Another Pet Peeve

(And really - where did this term come from:  pet peeve?)

I've read a few books lately that are first books from hopeful "up and coming" authors.  And noticed this trend in established authors for the last few years.

The trend:  discussion questions or questions for book group discussions at the end of the book.  Now, really?  Hasn't the author already said what they need to say in the book?  Is there really a need to be further prodded, manipulated or directed by the author after the book has ended?  Is the author worried that we somehow missed the message?  Or that by some weird occurrence we might forget what the book is about between the last page and the page of questions (and our book group meeting)?

This one I just finished is filled with questions by the author that have left me puzzled.  The questions themselves are just plain incorrect.  Like:  throughout the book.....was referenced.  When in actual fact this particular thing was mentioned more like about 3 times - and briefly - until the very end of the book when this particular thing got an entire paragraph.  If the author herself can't accurately access what was in the book, well, it certainly raises some skepticism in this reader.

(I was so disappointed in this latest book.  I know the author.  This book has been hyped to me by the author, her mother and her stepfather for several years.  And I just didn't like it.  On many levels.  The characters were inconsistent (yes, I know people really are that way, but it's confusing in books) they were just plain unlikeable, lots of loose threads were not tied together, even the basic premise of the book was unpleasant.  I really, really wanted to like this one, but nope, just can't do it.  And I needed to say it, get it out of my system, but not where it would hurt anyone's feelings.  I really, really don't want to do that.)