Top Ten Tuesday

I figured I would start with something that seems to only happening in contemporary books... name dropping.  Sometimes I see books mentioning ipods, current music artists/ tv shows, etc.  All I can think is:  you are trying too hard. As a teen I wouldn't have wanted to pick up a book that talked about pop culture.  I will give you a reference- I was reading a book and the two main characters were talking about an episode of Glee.  It was from the first season- back when Glee was a super mega hit.  It made the book seem dated (and it was an ARC not a published book).

Number nine is one that has made many a book DNF for me.  Sometimes books are mysterious- too mysterious.  Mysterious as in- I am on page 200 and I have no idea what is going on -mysterious. There wasn't much world development or character development.  It irritates me so much!

This has been a problem recently for me- too many points of view.  I don't mind books with tons of characters and elaborate worlds.  But when you have 3 or more main characters switching the "helm" in rapid fire time, I am not interested.  This counts ESPECIALLY if there is no clear distinction given when switching.  Grr!

I use books as a way to escape and relax.  One sure way to make me not relax while reading- put it in verse.  I get it, I get it.  It is experimental, it is artistic, but that doesn't mean I have to like it!  I want to be completely immersed in a world that is new and detailed and complete.  That doesn't seem to happen with books written in verse (at least the ones I have read).

Although I debated whether having a comparison to Twilight or the Hunger Games on the back should be number six, I decided on jumping the shark.  You know what I mean... when a book is going along pretty well and you are really enjoying it.  Then, all of a sudden, something happens that is completely out of character and out of left field.  I am not talking about an exciting development or some sort of plot twist- I am talking about when a character does something that is so incredibly out of their personality that it verges on being ridiculous.  (Or if it suddenly becomes a horror story out of nowhere- that is an immediate NO too)

Ok, ok, I am a prude- mock me now if you want.  I can't stand books that are full of sex.  It has never been my preference and never will be.  I will never be a fan of erotica.  I just don't get it.  I hate when I am reading a book that is awesome and exciting and then BAM it is all sex for like the next 80 pages.  No thanks. 

I am not the kind of person who will not read an author because of things they have done- I try really really hard not to judge a book based on the author, but rather based on the book.  There is one thing, though, that will almost always keep me from reading an author ever again- Christian bashing.  Yes, there are some pretty stupid Christians out there. I am talking about authors that bash all Christians and say some pretty horrible things and mock them openly.  I am pretty against any author singling out ANY group and mocking them.  I won't name names, but I have stopped reading a few very popular YA authors for this reason.

What is it with bad boys?  I don't find them attractive at all.  I want them to pull up their pants, comb their hair, and start using manners!  (Perhaps that makes me old ha ha).  There are a few series out there where the main character is being terrorized  romanced by a "bad boy" and it is verging on scary abuse.  Somehow as the reader, we are supposed to love these guys? It is pretty much a guarantee that unless there is some sort of really interesting plot twist, a book with an abusive male will be heading away from my reading pile like lightning.

Rape.  Yes I get that there are books out there to help victims and to help get people taking. But I am an adult and I choose not to read books about rape- they make me uncomfortable.  I am glad they are out there to help people talk, but I'm good.

I'm a momma.  I will not read a book where a baby or child is hurt or abused.  If it has a baby or child getting hurt/ killed- it IMMEDIATELY gets chucked. (Yes that is how bad it is.)





So what about you?  What are your top ten Book Turn-offs?