Hello friends! Happy March! It’s spring time!! Can you feel my happiness? How was your February? Did you eat a lot of crepes? Did you spend a lovely time with your loved ones? I’m pretty curious, tell me everything pleaseee!
So, last month I talked about why books matter to me and today I’ve decided to talk about the little things that annoy me about books. Let’s be real,we’re hardcore book lovers but there are still some stuff that manage to get under our skin… I mean, we’re only human! So please don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not trying to hurt anyone who would like any of those things listed there or any book or author, I’m just trying to be real.
The little things that annoy me about physical books
? Those big fat heavy and not transportable books
Okay…some stories do need a lot of pages like Harry Potter or The Lunar Chroniclesoff the top of my mind. There are twists and turns and man, I wish it were even longer so it won’t ever come to an end. But…damn, those are BIG books with LOTS of pages and SO heavy. Not really practical when I want to take them with me. It’s annoying but yeah…to be honest, I think I can make my peace with it.
? That annoying plastic cover around a book
What is up with that trend to put a plastic cover, not at all properly attached, around a book?? I can’t read with that, I don’t know if you can but I just can’t do it. It keeps sliding off when I’m turning the pages, I can’t stand it. Why don’t they put the design directly on the cover??! Why do they need to add that step into the book production? Hello, there’s enough plastic already.
? The too small writing you almost need a magnifying glass to be able to read anything
I’ve got a good eyesight when it’s close range, it’s when I’m looking at the airport board or anything far away that I’m having problems reading anything. Still, I don’t really want to have to use a magnifying glass to be able to read a book or end up with a huge migraine after reading only a few pages. Just put a bigger font pretty please!
? When the cover doesn’t match what’s inside the book
It may be stupid and completely superficial but the cover is a big reason why I’m even buying a book in the first place (yes, I went there…). So when I’ve finished reading and I look at the cover again and see that it’s not at all what I expected it would be, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed and even cheated. Of course, it’s impossible to design a cover that describe perfectly what’s inside, I do know that, but there are a few things that shouldn’t happen. Like why is the girl on the cover white if she’s black in the story?? That makes me mad.
The little things that annoy me about stories
? That insta love bullsh**
Sorry for swearing guys! But there is not such thing as love at first sight…at least that’s what I think. There’s attraction at first sight sure but love… I need characters to get to know each other before falling head over heels. If it’s love, it can’t be all about appearances! I need substance! I need something that feels real, I want characters to build something and work at it.
? The famous love triangle trope
Ugh, this trope has been done and redone and I’m over it. You know when you listen to a song a hundred times in a row and then you just can’t hear it anymore? You even start hating it and just hearing the first few verses makes you want to scratch your eyes out? Yeah…a bit dramatic I know, but please change the track! I’m not saying I’m never reading stories with love triangles ever again, it could even be good, but it needs to be well done. I need to feel like it’s new or something.
? When the guy is saving the girl from herself or whatever
Why does a guy need to save the girl? Why does the girl even need any saving? Why can’t she save herself? Why can’t her family or her friends help her get through it? Why does it have to be a boy? Why does it have to be a romantic romance? I don’t want little girls to think that someone’s going to come and get them off their feet and all will be well. That’s not true, I want them to get up and fight for themselves.
? When there is way too many description (or not enough…)
I don’t know if there is any perfect recipe for this but when there is too much description I get bored and when there is not enough I can’t fully immerse into the story and it feels like it’s all on the surface and there is nothing behind it. I guess it’s all about balance.
What about you? What are the little things that annoy you when it comes to books? Do you agree with anything on my list?
Talking about what’s inside the book, isn’t that crazy that a story can make you feel so many things? Happiness sure but also annoyance or even anger sometimes? Damn, the power of words!
Let’s chat in comments ?
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Hello! You have some legitimate gripes. The huge books are definitely not transportable – have you noticed that most books coming out today are much shorter than books say, 50 years ago? This is casual observation, I’ve done no research, but I think it could be because people don’t want to lug around or read a long book.
I’ve never seen those plastic covers – that would be annoying. One thing I like about some of the new book covers is the feel they have. I don’t know how to describe it but they’re coated with something that makes it more opaque and less slippery. Have you seen that? Anyway great post – we readers have opinions!
Oh yeees! I haven’t noticed before but I’m pretty sure you’re right about that!!
It’s SO annoying, I just put them off because I just can’t read with them!
Yeees, that IS awesome ?
Thank you so so much and yes we sure do ??
YES! I love hardcovers, but some of them are so big that I feel like my wrists are going to snap.
YEES, totally!!
Thank you so much for stopping by ??
Ahhh yess those insta love thingy… Sometimes it’s kinda too rushed for my liking~
Yees!! I like it a bit more slow-paced! ?
Thanks for stopping by! ??
