I posted a Wish Listed book, one I was glad to send out because I was so incredibly bored with it. The characters just talked and talked and talked about talking so much that I gave up on it. It's the first one I gave up on in a very long time. So I posted it and then sent it out to the requestor with no trouble. When it arrived, the requestor sent a typical 'Thank you so much for the book' PM.

I don't know why but I PM'ed back 'I hope you enjoy it more than I did. It's the first book I've given up on in a long time'. After I sent the PM, I suddenly felt really bad, like I had just ripped off the requestor.

I'm the kind of swapper that hangs on to books I like and only mail out ones I didn't enjoy and won't ever read again. I don't normally feel this way, and I know that this is a very silly way to feel, but I really did feel like a cheat when I sent that PM.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever sent out a book that you absolutely hated and were so glad to get rid of but didn't tell the requestor how much you thought it sucked? Or have you ever followed up the transaction, once the hated book was safely in other hands, with a PM expressing your deep loathing for that book? Or have you been on the recieving end and got a book only to be told that it was the worst book the sender has ever read?

No, on all three counts.

I don't think the recipient is necessarily interested in my opinion of the book. Anyone can read my book reviews if interested.

I've sent out lots of books I've absolutely hated, but I didn't tell them.  Why rain on their book parade?  But, admittedly, it kind of cracks me up that you told them you couldn't even finish it.  And, no, no one has ever told me they hated the book I ordered.

It's all in the eye of the beholder. One person's turd is another one's gem. At least the book is getting some attention.

I had someone who PM'd me "I just dropped your book off at the PO, this is the worst book I've read from this author".  Yeah, I'm kinda reluctant to start reading it now!

I had one that we read for book club that was so awful, I genuinely felt badly for the person who requested it.  

I don't think what you did was inappropriate, but then I enjoy talking books. 

I haven't sent a PM like that Erin but I have wanted to.  I have sent books and then the person who got the book will send me a note saying something like thanks for the book I have been wanting it for a long time, I can't wait to read it.  I want to reply I am sorry you waited a long time for nothing.  The book was really bad.  I think the only time I have told a requester what I thought of a book was when she sent me a message asking for my opinion about the book.  Then I felt ok with giving my opinion about the book, which wasn't all that great.

I have sent out books I was soo glad had WL because I HATED them. I never told the requestors but was happy to get a credit for a crappy book.

If someone asked, I would tell them my opinion good or bad. Just like when I tell people that I haven't read a book because it just doesn't interest me (did this recently when someone asked what I thought of a book, and she didn't cancel the order, so I figure she didn't care that I thought it sounded boring) and I only got it from friend or family to post.

I don't think you should feel bad. You said you hoped she enjoys it after all. I think just saying it was a horrible book and assuming anyone will hate it would have been more of a damper. However, the way I see it is if someone orders a book they should know what they're getting. If they aren't sure they'll like it and are depending on others to tell them whether to like it or not, maybe they shouldn't have ordered it.

Edited for grammar mistakes that bothered me.

I had a book I had to read for a philosophy class once that was HORRIBLE. Our professor was friends with the author and it was just this rambling mess. 

When I joined PBS, one person had it wishlisted. I sent them a PM before sending it because it had a little underlining, which they were OK with. I mentioned to them that I hoped they like it more than I did. They were VERY excited to get it anyway (it's obscure). Good riddance!!

I have a book on my bookshelf that is the worst book I've ever read, and I'm waiting to send it out (if anybody would have it!) before I post a review for it or rate it.  (I also have good books on my bookshelf, too, LOL!)

I had something similar happen to me.  I had a book on my wishlist for awhile, and it got posted to me.  Once I received it, I sent a message to the sender thanking them for sending it because it'd been on my wishlist forever and I was looking forward to reading it.  She wished me a lot of luck with the book because she didn't enjoy it at all because the story was focused more on menial details rather than what was hyped as the plot.

I found as I was reading it that I just kept thinking the same thing.  I just kept noticing all the little details...like why do I care that her life is so busy and it's hard.  I know that.  Where's the big "point" of the book?  Perhaps I was cursed going into it, or maybe it really was just that bad.  I'll never know.  I literally was less than 5 pages from finishing the book when DH was cleaning one day and picked it up and put it on the bookshelf.  I've honestly not had the urge to go get it to finish it.  I don't think I've ever got that far through a book and just had no desire to read the last few pages.

I don't think the recipient is necessarily interested in my opinion of the book. Anyone can read my book reviews if interested.

It it had been me, I'd be ignoring the OP's PM or just sending a brief reply, not wanting to get into a conversation about a book I haven't read, (since I couldn't really discuss it, not having read it,) and not wanting to be spoiled but not wanting to be rude, either.

