Do you feel guilty if you don't finish reading a book?

Mariar3 · Post by **Mariar3** » 20 Jul 2015, 21:07

I don't feel guilty for not finishing books if I really didn't like them but I do feel guilty in giving away books that I never finished reading. I always try to take another crack at it but I never actually finish them. Hopefully the person who receives them after me will enjoy them more.

missbookworm · Post by **missbookworm** » 21 Jul 2015, 16:36

I don't feel guilty, really. Sometimes I'll want to read it again, just to finish it, through there are books that I haven't finished that I don't wonder how it ended.

Jebrower · Post by **Jebrower** » 06 Sep 2015, 23:10

In my case, I usually just drag myself through a book even if it is bad. Unless, of course, it is so awful that it bores me to my core, is appalling to read, or has me falling asleep a few words in, then I will throw that book out of my sights with no remorse.

rssllue · Post by **rssllue** » 07 Sep 2015, 01:09

If it is bad enough to make me stop reading, then I do not feel guilty about it at all.

gali · Post by **gali** » 07 Sep 2015, 01:35

rssllue wrote:If it is bad enough to make me stop reading, then I do not feel guilty about it at all.

Ditto!

Gravy · Post by **Gravy** » 07 Sep 2015, 02:15

gali wrote:
rssllue wrote:If it is bad enough to make me stop reading, then I do not feel guilty about it at all.
Ditto!

What they said!

The thing most likely to keep me from finishing a book is unbelievable characters, I can't stand it.

Giorgia Scribellito · Post by **Giorgia Scribellito** » 07 Sep 2015, 03:24

If I am reading a book I am not particularly fond of, I usually put it aside and finish it after a while. I try to finish all the books I start reading because I think that each book is worthwhile

litmonster · Post by **litmonster** » 07 Sep 2015, 12:24

Yes...absurdly guilty in fact. It took many years, and fighting my way through a couple of truly horribly written books, that I finally told myself it was time to stop finishing *every* book, especially the ones I wasn't enjoying. Part of it is my OCD, the other part I couldn't really explain, but there is still a certain feeling of guilt and heaviness when I don't finish a book. Also, after an article I read once about how you will never read all the books in the world that you want to in a lifetime, it became very depressing and I decided it's better to focus on the books I enjoy and want to read to ones that I'm reading just to check them off my list.

Hannah Miller · Post by **Hannah Miller** » 07 Sep 2015, 13:10

I've left many books by the wayside in my time. Some of them I couldn't get into and others were laid aside to be finished later (later still hasn't happened). For the books I've always meant to read but put down because lack of time or what have you, I certainly feel guilty. Especially if its a really good book and I get well into it only to put it down for a awhile, pick it back up and realize I have to start all over again!

RockStedy · Post by **RockStedy** » 07 Sep 2015, 13:17

I think if you're going to be a book reviewer then you should finish it even its beyond painful and headache changing to do so. And sometimes its not a matter of guilt sometimes you generally know how the story will end and forgo the last couple of chapters to save time.

Tilly328 · Post by **Tilly328** » 07 Sep 2015, 14:16

I don't feel guilty at all! Even as a reviewer. I think it's important to give a book a good chance and at least see where the story is going. I generally at least read the first third of the book and if I'm still completely uninterested in where the story is going then I think that speaks volumes about how the book is going. If I'm not sucked in, I'll put it aside. I've also had it happen that I put a book down and then have people tell me that it's completely worth finishing in which case I will give it another try. But, at the end of the day, I read a lot of books so if I find that a book isn't grabbing my attention, I will move on to another that will.

timmetivier · Post by **timmetivier** » 07 Sep 2015, 23:37

Depends how long it is. Short books (<300 pages) I'll probably stick out to the end unless they're really bad. Long books can and will get discarded if the writing style is bad or the plot isn't going anywhere.

Shadogirl · Post by **Shadogirl** » 08 Sep 2015, 01:47

I do! I HAVE to finish though, it drives me crazy if i don't

Nishan Dass · Post by **Nishan Dass** » 08 Sep 2015, 05:59

No, i dont. I know whenever i'll be free, I will definitely complete it

Divya agarwal · Post by **Divya agarwal** » 08 Sep 2015, 08:30

When i am in mid of reading a particular book which is good,but another book seeming to hold more interest catches my eyes,i find myself in the real dilemma.At that point i feel guilty for leaving the former book unfinished.