This week’s Booking Through Thursday asks — Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Yes, I do — but after I finish to see if it matches up to what I thought of the book. I know, why bother at that point. I guess I like to read first and then see if the publisher got it right. As if I might know better! 🙂

I will admit though to being one of those people who reads the last page first (the horror!) and sometimes when a story is taking an odd turn that seems out of whack or things are not going well for the characters that I’m liking, I will read ahead. Why do this and not read the inside flap? I know it seems like the two things don’t match up. Here’s why I do one and not the other — I don’t like surprises. Yes, reading the inside flap would give me the information I want since most flaps these days seem to be bent on spoiling the reading experience by telling you everything but the flaps don’t tell you exactly how it all happens. I like to know what is said and thought and when I find what I’m looking for, I go back to regularly scheduled reading time.

Crazy, I know, but we all have our reading quirks.  And, no, I don’t do this with all books.  Sometimes I’m content to read through with no unscheduled interruptions but if a book grabs or annoys me then, yes, I’m reading ahead. I never found that reading ahead has spoiled anything for me. If I’m going to be bothered by something a character does, I’d rather know all about it. I might find out all the intervening reasons along the way but I still like to know.

So, do you? Read the inside flap that is.