Spoilers are OK in the body of your post, but keep them out of your topic header.

[CriminalRepurcussions]

I agree with you. But I raised why people need to write reviews including spoilers in the first place. That then creates a need to put an "alert". That then creates a need for people to be scared to read the reviews, unless forewarned, which might not necessariy spoil the book in each case, because the reading of the work itself should be the pleasure, an exciting plot, a well written style, etc., ...which then creates a fear in the reading audience of ... oh dear am I going to be told what happens? but they read on anyway. Eyes can pick up on another line of print by focusing reading the line above, etc., so yes, accidents of discovery do happen, but, I repeat: buy a book spend the money discover for ourselves if we like it or not, give a rating, have the good manners not to give away key plot things, and say something constructive about a writer's style or how it fits or does not fit the category it is given ... there is no need to repeat a synopsis which is already given at the top of a book page, or on a book cover or book notes... but people feed the need to do so in almost every case thinking they're writing a "review" - they are not. I agree, we don't like to have the ending or things spoiled by reading other peoples' comments - why read them?
Readers should remember this: If we want our writers to WRITE, we need to buy their books. Otherwise they receive no financial incentive to do so, in the form of being published. It reminds me of free downloads or piracy of films and tv: if people abuse copyright and get things on the sly for free, there will eventually be no movie studios or movies produced. Same with books: buy a book, pay the few dollars a book costs, if you don't like it when you read it, give it to someone else to read. It doesn't cost the earth. Publishing houses are going broke and it is going off-shore, cheaply produced and 3-books replace hard copies. Writers make tiny royalties as it is. Buy them and take a RISK, people, don't rely on reviews and get spoiled by "Spoilers" and don't be scared of "alerts". Your country needs more Lerts.
Social media has a lot to answer for: goodreads is the only social media with a common interest worth belonging to.
Thanks.

[Mrsbooks]

I agree, some reviews are nothing but the same book blurb written in different words. That's useless, I don't know why they bother.

Many people, myself included can not afford to waste their money on books that are not going to interest them. I LOVE to read. I barely watch any television. Last year I read approx 200 novels. I try to use the library as much as I can but that doesn't always pan out, especially if I'd like to read new releases.

I really appreciate well thought out and spoiler free reviews. They help narrow down the search for me so that I don't waste my time or my money reading something that I won't enjoy.

And I also appreciate reading spoilers depending on the situation and as long as I'm forewarned about it and have the option of reading it or not. For instance I've opted out of reading novels because I read a spoiler that the Hero abuses the Heroine. I appreciated that spoiler because I know I wouldn't enjoy that book.

I usually do a fair bit of research for each book I read. And that is obviously not fool proof but I know my bank account appreciates the effort I make.

[Gerd]

Gee, just don't put "What's the book called in which Obi Wan dies" in the title and all is good.

I would prefer people to keep spoilers to themselves unless they can't be avoided to properly reflect about the story, and then it's just common curtesy to give a spoiler warning.
Don't see what problem some people have with this concept.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Sorry in advance that I'm quoting everybody from everywhere.

This is long, and ranty. /spoiler

Feel free to skip it.

Debbie wrote: "The intended audience of these posts are people who have already read the book and know the ending. "

So, if the OP doesn't write a clear enough subject description to narrow a book down so that I'm sure that I've read it, I shouldn't open their post and find out if the details are the book I'm remembering, and I shouldn't suggest an author/title unless I'm 100% sure that I'm correct in interpreting the OP's memories and writing?

You've never seen more than one suggestion on a request? Because obviously people have different ideas of what a book might be, given an OP's recollection of it. And all of those people should not have read that request, according to your "intended audience".

I, however, am thankful for all of those people who did it wrong.

The more eyeballs on the problem, the more likely it is to get solved, IMO.

CriminalRepurcussions wrote: "Why not just avoid reading comments by others"

So, you're saying that you don't want people, who have good memories - and are sensitive readers, to assist you (nor to assist anyone else) in finding the books whose name(s) you've lost?

Aerulan wrote: "since there's no way to anticipate what books are being discussed in this group"

Exactly. If we don't have a spoiler rule in the titles, then that's the only option for sensitive people - they need to quit reading this group to protect their sensitivities.

Personally, I'd rather take the time to put in spoilers/write better subject lines, and have more eyeballs on the problem, than to try and make the group work with only the insensitive (who obviously aren't doing a good enough job that we can afford to exclude the sensitive).

Frankly, if the people who dislike spoiler tags that much that they can't abide by it would rather not participate in the group, I'll say good riddance. They're not that much of an asset. If they're so intolerant that they need to enforce their views on others, well... If you want to read the spoiler tags you can - which the intolerant people are fine with. With spoiler tags, if you don't want to have things ruined, well you were warned, so the sensitive people should stop reading.

