I honestly never thought of saying "there's a big twist at the end" to be a spoiler, but you are absolutely correct!! I don't know if I have done that, but I will never do it again 😅
Depending on the mood I'm in, the appearance of deckled edges can either look elegant or messy to me. However, I always find them annoying when I'm trying to read.
I tend to not watch channels that are overly negative, but when a very positive and openminded booktuber goes on a general rant I absolutely love it 😂 I agree with all these points apart from deckled edges, I love the feel and look of deckled edges, I would live in a deckled house if I could.
I'm trying to picture what a deckled house would look like... I try not to go negative too often, but as I said, I was just generally annoyed about everything the day I made the list. The next day, when I was feeling better, I looked at the list and thought, "Hmmm, there may be a video there!"
My literary pet peeve is- Forewords that really should be Afterwords! I have no problem being told there’s a twist, it’s practically a selling point for a book for me. It’s especially important if that twist is a change in genre. Genre is one of the primary marketing points of a book, if it’s going to twist or shifts genres then be up front with that and at least say it’s genre defying. A recent historical fiction book became a magic realism book by the end of the story, which I hadn’t been clued into until that point. I really like magic realism - again a selling point for the book, but that twist really might have put me off otherwise, instead it made a rather lackluster book more interesting, but I would have enjoyed it more from the start if I had known that up front.
Estherjane here. My #1 annoying thing is publishers making the print in books smaller and smaller! The regular print is what was one called “fine print” and the large print is now regular print. It’s all about what ink costs now. Like you said, money. #2 annoying thing is library’s having series hit and miss books or come out with #15 but can’t get the ones before it 😢
Okay, you may have just reminded me of another annoyance...when magical realism is sort of thrown in a book that isn't "that kind" of book. At that point, it just feels like the author wrote themself into a corner and didn't know how to get out of it. But, like you, I actually enjoy magical realism when it is done well--it is when it is used as a get of of jail free card that irritates me.
It's so frustrating...I've had more than a few books spoiled for me because someone said, "You'll never guess the twist!" The thing is, as soon as they say that, I always guess it...
The back of the dvd cover for Never Let Me Go totally spoils it! (luckily, I'd already read the book). I'm with you on deckled edges! Omg, I read a library book years ago and not only had someone corrected typos they also corrected the author's word choices 🙈
I'm rolling my eyes about the Never Let Me Go DVD case. I have yet to watch that movie...I loved that book so much when I read it that I doubt the movie could live up to it in my mind (although I have heard that it is good!)
I'm so with you on deckled edges! I want to be able to flip through the pages if I want to go back and find something, and with the deckled edges it's impossible! Soooo annoying!
It is such a pain! I guess I'm more into utility than appearance, but I'm not especially fond of the appearance of deckled edges, either. Of course, a lot of people love them. It's a surprisingly divisive topic!
So, I didn't comment immediately after watching this video....after watching this video I listened to a podcast about books and the reading life. I noticed how the discussion included mentions of the plot twists...and at one point I commented to myself, "well there's no motivation in picking up the book now that I know all the plot points." And I remembered this video and your thoughts. I also went to the public library for a book club meeting since watching this video and picked up the book for next month - the book is a paperback with deckled edges...I was delighted because I love paperbacks and decked edges...but I did think of you and this video. 🙃
Omgosh! Girl you hit so many of my book peeves! If Amazon/ebay etc sends me a mass market with a collection of trade editions...they all go back! If they send me a dirty shelf worn copy with a bent cover...it goes back. If they send me a different edition than pictured...it goes back. As long as we just accept this retail/mail fraud they won't stop
I am always really wary of buying used books because I just don't trust what I'm going to get. There have been many times when a "very good" condition book arrives and it is not...very good!
I agree about deckled edges. They're so pretty but so impractical. As for the dog poop, someone once put their dog poop in my green bin (compost). The least they could have done is put it into my garbage can right next to the green bin, or just disposed of it at their own home.
Haha, I love a good rant! I'm definitely guilty of maybe spoiling a bit too much in my reviews sometimes. I guess it's because I don't mind being spoiled myself most of the time. I like finding out the how and the why of the plot, and not so much the what happens. But I realise that there are certain books that rely more on the twists then others. I'm not sure I agree though that saying there is a plot twist with out saying what it is, is a spoiler. Thinking of your example, I don;t think I would have picked up Never let me go if all I knew about it was that it was set at a boarding school.
