This is for Snoopy.
Don't concern yourself with how much time it takes you to build your kits, just concern yourself with having a good time while you build them.
I too have built simple kits that seem to take forever to get done, thats why modeling is a hobby to me, not a career option.
If you are losing enthusiasm for what you have on the go on the bench, well there's plenty of us who can relate to that. I've had more than a few modeling projects languish on my bench and never see their way to completion.
Not that long ago, a penfriend of mine sent me a quote via e-mail. I'm told its an old Swahili proverb, It has a lot of wisdom on many levels:
"In this world, a man must know three things or he will not get far in it.
One, what is too much for him.
Two, what is too little for him.
Three, what is just right for him."
Many of my modeling projects never saw completion because I had too many of them going at one time, however I find its also difficult to work on just one at a time, I like to keep two or three in the works so I can work on one while the paint or glue is setting on another. Its easy to decide what to work on when you control what your'e doing and how much of it you're doing at one time.
That's the approach I've found that's "just right" for me.
As for the books, they're alright as references, but when you go to the point of following them step by step up to and including the same exact kit they're working with, then you're doing it someone else's way. There is such a thing as too much research believe it or not.
As I said in the begining, its not how much or how little time you spent on it, but more a matter of did you have a good time while you were building it?
Don't get down on yourself, just enjoy the hobby.