Ok, it’s confession time. There are several thing I don’t like as a reader. I don’t like to call them “triggers” because I feel it minimizes the true trauma that some people can experience when reading or watching certain material. I have things I prefer to avoid in my reading. Reading tends to be an escape for me – there are certain realities of the world that I would rather not deal with when I’m trying to escape.
A big one for me is when animals are abused or killed. Though I love horror and thrillers, I’m really a big softie at heart. I don’t like reading about animals dying. It feels like a punch to the gut reading about it. I’ve had so many moments where I’ve been enjoying a book, and then – BAM – a character abuses an animal. It kills my enjoyment for the book. For example, I love My Best Friend’s Exorcism, but there was one moment in that book that sticks out in my mind more than any other – I can’t forget what happened to that poor dog. It doesn’t exactly help that my memory enjoys holding onto scenes like this and bring them up at inopportune times.
Though I have a much bigger issue with animal abuse in books, I have been known to sob when an animal dies of natural causes after living a long and happy life. I apparently just don’t enjoy dealing with animal death in my books.
If you’re like me and have issues such as this, I have a recommendation. I’ve started checking every book on https://www.doesthedogdie.com. It not only gives information on the fate of our furry friends, but also on other possible uncomfortable situations you may encounter in reading or watching. It’s been a super useful resource for me. And no, this post is not sponsored – I just wanted to share this useful tool with you.
So, there’s my first bookish confession. Do you agree? Are there any uncomfortable situations you try to avoid in your reading?
She Reads and She Posts Things 