Oh I love big books, but they are just so unpractical.. They are heavy to bring along, but also sometimes very inconvenient to hold haha!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Totally! Especially when I’m trying to read them in bed ?
Thanks for stopping by! ??
This was a lot of fun to read! I agree SO SO much about the cover that doesn’t match the books inside ? I GET SO FRUSTRATED when that happens!! I don’t mind love triangles too much though (or maybe I just wasn’t around during the boom of the love triangle so it’s still kinda new to me) because if done well, the tension is appealing 😉
Aww, thank you so so much! ?
YEES, it’s SO frustrating!
Oh yeees, I do love the tension ?
This is such a great post! I’m pretty sure every bookworm can identify with ALL of these!!
Thank you so so much, I’m happy you enjoyed it! ??
Bwahahaha I so love that post! Add to it when the publishing house decides to stop translating the series in French (Throne of Glass) , when they decide to completely change the style of the covers while the series is not finished (An Ember in the Ash, Lifel1k3) , when the girl is a real doormat, when ….LOL
Thank youuuu, I’m so glad!! ?
Oh my god, yeees!! I totally agree with those!
I dislike it when the cover doesn’t match the story, or when there are real people on the cover. I like to create an image in my mind based on the author’s descriptions, not have something stamped there because it looked pretty. I don’t understand dust jackets, ESPECIALLLY on children’s book. You KNOW that’s not going to last 5 minutes.
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? ?
Yeees, I totally agree with you!! I also want to create my own perception of the characters! ?
Oh my god, you’re so right! It’s like they aren’t thinking this through at all ?
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??
Great post! It made me giggle, the part about the small font, I so agree! Why must books have 0.5mm font size?!
I also am so in agreement about the woman needing saving! Like why does a man need to save the woman… it’s such an overplayed dumb trope! We need to move away from it! That being said, Happy International Women’s Day! ?
Aww, thank you!! ?
Yeees, stop trying to hurt our poor eyes!
YEEES! I’m glad you agree ?
Thank you, you too ?
the too small writing!!!!! oh my goodness the pain that puts my eyes through ?? especially in those big fantasy series where the font is so tiny and the pages are so big. im so with you on instalove and love triangles, theyre absolutely so overdone and rarely EVER turn out well. and theyre really predictable too, like we all know who the main character ends up with but we have to go through this whole long production in order to see it happen bleghghhh
a really random thing that annoys me is deckled edges. it makes the book feel and look really cool but turning the pages always takes so much longerrr ??
this is such a great post, books really have such a strong impact on us and it’s really interesting to see what bothers some people and what doesn’t matter to others!
Yees!! Stop trying to hurt our poor eyes, they didn’t do anything bad to be put through that ?
Totally! Please move on and try to be a bit more original
Oh yeeees, I haven’t thought of that but you’re so right ?
Thank you so so much, I’m happy you enjoyed it ??
I completely relate to this post haha. I love books but sometimes lugging them around is such an inconvenience (which is also a reason that carrying around my laptop for college is annoying too, but that’s another story). I used to have more of a tolerance for insta-love and love triangle stories, but I think the more I’ve read them the more tired I’ve become with them, and now I try to avoid them as much as possible XD.
claire @ clairefy
Yeees! I wish they could like float right next to us and follow us everywhere, wouldn’t that be cool? ?
Yeah, same here! It’s been done too many times ?
Thanks for stopping by!! ?
Great post! 😀 I hate love triangles, it’s my trigger. 😆
Thank you!! ?
Haha, glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way ?
Oh myyyy, I didn’t realize how much I needed this post until I stumbled upon it, but YES. xD The big books thing has been a mood this week, because I was lucky (and very thankful) to get some ARCs … but they’re, like, 700 pages long, and I’m pretty sure I don’t have the arm muscles required to lug a freaking cinder block with me. On the plus side, if I ever need to defend myself, I can totally brain someone with it without even trying.
You mention the cover, and I agree, but what about when the freaking BLURB doesn’t match the story?! I’ve seen it more and more lately, where the blurb makes the book seem like one thing, and the book is something totally different that I 100% never signed up for. It frustrates me.
I’m right there with you on the insta-love thing, too. Insta-lust, sure. Insta-attraction, yeah. But you shouldn’t be in love after three days. I’m not buying it. What if he clips his nails and leaves the clippings all over the floor? What if she *pushes the toothpaste from the middle instead of the bottom,* like a monster? What if he hates cats? What if she flails in her sleep? Pffft, you don’t know any of the important things about a relationship and being with someone else after three days.
I absolutely loved your list. xD It made me laugh so hard because I related so much.
Aww, thank you!! ?
Hahaha ?? Oh my god, so funny ??? Huge books are a pain in the ass really!
Oh my god yeees about the blurb that doesn’t match what’s inside! I get SO mad! Why would you do that??!
