Top Ten Words/Topics That Make Me NOT Want to Pick Up a Book
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every week, the lovely ladies over there post a topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and MAKE A LIST. WORD.
I struggle with the negative lists, friends. This is mostly because I love reading and books so extremely that there’s very little that turns me off from the get-go. To be honest, some times I wish there WERE more things that made me skip over a book because it would thin the herd, so to speak. But I had a hard time with this list, as you will see: there’s only 9 things on it. For a person who usually struggles to LIMIT her list to 10, that should be some indicator of my trouble. Also, some of these things are not straight-up turn-offs but are more like things that make me wary. Let’s be real, though: They probably won’t keep me from picking up the book eventually.
When I see a book is written by two authors, even if they’re both independently awesome, I’ll still hesitate before picking the book up. I’m always concerned about voice and flow and two different authors’ styles not meshing well. I’m so meh about dual-authored books that I’ve only ever read one, and I can’t say that I’d recommend it: THE STORY OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Not my favorite.
I’m super wary of books that have deliberate religious overtones. I just don’t care to have that angle in the books I read. There have been exceptions–I enjoyed Lisa Tawn Bergren’s River of Time series–but for the most part, if I see the words “Christian Fiction” on a book, I’m probably going to walk right past it. Big exception: made up religions. No problem at all reading about those.
So this is basically the result of two things: One, my brain’s aversion to science; and two, my hesitancy to read hard-core sci-fi. I enjoy milder science fiction LOTS, but the farther things get into outer space or the more they rely on technology or computer parts or things like that, the more my interest wanes. HUGE, life-altering exception: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. AMAZING.
Here’s one where I clarify a little bit: I’d never not read a book because it had physical abuse in it. While I find that topic SUPER hard to read about, I also know that it’s an important issue to discuss and books that open those doors for people are legit. But if I know going in that a book has this or any other really heavy issue, I’ll put it off until I’m ready. Sometimes these just aren’t the kinds of books I’m prepared to read. Sometimes the darkness is the opposite of what I’m looking for.
I would LOVE to be able to read more mermaid books and, in fact, I’m listening to the audio of OF POSEIDON right now and I’m liking it. There’s just something about mermaid books that is hard for me to swallow or something. For all the fantasies and paranormals I read, with orcs and werewolves and fairies, something about people (of a sort) LIVING under water is just too much or something. I’ll keep trying, though, because like any paranormal/fantastical creature, I’m fascinated by them (THANK YOU, Ariel).
Whew, guys, I am feeling the strain with these things. With the exception of Laura Bickle’s Hallowed Ones series–which EVERYONE needs to read–I’m pretty much over vamps in my books. I’d much rather watch an episode of The Vampire Diaries.
I CANNOT DEAL WITH THIS AT ALL. It’s a legit issue. And I don’t even have pets. I just can’t, friends. Doesn’t even have to be pets, strictly speaking. I’m talking about all animals. If they die or are abused or mistreated, I LOSE IT. I will–and have–cry worse over the death of an animal than over the death of human beings. There is a REALLY well-known, SUPER popular book series that so many of my friends keep telling me to read. I’ll probably never read them because there’s a HUGE instance of THIS VERY THING in it that was spoiled for me, and I just can’t ever bring myself to start reading.
Because NO. It’s just so ICKY. I’ve read a few books that had “maybe they might be RELATED” twists and I was like, “NO. I’ll put you down if you go there.”
Friends, I’ve been trying to break away from this one but I’m having a hard time getting over it. I just don’t like them. Eep! To this day I’m read just one book about zombies. It was really good, but I’ve got so many other kinds of books on my shelves that I don’t have to force myself to read!
I’m always wary of books with two authors, as well. I think back to school when we had to write “group essays” or some such ridiculous things and remember the horrifying results. Two styles. Two visions. Everything you’re worried about.
Sometimes I think maybe I’m unfairly biased against two author books, but, honestly, I can’t name one I’ve read that I loved. I did just finish House of Secrets (2 authors), which was alright but not mind-blowingly fabulous.
I have seen Mermaids listed a lot. I have never read a book about Mermaids and it seems like I should avoid them!
