Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme
created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is all about book turn-offs.
The things that make you instantly not want to read a book.
The things that make you instantly not want to read a book.
Lack of Communication or Miscommunication
My least favorite trope ever. If the synopsis gives even an inkling that the plot is based around one big misunderstanding, I. Am. Out. Do not base your entire plot around a situation that could be resolved in 2.5 minutes if only your characters, oh I don't know, talked.
Unreliable Narrator
Think Mara Dyer. I'm not entertained/intrigued by an unreliable narrator, I just feel cheated and annoyed. Hard pass.
Magical Realism
Not a fan. I enjoy contemporary. I sometimes enjoy fantasy. But I don't like the two to mix. No fantasy/magic in my contemporary fiction, thankyouverymuch.
Disliked an Author's Previous Work
Yeah, second chances are nice and all that but chances are if I dislike a book by a particular author I'm done. There are way too many books that I'm truly excited to read to waste time on the "maybe it will be better" ones.
Dismal Reviews
Sure it's best to form your own opinion, but if I see negative reviews from people I trust and a low GoodReads rating odds are that I'm going to pass.
Small Children or Animals
Okay, go ahead and get your rotten tomatoes ready. But I'm not a kid person. And I'm not an animal person. So if I know in advance that there's going to be a precocious little moppet or man's best friend that plays a large part in the book, I'm not picking it up.
Ugly Cover
Because I'm shallow like that. But who wants a book with an ugly cover? And the worst are the totally amateurish, badly Photoshopped ones. Ugh.
Ridiculous/Cheesy Titles
It may be the best story, but if it has a stupid/cheesy/punny title I'm not picking it up. Some cringe-worthy examples: Sweet Cheeks, Tapping the Billionaire, The CEO's Unexpected Child, Hot as Puck, The Cad and the Co-Ed, Grin and Beard It. Just no.
Written in Verse
Nope, not a fan.
Hype
When a book is overly hyped I tend to immediately take a giant step back. Sometimes it lives up to it but too often I have caved to the hype, even when I've been iffy about the book to start with, and been majorly disappointed.
What's your bookish turn-off?
Oh we share some!!! Hype, ugly covers and miscommunication are big ones for me. Cheesy titles are bad and unless someone trusted tells me otherwise I stay away. I do love me some magical realism though!! Great list!
ReplyDeleteOMG, the cheesy titles... I have a couple friends who constantly try to get me to read the Hashtag series by Cambria Hebert. But I simply *cannot* take a book seriously when it is titled #Bae. Ugh.
DeleteHahaha. I stay away from hype as well. Almost missed Harry Potter. However I do like an unreliable narrator! Great list!
ReplyDeleteToo funny that you almost skipped HP because of the hype! :)
Deleteoh yes wonderful list! I SO agree re: miscommunication/lack of communication - probably my hugest pet peeve UGH!! But I also pass on small children, ugly covers and if I have disliked an author's previous works! There are a lot haha
ReplyDeleteThe whole miscommunication thing drives me *insane.* And the small children... pass! LOL
DeleteNice list, I agree with some. I am going to guess you have never read a cozy mystery since you don't like cheesy titles, that is one of the best parts about cozies...lol. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL I actually have read a couple cozy mysteries, Stormi! I decided they weren't for me but I wanted to try them out. And yes they totally had some rather cutesy/cheesy titles. :)
DeleteI have such a hard time getting past an ugly cover, and the miscommunication thing makes my blood boil. I am not good at giving second chances. I just think that maybe me and that author do not click. But, like, uh, I love Penny Reid's books and magical realism when it is done well (see A.S. King)
ReplyDeleteSam @ WLABB
I think magical realism is such a tricky thing to pull off and do well. I guess I just haven't happened upon any really good examples. And ugly covers... oh my gosh, it's hard to get past those. LOL
DeleteI sometimes have a hard time reading a book that is really hyped up because you expect that book to live up to its expectations and when it doesn't, it feels like you just wasted your time reading that book.
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
We have so many in common!
ReplyDeleteNow why am I not surprised? :)
DeleteYour list makes me seem very, um, unpicky?? LOL There are things on your list that I agree with - particularly ugly covers, cheesy titles, and stories written in verse. However, I've read some good books that had at least one of these things. :) So you just never know. Great list, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it probably sounds like I'm super icky, huh? Actually it was tough coming up with 10 so I was stretching for some. LOL But some - like the cheesy titles and the books in verse - really are hard no's.
DeleteI'll read most things so there isn't really much that gets a hard no for me. Certain types of summaries turn me off a bit, like when "and then they meet this guy" type of thing is a bit overdone and annoying. LOL
ReplyDelete-Lauren
So much yes to the first one. Ugh. I get so tired of it... but I'll take all your magical realism! :D I'll take all your animal books too (provided they don't die). :)
ReplyDeleteDeal! You get all the magical realism and animal books. :)
DeleteMagical Realism is such a hit or miss for me! Like, I want to love the idea, but the execution is always so awkward.
ReplyDeleteYes! I think it must just be hard to do well and really pull it off. And I seem to have never found a good example of it.
DeleteI totally agree with all these, but the hype, even though hyped books usually let me down, so you're the smart one here, don't get me wrong haha. I do enjoy unreliable narrators - for example Dangerous Girls - but many authors just can't pull it off - like in Mara Dyer. Magical realism is another hit or miss for me. I can SOMETIMES deal with small children but ONLY in fiction. IRL? Please, stay several meters away from me. I also love how they're in the same category with animals for you hahaha. Wonderful list! :)
ReplyDeleteVeronika @ The Regal Critiques
LOL at your comments about small children, Veronika. :) I'm so with you. I think I was just born without the gene that makes me go all mushy for kids and animals. LOL
Deleteoh I did like Mara Dyer :) and I LOVE Magical Realism! BUT it's like a love/hate thing for me. When it's not done right I totally hate it so I understand how you feel about it. NO ugly covers for me either PLEASE.
ReplyDeleteYep, I think magical realism is one of those things that's hard to pull off and do well. And I guess I just haven't come across an execution that I've liked.
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