Hi all!
Last week I shared 10 bookish tropes I hated. You can check that out here. Today, I’m spreading the love and being more optimistic by listing 10 bookish tropes I love. If any of these feature in my current read, they will automatically earn themselves a star! Without further ado, let’s get started!
1.) THE LOVE-TO-HATE VILLAIN
I love me a good villain! In fact, sometimes I love the villains more than the heroes. I find them so interesting. If a story has a fascinating villain with a gripping backstory – highlighting how they came to be so evil – I’m hooked! Some notable villains are Pennywise from IT, Lord Loss from the Demonata series and Victor Vale from Vicious.
2.) THE SLOW BURN…
So this trope is the opposite of Insta-Love which I hate. It’s when two characters take their time falling in love or progress from enemies to allies to friends to lovers. I love watching a romance blossom and have a steady build-up. It’s so satisfying! A really good example is The Hating Game which is one of my favourite reads this year.
3.) THE SATISFYING TWIST!
I am a huge sucker for a good twist. If I’m reading a mystery or a thriller, I want to be surprised. I want to be BLOWN away by the ending. If I guess it early on, it is very anti-climatic and disappointing. I like to be kept on my toes and shocked. Who doesn’t? Gone Girl is a perfect example in my opinion.
4.) TIME TRAVEL
If a story involves time travel (and it’s done well), I’m sold. I am complete and utter trash for books that span past, present and future or just involve jumps/flashbacks. I cannot get enough of it. If anybody knows some good examples, please leave them below. The concept of time travel has always fascinated me. Maybe that’s why Back to the Future is my favourite movie?
5.) MIXING IT UP
Okay this isn’t exactly a trope but I adore books written in different formats. If a book has mixed media (articles, emails, photos), is written in verse, has illustrations or symbols, it automatically earns points. I am a very visual person. A more interactive format brings the story to life for me. It makes me excited. The Illuminae Files made my heart very happy.
6.) RIDDLES AND PROPHECIES
I am a huge sucker for a riddle or a prophecy that is either solved or comes to fruition later on in the novel. Similar to no. 3, I like to be kept guessing. I love analysing said riddles/prophecies and trying to work out what they mean or how they will apply themselves as the story unfolds. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a brilliant prophecy is revealed that blew me away.
7.) SMALLER CHARACTERS THAT SHINE
I really admire authors that can create characters that end up outshining the protagonist. They may just be a family member or a friend, but their charismatic or sweet or funny personality instantly makes them a favourite. You remember them more than the lead and look forward to the parts where they feature. The more depth they show, the better.
8.) FRIENDSHIP ABOVE ALL
You know what’s really refreshing? Books where friends don’t always have to fall in love or betray each other. I love a story with a great friendship. One that is pure, full of heart and goes from strength to strength. Cassandra Clare is an expert at creating solid friendships in the Shadowhunter universe. They typically forge unbreakable bonds and never waver in their loyalty.
9.) BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE…
Not everybody likes this, but I enjoy a book that is left open for interpretation. I like to imagine what that character will do next or where their life journey will lead them. An open-ended book leaves the reader guessing and allows them to craft the next portion of the story in their imagination. This types of endings are usually pretty satisfying in my opinion.
10.) DIVERSITY!
Finally, I love a book that is diverse. I want to see more gay characters. I want the lead to be large, black and suffering from anxiety. Feature more cultures, mental illnesses, creeds, shapes and sizes. I want to highlight more of this. It’s really important that every single person is represented in literature. We don’t always want to follow white, straight, attractive and thin people. We want real bodies and struggles. Diversity is the spice of life!
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you agree with any of these books on my list and what some of your own are. Thanks for reading!
Peace & Love xoxo