Hey, cuties. You may have noticed I'm not reviewing books as often as I did before, and there's a very good reason for that: I'm abandoning a lot. I'm not proud of it, but not ashamed either. I've been reading for a long time, which means I'm getting more critical. I don't feel the need to finish it if it's bad, and I won't waste my time writing about things I dislike when I can spend it in something potentially better.
As I thought about it, the more sense it made. I don't have the time I had before. I'm not the same person I was before, either. Be it fiction, non-fiction, comic, manga, or whatever, I still love books but can accept the fact that some times it's not meant to be. What started as a few books left behind became many more. Why? It could be any of the following answers or a mix of them:
1. Don't enjoy it: Sometimes it's just a matter of likes and dislikes. I might start reading a book expecting something, and I can get a different thing and still like it, but if it's too different then I won't keep going. It happens all the time, and not because the book is bad or I'm a hater, just because it's not the book for me and I'm not the reader the author wants. Sht happens.
2. Bad style/development/ideas/research/pace: Plain simple, if it's bad, I won't keep going. I started reviewing a series long ago but I gave up after several books with little progress. I can wait, I like slow, but there has to be something else to keep me going. Same for research. I don't like to brag, but I have a Master's, and while it's true that I don't know it all, I can find some information with ease if I want to (but I'm not a stalker). I can tell whether the author knows what they're writing about or no, or if they're biased, in short time, even if I'm not versed in the topic. I don't need to agree, but show me your reasons as if I was a 5 years old. That also applies to fiction, because I don't want endless descriptions and flourishes. Get. To. The point.
3. Toxic/Harmful content: I once abandoned a book because it was promoting rape. It was promoted as a dramatic and dark romance in an omegaverse setting with werewolves. I thought it would be the perfect recipe for a character breaking free from a hierarchical society, but the author was glorifying repeated rape, mental, emotional, and physical abuse, and tried to tell me the main character liked it? Hell no. I like dominance, I love characters who take charge and those who submit because they love it, but abusive relationships are just a no. The author was cynical enough to say "too hot for Amazon" after it was banned. No, bitch, shut the fuck up and leave the keyboard.
4. Due to respect: I recently abandoned a book because of historical inaccuracies (in addition to bad research ergo #2). I expected better coming from an author that I've read and loved already, but I couldn't handle those mistakes. However, I didn't want to impact in a negative way the efforts of so many people, also knowing that it's a book that could help many readers. A friend has it now, and he's liking it, and that's great, but I didn't want to tell people I hated it. If they like a book, love it, find it useful, that's great! It just didn't do it for me.
There are a few books I read in the past and I hated them, and was honest about it and how disenchanted I felt afterwards, but that I'd like to revisit to challenge my view. I do believe that sometimes you're not ready for certain readings because you're either too young or inexperienced, so I'm always leaving the door open for those I leave behind (few exceptions, like that infamous omega-shit).
What about you? How do you decide to abandon a book? Does any of these apply to you? Let me know in the comments!
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