Category: Fun Lists

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Popular Books I Don’t Want to Read

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“I try not to think of her.”

First line in Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

It’s time for everyone to hate me. Well, I hope you won’t, but this post might have some unpopular opinions sprinkled throughout. I want to talk about some of those very hyped books that are probably very good, but I just don’t have any interest in. I’ve learned that you just can’t read all the popular books because there are so (!!) many. I’ve also too often read a book only because it was extremely hyped and found that I hated it. This post is me trying to avoid that.

(The first line at the beginning of this post is from Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. A very hyped book I read and hated.)

I’ve picked 7 books/series that I don’t want to read. There are more of course, but I’ve tried to find the most popular ones so enjoy (hopefully).  

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Yeah, I’m starting with the one most people love, I guess. It’s great that so many people love it and I’ve heard/read so many reviews for it. It’s just that nothing in those reviews has made me go “Oh, that sounds very interesting.” Just by reading the synopsis, I can tell that I’ll be bored out of my mind if I ever read this so it’s a no. It’s just not for me.

The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks

As with most other epic fantasy series, it’s difficult to tell what this is actually about. I just know from other people’s reviews that sexism and detestable characters are very prevalent. I’m reading so many other popular (and long!) fantasy series at the moment so I’m okay with skipping this one.

Anything by Sarah J. Maas

Let me just say that until I discovered booktube last year, I had never heard about Sarah J. Maas or any of her books. That has been rectified now because WOW that’s a topic. I’ve learned that they aren’t for me. I’m not very much into fantasy with a huge romance plot in between. I want my books to either be fantasy or romance. No mixing it up which I understand that Maas does a lot.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

I’m in a complicated relationship with YA contemporaries. Either I love them to death, or they kill my will to read ever again. For that reason, I spend a lot of time learning as much about the books as possible without getting spoiled. What I’ve learned about To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before hasn’t made me excited to read it. I also tend to steer clear of the fluffy contemporaries and I feel this is one of those. I need them to be more hard-hitting to enjoy them.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

I’m just very frightened by the formatting of this book. Everybody is praising it for exactly that, but I just want normal pages with paragraphs of text, okay. I also rarely read science fiction that isn’t dystopian. It’s just not my genre and so I have no interest in this book.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

I used to be somewhat interested in this series when I first heard of it because it’s fairytale retellings. However, I learned that they are very romance-heavy and therefore not something I feel a great need to read. Again, it’s also science-fiction which just makes me wary.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I’m really not into assassins, guys. I just don’t like them and therefore I steer clear of books with assassin main characters. From the reviews of this, I also feel like it’s very much a hit or miss. People either love it or they hate it which makes me think that Nevernight is not for me. It also has one of my least favorite tropes which is a school setting.

Those were some of the popular books I don’t have any interest in reading. I really want to know if you feel the same way about some of these, but I also want to hear if you really love them and why. Just let your frustrations out in the comments. One could have a change of heart of course with enough persuasion.

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Tropes I Don’t Like in Books

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“Kell wore a very peculiar coat.”

First line in A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

In July, I did a post about some of favorite book tropes, so now I figured it was time to share some of the tropes that I don’t enjoy. This doesn’t mean that I hate every book that has these tropes but I’ll be more wary of picking up the book.

Just to clarify: Tropes are certain elements or themes that appear in a wide range of books. Many tropes are even adherent to specific genres. A trope doesn’t equal something bad but some can feel like that because of overuse and unoriginality.

In this post, I’ll define some of my most disliked tropes and why I dislike them. If I’ve enjoyed a book despite one of these tropes, I’ll also let you know which ones.

The Competition

Definition: A competition or a tournament takes place and lasts for the majority of the book.

Why I don’t like it: This might seem like a weird one but stay with me for a second. To me, a competition is there to define when the action can happen. Mainly in the way that the climactic point of the book can’t happen till the competition is close to ending or over completely. I want to be surprised. I’ll end up just waiting impatiently for the competition to come to a close so the exciting thing can happen. It hinders my enjoyment of the other elements in the book which I might have liked.

Here are some exceptions:

  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling – Fun story: I really struggled with this book the first time I read it because of the tournament. I got through it and now it’s my favorite in the series.
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – I think this is an exception because the Games doesn’t have a defined ending. It could literally end at any moment and thereby it maintains the element of surprise for me.

The not-like-other-girls female characters

Definition: Female characters who go out of their way to appear the least feminine as possible because apparently, it’s cool to be masculine. This include hate towards other girls for being feminine and liking “typical” girl things. This is also that “strong” female character who’s mainly considered strong because she can hit people.

Why I don’t like it: I struggled a bit with the name for this trope but if it helps you, I was basically just trying to describe Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. It’s that kind of character I don’t enjoy reading about. I don’t mind a masculine female character as along as the author makes me believe that’s actually who they are. That’s just rarely the case, and the façade implies that it’s wrong or weak to be feminine.

