i’m writing this late bc im a mess and i spent the last 24 hours HARDCORE binging ‘grave mercy’ and every time i reminded myself of all the things i had to get done, my brain was like,,,,,”bUT THE BOOK”
guess who won??
anyways, last week, i went all soft and wrote about the top 10 things i love to see in books and so to balance my sweet, here’s some salt
but not entirely salt bc i am also going to be mentioning SOME books that used this tropes, but played them well
10. lots of dialogue
i think this is only a me thing bc i haven’t seen a lot of people complain about it, but i find it really tiring when a book is FILLED with dialogue and there’s hardly development of the plot, setting, conflict etc.
naturally, its going to be lacking bc with dialogue, you’re going to have a lot of //telling// rather than //showing//
9. insta-love
here’s the thing about instalove, it’s not all bad. in fact there are a lot of books that i ADORE that have instalove and i don’t get bothered by it; when the romance furthers the plot
generally in YA, the couple getting together is the big accomplishment, so when they’re all googly-eyed for each other early on, it takes away from the anticipation
HOWEVER
when the romance is used as a PLOT DEVICE, that’s where things can get interesting
laini taylor pulled this off REALLY well, in my honest professional opinion
8. missing parents / unrealistic student life
these kids are coming home from 8 hours of school, put no effort into their PERFECT grades and then run off to save the day and their parents aren’t like ‘??oh i wonder what my offspring is off doing?? eh, theyre probably fine.’
THAT’S. NOT. REALLY. HOW. IT. WORKS.
the missing parents and totally unrealistic school life (especially in YA contemporary) is bothersome bc…..how am i supposed to relate to this??
after a long day of school, i would come home and turn into a potato, watching youtube and wiping my tears with my essay papers
7. resurrection trope
when it’s done really badly, it can entirely ruin a good book. the resurrection trope is SO overly-used and excessively dramatic for no good reason.
it’s not something i see done well, often times, but when it is, it has the ability to add some really interesting twist to the book
not giving any spoilers here, but this series pulled it off pretty well (i think so, at least)
6. villain redemption arc
this one bothers me A LOT for some reason. i find it so cheap when a villain does their last monologue and they reveal all their secrets and theyre like ‘but im good and pure deep down so all is forgiven’
i WANT developed, flawed characters but when the villain is evil for 300 pages and then decides that OH YEAH BUT ITS OKAY BC I HAVE A TRAGIC PAST im like: “no”
but do it right and you can get a REALLY developed, really realistic antihero
i’m upset at how empathetic this book made me for these ‘villains’ without forgiving them, amazing.
5. oh-so-gorgeous characters
this…..is just annoying
i’m over hearing how 16 year olds have the perfect bodies and how they could all go into modeling and how everyone is SUPER fit with abs and sharp jaws
do…..authors…..know….what 16 year olds look like?????
i love seeing books that show body positivity and give us different, realistic body types, whether short or tall or skinny or fat. we just need this MORE
4. girl hate
do you know what i love in books??? girls supporting girls and helping them to be better and stronger and supporting them through all the bad
I DONT WANT GIRLS TURNING THEIR NOSES UP ON EACH OTHER JUST BC ‘omg she’s dating the guy i like’
sis, plz, you’re better than that
and im not dismissing the idea that there shouldn’t be any evil, catty female characters but when our main character detests EVERY girl except her token best friend, i’m gonna be side eyeing
^for clarification, there is a lot of ‘girl hate and shaming’ taking place in this book but i think the message that the book ends with is really what makes it profound. showing how harmful these ideas are, really puts it into a lasting perspective
3. miscommunication
this is sooooooo aggravating. i understand miscommunications happen in real and a lot of times people don’t like putting themselves in a vulnerable position
but when it’s written in books its ridiculous.
