Finding an ancestry tree that makes no sense. Then the book becomes work. I write the names on a piece of paper and their respective role to the protagonist.
Not proofreading or editing before publication, overuse of the same annoying word or phrase, and adding unnecessary filler just to make the story longer.
Regarding poor editing, I hate it when a character’s name suddenly changes in the middle of the book. It might change back, or it might not. Either way, it’s really confusing!
Once I read a book where halfway through the name of the main character changed for absolutely no reason. In chapter 10 he was Jake, in chapter 11 he was Charles. I felt like someone should have caught this glaring error before going to print but maybe that’s just me…
Too much description. Like yes describe the scene but if you’re suddenly telling me about every blade of grass around the character then I skim read and don’t take in the details because it’s too Much! ?
@Robert I’m so glad I’m not alone in This! I find this In Cassandra Clare’s earlier books, city of lost souls is where I really noticed it. I skipped blocks of 5-10 pages at a time because it was all description ?
Heroes who brood and whine through the whole story, do absolutely nothing heroic until the last ten pages of the story, and then get all the credit from the love interest, or sidekicks, who are 1000x more interesting people from the start.
Covers with humans on them who always look perfect. Why can’t the artists show us pics of real people without masses of hair and thick eyelashes? With bony chests and minimal busts? With muscular legs and a bunion once in awhile???
As in Kristen Hannah, who uses the word “and” in The Nightingale to the point that I began counting! 6 times in one sentence about made me crazy. Good story, but especially in the beginning it was if written by an 8 year old.
I hate it when they have absolutely no reason to be in love with each other. Like, yeah, he’s got the eyes and abs and she’s got bouncy breasts and great hair. But real love doesn’t happen in an instant. That’s lust. Lust at first sight is a thing. Love takes time. You have to get to know a person on multiple levels before you can say you love them.
Third -person omniscient narrative style writing. Especially when the author refers to the fact that you are reading a book. I know I am reading a book.
Overuse of neck hair prickles, stomach clenches, cold beads of sweat. Inconsistent characters. Authors who ramble on forever & make me go “what was ur point” at the end.
The hero is always a military man, BDSM master, filthy rich CEO, biker dude, vampire, werewolf, doctor with a broody, moody, emotionally catatonic abusive weirdo. Guys can be other things.
1. Uneven pages!!! I cringe when I get a book with uneven pages — just wanna take my paper cutter to it. 2. Since I rarely buy books, I’m a big library user, SO it’s very irritating when there is a book I want to read (not even a popular or new release) and it’s either not at the library (wait list), not available ebook AND then I have to buy it. 3. The book I want to buy is cheaper for Kindle edition (and I’m a “physical” book person, even though I will read an ebook if that’s the only option.) 4. Once, the only copy available reeked of smoke. (better than b.o., I guess. Or worse smells) 5. Typos that make you question what you are reading (not a minor typo like a misspelled word, but ex/using the wrong person’s name then you are trying to figure out what is going on with the story). Ok, that’s all for now. ?
Mine is when a book is bound so tightly, you have to break the spine in order to read it ?
Books without chapter breaks. I need a definite stopping point if I can’t read something in one sitting.
Finding an ancestry tree that makes no sense. Then the book becomes work. I write the names on a piece of paper and their respective role to the protagonist.
Unnecessary and convoluted plot twists. I hated A Simple Favor and The Couple Next Door for this reason (and more).
Also a book with no page numbers.
too many grammatical and punctuation errors.. I find that it gets me out of the story because I have to correct them in my head -_-
When people use the word “unputdownable” ?
YES!!
Or twisty page-turner.
When authors don’t do research.
1. Movie covers at book covers ??♀️
2. Unbelievable plot twist like in Bring Me Back ??♀️
When the cover art doesn’t match the story…heroine is a brunette, but the cover shows a blonde.
Lazy writing
Unnecessary details …words just for the sake of words.
Change in cover for the movie adaptation?!
Characters that I can’t relate to
Three full paragraphs of what a character is wearing when it’s not important to the story.
I agree with Elizabeth Mattison. If I don’t like the characters, then I lose interest.
editing
Not so much about books but the people reading them… I HATE when people lick their fingers before turning pages. So gross.
When one character immediately reads another character’s precise mood from his/her facial expression.
Love triangles…they ALWAYS end up with the one who I don’t want them to lol.
My husband putting his dinner plate on a book I am reading and left on the couch!!!
Not proofreading or editing before publication, overuse of the same annoying word or phrase, and adding unnecessary filler just to make the story longer.
Regarding poor editing, I hate it when a character’s name suddenly changes in the middle of the book. It might change back, or it might not. Either way, it’s really confusing!
lol can honestly say Ive never read a book where the characters name changes! That really weird
Grammatical errors! Like let me proofread before you send it to the prints.
I hate that!
When a book is abridged, or has to much description on unimportant details.
When I’m not sure if the copy I bought is abridged or not. No abridged copies!
When people bend the pages as a book marker.
Books with no point, or plot.
Postmodernism.
Books that have not been edited and are full of typos.
