I have a confession to make. Earlier this month I was reading a fiction book that had been recommended as a good example of writing. It was an excellent example of writing, but it was also very dark and somewhat graphic with the violence.
I could not finish it. After years of reading Christian Fiction, I discovered I couldn’t put such a dark story in my mind, even though it was a page-turner. A question for the comment section:
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none” inject=”#bookgiveaway”]Have you ever started a book you couldn’t finish? Or do you finish every book you start? [/tweet_box]Now for a story I did finish and LOVED — And You Came Along by Elaine Stock. It’s the first novella in Winter’s Kiss.
Here’s the back cover copy of And You Came Along:
Five days before Christmas, single parent Jacey Tucker thought the broken pieces of her life were falling into place until an eviction notice and termination at her job sends her and her little boy scrambling out of town.
Just days before Christma Jacey heads for Oregon to start over and runs smack dab into a blizzard — in more ways than one. Zander Paxton, a police detective who is recovering from being shot, is traveling from one direction and Jacey from the opposite when icy roads cause them to crash head-on. No one is badly injured, but they are stranded in the middle of nowhere when a kindly couple offers Jacey, her son, and Zander the use of the cabin behind their house.
What follows is a sweet romance, complete with conflict when the two adults butt heads. Caleb is adorable. This is a story you don’t want to miss.
I haven’t read the other stories yet, but knowing several of the authors, I expect a great read. Leave a comment and I will draw Monday morning three names to receive a digital copy of Winter’s Kiss when it releases November 7.
And the winner of October’s drawing is Paula S!
Leave a comment to be entered in November’s drawing for Winter’s Kiss or Revenge!
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Comments 38
Usually I try to finish a book I’ve started. But, there are a few i’ve just had to put down. Thank you for your writing.
Author
Thank you, Lisa! I’m not as patient as you. 🙂 I have I don’t know how many unfinished novels on my Kindle.
I usually start what I finish but have on occasion picked up a book that had to go. Most often, if I don’t know the author and can’t determine the genre before I start reading, I will skim to see how it looks. If vulgarity starts showing up or other things I won’t read, I never start.
Author
Same here, Edward. A friend bought me the cutest cat book that was on the NYT Best Seller list because I like cats. He didn’t read any of it and when I opened it up to read, right on the first page was a word I don’t use. I mean, really? In a book about cats? Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve gotten so used to reading Christian fiction, I find it hard to read other types of books. I will stop reading a book if it is dark, uses language I don’t want to hear, etc. That’s why I started writing. So I could read the books I like to read lol. My latest project is a SyFy story. I love the abnormal animals on SyFy, but the language, etc. pulls me out of the story. I want to see the animals, learn how they were created, came to be, were engineered, etc. I don’t need all that other stuff. You can have an underlying romance theme without going overboard with it. And my stories have the inspirational element. You won’t find that on SyFy lol.
Author
I didn’t know you wrote stories, Sally! And I so agree about language that pulls me out of the story. Thanks for stopping by.
Yes, I have, but more often it’s because a book is too syrupy sweet with predictable plot line and without the degree of character development and some depth of meaning that I enjoy.
Author
Agree, Delores! I don’t like syrupy sweet, either. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Pat, thank you for the sweet blessing of this surprise feature of And You Came Along within the Winter’s Kiss novella collection. The stories my co-authors have created are entertaining and most uplifting and I’m thankful to be included within this special collection. I’m so glad you enjoyed my story. Understatement.
Thanks too for your generous BookGiveaway offer to 3 of your lucky viewers!!
As for putting down a book, yes, I am unhappy to do so but I do. I usually give it to page 100 but when my mind fogs over because I can’t relate to the characters (usually more so than the plot) I just can’t go on taking my limited time to continue. But, it’s highly subjective. What works for one may not work well for another. So many stories make the world go round.
Author
Thanks for stopping by Elaine! I truly loved your story in this collection. And the rest of the stories look very intriguing and appealing. Will get to those next week in my reading.
I usually try to be mindful of the books I choose to read. However, I have made a few BIG mistakes along the way! I don’t finish them.
Being on a really tight budget makes me not want to “waste” a book. But every now and again, I come across one that I just can’t finish. I like the comment by someone that they give 100 pages a try. That is usually what I do. We are very blessed to have so many top notch Christian fiction writers and that does make things a lot easier.
Author
Hi Perianne, and thanks for stopping by and commenting! I don’t always give a book a hundred pages. Most of the time I read the preview on Amazon and I usually know right away if I’ll finish the book.
