confirm where I thought the story was going. On rare occasions I will read the beginning, the end, the middle.
I do not have TBR Lists but I do still have TBR Shelves. But, due to changes in reading interests – and space due to an additional family member moving in – I have been whittling those shelves down (as well as my “Keeper” collection). Once a week (or month) I go to those shelves and evaluate those books: Am I ever going to read this? The print is too small, Why did I buy this? Etc., etc. And five books go into the library donation bag. Some Keepers have been converted to e-format or audio but most I know I can borrow from a library if/when I have time to re-read.
I did branch out and join a book club but it is really more of a dinner book club (a different restaurant each month). Some of the genres are ones I definitely do not care for but I will try them. We do not get into analysing the whole book but talk about why we liked or did not like the book. And then we talk about the other good stuff we have been reading.
Don’t feel guilty. You are you and you need to do what is best for You.
Now if I could only get the yarn stash under control.
Reading is for fun (like breathing).
It took me many years and a book that I HATED (by an excellent writer) to finally teach myself to DNF. I’ve never looked back and I’m a much happier person. There are so many books – including so many books that need to be periodically reread – and so little time that I’m not willing to waste it on books that I’m not enjoying.
I know you can do it!
Happy 2026,
Karen.
Right on!
I use Goodreads because it is connected thru my Amazon account. Every couple years I clean it all up. I dont pay attention to it otherwise.
Maybe twice a year I get bored with what is being suggested to me by Amazon and ask for recommendations from my friends list. Gotta shake up that algorithm.
I have a large number of friends who are readers. One of my friends used to own a bookstore and is still plugged in and has a wide, eclectic appetite for books. She always has a new author or genre. She actually reads more than I do and is very good at finding new genres or authors.
Several friends do multiple book clubs in multiple genres. They have new books all the time.
My sister in law likes historically accurate mysteries and other culture writers. She frequently sends me off hunting Indian authors or Brazillian authors or Middle Eastern authors.
Another friend needs free books, and hates Amazon. She gets her ebooks from groups that take out of copyright and formats them. Some excellent 40s noir stuff there.
I have young friends and older friends, different styles there. My grandchildren like different authors. Male friends mostly like hard science or history, female friends are all over the map.
One friend has several of us reading British history because she was up late for a week reading The Plantagenets by Dan Jones and was so enthusiastic about it I just bought his War of the Roses on audio for my trip tomorrow.
and I just put together a list for a friend who has been out of touch for a while of all the people we know who have written books this year.
Its good to have friends 🙂
do you know “The 10 Inalienable Rights of the Reader” by the author Daniel Pennac?
they are:
1. The right not to read
2. The right to skip
3. The right not to finish a book
4. The right to re-read
5. The right to read anything
6. The right to “Bovary-ism,” a textually transmitted disease (the right to mistake a book for real life)
7. The right to read anywhere
8. The right to dip in
9. The right to read out loud
10. The right to be silent
I love your new reading focus! Reading should be a joy instead of a chore. I hope you find many new worlds to visit and people to meet.
Happy New Year!
I hope your reading goals help relax your mind and get you out of your rut.
I am a DNF’r. These days, I mostly listen to audio books. If I am not engaged or if I have an aversion to listening, I send it back to the library. Life is to short and it is satisfying to send it back!
When I read books, if I’m not sure if I want to continue, I will jump to the end. Do I like the ending? If so, I will read more of the book. And, no, reading the ending doesn’t ruin the story for me. It actually adds to my joy of reading the book because it adds another level – how did the author get to that point?
Thank you again for all you do! I’m excited for Maggie in March!
On the nostalgia front – I’ve gone too far in the wrong direction in the past . My favorite childhood books are like a warm blanket when times are crazy so I’ve gotten in a rut of re-reading too much throughout the year and only picking up new books from my favorite authors or those with a ton of reviews in my fav genre .
Last year I decided to try to get back into the magic of just picking some books off vibes , cover art , and the little employee recommendations at bookstores (no pre-screening , no reviews , no Reddit checks in advance ). Found one of my fav books of the year that way ( A Psalm for the Wild Built) I want to do more of that ; more just just reading whatever I stumble upon .
