Tuesday 10 February 2015

Top Ten Tuesday - Things I Dislike When it Comes to Romances in Books


Hi, it's me, Sabrina.  I know I've been pretty absent lately, but hopefully you haven't forgotten me!  I'm here today with the Top Ten things that I dislike in romances in books - the theme for this week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This is going to be a tricky list, but I can think of at least a few things that get on my nerves...

1.  Keeping Secrets
This is the one that annoys me the most!  I absolutely hate it when couples keep secrets from each other, whether it's because they don't want their partner to be hurt or if they just think it will make them think less of them.  The worst thing about this is that usually the partner ends up finding out and they have a huge fight - over keeping secrets from each other, not what the secret actually was!
Notable example:  Allegiant by Veronica Roth

2.  "I'm Leaving You To Keep You Safe"
I think this one is fairly self explanatory, but this makes my blood boil!  Especially, since in most cases, the couple is safer together and one of the members of the relationship leaving puts the other in danger.
Notable example:  New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

3.  Nonsensical Love Triangles
Perhaps surprisingly, love triangles as a whole don't irritate me too much.  It's only when it's obvious (obvious) who the main character is going to end up with that they annoy me.  If the triangle is done right and I have no clue who's going to be the final couple, I'm cool with it.  I guess it also bothers me when the main character doesn't go for my favourite :P 
Notable example:  Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

4.  Indecision (Particularly When the Right Decision is Clear)
This leads on from the nonsensical love triangles, but it's so annoying that it gets its own point.  I hate it when a character can't decide who they should be with, and in the meantime, basically cheat on their partner with the other member of the triangle.  I don't think you deserve either of them if you're cheating on them!
Notable example:  The Elite by Kiera Cass

5.  "I'd Die Without You"
This is more of a pet peeve of mine.  I dislike when characters say this because it implies that nothing in the world is more important than your "true love".  There are times when saying this is acceptable (These Broken Stars had a good example of this),  but mostly it just sounds silly and overdramatic to me.







6.  Second-Book Separation Syndrome
I notice this happen a lot.  The couple gets together at the end of the first book, and they're as happy as can be, but by the time the second book in the series comes around, they start to notice all the problems with their relationship.  Or something comes along and ruins it.  Sometimes the couple aren't even together-together yet, but they drift apart or are separated for some time in the second book.  New Moon, Crescendo, Insurgent, World After, City of Ashes, Tiger's Quest, Beautiful Darkness and Pandemonium are a few examples that come to mind...  Occasionally this can be refreshing, but mostly it just annoys me, because I feel like I know that they're going to be together again eventually anyway, and the second book is filled with pointless angst.

7.  "We're In Love... Since Yesterday"
I, along with 95% of the reading population, don't like insta-love.  Unless it's justified.  I don't think you can feel so strongly about a person you have only just met for the first time.  It's silly, and doesn't help the reputations of both teens and YA.  The only time insta-love has worked for me is in Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, because it was explained.

8.  Excessive Affection
Again, this is just a pet peeve of mine.  I don't mind a few make out scenes, but when they're taking over the storyline, it starts to irk me.  There's not much more to say here!
Notable example:  Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

That's all I can think of right now!  Be sure to share your Top Ten with me :) 

20 comments:

  1. I absolutely agree with you about indecision! It makes me mad when the main character is too stupid to choose.
    Btw, great list! I agree with you about most of the things :)

    My TTT

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  2. Thank you for providing examples :]
    I agree with you on a lot of these, the main reason i stop reading the Lux series was because seriously all the story had become was the MC lusting/loving after the hunky, perfect, alien boy who can do no wrong. UGH, no thank you!

    My TTT :]

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    1. I'm glad you liked the examples :)
      Yeah, that's very true - it was a lot about that. But it didn't get to be a problem for me until the last book to be honest.

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  3. I love that you gave examples, Sabrina! Great list, you've included some that I totally didn't think of but 100% agree with :) Haha, your #4 though, I wrote exactly the same thing and included America Singer as an example. Great minds think alike.

