Rhiannon Ingle
There's nothing much better than cosying up and getting lost in a good book and, throughout the years, I'm sure we've all picked up little rituals when it comes to reading.
However, one woman has sparked a furious debate after revealing her most 'controversial' reading habits and people are losing their marbles over it.
The woman, who goes by the handle @bookswithsmee online, has taken to TikTok to share a variety of book habits that leave people feeling beyond 'uncomfortable'.
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In one video, the bookworm shared with her 83.1k followers exactly what her habits were which included using books as a 'coaster', annotating directly onto the pages with ink, tearing off the corners of the pages at her 'favourite parts', taking notes (not about the book) on the endpapers and folding pages in half to keep her place in the book.
Think that's bad?
That's not even all of them.
In a follow-up video, the TikToker revealed she intentionally cracks the spines, throws away the dust jackets, writes to-do lists on hardback covers and even showers with her books.
Unsurprisingly, the rundown of pet peeves has left many viewers beyond perplexed with one TikTok user hitting out: "I gasped when you folded the dust jacket and forgot how to breathe when you did the to-do list."
A second penned: "No this has got to be a joke I refuse to believe this."
"No because WHAT MADE YOU EVEN DO THESE IN THE 1ST PLACE?" slammed a third while a fourth chimed in: "This is something that feels illegal but isn't technically illegal."
A fifth quipped: "Wow I might cry."
"This hurts my soul," commented sixth with another echoed: "I have one word for you and one question, the word is NO, the question is WHY."
Others, however, defended the woman's book habits with one viewer explaining: "I am IN LOVE with chaotic book habits and how much it upsets other people. It’s just a stack of paper! You gotta live in it to love it!"
"Yes!" piped up a second. "Books are supposed to be enjoyed, not kept as sacred objects or items of decor."
A third admitted: "I love 'ruining' my books like this, it makes them really mine, and I love buying 2nd hand books that other people have folded/written in/marked up/etc."
"I genuinely love this," praised a fourth, "books are meant to be read and loved. I love books but I don't treat them like they're precious."
A final TikTok user offered: "Books are meant to be used and loved and cherished! I don’t personally do this with my books but I appreciate what you do!"
Where do you stand?