For What It's Worth


Tuesday, August 21, 2018

tell me something tuesday



Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings and discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging.

Question: What things are you drawn to when choosing your next read?

Answer: Apologies to Heidi (who hosts Tell Me Something Tuesday) but I’m going to put a bit of a twist on this because honestly, I'm a mood reader and I just read what sounds good to me at the time. And recently I am ALL over the map as far as genres go.

My few reading catnips though are: enemies to lovers and anything described as light/funny or low angst.

So instead I’m going to be a negative nilly and talk about what will make me avoid a book when I see these things in a blurb.

*NOTE - I am not shaming anyone for what they want to read!!! These are just things I don't enjoy. I believe that everyone should be able to read whatever they love - no judgement!!

The bad/dangerous dude who is also hot – 

“He’s dangerous/obsessed with me. I should fear him but his touch makes me crave more even though I’m terrified”

“He’s an arrogant asshole who treats everyone like dirt. But he’s irresistible”

The thing is…if the dude wasn’t hot this wouldn’t work. It all hinges on good looks overriding all common sense so NOPE.

Also anything considered dubcon (dubious consent). No means no in my book.

Best friends little sister/brother

I know I’ll get some push back on this one because it’s a very popular trope!

I actually enjoy it overall – because it can be cute/awkward with the new dynamic but hate when the setup is – I can’t betray my best friend by dating his sister or the brother putting a *not allowed to date* sign on his sister.

a) It’s none of your buisness big brother
b) If you think your bff is such a bad boyfriend/douche to girls – then why is he your best friend?

So I love this when it’s more of an awkward change in dynamics – not a big brother telling everyone who they can and can’t date.

The special girl/hot newcomer boy

“Jane was an awkward girl who tripped over everything and smashed into walls but then one day a beautiful boy with piercing green eyes & 8 pack abs (because they all have to have piercing eyes and ripped abs!) transfers to Jane’s school to show Jane how special she is and now Jane is the only one with the power to save the world.

ANY variation on the love triangle

“This book will break your heart” is "bittersweet" "requires Kleenex"

Don’t go breaking my heart Boo(k). That’s not why I read. Anything that requires a box of tissues is a no go for me.

Dirty talkin’

Another one that I think most will disagree with but it drives me crazy. I’m always thinking either ewwww or shouldn’t you be too busy doing other fun stuff during sex instead of talking?? lol

BDSM/menages

Not a fan of power dynamics – I hate being told what to do 🤣 but I also hate domineering others so this rarely works for me.

And menage romances make me jealous on everyone else's behalf.

Even though I know this is all concensual for everyone involved. Not judging but it’s not my thing.

Having said all of this there are exceptions that I’ve loved.

It was M/M but I loved Annabeth Albert’s dating the baby brother trope in At Attention. Maybe because the older brother loved and respected both his baby bro and BFF and wanted them to be happy. Although the couple was worried about him knowing it was not the core of the story.

I love Cara McKenna’s erotic romances – even the menage/BDSM ones. There’s always clear consent and an exchange of power that elevates it for me.

I liked the brother love triangle dynamics in Ann Aguirre’s Like Never and Always. I thought it had a different twist. *Note – I beta read an early version of this – not the final copy and things might have changed.

Miscellaneous stuff:

Nosy families or neighbors
Ex's reappearing out of the blue
Secret babies
Cheating
Abuse - by men or women

What draws you to read a book or like me – turns you off?

41 comments:

  1. Quote: " a) It’s none of your buisness big brother
    b) If you think your bff is such a bad boyfriend/douche to girls – then why is he your best friend?"
    LOL, that was fun - but I chuckled all the post long.
    ANY mention of "special girl/hot newcomer boy" makes me run like hell in the opposite direction LOL. Same for love triangles - I sometimes put a book in my TBR list only to mercilessly get rid of it when reviewers start mentioning that. Also, can you say SO TRITE?

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    1. Oh, and I forgot to mention...YOU'VE BEEN A REBEL AGAIN! LOL.

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    2. I REBEL

      I really don't mind any trope if it's done well but they (mostly YA) seem to back to the same well over & over again without much originality or variation.

