The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Went to my library's Overdrive to borrow a title I was previously interested in but waited until I finished current read.

"Not available. License expired"

Been there, done that. On the bright side, 2 of the 3 times, the library repurchased the book since I was not the only person asking about it.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Renate

No, not defaults, just my global settings which are adjustable.
Font, font size, line spacing, justification, margins.
What else do you need?

A hot coffee and a Cat.

Depends on the book. I prefer that things make visual sense.
Signs get centered (border optional)
Letters get a different font and are block quoted.

OK, Some things are just FUN! Boring is... well...BORING!
Old computer screen text is Monospaced.
Why not decorate Chapter titles a bit (in keeping with the subject)?
OTOH I was taught that 6 was the MAXIMUM of font families you should use in a document.

[Renate]

When the sun is over the yardarm I don't do coffee any more.

Borders? You mean like this?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Renate

When the sun is over the yardarm I don't do coffee any more.

Borders? You mean like this?

I served in the Steam powered Navy, Coffee was a 24/7 beverage

The first because not all devices do the others.

I also play with Padding and thickness when I do use them.

[ownedbycats]

Those weird book descriptions that go "[some book I've never heard of] meets [another book I've never heard of] in this [a usually inaccurate description of the book itself]."

Also, waitlists on Overdrive. I'm begging you: if you finish your book early, please return them early!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Those weird book descriptions that go "[some book I've never heard of] meets [another book I've never heard of] in this [a usually inaccurate description of the book itself]."

Also, waitlists on Overdrive. I'm begging you: if you finish your book early, please return them early!

If I wanted to read some book and another book, I'd have done so instead of reading this book.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Those weird book descriptions that go "[some book I've never heard of] meets [another book I've never heard of] in this [a usually inaccurate description of the book itself]."

And the variant that goes “for fans of “[hugely popular book] and [different hugely popular book that has nothing in common with the first other than popularity]”. Except that it’s useful at that, as my response is to hit the back button.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by issybird

And the variant that goes “for fans of “[hugely popular book] and [different hugely popular book that has nothing in common with the first other than popularity]”. Except that it’s useful at that, as my response is to hit the back button.

Both variants make me smile sadly as I envision desperate in-house marketers trying to find new ways to say "PLEASE BUY THIS DREK"

[JSWolf]

If I am looking at eBooks and come across an unknown author, if the cover it not good, I'll just pass right on by. No reading the description or have anything else to do with it. So make sure you have a good cover that doesn't look like it was created one night on a drunken binge.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by issybird

And the variant that goes “for fans of “[hugely popular book] and [different hugely popular book that has nothing in common with the first other than popularity]”.

I know it is annoying, but it is natural to compare something you are hoping to be popular to some other already popular thing. It's not just books. I've seen the same thing happen with music, movies, TV shows, etc.

Except that it’s useful at that, as my response is to hit the back button.

Doing that, you will miss some good stuff. Here are three good books with unfortunate quotes:

I Travel by Night and Last Train from Perdition by Robert McCammon
“Perfect for Deadwood fans and those who enjoy the American Vampire graphic-novel series by Scott Snyder. Clear a couple of hours, you’ll want to devour this in one sitting.” —Booklist

The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek by Rhett McLaughlin, Link Neal
“Stranger Things meets the South. Chilling, hilarious, and suspenseful—I loved it!”—Felicia Day

Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby
"Like Ocean’s Eleven meets Drive, with a Southern noir twist, S. A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland is a searing, operatic story of a man pushed to his limits by poverty, race, and his own former life of crime."

This book was also Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner, New York Times Notable Book, NPR’s Best Books of the Year, BookPage’s #1 Mystery and Suspense of the Year, Sun Sentinel’s #1 Best Mystery of the Year

So you might miss some great stuff because of stupid comparisons.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If I am looking at eBooks and come across an unknown author, if the cover it not good, I'll just pass right on by. No reading the description or have anything else to do with it. So make sure you have a good cover that doesn't look like it was created one night on a drunken binge.

Yeah man. Covers are tough. I know that for an indie author it is the most expensive part of publishing your book. But an ugly or cheap cover can be a real turn off.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yeah man. Covers are tough. I know that for an indie author it is the most expensive part of publishing your book. But an ugly or cheap cover can be a real turn off.

Same. Some covers just scream at the top of their voice "I'm self-published!" OTOH there are many self-pubs with great, professional-looking covers.

[DiapDealer]

While I almost never even consciously see ebook covers any more. Precisely because I KNOW they're indicative of nothing. The old maxim exists for a reason. *shrug*

[issybird]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

So you might miss some great stuff because of stupid comparisons.

Them’s the breaks. I already will never be able to read everything I’d like to read. If some of my filters are imperfect, it’s doesn’t mean they’re useless or counterproductive.

When I read blurbs, I’m looking to be sold. If I’m a likely prospect and instead I’m turned off, it’s not my problem, it’s the fault of the marketer. I’ll go with the books where the marketer respects my intellligence instead of thinking me an easy mark. “For fans of Stephen King, Barbara Cartland and Thomas Mann!” It’s really no different than a cheesy cover; it’s all part of the packaging.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

While I almost never even consciously see ebook covers any more. Precisely because I KNOW they're indicative of nothing. The old maxim exists for a reason. *shrug*

That's because AFAIK you find your books going mostly by other people's reviews and opinions, from what I remember. I do my own filtering and covers are part of that. Not saying my way is better, I've just found it more useful for me than what others say.