This week’s topic is following on from last week’s in reverse – last week was what makes me want to read a book, this week is what makes me not want to read a book. Like last week, it’s more about feelings and vibes than defined things, but I’m going to try to put some things into words.
- Cover. Just like last week, covers can make me NOT want to read a book as easily as making me want to read it.
- Titles. Again, they can be attractive or repulsive.
- If the book looks too…. genre-y. Yeah, I know this is a bit nebulous. It’s not a value judgment at all, I just don’t tend to read that much genre fiction, and when I do, I prefer it to loosely straddle literary. So I’ll read romance or thriller or fantasy, but I want it to not be the kind that is sold in mass market paperback with somewhat tacky covers. It’s more that those are too far into the genre for what I like, not that I don’t think they’re good, if that makes sense.
- Tropes I don’t like. If it’s got two people who are the romantic leads but one of them is in a relationship but we’re supposed to root for them to get together and break someone’s heart in the process, I’m not going to be interested.
- If there’s negative buzz about it for any reason, but particularly if the author or subject matter are anti- anything I care about. I’m not saying I’ll never read a book that fits into this (I still read the HP books, for example), but it will be a hard decision and if I’m not already familiar/invested, I likely will just pass.
- If someone I have similar tastes to online hates it.
- If it’s historical. There aren’t many historical periods I enjoy reading about, so most of the time I’m out.
- If the subject matter doesn’t interest me.
- If it’s badly written.
- If I didn’t like other books by the author.
- If the audiobook narrator annoys me.
- If the blurb doesn’t appeal to me.
- If it’s about bad things happening to vulnerable people (especially kids) or animals.
- Most classics, if I’m being honest.
- If I feel pressure to read it and it’s optional. If it’s for school or for a book prize I’ve committed to reading for, I’ll read it no matter how hard it is. But if I’ve put it on a seasonal TBR or someone gave it to me as a present but isn’t buddy reading it with me…. I probably won’t read it.
That’s it for me this week! What about you guys? What makes you run a mile from a book? Particular tropes? Themes? Genres? Any of the things I dislike ring a bell for you too?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
The tropey books and not like the audiobook narrators have me backing out immediately. There were a couple I tried on audio recently that were just not working out for me but in those cases it felt like something I might enjoy in print
I completely know what you mean! I have definitely stopped audiobooks when I didn’t like the narrator and switched to print. It makes such a huge difference!
The cover would be a big deal for myself too! Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/did-i-read-the-books-on-my-30-books-to-read-before-i-turn-30-list/
Haha yep!
Not liking a book by an author doesn’t always necessarily mean I’ll never read another one, it depends on what I didn’t like about the book. If I wasn’t that keen on the plot or characters, it’s not a total deal breaker (especially if it was a book written earlier in their career when they were still developing their craft), I might try another newer book with a different plot and different characters. If I didn’t like the writing style, then it’s unlikely I will try anything of theirs again because that suggests to me that me and this author just will not vibe. I agree on the classics, I have liked some but we generally don’t get along well. Cover matters less to me now that I listen to audiobooks because if the cover looks ugly but I’m interested in the plot, I’ll listen to the audiobook and not have the cover glaring at me from my shelves forever! Historical would actually be on the opposite list for me, I love historical fiction. If friends I have similar tastes to don’t like a book I’m interested in, then I might still try it (because sometimes my friends and I do have divergent opinions on books) but it would go way down the TBR.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-422/
You know what, I agree fully. In fact, I really didn’t like the first Emma Straub book I read, but I think recently read a newer release of hers and while it’s not a new favourite, I liked it much more and am glad I tried it. But one of the books I read last year (The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires) was so terrible I don’t see myself ever giving that author another try. It was problematic, didn’t tie in all the loose ends, wasn’t that well written or conceived and left me with an “ugh” feeling. I won’t say I’d never ever consider another book by that author, but it would take a LOT of convincing! Agreed about audiobooks as well. I prefer if the audiobook has a cover I like, but as it’s not like I can order the UK version instead, it comes down more to whether I want to read the book than the cover, for sure. Historical fiction isn’t a complete no for me – I read Hamnet last year and loved it. It’s more that that alone isn’t going to entice me to pick up a book, it has to have other things going for it that attract me so I’ll read it in spite of the time period, if that makes sense. And definitely friends and I don’t always have the same taste. Friends who know what I like and say “I think you would like this” I’ll be very likely to read vs. a friend whose tastes either aren’t as close to mine or who I know I don’t agree with saying “I liked this book.” If that makes sense~!
