You know that moment you put an opinion on the internet and someone shouts “YOU’RE WRONG!!”
And that someone is…you?
Okay okay 😂 so let’s talk about changing opinions. Because as bloggers — no, as humans — we very rarely stay static in our opinions and feelings. We grow. (Some of us even grow taller but obviously that is not me.) We change. Sometimes we soften up on an old opinion or else we get toothily hard over it instead. We change opinions after learning more, or seeing it from another perspective, or maybe it’s just a silly inconsequential change like I loved peanut butter once and now I don’t!!! (Actually. I still love it but I’m sort of allergic and it peeves me daily.)
The awkward part about being online is telling everyone your steadfast opinions and then…you…erm…change. 😂But hey! Nothing like a self-roast with a bit of salt.
So today I am writing a post to delightfully disagree with…mYSELF.
“Happy endings are overrated! Break my heart! Make me feel things!”
I can’t even begin to stress how very very very wretchedly soft-hearted I’ve become. I recall writing a post somewhere and demanding death in series finales. And now? Aw just let them all live. It’s okay. Let everyone live. 🥺Let them all have jam and warm toast at the end of the novel and nothing bAD HAPPENS EVER AGAIN.
Alright, I still want realism…and if it’s an epic fantasy series where everyone gets out without a scratch, it’s a bit eye-roll-worthy. But I’m jUST SAYING. I much prefer happy endings now. Make me suffer for 300 pages, but for the last 10 pages — make everything go right. Pls. So much pls.
“I’m so tired of all these romances in YA books…”
Oh 😂 how did this happen. I became a slight romantic. Okay, I am still fussy! I don’t always ship couples. Sometimes YA is over here featuring these veritable babies and I’m just the 90yo ancient saying “no. ur too young for love” and I mentally black out over YA plots about marriage. But I get really sappy for so quite a few romances now. I used to feel bored of them all, but now I’ll be reading a slowburn romance and it’s been 3 books and thEY JUST HELD HANDS AND I’M 😍😭😍😭😍😭.
Who am I!!!!!
“Why would you buy a book twice ugh.”
This is adorable, because part of me is still sighing at myself and my 4 editions of City of Bones. But the rest of me is just shouting, “Let me live!!” Collecting multiple editions is still something I only get to do cautiously, and mostly happens when I’m gifted them. But I just absolutely love it? I get why people buy books they’ll technically never read. I mean (a) for bookstagram haha, but (b) it’s just a way of feeling close to a book you adore while supporting the author and appreciating the aesthetic beauty of a cover to remind you how that story made your heart overflow with fierce emotions. SO I GET IT.
(But truly…I am lucky to be gifted editions a lot for promo/work because I couldn’t afford and justify it otherwise ha.)
“I don’t need a crown for book photos.”
Like, I do. And I did. And I got one. And it’s the best purchase I ever made apart from the time when I was about nine years old and bought Turkish Delight even though everyone said I’d hate it but I loved it ha. Or did I love it out of spite? Now we’re getting off track. (But fyi I am Edmund Pevensie.)
“I hate love triangles.”
This needs massive clarification! Because usually I hate love-triangles. Maybe I can even say the word *mostly*. But can we talk about love triangles built on three friends being obsessed with each other? Or love triangles where they all end up together. Or just awkward lowkey triangles in quiet YA contemporaries. Or cleverly done triangles that aren’t built on emotional manipulation but rather escalate the stakes and layer articulate intrigue. Because those I have discovered I really really like.
“I don’t like adult lit.”
See all these blanket-statements from a younger and more foolish me? SO adorable. Least to say, this opinion changed because (1) I got old lol, but also (2) I think I never tried the kind of adult lit that suited me before. Now I’m obsessed with books like Ninth House, The Lies of Locke Lamora, Jade City, Gideon the Ninth, Red White & Royal Blue…I have discovered some downright delights. I still prefer accessible adult lit, ones that read more like YA. But I’ve discovered adult lit that is darker and more muddy with grey characters. I crave that. 😍 (I still avoid SO many adult books though. Most don’t catch my eye at all or are dryly told. But now I at least give more a chance and keep being pleasantly surprised!!)
“I wish this author would write faster!”