Angie
Of course you are right. Two authors? No. It hints at trouble in the writing process and that can never been remedied. And I am not a monster girl. Of any sort.
Here’s my Top Ten list.
Ahh! Great choices! Good call on 2 authors! Oh my goodness… that turns me off big time. Like you, I think it would be incredibly hard to blend so many thoughts into one voice. Right there with ya on mermaids and incest! haha
Incest, zombies, religion … yes yes yes! Great list, totally agree. And as for 2 authors: I have the same doubts about such book, rarely read those as well…
My TTT
My DESIGNS blog
I had a hard time with this list as well since I’ll read just about anything. I agree with you about pet death, incest, and physical abuse. If it’s contemporary YA, I want it light and happy generally, although for some reason with dystopian or paranormal, dark and depressing doesn’t bother me.
I have only read one book so far with two authors, and I ended up putting it down before 50 pages, but I do still want to read Beautiful Creatures even though it has 2, but I can understand the dislike. I hope the one with pet abuse/death isn’t one I want to read because this is on my list as well. My TTT.
I hear you on the robots/androids. It’s why I’ve avoided popular books like Cinder so far. How can there be a good romance with a robot? That’s just weird.
TTT @ Krista’s Dust Jacket
I almost didn’t even do this list because I had such a hard time with it because I really will at least TRY anything, usually. I think I ended up with like four or five things on my list. Sad. But werewolves was one of them because EWW I CAN’T. Now, I love me some vampires and fairies to the moon and back. Other paranormals do not bother me at all. And issues don’t really bother me although the physical violence shakes me up if I don’t know it’s in there. Other than that, my list is kind of tiny. My biggest aversion to books is ugly covers, but that didn’t fit the topic. Hehehe.
I’m iffy on two authors, but the only thing I’ve read that has two authors is Beautiful Creatures. And.. that’s all I’ll say about that. The jury is also still out on mermaids. I’ve only read a couple of them and enjoyed them, but I just can’t get past the “well how do they do it?” question. Sorry… my mind just goes there. Also, pet death? Noooo! This makes me tear up with just the thought of it!
Great list Amy! Although I’m sad you don’t like zombies…. 😉
I’m finding that I’m really over vampires, too. “I’d rather watch an episode of The Vampire Diaries.” THIS.
Re: incest, I’ve only ever read maybe…one book where it was done WELL, I think – in most others where it’s even hinted at it squicks me out way too much.
Molli | Once Upon a Prologue
Incest will instantly ruin a book for me. Period.
RELIGION. I don’t like religious books. Religion is just not my bag so overly religious characters really turn me off. I went to a Catholic school for 10 years so I’ve had enough of religion forced on me, thank you. I like to read my books with no strings attached!
I’m totally with you on the incest bit. It just feels squicky to me, even though I’ve heard of a few titles that handle it in a “good” way.
I hate zombies too! I have also tried and failed… Zombies are gross and dumb. I just can’t get into them even though the rest of the world seems to love them. Great list!
What’s the Hallowed Ones series about? I’m not familiar with it. I’m with you on religious fiction. And Lisa Bergren’s books were an exception. They weren’t preachy so I liked them.
Have you ever read World War Z? I didn’t think zombies would be for me either until my boyfriend lent me his copy of it. I couldn’t put it down, it was so well done. And while I don’t think I’ve jumped on that “zombie bandwagon,” I must say I do plan on reading Warm Bodies one day since I liked the movie.
Great list! I have vampires and zombies on my list also-but never thought about robots- all things science make my brain shut down!
Kerri
Definitely agree with you on the religion and incest aspect. No thank you; I’ll rather avoid those two topics.
Great list! (:
My TTT
Ooh the two authors point is a good one. I’ve only read one co-authored book myself, which I wasn’t a huge fan of (Team Human, but my not liking it could have been due to the subject matter as a whole). While co-authors can probably make a better, more sound story, the writing style can definitely become more problematic. I’m also not really a fan of robots/androids – they’re not human really, so that makes it more difficult for me to relate to them!
HELLO NO TO PET DEATH! I cannot even handle that. It’s just wrong. I actually really like mermaids, but I haven’t found a mermaid book that I’ve liked. I’ve sort of given up on it.