Just in case you were having a good day, I’m here to write a post full of no-good-very-bad-torturous-stressful-decisions.
And I’d like to say YOU’RE WELCOME, in advance, for all the upcoming crying.
Because it’s time to do a fun little “this or that” tag, which I’m partially adapting from a bookstagram monthly challenge hosted by @book_junkee and partially making up as I go along because who needs logic lol lol not us. I’m going to make you pick “between two poisons”, so to speak. Plus a few hard ones because both-options-are-so-fun. And you can vote on the polls! #EXCITING
And totally feel free to snabble this for your own blog! I’d say “steal” but I LITERALLY JUST GAVE YOU PERMISSION. But you canΒ steal it if you want to wear a pirate hat and feel nefarious. I won’t criticise you.
1. SERIES OR STANDALONE
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Now at first glance this doesn’t seem like a huge decisions — but I’m saying you can only CHOOSE ONE FOREVER. (Hypothetically.) Well here comes the rice cooking pressure pot.
Some series get awful as they go along and you’re quietly yelling “jUST STOP” and waving your hands around. But then some standalones are so so not enough????
MY PICK: Ughhhhh I’m already TORTURED and we’ve only just started (gee @ me, great post why don’t ya). IΒ will pick series though because most of my top favourite books are series. But I aCHE.
2. MAGIC EARNED OR MAGIC BORN
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Do they START with all the powers of the known universe squashed in their little skullΒ or do they have to collect power as they scream through their adventure??? I used to roll my eyes at the Chosen One trope, but there are some chosen ones I kind of freaking adore. Like Kell from A Darker Shade of Magic. But they can get so so annoying…um excuse me while I cough at Celeana from Throne of Glass and Alina from the Grisha books. (I’M SORRY.)
MY PICK:Β I go with magicΒ earned. (I’M SORRY, KELL.) I just prefer to see people who want their powers and work at them instead of whining about the HARDSHIP of being so SPECIAL. (Someone give me magic powers. I will show you!) *
* NOTE: PROBABLY DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU DON’T WANT ME TO ACCIDENTALLY VAULT OUR PLANET INTO THE SUN BECAUSE I NEVER READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL.
3. ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS OR FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS
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Ahhh okay this is hard! I actually loveΒ both these tropes. (Fun reminder: tropes aren’t necessarily bad!) I always feel like “friends-to-lovers” are ships that will last?! But “enemies-to-lovers” usually contains SNARKY BANTER. And I love banter almost as much as I love cake. Woooah what a confession.
MY PICK:Β I’m not kidding THIS IS HARD. But because I’mΒ forcing myself to choose (who wrote this frikkin’ post)…I’ll go enemies-to-lovers.
ME @ TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS
4. HILARIOUS BANTER OR EMOTIONAL RUIN
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Because what is a book if it doesn’t hurt, hmm? My most FAVOURITE books in all the world are always the ones that stab me in the feels once. Or twice. Or in the case of Sally Green and the Half Bad trilogy — 19 TIMES PER PAGE. THANKS FOR NOTHING JUST GO I’M A WRECK.
But I literallyΒ just finished saying how much I like banter. I am distressed here.
MY PICK:Β I’m going to go the emotional ruin???? Even though I love banter so much???? Because the books that stay with me forever always make me angst a little. Or a lot. Or forever, you know, normal stuff.
5. LOVE TRIANGLE OR INSTA LOVE
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I kind of hate them both. I literally sigh and turn into a bucket full ofΒ cringe whenever a love triangle comes frolicking out of the woodwork. cAN YOU CHILDREN JUST NOT MAKE UP YOUR MINDS. THIS IS NOT AN ICE CREAM BUFFET. However, instalove feels like (a) lazy writing, and (b) it’s so unconvincing?! Two people “destined” for each other in 3 chapters sort of makes my eyeballs roll inside out.
MY PICK:Β Love triangle. HA. It’s not even close. I will die on a triangle over instalove. (And actually IΒ like Cassandra Clare and Maggie Stiefvater’s triangles?? But they are the exception.)