I think this is product of me being an author now — but I realise how much work goes into a book, how long the publishing process is, how it is full of sleepless nights and stress and anxiety. It’s rewarding YES. But I also now understand when authors push back release dates, even if it’s a book I’m dying for. I hope you get a nap, authors. 😂 Please take your time.
“I’ll never get my TBR under control–“
Oh. Oh wait no. This opinion hasn’t changed. It is 100% true and I just glanced to the left and saw my bedside TBR of like 30 books and wondered if it was leaning more threateningly closer to me than usual. #RIPPaperFury
have you ever changed your mind about any old bookish opinions?? let me know in the comments!!
Am recently having the “why would you buy the same book twice” dilemma over the e-version and the physical version, because on one hand, of course, I want the beautiful physical version I can pet and read, and on the other hand I must have the e-version too so I can save my quotes! Quotes are very important and I want to highlight them 😂
Really glad to see you changed your mind over not happy endings and no romance! Phew. I love happy endings and romance, so maybe I’ll instead go dark eventually? 🤔 Oh no, now I’m scared.
I’m still very picky about love triangles but I can see your po- no! No I still can’t let it go, no love triangles 😂 If it’s cassandra clare though then yes all the way.
Ahhh, look out, you’re about to be trampled by books!
I totally get it 😂 I used to be all “omg what a waste” and now I legit have one series in ebook, paperback, and audio and I AM NOT SAD. Just whatever works for us. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Here to read and enjoy things.
hmmm I’m pretty sure I shunned romance before (in fiction and in real life lmao) but now i practically shrivel when there’s no cute romance in books. Sure, not all books need romance and it’s definitely yucky when a romance is forced on a book that doesn’t really need it but now I’m finding myself loving romances in books more and more. GIMME ALL THE SHIPS AND THE FEELS WE LOVE TO SEE EM. I only get to fall in love in books because romance in real life is too messy 😌
WHEN DID WE GET OLD AND SAPPY, RAIN?!? Because we did :’) I used to be all offended by romance and now I’m like “when will they kiss 🥺”. (Although agreed, we do need to normalise non-romance books too, balance is key.)
Cool post idea. I used to read a ton of classics. I thought most modern books didn’t appeal to me. I just wasn’t trying hard enough to find books I’d like. Once I started trying harder, I found so many books I want to read.
That’s actually really amazing!! I love when we discover things to love :’)
Loved this post. It’s so true we change – I’m rereading HP now and am constantly thinking about that time I wrote a post about Ron being a dick xD I don’t know if I think that anymore? Sure, he’s no angel, but he hasn’t had it easy either.
And I totally get that one about “I wish this author wrote faster” – it’s hard to write and it takes a lot of work, buuuuut… Still can’t help wishing for that in some cases xD because hype hype hype. You know how it works!
Oh, and everyone said the same to me about Turkish delight, but they seriously don’t get it. It’s so good!!!
I want to reread HP soon too…and see if my opinions change. Because I hate Ron a lot 😂and it’s only grown in time.
And yes it’s hard to know the behind-the-scenes of being an author and how hard it is… but also still be a bookworm who wants books faster. 😂
(FINALLY. Someone else who likes Turkish Delight!!!)
Oh yeah, I’m not a big fan of Ron either! Although now I’m reading, I realize Ron is worse in the movies than in the books! In the books he’s just sort of oblivious most of the time, and hopelessly clueless xD
Wait. Some people grow taller?!? Who are these magical people and what is their secret?
I don’t think happy endings are overrated. Give me the pain, and the suffering, but please let it all turn out (mostly) okay in the end. My TBR is also out of control – we are all suffering together. :’)
Also, just so you know, your site wouldn’t accept the email address I usually use.
I think they’re LIARS 👀 And they don’t grow taller they just wear tall shoes!! Or stretch their legs!! Lies!!
And YES. Like break the characters, but don’t break the reader. :’)
(If my blog is broken there is a 100% chance I can’t fix it 😭😂 I have no idea how to blog.)
This made me laugh SO DANG HARD so MANY TIMES. 😂😂😂
Aw I’m glad!
I definitely feel like some of my bookish opinions have changed over time and some of these are the same for me!
