Anyone who reads has, I am sure, reader pet peeves or those things that makes us reduce a rating or mark a book DNF. Today’s question asks us to look at some of the reasons we might not finish a book. Or in my case, just things that are my petty reader petty pet peeves.
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I’m not sure I can say all of these things would be reasons I wouldn’t finish a book, but they are things that, through the years, are unattractive. Plus, as I am trying to teach myself marking a book DNF is actually a good thing, maybe writing these down will help. Some are more serious than others. Then there are others that are perhaps, petty, but overall, they’re things that could inspire me to give up reading a book.
5 PETTY READER PET PEEVES THAT MAY LEAD to DNF
CONVENIENT CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions that happen just to kind of appease the rule of a genre sort of annoys me. It happened in a novel I read last year that I was loving up until that point. And believe me, I’m as big a fan of this genre as anyone, but if it doesn’t really “work” with the story, well, I think it’s unnecessary to add if it doesn’t feel like it fits the story. If it does, well, that’s another story.
EXCESSIVE PROFANITY
Perhaps the only “big” thing that will inspire me to set a book aside. Too much profanity has been something that will inspire me to give up reading a book. It’s something that bugs me because it just feels like it’s there because the genre “allows” for it or the world “demands” it or somehow a story won’t work if it doesn’t lean into that. It’s almost as if publishers or authors or editors or whoever thinks it’s good feels like it has to be there for the story to be wanted.
FIVE OF MY READER PET PEEVES THAT MAY LEAD TO A DNF RESULT. Talking some reasons I may DNF a book! What are some of your reasons? #Reader #Readers #Reading #TopTenList #TopTenTuesday #BookList Click To Tweet
MIDDLING STORIES
I’ll confess I’m not the best at DNF-ing books because it feels like “giving up” and I think, in my life, that’s something I try not to do. But, when it comes to reading, it should be enjoyable, and so I’ve worked to teach myself that DNF-ing some books is good. I had one a year or so ago that was fine, I just wasn’t loving it or “feeling” much for it and so it sits on my stack of books. And I haven’t finished it. Will I? Perhaps, but in all likelihood next time I sort through my books, I’ll put it in a sell or donate box. I think that’s the better option. Of course, what makes a story meh or so-so is also subject to the preference of every reader. It’s not something universal.
OVERUSE of NICKNAMES
No matter how endearing they are, overuse of nicknames does get a little bit old.
OVERUSE of REGIONAL TERMS
Not sure this one is making any sense, but I’ve read books (long ago) in the past that overuse terms that are popular for the setting, terms like “y’all” or as we Midwesterners overuse, “guys.” It’s cute in some regards because it leans into the setting, which you can respect, but at the same time, overuse of something makes it less cute.
What reader petty pet peeves do you have? Which of these would make one of your reasons to DNF a book list? Which things would make your list? Comment all of your thoughts below. Let’s talk about all of the things that make you DNF.
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Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl April 30: Petty Reasons You’ve DNF’d a Book (Or reduced its rating. You don’t even have to say what the book was if you don’t want to!)
Excessive profanity is on my list, too. I don’t like hearing it especially and since I listen to audiobooks it adds to my discomfort.
I know it’s how people talk, or that’s maybe the idea, but I think most of the time, it’s just “there” because it can be or because an author thinks it’s necessary. In reality, it loses its impact when it’s overused. Thanks for visiting, as always, Anne!
A great list! Swearing gets to me. I have to admit that I’ve only DNF 1 book. I tend to get through to the end. There are only 2 other books that I regret getting to the end of 😂
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2024/04/30/top-ten-tuesday-books-series-i-didnt-want-to-end/
Yeah, it’s just not my thing. I think for the most part it just “feels” like its unnecessary, and anything in excess kind of loses value or its impact. :) Thanks for visiting, Emily!
Would agree, too much regional dialect takes me out of the story.
My TTT
, https://seriesbooklover.wordpress.com/2024/04/30/top-ten-tuesday-petty-reasons-ive-dnfd-a-book/
Right? It can be cute, but not in excess. :) Thanks for visiting, Anita.
These all make sense to me!
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Good to know! :) Thanks, Lydia.
Yes to overuse of nicknames! That sort of thing drives me batty.
Right? It’s cute but only when used well. :) Thanks for stopping by, Erin.
I agree with regional terms, I’m not American, so most of the time, I don’t know the terms and it’s a pain to Google the meaning.
