It's very hard to define what books I truly enjoy have in common. Maybe one day I'll try to define it beyond "interesting, not preachy, hopeful in some way."
However, many years of reading hundreds of books a year have allowed me to clearly define the words in book blurbs that mean I will almost certainly dislike a book:
Time travel of any kind: instead of plotting, what if time travel? Immediate shark-jumping for me.
Sweeping epic: needed a lot of editing it didn't get.
Across time, two ______: Just no.
Dark fantasy: depressing and/or inappropriately sexy.
Violent: not my flavor.
Bloodthirsty: ditto.
Whimsical: high chance of manic pixie dream somebodies.
Epic tale: needed TWO editors.
Tiktok sensation: I will 100% hate jt.
Sumptuous: see lush.
Lush: practically a guarantee of poor editing and wandering narrative.
Horrifying: I personally do not like scary books so even excellent horror is not for me.
Toxins: author hates science and/or advocates eating roadkill. Brain worms will not impede them serving in high office.
Mostly the same!
ReplyDeleteI'm ok with time travel, especially if the system is done well (Tale of Time City by Diana Wynn Jones, To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, the company series by Kage Baker).
I have read one book by an online tiktok/youtube person that I liked (I can't remember who, but it made fun of a lot of tropes with the protagonist going hang on, why am I doing this stupid thing you want me to do and making fun of the author-- actually read the book first), but the rest have been really low quality.
I love all those particular time travel books but the last 3 I picked up just used it instead of plot and I was annoyed.
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