      Romance does it too but they write sch a variety of characters that it seems different at least.

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  2. Love that list! I'm always amazed by how many guys with superb bodies and perfect features seem to be at American schools. My school was very much lacking in that! I really get annoyed when rapists, thugs and bullies are set up as a so called romantic hero...what message does that give young girls??!!!

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    1. I read a book (NA (New adult) where the girl (20 years old) was kidnapped, partially stripped, thrown tied up into the back of a car by a hot guy & she wishes that it was "an old ugly guy" so that wouldn't be so turned on and confused by her emotions for him & that's just so NOPE!

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  3. I agree with a lot of these. And yes what is with all the talk during sex lol. I do love a good cry during a book though so I differ there!

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    1. I used to LOVE those kinds of books but I can't handle them now for some reason. They make me depressed for weeks after finishing lol

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  4. I agree with you on most everything (I'm def a fan of the best friend brother/sister trope), but the "you'll need a box of kleenex" books are my most avoided by far. I can't stand books that are set out to make me cry. They're just not my jam.

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    1. I like it - just not if that's the conflict. Like...I don't get what the issue is other than a weird change in the dynamics. lol

      I don't wanna cry!!!!!

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  5. LOL we're so opposite in our reading. I hate cheating/secret babies but dirty talk/menage/bdsm/bestfriends sibling...yes, please! If you can find me one with all of those in it I'd be quite happy :)

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    1. I don't get the best friends baby sister/sibling (step siblings I should say) trope I guess. I don't find it forbidden. I do enjoy them but because it's awkward and weird not if it hinges on keeping it secret because a big brother will be mad. F*ck off big bro! lol

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  6. Fun post! I don't read a lot of best friend's brother/sister, but At Attention is an example of a good one. I agree that it has to change the usual "you can't date my little sister" type of trope though to be interesting. The hot/dangerous guy is pretty dang annoying...as is plain and special girl/newcomer boy. *rolls eyes* No.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I love anytime an author is able to take a trope and spin it a bit into something fresh.

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  7. ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!!!!! always.

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    1. I like REAL enemies!!! lol Not the your an ass but you keep fooling around right from the start enemies.

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  8. I love enemies to lovers. I also like pnr and vampires are great.

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    1. I haven't read PNR or UF in soooooo long.

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  9. I love the twist around!
    And OMG, yes on those. Esp the he was so bad, ugh, he sounds like an ahole, just walk away woman!

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    1. They really need to stop with that crap. If you would find the behavior wrong with a person who you don't deem hot - then don't do it just because he/she is good looking. NOPE.

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  10. I am glad you took the topic and made it your own. I agreed with all of your dislikes. I have the same feelings. It was fun reading your thoughts.

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    1. Thanks Heidi.

      I don't know what really *makes* me read a book these days since it's so random but I know what I don't like lol

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  11. "ANY variation on the love triangle" YEPPPP

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    1. There are just SO many and they all seem to have the same formula. HATE them

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  12. When a book hinges on a single lie -- that's a hard no for me. If telling the truth about a one thing would completely erase the rest of the story, then I'm not interested in your inability to be honest. Cheating and secret babies are also weird for me.

    I'm not a huge fan of love triangles. There have been a few that I've been okay with, and an example would be Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. They have to be written really well, and there has to be a legitimate reason for them to be there. It's not done well often, so I usually avoid them altogether.

    We talked about this the other day, but sexy asshole is not attractive. Have more respect for yourself!

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?

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    1. Yeah - or the miscommunication. One conversation would have fixed everything but they avoid talking. Drives me nuts!

      Sexy assholes are just that...sexy assholes. I don't to be with a jerk - good looking or not. lol

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  13. BDSM is not my thing. So, also a "no" for me.

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    1. I've read a few good ones but in general that dynamic is not for me.

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  14. Enemies to lovers has grown on me as I've read more YA and contemps. Also seeing it in sci- fi seems like. Lol about the hot bad boy- good point. Yeah if not for looks... and "special girl/ hot newcomer boy" ha ha same. Always such piercing eyes. :) I would add high cheekbones, because those always seem to show up too??