6. KEYBOARD-SMASH FANTASY NAMES OR ALL NAMES START WITH SAME LETTER
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I’m actually not sure which is more confusing at this point?! Characters named Alioueu’ri Kytia (I legit just hit my keyboard ha!) or everyone’s names starting with A or M or something. It messes me up every. single. time. I once read a book with characters named Sal and Sam and THAT’S JUST SO NOT FAR OK. No one reads a full name sheesh. I just read the first two letters of a word and frolic on.
MY PICK:Β ughhhhhhh. I’m actually going for the keyboard smash names. At least I can vaguely remember the collection of letters??
* Just to clarify: my issue is when the WHOLE CAST has really typical names. Like I in my debut, I have a “Joey” (pretty normal) but also an “August” (not so normal). BALANCE.
7. MEAN PARENTS OR DEAD PARENTS
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Both are super cliche these days. Do I write both? Yes I do! I’m so sorry! GIVE ME CAKE AND I’LL DO BETTER. Ahem. But least to say parents are a great source of angst and tension in YA books, because teens are still (usually) pretty dependant on them. But you also have to sort of…you know…scoot them out the way so the teen can still have an adventure. Apparently. Let’s not let parents be too helpful or anything.Β Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
MY PICK:Β I preferΒ writing mean parents but reading dead parents. IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE YOUR POISON.
8. SUPERMODEL LOOKS OR CONSTANTLY SAYS HOW “PLAIN” THEY ARE
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I’m just smacking us in the face with HORRIBLE TROPES, aren’t I?! I’m so so over both of these, ha! I do notΒ understand how books have so many ripped and extraordinarily good looking teens. Um, raise your hand if you spent your teenage years looking like an upside-down avocado skin??? Because: me. Also you sort of have toΒ work out to have a super fit body. I’M JUST SAYING.
But I find it equally irritating when the girl is like: “I’m so boring with my boring brown hair and my boring brown eyes.” LIKE WHY IS THAT BORING??? FFFFSSPFPF. It’s just underlining this idea that blue-eyed/blonde are more “beautiful” but they are just as nice as anything else?? Let’s settle down, white people.
MY PICK:Β I almost pick supermodel!? Because at least they don’t WHINE ABOUT IT. I just have to go through reading them being called “hot” 50 times a minute. Sobbing.
9. FACE ON COVER VS TYPOGRAPHY ON COVER
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This one is mean because my honest answer is BOTH. I mean !! I used to be all “ugh @ covers with faces” because I like to imagine people myself, thanks. But then YA book covers just gotΒ better. They’re seriously beyond gorgeous and sometimes my own face falls in love with them, ok??? This is natural. So dull stock cover photos of faces = ugh. But covers like Tyler Johnson Was Here, The Winner’s Curse, The Wicker King, Blue Lily Lily Blue???! LOVE.
But I also adore typography so much. I’m just going to cry ok. This is a horrible decision.
MY PICK:Β Booooth. Okay I’m cheating! I have to choose. Um…typography. But yettttt…
10. VILLAIN TURNING A LITTLE GOOD OR HERO TURNING A LITTLE BAD
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I swear these are THE TROPES OF MY HEART. If you even remotely hint that a book has these in them…boom. I am there. I am living there. I have bought snacks and blankets so I never have to leave. I just love how it complicates everything?! Plus it’s such a good exploration of what “good” vs “bad” really means and all the grey area.
OH DELICIOUSNESS.
Heck um…I have to pick now…dangit.
MY PICK:Β Probably villain-turning-a-little-good like Kaz Precious Terrifying Brekker. But then Julian Blackthorn (from Lady Midnight) being super good but doingΒ super sinister things …omgggg. I just need both here.
I can’t believe you made me choose between hilarious banter and emotional ruin. I want to be laughing my head off as I drown in a pool of my own tears. :’)
Great post though. π Interactive and all that jazz.
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This is pretty much the meanest post I’ve written in a long time.π ANID I AM NOT SORRY.
