It’s the end of the year! Well almost. Enough that I’m just hoping to finish the 4 books I’m currently reading! But I wanted to talk about all the books I chose not to finish this year. This is specifically about books I put down and plan on not picking up again (so The Bear and the Nightingale will not be on this list!)
I’m pretty open about how I DNF books, because I don’t want to waste my time and be disappointed that I spent time reading something I didn’t like. But there’s always a part of me that wonders if I should’ve given it a bigger chance.
So I’m handing it over to all of you! I’ll list out the 7 (or 8?) books that I DNF’ed this year, and you guys can let me know if I should pick any of these back up!

- The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
I was listening to the audiobook of this and got 60% in. I found I was just bored, and realized the “smart house” plot was not the source of the thriller aspect.

2. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
Yeah you read that right. I’m just going to hide behind a couch now! This one could be because I genuinely wasn’t interested in the story anymore, or because I burned myself out of Clare’s book this year. I read the last two books in the Infernal Devices trilogy right before this one. Then I got 100 pages into this book, was so incredibly bored that I read the plot online lol. Is it worth it to try to pick up again??

3. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon
Honestly I don’t know what happened with this one. I started it, realized I didn’t remember ANY of The Bone Season, so I decided to reread that. Then the writing style just start to feel like a cheese grater against my skin. I couldn’t do it for some reason, so I DNF’ed it. I would potentially pick this back up, but I’m afraid.

4. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Honestly, I’m not surprised by this one. I’m not a historical fiction reader, unless it’s in a fantasy setting. I had hopes this book would be similar to Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, but it wasn’t. It felt like walking through molasses and I couldn’t do it. I heard it’s very atmospheric, but I wouldn’t know.

5. The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
I thought this book was going to be MY book. It sounded so good with a mystery and an opera. But I couldn’t get over the lack of quotes. But honestly the tipping point to me was that an opera singer was smoking a cigar. I read that line, and noped out. But I’m wondering if I left too early?

6. Wolf in White Van by Josh Darinelle
So I’ll admit I DNF’ed this book at 50 pages, but in a like 200 page book, 50 pages is a considerable amount. But nothing interesting was happened, and I wasn’t jiving with the writing style. I looked at the ratings on Goodreads as well, and everyone seemed to hate it so that also swayed my decision.

7. The Fireman by Joe Hill
This again might be the case of wrong book, wrong time. But I fell asleep trying to read this book TWICE. Like I was full awake, read a few pages and fell asleep in the middle of the day. Which is kind of disappointing because I want to love Joe Hill. But I felt like falling asleep was a sign it isn’t for me. I have no idea.

