Reading Glasses – Episode 431: Did Not Finish Books Vs Not Right Now Books
Hosts: Brea Grant & Mallory O’Meara | Date: October 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Brea and Mallory deep dive into the nuance of giving up on books: the “Did Not Finish” (DNF) pile versus the emerging concept of “Not Right Now” (NRN). They share practical advice on recognizing which books to abandon outright and which ones might simply not fit your current mindset or circumstances. The discussion is peppered with humor, relatable bookworm struggles, and actionable tips for every type of reader. The episode also features listener feedback, personal reading updates, and ends with sisterly book recommendations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Reads: What’s On the Hosts' Nightstands?

• [00:33–05:12]
  • Brea is reading Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel, recommended by Mallory. She loved the sci-fi premise and appreciated that the story resolves its mysteries:

    "You are questioning the whole time...and he actually tells you what the f*** is happening." (Brea, 02:14)

  • Mallory just finished Alma Katsu's Fiend ("Succession but with a demon"). Mallory praises its pace and how it brought her out of a reading slump:

    "This book got me out of a reading slump... What if I get home early so I can finish reading this book? It’s that good." (Mallory, 04:32)

2. Listener Feedback: Creativity in Cultivating Reading Lives

• [05:19–09:01]
  • August: Tipped listeners to read nonfiction “monogamously” by interspersing chapters between fiction books, using notes to stay engaged.
    • "It functioned well as a palette cleanser between fiction books..." (Listener feedback, 05:52)
  • Car: Shared how her family uses Reading Glasses lingo, inspiring a school project ("reading wheelhouses").
    • Her dad created a bulletin board where AP Lit students identified reading preferences to foster lifelong habits:

      "Many of them don’t currently read for pleasure, so I emphasize that there is a book for every reader." (Listener's dad, 07:41)

  • Hosts react: Delighted by the impact, noting that thinking in terms of a “wheelhouse” changes how they choose books:

    "The idea of a wheelhouse really has changed my reading life so much, and I can’t even imagine having that back in high school..." (Mallory, 08:24)

3. Main Topic: DNF vs NRN — A New Way to Sort Dropped Books

• [12:57–23:10]

a. Genesis of the Idea

• Listener Taylor’s Email: (14:02) Introduces NRN (Not Right Now) as a distinct category from DNF, especially helpful for mood/bandwidth readers.

  "Some books I’m interested in, or maybe I am too stressed in real life for more serious book to have a positive impact on me or my mental health. That feels much different than a book I don’t finish and know I’m ready to dump entirely." (Listener Taylor, 13:12)

• Hosts react:
  • Bria: Appreciates reframing, noting many DNFs are simply bad timing—not bad books:

    “It was not for me right now. It was not for me at that moment." (Bria, 14:31)

  • Mallory: Realizes she's intuitively followed this concept for years; renaming it validates the frequency of bouncing off books for personal reasons.

    "A big chunk of your enjoyment of a book is you. You are the secret sauce. You are the magic ingredient." (Mallory, 14:49)

b. How to Distinguish DNF from NRN

• [16:04–18:49]
  • Bria: It’s more about the reader’s context than the book’s quality (projects, stress, life events decrease appetite for complex reads).

    "I can't world build in my life and world build in my reading life too." (Bria, 16:43)

  • Mallory: Knows instantly if something is NRN (“within the first page or two”) versus a DNF, where she gets much deeper before giving up. Uses food analogy ("It's like looking for a snack... No, I don't want this").
  • Both find it relieves guilt—books don’t “wink out of existence” if set aside.

c. Practical Tips for Implementing NRN and DNF

• [18:49–22:17]
  • E-Readers: Use tags (NRN, DNF) in apps like Goodreads or Storygraph; your device may even remind you when you’ve already sampled a book.
    • "If it's still on my TBR list and I get it again and my e-reader will remind me..." (Bria, 19:37)
  • Print Readers: Reshelve as future possibilities; use post-its to note when and why you set a book aside. If it cycles out repeatedly, consider passing it on.

