Book Community Key Terms and Abbreviations List

Last week, I was reading a Threads post that contained a bookish acronym that I just couldn’t work out. I was floored. I’ve been on Bookstagram and Facebook reading groups for six years now. The acronym in questions wasn’t even new; I simply hadn’t come across it before because it was about a sub-genre I don’t read often. It inspired me to write this list.

Whether you’re new to the world of book lovers, writers, and online book communities or a curious seasoned reader, this list is for you. The book world can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially when you’re trying to keep up with all the unique terms and acronyms. Ever wondered what ARC, DNF, or HEA mean? Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Below, you’ll find a glossary of key terms and abbreviations that will help you fully enjoy conversations across the book community. I know I have slightly more terms that pertain to the romance and fantasy genres, but that is simply because I feel they show up a lot on social media. However, if you think I’ve missed any essential terms, be sure to let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to save this guide for easy reference whenever you need it.

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Ad-gifted Book: A book given to a book influencer or content creator for ‘free’, though the hope is that the book will be featured on the receiver’s platform at least once to help create a buzz about the book. Some creators may also be offered book-themed gifts or payments in return for content (but not reviews – reviews should never be paid for).

Age Gap: A romantic relationship involving characters with a significant age difference.

ARC (Advance Reader Copy): A pre-published version of a book given to reviewers or influencers to generate early feedback and reviews.

Backlist Books: Books that were published more than 6 months ago or books that a reader has owned for a long time but hasn’t read.

Black Cat Character: A character who may be grumpy, stoic, or reserved. They can present as mysterious and independent. Often used to describe an FMC.

Book Boyfriend/Girlfriend/Theyfriend: A fictional character that a reader would totally date in real life. But since they aren’t real, some readers will treat themselves to several!

Book Hangover: When a reader experiences a book that is so impactful or immersive that getting into another book is difficult for a while. The reader may be left disorientated, sad, or numb for a while after reading such a book.

Book haul: When a reader purchases several books and posts them to social media. Book influencers may refer to the process of showing the new books as ‘unhauling’.

Book Mail: Refers to books received by post. The books may be pre-orders, online purchases, or ARCs.

Book Nook: A cosy corner or space for reading. They can be in or out of the home.

Buddy Read: When two or more people read a book together. They may have a schedule or a chat of some sort to stay on track and discuss as they read.

Book tour: Where an author or publisher promotes a new book by getting a group of influencers, reviewers, or content creators to share content on their various platforms, usually on specific dates.

Cinnamon Roll: A character who is cute, kind, and has an innocence about them.

Character Arc: The transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story.

Chatty Review: An in-depth review with a conversational tone.

Chick Lit: a type of fiction that is typically written by women and focuses on young, professional women.

CL (Currently Listening): Refers to what the reader is listening to now.

Closed Door: Intimate moments that take place off-page, where you don’t read the details about them. (Please note that the term ‘clean romance’ is increasingly seen as problematic and ‘closed door’ is the preferred description.)

Coming-of-Age: A story that focuses on the time where a protagonist transitions from childhood to adulthood.

CR (Contemporary Romance): Romance that is set in recent times.

CR (Current Read): Refers to what a reader/book blogger is reading now.

CW (Content Warning): A statement that notifies readers of any potentially sensitive or disturbing material in a book.

DNF (Did Not Finish): A term used when a reader stops reading a book before reaching the end, often due to lack of interest or other issues.

Dual Point-of-View: Two or more characters narrate the story.

Dual Timeline: A story told using two timelines and perspectives.

Dystopian Fantasy: A fantasy set in a society that has experienced a major, possibly apocalyptic event that has left society in ruin.

e-ARC: A digital ARC.

Easter Egg: A little surprise left by the writer for the reader to discover. It might be an inside joke, a reference to other media that the reader would know, or a fun cameo.

Enemies-to-lovers: When two characters start out as enemies, rivals, or simply don’t like each other, but end up in a romantic relationship.

Feminist Fiction: Literature that explores or supports feminism or feminist principles.

First Person Narration: The main character tells the story from their own perspective, using first-person pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘me’.

FM (Fated Mates): A pair of characters who are destined to be together.

FMC (Female Main character): A female protagonist or heroine.

Forced Proximity: Main characters find themselves in a situation where they are in a small space together.

Friends-to-Lovers: The main characters start off as friends and become lovers.

Gary Stu: A character (usually male) who has no flaws and is good at everything to such an extent that they seem unrealistic. [See also Mary Sue]

Gaslamp fantasy: Historical fiction with magical or supernatural elements. A sci-fi or fantasy subgenre.

Genre: A category of literature defined by style, form, or content (e.g., fantasy, romance, thriller).

Golden Retriever: Describes a character who is supportive, loyal, and sweet. Usually very easy going and affectionate – very comfortable with showing their feelings. Usually a male.

GR (Goodreads): A popular website used for tracking books and rating/reviewing. Connected to and owned by Amazon.

Grimdark: A type of fantasy fiction that is disturbing, hopeless and epic. It’s usually violent.

Grumpy/Sunshine: Where one character is happy/bubbly/extroverted while the other is pessimistic/stoic/introverted.

HEA/HFN (Happily ever After/Happy For Now): Characters are happy at the end of the book. Used with the romance genre.

HR (Historical Romance): A romance set in a particular historical period, usually before the 1040s.

Insta-Love: When a pair of characters meet and fall in love instantly.

IR (Interracial Romance): A romantic or intimate relationship between people who identify as different races.

KU (Kindle Unlimited): A monthly subscription service that gives members access to eBooks, audiobooks, and magazine subscriptions. At the time of posting, members could borrow up to 20 titles at any one time.

Love Triangle: When a character has two potential love interests to choose from.

