I’m borrowing the phrase, “Successfully DNF’d” from The Orangutan Librarian for this unpopular opinions post.

I’m linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday….but I’m substituting the prompt because I’ve recently discussed additions to my bookshelf in my Winter TBR post.

I prefer not to draw attention to the books that haven’t worked for me because no two persons read the same book, reading is a personal experience, and I don’t enjoy “yucking someone’s yum.” Yet, I have experienced more DNFs and underwhelming reads this year than usual, so it’s time to reveal my “outlier” badge. This does not mean that the following books are not good, they just did not match my reading tastes, and I’m easily bored and (too?) picky. One of these may have been your best book of the year.

You might enjoy this post: My Love/Hate Relationship with DNF.

Successfully DNF’d

Titles in this post are Amazon affiliate links.

Listed in the order I attempted them.
Do we share any DNFs?

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Unlikable characters, bored

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Too Crude for my taste

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Harnett

Quit when I hit an icky incident not too far into the book

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

Bored, and I don’t especially enjoy psychics.

Life & Death & Giants by Ron Rindo

Lost interest

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand

Quit at the student/teacher sexual content…ick

This is Happiness by Niall Williams

Too many words (overwritten)

Underwhelming

I also experienced many underwhelming and/or disappointing reads. Here are a few books I finished but wish I could redeem my time.

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

Dysfunctional Family, unlikable characters, and depressing content when I was expecting more light-hearted and quirky from this author. Skipped a lot. She tried to end on an upbeat and hopeful note but by then I was just done and didn’t care about any of them.

The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works by Helen Czerski

Too scientific and technical in places….in the weeds. Also, too many tangents and too agenda-driven toward the end. Some parts I really enjoyed and wish the entire book had been that enjoyable. I’ll never look at the ocean the same way again. The right person…scientists, oceanographers, and environmentalists…will appreciate it more than I did.

The Black Wolf by Louise Penny

Terrorism and political intrigue are not appealing to me. Most of the time I was lost. I wish she would return to what she does best…. traditional mysteries and ordinary crimes.

The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

Too many author opinions and an excess of religious profanity. I wish I had read the nonfiction title.

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

Unlikeable characters, dysfunctional family.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Unlikeable characters. The husband didn’t deserve this.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

I don’t find suicidal ideation funny.

I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

Overall disappointing….I didn’t find it especially humorous but it might have been my mood.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

I skipped the entire “story-within-a-story” sections (which is probably half the book) and only read the present day timeline. It’s my least favorite story structure, and if I had realized it, I would not have attempted to read the book.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Repetitive. Silly Premise. Bored

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QOTD:

Are you a DNFer or have you experienced some underwhelming, disappointing reads this year?
What did I like?
Stay tuned for my Most Memorable Reads of 2025 coming in a few days! In the meantime, check out my favorite historical fiction reads of the year.

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Happy Reading Book Worms

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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