Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I’ve been abandoning books more regularly these past few months. Have any of you noticed the same thing about your reading habits
Here are ten books that I recently started reading but couldn’t finish for reasons I’ll explain below.
1. Nests, Eggs, Birds: An Illustrated Aviary by Kelsey Oseid
Why I Stopped Reading: I originally thought it was written for adults, but it read like something intended for kids.
2. Cat Out of Hell by Lynne Truss
Why I Stopped Reading: I couldn’t get into the writing style at all.
3. The Last Plague: Spanish Influenza and the Politics of Public Health in Canada
by Mark Osborne Humphries
Why I Stopped Reading: It felt like reading a dry textbook…and I’m one of those delightfully nerdy people who loves history and reads textbooks for fun.
4. Lake Erie Stories by Chad Fraser
Why I Stopped Reading: See also #3.
5. Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put in Us and on Us by George Zaidan
Why I Stopped Reading: The author over-explained everything. If the page count has been cut back by 30-50%, I’d be raving about this book instead.
6. The Uninvited by Cat Winters
Why I Stopped Reading: See also #5. Presumably, there are ghosts somewhere in this tale, but I gave up on it before they so much as uttered a peep.
7. Epidemiology: A Very Short Introduction by Rodolfo Saracci
Why I Stopped Reading: This was a good read, but now is not the right time for me to be immersing myself in this particular topic. And I happened to DNF it right after The Last Plague, too.
8. The City We Became (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin
Why I Stopped Reading: I loved the short story that spawned this novel, but I couldn’t get into the writing style of the book. This is something I may try reading again in the future.
9. Dracul by J.D. Barker
Why I Stopped Reading: It’s been far too long since I read Dracula. I had no idea what was happening or what any of the references were. My new plan is to reread Dracula and then give this another try.
10. Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue
Why I Stopped Reading: I strongly disliked the main character. Reading about sexual abuse also isn’t something I’m in the right headspace for right now.
I love history too but sometimes I can get into them and sometimes no- I guess it just depends on each author and their style! Some can really bring history alive and I love those!
I totally hear you there!
Great list! I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy The Uninvited and The City We Became – they’re both on my TBR.
Thank you, Jess. I hope you have better luck with those books.
I know you DNF-ed these, but really, what a diverse list this is! you are such a wide reader!
Thank you! Yes, I read a bit of everything.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy The City We Became. It’s on my TBR since I loved The Fifth Season.
Thank you!
All good reasons to go onto something more interesting.
Thanks. 🙂
I rarely ever DNF a book but The City We Became ended up being one. I restarted it a couple of times because it was one of my most anticipated reads, but despite the audiobook being insanely well produced I just couldn’t get into it. I plan to go back to it at some point, probably when I feel like I’m in a better headspace for the sheer scope of it.
I hear you there!
I love nonfiction but not nonfiction that reads like a bad textbook.
I am very likely to DNF books these days.
I’m glad you understand. 🙂
I’ve had the same trouble with a lot of N.K Jemisin’s works. I want to love her books so much because the premises all sound incredible, but I just can’t get along with her writing. It makes me really sad. That being said, I did still add this one to my TBR!
So glad I’m not the only one. I hope her stuff gets made into TV shows or films soon. I think I’d love seeing them in the small/big screen.
Hope you have better luck with The City We Became.
Over-explaining is such a pet peeve of mine. It begins to feel so repetitive and it’s like “okay, I get it already.”
Yes, exactly!
I live history books but after reading so many I find that the writing style makes a big difference to me too.
Yes, for sure. What history books do you like?
Very diverse list! I loved Dracula in college and would be interested in checking out Dracul, bj ut I would definitely have to re-read Dracula beforehand, too.
Thank you! I hope you like Dracul.
I’ve recently started DNFing boos I can’t get into. I used to try and push it but it makes no sense there are so many other books out there that are worth focusing on.
Good for you. 🙂
I am have also been abandoning books more lately. For me, I’ve more often abandoned them before starting, but I’ve had books on my planned spring reading for months that now… I just don’t want to read. Just one more part of the weird times we’re living in, I think.
