DNF
Did. Not. Finish.
3 simple words that can mean oh so much.
Before I started blogging, I never used these words in connection to my reading. Believe it or not, before blogging, I finished EVERY book I ever started. Meaning, if I read more then a chapter, I read every chapter.
Since I've started blogging my 'stats' have done down a little. What that means is that in the past 4 years I can count on one hand the number of books I've started but haven't finished.
1 was for a tour - it wasn't a book I liked at all and it was actually really really hard for me to pick it up each day. But I did! Until I ran out of time and had to pass it on to the next blogger. I even considered buying it (even though I really REALLY didn't like it) and I think I even had it added to my Amazon cart before logic kicked in and stopped me from paying almost $30 for a guilt trip.
1 got lost in my house for a bit. By the time I remembered it, I also remembered I added it to a recent library donation bag and it was long gone. By the time I remembered to buy another copy...I couldn't remember what the book was!
3 are sitting in my house in a neat little pile. I put them down for various reasons - book marks in place. And even though they aren't my favorite - they will be finished soon.
And...that's it!
Some might argue that these are all DNF books. And I guess, technically they are. But for me, it's not that simple. With each of these 5 books, there was always the intent to finish. Time, money, forgetfulness and laziness don't count. At no time, with these 5, or with any book I've read did I make the conscience decision to STOP READING AND NEVER FINISH.
Can you see the difference?
I know bloggers, and readers who DNF books all the time. Everyone has their own reasons. I mean, there are only so many hours in a day we can spend reading. Shouldn't we be more careful about how we spend that time?
Until recently I thought I was doing a really good job managing this precious time. I know what I like, I know what I don't like. I trust some people's opinions I don't trust others. I'm careful about what I read. I'm really good at knowing my own mind and I'm really good at knowing when a book isn't going to appeal to me.
But. BUT!
There are so so many books out there and they are coming at me from so many different directions. Publishers and authors asking me to review, BEA and all it's overwhelming glory, NetGalley making it so easy, Goodreads and the virtually limitless access to information and possible wishlists.
Am I still careful? I like to think I am.
But you know what?
I make mistakes! I say 'yes' to a review only to actually start reading the book and ask, 'what was I thinking!'. I pick up a book at BEA because everyone is so excited about it only to bring it home, take a really good look at it and know it's just not for me. I hit that Request button only to regret it the moment the 'You have been approved' email comes back from NetGalley.
Why do I do these things? Because I'm human and I make mistakes and as careful as I am and as careful as I strive to be I will never be perfect.
And what this really boils down to is the fact that I've been spending my time reading...and not always enjoying it. Reading is not a chore. It's source of happiness and goodness in my life.
And you know what?
It's finally happened.
I've been reading a book for the past week or so. My first clue that I wasn't loving it was the fact that it was taking me so long to finish. But I kept reading. I took some notes, I wrote down some thoughts for a review.
And then, the other night I just couldn't do it anymore. I was in the middle of a sentence and I just stopped. And I put the book down and I knew I would never pick it up again.
I didn't consider it beforehand. I didn't weight the pros and cons of the book in my head before coming to the decision that it wasn't for me and I needed to spend my time on something else.
I simply stopped reading.
And I walked away.
I knew it was a DNF book and it was a little terrifying What does this mean for me? Why did I give up so easy? Why can't I just MAKE myself finish this book?
It took me a while to figure it all out but you know what? I didn't fail at anything.
I made the choice to read a book and I made a choice to stop reading a book. It's really as simple as that.
Am I a worse person for it? No.
Have I shamed myself in the eyes of this book's publisher? No.
Have I tarnished my 'good name' by not posting a review of this book? No.
I've done nothing wrong and I have no reason to feel guilty. I didn't request the book (from NetGalley) knowing I wasn't going to read it. I would hope no one would do that. I did intend to do read and review it and I tried my best and now I'm done. I haven't hurt anyone. I won't be posting about the book and I will let the publisher know why.
And I'm done with it.
And I feel ok.
