Reading/Book Pet Peeves

[KenveeB]

This comes up in other media, too, and I remember it aggravating me in books even years ago. Extremely cliche and overdone baby names. If I never read about another pregnant woman during a crisis who names her baby 'Hope' I will be a happy woman. Also having all the babies born be named after people. Sure, some of this is fine, but it is now done *so* much that I would love it if the main characters didn't name their kid a virtue name, a meaningful name, or after a mentor or grandfather. But rather just picked a name they liked the sound of. It'd be refreshing.

Like in the Anne of Green Gables books, where every single child is named after someone in Anne's life? Not even her husband's, but Anne's alone. 

Wait, even her first baby (Joyce)?

All living children, sorry. It didn't strike me until I was reading through Rainbow Valley and more and more children are getting named. The only one not named after a member of Anne's family is Jem, who was named in part after a mutual friend. She even names a child after herself, but there isn't a single one named for Gil's mother or grandfather or anything! It was very annoying.

[lilfox]

Current book is reminding me of another.  Maybe I'm just getting picky these days but this particular thing seems really lazy to me.

So, the main character is a Larry Sue.  Not perfect, but flawed just the right amount and in the right "accessible, identifiable" ways (you can hear the agent pitching him).  That's not the problem.  The problem is that every other character is only written for what insights they can offer about him.  When one minor character was introduced, he was described in a couple of paragraphs and then the authors (two of them) spent two pages outlining what this guy thought of Larry Sue (almost a full psych profile, that level of detail).  Sorry, but I don't for a minute buy that the minor character, described as self-involved mind you, spent that much time pondering the wonder that is Larry Sue and his stoic-yet-personable attitude towards life.  Another major character got a bit more personality but again most of his point-of-view commentary is about Larry.  The three female characters have zero depth so far, existing only to check necessary diversity boxes (one is black!).  I can only assume we'll find out what they think about Larry in due course.

Also Larry Sue, who was tragically widowed in the first 50 pages, is now (after an appropriate length of time) involved with his previously platonic, though raging hot, coworker.  And he stole a promotion from her, but she was okay with it (I guess since any fallout is never mentioned) because he was more qualified.  He is, after all, Larry Sue.

[Reika]

I was reading a post-apocalyptic novel, but had to stop about a third of the way through because supposed military characters didn't act anything like the supposedly elite unit they were reputed to be. They all acted like immature teenagers, not grown people. A civilian specialist that they brought on acted like a petulant teen. I was dealing with it because otherwise the story was interesting.

This might sound silly, but the final deal breaker for me was how all the military characters kept going "Hooah!" at the end of what seemed like every other conversation, no matter how short.

[Lynn2000]

This is more of a "book" than a "reading" pet peeve. I'm reading a paperback right now, which I received new, where the binding (?) is so STIFF I can barely hold the book open to read it! It's really annoying. Usually I hold a book with one hand off to one side (no idea why, I just started noticing this) but with this one I've had to use both hands to hold it open, thus positioning it in the center of my lap--a completely different posture for reading that I don't find as comfortable. I've tried cracking the spine (I don't mind if my books get somewhat dinged up) but then all of a sudden it's really flexible and won't crack.  I seriously end up spending more time thinking about this, than the subject of the book.

[RebeccainGA]

This is more of a "book" than a "reading" pet peeve. I'm reading a paperback right now, which I received new, where the binding (?) is so STIFF I can barely hold the book open to read it! It's really annoying. Usually I hold a book with one hand off to one side (no idea why, I just started noticing this) but with this one I've had to use both hands to hold it open, thus positioning it in the center of my lap--a completely different posture for reading that I don't find as comfortable. I've tried cracking the spine (I don't mind if my books get somewhat dinged up) but then all of a sudden it's really flexible and won't crack.  I seriously end up spending more time thinking about this, than the subject of the book.

I got one of those a few years ago - it was an oversize (not the trade paperbacks in the size you can get at the grocery store and such) and it was exactly that annoying - too bendy to crack the spine, too stiff to open well. I accidentally left it in my very hot car all day, and the next day - was readable. You might want to try that - or freezing it, then immediately trying to crack the spine. Goofy, but we do what we must....

(it was, incidentally, the last straw that pushed me to an ereader!)

[Piratelvr1121]

That's one thing I like about ereaders vs. paper books.  I tend to like to lie on my side when I read and with a regular book you have to usually always keep a hand on it to keep your spot. 

I still read regular books when I feel like reading in the tub because I just don't trust myself with my Kindle in the tub.

[Lady Snowdon]

I was reading an ebook and had to stop so I could laugh and groan at the same time.  Paragraphs starting with "She pulled open the window, and dappled sunlight streamed through while the stars shone in the moonlit sky" just should not happen. 

[Yarnspinner]

Probably mean spirited of me.  There is an author who has published a series of ghost legends and tales of true hauntings in various states.  Cannot remember the author's name, but the imprint is one that isn't too particular about who they publish and may be a vanity press.

Sorry, independent author.  To the best recollection of locals hereabouts, local historical figure never lived at the family homestead because he was a) in college then b) teaching in another state and then c) enlisted in the army to fight the British and d) was executed.  He might have visited briefly, but he never lived in that house for more than a few days.