I am not choosing between love-triangle and insta-love. nuh-uh. Anyways, I love magic-born villain, because they either trained to control it since they were a kid, trained to hide it because their life must be in danger, or someone hide it for them. I loooove a good old enemies to lovers story, but they become saturated and cliche with all the “something deeper behind them” trope. Give me some enemies to lovers where one side convert to the other side instead both of them playing middle ground???
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Isn’t this a horrible post?!πI’m SO HORRIBLE haha. Ahem. But it’s true, there are a ton of ways to do magic-born that’s awesome too!!
I can’t beieve you sat me down and made me pick between love triangles and insta-love THEY’RE THE WORST. The whole thing just gets in the way of plot development, romance and just ERGH.
Vee @ Under The Mountain
I KNOW RIGHT?!? I told you this post was stressful right up from though. ππ It’s the whole “lesser of the two evils” hahaha. Ahem.
Hahaha this was great! Slightly stressful when trying to decide right off the bat whether to read stand-alones or series FOREVER?! But I had to go with series. And wow it was hard to choose between Enemies-to-Lovers or Friends-to-Lovers!!! But enemies to lovers it was. Or else Iβd betray my favorite ships!
I love typography covers wayyyy more than face covers, because theyβre just so much prettier!! ππ All the gorgeous prints and colors and stuff make me happy.
I know right?! This post was STRESSFUL SO MUCH AGHHH. I’m so mean.ππ And some of these tropes are just either both awful or both good.π
(also gorgeous covers are the death of meeeee. I want them all!)
Oh god – the insta love vs love triangle was so hard because i don’t like either of them? But i do like Will-Tessa-Jem in The Infernal Devices π
Such a fun little post to partake in!
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Yay I’m so glad you enjoyed this! It’s fun to do interactive posts now and then.π And agreed, ugh, I hate triangles.πI mean SOME I like, but the majority of the time when I find triangles I start screaming in pity.
I might have to steal your tag. I love it. OMG, that names question, NOOOO! I canβt stand either of those options. Iβm currently trying to get through the Song of Ice and Fire series, and I canβt deal with the names.
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Oooh yes please do!! I’d love to see all your answers!! And honestly the name one is awful.π Both are terrible. Also ASOIAF does both the keyboard smash names AND way too many characters sound similar?! I’m still dead on Bran and Bron.π
Wow that was really really stressful. I had to make some hard decisions, I cried, my family cried, the toaster cried, ugh. It was really hard with standalone vs series because I do love me some good series but a lot of standalones have recently become favorites. Do I have to finish the series tho? Can I read the first book and if I don’t like it just not continue? And what about it a book believed to be a standalone is getting a sequel?
Also the instalove vs love triangle made me throw up a little, like can we just burn both and have more platonic relationships which never seem to happen in books (Harry Potter has a platonic relationship and is super popular get everyone copies off of Twilight π) (not saying all love triangles are like that, I have heard good things about Cassandra Clare’s) and can we have good YA parents? Can that be the next major YA trope? Cause that would be great
I’m going to extend condolences to your toaster, because that’s just a whole new level of cruel from me. I’M SORRY, FRANK’S TOASTER. Sometimes I gotta hit us with the tough ones though. And pfft, no finding loop holes here in this post. It is torturous either/or decisions.π
And um, YES, can we just skip triangles/instalove all together?! That’d be great lmao. I love platonic relationships and WE DESERVE MORE. I mean I also love romances but the fact is it’s hard to find platonic relationships in YA!!
Ok, so the only three hard ones for me were the love triangle vs. instalove (I hate, hate, HATE them both), the villain turning a little good vs. the hero turning a little bad (it’s IMPOSSIBLE to choose!), and the face on the cover vs. typography (because if the cover is beautiful, it doesn’t matter which one it is). For the cover one, I ended up choosing typography, because I /think/ that’s where my own cover falls into. My favourite kind of cover (especially for fantasy) is where there is an object or a symbol from the book on the front of it, and a cool font.