I think that Never Let Me Go could probably be described in a way that would give you enough info but not spoil it. When I read that one, I really did go in completely blind (I read it shortly after it came out, so not many people had read it at the time) and I still remember the reaction I had at the reveal!
Never read the prologue. Just don't take the chance whether it's a book or graphic novel. They love to sneak spoilers in there or major plot points they think won't spoil the book but actually do.
I read prologues, but I don't read forwards, especially of classic novels. It always seems like the academics who write those forwards think that everyone who is going to read the book has already read it. So frustrating!
Righteous fury, Melinda! Nice video! You're saying many things that others won't because of the popularity of various series. I started thinking if I've ever inadvertently spoiled a book and I probably have by accident. I try not to though! Anyone who puts trash let alone dog poop into a little free library is trash themselves. They need to see themselves into a dumpster. I have a library book right now that a previous person decided to circle random words in. It was weird. Like there was no purpose to it at all. Felt like maybe a child did it. I really love what you say about the snobbery of reading. I've been guilty of that in the past until I became friends with people who read romance and I realized I was the one being a prick. Personal growth comes in many ways, including not being a snob about one's hobbies. The only comment I disagree on is the deckled edges. I love me a good deckle lol Great video and congrats on breaking 500 subs!
I think everyone has accidentally spoiled a book (I just did a video where, in editing, I realized I dropped a huge spoiler!). It is the intentional spoiling that drives me crazy. Your story about the circled works reminds me of a time when I had to download a Chekov short story as I it wasn't in the collection I had. It had random works circled and I spent far too much time wondering what the significance Chekov had with those words...and then I realized that I had downloaded a version of the story that a teacher was using to teach SAT-level vocabulary!
Spoilers in the blurbs and flaps are criminal. Your eyes might fall upon them before you can even avoid them. And people assuming that it's okay to spoil the entire plot of classics...just because the book is old doesn't mean we've all read it! And I also dislike mass market paperbacks and I'm chronically annoyed by how much real estate used book stores give over to shelves of battered mm paperbacks. I guess they sell but not to me.
Just recently I was listening to a podcast and they talked for 5 minutes about Never Let Me Go and completely spoiled it...and it was a podcast that really, really should know better!
I'm the same with you that i don't read fantasy, and it is the only one genre i keep away from. I agree with you most of your points; however, i don't agree with the spoiler part. I think the plot doesn't matter too much if the language is appealing. That's why we reread books.
I think the spoilers only annoy me when it is the kind of book where the plot involves some sort of suspense. Honestly, it isn't a huge deal with me when literary fiction or whatnot is spoiled. But I will see red if someone spoils a mystery or thriller novel.
Did you arguably also just spoil the Murder of Roger Ackroyd? 😂 The one thing I can forgive my poor memory for is letting me forget book descriptions and still allowing the ending to feel fresh!
Ha ha! I am claiming to be innocent about spoiling the Murder of Roger Akroyd...only because it is a mystery so we know that there will be a solution just by its genre. I have a lot of booktube friends who say that a tendency to forget books they've read works to their advantage when it comes to reading mysteries!
I totally agree about the Sarah J Mass editions, that just sounds ridiculous and encouraging over consumption. I haven't seen that much of people calling themselves "better readers" so I'm dying to know what that podcast was lolol i'm wondering what they actually meant by it since it seems like something easily taken out of context
I probably shouldn't share the "better reader" podcast, but I will tell you the context. There were actually a number of times the "better reader" came up, but the time that led me to cancel my patreon and stop listening was when she was ranting about the Goodreads awards and she said something along the lines that Goodreads shouldn't listen to their users and instead consult "better readers." I was done!
Apparently "Twelfth Night" only made it to Eleven. Nigel Tufnel would not approve. I am an ebook/audiobook consumer of books. I used to have thousands, and have a couple of thousand dollars a year habit (well over a decade ago), especially after reproducing and sharing my habit with RM, Jr. Library books may have a waiting period, but there are so many books to read/listen to that the wait is not a problem. Book groups and people who regularly discuss books with others and want to keep up on the latest will have problems with that - especially those who discuss books on UA-cam. However, not to seem like Polonius, one of the guys in a story of people constantly making bad decisions, patience is a good thing (virtue is too loaded a term). The software for lending needs to be improved. Libby is NOT an improvement and Adobe's Digital Editions is notorious for its need to be uninstalled, then reinstalled, or need to be moved to another computer because it won't install. .
