forum Things You Want LESS Of In Books

Started January 21, 2019 by @HighPockets group

tune

I am so tired of that one.

As someone with a lot of close guy friends, same. I really hate the implication that guys and girls can't be friends without wanting to bang each other, or that toxic behavior from a friend is okay because "he knows what's good for you!!"

Like, do friends sometimes get crushes on each other? Yeah, of course, I've been there before and am there right now but that's irrelevant. But some friendships are just purely platonic. It's also especially annoying when he's her only friend.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Honestly even without him being controlling I'm over it

Especially when the boyfriend is condemned by the narrator and the author, but the best friend isn't, despite being just as–if not even more–creepy and toxic.

(I'm a sucker for childhood friends to lovers, don't @ me)
However, it's definitely better when they're both oblivious/it doesn't feel forced or obligatory on anyone's part just because they grew up together. But it has to be 100% mutual. Not really a fan of when he acts like she "owes" him something.

Childhood friends to lovers slaps and I hate when this toxic shit gets called "friends to lovers" because it's not, it's "controlling asshole best friend harasses me into dating him".

Like, do friends sometimes get crushes on each other? Yeah, of course, I've been there before and am there right now but that's irrelevant. But some friendships are just purely platonic. It's also especially annoying when he's her only friend.

As someone with a lot of close guy friends, same. I really hate the implication that guys and girls can't be friends without wanting to bang each other, or that toxic behavior from a friend is okay because "he knows what's good for you!!"

Ughhh This is the worst. One of my only friends is a guy and his mom freaked out when she found out that we talked all the time, making him think something was wrong with us being close. Like no? Also, at least half of my Female friends are lesbians so. Like No I don't want to make out , I want to debate about stupid stuff for 6 hours. Granted I would also want to do that with someone I did want to make out with but that is irrelevant

Honestly the whole "yeah the first book sucks but the series gets better, I promise!!" thing. Which I hear a lot of. And, imo, the quality of later books/"you need to read the rest of the series!!" isn't gonna make me up my rating for a book I didn't like. If anything I'd drop the rating if the sequels were way better.

Yeah, I hear that a lot especially in regards to one particular popular YA series and honestly, very rarely does it ever make me change my mind and keep going with the series. Like, when I hate a book I'm not gonna be like "Yeah, I really hated this but let's keep going." I might continue with the series if I'm kind of on the fence, but if I didn't like the first book then I'm done.
Plus, quality is so subjective sometimes. The only reason I read Twilight was because people told me it was good.

I feel like we're referring to the same series
I mean, there's times where I'll consider reading the second book in a series even if I didn't like the first because "it gets better", but when people are telling me to read four massive books in a series for it to "get good", no. I have a life and I have other better books to read that I'll actually enjoy instead of suffering through half a series for the supposed good bits.

I unfortunately caved and read the Twilight series towards the end of its popularity just to get people to leave me alone!

On that note, it is not acceptable to pressure a bibliophile into reading something that they don't want to read in their spare time to begin with (school is the only one that can get away with this)! Um, excuse me… I read for my enjoyment, not yours!

I feel like we're referring to the same series

What?

If the Author has to ruin a previously decently nice Love interest or any character really in order to make the other Love Interest/other character look good, you need to rethink the actions of your preferred character.
No I'm not just talking about Twilight, there is a very popular series that is guilty of this and I just, why? I can't read new YA books because it seems like a lot of them do this.

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

I was definitely referring to ToG. Haven't read ACOTAR, but I don't plan on it.

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

I was definitely referring to ToG. Haven't read ACOTAR, but I don't plan on it.

Don't read it.

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

I was definitely referring to ToG. Haven't read ACOTAR, but I don't plan on it.

Don't read it.

(cough You right cough Kinda don't like Sarah J. Mass cough)

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

I was definitely referring to ToG. Haven't read ACOTAR, but I don't plan on it.

Don't read it.

(cough You right cough Kinda don't like Sarah J. Mass cough)

(cough same cough)

Again, I feel like you, me, and Starfast are thinking about the same series (cough Throne of Glass cough also ACOTAR cough)

I was definitely referring to ToG. Haven't read ACOTAR, but I don't plan on it.

Don't read it.

(cough You right cough Kinda don't like Sarah J. Mass cough)

(cough same cough)

(I'm not even gonna cough to say same)

I feel like the premise was good, but i just hate the MC for her series. It feels very 'damsel in distress'-y even though isnt the mc supposed to be a super skilled assassin or smth? idk its been a while since i tried the series.

Also can we talk about the name schemes? "A thing of A and B" or "Thing of Thing" is so overused, every single book is an edgy combination of something. I get there were some successful titles (back @ Sarah J Mass) in the YA books, but it seems every single book is named the same now and the acronyms are getting hard to tell apart. I get it in contexts of the books, like Lord of the Rings, is Technically Thing of Thing, but the title actually means something. It seems like so many books just aim for edgy or dark words and shove them in the title.

Big agree on both accounts. Especially when the book is like called something like Knives of Blood and ends up being hella milquetoast. I really don't give too much thought to potential titles for my stuff, but I feel like a lot of these are–like you said–just going for edgy or mysterious vibes.

Also can we talk about the name schemes? "A thing of A and B" or "Thing of Thing" is so overused, every single book is an edgy combination of something. I get there were some successful titles (back @ Sarah J Mass) in the YA books, but it seems every single book is named the same now and the acronyms are getting hard to tell apart. I get it in contexts of the books, like Lord of the Rings, is Technically Thing of Thing, but the title actually means something. It seems like so many books just aim for edgy or dark words and shove them in the title.

LotR is such a great title. Especially when you consider that scene where Gandalf reproaches Merry and Pippin for hailing Frodo as “Lord of the Ring”. Really ends up imo referring to the corruptive power of evil that is one of the biggest plot points and philosophical statements in the book.

milquetoast

…milk toast?