I just suffered through a book....

[jdb in AZ]

Hunger Games 3: Mockingbird I finished it just for the sake of completing the trilogy. Didn't enjoy it at all...

Same here. Saw the first movie of the series but really don't care about the others. Meanwhile, DD can't wait for the other movies. But she's a Twilight fan too, and sorry, I just don't think Stephenie Meyers is all that. I read the Host and one of the Twilight books, then didn't bother with the others. Wasn't interested in the movies either.

The first book in the trilogy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo held my interest, but by the third one, I felt like the author was writing just to be writing.

 

[Lemonademouth]

I think it is interesting how varied tastes can be in books. I took a LONG time with the third book in this series, but mostly because I was sad that there were ONLY three, and I didn't want the joy of reading them to come to an end.

I agree with this statement as I really enjoy the game if thrones books.

 

[Lei]

Same here. Saw the first movie of the series but really don't care about the others. Meanwhile, DD can't wait for the other movies. But she's a Twilight fan too, and sorry, I just don't think Stephenie Meyers is all that. I read the Host and one of the Twilight books, then didn't bother with the others. Wasn't interested in the movies either.

The first book in the trilogy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo held my interest, but by the third one, I felt like the author was writing just to be writing.

I loooove love love the first book of the trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The movie's not bad too, which is a rarity. What's with the third book curse, eh?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

It took me a month to read Stephen King's Misery. I just hated the book. I finished it, though, and after that I told myself, "You know, it's okay if you want to just put down an unfinished book and leave it." lol

 

[runsandjumps]

No I hate suffering through books. I read way too much to stick it out. I feel like I am missing out on a potentially good book by wasting time with a poor read.

Ana

 

[Lei]

It took me a month to read Stephen King's Misery. I just hated the book. I finished it, though, and after that I told myself, "You know, it's okay if you want to just put down an unfinished book and leave it." lol

Really? I'm a huge fan of King's short stories but I've never read his full novels. Am going to start one of these days, and Misery's def on my list. What do you hate about it?

 

[dakcp2001]

Eat Pray Love was awful! Never finished it!

Fifty Shades Was awful. I couldn't fight that " he is creepy run away" feeling. I kept wanting to tell Anna to run like the wind. ll the money in the world doesn't make him less creepy.

 

[abbyreads]

The third Eragon book, Brisingr, took me forever to finish, and I didn't bother to read the fourth book of the 'trilogy' after that disappointment. I actually had issues with Tolkien--I read and mildly enjoyed The Hobbit, but barely finished Fellowship of the Ring and got maybe a chapter or two into The Two Towers before I literally dropped the book and walked away, never looking back.

This thread certainly shows how one person's interests are completely different from another's--Tale of Two Cities is one of my favorite books ("It is a far, far better thing that I do..." is absolutely perfect) but Great Expectations-well, it wasn't as good as I had hoped, and I honestly can't recall if I actually finished it or gave up because I've tried to forget it as much as I can.

 

[Cindy B]

Right now I am reading The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates. The beginning was ok- now I am at 82% on my Kindle and I am ready to let it go.

Thankfully, it is a library ebook so I didn't pay for it.

FWIW, I didn't like Mockingjay either

 

[surferdave]

Honestly, I don't think Martin is a very good writer because he doesn't know how to reign himself in. I'm sure plenty of authors want to cram every single idea they've ever had into their books, but they know that's not feasible so they scale back. Martin does not. Anyway, sorry to say the fifth isn't any better. I'm dreading the release of six and seven (if it ever happens) because I know I'll feel obligated to read them!

This is what happens when authors become popular and their editors lose influence (although Martin may be proving to be the most extreme example ever). There are lots of brilliant writers who would ramble endlessly and never get a coherent story on paper if they didn't have good editors.