The #10 one is too hard to choose *sobbing* who even WROTE this wretched post. (Wait.) ππ And love triangles and instalove are both awful, I agree lmao but I am here to torture us apparently.
And yes! I like the covers with object/symbol or art on it!!
I ALMOST GOT A HEADACHE TRYING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THESE, GOD, CAIT
Also, at this point I am quite sure there isn’t a picture/post on your blog in which you haven’t at least references Stiefvater’s books π
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I’M THE ACTUAL WORST. SOMEONE SEND ME TO THE CORNER OF SHAME THIS POST WAS STRESSFUL.
(Also…you are probably right.ππI do try to [subtly ahem] sneak Stiefvater everywhere…)
Haha, I agree with you for most of them! The hardest for me to choose was the friends-to-lovers VS enemies-to-lovers because I don’t like them both at all, haha. I just prefer friends to stay friends (unless there has been something hinted about them from the beginning and they tell a story how they’ve always felt something for each other) I don’t want to be in the middle of the book and to suddenly read how they jump at each other and then 10 pages of Sarah J. Maas sex scenes XD (I also feel very strongly about falling in love with a friend and dislike it because I value friendships more).
I like covers like Obsidio, Scythe, Spellslinger, the Greatcoats ones, the Mistborn ones (the white ones) and like To Kill a Kingdom’s. Usually, I like simple things but sometimes I love covers with a lot of details and a splash of colours XD It depends, TBH XD (As long as it’s not poor photoshop like the indie book covers).
I do like friends that just stay friends! I think that’s like really important to put in books and doesn’t come up that much sadly?! Like not EVERYTHING needs to be a romance.π
Looool I’m so done with SJM sex scenes.πThey’re so cringey omg.
As long as a cover is gorgeous, I’m pretty much trash for it too.π
Hnnnnnnnnn *hyperventilates at stressful decisions* Why do you do this to me. Why.
These were SO HARD TO CHOOSE. Like ultimately I prefer series, because my favorite books are series, but I freaking love my contemporary standalones.
Friends-to-lovers is my FAVE, but I can’t deny the hysterical banter that enemies-to-lovers provides. The only problem with that one is that it has to be especially well-written, because if the couple are enemies because someone’s abusive or they’re toxic to each other, I can’t stand by it.
Uuuuugggghhh, I can’t believe you made me pick between love triangles and instalove. It’s the one time in my life I actually said I prefer love triangles, because at least with that it has the potential to be well-written, but instalove is just so hard to believe no matter the situation.
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Because apparently I want us all to suffer??? I DON’T EVEN KNOW, KATE, THIS POST WAS PAINFUL.π
Also totally agree about the enemies-to-lovers needing to be done well. I’m NOT here for falling in love with an abuser, which sometimes that trope does lead to. Grossss. And friends-to-lovers is always pure and sweet though afjdsklad I just wrote it in my latest wip and I suddenly am a smushy ball of feelings. Whatever is happening to me.π
I do think triangles are the better pick.πI mean instalove can sometimes be done okay??? But also??? I’d rather not even go near it.π
The hardest question was Hilarious Banter vs. Emotional Ruin I think. And I went with names that all start with the same letter, because when I write stories I often use a lot of the same first letters. I just change up the syllables and everything else.
I chose insta-love because I just don’t get love triangles at all. xD
Isn’t it just?!? Like we need BOTH.πI’m so mean to pit them against each other lol lol. (And love triangles are so annoying haha, but for me they’re marginally better than the instalove.)
My hardest one was 9. TYPOGRAPHY OR FACES. IDK I LOVE BOTH. π
But I managed to choose for the rest of them without dying a little inside. π
ALL THE PRETTY COVERS. *sobs because this was the most stressful mean post* ππ
Gah, Cait, all I needed was more stress in my life, THANKS A LOT. Series or standalone??? IT’S IMPOSSIBLE. I love too many of both. To think of being parted from either is a fate worse than death.
I have to go with emotional ruin, though of course I prefer emotional ruin that involves hilarious banter, because obviously people can still be witty while they are shattering into a million pieces???