#11 is true for me as well. If a narrator’s voice makes me cringe, I’m out, even if the book sounds really good. I just can’t handle an annoying voice.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Yes, completely! It’s hard to spent hours and hours with a book if the voice of the narrator is difficult. My unpopular example is the US Harry Potter audiobooks – I really don’t like how the narrator voices Hermione, and she’s in the book so much that it put me right off, despite liking the rest of the narration. Very annoying!
Have to say I agree with your list. The only ones I will let pass slightly is the title. I have read some really good books with really bad titles.
Oh absolutely. I should have probably contextualized a bit more. Some of these are things that will make me not want to pick up a book if that’s all I know about it – like the cover and title – but if I’ve a reason to be interested, then it won’t stop me!
I agree with you on the negative buzz – even if the buzz isn’t the worst thing in the world, it still is off putting to me. I have so many books on my TBR so there’s no time to waste on one’s that have some negative connotation with it.
Here’s my TTT <3
Right? A lot of these reasons aren’t really big deals. But it’s just that – I have hundreds of books I want to read at any given moment, so sometimes it really does come down to a smaller thing that deters me from picking one up at a particular time. To many books, too little time!
Exactly! It doesn’t always stop me if the book is super appealing to one of my niche interests, but yeah, if I’m not that fussed about it and has negative buzz, I’ll likely pass it for one of the many others I’ve got waiting!
#10 is so simple yet so true! You can only try an author so many times.
Yes! I will give them another try if I’ve only read one and hear good things, if I didn’t HATE them but just didn’t love them and another book of theirs sounds really interesting, or if someone I respect says a different book is better in whatever way I had issues with. But not if I have major issues – like if the book I didn’t like was horribly written or offensive. Then I’m out.
I know just what you mean when you say genre-y – too formulaic, too heavily trope-laden. The sort of book that could have been written by an AI perhaps. I am similar in my tastes although I do love the classics too.
These are my turn-offs when it comes to reading.
I’m just not usually that in tune with them – though I often wish I were! I actually do love several classics that I read ages ago, so it’s not that I don’t think they’re good, it’s more that my brain doesn’t usually find them exciting enough to motivate me to start. I read all of Jane Austen, A Christmas Carol, half of Bleak House (which I really liked and wish I’d finished), Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre – that one kept me up until 4 am when I was in high school! So it’s not that I don’t think they’re good, it’s just that motivation to pick them up thing!
I agree about rhe negative buzz about a book, it’s usually right.
My TTT
https://seriesbooklover.wordpress.com/2023/05/30/top-ten-tuesday-things-want-that-make-me-instantly-not-want-to-read-a-book/
I figure there are so many books out there to read, if one has been panned fairly universally, unless I am really intrigued, might as well pick one of the millions that weren’t!
Honestly I’m less picky about some aspects of books/reading than others. Like ugly covers don’t bother me but scary or creepy covers do. Ha!
Oooh good one! I didn’t think of creepy covers, but snap! Definitely not going near them!
I haven’t read classics for the most part. I did read a Jane Austen novel and started Northanger Abbey, too. But it’s been years so at this point I’d have to start again. 🙂
Yeah, I have read some – and really liked them – they just don’t tend to excite me that much. If I do get stuck in I’m generally glad I did, it’s just not my first pick usually!