And do you guys get… self-conscious(?) with your answer?
Asking this because I alway get the feeling that my answer is "cringe". I don't think it actually is – not at all – but i feel like other people think it is. My small-talk-friendly answer would be "dark/disturbing/surreal literature" or something of the sort. That's my honest answer, but saying it out loud feels like an invitation for people to judge and to think of me as a self-proclaimed "thinks they're cool" bozo or something. Idk, something about that answer feels like a bunch of buzzwords to be misinterpreted. So I just respond with "oh, just stuff, y'know," (which, arguably, is a worse answer if I don't want to be judged.)
I'm just wondering if this is a common thing to feel amongst readers, that it's embarrassing(?). I realize that the reason I feel this way might be because I'm only surrounded with people who never read and don't give a fuck about what I'm interested in. I also might be spending too much time online and have been brainwashed to feel self-conscious about every little thing too close to my soul.
Someone tell me I'm being silly and unreasonable. I know I am, but still. I have a feeling that people will downvote the fuck out of this post.
Anyway, what do you tell people you read? And do you guys have any book recommendations for me as well 🙂
by DryAd1820
5 Comments
I learned to always deny it so they don’t try to add books to my backlog
I don’t think that’s an uncommon feeling. For those of us who read primarily spicy/smut books the answer can sometimes feel awkward. I suggest keeping something “high brow” in rotation at all times so you can toss that out 🤪 ‘oh yes, I’m reading Pride and Prejudice for the third time, I am very cultured’ and my Kindle is filled with people who are doing the absolute worst things to each other
I tell people I mostly read queer romance. If they can’t accept it that’s on them. That’s my thought. I could just say I like reading romance and fantasy
Nah, man, I’ll go into GREAT detail on the specifics of whatever I’m reading given the chance. Even the stupid shit. Life’s too short.
At one point in my life, I, a 45F, wrote book reviews for MM romance books. After explaining that to people, telling them I now read LitRPGs isn’t as daunting.