Will this happen again? I'm not going to plan for it but perhaps it may.
What I have done is open myself up to the possibility of having 'on my record' DNF books. It happened once and it could happen again if it does all will still be right with the world.
I would love to hear your thoughts on DNF books and what they mean to you.
Thank you all for listening :)
Monday, February 18, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
NetGalley January Review Link-Up Winner!
January's Review Link-Up Winner is
for their review of Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
Congratulations!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you a NetGalley member?
It isn't too late to join in the fun.
Sign up for my NetGalley Reading Challenge,
link up your reviews each month and enter for a change to win $20 in books :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Book Birthday Tuesday (14)
It's late Tuesday (but still Tuesday ;) and that means BOOK BIRTHDAYS!
Happy Release Day Everyone!!
NEW
CONTINUING SERIES
How many are you adding to your selves this week?
Monday, February 11, 2013
Book Review: And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky
"Very much a not for me but maybe for you book"
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: July 2011
Pages: 254
Series: standalone
Format: ARC
Acquisition: borrowed
Synopsis:
Keek’s life was totally perfect….Keek and her boyfriend just had their Worst Fight Ever; her best friend heinously betrayed her; her parents are divorcing; and her mom’s across the country caring for her newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. To top it all off, Keek’s got the plague. (Well, the chicken pox.) Now she’s holed up at her grandmother’s technologically barren house until further notice. Not quite the summer vacation Keek had in mind.With only an old typewriter and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for solace and guidance, Keek’s alone with her swirling thoughts. But one thing’s clear through her feverish haze—she’s got to figure out why things went wrong so she can make them right.(from Goodreads)
Overall Feelings:
Meh…
My Thoughts:
One thing that really made it hard for me to love this book was the fact that I really really didn't like Keek (short for Karina…?). Granted, she is having a pretty terrible summer but compared to some people in her immediate circle? Her problems aren't all that bad. The 'fights' she is having with her BFF and BF respectfully don't seem to add up to much. She's really sick but her grandmother is doing a fabulous job taking care of her and her parents? She does nothing to hold them accountable for their actions - she rather just whine about it all.
Another aspect of the story that didn't jive with me was Keek's obsession with The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I've never read this book, never wanted to and after reading And Then Things Fall Apart I really didn't want to. Keek quotes a ginormous amount of the book in her daily typewriter ramblings. Page after page of The Bell Jar this and The Bell Jar that and this reminds me of that time in the The Bell Jar.
I will own up to the fact that this connection Arlaina makes with Plath might be totally lost on me from a literary perspective. Keek's musings are obnoxious but they are also deep insights straight into the heart of who she is, much like Plath's are.
A final last point that I just flat out didn’t like was the sexual aspects of the book. I have no problem with sex in YA but I just didn't like Keek's sexuality. I know that's a strange thing to say but I don't know how else to explain it. I mean, she's only 15 and if her words are to be believed, she thinks about sex like 100% more then I ever did at that age. It was off putting at times.
And Then Things Fall Apart is very much written in diary type entries and narratives such as these aren't usually my favorite. I think in the end this it what really did it for me.
Very much a not for me but maybe for you book!
Rating:
3 / 5 Stars
Sunday, February 10, 2013
$20 in books - last change to enter!
NetGalley Challenge Participants
Tomorrow, Monday February 11th is your last change to enter my giveaway for $20 worth of books!
Entering is easy (and fun :)
**Sign Up for my 2013 NetGalley Reading Challenge HERE
**Link up a NetGalley title you reviewed in January HERE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All posted links that fit the criteria (be sure to read the entire post) will be entered.
$20 Amazon gift card for US folks
OR
$20 worth of books from The Book Depository for International
The winner will be picked and contacted on Tuesday, February 12th and will have 72 hours to reply before a new winner is picked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Didn't review any NetGalley books in January? No problem!
I'll be holding a contest EVERY MONTH for NetGalley Challege Participants!
February's Review Link Up is HERE
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Happy NetGalley Reading Everyone!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)