r/books • u/AutoModerator • 3d ago
WeeklyThread Simple Questions: September 05, 2026
Welcome readers,
Have you ever wanted to ask something but you didn't feel like it deserved its own post but it isn't covered by one of our other scheduled posts? Allow us to introduce you to our new Simple Questions thread! Twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, a new Simple Questions thread will be posted for you to ask anything you'd like. And please look for other questions in this thread that you could also answer! A reminder that this is not the thread to ask for book recommendations. All book recommendations should be asked in /r/suggestmeabook or our Weekly Recommendation Thread.
Thank you and enjoy!
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u/adamh909 2d ago
Do you rate books on how well they are written, or how much you enjoyed the book?
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u/mockdogmoon 2d ago
I kinda factor in both. A book can still get 4 stars from me if I really loved it, but it's not going higher unless I think it's objectively very good at what it does.
I only post my ratings on Storygraph, if at all; it lets me choose small increments, and I don't really have a following i.e. it's mostly for my own benefit. If I'm recommending, it's much easier for me to just tell you about the book.
I watch a lot of schlocky movies. I'm in the habit of treating "This is good,", "I enjoyed this,", and "You might enjoy this," as different statements
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u/DreamTheaterGuy 2d ago
I would say how much I enjoy it matters a LOT more than how well written it is. I like the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and some it's not that well written.
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u/adamh909 2d ago
I read A Picture of Dorian Gerey.. extremely well written and culturally important, but didnt really enjoy it. Sometimes im not sure how to rate those types of books
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u/Lower_Trouble_5191 2d ago
Both. It does depend on my purpose in reading. I try to compartmentalize my pleasure and purposeful reading. I think it is Whitaker my pleasure reading so enjoyable.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 1d ago
I very rarely rate books at all, usually only because it's something concerned with its online presence and the author specifically requested that their readers do so. Occasionally, I will rate something because I absolutely loved it and it's genuinely deserving of five stars, and those are usually a "both" kind of thing.
But beyond that it's so subjective that putting a number on something like that doesn't appeal to me. Some things take an interesting experimental tack that doesn't work for me but deserves some praise, how do I rate those? If I like a book because it has interesting creative details but is of middling quality otherwise, is that worth rating lower than a slightly better quality book that was less memorable?
Ratings don't usually appeal to me.
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u/PhoenixApok 2d ago
When recommending them, the first.
I've read a few that are slop, but just happen to appeal to my particular likes. But I couldn't in good conscious recommend them to someone else.
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u/myshellly 2d ago
I find I don’t enjoy a book when it’s not well written. The more I read, the higher my standards are. A book definitely can’t get a high rating from me if it’s not well written.
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u/sprogger 2d ago
When someone sees you with a book and says “whatcha reading?” How much detail do you give them?
I often say the name and then a very small summary like “it’s a whodunnit, or spooky house book” etc.
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u/violetmemphisblue 2d ago
I usually give them the title and an elevator pitch. Genre, mood, basic synopsis. They are possibly asking because they're interested, so giving too many details seems unfair.
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u/bookmonkey64 2d ago
That question is so often followed with "so is it any good". My brain is like Nah, I just like wasting time and money.
To answer your question, I usually only share the title unless they ask for more info.
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u/RememberingTheHaikus 1d ago
I feel like it's a legit question. Not every book you pick is a banger. Sometimes I'll answer "Meh not a lot is happening so far" or "It's been weird actually" or something like that.
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u/ReignGhost7824 8h ago
There are so many people who finish books whether they like them or not, so I feel like it’s a valid question.
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u/DreamTheaterGuy 2d ago
I just show them what im reading, and let them know if it's good or bad so far.
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u/Sabi_the_weird_weeb 2d ago
Hi I recently purchased some books for my shelf and I learned about book lice which genuinely worries me, I was wondering if there was a way to avoid them? I know I’ve seen many people say they’ve mostly never dealt with them but I’m still worried since I live in an apartment. my room is relatively cold or cool but I’m worried if that won’t be enough either? should I do something specific or would keeping my room ventilated be good enough?
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u/buginarugsnug 1d ago
They thrive in damp environments so keeping your apartment well ventilated and dry should suffice. I've never had them and I live in an area where mould and damp is a constant fight.
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u/special_circus 3d ago
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark? I’ve got a receipt from a tire rotation in 2022 that’s somehow still kicking around in my current read