they’ll be these outrageous, life-altering decisions that a character will keep to themselves and then 10 pages later their family/friends/partner finds out and it all goes to crap
i just do not have the will to deal
2. love triangles
love triangles are like the MAIN trope everyone is quick to drag and rightly so (usually) bc its laughable at how 2-super-hot-extremely-fit-guys are pinning over this plain-jane-damsel-in-distress-girl while the world is literally burning up in flames
and the most annoying part about them is that they’re so one-dimensional bc you can SEE it coming from 600 pages away
has anyone ever been properly shocked by a love triangle plz raise your hand
i MUST admit tho, i’ve seen some love triangles (v rare) that were played with a twist and done right and those are something special
y’all saw this coming
1. break up as a plot device
THIS REALLY BOTHER ME
and FUNNY STORY i was casually reading my very first WIP (my goodness, the cringeeeeee) and I LITERALLY USED IT TOWARDS THE END AND I WAS SCREAMING
it shall never see the light of day, if it is up to me
brb, off to block myself
but seriously when i SEE how often this is used in books it makes me wanna chuck it. I UNDERSTAND the author is trying to build angst etc. but its just such a SILLY way to do it
WHATS THE POINT OF BREAKING THE COUPLE UP JUST TO HAVE THEM GET BACK TOGETHER IN 15 PAGES AAAAAAAA it just feels like MASSIVE filler to me and im not having it
i think i talked everyone’s ear off. that’s it for now. i want to hear from you, what are you least favourite things to find in books? do you agree with my list? do you disagree?
i wanna hear it all.
thanks for reading & stay hydrated, ducks,
Ooh I love this post & agree with so much of what you said! I remember being worried about the insta love before reading Strange the Dreamer, but you’re right, Laini Taylor truly DID pull that off. also omg I’ll never get over that TID love triangle – it’s just way too good and I still cannot believe how genius it was !! great post May 🙂
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I LOVE how laini taylor was able to integrate the plot WITH the romance i felt it just made it so much more interesting and stronger and fkldaj IM SO GLAD YOU LOVED IT AND TID
TID was a ride and it was tooooo good!
thank you so much ❤
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Oh I agree with most of it! However, I LOVE a lot of dialogue when it’s done right! I think depending on the writing it can do a great job of showing us through the telling that the characters are doing, if that makes sense??
Also, I hate love triangles too but The Kiss of Deception did it Right for me.
I love these posts May, I’m looking forward to more (no pressure, just as long as it’s fun for you too!) 💞 ily 💞
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yes yes, you’re making TOTAL sense, i think it really depends on the ability of the writer, i probably got stuck with the very shallow dialogue 😂😂
i haven’t read the kiss of deception YET but everyone talks about how genius the love triangle is and IM READY!!!
thank you so so much for the sweet comment sil, it means so much to me ❤️❤️
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I love this post SO much and I love the points you picked there, too! I’m not really a fan of insta-love either, this tends to bother me A LOT, but… you have me SO curious about Strange The Dreamer, I need to try and read this one to see what all the fuss is about….. And yes to the missing parents, that one bothers me A LOT just as well, it’s so frustrating especially in contemporaries
Lovely post!! ❤
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NOW im super curious on YOUR thoughts when you read strange the dreamer. definitely isn’t a series for everyone but if you love it, you definitely love it.
thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
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I freakin love this post so so much. And I agree with most of it 😉
ok, may – if you hate all dialogue (no. 10), NEVER READ ttyl – by lauren moracle I think. It worked well for me (even though I’m normally the same!) but it was a little much.
also with no. 8, something that also bothers me is when the kids swear at/generally in front of their parents AND THE PARENTS DON’T CARE. if I did that my parents would kill me.
no. 2 was love triangles, and once I thought (or maybe saw it on Pinterest – idk) what if there was a love triangle (w/ two boys one girl) and the girl realised she was asexual and got a cat and the two boys slowly fell for each other. I would read the salted caramel choc chip cookies out of that.
Rhi xxxx
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ahhhhh queeeennn!!
yes ma’am, i’ll steer clear of that one.
