I ran across this quote taped up in my B&N awhile ago and it really got me thinking. At the time I was reading something that wasn't really keeping my interest and overall a huge disappointment. After a lot of internal debate I almost set it aside for good, As of today, I wish I had.
Part of my book addiction stems from the feeling I get when I finish a book. When I close the cover I feel triumphant, as if I've conquered that world and trudged through all of the obstacles right alongside the hero. When I finish a series, the sense of accomplishment is even greater. Stories, whether I'm reading, watching, or writing, are a way for me to escape the mundaneness of day to day life. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE my happy little life. But for me, books are a portal to another time, another realm, where anything is possible. Stories help to tame my adventurous spirit and my wanderlust, without the cost of plane tickets or a time machine.
But what if a book isn't doing that for me? What if the writing is sub-par or the characters are annoying? Should I just give up all the time and commitment I've already invested in it? Not to mention the hard earned money I paid for it. A lot of times, I'm reading ARCs for other authors and committed to finishing and reviewing the book. What's worse, is a boring book will take me much longer to finish.
My question is, when is it okay to abandon a book? Taking in all the factors of money you paid and any commitments you verbally made to it, where is the line. I'd hate to buy a beautiful book, hate it, but have it sit on my shelf unfinished. It feels like giving up before the race is over. Before the battle is won.
But what if a book isn't doing that for me? What if the writing is sub-par or the characters are annoying? Should I just give up all the time and commitment I've already invested in it? Not to mention the hard earned money I paid for it. A lot of times, I'm reading ARCs for other authors and committed to finishing and reviewing the book. What's worse, is a boring book will take me much longer to finish.
My question is, when is it okay to abandon a book? Taking in all the factors of money you paid and any commitments you verbally made to it, where is the line. I'd hate to buy a beautiful book, hate it, but have it sit on my shelf unfinished. It feels like giving up before the race is over. Before the battle is won.
What's worse, is what if this book is part of a series? What if it's the second book in a series? You already own the first two, but the second one was so bad that you have no interest in the third. It may not seem like a big deal, but those gorgeous books are displayed on your shelf with a piece missing. That would never fly on Instagram. It's just not right!!
But what do you do? Do you waste money on a book you have no interest in reading, just for the sake of appearances? Do you really want to support an author that disappointed you? Do you leave that world unconqured and abandon the quest halfway through? And what about when the movies come out? Will you go see them? You can't just ignore a movie of a book that you read.
This is my struggle and it is real. Someone help me out. What's the right thing to do??
#booknerdproblems