But I can’t believe you’re making us choose between instalove and love-triangle, and between supermodel and plain complainer. I WILL AVOID ALL OF THESE THINGS AT ALL COSTS. Well, not at the cost of never reading again, I have my limits. All four of these things are SO ANNOYING. But clearly popular among some group of people because books with these tropes just keep appearing to populate the bookshelves. What is this world.
Villain turning a little good vs. Hero turning a little bad is a terribly difficult decision for the opposite reason. Both of these things are my beating heart and how dare you make me choose between them??? I want both. Always both. But in the very end of a story I would have to say villain turning a little good over Hero turning a little bad because I am a sucker for redemption type stories and I don’t like it when the end is super depressing. In the middle bits I need the hero to turn a little bad though! I need all the struggles. So no, I can’t really choose.
You have succeeded in piling angst onto my soul, Cait. I must remind myself that these are hypotheticals in order to avoid having a mental breakdown.
Great post, I am so looking forward to reading your book!!! MORE ANGST.
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I AM LITERALLY SITTING HERE BEING THE WORST. I KNOOOOW.π Don’t you lov eme.
And omg I actually hate the emotional ruin vs banter because I want both. Why did I even write that question. i live to torment.
And loool I know, right?! How freaking popular are triangles and instalove?! I think triangles can be done well, I’m just so tired of themπ, and instalove is (almost) always just plain irritating. Don’t declare you’re destined for someone AFTER KNOWING THEM FOR 2 DAYS. IT ISN’T RIGHT.
And yesss #10 are my favourite tropes. Let’s just throw cake at the author of this post and run away with the tropes we love. (wait.)
These were all so hard! Hilarious banter vs emotional ruin was the one I had the hardest time with… I eventually decided on hilarious banter though for one reason (it’s sort of cheat-y but I don’t care). If there’s a lack of banter, the book/characters will sometimes be sorta boring, so I either will DNF because I’m bored out of my mind by how dry it is, or I’ll just not care about the characters enough to be emotionally ruined when they die, because they’re boring and flat. Obviously there are exceptions (like… most of the books without hilarious banter that I’ve read), but this is my (thoroughly ridiculous) argument, and I’m sticking with it. π
I totally get that! I neeeed banter like nothing else.π Like recently I read a book I really liked but I couldn’t quite give it a higher rating because it never made me laugh/smile at all?! I didn’t realise how much I need that to connect with the characters! Characters > anything else in a book.π
AHHHHH. Cait WHY??? How am I supposed to decide???
If a series is done really well there can be so much character development and amazing overarching plot arches more beautiful than rainbows. But a lot of times this doesn’t happen. Author’s seem to be making up the books as they go along, with characters disappearing (literally or figuratively) mid-series, plot arches crumbling to dust, and overall falling to ruin. Sometimes I just need a good standalone? Like when I want to read a book but I don’t want to commit to a 20 book series that might end up betraying me three books in??? SO HARD.
Love triangles and instalove? Ugh, I can’t even choose. They’re both SO TERRIBLE. And supermodel good looks vs. always talking about how plain they are? Can’t we just have normal, average people who don’t care what they look like??? Please I BEG OF YOU. Sometimes what’s even worse is when someone is always talking about how “plain” they are, but whenever they describe themselves you can tell that they’re really supposed to be the most gorgeous person on the planet. “I could never be called pretty because my eyes are too big and my lips are to full and my eyelashes are too thick and my waist is to slim and my hair is too glossy and smooth…”
Ugh. My faith in humanity is shaken.
But pretty book covers exist, so that’s something. I think my favorite covers are usually the typography ones, but there are so many exceptions???
BECAUSE I’M MEAN OK. I’M HERE TO MAKE LIFE STRESSFUL.π
And honestly anything done well can make even the uggghest (shh that’s a word) trope good.πI’ve been converted to enjoy instalove on a few occasions. π And omg I love series a LOT but some do peter out too early or just change the character so much. And I feel guilty choosing series because some of my favourites are standalones too.π
Life is hard. Who made this.
