Am I alone with this?

[tobee]

I've noticed that if I start a new book it often takes me 100 pages to decide if I like it. I can be not sure until then and then decide I do. It takes me until then to get into it.

Conversely, if I start a book and like it immediately, I often then go off it a bit later on and stop reading.

So does anyone else find it takes that long?

Now that I'm aware of this, I'm wondering if it's going to be a self fulfilling prophecy.

Maybe OP

Lol 😁😢

I'm like you.
There have been times though where I have stopped reading a book and started again a long time afterwards, and liked it. Maybe the first time around, it just wasn't the right time for me to read it or something.

If I like a book I keep reading

If I dislike a book a read it anyhow

I’m optimistic!

If I like a book I can’t put it down. If I don’t like a book the minute I realise I’m reluctant to pick it up, I stop reading. Life is too short.

I never used to do this, it’s liberating!

@VWpurse I have a sick self satisfaction when I see the ending is as bad as I had guessed.....so many years of my life lost!

@JustAGirlWhoLovesABoy
That's impressive you keep reading a book you don't like. I don't have the time.

@waterbird I don’t know how you can concentrate at work not knowing the outcome! I read two hours a day, mostly love it, sometimes painful, always rewarding!

@JustAGirlWhoLovesABoy
I get what you mean. I sometimes skip to the ending in that case.

Interesting.

I got to a point when I was giving up on nearly everything! What might I have missed, I wonder?

It's worse when something starts off really well and then pffft!

What genre of books do you like to read? Maybe we can do recommendations to save each other future painful experiences?

Hmmm. I like to read mostly 20th century fiction of the Persephone/Barbara Pym/Elizabeth Taylor/Dorothy L Sayers type of thing.

But am trying to widen my range which is probably the difficulty.

I like to listen to much more bestsellery stuff though of the Appletree Yard variety.

I seem to be the same these days. I have started so many books with enjoyment and enthusiasm which has then just seeped away. I seem to have lost my love of reading and I wonder if it’s because I always have an analytical head on, thinking about they style and form etc instead of just losing myself in the story. It’s annoying anyway. Even my old favourites can’t hook me in. So I tend to listen to audiobooks more now or podcasts.

Exactly like me @MealyPotatoes