Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. This week’s prompt is the alternative to last week’s prompt: Things That Make Me Instantly NOT Want to Read a Book (what are your immediate turn-offs or dealbreakers when it comes to books?)
Hello Readers! It’s the last few days of May, and I’m scratching my head trying to figure out if I slept through the month or something. 🤔 This month has been a bit of a blur. The past few weeks my reading has been slow-going. I’m not sure if I’d call it a slump, but I just haven’t been reaching for a book first. I need to shake it off quick because I have a lot of books I want to read this summer. 😎
Last week we looked at Things That Make Us Want to Read a Book and this week we’re focusing on the opposite. These are topics I haven’t done before, so I’ve enjoyed them, but they did take a different kind of brain power for me.
Let’s see what I came up with!
(Link to Goodreads synopsis through book title.)
1
Problematic Material/Author
One of the quickest ways for me to be turned off from a book is problematic material or a problematic author. I was all set to read an ARC of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins when all the discussion blew up around it, and I decided to not read the novel. However, there are times when discussions arise around more subtle issues with a book/author and I feel like I should read the book before passing judgement. It depends on the issue.
2
A Bad Cover
With technology the way it is today, there’s really no excuse for a bad cover. I was not a fan of Melanie Chartoff’s cover on her Odd Woman Out memoir (Great title, though!), which clearly looks like she was cut and pasted onto a block of color. BUT I was a fan of the book!
My Review
3
Part of a Series
If I find out a book is part of a long-established series, and it’s necessary to read them all to find out what happens to our main characters, I will quickly shelve it for another day. Which is one of the reasons why I still haven’t read a single Sarah J. Maas book yet. 🤦♀️
4
Deals with Illness/Grief
I’ve always been a bit of a hypochondriac and the pandemic only made me worse. If it states clearly in the synopsis that a book is about someone with an illness or it’s solely about grief, I’ll typically pass on it. It’s fine if it’s a subplot, but I don’t want to be submerged in sadness. 😅 When I was invited to read an advanced copy of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, it was too soon for me, so I had to pass.
5
YOU Didn’t Like a Book!
I won’t call out any specific books here, but if I come across several fellow bloggers or ‘friends’ on Goodreads who share my tastes in books and they didn’t have many positive things to say in their reviews, I’ll usually pass on the book, as well.
6
Beast of a Book
For years I avoided Outlander because of its size. And that was just the first book. I do have to say, I’m glad I finally picked it up, and now it’s one of my favorites.
7
Bad Writing/Bad Grammar
Once again, I won’t call out any specific books here, but I’m sure most of us have picked up a book—usually an ARC or self-published one—only to discover the writing or grammar was not great. It’s an instant no for me. It’s impossible for me to focus on the story once I’m focused on editing.
#englishmajorproblems
8
Celebrity Trope
If I hear a book has the celebrity trope, it makes me instantly not want to pick it up. I’m not sure why, but it just isn’t what I gravitate toward. HOWEVER, several of my must-read authors have used this trope recently (must be a trend right now) and I enjoyed them all!
My review of Built to Last by Erin Hahn
My review of The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
My review of Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (my current read)
9
Author I Previously Didn’t Love
Once I read a book I don’t love by an author, it’s much more difficult for me to return to them. However, it does depend on if it’s the writing style or just the plot of the book. I thought The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was just okay. I realize I’m in the minority, but I just didn’t vibe with the writing style, so I haven’t been interested to pick up the author’s follow-up book.
10
Bad Title
A bad, boring, or super long title is an instant turn-off. I can usually get past it if I read the synopsis and it grabs my attention, but if there’s no creativity with the title, it makes me think the book may be the same. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows definitely doesn’t have a boring title, but it’s too wordy and hard to remember. I avoided this book for so long because of it. Once I finally did read it, I loved it so very much and the title makes absolute sense. (I still can’t remember it off the top of my head, though. I have to look it up every time I’m mentioning the book.) I wonder, though, if it had a shorter title, would it be as recognizable?? 🤷♀️😃
What has you saying NO to a book? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Long books and so-so covers are negatives for me as well. I’m not sure why but long books intimidate me. Often makes me feel like the book didn’t need to be that long. 🙂
Yes! More often than not, I agree, but sometimes there are those long books that I get lost in and end up being sad when they’re over. But it’s very rare! 😉
I wish I had done this with my post. Can I just steal your post and pretend it is mine? No? Oh well. You make excellent points and give good examples.
Haha! I had to make is as easy as possible for me this week.
Oh I loved the title of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – yes wordy and clumsy but I loved it – but I get what you mean about bad, boring or unmemorable titles.
It makes total sense after you read the book, and I’ve racked my brain for a better way to say it without any success. BUT it’s impossible for me to remember it. I just call it the Guernsey book. Ha!
I think I’ve been turned off of long books because I’ve read so many that could have done with some editing and had pages cut without impacting the story.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/how-i-select-books-to-read/
Yes, that seems to be a popular consensus. They need to make abbreviated editions. 😉
All of these are great reasons!
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Thanks Lydia!
I agree with your list. As far as editing goes, as a blogger I am more patient with self-published books, which don’t have a huge team of editors behind them the way traditionally published books do. I will read it anyway and sometimes advise the author to get a proofreader before I will write a review. Self-published/Indie authors have to do everything from editing to cover design to marketing, so they get a break from me. https://bonniereadsandwrites.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-things-that-make-me-instantly-not-want-to-read-a-book/
Yes, you make great points! And I will let some things slide when it’s obviously just overlooked issues like misspelled words. But it’s just impossible for me to relax into the story if the writing is clunky. If that makes any sense. But I’m happy to know there are those of you out there who can look past it!