I haaate when the characters just sit there complaining that they’re “ugly”…I mean. Like what even is “beautiful” anyway?! WHY CAN’T WE JUST LIKE OUR FACES. It’d take so much angst out of being a human if we didn’t always think we looked wrong. And lol @ when they describe themselves in conventionally pretty ways but say “but because my eyes are brown I’M SO BORING”. Sit down, child. Do not stand back up again.π
This blog post is THE most stressful thing ever ahh I feel like I’m back at school doing a test and not finding the right answers omg haha. I feel like I’m in the minority for both of these, a bit sad but not surprised that enemies to lovers is winning, BUT I LOVE FRIENDS to lovers so, soooooooo much. I’m a little mad because I didn’t know what to pick, between the love triangle and insta-love… I ended up with the love-triangle, but………. I hate both of these hahaha.
Between hilarious banter and emotional ruin, I picked EMOTIONAL RUIN. I don’t know why I like crying so much??? I love books that make me FEEL EVERYTHING though haha.
Wonderful post!! <3
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Ah haha I’M SO SORRY (am I tho) ππ I was stressed trying to figure out my answers honestly. Who’s brilliant idea was this post omg?!π But it was really fun making it interactive and seeing what way the people swayed the polls! I love friends to lovers tooooo. It was a cruel question. And omg some of them (like the name one) i hate both options like nothing else. Torture.πSelf-inflicted too omg I can’t complain.
This was a totally fun one. I was having so much fun reading it I forgot I’m supposed to be working. I should get back to it…
I am here to distract and cause destruction π ππ
Ahhhh! This was pretty torturous! But it was fun too π I liked being able to see what everyone else thought too! The hardest one for me to pick was “ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS OR FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS” because I love them both!
So so mean of me.πBut it was super fun doing an interactive post ahh! I should do formats like this more often.π
THIS WAS STRESSFUL. How do I choose between emotional ruin? I actually picked instalove (when it’s done right and isn’t just: we met, became soulmates three seconds later, never saw each again, and never moved on.) I can’t believe myself.
My favourite type of cover is GRAFITTI. Or typography. My favourite covers are Picture Us In The Light and The Poet X (go look them up they’re so beautiful!)
IT WAS STRESSFUL I’M SORRY. I stressed myself out writing it.πAnd you’re right! Instalove CAN be done well (I just was reminded that it was really good in Strange the Dreamer) but mostly I can’t even with it.π
Aaah! I can’t believe how against the grain I am! I feel like I must have horrible taste in books or something, maybe that’s why I have such a difficult time finding things I like π I think I was only in the majority for enemies-to-lovers. Maybe another one…I can’t remember. I think I need a good massage now though, this was way too intense for a Tuesday.
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Lol!!π I didn’t pick the winning one for some of these too don’t worry. π But hey I’m here to write mean and stressful posts for us to all angst over.π
Oh my word do you know how long it took me to unlearn the “brown hair and eyes are boring” nonsense? I wanted blonde curls from the time I was old enough to articulate a preference.
I like pretty covers (I know, that’s a cop-out answer) but I often find myself drawn to minimalist ones? And I like ones with raised textures, because running my hand over the covers helps me to focus.
Your last question was pure evil.
*runs off to -steal- borrow with permission this for blog)
I totally get that, I was like that too! As a teen ALL my friends were blonde and fair and I’m like this 1/4 Italian with super dark hair and wild eyebrows and I always felt like such an oddball.πNow I’m like?! This is great?! This is just as pretty as blonde?! I wish we didn’t get fed that blonde-is-better nonsense in media.
