How many of you out there in the blogosphere can identify with having a difficult time leaving  a book unread?   Raise your hand.   I see you!!!  And I understand.  I totally get it.

A recent trip to the library netted me about 8 books.  I read 4 of them.  I returned the others without reading them.  I started all 4 of them.  They did not pull me in . They did not scream at me “Stay up all night to finish me!”   They simply did not have the hook that kept me reading.

I usually give a book a fair chance.  I really do.  I like a lot of different kinds of writing and don’t limit myself to a certain genre.  Of course I go in spells and read all of one author when I find one I like.  Case in point Jess Lourey who writes a Murder by Month series. Check out her website here for more information. Once I found her I read the entire series as fast as I could.  Now I am waiting on January Thaw to come out.  Come on, Jess, make it happen faster!

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal addressed this very issue of feeling guilty by not finishing a book.  Seems that I am not alone.  Take a look at the article by clicking on this link here to open the article in a new window.  I think the author, Heidi Mitchell, did a great job of outlining some of the same thoughts that I have.

I come from a family of readers and have started to keep track of my read books recently.  To see what I have read so far this year you can click on that little Books tab at the top of page.  As you can see I have a lot of variety in my selections.

So when I decide to not finish a book I feel a twinge of guilt.  I kind of feel as if I am cheating that author.  But then I think again and realize that the very book that does not speak to me speaks to someone else and I am okay with that.  How about you?  Do you finish every single book you pick up or are you like me and willing to let one of those books go by the wayside?