Once I read a book where halfway through the name of the main character changed for absolutely no reason. In chapter 10 he was Jake, in chapter 11 he was Charles. I felt like someone should have caught this glaring error before going to print but maybe that’s just me…
That’s crazy!!
Too much description. Like yes describe the scene but if you’re suddenly telling me about every blade of grass around the character then I skim read and don’t take in the details because it’s too Much! ?
Agreed!
@Robert I’m so glad I’m not alone in This! I find this In Cassandra Clare’s earlier books, city of lost souls is where I really noticed it. I skipped blocks of 5-10 pages at a time because it was all description ?
Oh gosh! That’s like Charles Dickens. I love him, but he overly described things!
@Robert yeah same, I’ve noticed that with his written. Although I find it’s a common trend in Classics anyways.
True!
Ann Rule is notorious for doing this. (I don’t CARE what the outside of the courtroom looked like!!!)
alternating plot lines in alternating chapters, I won’t read books that were created from a rubric.
purple prose.
When you’re reading and someone rips the book out of your hands losing your spot ?
When the protagonist says “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” ?
Hahahahaha YES
I actually avoid that phrase like the plague because it is so overused
Lmao!!! The book i finished last night. I rolled my eyes
I’m finally reading a series that’s been on my shelf for years and this phrase has been used so far about 3 times in the books. Lol
yeah it’s horrible lol
Authors who use dream sequences, with perfectly logical and sequential dreams pretending some great secret or reveal (hate this in film and TV also).
*portending
Sticky labels on the front cover and bent corners ?
Yes!! ??
Heroes who brood and whine through the whole story, do absolutely nothing heroic until the last ten pages of the story, and then get all the credit from the love interest, or sidekicks, who are 1000x more interesting people from the start.
Having no book at hand . . . with which to read. 😉
Covers with humans on them who always look perfect. Why can’t the artists show us pics of real people without masses of hair and thick eyelashes? With bony chests and minimal busts? With muscular legs and a bunion once in awhile???
Agreed!
What is purple prose?
(Just copies from a site)
Purple prose is prose text that is so extravagant, ornate, or flowery as to break the flow and draw excessive attention to itself.
Thank you!
Authors using the same words and phrases over and over.
As in Kristen Hannah, who uses the word “and” in The Nightingale to the point that I began counting! 6 times in one sentence about made me crazy. Good story, but especially in the beginning it was if written by an 8 year old.
@Harriet I read a book where one of the characters smiled “sharply” and “like a knife” so many times I wanted to scream. Lazy writing.
Insta-love
Where, by the end of the book, they’ve known one another for about 3 days but dammit they’re getting married! Lol
I hate it when they have absolutely no reason to be in love with each other. Like, yeah, he’s got the eyes and abs and she’s got bouncy breasts and great hair. But real love doesn’t happen in an instant. That’s lust. Lust at first sight is a thing. Love takes time. You have to get to know a person on multiple levels before you can say you love them.
And how the guy is always stinking rich. Even though most of the time, he doesnt appear to be working.
When the work of art used in the cover has ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION (not even tangential) to the story within the pages
I hate that!!
The books that have strong female characters turn into morons when some random guy comes along.
yeah like they instantly forget who they are cause a penis walks by… it’s retarded
Third -person omniscient narrative style writing. Especially when the author refers to the fact that you are reading a book. I know I am reading a book.
Writers who insert sex scenes that are irrelevant and tangential to the novel.
Wordy…….why I cannot read MItchner.
When people who bend the top corners of the pages. I mean really, get a bookmark.
Especially when you can grab anything flat to use as a bookmark! I love the book that’s all about the found objects between book pages.
Overuse of neck hair prickles, stomach clenches, cold beads of sweat. Inconsistent characters. Authors who ramble on forever & make me go “what was ur point” at the end.
The hero is always a military man, BDSM master, filthy rich CEO, biker dude, vampire, werewolf, doctor with a broody, moody, emotionally catatonic abusive weirdo. Guys can be other things.
dog-eared pages
Folding pages as a bookmark
Bad habits die hard with me aswell??♀️?♀️
Cats taking my bookmark
Missing pages!! I buy my books secondhand, so it’s always a possibility!
That’s my biggest fear! I would think $1 is too good to be true when I come across books in almost excellent condition.
Very true. Happens with me too as me too buyer of old books.
Misspelled words!
1. Uneven pages!!! I cringe when I get a book with uneven pages — just wanna take my paper cutter to it. 2. Since I rarely buy books, I’m a big library user, SO it’s very irritating when there is a book I want to read (not even a popular or new release) and it’s either not at the library (wait list), not available ebook AND then I have to buy it. 3. The book I want to buy is cheaper for Kindle edition (and I’m a “physical” book person, even though I will read an ebook if that’s the only option.) 4. Once, the only copy available reeked of smoke. (better than b.o., I guess. Or worse smells) 5. Typos that make you question what you are reading (not a minor typo like a misspelled word, but ex/using the wrong person’s name then you are trying to figure out what is going on with the story). Ok, that’s all for now. ?
Ditto to the typos! How many people read these things before they get to paperback?
Food-stained pages and crumbs gathered in the crack.