How do you get through books you hate?

[autumnleavesonthefloor]

Sarah J Maas has announced the 6th and 7th books in her ACOTAR series, which means that I need to read the Crescent City series. The issue is I absolutely hate it, but it’s key to understanding the next books! Any tips please?!

Absolutely loved it.

Feel like it's a winter watch. DH and I absolutely loved it.

Roaring fire, glass of red wine-just perfect!

Why carry on reading a crap book? I would bail a few chapters in if it wasn't grabbing me. Like if I start a new show on Netflix or something and it's 8 or 10 episodes long, if it doesn't grab me/get me hooked by the end of the second episode, I'm out. Not wasting another 6 to 8 hours of my life watching something that is boring me, and not piquing my interest.

Same applies with books.

Just don’t. Google will fill in any gaps you need.

I'm in the same boat but somewhat ahead of you - enjoyed ACOTAR (though fully recognising what a pile of enjoyable silliness it is). Tried the first Crescent City one and hated it within the first 100 pages. Hated it!! So I stopped - I won't read more than 100 pages of any book unless I'm being examined on it or it's written by a friend, life is too short and there are too many wonderful books in the world.

According to the internet, apparently all we need to actually read for the next ACOTAR book is:

• the final portion of CC2, House of Sky and Breath, beginning when Bryce reaches Prythian.
• the Prythian/Nesta/Azriel material in CC3, House of Flame and Shadow.
• Pay attention to the Silene/Theia revelations, the Prison/Dusk Court material, and the final disposition of the Starsword

Not sure what the final bullet means but I'm not above just googling what those are (won't post here in case people don't want spoilers). Not wasting my time with more vomiting (the main character in the CC books seems to do nothing but be sick all the time!!)

I don't.

People who force themselves to read books they're not enjoying have low self-esteem.

Can you just do Wikipedia or google the ones you don’t like. My dd had this with a series she liked

That’s pretty mean

There is no point in a book where I'm not willing to give up. I DNF more than I read.

However if I had to finish a book I speed read. Skim all pages with irrelevant details, it's something you can get better at with practice and get through a book very quickly. I mean you wouldn't be able to pass an exam but you'd get the gist.

I used to feel that I had to keep reading a book once I'd started it but now give up when I don't enjoy them.

The exception is books that I'm reading for book club because I do try and finish those. If I'm really not enjoying a book, I skim read so that I get the gist of what's happening. One book was so badly written that it made me angry. I ended up using little post it notes to mark particularly cliched expressions or similes that didn't make sense. That helped me to get through it.

I don’t. I give it about fifty pages then I am done.

Just read a plot summary, or ask on reddit for a breakdown of the relevant plot points.

What a bizarre comment.

How so?

Im not doing it for clout, im doing it to make sure i understand another book!

as it goes im actually really enjoying it this time around. I think a break from it and then going back was useful!

For me they’re obscenely long, but I am actually enjoying number one this time. I picked up the paperbacks and strangely I think that’s helping

I don't

ACOTAR isn't exactly highbrow literature, I'm pretty sure you'll understand what's going on just fine without having to read a whole other series that you hate.

Sounds like you’re sorted. I’d either read it as quickly as possible, or google for a plot summary.

I’ve only done it once where I kind of wanted to know what happened, but really didn’t enjoy the one book I’d read in that series and didn’t want to spend money / time on the other two. (Robin Hobb Soldier Son trilogy - adored all her many other books but not this one. I was invested enough to wonder what would happen to the main character in the end, but didn’t want to have to actually wade through them for ages! Was quite pleased with my cheating research and it confirmed to me I’d probably done the right thing for me by stopping!).

I only try to plough on when it’s a Book Club book as there’s a point to me not liking it then and I can add it to the discussion. If I’ve just picked up something for myself to read I would just not carry on. I’ve also read halfway through a series and dropped it - there are so many good books out there - or ones I would enjoy more to the point I wouldn’t bother struggling through one I didn’t like.

I can kind of see what you mean - it's like being in an unsatisfactory relationship - or spending time with someone you dislike because you can't find a polite way out of it.

It's not valuing your time and attention enough, is that what you mean, @JinksySaur ?

Personally if I felt I HAD to, I'd skim read. Before that I'd ask Reddit, and before that I'd read a plot summary.

But luckily I don't have to read things I don't enjoy because I'm not in school, and I have no one to impress. (Although one of the Stormfire Archives was a bit of a slog)

I don’t read books I don’t like. Why would you? Not worth it to me.

I’d ask chat gpt to do me a detailed summary of each book with an emphasis on what I need to know and understand In order to read the next series. Honestly, that’s what I’d do.

I struggled massively with CC. Hated it until the second book. As a rule I don’t read what I don’t enjoy. I felt that same as you - and made myself power through for the sake of ACOTAR.
The world building was tedious and I found Bryce unlikeable for ages. I’m glad I did power through. But as I said - generally I cba with books I don’t enjoy.

I mean normally, yes of course, but the entire point of the OP’s post is that she needs to know what happens in these books to fully understand the next books in a series she really likes. Not the same thing as someone just trying to persevere with a standalone book they’re not enjoying.

Find YouTube reviews of the books that contain spoilers so you get the gist of the story without having to read them.