If you start a book, do you read to the end, even if you aren't keen on it?

[lolaflores]

I have been looking at my kindle library and there are quite a few books that are 5% read but a greater amount 95% and over.
But, I read an article in a magazine from an editor that no matter how bad a book, she finishes it as she needs to find out what happens.
I see that books are her career and she is passionate about books, but nothing can persuade me to finish something I am bot enjoying.

I've never not finished a book, even if I hate it. I don't know why and I get pissed off with myself about it but I can't just leave it. 😊

No, life is too short to read bad books when there are so many good ones out there! If a book doesn't grab me and I don't have to read it for some reason, then I don't. I move on. And as for 5% read books on the Kindle - if I don't like them I delete them!

There's two I haven't finished. One because it was so dire I didn't get past the first chapter. Second because I know the main character dies and I don't want him to

No - what's the point in making yourself do something if you don't want to? As zafferana says, life is too short.

I won't. Reading should be a joy not a chore.
I have gone back to some abandoned books and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Some I have not gone back to and not managed to get very far even on the third attempt.

No not any more. Maybe when I was younger but I have such precious little leisure time now, only activities I enjoy get to be in it!

SpiderCharlotte wow. I admire your patience. I think I wasnt as quick to move o years ago when I had less money and less choice. I think I persevered with books that nowadays I would dump a few pages in.
I am picky in a bookshop. Spend ages rooting about but I seem to buy ano old thing on line
Sometimes hits but a lot of misses

No I agree that life is too short for that. I do think sometimes you just arent in the right mood or it's not the right time in your life... so I do give books second chances after I've left it for a while just to see if it will click with me... but I never plow through books just for the sake of finishing them. If I'm not enjoying it and I dont think it's a good book I put it down and find another. I'm an avid reader and genuinely love it. I dont want to ruin it for myself by making it some kind of chore. To me the most important thing is that you've connected with the writing and you are going on that journey.... there's absolutely no point in trying to force it because I guarantee you wont remember any of that book you didnt enjoy anyway.

I always try to finish the book even if I hate it. I may skim read the rest. I know it comes from having to read a Thomas Hardy book at school. It was the worst book ever. Though hand on heart couldn't get through the 1st 50 shades book even though I read crap romances. So I guess it depends on how bad? There are some shocking kindle unlimited books.

If a book doesn't draw me in within the first chapter then I cast it aside.
I did that with a book a few weeks ago, and read a bloody brilliant one instead.

Never! I am an avid reader and have been so since preteen. I can usually tell from first two to 5 pages if I will love, just like or not enjoy a book. There are too many options for me to stick to something that isn't pulling me in. If it's something I think I would 'just like', I will try reading them in between finding good ones.

I imagine as an editor, she may need to read even if she doesn't like them, based on her job (Giving advice on the books, learning what works and what doesn't, etc)

Nope, and I have an English degree and have been an English teacher. There are millions of books out there, why persist with one because it happened to be the one you picked up? If I get 4 books from the library I might only finish one. If i read all of all 4 it’s an exceptional batch. If I’m going to finish a book I’m usually hooked and want to get though it quickly. If I’m picking it up and putting it down I probably won’t get through it all. I don’t often finish films either!

If a book hasn't grabbed me within the first 10 pages I dont carry on (library books I should add, I'm not made of money!)

I'm the same with TV shows, they get the first half and then I'm off if it's not engaging me. DH nearly always persists watching it and then agrees with me

I don’t often finish films either!

Nope, me neither @Michaelbaubles. I have a fairly poor attention span, but I've also read a lot of books and seen a lot of films now and so I know what's good and what I'm going to enjoy. I'm not going to waste two hours of my life on a shit film any more than I'm going to waste several hours on a shit book. Next!

Agree, some really terrible Kindle Unlumited boils and I usually give them a swerve.

I have to finish. Also I heard once about a woman who eats the last page of every book she reads, now I always feel like doing it!

I try, I really do. Sometimes I fail.

Homer’s The Iliad is propping up a table leg. Never finishing that one.

No. I’d rather not waste my time with a book that just doesn’t do it for me.

Nope, same with TV shows, meals, songs, films whatever. If I'm not enjoying something, I stop and find something else!

If a book, film or TV programme isn’t keeping my attention, I leave it. Unless I can see a glimmer of something, then I might persevere, but it’ll have to buck up pretty quickly.

But, I read an article in a magazine from an editor that no matter how bad a book, she finishes it as she needs to find out what happens.

Definitely not - life’s too short to spend time on a shit book, and there’s too many good books out there to not read those instead! I think it’s fair to give a book a chance though. I read at least 100 pages and if I then still don’t like it I’ll happily change to something I like better. (And I’ll just skim read through the rest to find out what happened in the end if I’m bothered enough - no need to plod on through a load or bore just for that )

When I was reading real books I always felt the need to finish them having paid for it. Now I use a kindle and they are either free or one quid that guilt has fallen away.

I used to feel really guilty not finishing a book but now I don't hesitate to abandon it if it doesn't grab me. I persevere for a little while but life's too short to waste on bad books.

I mainly use an e-reader so its much easier to switch to another book if the one Im currently reading doesnt do it for me.
More often than not I will stop reading a book once it ceases to hold my attention. I hate reading all the way to the end on the promise of a twist in the tale only to realise theres nothing of the sort and it was blindingly obvious all along.

No, I don't and I think it's important for children to know that they don't have to finish books they don't like.