TOP TEN TUESDAYS | NOPE.

I know, my previous post is also a TTT but I’ve been busy, okay?

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is the Top Ten things that will make me instantly NOT want to read a book.

In a way, it’s okay. Last week’s topic is the opposite of this one. I had to dig deeper for this. I see myself as an equal opportunity reader. As with food, I’m willing to try anything at least once. In doing so, I think I’ve arrived at my preferred and/or comfort genres.

A little disclaimer, as with every “negative” post, it’s cool to have an opinion. By saying that I’m not a fan of these things, I don’t mean that you have bad taste if you like them. It’s great that you like them. I just… don’t. So let’s get to them, shall we?

(This is a list of things that make me not want to even pick up a book. Bad writing and other components may make me DNF a book but in order for me to know that, I would have already picked up the book and started reading it.)

1. If the book is written in verse. Poetry. I am not a fan of poetry. I’m sure it’s beautiful, profound, deep, etc. But it doesn’t do anything for me. I hated it when we were asked to write poetry back in school. I just rhymed every line and called it a day. I ain’t that deep. 😉
2. Christian fiction. NOPE. I’m okay with religious text, historical texts talking about religion – I devour stuff like The Da Vinci Code. But I cannot stand Christian books. They tend to get preachy and please, spare me.
3. Speaking of preachy, John Green books. I’m not saying they’re religious in anyway but I found that the text rather tells me what to feel. I hated The Fault in Our Stars. Please don’t tell me what to feel and how to react to this situation. Then I heard that his other books are like that as well. So I’m sticking with his online content, I think.
4. Ugly covers. We are told not to judge a book by its cover but sadly, we all do that. And unfortunately, a lot of self-published work have atrocious covers that turns me off from them. I’m sure there are diamonds in the rough but the covers, man. Mainstream books aren’t exempt from this, you know. Covers ARE important. After all, they’re the lure that attracts you to even look at the book.
5. If the dog dies. I can’t. I just can’t. God forbid if Makkachin dies. I hate watching those pet adoption ads on TV because I’ll be a sobbing mess by the end of that ad. Kill everyone else in the book except the dog, please.
6. Fae. Sookie Stackhouse said it best – “WTF”? And I also stopped watching True Blood when it was announced that Sookie was part-fae. I blame this anti-fae-ness on True Blood. I did read ACOMAF and I kept shaking my head at all the fae – all their pomp and snobbishness.
7. Chicklit. It’s annoying. Here you have an educated white girl, living in the heart of the city, about to start a glamorous job that pays well, has a closet -full of shoes and clothes, a dog, and friends who brunch. And what does she do? Complain. Bitch. Woe is me.
8. A Goodreads rating that is below 3.5 stars. Life is short. These people read it so I don’t have to. I know we all have different tastes, opinions but there must be a reason why a certain number of people rated a book low.
9. A short story collection by multiple authors. I love immersing myself in an author’s writing. One short story is not enough for me to do that. I’ve tried that and it was so jarring to read different writing styles in one go. I’m not saying I don’t like short stories – I just like it when it’s one author’s collection.
10. YA Contemporary in general. Let’s face it, it’s not my genre. I got lucky when I read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour. But even the synopses at the back of YA contemporary books turn me off completely. I like my escapes to come in the form of fantasy and sci-fi… things that can’t really happen. I have enough drama IRL to bother with it in a book.

How was that? Harsh? Eh… 😉