I agree with a lot of your points, but I do like deckled edges. I'm so glad I have never had anyone put a poop bag in my LFL! I'm an OCD steward, so I check on mine every day, sometimes twice. My issue is that people leave books in really poor condition or religious books.
I've noticed that there is definitely a spectrum of LFL stewards! There are some who keep up on their libraries and there are others who...don't. I once dropped a book off at a LFL (it was across the street from my daughter's friend, and I was there anyway...) and it was full of magazines! I mean, really?
I honestly never thought of saying "there's a big twist at the end" to be a spoiler, but you are absolutely correct!! I don't know if I have done that, but I will never do it again 😅
I think saying a book is twisty or has a lot of twists is probably fine, but knowing that there is a huge twist? Nope!
Love this! I know I have been guilty of saying too much about a book and spoiling too much. I agree with all of this!
I think we have all accidentally spoiled books. Case in point: see the Five on Friday I posted today. Oops!
YES! Deckled edges are stupid! It’s not 1835! We don’t have to cut the pages with a pen knife! I don’t want those raggedy a, crumbly edge pages!
Depending on the mood I'm in, the appearance of deckled edges can either look elegant or messy to me. However, I always find them annoying when I'm trying to read.
I tend to not watch channels that are overly negative, but when a very positive and openminded booktuber goes on a general rant I absolutely love it 😂 I agree with all these points apart from deckled edges, I love the feel and look of deckled edges, I would live in a deckled house if I could.
I'm trying to picture what a deckled house would look like...
I try not to go negative too often, but as I said, I was just generally annoyed about everything the day I made the list. The next day, when I was feeling better, I looked at the list and thought, "Hmmm, there may be a video there!"
I borrowed The Murder of Roger Ackroyd from the library many years ago and on about page 30 someone had written who the killer was 😡
That is an absolute crime! Whoever did that was a monster!
My literary pet peeve is- Forewords that really should be Afterwords!
I have no problem being told there’s a twist, it’s practically a selling point for a book for me. It’s especially important if that twist is a change in genre. Genre is one of the primary marketing points of a book, if it’s going to twist or shifts genres then be up front with that and at least say it’s genre defying.
A recent historical fiction book became a magic realism book by the end of the story, which I hadn’t been clued into until that point. I really like magic realism - again a selling point for the book, but that twist really might have put me off otherwise, instead it made a rather lackluster book more interesting, but I would have enjoyed it more from the start if I had known that up front.
Yes, the Foreword that should be an Afterword. Especially on re-issued classics.
Estherjane here. My #1 annoying thing is publishers making the print in books smaller and smaller! The regular print is what was one called “fine print” and the large print is now regular print. It’s all about what ink costs now. Like you said, money. #2 annoying thing is library’s having series hit and miss books or come out with #15 but can’t get the ones before it 😢
Okay, you may have just reminded me of another annoyance...when magical realism is sort of thrown in a book that isn't "that kind" of book. At that point, it just feels like the author wrote themself into a corner and didn't know how to get out of it. But, like you, I actually enjoy magical realism when it is done well--it is when it is used as a get of of jail free card that irritates me.
SO AGREE with you about twist in the book! It’s totally a spoiler. 💛 I will stand by deckled edges. 😂
It's so frustrating...I've had more than a few books spoiled for me because someone said, "You'll never guess the twist!" The thing is, as soon as they say that, I always guess it...
@@awebofstories Would you mind if I made a video that’s a spin off of yours?
@@booksimnotreadingplease do! I can’t wait to watch it!
The back of the dvd cover for Never Let Me Go totally spoils it! (luckily, I'd already read the book). I'm with you on deckled edges! Omg, I read a library book years ago and not only had someone corrected typos they also corrected the author's word choices 🙈
I'm rolling my eyes about the Never Let Me Go DVD case. I have yet to watch that movie...I loved that book so much when I read it that I doubt the movie could live up to it in my mind (although I have heard that it is good!)
@@awebofstories I actually found the movie a bit dull but then I'm not really a movie-watcher so take that with a pinch of salt lol
I'm so with you on deckled edges! I want to be able to flip through the pages if I want to go back and find something, and with the deckled edges it's impossible! Soooo annoying!
