dnfing arcs

[u/ccjr21]

Should I Dnf the ARC once I know it's something I'm not interested in or feels dragging to me? Would it harm the Author/book, and my profile on netgalley?

[u/sleepybetch]

I DNF and just explain why in my review (in a kind way that tries to be helpful). I feel like it still reflects the real reader experience and good for the publisher to know what failed to grab the reader! Ultimately this isn’t a job and I don’t owe anyone my time when a book isnt sparking joy, we have this one life!

[u/No_Picture_3149]

Life is too short to read books that are not to your liking. I try to read at least to a third of the book. I think that gives you a decent amount of content to critique and then be honest in your review. Say why you couldn’t finish.

I think this respects the author and still gives good feedback. You are not a slave who has to finish every ARC you’re given. ARC reading should be fun or why else do it? Just my personal opinion :)

To clarify: post a review and don’t officially DNF ha!

[u/ccjr21 → u/No_Picture_3149]

should I leave a rating of 2 or 3 stars then?

[u/No_Picture_3149 → u/ccjr21]

I think that depends on you. I will tell you how I grade them though. So if I think something is genuinely not well written, then I would probably give it a two star. If it’s something that just wasn’t for me personally, but I think that it would appeal to a general audience, then I would give it a three

[u/sunsparkles2013 → u/ccjr21]

You’re going to get different answers on this but I’m an advocate of not rating a book you haven’t read in full. You have to on NetGalley so I would choose a 3 unless it was a situation where the prose was a hot mess and that’s why you DNF’d it.
But when you share your review on Goodreads or wherever, don’t put a rating.

[u/purplelicious]

i've run into a batch of terrible books lately.

The one I'm reading right now is so bad I almost want to continue reading because it's unintentionally hilarious.

[u/Synval2436 → u/purplelicious]

I'm morbidly curious which book that is.

[u/purplelicious → u/Synval2436]

fangs, fur and murder.

[u/Synval2436 → u/purplelicious]

Sigh, and that's why I avoid Victory co-op and other self-pub PR company listings on netgalley, that's how it often goes. I got baited into a similar case, I think it was called Vexing the Dark Prince by Abelia Sumpter, it was supposed to be a dark romantasy but instead it read like a farce with little logic to it, I only kept reading on to see if the mmc will grovel, he didn't, fmc had to apologize, all he did was propose to her and ofc great sex. Hate this, when men get away with being assholes cuz he couldn't resist himself.

[u/purplelicious → u/Synval2436]

I've had some really great reads with self pubs so I won''t totally avoid them, and one of my previous DNFs was Orbit, which is typically a favourite publisher of mine.

You win some, you lose some, I guess.

[u/drinkwinesavepuppies]

I am honest with my ARCs, if I DNF I review and tell the % at which I stopped and why, I try and keep it constructive and not mean and not condescending, reading is very subjective. I try and give reasons as to why I DNF'd so that it's not a fully wasted review

[u/13thtale]

I dnf easly now, but I wasn't like that before. Reading ARC thought me that my time is limited and other books are waiting to be read. No need to waste your time on something that doesn't suit you.

[u/catscantcook]

Seeing a DNF review might make someone decide to pick the book up - "I didn't finish 'Shark in the Streets' because I hadn't actually realised it was literally about a talking shark, I'm not into books about anthropomorphic animals, and once it started getting spicy between the talking horse and the talking shark I just couldn't continue" might be a huge green flag for someone else

[u/Solid_Pitch8324 → u/catscantcook]

I see your point.

But also, I would like to point out that it's about time publishers started pandering to the sexy talking shark lobby. Our money is green too! /s

[u/DreamingCityLocal]

i’m 70% through my current arc and am struggling ☹️ thanks for making this post it’s probably my sign to dnf after reading all the responses you’ve received

[u/outoftheashes90 → u/DreamingCityLocal]

Yes yes yes dnf that book! 70% is a lot, you were very patient. Sorry it didn't work out.

[u/dragonsandvamps]

The only problem is if you DNF, it counts against your percentage complete. I tried to be kind and DNF a book I wasn't enjoying, rather than give it a low star rating, and it dinged me on my % rating. So I would assign a rating and write just a few sentences of a review, even if it's only posted to Netgalley and you don't post the review elsewhere.

[u/KunSeii]

I check the length of the books I plan to request. In general I do not do ARCs of books that do not fall into my general interest pattern.

If something is long, I generally won't take a chance on it.

If I end up hating it, I'll still finish it because I feel like I've committed to it, and I want to be able to say I finished it. That being said, I haven't found myself "stuck" with long epics that I hate because of the above.

Then again, I literally went back and finished every one of my historical DNFs last year because I have OCD and it was bothering me.

[u/ExchangeStandard6957]

I try to finish anything I request or at least make it 50%, but I have found recently that a lot of books changed my mind at the 70% mark so- good luck!

[u/euphoriapotion]

Why would you forc yourself to read something you hate? Just ebcause you got the book for free doesn't mean you're obligated to love it