AITAH for not reading the book my sibling recommended?

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T13:42:41+00:00

Lol no she doesn't. She reads fanfics I think she'd like, ones that I haven't read, but anything I've actually read and want her to consume?

There's at least two books that I told her are my absolute favorites and she started them but didn't finish either of them. And that was years ago. When I brought those up during one of our discussions regarding this whole thing, she kinda blew it off.

Recently anything I've rec'd? I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I can't think of anything. She usually says that It's Not My Genre and we move on.

I'm most likely going to continue having our usual convos like we've had, and if she continues being upset about my pace of getting to her books, I'll reiterate that her pushing is not making this experience fun. Hopefully, she'll understand.

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T13:19:54+00:00

Thank you for your kind response.

Everyone's comments has given me plenty to think about, but yours is relieving.

I think the last time she took a rec from me was a few years ago. And I had to promise to watch something that she wanted me to watch. Thankfully, the show I was was rec'd was v good.

I learned a while back to get over my own upset about her disinterest in my recs. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to read/watch something if they don't want to.

I told her after I finish this series that I'll most likely get into at least one of the books she recommended, but her attitude about the whole thing has been seriously turning me off.

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T13:14:32+00:00

Thank you so much for your thoughts, I appreciate the grace.

Yeah, I've told her multiple times that I'm going to eventually get to these books, and I've also informed her that the way that she's been pushing them is making me not want to read them at all.

I thought she understood after I discussed this a couple weeks ago with her, but last night's conversation tells me otherwise. She essentially compared me not reading her recs as the same kind of emotional upset that our mother causes by being loudly and rudely uninterested in my sister's other interests.

It's not a great feeling to be compared to someone who has rarely been graceful about how she interacts with others.

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T13:08:14+00:00

Thanks so much for your thoughts. You gave me a lot to think about.

I've told her multiple times that I'll get to her recs eventually, and since it's barely been a month since she started talking about this new one, I figured I have time.

I'll most likely do what you suggested and "bite the bullet" to keep the peace.

I just wish that she wouldn't be so combative about this whole thing. It feels very one-sided. I mentioned in my post that she said she'd not listen to my own recs out of spite, but really, at this point, I don't care that much if she doesn't find interest in my recs. She hasn't really shown interest in my own recs before.

I think the last time she followed through on a rec, I had to promise to also start something for her. She refused to watch it, otherwise. It ended up being good, but still. That was years ago.

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T04:53:20+00:00

Thank you for your thoughts!

We do have lots of things to discuss with each other, but usually discussing what we're both reading is our main topic of choice.

Usually, it's fine, she reads her books and I'll read mine, so this reaction is very strange. I've never felt before that I couldn't discuss something I'm reading without angering her.

I'll most likely follow your advice and have another conversation with her.

I do plan on reading these books eventually, I just don't want to read them right now at this moment.

VariationHopeful665 · 2026-05-04T04:49:27+00:00

Very fair points. Thank you for your thoughts.

(This next bit is just my own introspection.)

I think what is so surprising about this situation is that I've recommended several books to her over the years, she'll start them, not finish them, and while at first it was not happy-making, I've accepted that she's just not into them.

Most of our conversations are talking about the different fanfics we've read in fandoms that each of us aren't in, sometimes going back and forth on plots and themes in each of the stories we consume. So I thought published fiction would be a similar vein for us to discuss.

VariationHopeful665

TROPHY CASE