Guide to avoiding crappy books
After years of shelling out money and too often being stuck with ho-hum or just plain crappy books, I have decided enough is enough. I'm going to enforce some rules in 2016 and see if I can't cut down my on my crappy versus quality reads.
I will not buy a book if:
1. More than 5% of reviewers state that the heroine is TSTL. I like my heroines strong, independent and able to stand on their own two feet.
2. More than 5% of reviewers complain that the heroine keeps dissolving into tears or comes across as too Y.A - see point 1.
3. The lead female is a P.I or Detective - now I love this PNR genre but seriously, it has been done to death lately. Too many ho-hum authors are packed into this niche market and it's way too hard to find the diamonds versus the lumps of smelly coal that I seem to invariably end up with.
4. The book is part of a novella series. Now I've been really clear on my feelings about this approach to publishing by authors in my earlier blogs (if you haven't read any of them, go do it now, I'll wait) This is purely a money making approach that favours the author and not the reader - just say no people, let's not encourage this trend.
5. The publisher starts off the book blurb using the words - In the tradition of - and finishes that sentence by naming a best selling book i.e Hunger Games, Twilight, Shades of Grey, Graceling. Honestly, who wants to read pale imitations of best selling novels?
6. The book blurb names two best selling books and claims theirs is a mash up of the two. For instance I came across one the other day - Hunger Games meets Alice in Wonderland. Which sounded very left field and very bold, but upon reading the first three chapters just struck me as bad, bad, BAD.
7. The blurb insists the book is - a compelling, sweeping saga that will take the readers on a harrowing journey - WTF? Seriously, unless I open the book and there is a plane ticket inside, the author needs to take a chill pill, and not set their book up to be such an epic fail.
8. Within twenty-four hours of being published a book has over a hundred reviews and each one starts - I was provided this book by (insert publishing company name) in return for a fair and honest review. Um... no, you were given something for free, which means you are no longer objective and can't possibly be counted upon to supply a fair and honest review.
9. There are more sex scenes than action scenes then count me out - the only exception to this rule being if I am buying erotica, then it's a must.
10. Any reviewers mention rape of the h, by the H. Under no circumstances would I ever read a book where the abused falls in love with her abuser.
11. Love triangle is the main part of plot - been there done that, I'm moving on. I don't mind a second hot guy to split the h's focus, but I want it to be clear she and the H are meant to be.
12. The storyline and h are eternally grim. Now I like a gritty read, but there has to be something to lighten the mood occasionally, whether that be a sarcastic h/H or even secondary character. That, or the tale needs to be incredibly fast paced and action packed.
There we go... a few rules to start 2016 off with to hopefully ensure a year of reading only quality gems, fingers crossed as I hit the button to place my next big order of books.
I will not buy a book if:
1. More than 5% of reviewers state that the heroine is TSTL. I like my heroines strong, independent and able to stand on their own two feet.
2. More than 5% of reviewers complain that the heroine keeps dissolving into tears or comes across as too Y.A - see point 1.
3. The lead female is a P.I or Detective - now I love this PNR genre but seriously, it has been done to death lately. Too many ho-hum authors are packed into this niche market and it's way too hard to find the diamonds versus the lumps of smelly coal that I seem to invariably end up with.
4. The book is part of a novella series. Now I've been really clear on my feelings about this approach to publishing by authors in my earlier blogs (if you haven't read any of them, go do it now, I'll wait) This is purely a money making approach that favours the author and not the reader - just say no people, let's not encourage this trend.
5. The publisher starts off the book blurb using the words - In the tradition of - and finishes that sentence by naming a best selling book i.e Hunger Games, Twilight, Shades of Grey, Graceling. Honestly, who wants to read pale imitations of best selling novels?
6. The book blurb names two best selling books and claims theirs is a mash up of the two. For instance I came across one the other day - Hunger Games meets Alice in Wonderland. Which sounded very left field and very bold, but upon reading the first three chapters just struck me as bad, bad, BAD.
7. The blurb insists the book is - a compelling, sweeping saga that will take the readers on a harrowing journey - WTF? Seriously, unless I open the book and there is a plane ticket inside, the author needs to take a chill pill, and not set their book up to be such an epic fail.
8. Within twenty-four hours of being published a book has over a hundred reviews and each one starts - I was provided this book by (insert publishing company name) in return for a fair and honest review. Um... no, you were given something for free, which means you are no longer objective and can't possibly be counted upon to supply a fair and honest review.
9. There are more sex scenes than action scenes then count me out - the only exception to this rule being if I am buying erotica, then it's a must.
10. Any reviewers mention rape of the h, by the H. Under no circumstances would I ever read a book where the abused falls in love with her abuser.
11. Love triangle is the main part of plot - been there done that, I'm moving on. I don't mind a second hot guy to split the h's focus, but I want it to be clear she and the H are meant to be.
12. The storyline and h are eternally grim. Now I like a gritty read, but there has to be something to lighten the mood occasionally, whether that be a sarcastic h/H or even secondary character. That, or the tale needs to be incredibly fast paced and action packed.
There we go... a few rules to start 2016 off with to hopefully ensure a year of reading only quality gems, fingers crossed as I hit the button to place my next big order of books.
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Dahrose
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Jan 14, 2016 12:41PM
Good idea - here's to less crappy books in our lives.
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My reading time is precious to me and my book buying fund is limited so I'm totally on board with less crappy books in 2016!
I totally agree with you on all of these point, except one. #8 Buying books can be expensive venture when a lot of people can't afford to. If giving a review allows a person to read a book they really want to, then that is great for all parties. And a writer gets a leg up on promotion. You're right about having a hundred pop up overnight is a bit much, but some of those reviewers are brutal so the bad comes with good here. I've seen it happen on Goodreads too much. As long as one follows the rest of your tips their reading time won't be wasted.
