Reading frustration

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How do you get through books that you're not enjoying? I just can't do it. The two titles I'm reading right now, though I'm not loving them, are pretty much compulsory reads so I must complete them. Hard Times by Charles Dickens is a set book for university, and Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles is a book I 'won' on the Waterstones Facebook page, and am obliged to submit a review for it on their website. But I'm struggling so bad! Hard Times I've been reading for almost a month, and I've even bought the audio book to help me through it quicker, but that's not even working! And while I think Care of Wooden Floors is very unique and well written, the story is evolving so slowly that I'm having trouble keeping up the momentum.

So I need some help here, guys. How can I push through and finish them? I'd really love to become a reader who can tolerate books enough to finish in good time, even though they're not igniting any 'spark'. My Dad can do that; he might not like what he's reading, but he'll still only take a few days to finish the entire thing. Me, if I don't get on with a story, it can take me forever! Seriously, what's the secret here? I'm itching to just get on with it, finish these books already, and read something I'm actually going to enjoy!