I was just going through Pinterest and saving one MILLION billion pins that were y2k childhood toys/shows/games. It made me think about all the books I used to love when I was little! Do you remember the first book you ever read by yourself? What were your favorite books as a little kid?

The first book I remember reading by myself was Old Hat New Hat! A Berenstain Bear book! I also really loved Junie B. Jones, A to Z Mysteries, and ANY nonfiction science picture book. (Bonus points if it was about ghosts/haunted buildings.) EDIT: I HAVE TO ADD THE KISSING HAND AND THE COBBLESTREET COUSINS 🫶✨

I’d love to hear if anyone has named their pet(s) something bookish (e.g., after a character, book title, etc.). Bonus points if you share a photo 💗

I’m currently reading Howl’s Moving Castle and my brother had an orange cat named Calcifer (named after the movie but still) and it’s made me think of him throughout

I've seen a few posts about pet peeves regarding phrases, or trends, etc etc, and thought they were really fun. Seeing how different, or similar people think and feel. So, I'm taking inspiration again. What are you most ridiculous, irrational, maybe unfair, bookish pet peeves? As ridiculous as you can get!

To start the thread, I'll say an unfair, ridiculous pet peeve of mine is when someone won't read a book only because it has a high page count. Is that affecting me at all? No, no it isn't. Ultimately, I don't care what people read, I'm not sitting up at night in agony because someone won't read that 800-page novel; seeing it being said though, for some reason, irks me. Crazy-ness I know. I'm ashamed.

Remember: We're all friends here, and this is in lighthearted good fun! So, if someone comments a pet peeve that you might do, don't take it to heart, read how you enjoy reading. If someone does a pet peeve you may have, don't make them feel bad, they're reading how they enjoy reading and so are you. Either way reading should be celebrated!

Stay creepy lovies, Crow

Have you ever experienced reading a popular series and finding out that the characters everyone ships or the characters they love are actually the ones you dislike or think should not be together? Maybe the character that everyone hates actually has the best character development for you?

Lately, I’ve been struggling a lot with character empathy and initiating conversation to understand the differing perspectives surrounding book characters. I feel an overwhelming pressure to side with the characters that the majority of readers love. This is primarily due to social media being a reflection of what the majority thinks which makes it hard to find those who have different takes. However, I feel like my perspective is quite opposite from how other readers view the books. Seeing as social media is forever and anonymous depending on how you use it, I find it hard to be transparent when it’s so easy to be torn down for not having the same view as others.

I’ve always enjoyed reading complex characters. Truthfully, the best development for me is seeing a character devolve their morals into a more fluid grey area or watching polarizing characters work their way towards seeing the damage they cause by doing the inner and outer work necessary to develop patience and empathy. Those journeys are always messy, full of set backs, and rock-bottom lessons. Those stories really teach me something about myself.

However, the problem i suppose I’m having is more surrounded by having conversations about these characters. I always feel like my takes are controversial purely for the reason that they are soo different from the way the majority of the audience interprets things.

Some of the more popular answers I could think of are my profound respect and empathy for Nesta Archeron (ACOTAR) and my current annoyance and lack of patience for Violet Sorrengail (Empyrean). Both takes very much oppose the vast opinions I’ve seen surrounding the characters.

Particularly with Violet, I feel so much confusion in processing my feelings for her. In many ways, her fire reminds me of Nesta. Shes a very consuming and captivating character, however, my biggest problem lies in the intention of her actions. Though every time I try to open a conversation about her, I find myself hesitating or second guessing the action due to the responses I will receive by questioning an FMCs intentions.

I also deeply care about my impact on other readers connection with the book. My primary goal is to have a conversation that doesn’t invalidate someone’s connection while productively analyzing the characters to come to some sort of mutual, respectful understanding or a new perspective I had not considered. However, I have found that the degree of consideration nor the depth of my initial analyzation doesn’t prevent the amount of responses that seek to end the controversial thought rather than inspiring discussion.

For those of you that have polarizing opinions, or maybe even for those of you that don’t but are still interested in hearing those opinions, how do you go about having difficult conversations when your opinions are vastly different from everyone else?

How do you mentally prepare yourself to keep the conversation productive rather than feeling discouraged from even having the thought in the first place?

Are there any tropes you hate (or well, dislike) and prefer not to read, or absolutely won't read, books with them?

(No shade to anyone who does enjoy these tropes! They're just not for me 😅)

For me the trope I hate most is probably RH (reverse harem). Idk why but whenever I come across books with those I keep thinking about if the genders were swapped and then I can't stomach it.

I also hate love triangle tropes (unless they all end up together 😈). I think I started realizing this when I first got into Sarah Maas books; iirc (it's been a while) both TOG and ACOTAR's first books have love triangles. I think the only cases I enjoyed the way they were handled were in Cassandra Clare's books, in TDA and TID.

what's a word that when you come across in books pulls you out of the world the author has built?

due to the nature of my word, I shall put it in the comments