Bad Books

I'm currently reading a book that is terrible. The writing is awful. This book falls under the chick lit umbrella, and I usually don't ask for anything other than a saccharine storyline.  The only reason I turn the page is that I hope one of the characters dies. I have no idea who the characters are and I doubt the author does either. The book is set in 1999 for some bizarre reason. I'm fairly positive that reason is the author has spent the last twelve years looking for a publisher.  It's funny because unlike a lot of the books I read, the amazon reviews were actually very positive.

Which brings me to my dilemma: I've given the book a fair shot. I've gotten about 50 pages in even though I knew by 12 pages in that this wasn't up to snuff. Do I keep reading it, or move onto one of the dozen other books I've picked up recently? I'm not stubborn enough to feel like I need to finish any book I start if it's clear it's not going to worth my time. Hell, sometimes I don't even finish books that I really enjoy.  But I usually have some interest in knowing how it ends. Normally there's a stack of books by my bed with a good premise, and good enough writing, but don't hold my attention. When something better comes along I dump whatever book I'm reading and reassess whether or not it's worth it later.

Are you someone who has to finish what they started or do you not waste your time on a less than stellar book? Are there any books that you definitely don't recommend?

And for the curious: I do not recommend Attachments by Rainbow Rowell.