Top Ten Tuesday: Just Say No | Things That Make Me *Not* Want to Read a Book

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This Week's Top Ten Tuesday Topic:
Things That Make Me Not Want to Read a Book
 
Last week I shared several (well, ten) things that would instantly make me want to read a book. This week we're flipping the script and focusing on turn-offs. Ten Nine things things make me not want to read a book. No frowny faces if I mention all of your very favorite things. 😉

1. HYPE
I've been let down too many times by books that were hyped throughout the book community. No more. Now, if I'm not truly interested in a book, all the hype in the world is not going to get me to read it.

2. MISCOMMUNICATION
My least favorite trope. Ever. If a synopsis even hints at miscommunication, I'm running the other way.

3. ENEMIES TO LOVERS
This seems to be the most popular of all romance tropes, but I'm not a fan. Give me friends to lovers every time.  

4. FAKE DATING
As with enemies to lovers, fake dating is another super popular romance trope. But it's not for me.

5. COMPETITION/REALITY SHOW SETTINGS
I'm not a fan of reality shows in real life, and neither do I want to read about them in books. Same goes for competition shows. If a plot is based on any kind of competition, it's probably not one that I'm going to pick up.

6. ILLUSTRATED/CARTOONY COVERS
Yeah, yeah, I know all about not judging a book by its cover, but we all do it anyway. And for me, illustrated covers are major turn-off. My reading preference leans heavily toward angsty, emotional stories so an illustrated cover basically screams "this is not the book for you!" Plus, I just find it hard to take a book seriously when the cover features illustrated/cartoony characters. *cringe* 

7. THIRD PERSON POV
I find it next to impossible to truly connect with characters when a story is written in third person. 

8. PUNNY/CUTESY TITLES
This goes hand in hand with the illustrated covers. Titles with puns (or overly cutesy titles) are such a turn-off and an immediate sign that it's not the book for me.

9. CELEBRITY BOOK CLUB STICKERS
This is just a personal quirk, but I'm not a fan of book covers with stickers or imprints proclaiming it as some celebrity book club pick. I don't care and I really don't want it on my book cover.


What makes you not want to pick up a book?

27 comments

  1. I hate most genre books because they are so predictable, but, when it comes to romance, for me anything goes---miscommunication, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, cartoony-characters---the unlikelier, the better, and the sillier, the better. I do not know why I am like this. But, please, please, romance authors, I beg you to know when to shut the door.

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  2. I don’t like those stickers either!

    Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.

    Lydia

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  3. Agree with hype! I mean, sometimes I will eventually give in, but usually like a year later. But year, seeing too many people rave about a book somehow turns me off to it.

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  4. I'm not a huge fan of miscommunication either but it seems to be such a prevalent aspect of romances, I can't seem to ever escape it. It gives me such a great sense of relief when I'm reading a romance and discover there's no miscommunication! 😂 I'm also not big on the whole competition/reality show thing. I've read a few but haven't really loved any. The hype also kind of puts me off books although I do (mostly) end up reading them eventually, lol.

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  5. I am surprised... Your list is actually KILLING me! Well, except for #7. That kills me when I read it! BUT I get your reasoning. Now I'm going to have to think again when I recommend you anything that fits in these categories. Oh, and I also hate illustrated/cartoony covers. I had to just go back to my list and add that after reading your post because I didn't even think to put it on my list.

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  6. Miscommunication in a romance is so frustrating and annoying. That one drives me crazy, too. And your whole Celebrity Book Club sticker one made me laugh. That turns me off a book, too. :D

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  7. Miscommunication is a huge nope for me. It just feels so artificial. And when people do nonsensical things just to move the plot.

    Ditto on 5.

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  8. I don't read anything during it's hype phase anymore lol

    I do love enemies to lovers but I don't really read books based on tropes to it wouldn't matter much to me but....miscommunication is a big NO for me. If it can be resolved with one convo then nope...

    I hate those stupid stickers!!!

    Karen @For What It's Worth

    I don't mind the illustrated covers so much as they blur to me. I wrote a post about this. I literally can't tell the difference between them.