It is such a pain! I guess I'm more into utility than appearance, but I'm not especially fond of the appearance of deckled edges, either. Of course, a lot of people love them. It's a surprisingly divisive topic!
So, I didn't comment immediately after watching this video....after watching this video I listened to a podcast about books and the reading life. I noticed how the discussion included mentions of the plot twists...and at one point I commented to myself, "well there's no motivation in picking up the book now that I know all the plot points." And I remembered this video and your thoughts. I also went to the public library for a book club meeting since watching this video and picked up the book for next month - the book is a paperback with deckled edges...I was delighted because I love paperbacks and decked edges...but I did think of you and this video. 🙃
Ha ha ha! My videos are invading your life!
@@awebofstories in the best way possible 😅😊🙃
Omgosh! Girl you hit so many of my book peeves! If Amazon/ebay etc sends me a mass market with a collection of trade editions...they all go back! If they send me a dirty shelf worn copy with a bent cover...it goes back. If they send me a different edition than pictured...it goes back. As long as we just accept this retail/mail fraud they won't stop
I am always really wary of buying used books because I just don't trust what I'm going to get. There have been many times when a "very good" condition book arrives and it is not...very good!
I agree about deckled edges. They're so pretty but so impractical.
As for the dog poop, someone once put their dog poop in my green bin (compost). The least they could have done is put it into my garbage can right next to the green bin, or just disposed of it at their own home.
I laughed out loud at "it's not a thing" Snob is right! I could sit and have a drink with you and discuss these for hours! loved it.
I wish there was a way I could meet all my commenters! We would all have so much to talk about!
Haha, I love a good rant!
I'm definitely guilty of maybe spoiling a bit too much in my reviews sometimes. I guess it's because I don't mind being spoiled myself most of the time. I like finding out the how and the why of the plot, and not so much the what happens. But I realise that there are certain books that rely more on the twists then others.
I'm not sure I agree though that saying there is a plot twist with out saying what it is, is a spoiler. Thinking of your example, I don;t think I would have picked up Never let me go if all I knew about it was that it was set at a boarding school.
I think that Never Let Me Go could probably be described in a way that would give you enough info but not spoil it. When I read that one, I really did go in completely blind (I read it shortly after it came out, so not many people had read it at the time) and I still remember the reaction I had at the reveal!
A friend told me a book had a great unreliable narrator. So...that's a book I didn't need to read anymore.
Yep! That would do it for me, too!
Never read the prologue. Just don't take the chance whether it's a book or graphic novel. They love to sneak spoilers in there or major plot points they think won't spoil the book but actually do.
I read prologues, but I don't read forwards, especially of classic novels. It always seems like the academics who write those forwards think that everyone who is going to read the book has already read it. So frustrating!
Even the descriptions on classic novels are often full of spoilers.
Glad to hear you are feeling better. That Folger Shakespeare edition. 👀😡
I still scream a little inside when I see that copy of Twelfth Night. I may or may not have ordered another copy yesterday (Okay, I did...)
i found around 15 euro in a library book once, and since the last person who read it was years ago, i got to keep it
Oh wow...I've never found money in a library book! That's quite a find!
I am one of the few who loves spoilers 😁 and I love the deckled edges, but I mostly read ebooks so… 😂
I'm getting to the point where I'm reading more ebooks (thanks to eye issues), so the whole deckled edge thing may become moot!
Righteous fury, Melinda! Nice video! You're saying many things that others won't because of the popularity of various series. I started thinking if I've ever inadvertently spoiled a book and I probably have by accident. I try not to though!
Anyone who puts trash let alone dog poop into a little free library is trash themselves. They need to see themselves into a dumpster.
I have a library book right now that a previous person decided to circle random words in. It was weird. Like there was no purpose to it at all. Felt like maybe a child did it.
I really love what you say about the snobbery of reading. I've been guilty of that in the past until I became friends with people who read romance and I realized I was the one being a prick. Personal growth comes in many ways, including not being a snob about one's hobbies.
The only comment I disagree on is the deckled edges. I love me a good deckle lol
Great video and congrats on breaking 500 subs!
I think everyone has accidentally spoiled a book (I just did a video where, in editing, I realized I dropped a huge spoiler!). It is the intentional spoiling that drives me crazy.
