Over the past year or two, I've found myself really struggling with what I'd describe as "pessimistic reading." I come into most books ready to be disappointed, whether by the writing, the pacing, or the story arc. I end up dropping a lot of books after being frustrated or bored by the first few chapters. I still read a lot of books every year, but have about as long a list of DNF.
I feel like part of the reason for this is the sheer number of books I've finished recently that *did* disappoint. There is really something taxing about finishing the fourth or fifth book in a row that left you feeling like it was a waste of time. I am of course first at fault for picking books that don't mesh with my tastes, but I also have no idea how to get book recommendations that match my taste. I've tried so many different approaches and everything feels like a crap shoot. I'll review book award winner lists, but those books are more likely to be plot-light or plotless and, to me, overwritten. Curated "best of" lists, often by magazines, are typically a mix of pretentious and super light pop lit. And reddit recs are just unreliable. The number of reddit recommendations I've taken only to find, once my library hold comes through, that they're young adult books or super fluffy. I keep trying but feel like I'm striking out 4 out of every 5 recs I take.
What is an effective way to actually find book recs that match your taste? How does one get over this daunting pessimism about the quality of their read list? Do I need to take a reading break?
by troopbhwhatathrill