8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This one isn’t official by any means! So before all my comments are saying I shouldn’t give up on this one, I haven’t yet. But I might. I’m on page 221, and I’m still kind of bored. I’ve complained many times about my feelings on it, so I feel like I don’t need to mention anything. But yeah in the next few week, this could easily turn into a finished or a DNF.
Ohh, give City Of Heavenly Fire another try please!! I loved the entire series so much!
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I’ll definitely try! I think I’ll try the audiobook route!
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I’m going to be “that guy” and ask you to please keep on with The Name of the Wind lol
There are definitely some parts that drag a little (especially toward the beginning) but I’ve found it to be one of my favourite fantasy fiction novels (and that’s pretty much the genre I stick to). It may not be my absolute favourite but it’s definitely worth finishing, IMO. I also loved The Wise Man’s Fear and the companion novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things.
I hope you continue on with it 🙂
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I’m planning to (at least at this point lol) my goal is to get to page 300! I’ve heard this beginning is slow so I’m trying to give it some time but my goal is to read the next 80 pages this month!
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I really hope you end up loving it 🙂
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Phew, I’m so relieved you specified that The Bear and the Nightingale was exempt from this list 😅😂 Though I’m not gonna lie – The Name of the Wind kind of hurt! Although I do think that if you’re not feeling it by page 221, it might just not be your type of thing… By then, I was already well in love, and the rest of the book actually continues in much the same style. But still, I’m kind of hoping you’ll give it another chance? 😁🙃
Also, how did you make it through the entire Mortal Instruments and then DNF the last book? Though I can kind of see how you might get tired of them after a while… They ARE rather repetitive. But I’m Shadowhunter trash anyway 😂
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I’m going to give The Name of the Wind until page 300 before i officially give up! I’m just trying to get through it lol!
I’m upset about the Mortal Instruments as well lol! I think it’s because i never really like the Infernal Devices but was told i had to read that first. So i preordered the last TMI book just to not read it for 5 years so it felt a little dated! But honestly i still consider myself shadow hunter trash city of glass is my favorite 😂
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Well, hopefully you’ll end up liking it more! 😉
And I guess that makes sense! I couldn’t imagine having to wait that long to read the finale 😂 And I think City of Glass might actually be my favorite TMI book, too!
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I hope so too! I think once i hit the magic school i will!!
Oh yeah it was devastating waiting so long!
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I am that type of person who, until this day have never read the Mortal Instruments by Cassy Claire hahaha, it just never appealed to me, even though I used to love Urban Fantasy when I was a teenager.
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Honestly i respect that haha!! I got into them in middle school as they were getting so i couldn’t not read them
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The Name of the Wind is the only book on your list that I’ve read and it’s one of my favourite books but I know it’s a quite big book and quite slow in lots of parts so isn’t for everyone. It was definitely one of those books that was sometimes hard to get through but when I finished it and thought back I loved it as a whole and was glad I’d stuck with it. Kinda how I felt about The Lies of Locke Lamora too – almost like the effort of reading them made them stick in my mind all the more.
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That actually makes me feel so much better!! I was happy with the first 50 pages of this books and now i feel like I’m stuck. I’m try to get to him being in school i think I’ll like it there. Also i want to read Locke Lakota so bad!
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Sometimes if I’m struggling with a book I know I want to finished I like to switch over to the audiobook of it if I can and sometimes listen to that sped up alongside the book – can help get through the slower parts. But yeah, try get to the school bit because when you get to that you’ll know whether or not you’ll like the rest of the book and The Wise Man’s Fear. There’s some good characters once he gets to the university.
And if you finish The Name of the Wind and like it, then I’d say there’s a good chance of liking Lock Lamora too.
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I thought about getting the audiobook for The Name of the Wind, but I’ve heard so many people say they didn’t like it so i got nervous lol. Yeah that’s my hope!! I love magic schools and that was my main reason for picking this book up. So i think that’s part of me being kind of bored currently
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Yeah, wasn’t my favourite audiobooks in terms of the narrator but wasn’t the worst I’ve listened to – did the job I guess.
I think for me, I loved the start with Kvothe travelling and performing with his family but didn’t like the Tarbean section as much so I was quite happy when it got to the university section and the host of characters that came with it.
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I couldn’t get into The Name of the Wind either, not sure I even made it to 100 pages when I tried. This year I gave up on The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson, the Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak and Nocturna by Maya Motayne.
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That makes me feel better!! I did enjoy The Hero of Ages but it was definitely a lot slower than the previous two. Also I don’t blame you on Nocturna I’ve heard quite a few people say it wasn’t their jam
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I wish I could DNF books. I honestly have the hardest time putting down books that I don’t enjoy to the point that the last time I DNFed was probably 6 years ago.
I understand you DNFing City of Heavenly Fire. By the time I had read it I was burned out from that series. As much as I will always read a Clare book that has Malec in it, the last three Mortal Instruments book were not that great in my opinion. I has also lost interest in the story. I think if you’ve read the plot outline online you’re good haha. – Amber
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I didn’t used to DNF books, but in May i read 18 books and half of them were 2/3 stars so i decided it was time lol.
Also yeah that’s kind of where I’m at. I got burnt out on Cassandra Clare, and the fact that the book was taking place in 2007/2008 was too much for me lol.
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Haha yeah I can see where that would get you to start DNFing. I really should. I read a lot of 2 star books this year that were not worth it.
Oh yeah that would be too much for me too lol. I forgot how long ago those books took place. I have a bunch of Clare books I’ve bought that are just sitting on my TBR. I keep telling myself to read them but I don’t think I ever will at this point.
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Lol yeah I feel that!
Yeah that’s how I was. I had like 6 Cassandra Clare books on my shelf, made it through 3 of them and then decided to unhaul the whole bunch to my middle school aged neighbor.
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Nice! I’ve been thinking about doing that. I’ll probably do it next year. I have a bunch of books I need to unhaul but I have the hardest time giving them up haha.
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Yeah i feel that!! I got rid of a lot when i moved cause it felt like the perfect time lol
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From what I remember, I really enjoyed City of Heavenly Fire but it is a while since I read it!! Maybe come back to it when you’ve had a bit of a break from Cassandra Clare books!
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Yeah i think i might! And I’m going to go the audiobook route i seem to like the narrators lol
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Great post! I am also finding The Name of the Wind painfully dull, and I think that Burial Rites is an immensely overrated book. I have given my copy to the charity.
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Woo! That makes me feel SO much better lol! The Name of the Wind i think is the most disappointing one for me lol
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Hey, at least you gave it a try with City of Heavenly Fire. That’s more than I managed. I was briefly intrigued by some blurbs and then I read some more and just…lost interest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Hahaha those books are definitely a lot! If you aren’t ready for one of the cliches they’re definitely not enjoyable
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