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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1) Stickers on Books That Won\u2019t Come Off<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is absolutely no reason to put a sticker on a book. You either leave the sticker alone, and it ruins the aesthetic of the cover. Or you try removing it, only part of it comes off, and then you\u2019re left with sticky residue and half a sticker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2) Book Lending Gone Wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s always a horrible feeling to have a book returned in worse condition than you lent it. The cover\u2019s bent. Pages are warped. I even had a friend who told me someone wrote her name on the dedication page in pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there\u2019s something even worse than getting a book back in sub-par condition \u2013 a book that\u2019s never returned at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3) Foreign Languages Without Translations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I think it\u2019s perfectly fine for an author to use a few short foreign words or phrases in a book. What is not<\/em> OK is having whole conversations in a foreign language without a translation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the author\u2019s expectation with this \u2013 are readers supposed to stop reading and Google the conversation? I\u2019d prefer the translation be provided in italics or parenthesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4) Confusing Timeline Changes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently DNF’d<\/a> a book because it was too confusing to follow. There were three generations in the book, and several of the relatives had the same names. It was challenging to figure out which generation was the focus of the chapter and which time period we were in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s much clearer when the date is shared at the beginning of every new chapter or every time the story switches to a different time period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5) Why I Hate Dust Jackets<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not a fan. Dust jackets fall, they get bent, and they\u2019re just a nuisance. \u2013 especially on children\u2019s books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When my boys were little, if they received a book with a dust jacket and the book\u2019s cover had the same image as the dust jacket, I would take off the dust jacket immediately and throw it away. Sorry, dust jacket lovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6) Books Full of Typos and Bad Grammar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, I read a novel that did not use quotation marks. It was such a difficult read because I never knew when someone was talking versus when a new paragraph was starting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad grammar and typos are such an easy fix with a good editor. There really is no excuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7)<\/strong> Too Many Characters to Keep Track Of<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing confuses a reader more than introducing too many characters and expecting us to keep up with them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve seen a few books that include a Character List in the front of the book, and I know I\u2019m in trouble when I see one of those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8) Mismatched Book Series<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing makes me happier than having a perfectly matched series on my shelf. Nothing makes me crazier than buying the next book and discovering it doesn’t match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anytime I buy books in a series at a separate times, I know I\u2019m asking for trouble. Common offenses are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9)<\/strong> No Book Summary on the Back Cover<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems like the new trend is to put several reviews from other authors or publishing houses on the back of the book to sing its praises versus having a summary of the story on the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I\u2019ve already chosen to read a book, I don\u2019t need to read a bunch of other people\u2019s opinions on it. Tell me what the book is actually about!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10) Chapters That Are Way Too Long<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t have a set length to suggest; I just know it\u2019s annoying when a chapter goes on and on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I like to stop reading at the end of a chapter if I have to take a break. But some chapters are just so long, I have no choice but to stop midway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11) Unsatisfying Book Endings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently gave a book a lower rating because the ending was so unsatisfying. I spent all that time, investing in the characters, only to have the ending be a disappointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know not every story can be neatly wrapped up, but it\u2019s just a bummer when you enjoy 95% of the book only to be disappointed by the last chapter or section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 12) Characters Who Suddenly Switch Names<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve read two books lately where the main character suddenly had a name change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The character was known as Charlotte for 80% of the book, and then randomly, the author switched it to Char. There was no explanation. Did the author just get tired of writing\/typing it out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In another book, the main character had three different names based on the setting she was in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, very confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13) Judging People for What They Read<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone\u2019s entitled to their own opinions, but it crosses the line into unkindness when people say things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let people read what they enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14)<\/strong> Dog-eared Pages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I know some readers don’t mind this, but I cannot do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please don’t bend the pages of my books. That’s what bookmarks<\/a> are for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 15) Being Interrupted While Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You finally sit down with your book, get completely immersed in the story, and then someone needs something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing pulls you out of a reading zone faster than \u201cMom!\u201d when you’ve been looking forward to those 20 quiet minutes all day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 16) Songs and Poems in Books<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a new one for me. I don\u2019t enjoy song lyrics or poems in books; I just skim over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This summer my sons and I listened to two audiobooks that had songs in them. And the narrator SANG the songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was awkward, and I just wanted to skip it and get back to the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 17)<\/strong> Audiobook Narrators Who Don\u2019t Fit the Book<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Narrators can make or break an audiobook. Their voice, pacing, pronunciation, or character voices can completely change the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve heard many people say that if the narrator is annoying, they will stop listening to the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I get it. The narrator is basically the voice of the entire story. If you don’t like listening to them, that’s a pretty big problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18) Waiting for Library Books to Become Available<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re in the mood to read a particular book and the waitlist is weeks, if not months, long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems like audiobooks are especially big offenders here. I once put a hold on a book, forgot I had done so, and was informed over a year later it was now available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can the library get more copies already?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19) Heavy Hardcover Books<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was given a book for Christmas nearly two years ago that I asked for, but I didn\u2019t foresee that its format would put me off from reading it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was big. It was a hard cover. It would not fit in my purse. I didn\u2019t want to lug it around everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So I had to wait for a season when I knew I would be at home more so that I wouldn\u2019t need to take the book to appointments or meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A book shouldn’t require a workout plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20) Too Slow to Get Going<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It should not take 100 pages to draw a reader in. Many readers will DNF a book long before they get that far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not saying every book needs to start with an explosion or dramatic plot twist, but the story should give me a reason to keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pace the book appropriately, but also get the reader hooked sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 21) Infographics, Charts, Maps, and Inserts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is usually a strike against nonfiction books rather than fiction. Sometimes these types of visuals really do help communicate information in a way that words alone can’t. But I cannot stand when they’re dropped right in the middle of a paragraph. It’s so disruptive to the reading flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wish authors and publishers would put all the visuals at the end of the chapter so I can read the text without constantly being interrupted by a chart, map, or infographic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now it’s your turn! What’s your biggest bookish pet peeve? Is there something on my list that doesn’t bother you at all, or something I completely forgot? Tell me in the comments. I may have to make a Part 2!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come hang out with me for daily bookish chats on Facebook<\/a> or Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you enjoyed this post, here are a few others you may be interested in:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I love books. Clearly. But loving books doesn’t mean I can’t have a few complaints. Every book lover has those little things that drive them crazy \u2013 from stickers that won’t come off to dog-eared pages and ridiculously long chapters. Some of these are serious offenses, some are tiny annoyances that probably shouldn’t bother me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[501,107],"tags":[51,503,505,504,54,502],"class_list":["post-873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookish-pet-peeves","category-booklovers","tag-audiobooks","tag-book-lending","tag-book-series","tag-dust-jackets","tag-library","tag-stickers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=873"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":877,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/873\/revisions\/877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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