Nor did he pal around with the "famous miitary figure" whose body is buried on the grounds.  The "famous military figure" is named Captain John Smith but if you had bothered to read the grave marker, you would have noticed the the paragraph saying that Captain John Smith is a RACEHORSE that belonged to the family who purchased and lived on the property in the 1930s.  While it is possible they are palling around in the afterlife, they did not know each other personally in real life, no matter how much you might wish it.

[Mental Magpie]

Probably mean spirited of me.  There is an author who has published a series of ghost legends and tales of true hauntings in various states.  Cannot remember the author's name, but the imprint is one that isn't too particular about who they publish and may be a vanity press.

Sorry, independent author.  To the best recollection of locals hereabouts, local historical figure never lived at the family homestead because he was a) in college then b) teaching in another state and then c) enlisted in the army to fight the British and d) was executed.  He might have visited briefly, but he never lived in that house for more than a few days.

Nor did he pal around with the "famous miitary figure" whose body is buried on the grounds.  The "famous military figure" is named Captain John Smith but if you had bothered to read the grave marker, you would have noticed the the paragraph saying that Captain John Smith is a RACEHORSE that belonged to the family who purchased and lived on the property in the 1930s.  While it is possible they are palling around in the afterlife, they did not know each other personally in real life, no matter how much you might wish it.

Haha!

[MerryCat]

I was reading an ebook and had to stop so I could laugh and groan at the same time.  Paragraphs starting with "She pulled open the window, and dappled sunlight streamed through while the stars shone in the moonlit sky" just should not happen.

Is that an actual quote? And if so, which book is this? Are you sure it isn't a parody? Either way, I absolutely need to have it. It sounds utterly hilarious.

[Kiara]

I was reading an ebook and had to stop so I could laugh and groan at the same time.  Paragraphs starting with "She pulled open the window, and dappled sunlight streamed through while the stars shone in the moonlit sky" just should not happen.

*blink*

*blink*

I suddenly feel so much better about my small writing abilities.

[whatsanenigma]

I was reading an ebook and had to stop so I could laugh and groan at the same time.  Paragraphs starting with "She pulled open the window, and dappled sunlight streamed through while the stars shone in the moonlit sky" just should not happen.

Is that an actual quote? And if so, which book is this? Are you sure it isn't a parody? Either way, I absolutely need to have it. It sounds utterly hilarious.

Maybe it's a science fiction book? I could imagine an author writing that if somehow on that invented world, where the sky can somehow be both sunlit and moonlit at the same time.  Or maybe it's a clunky attempt to say that this person always opens the window (maybe every time she is upset, or something) regardless of if it is daytime or nighttime. 

I don't think, however, that either of these is the case 

And I agree with the complaints about the construction of paperbacks.  They are so stiff sometimes, and sometimes when you finally get to a point where they can open to be readable comfortably...the pages start becoming detached.  I know paperbacks are cheaper than hardbacks for a reason, but come on, seriously, they can't use better glue or something?

[Lynn2000]

This is more of a "book" than a "reading" pet peeve. I'm reading a paperback right now, which I received new, where the binding (?) is so STIFF I can barely hold the book open to read it! It's really annoying. Usually I hold a book with one hand off to one side (no idea why, I just started noticing this) but with this one I've had to use both hands to hold it open, thus positioning it in the center of my lap--a completely different posture for reading that I don't find as comfortable. I've tried cracking the spine (I don't mind if my books get somewhat dinged up) but then all of a sudden it's really flexible and won't crack.  I seriously end up spending more time thinking about this, than the subject of the book.

I got one of those a few years ago - it was an oversize (not the trade paperbacks in the size you can get at the grocery store and such) and it was exactly that annoying - too bendy to crack the spine, too stiff to open well. I accidentally left it in my very hot car all day, and the next day - was readable. You might want to try that - or freezing it, then immediately trying to crack the spine. Goofy, but we do what we must....

(it was, incidentally, the last straw that pushed me to an ereader!)

I tried freezing it! I pulled the book out of the freezer this morning and cracked the spine finally. I think I may have been overly enthusiastic, though, because now it looks like it's about to fall apart.  Oh well, I wasn't going to regift it or anything.

[Thipu1]

Probably mean spirited of me.  There is an author who has published a series of ghost legends and tales of true hauntings in various states.  Cannot remember the author's name, but the imprint is one that isn't too particular about who they publish and may be a vanity press.

Sorry, independent author.  To the best recollection of locals hereabouts, local historical figure never lived at the family homestead because he was a) in college then b) teaching in another state and then c) enlisted in the army to fight the British and d) was executed.  He might have visited briefly, but he never lived in that house for more than a few days.

Nor did he pal around with the "famous miitary figure" whose body is buried on the grounds.  The "famous military figure" is named Captain John Smith but if you had bothered to read the grave
marker, you would have noticed the the paragraph saying that Captain John Smith is a RACEHORSE that belonged to the family who purchased and lived on the property in the 1930s.  While it is
possible they are palling around in the afterlife, they did not know each other personally in real life, no matter how much you might wish it.

I may be going back a looong long time but, could the author possible be Hans Holtzer? He was notorious for this sort of 'psychic' exploration and was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. 

[Library Dragon]

Is it the Jeffrey ghost series? 

***

I just finished a library/cat mystery.  I really don't need to know every time the protagonist emptied the kitty litter.  Please! I'm trying to eat lunch here!