This is a natural byproduct of our online society, and it's not just about books.

Almost the entire planet has access to the internet, and whatever you post on social media (including Reddit) exposes you to potentially millions of comments and responses. Not all of these comments are going to be nice, and they sting because we expect and prefer positive feedback.

A few weeks ago, I posted something on a romantic novels subreddit. My post got immediately locked, and most of the comments were accusing me of things I didn't say. At first, I was a bit offended because I didn't expect a negative response. But then I realized that the community there is just very sensitive to critique, and they were projecting their insecurities onto my post. Other subreddits revolve around criticizing the main topic to death, and any positive comments get downvoted because it's all about the snark.

In conclusion, people will have their opinions, and some of them will be aggressive. This is the nature of social media (and I hope it will evolve into something more friendly/ less toxic). In other words, don't let this get to you and keep doing what you think is right- even if other people disagree with you.

Every once in a while, a cheesy romance novel (or series) becomes popular. This time it's Colleen Hoover. In the past, it was the 50 shades of Grey, Twilight series, etc.

Not every book is a masterpiece, but it's still popular because it hits the right spot for the people who like reading these books. Not everyone wants to read classics or deep narratives. I'd say that the main reason why people like this book is because it's a form of escapism from their mundane life. There's something appealing in witnessing a fantasy relationship that is either personally satisfying or deals with other people's problems. It's like watching a soap opera. The dialogue is terrible, but you really want to know what happens next because you're emotionally invested in the characters.

It's like any other movie that makes a lot of money but gets a low score from the critics.

You're welcome! Happy to hear it worked!

If the markings are sitting on top of the page, you can try to remove with different kinds of professional/artist erasers (I.e. not dollar store quality).

Try kneeding eraser (roll it over, not rubbing it) a few times to see if it helps. You'll need to do it several times to lift off the dirt (if it works).

Another eraser to try is an adhesive removing eraser. You'll have to do small movements/ spot treatment to remove the first.

You can look for other polymer erasers from an artist shop.

Artist erasers tend to be better quality than regular school stationery because artists sometimes want to lift graphite off the paper as cleaninly as possible, which is what you're trying to achieve. If you choose to use an eraser, make sure to make small movements in one direction to prevent ripping or creasing the paper.

If the markings have stained the paper itself then you're SOL.

Make your own template based on your objectives (what you hope to gain from the book)

For each chapter/ section, note:

What is the main point / hypothesis / argument?

What are the evidence the author uses to support the main point (research, principles, etc)

Was the author successful in persuading the reader?

What's missing from the author's analysis / evidence (this doesn't have to be accurate, your personal opinions and guesses also count. These can be supported/refuted at a later time)

How does the main point relate to previous arguments made in the book?

What references does the author make to other authors/resources (this is good for general reference if you want to expand your knowledge and address the "what's missing" points you made earlier)

All these questions can be modified to fit your needs, and the main idea is to state the central ideas, the evidence, and any thoughts you may have.

If you need more help, consider looking up critical thinking skills online, which should give you an outline of how to think about a given issue critically.