Bye Bye Book!
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!
Top Ten Book Turn-Offs
1. Divorcées: This may be terrible to admit, but I usually won't read a book if I see that it's about middle-aged divorcée. This is really common in adult women's fiction, and I often see it when the woman has grown children, is divorced and is lonely. Cue her finding a man. For the most part, I'm just not interested.
2. Cheating: This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but I usually don't want to read a book if the main love story involves cheating. That's because I don't think anything justifies betraying someone like that, and I can't usually root for that couple when I'm reading.
3. Paranormal: I'm reading more fantasy now that I'm blogging than I ever have before. I love challenging myself to break out of my comfort zone, BUT I'm still not crazy about paranormal creatures. Yes, I loved Vampire Academy. But for the most part? Keep those otherworldly being away from me!
4. The Cover: Nothing turns me off faster than a really bad cover. Whether it's cheesy, embarrassing or just plain ugly... you have to work really hard to get my attention if I already want to say no just by looking at it!
When Reading A Book:
5. Instalove: I get so annoyed while I'm reading a book if it has instalove! I'm fine with instant attraction or maybe even instalust, but there is no way two people are in LOVE within minutes of meeting each other. I'm not buying it, books!
6. Abuse: This includes abuse of animals OR humans. I hate both! If it's a minor element that is necessary to the story, I'm usually okay with it. But if it's included just for emotional manipulation or dramatics? No thanks.
7. Graphic Sex: I prefer my books to be more on the PG to lite PG-13 end of this scale, which is why I don't read romance novels and have been avoiding most "New Adult" books these days. I'm just not interested in a play-by-play here.
8. Melodrama: When a book has that sensationalized drama and exaggerated emotions or events, I'm a pretty harsh judge. If it starts to feel like I'm reading a soap opera put to page, chances are I'm thinking about bailing on a book.
When Finishing A Book:
9. Cliffhanger: This is a two-fold dislike! I hate when I'm reading something that I think is a stand-alone and the ending reveals it's actually a series. I LOVE series, but I do not like when I'm caught off guard by the fact that a book is a series. Now, when I know it's a series, I hate HUGE cliffhangers that just leave you DYING for the next book but knowing it will be months (or longer!) before you'll find out what's next. I enjoy an ending that leaves you wanting more, but not one that just leaves you hanging.
10. Open-Ended: I don't need a book to have a happy ending to enjoy it, but I do like for there to be some resolution in the end. I understand the appeal of an open ending - and sometimes they really do work - but I'm usually just left open-mouthed and flipping to see if my book is missing pages. I hate that feeling! It's fine if certain elements are left open, but I really dislike when major parts of a book aren't wrapped up in the end.
I like how you divided this up. I agree about middle-aged divorcees, but I kind of find young divorcees (sans kids and other baggage) appealing to read about. I also hate melodrama, I don't want it in my real life and I don't want it in my books!
ReplyDeleteThanks Maggie! I feel like I rarely find books with younger divorcees, but I definitely agree on older ones. They just don't appeal to me at this point in time. And totally with you on melodrama - in life and in books!
DeleteI'm with you on cheating.
ReplyDeleteRight? Makes it hard to love a book or root for the characters.
DeleteI've seen animal abuse a couple times today and I agree. I should've added that to my list. Also when animals die (you know, Like Old Yeller) that freaking kills me every time:)
ReplyDeleteI hate when animals die for no real purpose other than seeming like emotional manipulation. I have definitely put books down before where I feel like an animal has been killed for no real purpose except making you sad. If it works with story, like in Old Yeller, I can be sad about it but also still think the book is enjoyable (if that makes sense).
DeleteI love how you organized these turn-offs! I agree most wholeheartedly with your thoughts on cliffhangers, although I tend not to mind open-ended endings too, too much. I've just been able to reconcile the fact that stories only tell a small snippet of characters' lives anyway, and leaving it all open-ended is much more preferable to me than having everything tied up and handed to me in a pretty package.
ReplyDeleteI also feel the same way about instalove and melodrama and go out of my way to avoid those.
Thanks Amanda :) I like open endings to an extent. For example, I feel like Just One Year has a relatively open-ending but I really appreciated it. Same thing with Where the Stars Still Shine. The difference for me is when it feels like major plot points haven't been resolved - like there's been a conflict and climax with no resolution. I agree on a book only telling a snippet, which is why I do like some open endings. It's really just ones that leave a book feeling unfinished that drive me crazy.
DeleteI'm not usually a huge fan of adult women's fiction either, although I have never really stopped to consider why I wasn't liking it. I think you hit the nail on the head though! It's hard to connect with middle-aged divorcees at this stage in my life. Heck, I still enjoy reading about first loves and all of those jittery feelings that come with it. There's just something special about the first love of your life, and I love reading books that remind me of that spark. :)
ReplyDeleteAnimal abuse is ALWAYS a turn-off for me too! I want the furbabies to be happy and healthy through whole the book. If I suspect that won't be the case, I won't even CONSIDER reading a book. :)
Right?! I like some women's fiction, but I feel like I'm constantly picking up books about women in a totally different stage of life or in circumstances that just don't appeal to me. I'm not a teen anymore, but I feel like falling in love, problems with friends, family frustrations, etc., is way more relatable.
DeleteGlad you agree on animal abuse! If an animal dying is integral to the story (like Where the Red Fern Grows), I can read and still enjoy the book even though it will make me sad. It's animal death that feels pointless other than making you emotional that makes me so angry.