The Next Best Book Club discussion

Ok - I hate to admit it, but sometimes when I am reading a book and I am really into it, I can't wait to see what happens and I peek to the end. Most of the time, it is just to see if a particular name pops up. For example, if a new character is introduced, and I suspect that they will become the new love interest/major character/want to see if they are still alive, I will randomly open the book to pages in the back to see if I see their name mentioned frequently.

I hate admitting that I do this...I really don't want to know the outcome - but sometimes, I just can't help myself!!!

Am I alone here?

Wow. I couldn't imagine ever doing that! I'm all about the suspense... I hate spoilers and get really annoyed when I run into one accidentally!

I never do this! I am with Kirsty. I am all about the suspense too.

Never!!!

Bridgit, I have to admit I will do the same thing! But like you said, most of the time it is just to see if the character's name still comes up at the end of the book. Then I can calm down and finish the book knowing that it is all going to work out in the end!

I peek. I really can't help myself sometimes. The suspense just kills me!

GASP!
Peeking ahead?! Really?! Oh no. I hate being spoiled when Im reading a book....

Oh dear me....

I actually had a friend who hated suspense and surprises so much that she always read the last few pages of a book before buying it or reading it. She didnt want to even start it if it was going to have a sad ending. I thought that was awful and couldn't imagine ever doing that.

I am ashamed that sometimes I look ahead for a name, but really its only once in a very long while!!

Only if the book started to annoy the life out of me lol... But, most of the time, no, I like reading by order, though I can still predict the ending to it. I like surprises most lol...

I only do this when the book is so awful that I'm contemplating not finishing it...then I peek to the end to make sure that it stays awful before putting it aside.

Jenny

Sometimes I want to peek but I never do it. If the suspense is getting to much for me I just keep reading to find out. Okay that means that sometimes I don't get enough sleep or don't do the things I should do but I just have to keep reading.

Don't be ashamed Bridgit! I always peek!!

Sometimes a peek ahead a paragraph or so, but not more than that. I do it when the author is describing the character's reaction to something, without telling what the something is...I just can't concentration on what they're feeling, etc., without knowing what's going on.

I never ever peek ahead. What's the point in reading the book if you're going to peek ahead?

On the contrary, I peek when the book is really boring. I'll skip a few pages to see whether the story pick up. The problem is I usually to read on from the interesting part and forget the skipped pages.

Bridgit wrote: "I actually had a friend who hated suspense and surprises so much that she always read the last few pages of a book before buying it or reading it. She didnt want to even start it if it was going to..."

Your friend makes me think of Harry in the film When Harry Met Sally. He is so pessimistic that he read the last page first. So if he dies before finishing the book, he'll know how it ended. What a cute guy! :P

I peek ahead but not by much. Just 3 or so pages. Enough to get an idea as to whether the current drama worsens or improves. I usually don't read the ending because I assume so much will change that it wouldn't make much sense.

Guilty. When I was a little kid I would always read the very last page of a scary or suspenseful story first. I guess I thought that if the ending wasn't too terrible, the rest of the book would be okay.
Of course, this usually wasn't true...and then I would sleep with the light on that night :)

If I hate a book I don't merely peek, I'd turn to the last chapter and be done with it. Why endure the agony, right?

Beng wrote: "If I hate a book I don't merely peek, I'd turn to the last chapter and be done with it. Why endure the agony, right?"

That's an interesting way to look at it. I'm curious though - if you hate a book, why would it matter how it ends?

I'm one of the die-hard "no peeking!" kinds, so I'm always interested by those who feel the opposite. I much prefer the journey rather than the destination. :)

I do that too. I do it more often with books I'm just reading for the heck of it, but sometimes if a chapter's slow I'll just skip forward and skim!

I try not to. Sometimes I accidentally read ahead because when I was evil and didn't use bookmatks I would leave them open. My son had a very perverse pleasure in picking them up and closing them so I would have to read to find where I was again. Thanks to my Mom's great bookmarks I don't have to do that anymore.

Ahh I do this all the time! I really can't handle suspense. I always glance at the next paragraph or page when I get nervous, just real quick to make sure everything is going to be okay. I only occasionally will look briefly at the very end of the book, to see if somebody is still alive.

That's an interesting way to look at it. I'm curious though ..."

There were books that started good and interesting enough, but then it starts stretching in the middle. Then I'll start hating it, ultimately skipping to the last chapter. But knowing how it ended gives me something to reply to those who recommend them.

I only read the end if it's a book I know I won't finish, I feel I should at least know the ending if I've read over 100 pages or so.

The only time I ever peek ahead is if the author has done something with the text- bolded words, italics, indented text, something like that.
That usually means that part is interesting or important, and my eyes can't help but wander over to the part that's different. But, I try as hard as I can not to actually read what it is until I get there.

Other than that, I never ever peek ahead. It seems to just spoil the whole book for me.

I thought of Harry, from "When Harry Met Sally" too. I saw that when I was a kid and couldn't fathom reading the last page of a book first.

The only time I do it is if I'm not going to finish the book, but I'm still curious to how it ends. Half the time if I don't like the book I don't care how it ends so I never read the ending.

I don't read ahead, per se, but I do always flip the pages to see how long the chapter is.

I also flip to see the chapter length, especially if I'm reading in bed - usually to see if it's short enough to be able to keep my eyes open to finish the chapter!

April wrote: "I don't read ahead, per se, but I do always flip the pages to see how long the chapter is."

I do that at times too (to my regret; my eyes may land on a phrase or a word that spoils me a bit, lol), especially if I'm in bed already and I feel like it's time to close the book for the night xD

I ALWAYS peek ahead. Always. I think there's only been one or two books that I've not peeked in!

Lol.

But it doesn't spoil it for me - it makes it better.

April said "I don't read ahead, per se, but I do always flip the pages to see how long the chapter is."

-I agree with her.

I don't peek ahead, but when my boys were small and I was reading Harry Potter books to them at bedtime I just couldn't wait to see what was going to happen, so I read ahead after they were asleep and never told them. They would have been really mad that they had to wait to see what happened and I didn't!

I once dumped a soda on my sister's head for telling me the ending of a story. OK, so I was a brat!
Never, never, never peek!

Beng wrote: "If I hate a book I don't merely peek, I'd turn to the last chapter and be done with it. Why endure the agony, right?"

I've done that. Sometimes its inspired me to go back and read all the missed chapters too.

I try not to peek. Usually I'll flip through the pages to see how long the chapter is or sometimes my eyes might wander to the next page if the story gets suddenly suspenseful and I want to know what happens next.

I'm a big believer in not looking at the last page of the book.

Bridget,
until i saw this thread i thought i was the only one that did that. my husband is appalled but i find if the book gets a bit slow or dry and reading ahead even sometimes the end, gives me the push to fresume or finish my reading so i can figure out how they get to the good stuff.
:omda

Nope, no peeking here...I like the suspense of it all. :~)

Every once in awhile I peek, but I try hard not to. Definitely an exercise in self-control :)