{Discussion in GIFs} The Reading Cycle ~ DNFs & Re-Reads

Today, I will be discussing two completely opposite sides of the reading spectrum/journey - the beginning and the end. I have problems with both, I kind of think that I should be thrown into the reading asylum (forgive me, I just read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and am into asylums/ hallucinations) because of how BIG of an issue both re-reading and DNF-ing is for myself. 

Re-Reading: A lot of my thoughts from "I Hate Big Books and I Cannot Lie" apply to this as well. 

I. Don't. Have. Time. 

Let me walk you through it, I have a multitude of books I want to read. Reading ALL of the things is literally my life goal (scientifically, this is impossible, as my TBR will increase in size in death). If I were to die tomorrow I want the words "Here lies the bookworm.... whose TBR keeps growing, even in death." on my gravestone.

  

There are dozens of well-loved books and series that I would LOVE to re-read.

When I have sooo many series that I want to read.... let ALONE finish, I don't know how I can take the time out of my reading schedule to re-read something. 

With my book reviews, I have a section titled, "Re-Readability," and I am seriously considering taking this out because it feels SOOO monotonous, repeating the SAME thing EVERY time about how I don't re-read books. I plan to continue blogging for the foreseeable future, and I know that as I increase blogging, I will gain more opportunities (such as review books/author events) which will only INCREASE my TBR and the books I want to read. This is the one con because I put pressure on myself to read other books and don't give myself the space and/or time to re-read a book, guilt-free. 

Now, when I'm writing this discussion post, and actually pondering my negative feelings towards re-reading. I have to admit to myself and to you, as my blog readers, that my so-called "reasoning" for not re-reading books is lame and goes against my morals as a person, letting the pressure of review books and even my own books on my personal TBR prevent me from diving back into worlds and journeys that I know and love.

So, I'm going to get back to the re-reading topic in a blog post, probably in early 2015, and in that post, I would like to re-visit this blog post - a kind of part two persay- and have something different to say.

The Cons:

But.... But.... What about all of those other shiny new books awaiting my attention?

What if I don't like the book as much the second time around?

What if I catch something that I hadn't previously and that makes me dislike the book?

The Pros:

Ahhhh.... I'm back in this world with the characters and storyline that I know and love so well

*counters self* What if I like the book a thousand times more?

DNFing: We can now move past the deeper stuff and discuss something I have a HECK OF A LOT of things to say about. 

I will open this up by saying - I am allergic to DNFing, AFTER the 50th page.

When I say I am "allergic" to DNFing, I mean that I am too darned stubborn to DNF. Even when I HATE a book, I will usually push on because of the thinking, "I've already invested so much time in this, I should continue." I am well aware this is toxic for my reading enjoyment and like re-reading.

The first step to resolving a problem is acknowledging it.

Yet, out of every 10 books I read, there are TWENTY books that I have DNFed before the fiftieth page. There are so many books from the library, for review, and even on my bookshelf that I plan to get back to.... some day (you know, maybe in 15 years). *Sidenote: My aversion to re-reading is even worse when I DNFed a book once*

What factors make DNFing even more likely?

eBooks

My issues with eReaders/eBooks are an entirely different bookish subject met with a lot of controversy, but what I will say is that the pros for eReaders don't outweigh the cons. It feels like reading eBooks takes me 5x more time to read an eBook versus physical.... of the SAME book, I might add.

Even if I'm LOVING and have EAGERLY ANTICIPATED

a book, if I'm reading an eCopy, I have issues reading it. There is also the fact that I am in school when I get a good third of my reading for the day done, so it is yet another factor that plays into me taking forever to read eBooks. Because I read multiple books at one time (another bookish topic that deserves its own post), an eBook is yet another, less accessible book for me to avoid reading.

The Cons: 

What happens if I the book I just DNFed would have been the best book I have read this year, or even the best book I have ever read?  

What happens if everyone is raving about this book, do I gather up the courage to try again?

How may times is enough? How many chances do I give this twisted relationship with this book?

The Pros:

No more stress! No more pressure! Read the things I actually want to read. Good riddance to that piece of junk!

You've heard the Pros and the Cons of both sides of the reading circle. Now I would like to know; What's your verdict? 

Do you give a tremendous sigh of relief once you dive back into a book's well-loved pages and feel like you have finally returned home after a long journey in other inferior books?

Do you scoff at re-reading in general and think of it as a total waste of time?

Do you wish you re-read books more, but have the pressure of life that restricts your reading habits?

Are you indifferent to re-reading, you choose your books at a leisurely pace, never knowing what you're going to read next, and if you want to re-read a book.... you just do?

Do you have commitment issues when it comes to reading books and have absolutely no problem dropping one like a hot potato?

Do you hold on by a thin thin thread for as long as humanly possible before you can't take it any longer like a toxic relationship?

Do you wish you DNFed more/less because of how many opportunities you may have missed?