Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Hanging out on a book site like Goodreads, it is inevitable that we readers will come across 'spoilers' of books we haven't read yet.

My question is, how do you respond to spoilers? Do you avoid them with a passion, and gets irritated when you accidentally read them? or Do you seek them out, wanting to know in advance before actually reading the book?

Do you yourself write spoilers in your reviews, but kind enough to mark them, or are your reviews just titillating information without giving anything away?

Share your thoughts, everyone.

I really try to avoid spoilers, but I probably have put a spoiler here and there inadvertently.

If a book has a preview chapter at the end of the book, I will not read it. I used to, but then I found that I had that deja vu feeling when I read the new book.

I will read author's extra chapters on their websites, but only after I have read the book they belong to.

I'll start.

Personally, spoilers don't bother me. I don't really seek them out, but I don't mind if I stumbled upon them while reading a review or following a discussion.

After all, I'm the kind of reader, that when the book gets too intense, I have to skim ahead to know what happened, and then when I've finished, go back to the beginning and read it again, this time with full knowledge on how the story went.

I rarely do reviews, but when I do, it is usually spoiler-free.

I try to avoid spoilers for the most part, but if I stumble across them, it doesn't bother me. Sometimes I will read a review anyway, even if there are spoiler alerts. For me, it just really depends on the book.

I HATE SPOILERS!!! In fact I'm pretty irritated when I come across one because it takes the excitement out of the book. In fact, I was just finishing up The Hostage by Susan Wiggs and my eye accidentally jumped over to the facing page and I found out something that I really didn't want to know until I reached that page! I about cried! I want to be kept in suspense... at the edge of my seat until the very end!

I usually try to avoid spoilers but I'm not going to go crazy if I happen to read one. When I write a review I try not to include spoilers.

It depends on the book and depends on the spoiler for me. My memory is horrible so most of the time, if I read a spoiler I just have to wait a little while before picking up the book and it's like it never happened. So I do read them often.

Other than that, whether a spoiler 'spoils' something for me is an unpredictable crap shoot and I can't entirely pinpoint my triggers.

The only spoilers I avoid like the plague are series I am emotionally invested in. I learned that lesson the hard way after having HP and the Order of the Phoenix spoiled a week before it was released. Not cool.

I don't like spoilers and avoid them like the plague. :) I only read reviews with spoilers if I know I won't read the book. In my reviews, I try to avoid them and play it safe (nothing that surprised me will get mentioned.)

I don't actively seek out spoilers. If I accidently stumble across one, my reaction depends on the spoiler itself.

The ones that irritate me the most are about material that isn't even released yet. The person writing the information knows exactly what they're doing and there's no excuse. A couple years ago I was totally disgusted with the commercials running on a major network. There would be a mini cliff-hanger associated with an episode of a TV Show, but if you'd seen any of the commercials you already knew what was going to happen near the end of the show. No excuse whatsoever for this.

If the spoiler is about something that's a recent release it should be clearly marked, it's irritating but I don't get bent all out of shape if someone forgets to mark it.

If the book (or other media) has been out for quite a while and I've just not gotten around to reading it yet, I think it's a read at my own risk type of scenario. Someone posting about a book that's been out for a year or more is probably going to be discussing specifics I might not want to know.

There are times I appreciate a semi-spoilery comment. There was a big to-do a couple years ago about a book marketed specifically as a paranormal romance which wasn't. In this case, I think it was okay for reviewers to let people know that the book would not meet the reader's expectations of a romance novel.

When I'm writing a review, I don't use spoilers. At most, I hint or dance around the topic. But I'd rather write an extremely short review than give away key plot elements.

Book discussion is another matter entirely. Presumably, people joining in the discussion have already read the book. I try to clearly mark spoilers just in case, but some things might slip through.

I only seek spoilers if I have no desire to read an actual book. I do not normally get upset if I come across a spoiler, unless it is something HUGE (for instance, the ending of Catching Fire) or the perpetrator in a mystery. If I am reading the type of book I expect to be surprised by I do not read any reviews of it at all prior to reading.

