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Post by Merge on Jan 28, 2023 18:25:42 GMT
I will immediately discard any book where the synopsis indicates it has to do with a modern day woman connecting with someone in the past through found letters or unraveling a mystery of some kind. Really, any book where the action goes back and forth from the present day to the misty past of people long dead.
I have no good reason for this. I just don’t like it.
What common literary trope will make you reject a book?
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,033 
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Jan 28, 2023 18:32:33 GMT
Love triangles. Someone is so great two people are madly in love with her, but she just can't decide, barf!
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Post by monklady123 on Jan 28, 2023 19:33:29 GMT
Woman moves away from some bad situation -- loss of job, someone's death, break up, etc. -- moves to small town, meets Cute Guy, they connect and fall in love. The End. ugh  |
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Post by imkat on Jan 28, 2023 19:41:09 GMT
It's not that I dislike them, but I am growing tired of books set in Europe during WWII. I've read some great ones, but I crave variety and learning about new places and times.
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Post by littlemama on Jan 28, 2023 19:52:53 GMT
Any book that has:
Magick
Faery
Time travel romance
Vampires
Those are the first that come to mind
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Post by Gem Girl on Jan 28, 2023 20:14:42 GMT
Woman moves away from some bad situation -- loss of job, someone's death, break up, etc. -- moves to small town, meets Cute Guy, they connect and fall in love. The End. ugh You've just outlined the plot of 80% of movies on the Hallmark channel. I'll agree that it doesn't make for a fascinating read. |
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Post by katlady on Jan 28, 2023 20:21:22 GMT
I used to love them, but now I can’t stand the historical romance novels where the Duke has slept with a hundred women before he meets his true love, a virgin.
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Post by librarylady on Jan 28, 2023 20:36:31 GMT
Romance novels are a HUGE turn off for me.
I did not read mysteries for years and now I am in a phase of reading lots of mysteries.
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Gennifer
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,041
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Post by Gennifer on Jan 28, 2023 20:39:48 GMT
Ones where the “average” woman gets insanely hot, rich, yet surprisingly normal billionaire.
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Post by katiekaty on Jan 28, 2023 20:43:36 GMT
Books where the heroine can solve the murders before her law enforcement love interest can. And oh yea, her occupation is a teacher, librarian, out of work mom, baker, store owner, etc. with absolutely no qualifications but can suddenly do what he can’t!
I’ll pass on those!
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,774
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Post by scrapngranny on Jan 28, 2023 20:53:22 GMT
Anything that reeks of a Hallmark movie. I’m not into romance novels. I have read lots of good books that a romance may be part of the story, but not the story line.
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,758
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Post by purplebee on Jan 28, 2023 21:26:37 GMT
Single woman moves back home due to divorce from bad husband/bad boss/bad investments and immediately encounters hunky but cranky cowboy/construction company owner/fisherman, etc. They initially clash and then because they must be in each others’ company for whatever reason - BOOM! - love hits.
Anything where the review states “gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on edge.”
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,212
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
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Post by lesley on Jan 28, 2023 21:45:09 GMT
All of the above. 😄
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Post by mollycoddle on Jan 28, 2023 22:19:58 GMT
Anything that says “horror.” No thanks. Tired love plots. If the dog or kid in the story dies, I’m out. “Comedies” that are not very clever.
Wow, I have strong feelings about this topic. ☺️
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gina
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,237
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Post by gina on Jan 28, 2023 22:41:06 GMT
I have never and will never read a romance novel. Entirely too cheesy for me.
I also don't do anything with aliens or supernatural. Not my thing.
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Post by AussieMeg on Jan 28, 2023 22:54:58 GMT
I was going to say that I have never read a romance novel, but then I remembered I used to devour Danielle Steel novels in the 80s and 90s. I tried to read one few years back, but OMG. No further comment.
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,015
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Jan 28, 2023 23:01:24 GMT
Any book that has: Magick Faery Time travel romance Vampires Those are the first that come to mind And werewolves and zombies. |
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,015
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Jan 28, 2023 23:02:53 GMT
Single woman moves back home due to divorce from bad husband/bad boss/bad investments and immediately encounters hunky but cranky cowboy/construction company owner/fisherman, etc. They initially clash and then because they must be in each others’ company for whatever reason - BOOM! - love hits. Anything where the review states “gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on edge.” In other words, the plot of a Hallmark Christmas movie minus the “Christmas magic” LOL. |
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,685
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
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Post by luckyjune on Jan 28, 2023 23:09:30 GMT
Small-town girl moves to the big city, tires of the rat race after making her fortune, returns to said small town to open a bakery. A customer is a boy she could not stand in high school, the end up solving some sort of problem (or even worse, he "rescues" her from some catastrophe, like a frosting explosion or rising yeast bread that threatens to take over the bakery!),they fall in love, get married in a meadow on her widowed aunt's farm, and they live happily every after.
