As an avid reader and the judge of all books, here are a couple of things I have noticed about books and people who read books that I don’t like. These are in no particular order, but all are 100 percent true and without fault.

Number 1: People who read and judge like literal critics

Okay, I understand reading like a writer, but let’s not push it to the point that you act like a wannabe author and publisher. Reading a book and seeing a few flaws justifies not giving the book a perfect rating, but what is a 4.5-star rating? At that point just give the book a perfect grade. I don’t get how a few tiny details can make you dislike a book so bad you rate it “4.9” stars. I’ve seen so many book reviewers giving book ratings a 3.25 star because the chapters were too long, and that just seems that it’s a personal problem. Rather than bringing it onto the internet and portraying it as a bad book, just move personal feelings aside when reviewing a book.

Number 2: People who hold onto books from the library for wayyyyyyyy too long

This is a difficult one for me because I’ve been that person (once or twice). Sometimes, you finally get a book you’ve had on your To-Be-Read (TBR) list for a while and you want to start reading it, but life dumps its crap on you and you suddenly realize that you have a lot of work to complete and too many tests to study for, so you’re unable to read that book when you want to. I get that, but holding onto that book for longer than two or three weeks tops should be a criminal activity.

Once you realize that you’re not going to be able to get into that book (trust me you’ll know because you’ll see that book sitting in the same place for so long and you’ll feel bad that you just have it there) please, I plead with you, return that book back to the library. Let’s be considerate of others who might also want to read the book. I dislike needing to wait a month for that email that tells me that the book I want is FINALLY available for me to come to get it. People need to return books as soon as they finish or as soon as they know they can’t finish them. Remember that you can always recheck it sometime in the future.

(People who know me might see this as a little bit hypocritical because I have held books for as long as a month, but that was the old me. New me returns the book when I realize I can’t read it. I’ve learned to be better. Now I am relaying my great wisdom and knowledge onto the world.)

Number 3: When you buy a book and it comes looking like it’s been through a breakup 

The question here is truly why am I buying a book with MY money and it comes to ME looking like it went through the gates of hell and back? I buy a book for that fresh book smell, that excitement of finally getting that book, and the joy of touching it for the first time.

So I don’t like seeing that the book looks like the deliverer took their time reading and enjoying the book before repackaging it back for me. I’d prefer my books to be fresh thank you. 

Number 4: Miscommunication

This is specifically related to book tropes, but I despise miscommunication between the main characters because I know they could have worked it out with just a simple conversation and they know they could have as well. I don’t want to sit down and read a book about enemies to lovers and then find out the reason they were enemies was because the main character said something that was taken way out of context and then they got into a big fight and blah blah blah. That’s boring. I’m basically throwing tomatoes.

I need something juicer. Something that makes me want to be mad at the characters in the book like I am a part of the book. I need to feel that rage, not a book that tells me about how the main characters hate each other because of a very easily-fixed issue.

Number 5: The fact that I can’t overhype books

When you recommend your friend a book and then you have to dial it down to saying things like, “it’s really good, maybe not that good, but really good,” even though you know it’s one of the best things you’ve ever read. But, you don’t want them to come out hating the book (or your reading taste) afterward so you dial it down.  Because same here.

It’s also worse when they pretend to like it just because of your original excitement about it. So instead of saying that “this book altered the way I see the world, it changed my life trajectory. When I finished this book it felt like a part of me was ripped away, as I was reaching the end of the book I felt like I would never find a book as good as this ever again, and the plot twists were just crazy,” I’d say “It was a good book. You should totally read it.” Then they read it and actually love the book and then you regret that you didn’t make it seem like the best book at first.

Number 6: Tiny fonts in books

I don’t like when the font of the book is so tiny. Why do I have to sit here, reading a book and looking at the words through a magnifying glass? I’m literally searching every nook and cranny for a word that’s right in front of me, but I can’t see it (Editor’s Note: Girl, you are blind. See the eye doctor). I don’t like when it’s too big either. It bugs me if the font is tiny but the book is huge and it bugs when the font is huge but the book is tiny. How does that even work? Just make it normal-sized and call it a day. (Editor’s Note: size is relative.)

Number 7: Books that are too long

I don’t like books that look too long for many reasons.  First, my friends won’t want to read them when I recommend them because they are intimidated by the size.  Secondly, I won’t want to read them because nothing about it would motivate me to want to read them. But I still stand with not judging books by their covers or sizes in this case. 

If you, as a person or a book, see yourself in any of the above, then please take a looooong look in the mirror and make the appropriate changes. Please also keep in mind that all of my opinions are 100 percent accurate, but if you have any additions you’d like me to make, feel free to leave a comment.