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
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.
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.”
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“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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There are a couple of selections on here that surprise me. For example, I have heard such good things about Rachel Joyce but I haven’t read any of her full length books!
This Rachel Joyce is a departure from her usual. I’m a Joyce completist so I was surprised! Still beautifully written and others have loved it!
As you know,Carol I’m a big fan of DNF’ing, so it’s always interesting to see what other bloggers don’t enjoy. I must admit I’m not keen on Emily Henry’s books, I find them too melodramatic for me. I read really interesting article on the New York times about it and it confirmed that her books aren’t for me any more, because her trauma drama plot device. I do still get terrible FOMO when I see reviews for them, though! 😂
FOMO is to blame for attempting this one!
Find myself in complete agreement about Black Wolf. Far too much of a thriller compared to the character-rich approaches of the earliest books in the series.
I’m afraid she’s lost me as a reader.
Me too. I still have some of her older ones to read so will make do with those but won’t try anything new
I will DNF a book if I’m not connecting with it. And like you said, we all read a different book. I do leave a comment on Goodreads as to why it was a DNF and how much of the book I read. But I do not give it a star rating.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/anticipated-2025-releases-i-still-havent-read/
Yes, I record all my DNFs on GR and have an exclusive shelf for it so it doesn’t count towards my challenge.
I had way more DNFs this year than usual as well.
I’ve heard many reviewers say the same!
I disliked Sandwich a ton but somehow finished it. I threw back The Academy. I haven’t listened to the last two Louise Penny because they’ve gotten so “dark.” I miss the Bistro and the fun, but I get it–what can you write in book 914 of a series! Also, I may toss back a Dick Francis because I can’t deal with the extortion and you-know-who-like behavior that too closely mimicks the political scene down here! A Dick Francis! I can’t take any more of that sort of thing right now.
The Penny was convoluted and far fetched. Yes, let’s return to what she does best! I think Hilderbrand’s daughter wrote the book and she threw her name on it to jumpstart her daughter’s career???
I think I recall reading that. Lisa Scottoline does that too with her daughter. They wrote “columns” or blog posts that became books but I think now the d does books, too. Of course she went to law school so obviously she can put words together but still!! All these nepo babies.
“I prefer not to draw attention to the books that haven’t worked for me” and now you just have 😕
I don’t do it often, but this year there were so many! 😂
I will put a book down if I don’t enjoy it. There are just too many books out here to read! Like you, I don’t usually talk about the DNF books. I enjoyed reading which books didn’t work for you!
There were so many this year that I knew I could make a full blog post!
I had a couple of DNFs this year, Carol, and several underwhelming ones. I agree, we all DNF for different reasons and there are a couple on your list that I really enjoyed. Happy New Year!
For me, it’s usually my mood! I’m happy you were able to enjoy some that I didn’t have patience for!
I haven’t read any of these books, but I’m all for DNFing a book when it doesn’t seem to be working for me 😊.
If you’d like to visit, here’s my TTT: https://thebooklorefairyreads.wordpress.com/2025/12/30/top-ten-tuesday-most-recent-additions-to-my-bookshelf/
I’m maybe too quick to DNF! 😂 Thanks for commenting!
I agree with you on The Favorites, I read it all, but wished I hadn’t. UGH. And on Expiration Dates (what you said.) I did like Tender Hearts, though, and the Nora Ephron. The chapter in Nora’s book that I liked the most wasn’t especially FUNNY, but it was the one on the apartment in NYC that she fell in love with! I am now obsessed with NY apts! I went with more DNF’s this year, too—just gave myself permission. My list includes My Friends by Fredrik Backman (just don’t like that tone), The Blue Sisters (bored), Q: A Voyage Around the Queen (nothing new enough, bored), Margo’s Got Money Troubles (bad language, sex and nastiness), Albion (bored), Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers (too silly for me), The Anthropocene Reviewed (not interested), The Guncle (couldn’t stay interested), and Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (cute idea, but didn’t deliver).
Thanks for sharing your DNFs! Your reasons for DNFing sound similar to mine! 😂 My Friends was almost a DNF for me, but I hung in there because Backman 🤷♀️ I gave up on Margo early on.
i only had one or two DNFs, but you are right–there were more than several i slogged through just because i owed a review.
Owing a review is a difficult position!