YA Author Rendezvous

Written by Kelly St. Clare

1. The E-reader

How many times have you heard the phrase “There’s nothing like holding a book in your hands.”? As e-readers take over the world faster than Taylor Swift’s latest tweet, it is all we bookworms can do to hold on to the traditional form of a story.

But you have to admit…

Taking your entire library with you to Hawaii is oddly convenient. And reading a romance book without having to flash the mandatory hot guy on the cover to everyone on the train is a nice change. Then there’s the fact that books are cheaper…

But whatever. Print is better. So e-readers will remain something I love to hate and hate to love.

2. The Merciless Author

Dear JK Rowling,

Why do you kill everyone I love? And why do I still love you? You are the serial killer of the book world and seemingly hold no remorse for your actions. You made unicorns cry when you killed Snape. And Fred. And Dobby. Even Harry for a little bit, somewhere in there.

You cold soul.

P.S. Please keep writing books.

3. The Love Triangle

I estimate around 50% of people will hate that I have this here #sorrynotsorry. And I agree the ol’ LT sucks…except when it doesn’t. There is nothing like a love triangle that is served cold with a slice of lemon. When you genuinely cannot guess who the main character will end up with. But you need the Author to pick the person you’ve fallen in love with. They have to! Because if they don’t….you will have one serious grudge toward the writer. Forever. And you may not tell them. But hell if they won’t be able to feel your glare from across the world.

Conclusion: I hate them. But I love them.

4. The Book Hangover

Definition: The aftermath of an uncontrollable urge to continue reading past your bedtime, occassionally days long. Often associated with extreme emotion and/or lack of hygiene and sudden ravenous hunger.

You are so tired! So emotionally wrung out. That last book is haunting you, to the extent you feel unable to start another! You sludge through school or work. It’s horrible. But would you change it? Would you rewind life, stop on the second-to-last chapter and put that book down? Not for a second! A true bookworm has their priorities straight. Book Hangovers are a burden every reader must bear.

5. The Cliffhanger

[DISCLAIMER: I have a 100 percent cliff-hanger ending rate. I apologise to Bookworms world-wide. Don’t hate me.]

For the most part, I don’t believe the majority of Bookworms mind them. I know I know, a lot of authors do them and it’s refreshing to read the occasional stand-alone. And really, if I think about it, hanging off the side of cliff must be quite unpleasant. Especially if you have to dangle there for a year until the release of the sequel.

But then…

…there’s that brain frenzy after a good cliffhanger! It’s addictive, teasing, frustrating! What’s going to happen next? Bookworms need to know the character’s problems will be resolved! In this day and age of instant gratification, the suspense is like sleeping with sunburn.

The relationship is bittersweet. The plight is real.

There you have it. My top five reading annoyances that I love to hate and hate to love.

But here is my question to you, fellow Bookworm: Out of the five things listed above, which do you love to hate?