I found this tag through Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and thought it’d be a fun, quick way to discuss books. Since many, but not all, of these tags deal with bookish tropes, I decided to call this one the bookish tropes edition.
This tag originated from Cait @ Paper Fury.
This or That?
Series or Standalones?
Series. I love epic fantasies, so this is a given. The author needs those pages to build the world and characters and to keep raising the stakes.
Magic Earned or Magic Born?
Magic born. I love books that feature a world in which people are born with magic and with differing levels of talents. It’s fun to see how characters will use their magic in different ways and for various purposes.
Enemies to Lovers or Friends to Lovers?
Friends to lovers. While I enjoy a good “enemies to lovers,” my favorites feature enemies growing respect for each other (and thus becoming friends), then becoming lovers. Not so much the hate-straight-to-love kind.
Hilarious Banter or Emotional Ruin?
Emotional ruin, please. (Cringes.) As much as I love some good banter, the best books rend my heart to pieces. Some do both. (Read: Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb.)
Love Triangle or Insta Love?
I’ve read some well-done love triangles, but I cannot read insta-love. I do not believe in insta-love.
Keyboard Smash Names or All Names Start with the Same Letter?
Keyboard smash names, please 😂 I’m already bad at remembering names. If everyone’s name started with the same letter, I’d be doomed.
Mean Parents or Dead Parents?
Dead parents but good parents are better than mean parents any day.
Supermodel Looks or Constantly Says How “Plain” They Are?
Supermodel looks. I cannot abide a character who constantly talks about how “plain” they are. Especially if everyone else thinks that character is pretty.
Face on Cover or Typography on Cover?
The former if the cover is zoomed out.
Villain Turning a Little Good or Hero Turning a Little Bad?
The villain turning a little good. I love when unlikable characters are given a redemptive arc. Regarding the hero: if anything, I’d like for him to be a little bad from the beginning. No one’s perfect.
Best Friend Dies or Love Interest Dies?
I’d let the love interest die. Some heroes are made better because of their best friend.
Some of my favorite literary besties: Fitz and the Fool (Robin Hobb, Farseer Trilogy), Wax and Wayne (Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn: Era 2). I did a whole post on this if you’d like to read more.
Awesome Writing with a Dull Plot or Amazing Plot with Murderously Bad Writing?
Amazing plot with murderously bad writing. If the plot’s interesting enough, I can brave bad writing . . . I think. Writing will get better over time and practice, right? Look at how Tamora Pierce and Holly Black have grown as writers since Alanna: The First Adventure and Tithe.
Cliffhanger Ending or Heartbreaking Ending?
This depends on which book we’re talking about. If it’s not the last book in the series, cliffhanger please. If it’s the last book in a series or a standalone, the heartbreaking ending. As I mentioned in my last bookish this or that tag, books that make me cry are the ones I remember.
Breaking the Spine or Dog-Earing the Pages?
No. No, I can’t.
If I really had to pick though . . . I used to dog-ear a lot as a child, but the present me would choose to break the spine since it’s going to open up soon or later.
“Bad Boy” Trope or “Perfect Golden Boy” Trope as the Love Interest?
I think the “perfect golden boy” trope would be more interesting simply because I feel like I’ve seen the “bad boy” trope played out so many times. I like when the the love interest motivates the hero to strive to be a better person simply for being who she or he is. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to bring the bad boy home in real life, and I like when the hero plays for keeps.
Let’s Discuss
What are your favorite bookish tropes? I’d love for you to share your responses to some of the above questions in the comments below!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
Thanks for joining in on this one! I think Cait gave us some really tough choices here. I agree with you about bringing the bad boy home—I usually end up rooting for the good guy. (In fact, I think I answered this question the other way, but then I rethought my answer later.)
Crystal says
It was a lot of fun! I agree that there are some pretty tough choices in this tag. The good boy / bad boy dilemma is tough. There are things to love about watching the bad boy change over the course of the story, but in the end, I would have to pick the good guy.
Reese says
Those are hard! But also fun because it makes you think about what you’ve read and how often the most irritating things are a mixture of the options! Take the one about the looks: it can be tedious when the plain girl complains, and boring when she has supermodel looks… but the truly Awful is when they complain about being plain and the descriptiona (and everyone’s reactions) are more fitting for a Pretty Girl. Come on!
And series all the way. If I care about the characters, I want more of them. And since I love a slow-burn romance, well. I really want it to be Slow. No insta-love (insta-lust, yes, especially if they’re antagonists, but love? nope)
Crystal says
Yes! These questions really made me think about what I read. I agree with your comments on series. I want to see more from characters I love!
Sam@wlabb says
Some of these are hard to choose from for me. I want nobody to die in books, ever. Unless they are terrible, then I am sad they died, because I am human, but not overcome with grief for a character, who I held dear to me.
Crystal says
It’s hard to see characters die, but at the same time, I love when an author can make me feel so strongly about a character’s passing.
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters says
Give ma all things enemies to lovers! I also like standalone series, it’s where the series stays in the same world but each book has a different couple. I prefer dog earing that way the book stays looking pretty. And the banter!! And I love when Villains turn a little good!
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
Crystal says
I love a good standalone series! Especially for romances, since I get to learn more about the side characters and see sneak peaks into how the other relationships are progressing! 🙂
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer says
I totally would choose Stellar Plot and Murderously bad writing too! I struggle to read book that have poor plot and they tend to send me slumping too. And I love magic born too!! There is something wonderful about magic filled worlds and tapping into what nature gave you. And I think its fascinating you’d kill the love interest Crystal! Everyone else I’ve read has said the best friend can be lived without. 😉
Crystal says
I agree. I love exploring magic-filled worlds and the potential lying within the individual. I believe you can’t replace your best friend, but you can always find another love interest. It’s so important to have friends involved in our lives, both when we’re single and when we’re in a relationship.
theorangutanlibrarian says
Really like series too 🙂 I think I’d pick magic born as well. Yup, I’d definitely pick emotional ruin, as much as I enjoy banter. I really hate characters complaining how plain they are as well. And redemption arcs are the best! Awesome answers!
Crystal says
Thanks! You picked out some my favorite answers out of the lot 🙂
Aj @ Read All The Things! says
I love redemption arcs, too! They’re one of my favorite things in books.
Crystal says
I love a good redemption arc. Some of my favorite characters are former villains gone good! ❤️
Sammie @ The Writerly Way says
What a fun tag! Loved reading your answers. I’m a real sucker for series, too (probably because once I fall in love with a world/characters, I just want to live there forever, please). I can’t do the insta-love thing, either, but a love triangle, when done well, works just fine for me. That being said, not every dang book needs a love triangle! Totally agree with the hero being a little bad, too. Great post!
Crystal says
Thanks so much, Sammie! Yes, once I fall in love with a world and its characters, I don’t want the journey to end! ❤️ I wouldn’t want every book to have a love triangle either. There was that time when it seemed like every YA book had a love triangle, and I was so done with the trope!
ShootingStarsMag says
I don’t really read a ton of series, and when I do, I tend to get behind on them, so I’d probably go with a stand-alone. Love triangle or insta-love? Love triangle, I guess, as long as it’s not super obvious who the MC should or will end up with. Insta-love just isn’t really fun! You don’t get the journey.
-Lauren
Crystal says
I understand what you mean about series. I have so many series I want to read, but I can’t read them all at once. I love how you describe love as a journey; it perfectly describes what I want to see in a romance too!