YES YES YES and also when theyre rude and have no manners with their parents. im just very confused bc that literally DOESNT HAPPEN???
omg wow what a plot twist 😂😂 love ittttt!! honestly the cat is a mood.
happy reading, sweetie❤️❤️
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the parents thing…. IS SO UNRELATABLE (not your point – what we’ve been chatting ‘bout). i want a book where they swear at the parents or don’t say please and then they get grounded or something 😂
thanks! cats = way better than dogs
you too – always and forever darling xxx
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Okay, but why do I agree with everything you just said?
And TID has THE BEST LOVE TRIANGLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE and that’s it on that.
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sis, we’re on the same frequency here 😂
👏👏👏👏👏 YOU SAID IT. honestly shook me, i didnt think amazing love triangles were possible
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I love that you mentioned “The Infernal Devices” as a love triangle done right! Because let’s face it, Cassie did an amazing job with this one! I love those three so much! ❤
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RIGHT!!! the love triangle was so well written and developed and the fact that all the characters loved and genuinely cared for each other?? i AM WEAK!!
thank you sm for your comment ❤
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I agree so much with this list that I don’t even know which item I should talk about hahaha but you mentioned Strange the Dreamer, which was something I was wondering, because Laini Taylor does that insta-love thing on Daughter of Smoke and Bone and it was the only thing that kept me from giving the book 5 stars. Like the insta-love is part of the plot, but you only find out that later and while I didn’t know that I was like “no no no no no things were perfect pls don’t ruin this book nooo” cause I hate that trope so much. But I think I can still forgive the use of any trop I dislike depending on how it’s done. Maybe.
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i definitely felt similar for the DoSaB trilogy. bc yeah the love triangle added to the plot but their previous relationship felt more like an after thought bc it was revealed so LATE compared for most books (or maybe thats what she was going for) but i did love love love karou and akiva so i didnt mind. but i think the romance in strange was handled better, bc it is the focus but it REALLY sets the plot going.
i hope you love it when you read it!
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I agree, when I got to the ending I kind of forgave the book, but I was a little bitter because I was convinced it was going to be a 5 star haha
I think that knowing Laini’s style will probably help me enjoy Strange the Dreamer cause I’m more prepared, you know? I hope it goes well.
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I totally agree with you on the miscommunications thing. Usually, the miscommunication could simply be solved by the characters just talking to each other, and in a book, as opposed to a movie where it can sometimes work, it always ends up seeming really silly and frustrating because the solution is right there–talk to each other! I am not a fan of the miscommunication plotline in books.
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YES EXACTLY!!! and its always some deep dark secret that……..everyone should know about but the characters are keeping hidden, like y’all just sit down and talk, we dont have time for this
thank you sm for your comment!!
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Go girllll!!
You are totally right, specially with #5!
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👏👏👏
RIGHT, its so annoying, i think authors forget that 16 is the age for pimples and greasy hair 🤦♀️
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Totally agree with all of this ♥️
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ahhh thank youuu ❤️❤️
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Omggg, I agree with so much of what you said that I don’t know if I can restate it all in a single comment!
Let me try:
-ARGHHH instalove
– Yess, I hate unrealistic students! Like wow, I wish I could successfully do all my hw, be social, and magically save the world
– I hate being cheated out of much-needed-deaths-so-the-book-doesn’t-become-cheesey! (looking at a certain book in the ACOTAR trilogy)
– Yes, there needs to be more body positivity in books (and more teenagers with acne like come on)
– temporary break ups, girl hate & love triangles can all go down the drain
Wow sorry that comment was a mess but basically what I’m trying to say is that I love this post 😄
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NO YOUR COMMENT IS THE FARTHEST FROM A MESS, ITS A MASTERPIECE!!