Have no regrets!! I am about to recommend that the book club I go to just drops the books and becomes a lunch club, because…yeah. Not on the same wavelength as these friends when it comes to what I want to read. Let’s lighten up! Happy New Year, BDH.
I stopped using Goodreads when Amazon took them over. My (possibly) TBR books are now in an Amazon wish list named “Maybe” and the ones I want to buy are in my default wish list.
As for DNF, if I find I don’t like the characters or the book has an idiot plot, I skip to the last chapter and skim it. That way I know how the book ends and I don’t feel I should have read all of it.
I made the unconscious decision to work on what I have already purchased for a while. Space is the underlying issue for this. As much as I deserve a room devoted to books, it isn’t going to happen in this lifetime.
I too, reread favorite authors on an annual basis, and have started to approach books that I was forced to read and did not enjoy them. Some are delightful and others, not so much.
You are correct that reading tastes change and that you need a palate cleanse on occasion.
If you haven’t read it may I suggest “The Guns of August “ or “The Ghost Map”.
Both are nonfiction but read like novels.
“ 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.” good idea considering that this post already has almost 350 comments.
My version of DNF, for authors who are not my automatic buys, I read the last few pages and if I don’t like the ending, I don’t read the book. So technically I finish each book, I just don’t read the entire thing. It saves me a lot of time.
I have severe anxiety and I happen to be gifted with fast reading ability. I know some people have enormous TBRs and don’t re-read, but due to my anxiety sometimes I can’t handle anything new. So I perpetually re-read.
I also have an enormous TBR, and I’m an emotional book chooser so it has to call to me. I may follow your lead and do some Marie Kondo purging of my Goodreads TBR shelf!
I truly feel seen about DNfing a book. It is my biggest issue with books. I somehow feel like I’m hurting the author’s feelings. A friend of mine told me last year “authors don’t know if you’ve read their book (unless it’s an arc) and life is too short to read books you dislike/hate.” So it puts it all into prospective.
I found a trick that works for my brain for DNF. I have a list titled DNF, add the book to it and note the chapter I am on, and then my brain can guilt-free never go back to it because if I ever *did* want to finish it I have the info I need to pick it right back up. I never do, so the list being correct isn’t really important, but somehow having it frees my brain to accept a DNF as being acceptable.
I do this too!
I also write little notes on why I stopped, which helps cause I’m documenting the attempt so it doesn’t feel completely wasted.
I have only one DNF trick, but it has served me well through the six decades since I learned to read. It is this:
I won’t waste a single minute on an unenjoyable book. Reading moments are too few, life is too short, and the world is too full of wonderfully enjoyable books, to waste time slogging through anything.
Life is too short and there are too many good books out there to read ones you aren’t into. I dnf all the time. Sometimes I come back to it later sometimes not. Basically, if I am not enjoying something (and depending on the book enjoyment can mean a lot of things- but being impacted by it and not bored and not feeling like I want to skim or skip things to get through) I just put it down. The author doesn’t have to know, and I get to move onto something else. Also, sometimes a book is great it’s just not the vibe I need. So those I put away for later, when I’m in the headspace for it. I read a lot of great books and a lot of crappy books, but I don’t waste my time on books I’m not having fun with. Because every time I spend time slogging through something I’m not into, I’m denying myself the opportunity to read something I might love.
I have decided to be a DNFer and have never looked back! my general rule of thumb and the same goes with Chinese Dramas (highly recommend Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty series) – roughly 2 to 7 chapters/episodes to wow me otherwise I am out.
I find that it’s usually somewhere in this zone that decides it for me. Once I’ve decided that it’s not captivating me, I flip to the last 3 chapters. If I could piece the whole book/story together then it was never meant to be and DNFing will bring me closure.
or if the writing style is just not my taste, then I just drop it.
You are more patient than I am with the C-dramas! I have enjoyed many, but if the first episode is too slow, I tend to quit. I have learned , however, that the C-dramas that start too slow, may improve, so now I’ll sometimes skip to the 6th or 7th episode to see if it’s more interesting – knowing I can always backtrack if needed!
