When I first started reading and following reviewers on Goodreads, I was completely stumped by all the terms and abbreviations. It took me a year to fully understand most of them—and even now, I still get confused sometimes!
That said, I’m hopeful this list of bookish terms and abbreviations will be helpful as you begin (or continue) your reading journey.
Anyway… let’s dive in!
Bookish Terms
Binge Read – Reading a large portion of a book (or multiple books) in a short period. Usually, because you just can’t stop.
Reading Slump – When you lose interest in reading for a while and either avoid books altogether or struggle to get into any of them. Totally normal—especially after finishing something amazing.
Book Haul – Sharing the books you’ve recently bought or borrowed. Super popular on BookTok and Bookstagram.
Auto-Buy Author – An author you love so much that you’ll automatically buy anything they publish.
Spoiler – A heads-up that a review or discussion might reveal plot twists or the ending.
Shelfie – A photo of your bookshelf or book collection (usually looking aesthetic for Bookstagram/BookTok).
Mood Reader – Someone who picks what to read based on how they’re feeling (aka me, every time).
Bookish Acronyms
MC – Main Character
FMC – Female Main Character
MMC – Male Main Character
POV – Point of View
M/M or F/F – Male/Male or Female/Female relationships, usually in romance genres
TW/CW – Trigger Warning / Content Warning – These are used to flag potentially sensitive or disturbing content.
TBR – To Be Read
DNF – Did Not Finish – Books you stopped reading and don’t plan to go back to. (I use a “pause” shelf for books I plan to return to, and DNF only for the ones I truly gave up on.)
DNR – Do Not Read – A personal list of books or authors I avoid, often for moral reasons or just plain dislike.
CR – Current Read
Whew! That was a lot—but I hope it helps demystify some of the lingo you’ll see around the bookish internet.
So tell me—what are you reading right now? Are you enjoying it?
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