Saturday, November 12, 2011

Don't Spoil the Fun

Ack! Dont' tell me!!!
I wonder if you're like me. I wonder if you hate any spoiler, no matter how teeny-tiny. Or if you're one of those people who starts by reading the last line of the book. *GASP* The very idea makes me want to scream, "Noooo!"

I don't read back covers/pitches/blurbs/reviews before beginning a book. Nope, nope! They give too much away. Part of the fun of reading a story for me is discovering things as the characters discover them. For example, in Bree Despain's The Dark Divine, I had no idea what, if any, paranormal creature we were dealing with at first. There was a delicious mystery shrouding everything, and I loved that!


Oh, no.

My fellow blogger and bestie, Kelley Vitollo, will often sell me on a story and then send an excited message saying something like, "The guy is a jerk at first, but he's actually really sweet, and --"  "Noooo!"  LOL - I have to cover my eyes and type, "Don't tell me anymore!" She, on the other hand, will get so into a book I've recommended that she'll send me messages begging for information. "Do they get together? Oh please tell me there's a HEA!"  I'm so mean; I won't tell her anything. :)

For those who don't know, it's called a SPOILER ALERT. I've seen so many accidental spoilers online lately. We forget sometimes that many of our conversations are very public, especially on Twitter and Goodreads. I urge you not to talk specifics openly - send each other an email or direct message, or just put a little (*spoiler alert*) message before discussing.


This picture is a spoiler!
My apologies to those who haven't read or seen Marley and Me, but this was too funny.

So, which one are you? Do you love surprises or are you one of those pesky people who enjoys it more if you don't have to worry about the outcome?  :-)  Happy reading and discussing, everyone!

Hugs, Wendy
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35 comments:

  1. Cynthia DiFilippo ElomaaNovember 12, 2011 at 6:39 AM

    hate spoilers too. I actually stopped reading a book because of it. Took all the fun out of it. ;-(

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  2. TheresaNovember 12, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    There have been so many times where I am in the middle of reading a really good book and I flip to the back and read the last chapter because I want to know the outcome. It's terrible. But this is from the girl that would go into her parent's bedroom before Christmas, unwrap the gifts to see what they got me and then rewrap them before they got home. I've been working on it. And I've come to realize that I actually do like surprises. So I really try not to flip to the back or even the middle. Because I've done that a few times before. I flipped to the middle of a book before reading anything else and I just happened to flip to the page where all the action took place and then can't read the book because I know exactly what is going to happen. So yeah I'm trying not to do that anymore :)

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  3. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    Theresa! Bad girl! LOL :)

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  4. Cassie MaeNovember 12, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    I love to be shocked when I'm reading, but sometimes, my impatience can not be stopped! I don't read the end, but I'll flip through and find a page with my favorite character's name on it (or if it's a romance, I totally try to find that first kissing scene) Then after reading it, I'll rush through the book so I can get to that part. I know, it's horrible!

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  5. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    YOU CONSIDER THAT A SPOILER??? You must hate my emails. LOL. I can't help it. I just love talking about books I love. Sigh. I promise to will try and never type a spoiler to you again. Sometimes I just have to get it out though so my other friends, prepare for random emails about books you're not reading just so I can SAY THE WORDS. LOL. JK.

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  6. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    Theresa, I'm with you!!! I read the end of books often... if I know something big is going to happen and I'm nervous or scared, I have to go there. I recenly read a series friends told me about. they all said something big happens at the end of book four, so I typed my happy butt over to Barnes and NOble, Goodreads, and Amazon to find reviews until I knew what it was... I did that while reading book one and still read through the books and still cried when it happened. LOL.

    And I am soooo bad at Christmas even though I'm like...old. lol. I always beg my hubby to let the kids open just one gift and he has to talk me down numerous time. I always try and guess what I'm getting too :)

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  7. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 11:01 AM

    Kelley, I'm at the extreme far end of the spectrum - I don't want to know ANYTHING! I'm so weird, I know. And don't worry; you've never ruined anything for me. :) It's hard to contain excitement when you love a story so much!

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  8. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    *falls over*

    You guys are killing me!!! I have never once peeked at my Christmas/b-day gifts, and I've never even read one page ahead in a book. I cannot imagine! haha

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  9. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 11:10 AM

    I will admit that there have been stories where I read ahead and then once I found out what happened, I lost interest more and didn't finish.... It has backfired a few times, but there have also been times a book has been slow for me, I read ahead and find out something cool which excites me to keep reading and I end of loving it.

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  10. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    Team Wendy!

    Okay, if you guys want to read ahead and spoil it for yourselves, that's your perogative. As long as you don't post spoilers anywhere (or email them to me, lol) then we can still be friends. *winks*

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  11. UnknownNovember 12, 2011 at 11:20 AM

    Personally, I looooove spoilers. Especially if an ending is particularly surprising, I like being able to pick up on the little hints along the way that lead up to it. Things I'd only be able to see if I had read the book before, and I may not necessarily want to read something twice. So for me, spoil away. :D

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  12. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 11:24 AM

    LOL. I hearby solemnly swear, from this day forward, to never *cough* try *cough* send you spoilers of any kind. ;)


    And Totally Team Kelley.

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  13. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    WOO HOO! Go, Elizabeth May :)

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  14. PunyaNovember 12, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    Haha, I can't stand spoilers. When I first read the Hunger Games, my brother told me a detailed recount on everything that happens in the story on the car ride home from the bookstore. The book was still really enjoyable, but I lost the tension and was really pissed for a week.