Hi Patricia! Yes, I have put down books before. It is usually because of the language. I can overlook a few things but when I’m bombarded with nasty I have to put the book down. I think it speaks well of your books that you keep a consistent moral standard! God bless!
Author
Thank you, Suzy! I’m like you–I can overlook a few things, but bad language is not one of them. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Sadly, I have too many that I’ve started and haven’t finished. Typically language is a trigger for me or explicit romantic scenes. I tend to read strictly Christian fiction for that reason, but I have put down a book if the plot is too predictable or characters didn’t draw me in.
Author
Michelle, the two reasons you listed are my main ones for not finishing a book. Sometimes I will finish one that is predictable if I’ve connected with the characters.
I real Christian fiction only. I have checked out of the Library, a book that was highly recommended ….but the language made me put it away!
Author
I do read a lot of cozy mysteries, Jackie, and for the most part have no problem with them. Bad language and sex and violence are no-no’s in a cozy!
Hey Pat! I usually read a book a day. I have had to quit reading a book when the subject matter went against my Christian morals. Have a great weeked!
Author
Hi Caryl! Yes, I’ve put down a few of those, too. Thanks for stopping by.
Author
Thanks, Caryl! I hope you had a great weekend!
I usually finish every book I start. However earlier this year I started a book that I could not stomach. Yes, it was labeled Christian fiction. But there were too many graphic details regarding the crime committed, I just couldn’t go on!
Author
That was my problem with the book I couldn’t finish, Rosalyn. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I agree. I don’t use such language, nor allow it to be spoken in our house. Ado, when I’m reading a book and it uses such language, or delves into the dark side, I put it down and never finish it. I really don’t like to do that, as I hate to leave a book unfinished. But it leaves me no choice.
Author
I hate to leave a book unfinished, as well, Linda, but my time is too short to read a book that offends me or I’m not interested in. 🙂 Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by.
Hi Pat! Thanks for the post. I am pretty picky about what I read. Always pick Christian Fiction . But that said I have to be in a certain mood to read certain books. Take The Mark of the King and The Butterfly and the Violin. I loved them—- when I finally finished them! I started each of them but also was reading other books at the same time. I should have stuck with them and not split my time. I try to alternate genres so I can stick with things. I have on occasion not finished a book because it was predictable or not interestingly written. Never happened with a Pat Bradley book though! This novella collection looks really good. Blessings!
Author
Aww, thanks, Paula! I haven’t read The Mark of the King, but I did read The Butterfly and the Violin and like you, I had a little trouble getting into it. But once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Thanks for stopping by!
Oh! and Paula, you won the drawing this month. You have your choice of one of the books I’ve discussed on Reader Friday. 🙂
I too, have tried to read books that were recommended or it was said to be clean and it really wasn’t
No, I don’t finish. I don’t want to put any garbage in my brain if I can help it. So I try to stick with Christian books. Clean and wholesome books are good too if they don’t have vulgar words or explicit sex scenes.
Author
I don’t want to put any garbage in my brain if I can help it–I love this sentence, Dana. I used to watch a series on TV after I came home from church. And one night, I realized I was putting garbage in my brain and I said to myself: Why would I come home from church filled with peace and watch this junk? I turned it off and never watched it again. I’m the same way with books now, too. Thanks for stopping by, Dana.
I almost always finish the book that I’ve started. I had to stop reading a few books because either I couldn’t follow the storyline or there were too many explicit scenes or language.
Author
Those are things that stop me from finishing a book as well. Thanks for stopping by, Mindy!
That’s wonderful! Thanks!
Author
🙂
Very rarely have I not finished a book. But there have been a few I did, either because of poor writing, or I couldn’t get into the story for whatever reason, or just couldn’t connect with it. I even started one that was labled as Christian but had things in it that were NOT Christian and a few mild words. I put it down quick and never picked it back up again!
I figure I have enough books to last me a lifetime to waste it on ones I just can’t get into or hold my interest, ya know? 😉
Author
I figure I have enough books to last me a lifetime to waste it on ones I just can’t get into or hold my interest–my feelings exactly, Trixi! Thanks for stopping by.
I don’t read anything but Christian Fiction and there is one book I couldn’t finish. It was Karen Kingsbury’s Coming Home. It was emotionally devastating and about five chapters in I saw where it was heading and I couldn’t finish. I love to read and usually will finish a book even if I’m not enjoying it.
Author
I’ve done that, too, Terri–when I suspected a book was going in a direction I didn’t want to go in. Mostly stories where the hero dies at the end or a main character. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Terri!