    “If I've done that a couple of times with the book after a year or so... maybe, just maybe, the time will never be right.” (Mallory, 20:36)

d. Making Book Abandonment Less Fraught (and Even Cute)

• The hosts consider making the terminology less “gross”—maybe “dumplings” instead of “dumping books" (Dumpling emoji suggested in Discord).

  “Maybe that's what we do—maybe instead of a dumped book, we just call it a dumpling. It makes it cute and less weird...” (Mallory, 22:21) “Yeah, that's what I want. Less bathroom stuff.” (Bria, 22:31)

4. Advice for Reluctant Dumpers/Completionists

• [24:05–32:23]
  • Listener Chelsea asks: How do you permit yourself to DNF without guilt?
  • Bria: It’s normal to slog through a dud (“Everyone plowed through a book and been like, I guess that's a two-star book.”). Used to grant 10% before quitting; now gives only a chapter. Notes “soggy middle” is the hardest.

    “If I don’t like the writing or the plot isn’t grabbing me...it’s going to be a quick DNF.” (Bria, 25:23)

  • Mallory: Looks for issues unlikely to improve (annoying protagonist, confusing style, “if I start to skim, that’s the sign”). Suggests using summaries if you’re only curious about endings.

    “Even if it does get better at the end, is it worth the journey?” (Mallory, 28:59)

  • Cautionary Tale: Mallory shares how a close friend (Scott Wampler) died stuck in a reading slump, halfway through a book he disliked, reinforcing the value of never wasting time on books you aren’t enjoying.

    “Like, is it really worth hours—even an hour—of your life to slog through a book that you’re not enjoying?” (Mallory, 30:01) “Don’t die reading a book you hate.” (Bria, 31:05)

  • Practice Makes it Easier: Dumping gets less fraught with repetition.

5. Sisterly Book Recommendations

• [32:25–34:50]
  • For a “sister book club” focused on books with strong sister relationships:
    • Bria: Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy – Twin sisters, empathy, and mystery in Scotland.
    • Mallory: The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine – A 1920s retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” with 12 flapper sisters breaking free in NYC.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Hot Book Tip:

  “It functioned well as a palette cleanser between fiction books and knowing I only needed to read a chapter at a time helped keep me from getting paralyzed over the length of the book.” (Listener August, 05:52)

• DNF vs NRN Distinction:

  “A big chunk of your enjoyment of a book is you. You are the secret sauce.” (Mallory, 14:49)
  “We always say: If you dump a book, it does not wink out of existence.” (Mallory, paraphrased, 14:56)

• The Stake of Book-Wasting:

  “Don’t die reading a book you hate.” (Bria, 31:05)

• On Changing DNF Terminology:

  “Maybe instead of a dumped book, we just call it a [dumpling]. It makes it cute and less weird…” (Mallory, 22:21)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:33] Recent Reads – Best of All Worlds & Fiend
• [05:19] Listener Feedback: Reading habits & classroom ideas
• [12:57] Main Topic: DNF v. NRN – Introduction
• [14:16] Differentiating DNF and NRN; hosts’ experiences
• [18:49] Practical NRN/DNF system tips for e-readers and print readers
• [22:21] Making the lingo cuter: “dumplings”
• [24:05] Advice for reluctant book dumpers/completionists
• [32:25] Sisterly Book Recommendations

Tone and Language

Conversational, witty, encouraging. Hosts use frank language, humor, and relatable metaphors (“soft dump”—to much amusement/embarrassment!—and “soggy middle”). The overall tone is supportive and practical, emphasizing that enjoying reading is more important than “finishing” anything.

Summary Takeaways

• Differentiating DNF from NRN can free up guilt and improve your reading life.
• It’s okay—healthy, even—to abandon books, whether temporarily or for good.
• Habitual dumpers/completionists alike benefit from self-knowledge and giving themselves permission to curate their reading experiences.
• Organize your TBRs with tags or notes to remind you of why (and whether) you stepped away.
• Bookish joy should always outweigh obligation—don’t let yourself get stuck in book slumps!

To submit a reader problem, get book recs, or bring joy to your bookish family, email the show at readingglassespodcast@gmail.com or check the show notes for links.

“Don’t die reading a book you hate.” – Bria Grant, [31:05]