Definitely the romance in YA and the love triangles I can relate to. I’ve done the whole ‘why does every YA book have to have a romance in it?’ thing in the past but when I’ve actually read the odd book without it, I’ve been kind of disappointed when characters haven’t got together. Especially because I now expect it so much, I find I’m immediately trying to match up which characters are going to get together when I start reading.
And whilst I used to hate love triangles by default, I’ve seen now that it can be done well in some cases. I think authors just have to approach it with caution!
omg yes I’ve done that too!! Like at first I was “yay finally they’re not a romance”…and then realised I actually really shipped them 😂 when did that happen. Now I’m sad they didn’t get together. I think romance is fine and I no longer criticise ever YA for having it oops. (Although THAT saying…it still is important to normalise non-romance books.)
I REALLY love this post! Weirdly, I hadn’t considered my opinions and possible changes… until now! I’ve got some serious thinking to do! But the TBR issue is never going away, haha!
TBRs are just NEVER GOING DOWN. Ever 😂
Omg I feel the one about happy endings so hard. It’s like before I started writing I wanted to be heartbroken and sobbing on the floor and even plotted books like that, until I started falling in love with my characters, and now I’ll do things like turn an idea that was a standalone into a duology so I could get an on page happy ending after 600 pages of suffering and working towards that happy ending.
I’ve changed my mind about rant reviews, like I used to write them a lot but now I feel like what’s even the point if it ain’t problematic?
Ohhhh agreed about rant reviews. I’ve stopped negative reviews entirely (but that’s just ME) but sometimes I look back at how salty and snarky I was and I’m just 😳 WHAT FOR, CAIT. Just move on to books you actually like!!!
And yes, I kind of want more good endings. Break the characters but don’t break me 🥺
I have changed my mind about the classic books. I used to think that all classic books were so boring but little by little I have been reading some and I love many of them. I’m glad I took that idea out of my head because I would have missed wonderful books 😊❤
I’m glad you’ve found plenty that you love now!
I love this post soooo much! I feel like my opinions change all the time! Either because I tried something new and found that I don’t actually hate the thing I thought I hated, I had just never tried it. Or because my reading tastes changed over time as I experienced different things in my life.
I think my biggest opinion changes were about ebooks and about reading long books. I used to never read ebooks and didn’t understand the hype. But I’ve since found that I really like ebooks, but only enjoy reading certain books in that format. On the other hand, I never used to understand why people disliked long books and what made them so daunting. But now that I’m in college and only have every third Wednesday to read, I understand the joy of being able to finish a book in a short period of time.
One of the things I love about blogging, though. is that I get to update my opinions and share how they changed with the masses. It’s always fun to see how much my opinions have changed since a year or two ago.
omg I relate to these too!! I read more ebooks than I used to and I get really overwhelmed with 500+ page books. I tend to skip them. They might be good, but it’s such a big commitment?! I am SMALL and disorganised.
And yes agreed. We should be happy and proud to change opinions and just go with it! No one should have to create art in a static space.
I am seriously considering getting myself a crown where did you get yours???
Also I used to hate comic books but I realized I was reading the wrong ones and I love them!! (Especially deadpool and Hawkeye)
Just off eBay! It wasn’t too expensive either, thankfully. haha. But yes I also love graphic novels when I didn’t use to!
This post actually made me grin! I love how much your opinions have changed over the years! Such a great reflective post. I bet if I was to write one some of these would be on mine as well, especially the Adult-Lit one!
Aw I’m glad you liked it!! Thank you 💛
My main one is how I rate books, honestly. I saw a tweet once that said something along the lines of “if you see a five star review from me in 2013, ignore it. I used to give out five star reviews like a rat handing out the plague” and like, THAT’S MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I’ll read books that I read and gave 5 stars to in 2014 and be like . . ?! But also in 2014 I was..14 and now I am almost 20, so obviously makes a difference.
The type of books I like haven’t really changed; but I’ve been more okay with romance/kissing/language. I used to be a BABY and WHINE on goodreads when people kissed for more than a sentence or said damn but I’m a little bit more relaxed now lmao.
omg this for me too. I look at my 5-star shelf from 2013 and I just…cringe. 😂 Huge nope to people taking old recommendations from me thanks.