I really enjoyed Jemisin’s short story collection, but I haven’t tried any of her longer work yet. I’m curious now to see if I get on with her full novels, or just stick to her shorts.
Yes, for sure. This pandemic is changing so many things.
Hope you like Jemisin’s full-length works!
I gave up on Dracul, too. And I love Dracula. But Dracul was just reading too slow for me. I was 120 pages in and felt like nothing had really happened. So I quit.
Good to know! Now I feel a little less guilty for DNF’ing it.
Emma Donoghue writes about some very dark subjects. Room is one of those books you have to be in the right headspace to read (or watch) and given the way thing are right now in the world, I don’t think I’d be able to read it. So I could see how another title by her might not be the best thing for a mood reader like myself right now.
Thank you. I’m glad you get it.
I’ve pretty much given up on Cat Winters books. I sort of liked the ones I read but not enough to want to read more. Books I’ve Abandoned
I’m glad you know your limits.
I’m glad I recognized none of these haha. And I totally understand about Emma Donoghue (I have Room unread on my shelf). I haven’t picked her books up only because I’m not in the right mindset.
Heh, thanks. Donoghue is a great writer, but she sure picks heavy stuff to write about.
I haven’t read any of these, but I do want to read Dracula someday. Although, my daughter just recently read if for college and she wasn’t a big fan. Great list!
I hope you like it if or when you do read it. I have fond memories of it. And thanks.
Great list – you have a very large range of genres here! Totally get the not-finishing-books thing, I think we’re all doing that atm.
Thank you. Glad to hear I’m not alone there.
Feeling like you’re reading a text book is THE WORST. I had that happen to me with a book club pick once. It was for Brilliant: The Evolution of Light. It killed me. I was only able to read one chapter.
Ugh, for sure. Sorry that happened to you, too.
I’ve never been able to finish any of Emma Donoghue’s books! I always start them but they’re just not for me.
I’m glad you know that about your reading preferences.
Dracul sounds really interesting but I think I’ll reread Dracula first too. I don’t normally reread but I’ll make an exception for Dracula 🙂
I think that’s a great idea.
I enjoyed The Uninvited but can totally see why you might have put it down.
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I haven’t read any of these books, but all of your reasons for DNF-ing them make a lot of sense. I especially hate when something is overly wordy and makes the book a couple hundred pages too long.
Yes, exactly!
#1 is understandable. I haven’t read any of these. I did like The Great Influenza if you’re looking for a plague book, LOL.
Ooh, I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks!
Uhoh, about The City We Became! I hope I like it. 🙁
My fingers are crossed that you will!
Hmmm, my dad and I are planning to buddy read The City We Became at some point. I wonder what we will think of it! (Neither of us have read anything by Jemisin.)
I hope you both like it!
I’ve definitely found myself abandoning more books recently, with all the stress around these days my poor brain just feels fried!
Sorry you’re feeling that way, but I’m glad I’m not alone there.
I also felt a little lost going into Dracul because it had been ages since I’d read Dracula as well, but I ended up enjoying a lot as sort of a ‘well it’s a prequel so everything will just a surprise for me’ mindset, haha! I’ve been curious about The City We Became, but I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of Jemisin’s writing style so I’ve been hesitant to check it out.
I like your approach to that prequel!
Hope you enjoy The City We Became.
I can definitely understand your reasons for #7… I haven’t read any of these actually but I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy them very much!
Thanks a lot. 🙂
I like non-fiction, but not if it reads like a textbook. It has to be engaging for me to stick with it. Non-fiction that reads like fiction is my fave 🙂 I’m glad you’re more evolved than I am and can find pleasure in reading textbooks!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thank you! Yeah, it’s not for everyone, but I sure find it fun.
Great list! I couldn’t even imagine trying to read Dracula!
Heh, thanks.
Haha doesn’t seem like you picked a good time to start reading books on plagues and epidemiology!
I know, right? LOL.
Oh, non-fiction that makes me feel like I’m in school is not something I would enjoy!!
For sure. 🙂
The only book I’ve really liked by Donoghue has been Room unfortunately. The rest have been disappointing in comparison.
