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I am not someone who complains often, but when something bothers me, I can run through lists of all the reasons why I am annoyed and argue my case. The other day I was in a thrift store and came across a copy of a book I have on my TBR list, only to find it full of someone else’s annotations. So today I’m sharing 18 of my bookish pet peeves, I know I can’t be the only one annoyed by some of these.
Let’s Start With The Exterior Problems
1. Stickers that don’t come off.
I mean, really? Do I really need the sticker that states this book is now a movie or an NYT Bestseller living permanently on my book cover?
No.
2. Books in a series where not all of the books are the same size.
Why? Who is trying to hurt us?
3. Movie covers that replace the actual covers.
I understand it’s probably great advertising but come on. The movie is rarely better than the book and I miss the actual book cover.
4. Quotes, quotes, and more quotes.
Why does the jacket of a book need to be covered in incessant quotes from front to back?
Who actually cares that Stephen King found it “riveting” and Mindy Kaling thought it was “Awesome“?????
I sure don’t.
5. People who donate annotated copies.
If you’re going to write down and mark every single page of a book, congrats! That book is yours forever.
Unless a friend or someone actually wants your annotated copy, please don’t donate it to unsuspecting readers just looking for used copies at thrift stores and the like.
6. Judging a book by its cover and not reading it.
Okay, I am guilty of this. I have definitely skipped over what is probably a really good book, simply because it had an unappealing cover.
What bothers me, is people who openly announce they won’t be reading a book simply because they do not like the cover.
Maybe some opinions can live solely in our heads?
Moving onto some interior book problems
7. Poor editing
No one is perfect and mistakes are a part of everything.
But sometimes a book’s poor editing just makes it unreadable.
8. No index or table of contents
I am personally a fan of chapters with names and I love reading through a table of contents and trying to imagine what each chapter will be about.
I also sometimes just like to know what kind of commitment I am getting myself into with a book, based on how many chapters or sections it has.
9. Dialogue without quotations
My book review of Normal People by Sally Rooney
10. Too many overused phrases or cliches
- “He/she/they/I smirked”
- “He/she/they/I gasped”
- “He is so big and tall and she is so dainty and small”
- “New York Times Bestseller”
The list could truly just keep going with this one.
11. Plot holes.
Primarily bad plot holes. Too many plot holes. Plots that don’t make sense and end up looking like plot-hole Swiss cheese.
12. Book summaries that don’t actually summarize the book.
What are you even talking about? Because it definitely is NOT the book I just read.
Last but not least, the tropes!
13. Miscommunication Trope
Again, my book review of Normal People by Sally Rooney.
14. Love triangles in families.
I’m sorry but I very strongly dislike tropes where the girl is in love with two brothers or vice versa.
The line is a bit blurry, but not really a fan of the girl being in love with two best friends either.
15. Tragic backstories.
A lot of the time, these tragic backstories end up meaning nothing to the actual character or plot.
Why even bother?
16. “I’m nOt LiKe oThEr gIrLs”
Yeah… this one is pretty self-explanatory.
17. Pregnancy trope
No. No. No. No.
18. The too-unreliable narrator
I get that sometimes an unreliable narrator can really bring a story to a new level.
But when the unreliable narrator only serves to derail the story? No thanks.
What are some of your bookish pet peeves? I have a feeling as soon as this is published, I’ll think of at least 3 more.
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