CriminalRepurcussions wrote: "But I raised why people need to write reviews including spoilers in the first place."

Because sometimes that's all a person knows about a book. eg:(view spoiler)[The one where Chewie died. (hide spoiler)] Sometimes I know things about what I want to read, but I've not actually read them (only read the blurb, or was told the plot-twist and think that the lead-up would be fun to read). eg

Another eg:

Jim wrote: "I'd go a step further & say that it's often the spoilers, those odd twists & turns, that make a book stand out in my memory."

I agree with these devil's advocates: Spoilers are important, key aspects in identifying a book (in some cases)

Summing up:

Lisa wrote: "If at all possible, ..., please do not put spoilers in your topic title.

Also, if you remember sufficient details about a book for people to find it without using spoilers, please try to avoid them,

...

...sometimes reading spoilers is necessary for members to help find books,"

Regarding reviews:

Mrsbooks wrote: "Just because I was looking for a better [synopsis than] the book blurb supplied doesn't mean people should give [away] huge key points

For me, this. I like to read reviews of people - who don't have their salary on the line (ie: publisher blurbs) - to find out if something is worth my time. I value readers saying, "This sucked, and here's why..." I value readers who say, "This book is adequate, but a better book on the topic is X". That's something that no publisher, and almost no author is going to tell you.

Getting a review, instead of reading the book my ownself - allows me to not waste my time on poor, or factually incorrect books. Allowing me to read more, good stuff. It allows me to properly allocate my reading dollars, and support authors who're doing good work, versus paying authors and then finding out that they haven't done their jobs.

There's a reason there's a NYT book review, and has been for a long-time. It provides more value than "Spend your dollars and buy a book and read for yourself what happens, instead of relying on others['] opinions before venturing out to spend your money."

Aerulan wrote: "spoiler alerts are a fairly simple courtesy to make that easier to accomplish for each person depending on their preference."

Agreed.

[CriminalRepurcussions]

Ah, hullo justanotherbibliophile, come right in and welcome.
You seem to welcome ONLY people who "like" spoiler tags...quote: " if the people who dislike spoiler tags that much that they can't abide by it would rather not participate in the group, I'll say good riddance. They're not that much of an asset. If they're so intolerant that they need to enforce their views on others, well... If you want to read the spoiler tags you can - which the intolerant people are fine with. With spoiler tags, if you don't want to have things ruined, well you were warned, so the sensitive people should stop reading." ...
That seems to be the rule you would like here? It's not a balanced discussion forum if that were to happen.
You have missed some people's points completely.
If some readers need to read people's reviews/comments to assist in finding books, why not go to other options if you don't want to be offended by spoilers without Alerts. AS for your Good Riddance comment, are you sulking?

[CriminalRepurcussions]

Yes, Mrs.Books, that's the value of readers' comments.
A library online source is a great source, there's usually a book you can click, read the synopsis, and - for instance, ours - perhaps an option to click "to read further about this book, click here" and it's great. Then you can flick through a few pages from a library book to see if the writer's style: first-person, third-person, easy-flow, difficult or too complicated to pursue - and that is one most helpful way, I'm sure you've already discovered for yourself. And, until I asked at the library whether authors receive a royalty for a "loan" to a reader, answer, Yes, they do ! which is fantastic.
Libraries are invaluable to the community.

[Mrsbooks]

I don't use the option to read a few pages. I personally don't find it helpful. I can't tell the important things I'm looking for from reading just a few pages. I can understand why others like that feature though.

[CriminalRepurcussions]

A few pages can give an idea of a writer's style.
Can be helpful: go with it or put back on shelf.

[Mrsbooks]

Yes but most advid readers are looking for information beyond the scope of a writers style in order to know if they're wasting their time reading a novel.

I once picked up a book after reading reviews and knew the plot suited me and was also missing certain tropes I dislike. However no reviewers mentioned that the whole novel was in the form of emails and texts. Not the sort of book for me. So in that instance that option would have been handy. However if people had have just supplied that sort of information in their reviews it would have saved me time and money since I'm already researching those reviews to see if the book is for me.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

A most interesting and useful thread.

[Frank]

I agree, some reviews are nothing but the same book blurb written in different words. That's useless, I don't know why they bother.

So many times this. When I read a review, I want to know what you like and what you didn't. I can read the book blurb for myself, and don't need a repeat.


I don't get too upset with spoilers as I generally like to know where a book is headed. Once in awhile they depress me (ie: Dumbledore), but for the most part they don't distract from the overall story. When I see someone get upset about a spoiler in a Romance book...really? You didn't know that they would live HEA? How many of these books have you read now?