Are you the type of person to push through or put down a book? What is your criteria for a DNF? Do you ever pick up previously DNF’d books later? I’ve been thinking about this topic lately. Authors spend so much time, energy, and money on their books. If I start a story that doesn’t vibe with me, I have such a hard time deciding to put it down indefinitely, feeling guilty that I’m not respecting their hard work. But why? There are so many books out there. I don’t have an obligation to continue dedicating my time to something that doesn’t bring me joy, right?

Let’s talk about the reasons why I would decide to stop reading. First of all, DNF’ing on a KU book is so much easier than print. There are many times I start a KU book and put it down because it’s just not something I want to get into right now or it’s in a format that doesn’t vibe with me. I have a hard time with third person. My preference is first person, multi-POV because I like being able to closely connect with the characters; get inside their heads, especially male characters. After reading so many first person, third person seems impersonal and removed. So when it comes to KU, I will DNF a third person book pretty easily. Print, though, I will give it a shot. Some authors write in third person so masterfully that it almost seems like first person. There are subtle shifts in wording that make you feel like you’re in the character’s point of view, even though they aren’t using “I” statements.

Repetition is another turn off for me. We get it, you don’t deserve her. You have a sordid past. You can’t control your monster. And so on. There have been whole series where I’m several books in and I just can’t do it anymore. It’s such a bummer when this happens because you wonder why the author feels the need to repeat a certain point ad nauseam when they could have made up any number of different plot points, emotions, or thoughts for the character. Or, I don’t know, make the book shorter! There’s something elegant about a novella that doesn’t waste a word.

My favorite moment is when I pick up a book that originally DNF’d and I end up falling in love with it. At the time when I put it down, it just wasn’t vibing with my current mood or moment. But later, it’s everything I need and more. The best example of this is The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy. When I first read Gild, I ended up putting it down part way through. However, when I gave it a second shot, this series changed my life. I am absolutely obsessed with this series. It’s exciting, funning, sexy, and incites absolutely incredible visuals. It will rip your heart out and turn you into a sobbing mess, but honestly, I think that’s one of the qualities of a 5-star rating. You best believe that I will be posting on here after I read the final book that comes out close to the end of 2023.

Anyway, I would love to hear if any of you DNF or push through books. What is you reasoning for putting a book down? Do you give them a second shot? Comment below!