Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is hosted by Deb at btt2.wordpress.com/

What are your literary “pet peeves”?

I loved reading everyone's responses. I wrote a blog post about a year ago about that very thing. So, here it is, in case you didn't read it...

In no particular order...

1. Cliff hanger chapter endings... don't authors know I want to read until the end of the chapter then go to sleep? Why must they insist on ending a chapter like this... "Bob couldn't believe what he saw! How was this even possible?" Ugh! Then I have to read into the next chapter. Why can't the author write... "Bob couldn't believe what he saw! But, he was tired and would think about tomorrow, after a good night's sleep." Is that so difficult... lol!?! Wouldn't Bob think more clearly in the morning? I know I will :D

2. On that same note... if I'm foregoing sleep (LOL) to read the next chapter, stay with Bob! Don't start the next chapter telling me about Sally. If I must read about Sally, bring her in after I find what the #&!! Bob saw.

3. Not being able to see what you're reading. Yes, I'm nosey. I want to see what you're reading. Don't worry, though... I won't ask what the title is. Nor, will I ask, if it's something I've read, your thoughts about it. It's your time to read and I respect that. I'll silently praise your choice and wonder if you picture Walt Longmire, Maisie Dobbs or Thomas Lynley the same way I do.

3. Book Cover "trends"... okay, I'll admit right now that I'm going to contradict myself. I love book covers... mostly on historical fiction... that show women wearing beautiful gowns. I am drawn to them and have probably purchased more than my share just because of these gorgeous covers. But, really, publishers... can you not put something else on the cover? Along that same line, what's with headless women on covers? I'm not talking about horror novels, either. And, sometimes, just to really put me in a tizzy...lol... the headless woman on the cover is wearing a beautiful gown. ACK!! Another book cover trend is the beautiful painting of a large, usually Victorian, house on a hill or cliff. Again, here's the contradiction... I love them, am drawn to them but, there are just so many of them.

4. Backlist Re-issues... I get the marketing aspect and it's about making money. I know that. But, it's so frustrating to see what you think is a new title by a favorite (or even new-to-me) author only to realize that they just slapped a new cover on a book that I read years ago.

5. Idiot's/ Dummy's Guides... I know these titles are (probably) meant tongue-in-cheek but I find them a little condescending. I'm not a dummy or an idiot. I just need a little help. Change the title and I might buy your guide.

6. Over Description... I quit reading an author because, although her basic plot lines were interesting, she went on and on about decor. Every time, a character walked into the room, she described in excruciatingly minute detail. I get it... we're in the formal dining room of an English country estate. Like most, if not all readers, I know what that looks like. Describe it enough so that I get a great mental image then MOVE on!!! The "straw" with said author was a scene in which the female protagonist learns about the deaths of her two most-beloved brothers in a plane crash. And, that was about the extent of that. However, the author wrote an entire paragraph about the lamp, she turned on to read the letter informing her of the deaths. I would have preferred to know more about her feelings of losing her brothers. But, no... I knew more about the stupid lamp.

7. B&N & Starbucks gift cards... how is it that B&N cafes that "proudly" serve Starbucks coffee don't accept Starbucks giftcards? Really?

8. Book "abuse"... okay, so I didn't buy your book but must you break the spine or turn down the page corner? Use a bookmark or even a piece of paper! And please don't have a dust jacket on the hardback. It'll just get ruined. Take it off, put it on your shelf, enjoy the book then put the dust jacket back on the book. Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

9. Please don't come into our home and give me grief about the amount of books we have. We are readers. We have raised J&M to be readers. Believe me, we don't have near as many as some people! I recently found out that a friend donated 750 (you read that right!!) hardback books to various organizations. Wow, that's an amazing amount. I've been to her house and I would have never guessed she had that many. Her home is immaculate! We enjoy using books as decor. They are all in bookshelves... beautiful bookshelves that are part of our decor. They are not scattered willy-nilly in piles all over our home. We are not hoarders... our home is clean, neat and perfectly presentable. And yes, I have read most of them!

10. I carry big purses. I love them for many reasons but at the top of the list is they are large enough to carry my ever-present book. So, please keep your comments about their size to yourself. And please don't ask if I always carry a book. The answer is... yes, I carry a book in my bag pretty much all the time. Of course, there are exceptions but, generally I have a book (or now, my ereader) in my bag. You just never know when there will be a few minutes to read. Just today, I waited in a very long line at Panera. I know what I want ("You Pick Two"... broccoli cheddar soup and Greek salad, thank you)and don't need to look at the menu board. What better way to pass the few minutes than to start reading. That's why I love carrying big purses.