??? YEEES, I’m right here with you about the insta love!!
Thank you so so much, I’m happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU for your comment, I seriously laughed the whole time I was reading it ???
Small type is a killer for me.
Glad I’m not the only one! Please have pity for our eyes ?
Thanks for stopping by ?
I completely agree about those big, non-transportable books! LOL, I can’t bring any book written by Cassie Clare anywhere. They’re just way too big to be lugging around, and so I always make sure I have a back-up ebook on my phone if I ever find myself in need of something to read on the go. Of course I’d rather be reading my big a** book back at home XD And heck yes to the insta-love thing. I can’t stand it anymore. Love triangles, too. Way too played out by now. Would love to see anything different if possible. Great post! 😀
YEES, big books are really something! I wish they would just float right next us and follow us everwhere we go ?
I’m so glad I’m not the only one feeling that way! ?
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??
Oh wouldn’t that be amazing! If only *stares longingly into the future*
Of course! 😀
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I so agree with the first part about the book itself!! I’m actually quite scared of big books ? Specially that I know im not the fastest reader and im not sure if my brain can handle that ahaha— as it’s most probably a fantasy with LOTS of details errhm..
And omg don’t start me on tiny prints! ? I always open the book and flicker through it.. and as soon I see thoses tiny pain in the arses I close it right back and put it on the shelf. i may wear glasses, but DAMN no … can’t read that. (Atleast not paper- gimme the ebook that I can atleast enlarge them)
Big books ARE scary! I would rather read 3 medium ones instead of a huge one!
YEEES, totally! Why would I impose that to my eyes seriously??!
Thanks for stopping by ??
Why plastic book covers are still being produced is beyond me ???. I guess publishers want covers that will have impact, including the environmental kind ??. Also, covers not matching the content of a book throws me off so much too! I don’t think it’s superficial considering the amount of thought and decision that goes into the design. It really detracts from the actual story ?.
As for the content of stories, all of the above! I think we’re beyond the days of boys saving girl (and vice versa). I really appreciate stories where the main character’s internal strength is the biggest catalyst in their development ?.
Awesome post, Nyx ?!
Haha, well…in that case, well done ??
Yeah, you’re right there IS a lot of thought behind a book cover… Please don’t mess it up!
YEEES to character’s internal strentgh!! Those are my favorite kind of stories ?
Thank you so so much!! ???
I hate the (big) price stickers on the covers.
Oh YEES! I haven’t though of that but totally!!
Thanks for stopping by ?
The plastic things that keep sliding off (I think they’re called dust jackets though that doesn’t make any sense)! What is the point of those things, so annoying! Usually, it’s just hardcover books though, thankfully but some old of my Portuguese paperbacks used to have them with the movie covers and I just threw them out! Problem solved.
Also, yes to the difference between the cover and the story. In the Throne of Glass series, the main character has golden blonde hair and is white but the cover makes it look like she’s some sort of pallid, white-haired wraith!
OOOH, that’s what they’re called!! Yees you’re right, it’s mainly the hardcovers. Hahaha, I should just do the same! ?
Ughh, so annoying!!
Thanks for stopping by ??
This is such a fun post and yesss I did eat a lot of crepes, haha!!!
Big books are great for all the all the content but they can be very inconvenient and painful to hold at times like my hands can’t handle the weight of all that emotional wreckage, haha!!
Small writing can be so frustrating as well and I have some books with a really small margin so it can be it hard to read the words near the spine as the book doesn’t bend enough for me to see it!!
Yes covers are marketing for the book so when it gives you unrealistic expectations, it can be so annoying!!
I completely agree about all the things in stories that annoy you as well like insta-love and love triangles are so overdone and a bit boring now if I’m honest. And yessss I find it so annoying when boys always save the girls like girls can save each other and they can save themselves, I much prefer those stories!! And definitely have to learn the balance with descriptions!!
Great post, I LOVED reading it!! <3
Yaaay to yummy crepes ??
Totally! I do love big books because it’s often a story well developped with many twists and turns but oh man…how I hate it when I’m reading in bed and the book just fall right on my face. It hurts! ?
Ughh, so annoying! Reading should be a pleasure not a way to make us blind or something!
Yeees to stories when they save themselves, those are my favorite kinds ?
Aww, thank you so so much!! ??
I agree with all these, except I’ve not really noticed the book cover thing. The most annoying thing for me is when the blurb about the book doesn’t really match the story or if it contains quite a big spoiler, hate that! Like maybe I didn’t want to know a character gets kidnapped, for example, until I read it! Another hate of mine is when authors write stuff like ‘her eyes filled with guilt tinged with pity’. Like no sorry but your eye balls cannot convey that amount of emotion!
Oh my god, I haven’t even thought about that but YEEES! I get SO mad when the blurb doesn’t match what’s inside like why would you lie to us like that??!
