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Abandoning books: What percentage of a book do you read before deciding it's not for you and moving on to something else?
This is especially relevant now that my kindle is full of books I haven’t read yet, many of which came from bundles or impulse purchases. (I.e the overall quality is likely pretty variable.)
@jonobie 100% of the book. (I have a problem with abandoning books.) 
@buffyleigh Lol, yeah, I used to have that problem. But then I realized how many excellent books I could be reading instead, and started abandoning with delighted abandon.
@jonobie I need to do that!
You have clearly been looking at my Calibre library..
It used to be that I would almost never abandon a book. Until a few years ago, I could tell you the name of every book I had not finished.
With the advent of StoryBundle,I am far more likely to decide something is not for me and stop.
It probably has to do with the bundling,as you say. The books I don't read are ones I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own.
The flip side is that I've found some gems in bundles.
Thinking further - I can still tell you, by name, the physical books that I've abandoned. Partly because, if I've made the effort to get hold of the object, I've probably pre-screened it to some extent.
bundled e-books don't sit on a shelf chastising you like physical books do;-)
Interesting question ...
@jonobie It's not a page count, it's a timer; if I've been "reading" a book for pleasure but not actually choosing it to read when I have a chance, and a couple days go by without any progress, I'm going to call it a loss, even if I'm past half-way. I don't need more chores. #bookstodon #reading
@PennamitePLR @jonobie ruthless! But maybe that's a good thing. I have a pile sitting here of books I only want to have-read, I suppose.
@jonobie depends on the book and the problem. I have abandoned as early as the second or third chapter and as late as three quarters of the way through.
@jonobie One of themany good things about the awesome stats at #TheStorygraph is that they me a VERY exact answer to your question:
Average progress through a book before DNFing 31%
Average time with a book before DNFing
2 days
@ronsboy67 Oooooh, numbers. I love that!
@jonobie That strongly depends on why I might stop.
If it's fiction, and I read just for fun, and I notice it is not fun for me (because the style doesn't work for me or for that time) not a lot. Usually around 20 to 50 pages no matter how long the book.
If I read it for a review or a friend wants to talk about it I read at least 50% and only stop if I really hate it.
If it's non fiction and I don't understand it I put it aside and look for something easier.
If it's bullshit I stop immediately.
@jonobie I usually have 2-3 books "active" on my Kindle to read before bed and sometimes I'll just get to the point where I think "Ugh, I can't spend my twilight hours on this" and just let it fade away down the stack or expire in Libby. Mostly they are political or social science books that I feel like I "have" to read and synthesize like a textbook and are exhausting.
@jonobie Also I think as I am a very fast reader I don't sink too much time.
I usually tell my husband, who reads very slow, just ditch it at once if you don't enjoy it. Try perhaps another time, but if a book takes 10 or more hours for you don't make yourself go on if you don't like it after 20 minutes. Time is valuable.
@jonobie The moment I notice I am not having fun reading is the right moment to stop. Sometimes I read on a bit more to see if it's just a little dip in my enjoyment, but if the things that make it not-fun are structural to the story, then I quit.
@jonobie I don’t have hard numbers, but my notion is it’s been as little as a page and as much as 50%. I also don’t count a book as “started” until it’s been checked out, so if I read any/all of the first-chapter preview and decide to skip, that’s a DNS instead of a DNF.
@jonobie I'm generally a completionist so I'll power through a book even if sometimes I don't want to read it. It has to just be mind numbingly terrible/incompatible with my enjoyment for me to just close it and move on. I felt that way about "Dark Matter." The author over explained basic sci-fi concepts too much and around the time they said "So schrödinger's cat was..." I was like "NOPE I CAN'T DO IT"
So I guess the answer is my percentage is 100% rage, otherwise I'll keep reading.
@ShadeSyren That’s fair. That sounds like a particularly rage inducing book!
@jonobie I have no rhyme or reason for DNF-ing a book. If it’s just not holding my interest, I stop. I can be 3 pgs or 300 (which I’ve done. 300 pgs of Pillars of the Earth by Follett and I just couldn’t do it.) No remorse.
@jonobie I am teaching myself it's ok to abandon a book. But I still hold out pretty far.
@jonobie It depends on the book. In one memorable case I went from "best thing I've read all year" on page 299 of 425 to the 8 Deadly Words on page 300.
In many cases I will decide a book is not for me NOW after 50 or 100 pages, but retry when I am in a different mood: I'm a strong believer in the wine-cellar approach to the TBR list/personal library.
Other books make me regret using an ereader: just closing the file is not nearly emphatic enough.