Magical Realism: A blend of realism and magical elements, where the story is set in a realistic world but contains fantastical elements.

Mary Sue: A character (usually female) who has no flaws and is good at everything to such an extent that they seem unrealistic.

Meet Cute: When love interests meet for the first time, usually in a cute or funny way.

MG (Middle Grade): Literature intended for children around the ages of 8 – 12.

Misunderstanding/Miscommunication Trope: A trope that involves characters failing to communicate effectively, causing a misunderstanding. Conflict will be drawn out and potential connections delayed as a result.

MC (Main character): The main character in a story.

MMC (Male Main Character): A male leading character or hero, also referred to as a protagonist.

MoC (Marriage of Convenience): A marriage that has been arranged for practical, strategic, financial, or political reasons. A marriage entered into for reasons other than love.

Mood Reader: Readers who choose books based on the current mood. They may struggle to plan their reads.

Morally Grey: Used to describe a character who is not clearly good or bad. They may do the wrong thing for the right reasons. They may have a tragic back story that makes their actions difficult to blame them for.

Motivation: The reasons behind a character’s actions and decisions, which drive the plot forward.

Multiple Perspectives: A story that has multiple narrators. The story may be told from the point of view of multiple characters.

NA (New Adult): Books that contain characters or are aimed at readers in early adulthood, typically the ages of 18-25. Some people use it to describe books that are a little too graphic to be YA. [See also YA]

NetGalley: A website that offers digital ARCS to readers.

Office Romance: A romantic relationship where love interests work together.

Only One Bed: A type of forced proximity trope where love interests are forced to share one bed. (See Forced Proximity)

OMD/OWD (Other man drama/other woman drama): There is trouble from a person outside of the relationship, but it does not necessarily come from about as a result of cheating. It might be an obsessive ex, for example.

Open Door: Intimate moments are described in detail.

OTP (One True Pairing): A couple that is favoured by fans.

Own Voices: A book that features characters from underrepresented or marginalised groups and are written by authors who have the same experience or identity as the main character/s.

Pacing: The speed at which a story unfolds, which can affect the reader’s engagement and overall experience.

Parallel Timeline: The story shifts between past and present.

Plot Hole: An inconsistency or gap in the storyline that can confuse readers or disrupt the narrative flow.

PNR (Paranormal Romance): Romance that involves at least one supernatural character, such as a werewolf, ghost, or vampire.

POV (Point of View): The perspective or perspectives from which the story is told.

Protagonist: The main character.

Readalong: An organised event where several people read a book at the same time. It will usually include a host which may be an individual or a company.

Readathon: A period of time where a reader consumes as many books as possible (by reading them, not eating them).

Reading Slump: When a reader doesn’t feel like reading or when they read several books that don’t grab them or motivate them to read the whole book.

Regency Fiction: Books based on high-society England during the Regency period (1811-1820).

RH (Reverse Harem): One female with three or more love interests. [Also see Why Choose]

Romantasy: A romance book with a fantasy setting, or, arguably, a fantasy book with a strong romance plot.

RTC (Review to Come): Used when a reader has finished reading the book but needs more time to produce a review or full review on it.

Sapphic: Stories featuring women and nonbinary people who are attracted to women and/or nonbinary people.

Second chance: A romance involving characters who reconnect after a previous breakup.

Second coming-of-age: Usually featuring a protagonist in their mid-late twenties who reach the next stage of maturity that comes with adulting for a while and gaining a fully developed frontal lobe.

Second-person Narrative: The story is told by a narrator who addresses the reader directly, using the pronoun ‘you’ to bring the reader into the story.

Shelfie: A photo of your bookshelf.

SF (Science Fiction): Also known as sci-fi.

SFF (Science-fiction and Fantasy): A type of speculative fiction that explores imaginary or alternative worlds and histories.

Slow Burn: A book where romance between love interests develops over time.

Smut: Books containing explicit or graphic sexual content and is a primary focus of the story along with the plot.

Spice: Refers to the level of sexual content or sensual tension – you can have a little spice or a lot, just like with food! A book can contain spice without being smut but smut can also be described as spicy. Some people use smut and spice interchangeably.

Spoiler/No Spoiler Review: Review contains/does not contain information that reveals key plot points of the story. In the book community it is generally understood that you don’t reveal spoilers without warning people first.

TBR (To Be Read): A list or pile of books that a reader intends to read in the future.

The Storygraph: A popular website for tracking books and rating/reviewing. Hailed for its range of features and ability to award half-star reviews.

Third-person Narrative: The character’s story is told by a narrator who exists outside of the story being told. The narrator will use third-person pronouns such as ‘he’, ‘she’, or ‘they’.

Trope: Common plot devices seen in books. Trope lists are frequently used onsocial media to quickly present familiar plot, characters and other elements that readers will find interesting.

TW (Trigger Warning): Like a content warning, this is a statement that notifies readers of any potentially sensitive or disturbing material in a book.

Urban Fantasy: A fantasy that takes place in an urban setting.

Utopian Fantasy: A fantasy that shows a society in its best state – an ideal state of existence or an appearance of it at least.

WF (Women’s Fiction): A book genre that centres women’s experiences and are marketed to female readers.

Why Choose: A story featuring a protagonist who finds their happy ever after (HEA) with two or more partners.

Wrap-up: Presents books read over a certain period of time. Some readers do a monthly wrap up.

YA (Young Adult): A genre of fiction aimed at readers aged 12-18, often dealing with themes and issues relevant to teenagers.

I hope this glossary has turned some of those ‘Huh?’ moments into ‘Aha!’ ones. And even if you are a pro and knew them all, I appreciate you. While you are here, do check out some of my latest posts! And before you go, make sure to subscribe to my blog for more bookish resources, tips, and inspiration. Happy reading and chatting, Wordies!