Hahaha ?? I totally agree with you!!
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??
Plastic covers, cover let-downs, and instant love–I’m with you there!! I, too, judge books by their covers, oooopsie. I feel like you nailed everything that bugs me about books, so I can’t add anything more to this list!
Yaaay, glad to see I’m not the only one ?
Aww, thank you! ??
YES! I love physical books, but because they are so heavy and sometimes the print is too small, I am put off by them. Luckily you don’t have those problems with an e-reader, where you can made the font bigger 🙂
I actually LOVE insta-love, although I have to agree that it’s usually just attraction. Love triangles are tricky and I absolutely hate it when someone is cheating, especially when it’s the main character.
Great post!! <3
Yeah, I totally get that ? You’re so right, e-readers really are awesome in that way!
Yees, I do enjoy attraction at first sight!
Oh yees, same here!!
Thank you so so much ??
I also hate insta love and info dumps in my books.
Yeees, so annoying!
Thanks for stopping by ?
Ahh I love this post and heavy books annoy me, can’t they be made out of something more lightweight? I’ve developed a love for large print books, what I hate the most are mass market paperbacks; while they’re small and generally light the text is so tiny ugh.
Aww, thank you so much ?
Yeees, totally!
Ughh, so annoying!!
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing ??
The thing that annoys me the most is definitely how heavy they are!! It makes me postpone them for so long, because I don’t wanna carry them around xD
Haha, same here!!
Thanks for stopping by ??
Happy March! I’m loving the warmer weather 🙂
I agree that some physical books are much too heavy to enjoy reading, and I have to check that the font size isn’t too small. (Though I do prefer physical books to e-books!) Insta-love and love triangles are some of my least favorite bookish tropes.
Happy March!! Yees, me too ?
Yeaah, same here! I also prefer physical books ?
Glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way!
Thank you so much for stopping by ??
I agree with so many of these! I’m especially un-fond of covers that don’t match the books and instalove. Ugh!
Yaay, glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way!
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??
Okay but YES to all of this. *claps* I find paperback books annoying and untrustworthy because I never know how they’re going to bend or where the creases are going to be ??
YEEES, so annoying!!
Thank you for stopping by ??
Omg, the number of times I’ve decided not to buy a book bc the writing was too small…? I thought it was just me! I honestly HATE the insta-love trope so much, the worse example of it being The Sun Is Also a Star, which is such a popular book? I feel like screaming every time I think about it ? And I totally get what you mean about the Goldilocks of descriptions – some books are just overly flowery with the language & some books lack descriptions so much I can’t even picture what the characters look like ?
Awesome post!
? Ngoc
Haha, glad to see you feel the same way!!
Insta love is just not believable, I’m rolling my eyes the whole time haha ?
Totally, it needs to be perfectly balanced ?
Thank you so so much and thank YOU for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the subject ??
I agree with everything you mentioned in this post! Books are wonderful, but there are definitely aspects that I wouldn’t mind if they were changed!
Font size in particular really frustrates me because I’ve found that it takes me a much longer time to process what I’ve read if it’s written in a small font. It’s a weird thing to notice, but I’m less likely to buy a book if I realize that it has a small font before I purchase it! I also can’t stand deckled edges! I know there are lots of people out there that love them, but I think it makes it so difficult to turn the page! I’ll try flipping to the next page, and suddenly I’m three chapters ahead and I’ve spoiled myself!
Great post! (And thank you for giving me the opportunity to go on a mini-rant about font-size and deckled edges!)
Yees! I guess nothing is perfect not even books ?
I hear you, small font is just a pain in my a** haha ??
Oh yeeees, I totally agree with you about the deckled edges!!
Thank you so much and you’re totally welcome!! ???
Great article! I particularly agree with covers that don’t match the content – and a poc protagonist being portrayed as white on the cover drives me CRAZY. Also if they are red-haired/blonde in the book and the character on the cover is a brunette…
Thank you! ? YEEES! Glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way ?
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! ?
You’re very welcome, Nyx. And yes – it REALLY gets my goat!!
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OMG YES! I hate the plastic/paper cover that comes with some hardcover books. I always have to take them off when I’m actually reading the book, because I end up destroying the sleeve! All the ones that I have now that I’ve kept on while reading are not in the best condition! Great post Marie 🙂 xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
SO annoying!! Glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way!
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??
Totally agree about the ridiculously heavy books! Like they hurt my wrists and leave indents in my arms and just no thank you! I am also NOT a fan of insta-love, it is just so annoying and dumb! I can do a triangle, but only if it is done really well. I absolutely agree about the dude “saving” the girl, it kills me!
Yeeees, so annoying!!
Glad to see I’m not the only one feeling that way!
Thank you so so much for stopping by ??