Thanks for the heads up about that. I liked Room but haven’t had luck with her other books either.
Interesting list! I think a lot of people are abandoning books these days since it’s so hard to keep focused.
You’re totally right about that. We’re all in this together, DNF’ing and all. 🙂
You’re braver than I am for trying the plague and the epidemiology book! I had a hard time getting into The City We Became at first too, but I ended up enjoying it.
Heh, thanks. And glad you enjoyed The City We Became. I will try it again at some point.
Hi Lydia. Thanks for stopping by our site. Your list is very interesting. Thanks for the tip about Dracul by J. D Barker I think its on my TBR
You’re welcome, Carmen. Happy reading!
Your list has reminded me that I have Cat out of Hell on my shelves and when I got it, I was *really* going to start reading it at once:)
I’ve read a couple of Donoghue but this one is new to me…. but sexual abuse? Nah, not at this moment anyway.
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a link.
You’re welcome. Hope you like Cat Out of Hell.
I enjoyed reading Room by Emma Donoghue, and I have her novel The Wonder on my TBR. I haven’t read Slammerkin, though.
Here’s my TTT list.
Yeah, Room was a great read. I hope you like The Wonder and Slammerkin if/when you read them.
I’ve never heard of any of those books, so it’s probably a good thing. 😉
My TTT.
Heh, indeed.
Oh SO sad about The Uninvited and The City We Became! I loved The Uninvited but I know it got a lot of mixed reviews. And The City We Became I just bought so I want to hear better stuff hahah. And I definitely understand abandoning the ones that felt like boring textbooks, no one wants that!
Thank you. I will give The City We Became another try sometime. What did you like about The Uninvited?
I was stunned to see Dracul on here because I’ve heard so many great things and have been dying to read it! I love J.D. Barker. But then I saw the why and that’s great insight! Now I’ll have to read Dracula first as well 🙂
Here’s to growing TBR lists!
Thanks. Yeah, Dracul was really well written in the chapter or so I read of it. It’s just something that needs to be read by people who remember Dracula a LOT better than I currently do.
It’s a shame you didn’t get on with The City We Became as that’s one I’ve heard good things about and am intrigued to read.
Thank you. I hope you have better luck with it!
It has been ages since I read Dracula too. I’m sure I would have been lost as well if I had tried Dracul. I hope it works out better for you after your Dracula re-read.
Thank you. I think it will! The writing itself was fabulous.
Sometimes I feel as those books should have been cut by a certain percentage as well, and style is also a big factor in whether or not a book with be 5-stars for me. 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland, Lydia.
You’re welcome! Glad you get it.
Definitely a lot of great reasons to DNF. I also try to leave the door open for some that I may come back to, but that does not happen too often. I also understand the whole not needing to read about epidemiology right now. I have taken the opposite route and recently went through a slew of natural and man-made disasters. I think part of it was a defense mechanism, like saying look at all these horrible things that happened, but people survived and went on and made the best they could from a terrible situation.
Yes, absolutely.
What specific books about natural and man-made disasters have you been reading? I’m so curious.
It’s definitely a good thing to DNF books we don’t like. Too many books, too little time to spend on those we’re just not feeling.
For sure!
Oof, I’m glad to see that you will re-read Dracul once you’ve read Dracula. I have Dracul on my TBR but haven’t read Dracula yet, but I’m hoping to get to them soon(ish)! I see a lot of NF that sounds really good but I know would probably be a struggle for me to finish too. That’s my main issue with NF, I always get too bored 🙈 Great list, Lydia!
Thanks.
I hope you enjoy Dracula. I have a lot of good memories about it, so my fingers are crossed that you’ll like it and that Dracul will be just as good.
I love books on history, but they really can be hit or miss. Some are so entertaining while others are horribly dry. Great list!
Thank you, and I totally agree.
Cat Out of Hell is such a fun title. Shame the writing style didn’t work for you.
Thank you. And, yeah, it’s a great title for sure.
Thanks for this. Abandoning books is not something I usually do, but I’ve been struggling with The Luminaries — 340 pages in and I find it plodding, dense, and turgid. Wondering how in the hell it ever won a Man Booker.