 I have no exceptions for this trope.

School Setting in Fantasy

Definition: Our main character spends the majority of the book at a school in a fantasy world to learn magic, science, assassination etc.

Why I don’t like it: This seems like a very popular trope that many people like but I will actively avoid it if the entire book takes place at a school. I find it a bit boring to have that kind of fixed setting because I see it as restricting to the story. It’s also bit too much like real life. You often have the bully, the popular group and so on. I don’t want that kind of predictability when reading fantasy.

I have the one exception you’re all excepting me to have:

  • Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling – Yeah, this is the perfect school setting because anything can happen at Hogwarts so it’s never boring.

Redemption Arc for the Villain

Definition: The villain ends up being one of the good guys. This can come about in different ways. The villain could turn out to have been misunderstood or realizes their mistakes and are reeled in by the hero.

Why I don’t like it: The villain needs to stay bad! Otherwise, what’s the point? Sometimes it can feel like all that was necessary was a conversation. And not that extravagant plot we just went through.

I won’t give exceptions for this one because that would be spoilers.

The Mentor Who Dies

Definition: Our main character has a mentor/father figure typically from the beginning of the book. He or she teaches our main character about life, magic etc. for then to die about half way through the book or by the end of the first book in a series. This is done so that our main character is able to test what they’ve learned and stand on their own.

Why I don’t like it: The predictability. In 10 out 10 books, the mentor character dies. We know it from the moment they are introduced that we shouldn’t get too attached to them. I know it’s necessary for the story progression but don’t make it that obvious.

I have exceptions but again, it will be quite a big spoiler to mention.

Those were the tropes that I don’t particularly enjoy finding in books. Do you agree with me on some of them? What is your most hated trope?

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Friendship Quotes From My Favorite Books

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“The eleventh apartment had only one closet, but it did have a sliding glass door that opened onto a small balcony, from which he could see a man sitting across the way, outdoors in only a T-shirt and shorts even though it was October, smoking.”

First line in A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

A few weeks ago, I shared my favorite bookish quotes from my favorite books. It was very fun to make so I wanted to make other post with a different topic.

Good and strong friendships in books are so important and I will almost always love the book if it ticks that box. Therefore, here are 5 quotes that describes what friendship means.

“It’s strange how many ways there are to miss someone. You miss the things they did and who they were, but you also miss who you were to them. The way everything you said and did beautiful or entertaining or important. How much you mattered.”

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

“Wasn’t friendship its own miracle, the finding of another person who made the entire lonely world seem somehow less lonely?”

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

“My old grandmother always used to say, Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever.”

A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin

“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.”

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“Why wasn’t friendship as good as a relationship? Why wasn’t it even better? It was two people who remained together, day after day, bound not by sex or physical attraction or money or children or property, but only by the shared agreement to keep going, the mutual dedication to a union that could never be codified.”

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Did any of these quotes resonate with you? Or do you also love any of these books for their portrayal of friendship?

Happy reading!

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Tropes I like in Books

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“Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world.”

First line in Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Today I wanted to talk about a quite popular topic I guess: book tropes. Tropes are certain elements or themes that appear in a wide range of books and many tropes are even adherent to specific genres.

Tropes aren’t necessarily bad but some can feel overused and unoriginal. That is not always the case so I wanted to discuss some of the tropes I really like to see in books. They are the things that grab my attention when reading the synopsis of a book and ultimately makes me want to read it. For each trope I mention, I’ll also give you some book recommendations in case you’re also a fan of that specific trope.

The Chosen One

Definition: A character embodies the Chosen One trope by being the only one who can solve a problem e.g. slay the dragon, save the world from total destruction, overturn the corrupt government. They can be tasked with this through a prophecy or because they possess some ability or skill set that no one else does.

Why I like it: This is a very unpopular trope at the moment, but I still really enjoy reading about a chosen one. I like reading about how the character handles the pressure of whatever task he/she needs to complete. It gets very psychological because the character questions themselves about who they really are and what their morality is like.

A LOT of books contain the chosen one trope but here are a few I really enjoyed:

A Strong Friendship

Definition: A friendship between two or more characters that makes you wish you were friends with them too. It’s deep, wholesome and central to the plot.

Why I like it: I will always prefer a strong friendship to a romantic relationship in my books. Characters sanity and logical sense often goes out the window when they are in a relationship. I don’t want that. I want characters who care for and understand each other but still insult the other on a daily basis. They need to keep each other grounded after all.

Here are some examples of beautiful friendships:

Royalty Out of Their Element

Definition: I’m going with a very broad definition here. A member of a royal family that is somehow thrust out of their comfort zone. Examples are leaving their home to go on a quest, being kidnapped, suddenly being forced to make life or death decisions for their kingdom.

