Book Confessions: Reading Habits I'm Not Proud Of (But I'm Admitting Anyway)

by The Book Pup on December 17, 2025

Let's get real for a second.

We all see those beautiful bookstagram photos of pristine shelves, perfectly organized by color, books that look like they've never been touched. We see BookTubers with their aesthetic reading setups and their "I read 200 books this year" stats.

And then there's... reality.

I have some reading habits that aren't exactly amazing. Things I do that would probably make book purists cringe. Habits I'm a little embarrassed about but also? They're just part of how I read.

So this is what I'm writing today. All of it. The good, the bad, and the dog-eared.

Maybe you'll relate. Maybe you'll judge me. But at least we'll all feel a little less alone in our imperfect book-loving ways. 💕

Confession #1: I Judge Books by Their Covers (A LOT) 

Confession: If a book has an ugly cover, I probably won't read it. Even if everyone says it's amazing. Even if it's exactly my genre. I just... can't.

I KNOW you're not supposed to judge books by their covers. I know amazing stories can have terrible covers. I know I'm missing out on great books because of aesthetics.

Why I do it: I spend my money and time on books. I want to enjoy looking at them on my shelf. Plus, if I'm reading in public, I want to be holding something that looks good. Is that shallow? Probably. Am I going to stop? No.

The compromise: If enough people rave about an ugly-cover book, I'll get it from the library where I don't have to look at it on my shelf forever.

Confession #2: I Start Books and Forget About Them 😬

Confession: I have at least 5 books right now that I started, got distracted from, and now they're just... sitting there with bookmarks in them. Some have been sitting for months.

Why it happens: I'm a book juggler, meaning I read many books and series at once. I get excited about a new release, start reading something else, forget where I was in the first book, feel too overwhelmed to restart, so it just... sits there.

What I'm doing about it: I track my page and progress on Goodreads or write them down in my book notebook (yes, I do have a notebook just for book related notes).

Confession #3: I Get Books Faster Than I Read Them

Confession: My "unread books" pile is embarrassingly large. I keep borrowing/buying books even though I have plenty to read. I cannot stop.

Why I do it: What if I'm in the mood for THAT specific book and I don't own it? What if it goes out of print? What if there's a sale? What if I just... want it?

Confession #4: When I DNF a Book, I Immediately Search Up the Spoilers

Confession: I don't mind searching spoilers while reading the book.🤠 And after I want to stop reading a terrible book? I just search the ending so I don't feel like I missed out.

Confession #5: I'm a Very Clean Reader

Confession: I hate dog-ear pages. I stopped letting my friend borrow my books because she kept cracking the spine. I always read while eating but NEVER get food on the pages (I put the book away from the plate, or hold up the book).

For me, books are meant to be read and preserved in perfect condition. That just makes them look better on your shelves or on your display. ✨

Confession #6: I Always Read the Last Line of the Book

Confession: I always like to see the contrast of the first line of the book vs the last line. Sometimes, it's really satisfying and heartwarming to see the transition. 😶‍🌫️

Sometimes it completely changes how I read the story, knowing where the character ends up.

Confession #7: I'm a Mood Reader (Which Destroys My TBR Plans) 🥵🥵

Confession: I make beautiful TBR plans. I organize what I'm going to read when. Then I ignore all of it and read whatever I'm in the mood for.

Why it happens: I can't force myself to read something I'm not in the mood for. Even if it's a book I WANT to read eventually, if the mood isn't right, I won't enjoy it.

The modified plan: I've stopped making strict TBR plans. Now I have a "TBR pool" of options and I pick based on mood. It's chaotic but it works.

Confession #8: I'm (sometimes) Influenced by Hype

Confession: If everyone is talking about a book, I want to read it. Even if it's not my usual genre. Even if it sounds kind of boring. Pinterest recs for life 👑.

I've discovered some amazing books because of hype. But I've also forced myself through books I didn't enjoy just because everyone else loved them.

Things I'm NOT Sorry About

While we're confessing, here are reading habits I have that people judge but I will NEVER apologize for:

✅ Reading multiple books at once - My brain can handle it
✅ Reading "kids' books" - Middle grade and YA are valid
✅ Rereading favorites instead of new books - Comfort matters
✅ Reading primarily one genre - I know what I like
✅ Skipping descriptions - I'll read them if I want to
✅ Reading spoilers intentionally - Sometimes I want to know

Why I'm Sharing This

Because book culture can feel really judgmental sometimes. There are "rules" about how to be a proper reader, how to treat books, what makes you a "real" book lover.

That's exhausting.

Reading should be fun. 😎

Happy reading (however messy yours might be)!

The Book Pup

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