(And yes, I was all SO OFFENDED by romance once. It’s so adorable. Now I’m like “why didn’t they kiss”. 😂)
I’m pretty sure my TBR situation will NEVAH EVAH change.
I’m a writer and I know that the amount of work is crazy!! Sometimes I want a sequel but instead of begging the author to write faster, I cross my fingers for a time machine that’ll take me to the future. And besides, pretty often, I end up forgetting because my TBR buries me. I personally wouldn’t buy the same book even with different edition (unless it’s the illustrated HP series!!) because I’m pretty picky – I’d rather support the author by giving them shout-outs and borrowing from the library!
Is it even possible to have a TBR under control?!?! IS IT.
And yes definitely not saying everyone needs to be buying multiple books. I just don’t judge people who do because I’ve found joy in it myself now.
omg this reminds me of when I loved a book like 10 years ago and reread it and it’s so trash I feel like crying – it’s so normal to change and it’s so good to embrace it! Great post <3
Aw no I hate it when that happens 😭😭 Sometimes I don’t reread super old favourites just in case.
LOLLOL! I think that most of us tend to change our bookish opinions quite often (myself included of course)! I used to feel that way about endings totally killing me w a cliff hanger but now I need soft little cake filled endings to soften and satisfy my soul! I’m also starting to enjoy some more adult lit and totally devoured Jade City and some adult romance from time to time. My TBR pile is also turning into a life threatening disastrous pile of books lol! Great post Cait!
Jade City is so so good!! I wasn’t as captivated by the sequel, but I still obsess over the first book all the time :’) I think also we just sometimes want something new to shake us up?😂
I’ve changed my mind about WANTING everyone to stay alive at the end of a book and HATING when someone dies. I mean, I still kinda hate it, ESPECIALLY if they were one of my favourites, but I’m more okay with it. (At least that’s what I tell myself haha.) Also, I tried ~making~ Turkish Delight, and maybe that’s why I didn’t end up liking it :’) One of these days, I’ll stumble upon a place that sells it, & I just might enjoy it after all, who knows? :’)
I feel like someone needs to die?! But not like ALL my favourites 😂 I am soft. Just wreck their lives and let them live. that’s still painful.
THE LOVE TRIANGLE ONE THOUGH. When asked, I will definitely say that i *hate* love triangles but every once in a while that makes me go (o )(o ) [the eyes emoji – i tried]
A good love triangle is the equivalent of saying you don’t want chips and then your partner walks by you with chips and all of a sudden you gotta have the chips. [brain is mush today – i’m still trying :P]
YES. Like usually I hate them because they’re so badly written? But sometimes they are done well and all my distaste crumbles. 😌
not just about books, but time travel stories in general
I always said time travel stories were really bad for the continuity of worldbuilding and that it would never make any sense and anyway, time travel is impossible and the time turner in Harry Potter is the dumbest piece of magic Rowling ever invented and how DARE people write time travel stories, when they are inherently stupid
also I said that I would never watch doctor who, because the idea of worldbuilding ist ludicrous, when you can’t even keep track of it (doesn’t time travel change history all the time???)
then I discovered doctor who, and now I’ve binged all of the new series, started watching old black-and-white serials (because I’m an obsessive completionist) and listened to over 50 Big Finish audios and I don’t recognize myself anymore, because I think doing doctor who has changed my personality.
and I want to write a doctor who book if I ever can and they let me (and deep inside I think I also really wish to write a script for the actual show, but I don’t think I’m built for it, because deadlines and stress stress stress and probably no not really)
i think I’ve never shunned Romances, I just never have consciously picked up a book that was explicitly and plain a pure romance story. When there happens to be a well-written Romance in a story, I go along with it.
😂😂 This is hilarious. I’m glad you discovered you liked time travel and doctor Who after all! I’m still miffed at time travel (after watching enough Xmen where they messed up their own timeline consistencies so much garghgh) I just never am drawn to it.
Ooh this is a really interesting post; we certainly do change our minds, five years ago I would’ve refused to even consider learning guitar but now I’m decently competent haha. Hmm in terms of books I think I’ve become a bit more cynical about romance and love triangles but I still love romance?
Omg that’s amazing about the guitar! That’s not an easy skill either.