Most of the time, I try not to put any spoilers in my reviews, but I am sure I spoil something sometimes while discussing (or rather criticizing) a plot point.

I don't care to happen upon spoilers. If I do write a spoiler in my review, I always mark it. I wish all people would but it's definitely not the case, I usually stop reading the review if it contains a spoiler.

Totally off subject, I don't care for when people put the synopsis of the book in their review either. I always usually know the synopsis by reading the book description and tend to think it's redundant when it's also contained within a review. Plus if everyone starts out their review that way, you spend your whole time reading synopsis after synopsis before you actually get to their review.


Jumping down off my pedestal. Sorry!

I don't like spoilers at all. When I write a review I don't normally leave spoilers but if I do I will mark it. Personally I don't even like reading the back of a book in a series if I haven't read all the books before it.
Yz, I can't believe you read ahead. LOL If I did that I probably wouldn't be able to finish reading the book.

Danielle wrote:Yz, I can't believe you read ahead. LOL If I did that I probably wouldn't be able to finish reading the book..."

LOL...I do. It's like I'm all antsy wanting to know what happened next, so I'll skip all the irrelevant details and read the important plot parts.

Then once I'm assured things are going the way they should be, I'll go back to the part before I started skimming, and now calmly, read every word. : )

Danielle wrote: "I don't like spoilers at all. When I write a review I don't normally leave spoilers but if I do I will mark it. Personally I don't even like reading the back of a book in a series if I haven't read..."

OMG, Danielle! I stopped doing that with some paranormal/urban fantasy where the heroine is the same accross books. I've gotten a few spoilers that way if let's say, I'm reading the first book in a series where Juliana met Jim and they are hooking up, and when I'm trying to see what books 3 or 4 are about, the description goes something like this:

After Juliana broke up with Jim, he went to Africa and was eaten by lions...

I've been crushed of course...oh poor Jim! Eaten by lions! And they broke up! Buah, buah!

I rather like spoilers and it`s hard to read good reviews that dont have them.
I think that is because most people realize that to not have them makes a very dull review-just my opinion-so I do look for them so I have some idea what it`s about.
If I don`t like the review then I won`t waste my money,thats why they need to have the bad as well as the good of the story-no sugar coating please !
And more than anything I hate to see an author bashed,the review should be for the story ,not a critique of an authors ability to write-if I don`t like their style I just don`t buy again.

D.G. wrote: "Danielle wrote: "I don't like spoilers at all. When I write a review I don't normally leave spoilers but if I do I will mark it. Personally I don't even like reading the back of a book in a series ..."

LOL At least I'm not the only one. :)

The only time I don't like spoilers is when I'm reading a series and I don't want to know anything that happened in the book until I have read it. Usually I don't mind spoilers. I am one of those readers that will read the beginning of the book but become a bit impatience and just start skimming pages near the end and then finish the book. Sometimes I'm extremely impatient and will skip many pages without re-reading them and be content with just reading the end. This is why I can never read mystery novels :).

As for writing reviews, I definitely put spoilers in mine but mark that there are spoilers. I like that whoever reads my reviews will know why I gave the book the rating I did. I usually write spoilers about the characters themselves rather than the plot of the book because for me I'm all about the characters in the book and if the plot is good well that's just a bonus!!

I cannot stand spoilers. To the point where I usually will not read a book if I have been spoiled on it. It just ruins the book for me. I want my first reaction to whatever happens to be when I read it not in advance. I never post spoilers in my reviews. I also rarely read reviews, because TOO MANY people think a review should include a plot summary of the book. My reviews only contain my emotional reaction to the book.

Put me amongst the readers who avoid spoilers like the plague, especially when the book is part of a series. I just prefer to be surprised. I can think of several books where if I had known something was going to happen ahead of time, it would have taken all the fun out of it for me. The only time I will read spoiler reviews is if the book is highly controversial, and I don't really know whether I want to read it or not. In that case, reading spoiler review might actually help me to make up my mind or at least prepare me for the worst if I do read it.:-)

When writing reviews, I try to avoid major spoilers. Since I don't like them myself, I want to give the same consideration to other readers. I may mention some minor plot points in order to explain how I felt about certain aspects of the book, but I never give away plot twists or endings. The one and only time I did (I just couldn't think of any way to dance around the issue and still make clear my feelings on it without spoiling a plot twist) I clearly marked it, so that the spoiler paragraph could easily be skipped.

