I think I decided to ask this question after scrolling through booktok for too long and just getting sorta bugged over some of the stuff I saw lmao 😭. A personal ‘ick’ I have with fellow readers would be people who *freak* out over others breaking the spines of their books and folding pages. I’ve just always found this so annoying, especially given that most of the time these books are mass produced paperbacks. I adore the look of used books, I like books feeling loved and I like my books looking read. Just as you are allowed to keep your books in pristine condition, I’m allowed to read mine in the bath and allow the pages to go all crinkly (a bad idea in hindsight, rest in peace my copy of The Shining…). What are your personal ‘icks’ or ‘gripes’ with fellow readers?
by According_Bat_8150
10 Comments
ppl who post their reading on social media as if it somehow makes them look smart or better than ppl who don’t like to read. it used to be ppl posting pictures of a book on the beach or something and now it’s evolved into full on reviews of books
People who think that since they read more books, read faster, read classics, or read the books with complicated narrations are smarter than those who read less, slower, etc.
I keep seeing “Book tok” mentioned on this sub…what is it? Is it related to “tick tock”?
People who do a “THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, IF YOU LOVE THE BOOK YAY’ disclaimer before every negative review.
People who do a ton of recommendation posts but all their favourite books were released in the last two years.
I like your one about use. Not so much an “ick”, but an “ugh” – people that find weird ways to humblebrag or shoehorn into the conversation stuff about how much they neeeeed to annotate their books and how much of a deeper connection it gives them to the text.
Like, it’s fine. Write all over them, draw dicks in the margins, bust out the highlighter and sigh contentedly to yourself when you find a fancy or affirming turn of phrase, whatever. It’s not a copy I’ll want to read, but I don’t care. I’m glad you’re having a good time, and if that’s what you need to do to get what you need out of a book, go for it.
But enough with the implication that it means you’re “reading them harder” than everyone else or something. A lot of my library e-books come pre-highlighted with the most saved sections, so I see what you’re picking, and y’all are mostly ding-dongs just like everyone else.
I completely agree cracked spines look more loved! 🥰 my biggest ick with other readers is when they fight to the death about how amazing or how horrible a book is when it’s their own opinion, and everyone is entitled to their own. I’ve had people actually stop talking to me after mentioning a book I didn’t like because it turned out to be their favorite 🙄 people have to get over themselves. If everyone agreed, the world would be a boring place, and every book would be the same!
My big one is people judging other people for what they read. Every book has it’s own merits and the only thing that really matters is that you enjoyed reading it.
the obsession with morality in fiction
“this character was evil but there was consequence to their actions”, “the author condones xyz”, as if they needed the book to tell them that murder/pedophilia/SA/whatever is bad otherwise they think people become criminals because they read the book?? or something
my ick is people who hate on kindle readers. like is it that serious?
My ick is the same as yours. I personally love the look of a read book. The bookstore is full of prestige books. I want my books to look like they were loved.
I can understand if people don’t share this feeling. But don’t freak out over how someone else treats their books.