I also don’t enjoy, when they are a lot of current pop culture, specially micro trends
I like pop culture references (mostly) but like anything I think they 100% can be overused, and the overuse makes a read more obviously outdated if we read something that’s older. Thanks so much for visiting!! :)
Yes to dnf’ing middling stories, life is too short and imagine all the amazing stories we’d be missing out on if we keep finishing all the middling ones! (Obviously this is super subjective to each person but I’m here for reading what makes you happy)!
This one is super subjective. I agree. :) But that’s what makes the many genres and authors so great because we can all find those books we love and aren’t middling reads for us!! :) Thanks so much for visiting.
Excessive profanity gets me too
Definitely something I find annoying! :) Thanks for visiting, Felice.
In general, I don’t mind the regional flair. There are times I’ll pick up a book set in the southern US because I’m missing home and enjoy seeing it there. On the flip side, I just finished reading a book set in Paris that sprinkled a bit too much French flair. While I did finish the book and enjoyed it quite a bit, the extra French-ness(??) bothered me.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/reasons-why-ive-stopped-reading-a-book/
I don’t mind some regional elements, too. It’s just sometimes, mostly the language or terms, that can be a bit overmuch. I read some years ago that fell into this, and while I like a certain amount (and I think it can be cute), I just don’t like it overplayed. How fun that you find it cool to read books set in the south because it’s home. :) Thanks for visiting!
Graphic anything (language, violence, sex) is on my list, too. I am currently reading a book with tons of swearing, but I like the author so I deal…LOL
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I probably too deal with things if it’s from a favorite author. There’s just SO much sometimes in books nowadays. I prefer STORY over “rated” content so I think sometimes the latter can bog down a book and somehow make it less good than it would be minus some of the graphic content. Glad I’m not alone in disliking this. :)
Convenient conclusions annoy me so much! It’s especially bad because you’ve enjoyed the whole book and then get to the end and it sucks and you feel like you’d been lied to the whole time!
Excessive swearing doesn’t bother me, but then I’m not sure if I have a different definition of excessive? How much is too much? I haven’t come across a book where it’s been too much for me yet, but I’m curious if I have a limit! However, I’d say for me so far, it’s not the swearing itself that’s an issue, but if there’s a lot of unnecessary swearing, or if it doesn’t feel authentic to the characters and story and just there for shock value.
I suspect many of the books I read people would say have convenient conclusions since I read a lot of romance. But that’s also what you expect going in. I read a mystery a while back and there was this “romance” kind of tacked on in the end that just didn’t fit with the rest of the book. I do agree with you, it’s worse when it’s so close to the end!
Re: swearing, SO well put. I agree. It can be there and “make sense” or work for the story in that moment, but YES! It’s often (what I find) there for shock value or “just because” the genre allows for it (meaning you typically don’t find swearing in an inspirational or religious work of fiction but do in secular where they seem to encourage it). Really enjoyed your thoughts on this!
Your last one reminds me of a book I was listening to today, trying to decide if I was going to DNF or not. It kept saying because we live in city, state, blah blah blah. I can’t forget where the story is located because they told me a million times and I was only half way through. Then I turned the speed I was listening to faster, and finally, I was just done. I wanted to love the book, I just couldn’t. That one only a minor thing bothering me, their were other things as well.
I know the feeling, Cindy. Sometimes a book just doesn’t work and that’s ok, but when we have such high expectations, it’s disappointing. Now I just need to continue to teach myself to “let go” of the book if it’s not one for me. :)
I agree with you about excessive profanity. It’s just unnecessary.
100%, yes! Usually it serves no point outside of because the genre “likes it.” :)
Great list, Rissi! I don’t mind a reasonable amount of cursing in a book (when it’s appropriate), but just like anything else, anything that gets overused gets on my nerves quickly. And while I don’t mind regional jargon in areas I’m familiar with, it’s difficult to parse in areas I’m not familiar with, such as certain regions of America or other countries, and since it tends to be slang only used in specific areas, it’s hard to look it up and get a definition. It’s so frustrating and takes me out of a book. Thanks for being patient with my super late response while I’ve been recovering from a shoulder surgery.
I hope you’re feeling all better, Leah and recovering well. It’s always tough when you’re feeling under the weather. :)
I don’t mind a reasonable amount of (almost) anything in novels. It’s just like you say, when its overused, it gets annoying. I think for some things too it lessens the impact. Appreciate your thoughts as always. :)