Ha. It’s always interesting how one’s views evolve over time. Like me openly being a romance reader now when I turned my nose up before!
I read way more romance (and willingly😂) than I used to too!
You know when you are put on the spot and then your mind completely blanks? That is me right now trying to answer that question. One that I can think of is happy endings – I used to be an only happy ending type gal, however there have been a couple books recently that had horribly sad endings. Like, heart-wrenching throw the book cannot believe it endings… and I loved it. I mean, my heart still hurts from them. But it makes me appreciate the happy endings more. Oh! Another had to do with relationships. I used to love any type of relationship no matter how surface or forcibly written. Now, I demand intensity and sparks. I want to be on the edge of my seat begging for the romance to happen.
On a side note: loved the ditty about being short. I am fairly confident I stopped growing in the 4th grade.
Oh don’t worry, I blank all the time. If people even ask if I like books, I will never remember a single book I’ve ever read.😂
And yes, I don’t like just totally sappy or perfect endings. I just don’t love shipping someone for like 400pgs and then having to end with them murdered or broken up. 😂
Thank goodness I am not the only one ha ha! It can really kill the mood when you are rooting for someone or loving their relationship just to have it end. I’ve definitely spent my fair share of time really frustrated when a character I love is killed off.
“Why would you buy a book twice ugh.” Yeah, I just did that too. I bought a hard cover of ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ on top of the paperback. Why? So I can lend the paperback out and still have a copy to open, read and love.
Great post and you know even though some of have problems with types of change, change is of course a natural part of being human. Read on! 🙂
At least you are kind and lending your books to people! That’s very nice. 😂 I do not do that. 😂
Awww, welcome to the happy ending crew! 😂 I was always a big softy and while sad endings have their poetry, I’m more happy to happy or bittersweet ones.
I’m still in a no-no for romance, but I admit that I’ve become pretty indifferent to it and the chance of me not shipping is around 90%
I see we’re the same on adult books too! I do tend to prefer ya, but adult fantasy is a thing that I totally read, but if I can prefer women authors (white man have their exception but like… two of them)
I got SOFT here 😂 it’s like, it can be somewhat bitter sweet, but dammit, I can’t spend 400pgs reading about a couple trying to get together only for it not to happen?!
(And yes, I also find I prefer female authors. Oops but sorry not sorry. 😂)
I can totally relate to “Why would I buy a book twice?” because I just bought a new edition of The Martian in audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton EVEN THOUGH I had listened to the original audiobook of The Martian TWICE and loved it…. But Wil Wheaton! I love him! I listen to any book he narrates, so OF COURSE, I had to get this one and listen to it RIGHT AWAY. Sigh.
I still hate love triangles which is why I started reading and loving reverse harem. Why choose?? Lol.
Sometimes we JSUT HAVE TO. We can’t be stopped. 😌
“I don’t need a crown” HA!
Look I said I was WRONG.
I really love reading books cuz its calms and meditate my mind.
Omg you’re addressing such an important issue in this post! Opinions do change a lot and you’re allowed to change but the internet loves to hold you accountable for old stuff -__-
Love this post!
So many of these I relate to!!! Basically all I want are happy endings now and I also LOVE very specific love triangles and I have become way more soppy as I get older ahah. Oh and adult lit! I used to avoid it like the plague and then I realised that it was just because I had been reading the wrong ones ahaha
Haha enjoyed this! I’ve found myself enjoying less teenage type books. But I guess that comes with leaving teenage years behind. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good YA. But what qualifies as good these days? I’ve become pickier lol.
And that TBR list. I will catch up someday.
MB> keturahskorner.blogspot.com
PB> thegirlwhodoesntexist.com
“HAPPY ENDINGS ARE OVERRATED! BREAK MY HEART! MAKE ME FEEL THINGS!”
I can’t even begin to stress how very very very wretchedly soft-hearted I’ve become. I recall writing a post somewhere and demanding death in series finales. And now? Aw just let them all live. It’s okay. Let everyone live. 🥺Let them all have jam and warm toast at the end of the novel and nothing bAD HAPPENS EVER AGAIN.
That is the most accurate thing!
I used to read all the dark and twisty books, all the morally grey & bad characters. Now I want people being good and kind and happy