So… you’ve been proven wrong a few times with a few of these prejudices. Cute!
Oh definitely! These are my gut reactions. 😉
Great list, Dedra. I agree with a lot of the points you made, especially the last one. I felt the same about Guernsey and I always shorten it still cos I can never remember if I’m getting the full title correctly or not (mostly not, lol). Bad writing/grammar really puts me off as well!
Yep! I still call it ‘that Guernsey book’. Haha!
I wish I would have thought to include Beast of a Book. That keeps me away at times. Outlander is the perfect example of it, too.
Yeah, each one is sooo big. I highly recommend the first one, though. It was unputdownable. The subsequent ones have their highs and lows. I’ve been known to skim through sections. Ha!
I hesitate to start any book that’s part of a really long series, too. Fun TTT list this week!
It’s just so overwhelming!
Great list! Most of these are turn-offs for me, too. But yes, especially the first one. I have a list of authors who I avoid reading because of various problematic issues. And I’ll avoid books that are too long, too! Very few books need to be over 500 pages long.
My TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-things-that-make-me-instantly-not-want-to-read-a-fantasy-book/
Most books that are long could definitely be edited down a bit. But there are a few that I’ve actually been sad when they end. 🙂
Covers have such a huge impact on whether I read a book. And super long titles too.
I didn’t like Morgenstern’s other book but I haven’t read that one.
Yes! If a book has a long title, it better be necessary and memorable. 😉
I don’t want to pick up a book and then find out it in the middle of a series.
Yes! That’s such a let down. I’ve waited to pick up series until they’re all finished, but then I’m too intimated by how many books there are. Ha!
I agree with a lot of what you have here. The series one is also on my list. I need the series to be finished and then I’ll decide if it’s worth it to actually dive in.
I have never read a book featuring the Celebrity trope but I might have to give one of your recs a go.
Here’s my TTT <3
I have sooo many series that I’ve waited for them to finish, but they’re still unread. Ha! I have several whole series waiting on my shelves. It’s a problem. Ha!
I’m with you on #8. I just have no interest in celebrities, fictional or otherwise.
#9 is on my list today as well. It takes a lot to make me pick up a book by an author I’ve previously disliked. Sometimes I’ve been pleasantly surprised, but most of the time…not so much!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Yes! I tried really hard to think of an author I’ve read, didn’t like the first book but still went ahead and read something else by them, but I couldn’t think of anyone. Ha!
I had no idea you were not a fan of the celebrity trope. I have read a ton of those books. It’s not my goto, but I don’t have any issues with it. HA! I actually was drawn to the Potato book because of the title. I shy away from big books. I have very strong feelings about contemporaries that go over 400 pages. I love grief books too.
I’ve been proven wrong so many times with the celebrity trope. I guess I do like them, but I don’t like the IDEA of them. Ha! I’m not drawn to them at all. I’m happy to hear the Guernsey title worked the opposite way for someone else! I always think of you when I see a book about grief. Ha!
I can get not being drawn to them, not seeking them out because neither do I. I won’t pass on a book that utilizes that trope though
Big books definitely intimidate me, I wouldn’t say turn me off because I read a lot of fantasy and that does come with the territory, but if I’m even a little unsure whether I’ll like it and I see that it is a beast of a book then I’m not touching it. I have found audiobooks have helped with lengthy books for me as it feels somehow shorter and less of a commitment if I’m listening (I know it’s not, but my brain feels like it is because someone is reading to me and therefore I’m not doing the act of physically reading the words off a page!). If I find out the author of a book I’m interested in reading is a jerk or has behaved in problematic ways that I can’t get past (like you say sometimes issues with a book or author can be more subtle and I like to read and decide for myself) then that’s definitely something that will put me off reading a book too. Ugly covers aren’t a complete deal breaker, if I’m interested in the plot then I’ll just get the audiobook and not have a physical copy for my collection. Author I previously didn’t love is another one for me too, I will sometimes try another book by an author if it sounds like it might be more for me, but if I absolutely hated one of their books or I just didn’t vibe with their writing style (Erin Morgenstern fell into that category for me too) then I won’t. I’m not generally put off by books dealing with illness/grief but in the specific case of Wish You Were Here, I didn’t read it even though I’ve loved Jodi Picoult’s other books because I just don’t want to be reminded of the early days of Covid.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-422/
Great points! I wish I loved audiobooks. That would make things easier for me, but it’s very hard for me to get into them. And I’m the opposite with long books on audio. When I see all the hours it will take to listen, I can’t do it. Even though it probably takes me just as long or longer to read it myself. Ha!
Thanks! Ah that’s totally fair, I’ve seen people feeling both ways about them, different formats work better for different people and I can totally understand seeing the hours and thinking “That’s a really long time” even if logically you know that 800 odd pages in a physical book might take you longer to read.
Great list, Dedra. I can get on board all of those reasons. I dislike long titles and often just refer to a book with a part title, “Potato Peel society” for example. I still have not read Outlander for the same reason. My friend gave me her copies of the Seven Sisters series and I haven’t started them either due to their size. I know I will, but I often put it off in favor of shorter books.