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Post by malibou on Jan 28, 2023 23:11:10 GMT
Everything above except I do like fae.
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Post by Zee on Jan 28, 2023 23:21:09 GMT
I'll try almost anything as long as it's well-written and/or interesting. If it's mind candy it doesn't have to be a masterpiece for me to enjoy it. Vampires, flappers, pioneers, murder mysteries, werewolves, time travel, romance, suspense, horror, historical fiction, YA dystopia, whatever. I'm not wild about law thrillers, though if they're interesting I'll give it a whirl.
I don't like books set in WWII, not sure why. Any other time is fine. I'll watch movies filmed in the 40s but I don't seem to like re-telling from that specific time.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jan 28, 2023 23:26:11 GMT
I dislike romance, fantasy/sci-fi, whodunnits, and any subject that stretches credulity. Unoriginal stock characters are a major turn-off too.
I'm leaning more lately to historical accounts, autobiographies, and classics.
Edited to add -- and cookbooks! I can get lost in a good cookbook. Right now, I'm enjoying Monet's Table. The little stories and accompanying photography are keeping me riveted.
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,453
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Post by RosieKat on Jan 29, 2023 0:07:19 GMT
It's not that I dislike them, but I am growing tired of books set in Europe during WWII. I've read some great ones, but I crave variety and learning about new places and times. Exactly this! It seems like every other book is this right now! I agree with lots of what's been said. I think my personal one is the "cozy mystery," which is basically kind of the Hallmark channel version of a mystery. Especially if there's a witty heroine. Blech. And while this isn't a trope but a style, I can NOT read a book written in present tense, even if it's fabulous. I think I go automatically to the "Choose Your Own Adventure" zone with them. ETA - fun topic, Merge. It's two of my favorite things, books and mockery!  |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 29, 2023 0:08:29 GMT
I’m meh on so much of what everyone else posted. I do enjoy perusing a good cookbook though, especially if it specializes in cookies, cake or bread. I also like how to books on art, craft and sewing topics. Right now the books on my side table are David Zinn Chalk Art Handbook, How to Draw Every Day, The Muppets Character Encyclopedia, Cake Pops, and Creative Block.
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Post by Merge on Jan 29, 2023 0:18:32 GMT
Thanks for all the replies! It's fun to see what everyone hates, haha. It sounds like between us all, we'd trash the entire bookstore.  I have to admit that stupid historical romances are my guilty pleasure. They really are bad. But they don't require much focus or attention. They're kind of the equivalent of a Netflix show that is simple enough that I can look at my phone while watching it and still keep up with the plot. Perfect to listen to when I'm in the car or walking because if I get distracted and miss a paragraph or two, I haven't missed much. BUT I'm also really enjoying the nonfiction history book that was recommended to me on another thread - The Glory and the Dream by William Manchester - so I get some credit for that, right? And I have a couple of more literary fiction titles in my TBR list that will get read soon. |
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Post by pjaye on Jan 29, 2023 0:28:10 GMT
I hate coercive control of women. It seems to be a popular new category, some psycho husband who makes sure his wife is perfect at all times and if she isn't he dishes out bizarre punishments like locking her in a room with the light on for several days or making her pull her own hair out.
The authors seem to delight in the most ridiculous scenarios they can think of (pull out your own teeth with pliers! lie of the floor and balance 20 books on her abdomen!)
Even worse is when the women finally decides she's had enough...she works on finding a younger women to replace her, so she can get away from the husband and leave another women there to get punished.
Really...W.T actual F?
I've been drawn into a couple of these books with realizing where they were going, but now if the reviews don't mention it and I accidentally get one...as soon as they start down that path, I'm out.
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,739
Location: So. Calif.
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Post by garcia5050 on Jan 29, 2023 1:23:47 GMT
Someone recommended Christian romance books to me once. I gave it a try, but they were very hallmarky and/or harlequin with the added bonus of the main character ‘hearing a voice in her head’ steering character into questionable decisions. Character questions the voice, but proceeds, because the voice knew best.
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Post by Neisey on Jan 29, 2023 1:27:55 GMT
Any book that has: Magick Faery Time travel romance Vampires Those are the first that come to mind I used to turn my nose up at both time travel and historical romance but once I finally gave in to my friend’s insistence to read Outlanderi couldn’t believe how good this series was. |
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jan 29, 2023 1:56:22 GMT
I love romance. Easy reading with a happy outcome. I need happy in my life.
I hate thrillers, murder mysteries, anything were the story involves abuse of any kind(emotional, mental, physical).
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Post by lisae on Jan 29, 2023 2:21:26 GMT
Nothing supernatural. No historical fiction set before about 1920.
The first few 'disappearing significant other' novels were okay but it has been overdone.
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