Why I like it: This is really just a fancy way of saying that I like royalty in general in my books. I like how a royal person can start of by being a bit entitled and naïve about the world and then learn through their mistakes. With a bit of development these royals often display strong leadership skills and maybe some intelligence.

Additionally, I really prefer my books to be quite political and a royal main character is just the best way to achieve just that.

Here are some books with awesome royals:

Medieval European Setting in Fantasy

Definition: The story takes place in a setting reminiscent of Europe in the Middle Ages in terms of political structure, architecture, way of life etc. This does not mean that everything is exactly the same but that the author has used it for inspiration and can change whatever they like.

Why I like it: I’m European and have spent a lot of time studying Europe. A fantasy story set in Europe is familiar and easy for me to get into. The Middle Ages is also just a time of great turmoil which can be a foundation for many conflicts.

Books set in a medieval-Europe-inspired world (there’s a lot but here are 6):

Hate-to-love romance

Definition: Two characters despise/want to kill each other for justifiable reasons but then realize that their strong feelings are actually love. The characters are often forced to spend time together in a situation that makes them see the other character in a different light e.g. a dangerous mission, homework assignment or they are trapped together.

Why I like it: When I read about a romance, I need it to be passionate and fiery. In my experience that most often occur when love blossoms from hate.

Here are some books where characters hate each other before they make out (naturally, slight spoiler):

Tyrannical Government

Definition: A tyranny or a corrupt government that functions as the main obstacle for the main character. It’s often embodied by a single person (e.g. president, ruler, king) that needs to be removed for our heroes to win.

Why I like it: As mentioned earlier, I find it fascinating when books revolve around politics. Even though it often appears in fantasy books, these political themes are what connects the books to our real world. It gives me something to think about. I also just like seeing how these villains abuse their power to their own gain. It’s a different kind of power in fantasy book where the villain often has some kinds of great magical abilities.

Here are some books with governments that are seriously bad:

That was a long one. Do you like some of the same tropes as me? Or did I mention tropes that you absolutely despise? Let’s chat in the comments.

Happy reading!

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Bookish Quotes from my Favorite Books

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When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist.”

First line in Circe by Madeline Miller

Hi, readers. Today, I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes with you all. I use the Goodreads Quotes-feature quite a lot and often go through the quotes for a book I just read. I “like” the ones I really connect with so that I can go back to them later and be reminded of their wisdom (or get a good laugh).

For this post, I’ve picked some of the best quotes from my favorite books that all have something to do with books or reading. They are just the most relatable to me and hopefully also to you.

God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends.”

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Haven’t we all been told we read too much? This quote a perfect reminder that that can never be a problem.

Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Reading is just as necessary as breathing? I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.

Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convince that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The quote to show your friends when you very aggressively force them to read your new favorite book. I mean, we’ve all done that at some point.

It was amazing how many books one could fit into a room, assuming one didn’t want to move around very much.”

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

There is simply no such thing as too many books.

“You’ve read the books?”

“I’ve seen the movies.”

Cath rolled her eyes so hard, it hurt. (Actually.) (Maybe because she was still on the edge of tears. On the edge, period.) “So you haven’t read the books.”

“I’m not really a book person.”

“That might be the most idiotic thing you’ve ever said to me”

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The lovely discussions with non-readers who firmly believe that seeing the movie is the same as having read the book. And how is someone not a book person?

Drinks were a lot like books, really: it didn’t matter where you were, the contents of a vodka tonic were always more or less the same, and you could count on them to take you away to somewhere better or at least make your present arrangements seem more manageable.”

The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman

Never though I would see books compared to drinks but here we are. They can both be a way to escape reality, but I think books might be healthier.

If you have never spent whole afternoons with burning ears and rumpled hair, forgetting the world around you over a book, forgetting cold and hunger–

If you have never read secretly under the bedclothes with a flashlight, because your father or mother or some other well-meaning person has switched off the lamp on the plausible ground that it was time to sleep because you had to get up so early–

If you have never wept bitter tears because a wonderful story has come to an end and you must take your leave of the characters with whom you have shared so many adventures, whom you have loved and admired, for whom you have hoped and feared, and without whose company life seems empty and meaningless–

If such things have not been part of your own experience, you probably won’t understand what Bastian did next.”

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

This is simply the most relatable thing I’ve ever read. Full stop.

Bonus quote just for you:

To really be nerd, she’d decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.”

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This doesn’t necessarily refer to books but is very fitting anyway. I’m definitely a nerd.  

I hope this was somewhat fun to read. I definitely enjoyed making it. I intend to make this into some kind of series of post but with different themes each time. I’m planning to do one on friendship next but let me know if there are topics you’d like to see.

Also, I’ve of course only included quotes from books I’ve read, so feel free to comment with some of your own favorite bookish quotes.

Happy reading,

Line