RIGHT, like doing homework is time consuming and requires SO MUCH EFFORT THAT YOU REALLY CANT SAVE THE WORLD DURING BREAK TIME, not to mention how every character has an amazing social life and a bf, nah
hahhaha i FEEL you, like if the death wasn’t going to stir up a bigger plot or was done for shock value im just over it :p
ALL these teenagers have perfectly clear skin and model looks, WHAT ABOUT PIMPLES that was like 60% of my teenage years 😂😂
👏👏👏 the queen has spoken. thank you sm for the comment, it made me laugh lol ❤
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Awww, you’re so sweet! ❤ And ahhh, so glad I made ya laugh 😊😊
And YES (and sleep! how can you do all that and sleep?), YES, and YES (honestly I'm 20 and still struggling with acne and it would totally make my day to see more protagonists with zits and acne scars)
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Honestly I agree with you on all of these! Insta-love and love triangles are so annoying arghhhh and the only love triangle I liked was the Infernal Devices! Tbh it’s really annoying how these tropes are so overused though, I can’t even deal.
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TID was the best instance of a love triangle i’ve ever seen in my life i love those kids so much and their love for each other was so pure im gonna cryyyyy
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I agree with absolutely everything, girl hate is the worst, I’m not a fan of love triangles or break-up used as plot devices. I sometimes enjoy miscommunication when it comes to romance because it causes angst and I’m a fool for angst, but that’s just my irrational self 😓 I also probably like it because I hate being vulnerable and it’s relatable 😭
The missing parents trope has to go as well, it’s so unrealistic and I want some involved parents, books that include them are some of the best out there ❤
Love this post!! ❤😍
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really when an author can use the trope in a creative way, i appreciate it so much but most of the time it falls flat 😭😭😭 but yes MOST DEFINITELY there are times when these tropes can be used to create angst and fjdkaffdajk love me some angst
positive family relationships in books just MAKE ME SO HAPPY we really need more!
thank you so muchhhh ❤ ❤
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Ahh, this post is amazing and I love it!! I’m with you on pretty much everything. 🙂
Unrealistic school life annoys me SO MUCH. Especially as a student who doesn’t have time to do anything except school and homework and dance and these characters are over here somehow making good grades and playing on a sports team and also go to parties and hang out with friends?! And I’m over here just like, how. How do you not fail school.
I don’t like villain redemption arcs either- like you said, I love when they have an actual backstory and you get to discover the true reasons for their evil actions, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly like them. *coughSNAPEcough*
AGH break up as a plot device!! I’ve never really realized this, but why does it seem to show up in half the YA contemporaries I read. *screams* I hate it when the main couple breaks up and you only have about 10 pages left, and I’m just very confused as to how quickly they are going to get back together and IS THERE ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO and is this book going to be sad or??
Again, great post, I really enjoyed reading it!
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SO MUCH WE AGREE ON YESSSS!! it’s so ridiculously unbelievable to have characters that manage all that like i barely even get time to comb my hair, what are these people talking about? 😂
HHAHAHAH YES I know a lot of people were thinking about snape too. i’m okay with anti-heroes, i find them very developed and interesting but a BAD GUY all of a sudden TURNED GOOD is just too much for me
RIGHT IT HAPPENS SO MUCH and always towards the very end where there isn’t enough time to ACTUALLY use it towards plot/character development ughhh
thank you so much!! i appreciate your comment so much! ❤
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What a great post! For some reason, I never really classified Lazlo and Sarai’s relationship as insta-love before, but now that you point it out, it totally is. But somehow it doesn’t feel like it? I dunno, does that make any sense? But yeah, when romance is a plot point, everything is more interesting than when the author just sneaks it in there for no real reason. Thanks for a great read, May! YOU ARE AWESOMEEEEE!!!!
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ahhh thank you so much 😭😭 i was really surprised to find that their ‘insta-love’ REALLY didnt bother me, i just was so fascinated with everything that was happening, i found it so fitting
thank YOU SO MUCH YOUR SUPPORT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME!
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I completely agree on all these points. I cannot read a book when there is too much dialogue. I prefer setting descriptions and plot movements. I definitely never want to read a book as though I read a chatroom. Instantaneous romance and missing parents are a bit unrealistic, but I suppose authors want us to sympathise with characters very early on and provide us with that ah! moments early.
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YES YES YES
i think authors can definitely be creative like in the Sleeping Giants trilogy, it’s written in interview format but it doesn’t seem basic bc the writing is so detailed and well written
thats very very true, thanks so much for your comment! happy reading ❤
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