    Love triangles *nods*

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    1. I'm kind of new to the enemies to lovers things too. The ones I had read in the past were more I hate you but I'm super attracted to you which - obviously you don't hate each other lol

      I like the ones where they REALLY hate each other or are sworn enemies and have to work to overcome the differences or anger.

      Oh yes, the chiseled cheekbones. Always so perfect!

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  15. "b) If you think your bff is such a bad boyfriend/douche to girls – then why is he your best friend?" OMG YES, KAREN! I really love the angst in brother's/sister's bff romances, but when the said sibling gets mad because apparently their best friends are complete a-holes? That's where I totally draw the line! It doesn't make sense and it gets on my nerves so much!!!

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    1. It makes me just as disappointed in the brother for being friends with someone who would treat other women like that ya know??

      I like the trope in general - just not if it all hinges on the brother's reaction.

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  16. totally agree! and unfortunately I see these tropes mostly in romance so that's why I don;t read much romance. I think though many romance books are trying different approaches.

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    1. And here lies my problem...I like romance lol But you're right - so many authors are pushing against the tired old stuff and making fresh and relevant.

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  17. I guess I am a bit of a mood reader too. I don't cling to a specific genre. I will read anything that is well written. A turn off for me is unrealistic dialogue. It's hard to get dialogue just right (I struggle a lot with it when I'm writing) so I admire the writers that can make you forget you are reading the words and feel more like you are listening to an actual conversation.

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    1. It really is! I find it's especially hard to find in YA.

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  18. I agree with a lot of your list - and laughed a lot while reading it - but I think I'm a bit weird in that I can read pretty much anything if my mood is right, even if I don't like it. 😆

    "I hate arseholes... Oh look! A sexy arsehole."
    "What kind of bitch do you have to be to keep a guy from his baby because you are incapable of clearing up a misunderstanding over something stupid? - Oh look! A book in which she keeps a baby from it's dad because of a stupid misunderstanding and lack of communication!" 😐

    I have a terrible habit of being able to ignore behaviours in books that I couldn't come close to accepting in reality and I'm only a little bit sorry. *shrugs* 😂

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    1. You shouldn't be sorry! That is... AWESOME. I used too be able to read anything but once I started reading so much my tolerance level dropped.

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  19. I like your twist because I'm also a mood reader and am drawn to something different every time I need to start a new book.

    I feel like I might've used to like hot bad dudes? I'm not even sure. But now, just no. I don't like dirty talk in books either because it usually just sounds ridiculous to me and not sexy lol. I also don't like BDSM in books, but there have been exceptions for me too. But that's because I've come across some scenes that were super duper well-written, and it was very clear there was consent all around, and it was very clear the characters were enjoying it. Whereas most of the "BDSM" I've come across is actually just dub-con or abuse being disguised as BDSM and makes me really uncomfortable.

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    1. I used to love bad dudes! And the throw the woman over your shoulder fated mates crap too lol

      I like erotica/BDSM that reveals something about characters or shows the level of trust between them.

      I don't like when it's kind of thrown in just to up the sexy times or they clearly have no clue but start tying each other up anyway lol

      It's hard to avoid dirty talk these days in books but whenever I read it I'm like WHAAA??? If someone said that to me I would either laugh or slap them lol

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  20. I pretty much share the same peeves too Karen, it's why I shy away from reading erotica and new adult really. I find so many titles have variations of the bad boy, virgin girl and the trope that she being the one who turns his life around with her innocence as though she's something to be conquered. My favourite type of reads are young women and women in positions of power. Leading revolutions, leading countries, leading armies towards victories, battling sexism and prejudice. Probably why I navigate towards dystopians and gender bent historical retellings like And I Darken. Just finished the series and it's magnificent! I'm a mood reader too, at the moment I'm delving into a fluffy contemporary because I've read so many heavy historic or fantasy books lately that I need something to pull me from a genre slump.

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  21. For me I don't mind any themes or tropes or anything as long as its well written. The only ones I struggle with are BDSM, Menage, and love triangles. Anything else I will read as long as its a romance and has a HEA. But I do need to be in the mood for certain themes.

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