Monday, April 30, 2012

Reading According to Me: my bookish preferences & pet peeves

These are some of my preferences and pet peeves when it comes to reading books. Let me know if you share any of these! Or if you disagree with any. Or if there are others I may have missed out on! 
I'm just hoping by the end of this post you don't think I'm completely crazy. 

  1. A reading preference of mine is reading print copies. As long as I don't have to peer into a screen and further destroy my eyesight in the process of reading something, it is a win! I already watch enough TV and read enough blogs on my laptop so if I can avoid further damage I shall. That doesn't mean I would never own a Kindle or some sort of e-reader. Those devices can be pretty useful for travelling. :)
  2. I dislike glossy book covers. Whether it is the jacket of a hardcover or a normal glossy paperback, if it's slippery in my hands I won't like it. Yes, of course I'll read it because most of the time I have no other choice, but the point is that I get clammy hands sometimes so fabric covers (or just normal paper/cardboard covers) are far more hand-friendly than the sleek, glossy kind. 
  3. I have no qualms about dog-earing pages from my books. Especially if I know I will keep the book permanently, not re-sell it or give it away or swap it. I dog-ear probably for the only reason people ever do it - because I don't have a bookmark handy. I do try to always use bookmarks, but there will always be times where I misplace them or I need one right away and there are none around. Obviously, I would never dog-ear someone else's book if I was lent it. That's utter disrespect right there.
  4. I secretly hate it when I lend a book to someone and they return it to me with stains splattered on the pages inside. Like, seriously... you can eat and read, but BE CAREFUL! I totally don't mind if the book is returned to me with creases down the spine and the corners slightly tattered, because that's at least natural book behaviour, but stains can be easily avoided. Or should be more easily avoided it seems.
  5. Bending the book back against itself. I'm sure there is a better way of describing this deplorable action, but every time I see someone doing this to a paperback book or novel I cringe. Like, just rip the whole thing in half why don't you!!? 
  6. I like stories written with short sentences. Divergent by Veronica Roth for example. If that can't happen, then I like stories written HILARIOUSLY. Like Sophie Kinsella, or Louise Rennison, or Jaclyn and Liane Moriarty. Be funny, and we'll have no problems on my end. This is because I'm a very lazy reader. If you can't captivate me by one means or another, I will probably give up before the end. 
  7. When reading on public transport I get extremely defensive about people seeing the title of the book I'm reading. Or just the cover in general. Rarely would I ever wish to flaunt the title of the book I'm currently reading. But thank goodness I no longer need to take the train/bus to get to uni because I have a parking permit now! (By the way.. I'm also this way about music. Really really defensive about  telling people who my favourite bands and artists are. Like I want to keep it all a secret. Forever.)

4 comments:

Anna said...

i can't stand when people bend the book cover back over itself, it looks like they're going to rip the cover off, or snap the spine. someone did it in my lit class and about 7 people just gasped.
i don't mind general wear and tear on a book, but i hate if you lend it out and it comes back ruined. most of my favourite books are slightly yellowed, tattered and dog-eared, it adds to their charm. my harry potters are almost falling apart, but i wouldn't want them any other way.
my other peeve is covers, i like nice covers. i'll read a book with any cover, but i do like a pretty cover. more importantly i like my covers to match in a series.
good post :)

Cass said...

Thank God this didn't happen to one of my books, but once my friend lent one of her books to another friend and when she got it back there were (sticky-looking) food crumbs all along the inner regions of the spine. I CRINGED when I saw it.

Book bending is dreadful, but I do that sometimes with textbooks. :P

As for your glossy cover peeve, maybe you could make a fabric sleeve? Or even since you don't like others seeing your covers, you could make one for any book size (from mass pb to hardcover). I personally don't mind if others see my cover, especially if it's a book I love anyway. Unless if it's like a kissing cover or something really embarrassing...

iLuvReadingTooMuch said...

Totally agree with your pet peeves...except the dog-ear one. I can't stand that! I used to do it before, but now I've stopped cause I keep seeing old crease marks in my older books *shudders*. Great list!

I currently have a giveaway running on my blog if you'd like to check it out HERE

Rabiah
Confessions of a Readaholic

Unknown said...

Decided to stalk Jess F's followed blogs. It makes a lot of sense that yours would be the first :P

I agree so much with all of these! I couldn't bring myself to dog ear until a few months ago though. I still have the image of my primary school librarian getting super angry at us for dog-earing pages ingrained in my mind... :P Rhi :)

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