How many bookish red flags do you have? | Part 2

Last updated on March 5th, 2024 at 01:52 pm

How many bookish red flags do you have? | Part 2

Welcome back to Bookish Red Flags! Let’s explore more reader confessions—waiting to write reviews, endless TBR shopping sprees, and struggling to DNF books. Join me as we navigate these bookish bad habits and share our reading experiences. In this blog, we’ll delve into another 11 red flags, covering late-night reading sessions and unintentional book damage.

In Part 1, I found myself relating to many, tallying 7 red flags and 1 amber flag. If you missed that blog, you can catch up here: Judging mine and your bookish red flags | Part 1. 

Judging MINE and YOUR book red flags

You can also watch my YouTube video, featuring both Part 1 and Part 2 questions.

Bookish statements

So, let’s discover how many of these habits we relate to today. Without further ado…

Bookish red flags part 2

11 bookish red flag questions

1. Waits to write reviews and forgets half the plot

I will admit I’m guilty of this and improving this year. Sometimes I am really late to write book reviews, and I get the gist of the plot and what I like about it, but I do miss some elements of the plot.

My aim is to write the review one or two days after finishing the book to avoid this issue, lol.

I will give myself an Amber flag as I’m not terrrrible with plot detailed but I do wait to write reviews!

1 amber flag

2. Has a mile long physical TBR but continue to buy new books.

Guilty! I wish I could be one of those people who says, ‘I’m going on a book buying ban and I’m only going to read books I own’. I struggle; it’s like an addiction. Definitely, if you go into a bookshop, I feel bad not buying a book—I don’t know why.

I’m red flagging this!

1 red flag

3. Stops reading in the middle of a chapter

I read books on the train and in bed, so if I need to get off the train before I end a chapter or if my partner’s tired and wants to go to bed (or I get sleepy), I’m more likely to stop reading mid-chapter. I don’t do this regularly, though.

I try to get to the end of the chapter; sometimes, I read until I can’t keep my eyes open lol. But I make sure I get to the end of the chapter. Then again, if the books boring and not gripping me, I’m highly likely to stop reading whenever.

I’m going to amber flag this one because sometimes I do it rarely and when I do it can’t be helped!

1 amber flag

4. Never DNFing a book and powering through because you’re not a quitter

9/10 times, I’m like this, so immediately I’m saying it’s a red flag.

I attempted to DNF* a book last year—The Priory of the Orange Tree! I read until I was 50% through, and while I enjoyed it when I picked the book up, it didn’t grip me enough to the point where, when I put the book down, I ended up forgetting it and then was never in the mood to read it when I did notice it.

It’s meant to be an amazing book, but in the end, I just haven’t been motivated to finish it. That being said, in my head, it’s not DNFed. I’m under the illusion that one day I will finish it; I think I’m in denial that I’m not going to finish the book, lol.

I think it’s okay to DNF books because we don’t finish TV shows if the first few episodes are rubbish. So why can’t we do that with books? I struggle though; I feel like I must power through in order to give it a valid chance and opinion.

Okay red flag 100%. I feel like I just tried encouraging myself to DNF this book, but I can’t do it, haha.

1 red flag

5. Looking up fan art and seeing spoilers

Another red flag (this is going well), and the main reason is because of Pinterest. I love creating boards for series I love. It’s a struggle when I haven’t finished reading the series; I create a Pinterest board for the books I have read. Then the algorithm shows me fan art for later books in the series.

Spoiler city!!! Will I stop? No.

1 red flag

6. Sits down to read and spends 3 hours on Bookstagram

Nooooo, never! Bookstagram is the last thing on my mind. The only reason I’ll use my phone while I read is if I don’t understand the meaning of a word or I can’t pronounce the name of a character. Then I’ll Google what I need to and get back to reading.

7. Getting more attached to books I own when I have accidentally damaged them

RED FLAG ALERT. Yes! Why are we like this? It’s just a book.

But at the same time, it isn’t. I love them, I’m attached to them, and when they get ruined, it hurts! It shouldn’t matter if the book is still readable; that’s the main reason to have the book. But I’d be lying if I said I don’t love the aesthetics of books too.

The last book I really damaged was Love Resigned by Lauren Asher. I placed the book in my bag, and then a bottle of Rubicon, but the lid wasn’t screwed on properly. Dying inside.

The book was fine and still readable, but it looked a bit minging.

Check out my review of Love Redesigned here! Spoiler, loved it. It was a good billionaire romance!

1 red flag

8. Stay up till early hours of the morning to read.

Who hasn’t done this? Obviously a red flag. I think every reader has been so gripped by a book they haven’t been able to put it down. The latest I’ve stayed up to read was till 5 am. I didn’t even finish the book, so I allowed myself to sleep for a few hours, and then I was back to reading. Unhealthy, yes. But it was tooooo good to put down.

1 red flag

9. Buying books without knowing the plot

I wish I weren’t guilty, but yesssss I am. This is toxic behaviour. However, if someone is hyping a book up on Bookstagram, Booktube, or Booktok— for example, a silent review— and their energy is hyping me up for the book, 8/10 I’m going to get it without even knowing the plot.

Also, if I read a good quote and get obsessed, I’m buying the book. No plot needed.

This is the issue with buying books off the hype (mainly from Booktok, check out my Booktok today!) because you’re just getting an influx of constant quick reviews and recommendations. So I end up buying the book because of FOMO. It’s bad because I shouldn’t be buying books I don’t know the plot of, but I am guilty of it, lol.

1 red flag

10. Only reads books with romance

Hmmm, 80% of my books are romance, so I will amber flag this.

I mean, who doesn’t love a romance?! Come on, they’re so addictive and easy to read. When I don’t want something deep, with some spice, or banter, nothing crazy, no one’s going to die!

To be fair, some romances do have deaths… One Day… that book destroyed me.

Seeing as 20% don’t have romance in them, I think it’s okay to put this as an amber flag. Those books may have a smidge of romance, but it’s not the whole plot.

1 amber flag

11. Starting a new book even though you haven't finished the last one

As a mood reader, it’s not possible for me to not have more than one book on the go at a time. I’m also in two book clubs, so I have those books.

Additionally, I have specific books for different times and places. I have a train book, a bed book, a beanbag book, and then books I read anywhere. Does anyone else do this? lol

Another red flag for me!

1 red flag

Total bookish red flags

So the total is…

Total red flags = 7Total amber flags = 3

Oh dear, this was worse than part 1

I wonder if I’ll ever get below half the red flags. We’ll see, haha.

How many did you relate to? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading!

In the mean time, check out my Youtube channelInstagram and Pinterest boards for funny memes more book recommendations and reviews!

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Creator of The Book List! Hope you enjoy this journey with me, follow my socials (@ashleighsbooklist) for updates for book memes, my latest book reviews and recommendations.

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*DNF = Did not finish, TBR = To be read

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