Goodreads Malaysia discussion

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted anything in this group.

I wanted to know your DNF (Did Not Finish) practices.

- When do you DNF a book ?
- Is there a different practice for Physical books / Ebooks / Audiobooks ?
- What about if you own /bought the books ?
- Do you still review the books after DNF ?
- What's the shortest / longest number of pages/chapters covered before DNF-ing ?
- What do you do to (bought/owned) DNF books ?
- Is there any guilt for DNF-ing a book ?
- Do you give second chances to your DNF books ?

My Answers:
- When do you DNF a book ?
When I can no longer force myself to read the book anymore especially when the story and none of the protagonist in the book is remotely intriguing. When the reading turns to chore, time to settle a score!!

- Is there a different practice for Physical books / Ebooks / Audiobooks ?
Yes of course, I'm more hesitant to DNF physical books compare to Ebooks/Audiobooks.
I tend to chunk Ebooks/Audiobooks, if the first chapter is already a bore

- What about if you own /bought the books ?
Bought/Own books is painful DNF for me because I tend to spend a lot of money on physical books and it breaks my heart to DNF it

- Do you still review the books after DNF ?
Depends on my pages/chapters covered, If I've covered nearly half the book, then yes a honest brutal review is due
If I hardly covered the book beyond 2 chapters - No, maybe with just a one line reasoning

- What's the shortest / longest number of pages/chapters covered before DNF-ing ?
200 pages++ - I just didn't know what the story is about after reading for so long
2 pages - this one I didn't like how the author was trying to justify rape as "rough-romance"

- What do you do to (bought/owned) DNF books ?
I try to sell it or give my family members. Sometimes I donate

- Is there any guilt for DNF-ing a book ?
Always, especially when I feel like I didn't give enough time for the story to ferment enough. I often try to justify if both the story AND the protagonist is no long intriguing only then I will be more content to drop it.

- Do you give second chances to your DNF books ?
Depends, If either the story or the protagonist was interesting, then yes I will try (especially if its a physically owned books)

Please share your experience :)

Hey Deviki

Same here. Been a very long time since I last post anything even on own wall. Just read and go. Too lazy to write a review or putting a read date lol

How I DNF a book:

I rarely DNF book. I’m still stuck with the idea of reading from cover to cover, thanks to the school. Even after watching youtubers on how they read books, DNF-ing books etc. I still can’t fully be happy about not finishing a book.

With audiobooks, set the speed to 1.5x and play games or making it as a background noise. I. Can’t. DNF. A. Book. Lol

After reading around 50 pages I'll decided whether to DNF. The figure should be lower but yeah.

Before I buy a book, I’ll read tons of review and if it still doesn’t work, I donate the book(s) to my office’s library. Seeing 40 bucks gone just like that, pain. But that’s okay. If I keep it, there are 1200% chances I'm going to read it.

For book I DNF, even if I read past 50% or even finish it, I don’t review. Just forget I read it. No clicking "read" on GR no DNF Folder whatever. So, there will be a chance in the future that the books will be picked up and read again and hated again haha…maybe the second time I read it, I will like it. Who knows! But the time wasted..yeah

Guilt…I try to look at it in a different way now. It’s okay to put it down and read something else. Like a mantra I tell myself if I read something I don’t like

Bo wrote: "Hey Deviki

Same here. Been a very long time since I last post anything even on own wall. Just read and go. Too lazy to write a review or putting a read date lol

How I DNF a book:

I rarely DNF bo..."

Hey Bo,

I totally get what you say. Sometimes I hesitate to review a book that I reluctantly DNF, because I'm not sure if the book had more to offer the deeper you go or it's going to be bad overall.

I used to push myself to read until the end, sometimes it pays off but most of the time it does not.

I guess it doesn't matter anymore since all my reading reviews and rating is deleted from my account by accident. So whatever I DNF is gone for ever :(

Hye Deviki,

As for me, I still write a review but changed it into reviewing a chapter. I believe not everyone buy a book to read the whole. Sometimes, I just want to read few chapters from the book.

Rahmah wrote: "Hye Deviki,

As for me, I still write a review but changed it into reviewing a chapter. I believe not everyone buy a book to read the whole. Sometimes, I just want to read few chapters from the book."

Oh that's an interesting take :)

Do you ever go back or give a second chance to books you've DNF ?

Yes, I do. Whenever I feel like, I reread the DNF. Every book has something for us, as long as we want to see them. So, I believe.

Rahmah wrote: "Yes, I do. Whenever I feel like, I reread the DNF. Every book has something for us, as long as we want to see them. So, I believe."

Me too but I will take my own time to get back at it though :)

Hey Deviki,

- When do you DNF a book ?
When I found that book is boring or feel like I want to skip chapters etc. then I'll DNF.

- Is there a different practice for Physical books / Ebooks / Audiobooks ?
Nope, I DNF when Im no longer interested to read that book. Most of my books from library, libby app and KU so its easier to find new books.

- What about if you own /bought the books ?
I DNF as well but resell or donate that books. I've got quite collection of physical books on myself that I loved, if I dont like or DNF i just let it go.

- Do you still review the books after DNF ?
Yes, this is for my personal record so I wont buy another same book.

- What's the shortest / longest number of pages/chapters covered before DNF-ing ?
Shortest - aprroximately 20% of the book
Longest - 70%


- What do you do to (bought/owned) DNF books ?
I just sell the physical books, for an ebook just let it be in my boox.

- Is there any guilt for DNF-ing a book?
Nope, life is short to read a boring book, there are tonnes of other books that I want to check out!

- Do you give second chances to your DNF books ?
Sometimes, buy mostly nope.

Idayu wrote: "Hey Deviki,

- When do you DNF a book ?
When I found that book is boring or feel like I want to skip chapters etc. then I'll DNF.

- Is there a different practice for Physical books / Ebooks / Audi..."

Thank you for sharing your DNF Dilemmas hehe
Back when I was hitting my book buying budget, DNF-ing book was painful LOL because I often felt like I wasted my money on the book, because if I can't resell it back means I don't have the money to buy new book again and I have to wait until I have saved enough to go book shopping :)

Now, I don't worry about DNF-ing book as much ....although I try not to DNF physical books too often.