Spoilers don't bother me as well. When I write my review on here and if am going to spoil something about the book, I mark my review as a spoiler. Sometimes, I mention on the line of what the back cover of the book states and still mark my review as a spoiler.

Now, when I post my review on my blog, I copy what I have written here, if I wrote my review here first and then add some stuff, if I need to add. My blog will have spoilers on it. I can get deep with a book sometimes.

I don't mind spoilers but, at the same time, I'd rather not know something huge on which the whole book is based, especially if it's a secret a h/H is keeping, rather than a plot twist. Most times I actively seek spoilers out: I will read the synopsis of all books in a series when I'm starting a new one:) I don't want to root for a hero that won't be there for long and to be honest, I can't handle stress well (who is going to end with whom, who will get killed, etc). When the stress gets too much, I will either search for reviews with spoilers or peek at the ending if I already own the book.

That said, I do get frustrated when I read unmarked reviews where the murderer/secret is revealed without any warning (I don't mean minor spoilers, I don't mind those). It would be best to mark the review as 'containing spoilers' and leave the decision to me whether I want to read it or not. I probably would anyway, but it's a courtesy thing, like knocking on someone's door before barging in.

I try to write spoiler-free reviews but sometimes it's impossible to explain why you didn't or did like something without revealing anything. In that case I'll mark my review and usually include a SPOILERS alert before the specific paragraph. In discussions though, I admit I feel free to post a spoiler or two.

While I hate true spoilers, I don't mind hearing about things I haven't seen yet. When someone marks a romance novel review as a spoiler to hide the fact that the hero and heroine end up together I wonder what is the point. For the most part I just read through a review and get a feel as to whether or not I would like the book. Then clear that info out and start fresh with my reading.

I try to keep my reviews and comments spoiler free. However, I remember writing a review once where I said what happened specifically and said something along the lines of 'you might think this is a spoiler, but the only thing that could be spoiled is your good time if you actually read this book...'.

LOL, Jim! It seems that the definition of a spoiler varies by people...but for me, things that are expected in a genre are not spoilers...like the hero and heroine of a romance having a conflict (:p) or somebody ending up dead in a mystery. :)

Jim,
It is probably because someone read the HEA and threw a flaming fit-and of course thats the definition of a romance novel.I have seen this happen a couple of times too.
Another time someone didn`t put that the book was Erotica and someone who read it demanded she pay her money back because she had bought it because of the good review the poster gave it.

It depends. I will seek out spoilers on books that I'm not sure I want to read. I try to avoid spoilers on books I really want to read, so I am not pre-influenced on liking the book.

When I write reviews, my reviews are about how I feel about a book and what I thought about it. It makes some spoiling inevitable. I try to mark my reviews that have spoilers. If it's common knowledge, I won't necessarily mark my review for spoilers. I don't mark my blog for spoilers. It would be pretty tough to do that.

KimKirt wrote: "I don't care to happen upon spoilers. If I do write a spoiler in my review, I always mark it. I wish all people would but it's definitely not the case, I usually stop reading the review if it conta..."

I totally agree with the synopsis/book review! Obviously, I'm reading reviews because I liked the book's description, so don't rehash the book's jacket flap for me, duh.

ok, about the spoilers. I'm reading HP's Phoenix, as well, so I've managed to avoid all spoilers so far, except some mumbling about somebody, but I quickly diverted.

I did see a book description once on GR where the person actually put the spoiler in there!! I didn't think of it at the time, but as a GR Librarian, I could have edited that! oh well.

Obviously, when I read a book, I leave out spoilers and review as objectively as I can, especially when I didn't care for the book. I like to play nice for the readers and especially the author.

I don't mind at all, I'm the kind of person that reads the end of the book first to make sure I like the way it ends lol.....

I belong in the "Hate Spoilers" club. Not only in books, either! I just want to see/read/find out what happens by myself when it's time to see it/read it/find it out! Is that too much to ask?

