Books I Abandoned - 1st Quarter 2010

I thought about doing this at one point but didn't think anyone would want to read about the books I didn't like and didn't finish.  Then I saw A Striped Armchair's post, and it was so interesting!  Mine won't be as detailed as to why I didn't like the book, because I didn't keep notes like she did, nor did I write down what page I stopped on, but I think I'll start doing that in the future.

Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life ~ Anne Lamott
I loved her book Operating Instructions where she wrote about giving birth to and raising her son on her own.  I did the same thing so I was able to relate.  Then I read Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith.  It was okay but I didn't love it.  In Bird by Bird, I don't remember exactly what I didn't like about it, only that it bored me.

Sunflowers ~ Sheramy Bundrick
My lack of imagination came in to play once again.  Instead of reading this novel to satisfy my curiosity about Van Gogh, I should have read a biography.  Duh.  Just couldn't get into it. 

How I Became a Famous Novelist ~ Steve Hely
Heard how funny this book was, but it just wasn't my kind of book.  So now I know I have no sense of humor and no imagination.  lol

Beautiful Creatures ~ Kami Garcia
Enter no imagination comment here.

Remarkable Creatures ~ Tracy Chevalier
Ditto

Web of Secrets ~ Ernesto Patino
A little more realistic for me than fantasy books, but still not enough for my taste, and the writing was too clumsy and amateur-ish for me.

The Midwife ~ Jennifer Worth
I read 137 pages, tried to like it because it's a memoir, and I love memoirs, but the author tried to make it too novel-like instead of telling more about the actual births she attended as a midwife.  Didn't hold my attention.

Let me tell you, I don't give up easily on books.  I don't read 20 or 50 pages and say, "Eh, not my style."  I read at least 80 pages, sometimes over 100 pages before I finally throw in the towel.  If I'm not feeling it after 100 pages, though, chances are it's not going to happen, and I have too many books on my tbr list to waste my time.  I do remember reading 70-something pages of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, finally getting into it at that point, and was so glad I didn't give up.

What about you?  Do you feel guilty abandoning a book?  Do you want to like a book so much because everyone else loved it or because the cover is so beautiful that you force yourself to finish it?  Or are you old like me (ha ha!) and figure you only have so much time in this world so why waste your time reading a book that just isn't your style?  Have you read a book you couldn't get into, pressed on and were glad you did?