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  9. I think I'm the only one that doesn't judges a book by it cover. I don't read the romance genre so a lot of these I don't come across.

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  10. Miscommunication is on my list too! But competition has me one clicking lol

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  11. I laughed at the celebrity book club thing because I get mad if I liked an ARC and it becomes a celebrity book club book. I don't get the allure of enemies to lovers. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't, but I always love friends to lovers.

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  12. Those book club stickers drive me insane, especially when they are printed onto the cover! I also relate to the hype train. I typically delay reading those books.

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  13. Hyped books are one thing that I try to avoid. Don't get me wrong, I have picked up a few hyped books and enjoyed them (like Legendborn). But more often than not, I end up DNF the book (like Daisy Jones & the Six).

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/how-i-select-books-to-read/

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  14. I agree with the majority of these, but I do love punny cozy mystery titles. They just make me laugh!

    Happy TTT!

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    1. Susan - Cozy mysteries definitely seem to go for the punny titles more than any other genre.

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  15. Hype is both a turn on and a turn off for me, my interest is piqued when a book is hyped but I have been burned many time before so I am automatically slightly wary as well. I definitely agree on preferring friends to lovers over enemies to lovers. I prefer first person POV but I don't mind if a book is third person POV and have still enjoyed lots of books from that perspective so it's not really a turn-off as such. I hate any kind of stickers on the covers of my books, be it "Now A Major Movie" or Celebrity Book Club, I don't want stickers printed on the covers of my books EVER. I don't read cosy mysteries but I always find that the punny titles make me laugh, but then I have always enjoyed a good pun!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-422/

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    1. Jo - Those dreaded stickers on books! I mentioned the celebrity book club ones but totally forgot about the "now a major movie" ones! You are so right, those are horrible, too. No book stickers on covers ever. Ugh.

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  16. Miscommunication is definitely the worst trope out there! And stickers on book covers are just so annoying indeed.

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    1. Lindsey - Miscommunication is the worst! I don't know why authors continue to use such a frustrating trope.

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  17. I HATE miscommunication! I end up spending the bulk of my reading time wanting to scream at the characters to just talk to each other! I unintentionally avoid hyped books. I just realized that pretty recently that if everyone is singing the book's praises I resist picking it up even if I want to read it. Great list!

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  18. Ugh.. yes.. miscommunication is definitely not my favorite. The rest of the book has to be almost perfect to make up for that one in my book.

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  19. SAME with the hype! I used to think I needed to read alll the hyped books, and when I go down that road I have a conversation with myself about how that is a bad life choice. I also agree so much with the miscommunication trope- the WORST. Like the lie of omission trope, which is in the same vein. I prefer first person most of the time too, and seriously WHY with the stupid stickers? Extra bad if they are just printed into the cover like that, blech!

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  20. Hyped books can really go wrong for me too, but it's usually a book I wouldn't have otherwise picked up that I do because of hype. Sarah Maas is one example. Not a fan. Miscommunication is sooo frustrating and I feel like it's so unrealistic! I hate reality shows, and won't usually pick up a book that involves it in the plot, but I do have to say I just read The True Love Experiment and it worked there for me. I hate those stickers, too! I couldn't care less if some star recommends a book. It's usually one of those overly hyped, "literary" books anyhow. Great list here, Tanya!

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  21. I actually quite like 3 person POV as they're more plot focused. I do tend to like such stories a tad more than character focused books overall. Either way, fantastic list this week. Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/did-i-read-the-books-on-my-30-books-to-read-before-i-turn-30-list/

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  22. It's good to know what you like and stick to it. I am currently staying away from time travel, war and the cranky old person who reluctantly befriends a young person and is magically transformed.

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  23. I usually don't like celebrity book club picks either. I have trouble with over hyped books only because my expectations tend to be set too high and I am let down in the end.

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  24. I'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope either. I hate those book club stickers too. I mean, it's great to see books getting that kind of attention but why do I need a permanent "sticker" on my book about it.

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