Your story about the circled works reminds me of a time when I had to download a Chekov short story as I it wasn't in the collection I had. It had random works circled and I spent far too much time wondering what the significance Chekov had with those words...and then I realized that I had downloaded a version of the story that a teacher was using to teach SAT-level vocabulary!
@@awebofstories oh that's a hilarious and yet frustrating realization! Dang! 😅
Spoilers in the blurbs and flaps are criminal. Your eyes might fall upon them before you can even avoid them. And people assuming that it's okay to spoil the entire plot of classics...just because the book is old doesn't mean we've all read it! And I also dislike mass market paperbacks and I'm chronically annoyed by how much real estate used book stores give over to shelves of battered mm paperbacks. I guess they sell but not to me.
I do not understand the continued existence of mass market paperbacks. The size makes them hard to hold and they usually have tiny print. Ugh!
Came for the bookish peeves, stayed for the doggie bag comment x)
Thank you and welcome! I just subscribed to your channel!
Great rants. What kind of people put dog poop bags in a free library...? On second thoughts I don't want to know!
Monsters! Monsters leave dog poop in LFL's!
Never Let Me Go: It's a British boarding school, and then shut your moouth. 😀Message received. 👍
Just recently I was listening to a podcast and they talked for 5 minutes about Never Let Me Go and completely spoiled it...and it was a podcast that really, really should know better!
I'm the same with you that i don't read fantasy, and it is the only one genre i keep away from. I agree with you most of your points; however, i don't agree with the spoiler part. I think the plot doesn't matter too much if the language is appealing. That's why we reread books.
I think the spoilers only annoy me when it is the kind of book where the plot involves some sort of suspense. Honestly, it isn't a huge deal with me when literary fiction or whatnot is spoiled. But I will see red if someone spoils a mystery or thriller novel.
Did you arguably also just spoil the Murder of Roger Ackroyd? 😂 The one thing I can forgive my poor memory for is letting me forget book descriptions and still allowing the ending to feel fresh!
Ha ha! I am claiming to be innocent about spoiling the Murder of Roger Akroyd...only because it is a mystery so we know that there will be a solution just by its genre.
I have a lot of booktube friends who say that a tendency to forget books they've read works to their advantage when it comes to reading mysteries!
I totally agree about the Sarah J Mass editions, that just sounds ridiculous and encouraging over consumption. I haven't seen that much of people calling themselves "better readers" so I'm dying to know what that podcast was lolol i'm wondering what they actually meant by it since it seems like something easily taken out of context
I probably shouldn't share the "better reader" podcast, but I will tell you the context. There were actually a number of times the "better reader" came up, but the time that led me to cancel my patreon and stop listening was when she was ranting about the Goodreads awards and she said something along the lines that Goodreads shouldn't listen to their users and instead consult "better readers." I was done!
Re: Characters making the worst decisions: Amateur sleuths and their BONEHEAD snooping. Call The Local Police!!
Apparently "Twelfth Night" only made it to Eleven. Nigel Tufnel would not approve. I am an ebook/audiobook consumer of books. I used to have thousands, and have a couple of thousand dollars a year habit (well over a decade ago), especially after reproducing and sharing my habit with RM, Jr. Library books may have a waiting period, but there are so many books to read/listen to that the wait is not a problem. Book groups and people who regularly discuss books with others and want to keep up on the latest will have problems with that - especially those who discuss books on UA-cam. However, not to seem like Polonius, one of the guys in a story of people constantly making bad decisions, patience is a good thing (virtue is too loaded a term). The software for lending needs to be improved. Libby is NOT an improvement and Adobe's Digital Editions is notorious for its need to be uninstalled, then reinstalled, or need to be moved to another computer because it won't install.
.
I agree that Libby isn't ideal. I was actually happier (although not happy) with the original Overdrive. But I'm adapting...slowly!
I agree with a lot of your points, but I do like deckled edges. I'm so glad I have never had anyone put a poop bag in my LFL! I'm an OCD steward, so I check on mine every day, sometimes twice. My issue is that people leave books in really poor condition or religious books.
I've noticed that there is definitely a spectrum of LFL stewards! There are some who keep up on their libraries and there are others who...don't. I once dropped a book off at a LFL (it was across the street from my daughter's friend, and I was there anyway...) and it was full of magazines! I mean, really?