I prefer to read physical media, and for my budget’s sake I will order books online. But several times I’ve gotten sent books that should never have been sold due to poor condition.
A decade ago a novel by Sherrilyn Kenyon (who I’ve since given up on because all her plots are recycled) was missing the first 20 pages. Not torn out, but completely missing. Bought through Book Depository.
I’ve had others where on some pages the ink is faded to the point I’m squinting.
I’ve had ones where the text was way too close to the glued side so that it was hard to read.
Earlier this year I had one of the Innkeeper novels by Ilona Andrews (through Amazon ) where the book wasn’t bound properly and the pages are loose/falling out. Unfortunately it sat on my TBR for too long and I missed the return window.
Last week I got a trilogy by Helen Hoang (through Amazon) and I don’t even know how it happened, but it looks like parts of another book cover got caught on the pages and glued in place, the coloured ink transferred and *then* the text was printed over the top of it.
On the next page it was similar, only an extra flap of paper got stuck in there with it, caught by the cardboard and they both got printed on (there’s a blank spot under the flap).
I did manage to read the book, but will only get to do it once (despite loving the story), because the ink printed on the shiny side of the cardboard is rubbing off.
Thankfully I got in quick enough to get my refund, but I am concerned that might hurt the author’s sales income.
I can’t be the only person this happens to.
Any other stories of manufacturing mishaps that made it to your bookshelf before you noticed? Commiserate with me.
by grubbybohemian8r