Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
Top Ten Book Turn Offs
1. Animal Deaths: First, my number one, the reason I will throw the book across the room and swear to never finish it (most of the time) is gratuitous killing of animals. Bleh. There is no need to always kill the dog, cat, pet, etc. Animal abuse bothers me too. Just leave them alone please. Surprise readers for a change and let them live!
2. Terrible Cover Art Work: I guess I judge books by their covers, but if it is awful, I am reluctant to believe the book is any good.
3. Billionaires and Business Men: If I pick up a book and read the blurb on the back, if it mentions So and So is a billionaire - I usually put it back down. Not sure why really, just doesn't appeal to me.
4. Whiny Needy Helpless Female Characters: This drives me nuts. I prefer my female characters to be tough or at least independent.
5. Cheating Characters: I don't hate a book because of this, but I will hate that character.
6. Politics/Spy/Espionage: Same as number 3, just not my cup of tea.
7. Science Fiction: Again, just doesn't interest me.
8. Weird/Misspelled Names: I hate this! My friend gave me a book once where all the characters had crazy spellings of normal words and names. So irritating.
9. War time books: I just feel inundated by them. I will read them occasionally though.
10. Neat and Tidy or Rushed Endings: There is nothing worse than reading a really well written book that ends crappy, as if the writer rushed into it or did something crazy just to tie things up neatly.
What about you? Anything turn you off from a book?
Definitely animal deaths and helpless women. I'm now getting to an age where I need to add "very small print" to the list too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, those two really bother me! And oblivious characters too!
DeleteOoh good choices! Animal deaths, yes always, and menacing of small children (like babies held by mothers, etc) even if they aren't killed-- I don't like it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I understand the cover issue. I have a thing for beautiful covers, and will admit having read many books I wouldn't have picked up if not for the cover art. That being said, some e-books now don't bother with fancy covers (like some literary fiction) and that's a bummer. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Yes, menacing of kids is so disturbing!! So scary, it is hard to read for sure. :(
DeleteI totally agree about Billionaires! Like if that's how they're selling the character then I definitely don't wanna buy what they've got!
ReplyDeleteRight? I hate that! I read that and I'm like nope, not reading this book. Lol.
DeleteRushed endings... It is the one reason I can't stand A Wrinkle in Time. If that ending wasn't so rushed that would have been the perfect book for me growing up. I never thought about the animal deaths before, but it is so true. Great list!
ReplyDeleteI have never read A Wrinkle in Time - I have been thinking about reading it though, I have heard good things! Sucks that the ending is rushed. :(
DeleteArgh, that dog scene in Wuthering Heights. I don't know if Bronte meant it to be so prevalent, but it is the one scene I remember in detail and confirmed my dislike.
ReplyDeleteI agree with so many of your points. Terrible cover art - does the author or publisher care enough? Billionaires and business men - too many uses of them and it makes things too convenient (and unrealistic). And it was all a dream the end - rushed endings too.