If I stumble upon a spoiler, I either backpedal as fast as possible, forgetting on the spot what I read, if that's possible, or I delay reading the book until I can't really remember all that clearly what the spoiler was, although in some cases that's almost impossible.

To avoid seeing spoilers, I simply don't read people's reviews before I finish a book myself. I only read the description and check the rating (stars) people gave it.

And, since I don't like to read spoilers, whenever I happen to write a review myself, I avoid them at all costs! (I end up annoying my friends, too, since I don't like telling them even if they ask me, sometimes. I just feel like it won't be the same if they don't find out whatever it is the moment it's supposed to be found, like it will ruin the feeling or something of the moment... Plus, it's cheating!!)

Anyway, like I said, NO Spoilers for me, thank you very much!

I don`t know for sure but I think if I didn`t like spoilers I`d stay a million miles away from reviews of all things.
As Kim said,don`t rehash the books jacket flap,and thats about all you can really say,anything else has to be a spoiler doesn`t it? ,
But what I really don`t understand is if thats all the info a person want`s then why go where others try to give a description.
And the thing I want the most is the dislikes to help me not waste money

It really depends. Sometimes I actively seek out spoilers and it doesn't bother to me to know what happens in advance. The only thing I dislike is when I accidentally stumble across a spoiler in a discussion or review because it wasn't marked. I periodically include spoilers in my reviews, but I always mark them because I want people to know what they're getting into beforehand. I think it's only common courtesy.

One of the reason I don't really read reviews that often is the spoilers. Although goodreads seems to be good about warning you of spoilers in a review. But Amazon and PBS-there's only a spoiler review if the reviewer puts one.

I had a whole series ruined for me once. I had the first 3 books of a historical series. I made the mistake of reading the review of book 1 and it went to tell me that the main characters of book 1 get murdered in book 2. Since book 1 was all about them falling in love, there was no point in readign 1 or 2 anymore.

There are times though when I'll actually look for a spoiler. Like the Hannah Swensen books by Joanne Fluke. I won't read another one unless I read somewhere that she finally picks a guy and the whole love triangle is over. It's been like 14 books now. I probably won't read another Stephanie Plum book unless I hear that's it's a lot different then the others. The series is like reading the same book over and over again.

Mary, I agree that any love triangle should be resolved in four books or less.

I'm sorry that the series was spoiled for you. But the first mistake was in reading "a historical series". They sort of start out being spoiled don't they?

Spoilers ruined my favourite book for me! Of course, it'd been good enough to still be my favourite but still...the entire time, I was expecting something to happen! I hate them - they ruin the entire book.

I despise spoilers! I avoid them and get very upset when I stumble on one. I think that reviews and even book descriptions often give too much away. I like to just read and not know very much at all about the book.

Photojim wrote: "Mary, I agree that any love triangle should be resolved in four books or less.

I'm sorry that the series was spoiled for you. But the first mistake was in reading "a historical series". They sor..."

LOL! What do you think would happen to Jim if we locked him in a room for a month with only historicals to read?

Suicide by papercut. lol

I prefer sneaky spoilers, the ones that give some information, enough to make you want to read on, but not enough to make reading on pointless

Danielle wrote: "Suicide by papercut. lol"

I wouldn't need to go that far. I don't think I've gone a month without reading anything since I was... Well, since I could read I suppose. Maybe it would be a new phase in my life? I'd get through it just fine. At least I wouldn't run out of toilet paper during that month. (These books would be in paper format I'm assuming.)

As to spoilers, I guess what is a spoiler for one person is not for another. Furthermore, what is a spoiler for one book is not for another. My wife and I are reading the J.D.Robb In Death series. She reads the books first when we get them. Currently we are on book nine and ten respectively. She said she wanted to talk to me about something that happened in the book so I should hurry up and read it because she didn't want to spoil anything for me. "Does Roarke die?" "No." "Does Eve have a baby?" "No." "Does She-body die?" "No." "Then there aren't any spoilers." She could have told me who was the murderer and it wouldn't have been a spoiler. She could have told me a hundred different things about the plot and it wouldn't have been a spoiler. However, minor details about Eve's mother or some Sommerset character development I don't want to hear about.