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  15. LisaILJNovember 12, 2011 at 12:27 PM

    I totally read the ends of books before I get there. Usually I read about 50-100 pages and then flip to the end. Sometimes I have no idea what is going on at that point, so as I further into the story, I go back again, and keep doing it until it makes sense. I am terrible and there have been times where I have forced myself not to do it, but 99% of the time, I read the end early.

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  16. TheresaNovember 12, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    I do ruin the surprise for myself but I would never ruin it for someone else. Unless they ask of course ;)

    Sorry Wendy but I'm Team Kelley

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  17. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    Argh! I'm so losing this battle, LOL!

    Okay, well, if you crazy peeps want to ruin the suprise for yourself, that's your perogative...as long as you don't post any spoilers (or email them to me, haha) then we can still be friends. *winks*

    And Broken Angel, I feel for you. That would suck!

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  18. Gwen ColeNovember 12, 2011 at 3:07 PM

    I do NOT read ahead! :P nononononnono!

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  19. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 3:28 PM

    Gwen! *high fives*

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  20. MorganNovember 12, 2011 at 3:38 PM

    Gah! Kelley, I don't know how you do it! Wendy, I'm so with you...I hate spoilers!!!!!!!!! Looking ahead in a book is like swallowing chocolate whole without chewing, savoring... Madness!!!!! ;)

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  21. Kate LarkindaleNovember 12, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    I hate spoilers and I never read ahead. So often I can see what's coming ahead anyway, so it's always nice when a book doesn't go to the place I thought it was going. And why ruin that?

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  22. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    Morgan... and I thought we had something special... I'm heartbroken my follow James Alexander Malcolm Mckenzie Fraser lover does not read the same way I do...

    LOL

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  23. MorganNovember 12, 2011 at 3:54 PM

    Ah-hahaha!!!!!! *gasp* Kelley, how will we ever get past this?!?!?!?! ;)

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  24. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 3:57 PM

    I don't know... I think I need some time... Right now... I'm just feeling really hurt and confused.

    ROFL.

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  25. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 4:02 PM

    Break-up drama on YAtopia? How sad! I hope you guys can find that spark again, someday, but not right now because Morgan's on my team today!

    Yay Kate and Morgan!!!

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  26. MorganNovember 12, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    You're feeling hurt & confused??? What about me???? Ah-hahaha!!!!!!!! Everything that out friendship has been based off of has been uprooted right before my eyes! I don't even know if I love Jamie anymore...

    Whoa! Step too far! Step too far!

    ROFL!!!!!!!

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  27. Kelley VitolloNovember 12, 2011 at 4:06 PM

    Wendy you stole Morgan from me!! LOL.

    But since I still love you and still love Morgan too. ;)

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  28. HannahNovember 12, 2011 at 4:06 PM

    I say spoilers, be gone! Lol :)

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  29. Wendy HigginsNovember 12, 2011 at 4:23 PM

    Hannah, YESSSSSS!

    Kelley, Morgan is ALL mine now. :) At least until the next person blogs. You can have her back on Monday. (I'm such a user)

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  30. Jolene PerryNovember 12, 2011 at 4:26 PM

    Confession:

    When I started reading Mlynowski's GImme A Call it was fun, and cute, and everything I thought it would be.
    I flipped to the end, found out what happened and had NO motivation whatsoever to read the whole thing. Sigh.

    For me, it depends on the mood.

    I will admit that when I read New Moon I scanned JUST until I saw Edward's name in a dialog tag, and then I was able to relax and enjoy that whole middle section of the book.

    My MIL wants to know the whole story, and always reads the end first.
    I already find so many books and stories to be predictible, so I don't want to know anything - aside from occasionally just asking - did this one end terribly? or good?
    JUST so I'm prepared. And there have been a few times when i was glad I knew the ending was bad, b/c I would have been pissed otherwise, lol.

    I'm SO long-winded today :D

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  31. MorganNovember 12, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    *gasp* Wendy, you're going to toss me aside like yesterday's garbage???? I don't know what to think anymore... Where's Leigh? Or Sharon? They'll have me!!! ROFL!!!!!!!

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  32. AnonymousNovember 13, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    I hate having the ending spoilt, and I always cover up the final page with something so I can move it down and not read the final line till I get there. I've been put off reading some books because I had the ending spoilt before I even had a chance to read them.

    My mother says her mother always reads the end first, since she doesn't like reading something if she doesn't know how it'll end. That doesn't make much sense to me, since a lot of times an ending makes no sense unless you've read the entire book.

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  33. EzmireldaNovember 13, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    I'm personally not a fan of spoilers but I don't mind them either. I have this thing where even if I see a spoiler I won't really believe that it will happen until I see it with my own eyes. And sometimes spoilers can make you want to read a book more because you want to see the event you know is going to happen. If you think about it most romance novels are spoilers by nature. You always know that the guy and the girl will end up together in the end no matter how many obstacles come their way. But it's the journey to get there that interests the readers. So no to spoilers, but sometimes they can build the readers curiosity & excitement. ;)

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  34. Kelley YorkNovember 13, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    I'm inbetween. I don't like Big Events spoiled, especially if the book has a twist. I like the suspense. Hearing a spoiler won't (usually) make me put down a book, though, but I find I'm nowhere near as excited to finish it. So I guess I'm mostly Team Wendy? ;)

    Since we're tossing in Christmas stories, though... My big sister and I had a different way of cheating. We'd say, "I'll tell you one thing you got if you tell me one thing I got." By the time Christmas rolled around, we knew 99% of the presents we were getting...

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  35. Kris @Imaginary ReadsNovember 15, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    I hate spoilers. I want to find out things by myself. I'm actually okay-ish with reading the synopsis because I have to know if I'll be interested in reading, though I HATE when the synopsis gives too much away. The best synopses are mysterious and make you want to find out what happens.

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