I never heard of DNF before, but that’s me! As I’ve gotten older, (and Im pretty old) I have less patience for writers with meandering habits.
I’ve honed this skill on Kindle Unlimited. After retirement, I could read as much as I liked. And I did. Found many good writers there. But there’s a lot of mediocre writers too.
Now, I go through the KU books with a purpose. Two pages in, if I can’t connect with the female lead, I send it back. Sometimes I finish a chapter before discarding. I like smart ass, but if it’s all talk and no content, I’m done. Doesn’t take long to figure out anymore.
I have also learned to skim. Here and there an author I like gets “wordy” and slows the progression down. I skim till the story picks up again. If the suspense goes on too long, I jump to the last chapter to figure out what happens. Then if the book is worth it, I go back and read the skipped chapters.
I will say I’ve never needed to skim a HA book. You have set the standard I judge other books by. If the book doesn’t measure up for whatever reason, I hit return. Just like reshelving a book at the library. I may be retired, but I have no time for boring! I’ll just reread Kate Daniel’s and be happy.
I just love you guys. I don’t come onto the blog all the time. I like to wait several weeks and then gorge myself on your blog entries. I just find them to be a delight for me in this world with all its crazy. I loved the Christmas tree, so beautiful. I loved that your family unexpectedly made it for Christmas. I love that pancakes has made it on the menu! Also I am looking forward to this kingdom will not kill me. It is outside of my regular reading choice, but I’m up for something a little different and I am always up for whatever you put on my plate. Happy new year to you and yours.
Carla
I’ve attempted some of the Book Riot Read Harder challenges in the past. I never complete it but I find it helpful as a push to get out of my comfy cozy genres and read some stuff to expand my horizons.
I figure if it causes me to read at least one book that I otherwise would have skipped that it’s worth it. I also find browsing their recommended authors list helpful, because then names start to pop out when I’m wandering a library or bookstore.
I am a ruthless DNFer; the way out of guilt is to note where and why you left off in your reading tracker. As a mood reader I am fully prepared to note that I just wasn’t feeling it, or the characters were irritating me, or the story didn’t make sense (this mostly during or after a migraine episode tbh.)
In 2024 I decided I would participate in every reading challenge I came across in January of 2025. 2025 was the first time I was stressed as a reader; I felt forced to finish books I’d normally DNF and to read genres that do not work for my brain (hello celebrity memoirs and horror stories, you aren’t so different.)
Starting the year with comfort reads (so re-reading Kate), then books acquired through holiday gift cards.
I had planned on going through the large collection of TTRPG ebooks I have, but realized that’s something I avoided due to feeling like pressure. They’ll get in there, but “organically,” not forced.
For DNF, my reading time is limited. Don’t have time for anything that doesn’t grab my attention in the first 50-70 pages.
you will not regret the purge. as you delete just skim over it. if anything jumps out, keep it, if not, let it go. there are so many books out there, you will never read all of them. so it’s OK to pick those that you want and enjoy them. happy reading!
For the past decade or so, I’ve re-read some of my favorite books from when I was a young woman (I’m in my 70’s now). I did not expect my completely different take on many of these novels.
I loved, and re-read “Rebecca” in my youth, but, now I’m so frustrated with both Mr. and Mrs. de Winter, I can’t finish the book. I loved “Jayne Ere” , and still do, with a different insight into the characters. Being a Sci-Fi fan, the “Foundation” books by Asimov were a treat, but now, not so much. It’s an interesting way to experience how much one changes through the years.
For new reads, I make no apologies for not finishing a book. Time is too short!
Ruthless DNF. If I keep getting pulled out of the book by incredulity, by inaccuracies that are easily researched (like the weather in a certain part of the world, or the plants growing there) or by general frustration with the characters, delete. If I am not into it by 30% or so, it’s gone. No regrets. There are some great authors out there that I just don’t vibe with, and I’ve quit trying to read their books–no shade, just not for me and I don’t feel pressure to keep trying. I’ve found some gems in the self-publishing world, and some goose eggs in the pro publishing world. Like you say, life is too short to read meh books. I think that’s what makes the really good books worth the wait.