Spoilers typically don't bother me. For me, reading is more about the journey than the destination. Even if I know how a book ends, I still enjoy reading the story. If I venture to a book's discussion thread, I know it's at my own risk but sometimes I just can't help myself. HOWEVER, today something happened that really bugged me. I am reading The Hunger Games and wanted to add the next book, Catching Fire, to my TBR list. When I clicked into Catching Fire to read a synopsis and reviews, lo and behold it tells you in the description how The Hunger Games ends! Maybe this was a no-brainer ending, but STILL! This won't prevent me from finishing the book, but knowing how it ends up does kill the suspense factor (and this is one heck of a suspenseful book!).

Sandy wrote: "Spoilers typically don't bother me. For me, reading is more about the journey than the destination. Even if I know how a book ends, I still enjoy reading the story. If I venture to a book's discu..."

That is why I never read the back of a book in a series unless I have read all the ones before it first. I like surprises. lol

I don't mind spoilers at all. I can read a detailed summary of a book and still go out to buy it and read it. In fact, a summary of some sort often leads me to buy the book. I really don't care about being "surprised" by the plot, having been "surprised" unpleasantly a couple of times in the past. Boy, do I hate a main character being killed off! And I always check the ending of a book since I loathe cliffhangers. If a book ends with a cliffhanger, I won't buy it. Why, yes, I am a rereader. How did you guess? :-)

I mark my spoilers, except when I review a picture book or board book. I'm very sorry if I spoiled Julius: Baby of the World for anyone.

I don't like to know anything before I read or watch it. I mean ANYTHING. I don't read the back of the book or video. I don't watch commercials. I DO choose a book by its cover. If I see one of my friends reading a book and we have the same taste, I'll read it after they've finished. I'll discuss it up to the point that I'm at, but I would rather wait until I'm all done to talk about it.

If a book is super intense, I will skim parts to get to the action. I tend to do this when watching movies and television. If there are slow moments, I'll take a break or read or do chores, etc.

If I am waiting to read a book about a favorite hero or mine and someone else already have to book, I don't mind being spoiled.

I remember when Hot Pursuit came out by Suzanne Brockmann and I was on the library's waiting list. I wanted spoilers about Sam Starrett and his family and I was given spoilers. It didn't stop me from wanting to check the book out.

Yz the Whyz wrote: "I'll start.

Personally, spoilers don't bother me. I don't really seek them out, but I don't mind if I stumbled upon them while reading a review or following a discussion.

After all, I'm the kind of reader, that when the book gets too intense, I have to skim ahead to know what happened, and then when I've finished, go back to the beginning and read it again, this time with full knowledge on how the story went..."

When I first started reading mysteries after reading a few chapters, I would invariably go to the last few pages to see "who done it" and then I could go back and finish the story. I just wanted to know when the protagonist got into a hairy situation was she in "real danger" from the murderer or not. I have broken myself of doing that but I still want to look occasionally (but I don't).

Kim wrote: "KimKirt wrote: "I don't care to happen upon spoilers. If I do write a spoiler in my review, I always mark it. I wish all people would but it's definitely not the case, I usually stop reading the re...

Totally agree here - hate when people go to review the book but basically retype the book summary. Even worse when that is their review because they haven't yet read the book. Don't rate books you haven't started to read yet!!!

Along the lines of spoilers, I don't mind them overall. And when reading a series, I am terrible about remembering what happened in the previous book... I wish there was a better forum to get a good summary of the book as a refresher instead of thinking I need to re-read them.

I am in the hate spoilers camp. In fact, if the book is by an author I know and love, I don't even read the back of the book.

Meh, if it's a book I'm not interested in or going to read, I am not too bothered, but if it's a book, I have coming up or have sat on my TBR, I really hate it :/

I don't care if I read a spoiler. I don't purposely go looking for them, but if I see one, it doesnt bother me. Even if I know theres a something big going to happen, it doesnt tell me how its all going to go down and to me the getting there is more than just the destination.