It’s Tuesday, which means that it’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week’s topic is top ten words/topics that make you NOT pick up a book.
1. Non-fiction
I’m more than happy to read historical fiction, but for some reason, I just can’t get into non-fiction. Maybe because it reminds me too much of extended essays, historical investigations, and all of those readings I have to do at university?
2. “For fans of ___”/”the next ___”
I used to pick up so many books based on this description alone and would end up disappointed because:
a) the comparison gave me incredibly high expectations, and the book didn’t live up to them
b) the book was nothing like what it was being compared to
c) the book was a copycat and I was hoping for something a little more original
3. Erotica
I like my books to have a plot, and gratuitous sex scenes don’t do anything for me.
4. Love stories disguised as dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories
If the synopsis is promising me a nice dystopian society with lots of action, oppressive governments, etc. I don’t want to spend the majority of the book reading things like “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” or how “he tasted like peppermint.” If you have the time to realize all of that, you’re not working hard enough to survive.
5. Love triangles
This kind of ties in with #4. When done properly, love triangles are effective and enjoyable plot devices. Unfortunately, 90% of the time they consist of a girl going back and forth between two guys (one of whom she usually just met) for basically the entire book. Sorry, but that’s not what I came here to read.
6. “Secretly beautiful”
I hate having to read about the girl that everyone falls in love with because she’s beautiful and (silly her!) didn’t realize it until 137127 guys pointed it out. It bothers me because we should love our bodies instead of having it shoved down our throats that we have to look a certain way to be considered attractive.
7. Stalking is sexy
Um, no. I blame Twilight for starting the idea that the guy who peeks in your bedroom window while you’re sleeping and somehow turns up wherever you are is attractive and would make the perfect boyfriend. It’s creepy and shouldn’t be glorified.
8. Issues books
It’s not the fact that they deal with heavy subjects that bothers me; it’s the treatment. If they’re not handled correctly or the solutions to the problems are oversimplified, it seems to belittle the issue.
9. Unattractive covers
I know that you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I’m more likely to pick up books with covers that I like. Also, book covers that are unnecessarily “girly” because they were written by a female author, regardless of whether or not they’re about teen romance or assassins, bother me (see: Maureen Johnson’s coverflip challenge for examples).
10. Authors behaving badly
If an author is going to berate readers for writing an honest account of why they did not like the book or if they’re pushing an agenda, I’m less likely to pick up their works.
What words or phrases make you say “no thanks” to a book? Leave your thoughts or a link to your post in the comments below.
I’m with you on 7. He wants to kill you–not attractive. He wants to kill you and keeps following you around like a predator waiting for the right moment to take down their prey–really, horrifyingly not attractive.
Exactly! It’s concerning that some people consider that to be attractive, and makes me worry a bit about their actual relationships.
Great list! Covers are super important to me because it’s near impossible to not judge a book by its cover. And the YA and NA book covers nowadays bug the living daylights out of me. I wrote a post about book covers not too long ago if you wanna take a look: http://booksteame.com/2013/05/16/no-i-dont-want-to-see-real-people-on-book-covers/
But I pretty much agree with every point you made, save maybe for books dealing with issues. More often than not, issue books will make me tear up, and I like to cry.
Great list!
YA/NA book covers all seem to look the same – I guess girls in gorgeous dresses staring off in the distance sells really well. Thanks for the link, I’ll definitely check it out!
I go through phases where I want to read something that will make me cry, but more often than not, I steer away from books that deal with heavy topics.
Thanks!
This list is pretty great, and I agree with almost of the points!
I have never been witness to an author behaving badly, but I have heard of it. It’s unprofessional to say the least, and I think it’s a big put-off for readers.
My Top Ten post 🙂
Thanks! I’ve witnessed a couple of cases of it on Goodreads, and they certainly weren’t pretty. It’s so unprofessional, and makes me wary of reading/reviewing their works.
Thanks for the link! : )
I just don’t understand why they would do it, though. I mean, people can not like your novel. I know that negative reviews sometimes make me interested in reading a novel to see what I think about it! If I am ever an author, I just won’t read really negative reviews, because I’ll just cry, haha. But seriously, I would.
That’ okay 😀
Yes to most, except issues (when done right of course). And I so agree about badly-behaving authors. It was my #11.
Here’s my TTT!
Jess @ Such A Novel Idea
Thanks for the link! : )
Oh yes, totally agree with all of those. Though I didn’t mention many of those on my list(mainly because I was braindead when I wrote it) The only thing I potentially don’t agree on is the non-fiction. Mostly because I have read some really interesting non-fiction books lately on psychology. Though I’ll probably get sick of it at some point considering I’m writing an extended essay on it. Though really, why would you read non-fiction for pleasure? You learn stuff. And learning is bad. xD
Haha, here’s my TTT.
Haha, I know how you feel. Every time I read over a TTT post I think, “oh, I should have put that on my list.”
My psych course was one of the only ones I actually enjoyed doing the readings for, so those would be pretty interesting reads. That’s why I did my extended essay in English – that way, I wouldn’t end up picking a topic that I loved, only to find myself getting tired of it towards the end. As long as it’s a topic that interests you, though, I’m sure you’ll still enjoy learning about it.
Thanks for the link!
I agree about stalking. There is nothing sexy or flattering about it. It is terrifying.