I do check out books before I order, including reviews here and elsewhere. And most of the people I know personally don't share my reading tastes, so I'm used to loving what other people don't. Everyone is just so different, there's just no telling if someone will love/hate a book the same way we do.

So, I don't think it's a good idea to send your opinion about a book in a PM without being asked. And If you really want to express your opinion then reviews are a great place to do so. Sending a PM to the receiver really puts them on the spot, and may make them feel defensive about what they've ordered. And while it's not nice to say, the truth is I really don't care what the other owners thought of the book before I've read it. I may certainly agree with them later on, in a thread with spoiler warnings for others who haven't read it.

But before I get to it myself? Sorry, but I couldn't care less what the sender thought of it, and I don't want to talk about it. Let me find out for myself.

A few years ago, I picked up a book on dog training. It was completely against my views on how animals should be trained and treated in general. I understand the owner needs to be the alpha but this took things a little too far, IMO. When I saw it was a wishlist book I posted it and I felt a little bad when it was requested. Then when I marked it mailed, I received a really nice thank you PM from the requestor telling me how she and her little boy were looking forward to receiving it, which really made me feel bad. I did reply and tell her she was welcome and then mentioned it wasn't the right method for me. I never heard back from her but I still feel bad just thinking about it. It's one book I really wish I wouldn't have posted.

I post books I didn't like personaly all the time.  But I wouldn't PM the person who requested it that I didn't like the book.  People have different tastes.  I've hated books that have had nothing but glowing reviews and loved books that many people seemed to hate.

If I particularly liked a book, I will sometimes say that in response to a Thanks PM. But otherwise, nope, I don't warn them that it was a stinker!

I'm with Sara I'll say something if I really enjoyed a book.  My oldest daughter and I share a lot of books and we don't always have the same opinion. 

Thats must be why there are so many books.(HAHAHHA)

Have you ever sent out a book that you absolutely hated and were so glad to get rid of but didn't tell the requestor how much you thought it sucked?

Yes, and I do feel guilty for even posting the darned things and especially for getting credits for them! But I don't warn them. I did hostess a successful game based on Stinkers. Maybe its time to do it again.

I don't feel mad at the people who send me books I wanted and then didn't like, and I don't feel guilty about sending people books they wanted that I didn't like. Lots of people have different tastes than I do.

I might say something if it was one of my online friends ordering -- in fact, I did once convince an online friend not to order some books from me because I was pretty sure she'd hate them. ;-)  But I wouldn't randomly say something to someone who'd already ordered the book; they might think it was a comment on their taste.

I would be mad if somebody I don't know gave their opinion on a book I just ordered. I wouldn't say it, but I'd definitely think 'who cares you didn't like it?' I read reviews only from people I trust have a taste similar to mine.

I also don't feel guilty swapping books I don't enjoy because tastes are different and another person may love what I hate. Once I wrote a pretty scathing post about a book (and the author even PMed me about it, LOL!) and when I shared my opinion in another chat thread with some of my friends here, I'd say 90% of the people liked the book very much.

Everyone I've ever talked to absolutely hated To Kill a Mockingbird, while I loved that book enough that I asked my high school teacher if I could just keep my school copy and pay him for it. He gave it to me saying I was the first student who ever loved it.

I couldn't get into The DaVinci Code and couldn't finish the sequel to that book even though I was reviewing it and had to read the whole thing - the rest of the world seemed to have loved both books.

Though you hated the book, the person that gets it may really love it. You never know...

and I focus on what is wishlisted. Very often I mail books that I haven't read myself. I never volunteer my opinions of books because I assume that if someone requests the books, they have a reason for doing so.

No I have never said I hated a book that I have traded on this site.

Alot of books that I do not like others have loved to death "A thousand splendid suns" for example.

I do not care what the sender thought of the book. Unless they are my buddy and someone I know with very similar tastes, I will pretty much ignore most reviews.

No . I've never sent a pm like that. I've wanted to let someone know how bad a book was but, thats only my take on it. They may enjoy it..

Awww, I've had some nice conversations with folks who've ordered books from me that I hated.  Usually, though, I'd say something like, Hope you enjoy this, and if you ever think about it, and it isn't an imposition, I'd love to hear your thoughts...I have some doozies of my own.  Something like that.  I don't htink you really did anything wrong.

So, how weird is this ... today I got a PM (my one and only PM like this) about a book I requested which has not been mailed yet, and the sender wanted to know if I still wanted it even though there was an objectionable plot point in the book. (apparently the character is bisexual or something, although the book is not a romance and other books by the author which I have read are not heavy on sexual desriptions).

I said yes, send it .... but I'm hoping other senders don't tell start messaging me with plot points. (actually, I doubt that this info amounts to a plot point in this particular book (but what do I know, not having read it yet), probably more of a character description than anything that actually affects the plot).

I thought it was really weird to get a message like that right after this thread started.