Top Ten Tuesday is weekly book blog meme hosted by the lovely girls over at The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's topic really made me think, and I think I've come up with a pretty accurate list. There are probably more than a few other things that are major turn-offs (such as when the FBI or 'retired cop' is mentioned, which just occurred to me), but these are a few of the biggest ones!
I don't care if you love or hate books marketed as "chick-lit," I just hate this term. Why do we have it? Why do we need it? All it does is unfairly categorize books and make sure some people (especially men) never read them. Be gone from our dictionary, "chick-lit"!
I don't care if you love or hate books marketed as "chick-lit," I just hate this term. Why do we have it? Why do we need it? All it does is unfairly categorize books and make sure some people (especially men) never read them. Be gone from our dictionary, "chick-lit"!
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who didn't join this train, but I just can't stand zombies. I really hate them. It holds no interest to me in any way, shape, or form.
....
Okay, is everyone done throwing things at me? Please don't hate me for this one, I just have gotte so tired of this setting that I so often just put a book immediately back on the shelf when I see this is in the blurb. It's just so overused.
The only sports I ever played and ever were gymnastics and badminton. Otherwise, I'm not much of a sports person. And I absolutely do not like reading about sports at all. Or watching them. Or watching movies about them. I'm sorry, it just doesn't hold my interest.
It gets confusing, I stop caring, I always end up hating one or two of them and that just makes the book drag unnecessarily.
This usually happens when I'm reading a synopsis that sounds fantastic or just supremely interesting and then suddenly the dreaded phrase pops up: "until/and then s/he meets so-and-so" and I just dropped it because, really? Did we have to just thrust some weird romantic relationship into something where it would have been fine without it? Did we have to do that?
Look, there are some awesome, talented celebrities out there. And while maybe a small percentage of them could actually write a great book and have a great story to tell, most of them don't. All they do is unfairly dominate book sales and book lists and it frustrates me. Especially when said person is writing a 'memoir' in their 20s or 30s. Please, stop.
I've dealt with terminal illness in my life. I don't want to read about it. Plus, I don't know... I know it's a real thing out there that many of us will have to deal with, but I just do not want to settle down to enjoy my book and read about that.
Although there are a lot of wonderful books out there that use revenge as a main plot device, I'm not really drawn to books in which revenge is the character's main motive for everything. I personally am not really into the concept of revenge, so it's just something that really turns me off. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, but in general revenge is not a reason that I will pick up a specific boo.
I've read some fantastic contemporary YA (The Female of the Species, The Hate U Give, etc.), but this genre in general just isn't my favorite. It is extremely rare, if not impossible, for me to find a contemporary YA book that features young adults with realistic language or realistic situations. I'm just not drawn to this genre.
Do you like or dislike any of these topics? What topics make you immediately put down a book?
I'm not a big fan of contemporary YA - although like you I have a read a few exceptional ones. Celebrity Authors and too many POVs are also a big turn off for me - along with the dreaded he/she meets.... lol - great post!
ReplyDeleteI don't like the term Chick Lit either. Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see that, too. I have nothing against the books themselves--they may not be my choice to read, but I hold no prejudice-- it's just that dreaded term that seems to cause problems.
DeleteHow do you ever pick up a YA book without the "until he/she meets" thing, it's kinda eeeeverywhere LOL. I get you though, very tropey, unless it's about Princes then I'm SOLD and I don't care hehe. I also dislike celebrity authors and their very young age memoirs. Such a fun list, Jordan!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, so true! I definitely still overlook this sometimes if the rest of the book sounds good enough -- and I'm always down for some princess themed ones also. Thanks!
DeleteAlso not a fan of chick-lit books or movies unless they make me laugh out loud. There are a few authors however, that I do like. Penny Reid's Knitting in the City series is hysterical. Just quick guilty pleasure reads that make me giggle.
ReplyDeleteLaura :)
My Top Ten Tuesday
I totally agree, sometimes they are a good choice for certain times. :)
DeleteI'm not going to lie a good Revenge story can be compelling when done right (and you're in a mood yourself). Sports is one for me too I didn't even think to add but it is not something I enjoy reading about.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point about revenge stories - sometimes they really fit the mood!
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