I've got my doubts about Martin ever finishing book 6, let alone starting book 7.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Fifty Shades of Grey

The Hunger Games

ME too! I am struggling through House of Darkness House of Light by Andrea Perrone....it is the book that The Conjuring is based on. OMG IT IS HORRIBLE and I do not mean in a scary way. Let's just say this, the author has an extensive vocabulary and wants the world to know so she wrote a 2000+ page book. When I get to anything remotely scary, I cannot even tell because she uses soooooo many adjectives to describe the most minute detail! I am thinking let the spirit just kill them all and end my suffering! I am however DETERMINED to finish it!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

It took me a month to read Stephen King's Misery. I just hated the book. I finished it, though, and after that I told myself, "You know, it's okay if you want to just put down an unfinished book and leave it." lol

Misery is a walk in the park compared to his "CELL" OMG I got it because I like to see how he incorporates real locations in MA and ME in it but jeesh people were dying by exploding cell phone. Premise sounds interesting but after a few cell phones killed off a bunch of people by then it was pretty clear that they needed to stop using them.

 

[Ginny Favers]

Gosh, everyone hated Mockingjay so much, they can't even remember the title to it!

I finish only about half of the books I start. I'm really picky and there seems to be a lot of derivative stuff out there that's just written to capitalize on a trend. Life is too short to read bad books!

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Same here. Saw the first movie of the series but really don't care about the others. Meanwhile, DD can't wait for the other movies. But she's a Twilight fan too, and sorry, I just don't think Stephenie Meyers is all that. I read the Host and one of the Twilight books, then didn't bother with the others. Wasn't interested in the movies either.

The first book in the trilogy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo held my interest, but by the third one, I felt like the author was writing just to be writing.

I forgot all about Twilight (or maybe blocked it out?). The first one was entertaining. The second one was disappointing, and the third was awful to get through.

 

[KimR]

I find it hard to finish books if they don't grab me.
I finished the Hunger Games triology in 2 weeks. Also, I couldn't put down 'One Day' by David Nicholls.
However, on my bookshelf I currently have 'Starter for 10', 'My sisters keeper' and 'An offer you can't refuse', all half read! I am desperate for another enthralling read.

What genre do you like? If you enjoy mysteries/thrillers I can give you some recommendations.

As for finishing books I don't care for, I used to feel compelled to finish each and every book I started. No more. I realized I enjoy reading far too much to waste my time plodding through a book I don't enjoy.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Do you ever finish a book out of obligation rather than enjoyment?

Actually, no. I just put the book down.

Case in point: Catcher in the Rye. I tried reading this because it's "classic literature" and it was banned. Only, I hate Holden Caulfield. He is a whiny, spoiled brat. He really is a horrible child. I didn't care what happened to him. I hated reading his story. I tried finishing because I felt obligated but at about 3/4 of the way through, I said "No, I don't actually have to finish this book" and stopped reading.

Same thing happened with Game of Thrones. I got 127 pages into the first book, decided I didn't like the characters (except John Snow) and didn't care what happened to the throne or the kingdom, noticed how much longer was left in the book, and how many other books were left (and how long they were) and just stopped reading.

 

[minkydog]

Ugh. I waited for years for Jean Auel to publish her final book in the Clan of the Cave Bear series. Geez, over 750 pages of " now they went here, drank tea, saw some caves, nursed the baby, now we went there, drank tea, saw some caves, nursed the baby..." I kept with it because I thought surely it would improve. Nope, never did. I want my $21 back!

 

[penn19]

Son of a Witch. I think that was the title. See? It was that bad I blocked it out. I slogged through Wicked because I thought I should. And I saw Wicked on broadway and loved it and liked Wizard of Oz. I just thought I need to will myself to get through it. Nope. After the first chapter I think I just put it down and said thats an hour of my life I'm never getting back and why invest any more time.

 

[cfriend416]

Really? I'm a huge fan of King's short stories but I've never read his full novels. Am going to start one of these days, and Misery's def on my list. What do you hate about it?

I enjoyed Misery. I think it's worth giving it a shot.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Hunger Games 3: Mockingbird I finished it just for the sake of completing the trilogy. Didn't enjoy it at all...

I gave up about 20 pages into Catching Fire.