DNFs and Ratings

Recently I adapted the 50 page rule I hear so many people do when picking up a new book. The pages vary from person to person, but basically it’s the page we stop and stamp a big DNF (Did Not Finish) on a book, because we just couldn’t get into the plot/characters etc. I’m a DNF skimmer, when I give up on a book I skim the rest. I have a review policy of not reviewing books I did not finish, only because how can I review something I didn’t read, but I wander if maybe I should do something like a mini review, basically saying “Hey, I didn’t finish this one, because….” . I wonder what other bloggers take are on the DNF. Do you slug on even if you are bored, or annoyed with the story? Do you give popular books more of a chance than a obscure book? Do you have a page rule, and what page do you think is enough to have honestly given a book a chance? Do you review DNF, and if you do, how do review it?

I have a fascination with what people are marking as DNF. I see a post about a book someone gave up on, and immediately have to go to Goodreads to read the synopse, and see what the rating is, and read other reviews. Most of the time I want to read it even more. I guess it’s a shining example of ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity”. Am I the only one out there who does that? Which brings me the question, how much does a book rating factor into your decision to read a book? Have you ever been excited about a new release only to see the ratings poor, then lose interest in reading it? How much of your book buying decisions are based on blogger reviews, and are there certain bloggers who tend to have more clout?

I recently put aside Crescendo, and mentally stamped it with a DNF. This series is a very popular series right now, and though the story is good, I simply do not like the characters. I tried to give it more than 50 pages, and finally gave up around 120. As I said before I don’t review books I didn’t finish but I have so many things that I want to say about this series that I wanted to ask what is everyones take on a DNF book?