I have been struggling with my mental health all autumn and just to keep life going has taken all my energy. I have not managed to read at all or very little. If I did read, I re-read old books because I needed to know that I would enjoy them.
I have managed a bit better with listening to books while doing other things, if it has been an adaption made by Graphic Audio, that is. I tried to listen to ordinary audio books, but GA has spoiled me there so I only started a few books and gave up. Also, I have only been listening to books I already knew.
So I believe my health is better now and my energy is less restless, so I hope I can start to enjoy reading books again at the beginning of 2026. My resolution is to read more books of authors I don’t already have read or heard.
I wish you all a really good, bookish 2026! 📖 📚 🎉 🍾
My tbr list is on Amazon, and yes, it’s filled with all kinds of things that I will never read. Worse, there’s no way to organize it by favorite authors, so I end up reading what’s on sale, not what I most want to read. You ROCK for deleting your tbr list!!!
On the DNF front, I’m a work in progress. I give myself permission to stop a book any time it overwhelms me. I don’t think of it as “I’m not going to finish”, just, “I need to go somewhere else right now.” This leaves a trail of undecideds behind me, but it does give me the freedom to walk away. Checking books out of the library also makes it easier for me to walk away. But library queues are long, and so I still spend too much money on books I don’t finish/enjoy.
My Resolution for the year is to read all of deLint’s Newford books. No idea how it will go. But I love his writing, and am curious to see what he wrote.
I recently went back to The Vorkosigan Saga (Miles Vorsokigan).
I loved it in my 20s, I found it still really good in my 50s.
Another favorite Dungeon Crawler Carl!
I never used to DNF. That all changed when I got a Kindle. I got a bunch of free books, so naturally there were a lot that I didn’t enjoy. I have a few loose rules about when I DNF.
1. If it has the F word more than once in the first 10 pages. Look, I’m a grownup. I can handle some profanity, but I don’t LIKE it. If the author needs to be that edgy right away, I’m out. The same goes for extreme violence or explicit scenes. I can handle that (or skim it) once I trust the author.
2. If I find I’m doomscrolling instead of reading. That means I’m not into my book, so I start something new.
3. If I’m not into the book at 10%. That’s when the main conflict should be introduced. If I don’t care, I don’t read it. There are a lot of books out there!
Once I DNFd my first couple of books, it came a lot easier.
I try not to make a list of to be read books, but I jot down book titles when I hear or read of a good book. I put the pieces of paper in a basket on my dresser and when I am in a book lull I pull one out. I used to read anything and everything, my husband use to tease that I took so long in the kitchen because I had to read every label. The past few years I have given up horror stories and I am trying to get over having to finish a book. My work around if I can’t slog through a book, I read the last two chapters and then read from the middle out in each direction. A bit strange but I am hoping that this method might finally convince me to pass the story along if I can’t get into it and don’t like the ending. I have been doing this for the past few years and I think that I am getting there. I am old, I can’t waste my years on torture reading. I hope everyone has a very happy new reading year!
One of the first things I did this year was delete my Want to Read shelf on Goodreads! I had books on there from a decade ago and it just felt like too much pressure. It took ages to delete them all, but it was totally worth it! It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
Happy New Year!
I am the same with “must read” list from others. The moment that it is on some list of what I should read is the moment that I want to not read it. (I don’t feel at all the same about book recommendations.)
Conversely, I have a hard and fast rule about books that don’t pull me in at least by the 2nd or 3rd chapter. If it is not appealing to me, I stop reading and never feel guilty about it. There are too many books out there that will be worth my time to read.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
For the first time in my life I DNF’d a book last year (actually two books if I remember correctly!) and, while I still think about them, I’m relieved I did it. I used to believe it was the worst thing you could ever do as a reader, but now I realize it’s ok to not like every book out there, even extremely popular ones.
The only advice I have is to give the book a chance again one week after you put it down and, if it’s still not for you, just let it go. No judgement, no bad book karma, just a choice that you’re free to make. And a bit of extra time to read a book that you will finish!