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    1. I'm glad you liked the examples :) I'm also glad that you agree with me!
      Haha, well America Singer is the QUEEN of being unable to decide. Yes they do :P

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  4. OMG I Haven't thought about Second-Book Separation Syndrome! This definitely happens a lot with a lot of the romance books just to try and be different and not have that "Happily ever after". It's kind of annoying but hey, it's there. Great list!

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    1. I'm happy you agree with me!
      Thanks Ellie :)

      Delete
  5. I completely agree with you! If love-triangles are written well, they can be really good and a lot of fun to read! But when they're badly done, they can be a complete pain. Plus, I hate knowing who the 'winner' will be too early on - and it's usually the first person, which doesn't make much sense to me.

    And YES, that's one of the reason I felt Opposition was a let down. You are suppose to be saving the freaking world people, it can WAIT for a bit!! For me, it comes down to timing. At the right moment a kiss etc can be absolutely perfect, but every few pages... it's too much. Great list!

    My TTT

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    1. Yes, it is usually the first person! You're right, it doesn't make much sense. People always say if you love two people, always choose the second because if you really loved the first, you wouldn't have fallen for the second.

      Yes omg! Like, I'm pretty sure that saving the human race is slightly more important than that! The timing super important. It wouldn't have bothered me if there wasn't other things they should be doing.
      Thanks!

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  6. Thank you thank you thank you!
    I always think about doing a list with all the things I don't like in romance books (I like lists ;) ) but when I sit down to find things to write down, I forget everything I want to mention. But pretty much everything is on your list!

    (Also, I laughed when I read #2, because as soon as I read the title, I was like "this one's got to be New Moon")

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    1. I hate when that happens. I frequently sit down to write posts and then realise I've forgotten everything I wanted to say. I'm glad you agreed with my list :)

      Haha, you got it! :)

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  7. I really should have added I'd Die Without You to mine, too. Great post!

    Check out my TTT.

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  8. I so agree with you! What I hate the most is instalove and love triangles and basically most YA books today include one or the other, or both and it's so annoying! About opposition, I agree. I hate that Armentrout completely focused on the lovey dovey storyline and kind of forgot about other stuff that were interesting and important. But oh, well... what can you do?

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    1. That's so true! They are in most YA books.
      Yeah it was very annoying. I'm sure some people appreciated it.

      Delete
  9. The only insta-love romance that I liked was in Daughter Of Smoke & Bone for me too! I loved the romance there but I most of the time hate insta-love with a burning passion.
    OMG THE INDECISION IN THE ELITE DON'T LET ME START. I was banging the book against the wall-or my head.
    The "I'd die without you" happens so often so quickly. In the first 150 pages even. It seems to me that they lived perfectly fine before.
    Wonderful post! I agree with you on, oh so many things.

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    1. I'm glad you liked the romance in DoSaB!
      Lol, I feel the same about The Elite. I kept slamming it shut.
      Yes that's the thing. They had perfectly good lives before meeting their significant other.
      Thanks, I'm happy you agree :)

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  10. Hahaha omg this was so fun!! Great post, Sabrina! You nailed it

    I totally get you on these, although I kind of enjoyed the excessive lovey dovey stuff in the Lux Series by JLA, I was soo in the mood for it. Plus, in my head, it kind of paralleled with Twilight (one of my favorite series #noshame) haha

    PS, I nominated you for the Infinity Dreams Award -- Info here http://booksbyj.blogspot.com/2015/02/infinity-dreams-award.html

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    1. Thanks Jay! I'm glad you liked reading it.

      I did enjoy the 'lovey-dovey' stuff early in the series, and where it made sense. I only got annoyed by it in the last novel, because it seemed like there were more important issues to attend to! Haha oh I see :P Obsidian definitely paralleled with Twilight - there are so many similarities, I could write an essay on the topic.

      Thanks so much! :) I'll go check it out now.

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