My last question was AWFUL I KNOW. Someone stop me.π
I choose standalone even though I love series, it’s just so much commitment. Magic earned, friends to lovers, emotional ruin because the books I love most tear out my heart, shatter it into a million tiny pieces and stomp on them while I cry and say thank you to them for emotionally ruining me. This…doesn’t sound healthy actually…
Instalove because if people heard the story of me and my spouse they’d cry “Instalove! So unrealistic!” but we’ve been together for 8 years, it happens in real life. Though I wouldn’t say “love at first sight” but it was still pretty quick..so instalove doesn’t bother me. Love triangles make me go “Either make up your mind or why not an OT3?”
keyboard smash fantasy names, because then i’ll just call them by the first letter or something I can pronounce sort of like their name, the best I can do anyway, like with the one you did “Alioueuβri Kytia” i’d probably call “Ali”. If they are all the same letter even if I can easily pronounce them I will become a bucket of confused.
Mean parents because, for me personally, it’s more realistic and gives me too many personal emotions that have me crying and like I said earlier those are the books I love, but of course both are realistic and have their place. It sucks but sometimes real parents die or are mean and those kids deserve to see themselves too. Is it over-done? Probably, I do think we need some good parents too and those are find to find in books…
Supermodel good looks, but constantly complaining they are “plain” gets on my nerves, i wish I was plain! Due to medical conditions. At least if they have supermodel looks and know it, I might roll eyes but at least they aren’t complaining about being plain…
Typography…I guess? Both can be nice but I usually prefer typography
Morally gray! Yes! I’ll go with villian turning good but I do like both because people are complex and gray-ness is a thing <3
Some of my favourite books EVER are standalones so I feel so guilty picking series haha.π And honestly this post was just mean in all the sections and I am not sorry. *flails in the darkness*
Oops haha, I definitely didn’t mean to say instalove doesn’t happen! I’m glad it worked out for you!! And as much as I always roll my eyes at love triangles, my highschool friends were CONSTANTLY in them, lol lol. The problem with triangles in books is that one side is generally not fleshed out so it’s just like: “Obviously we know who you’ll pick!” And it’d be great if it was a REAL triangle and all 3 sides liked each other.π
I hate it when we’re reminded of the characters’ looks like every second page! We GET IT.π
It’s alright! I didn’t think that was what you ment anyway π Even though instalove can happen in a way in real life it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it does in books! And I totally see what you mean by the love triangles where one side isn’t really fleshed out. It’s often painfully obvious who is going to be chosen!
Lol, that does get annoying. At least I won’t forget what they look like in that case, the book won’t let me forget :p
It cracks me up because I know both a Joey and an August so to me they are both totally normal names. And, honestly, I have to disagree with you on the love triangle vs instalove thing. Because love triangles tend to annoy me because like dude. she clearly doesn’t love either of you enough to choose between. But I think instalove can be super, super well written. Like with Laini Taylor’s stuff. Totally instalove but their relationships are so interesting and so well built and actually healthy??? So I’m pro-instalove as long as it’s well written instalove and not “I met him yesterday now I would DIE for him”
Also I started DYING at the let’s settle down, white people thing. Because it’s true! “beautiful” tends to be light hair and light eyes, whereas here we are, over half the world with dark hair and dark eyes. I’m half native hawaiian so I have the dark hair and dark eyes, and I’m plenty pretty, thank you very much.
Omg that’s so funny you know the Joey/August!! (I definitely think Joey’s a normal name, but then I now know 3 Augusts in YA so maybe it’s a rising normal name.π) But hey you’re making me rethink my instalove thing gahhh. It’s true, Laini Taylor does it so well. :O And I don’t mind “Insta crushes” it’s the whole “we are mates now bonded to be together forever” and they’ve met for 3 hours. OR when one side gets creepy about pursuing. I’m so not here for that.π
Exactly!! There is literally NO REASON for the blue eyes/blonde hair (lol I nearly wrote blue hair blonde eyes there, which would be an interest swapπ) to be the “prettiest” of us all unless we’re being seriously seriously problematic. People do need to think of the underlying themes of some of the tropes to fix them. :O
WHY WOULD YOU PUT US THROUGH THAT STRESS. Whatever, I didnβt need a calm day anyways. But hahah that poll on βFace vs Typographyβ for covers is like 90% Typography π (I have seen some face ones that are nice too, but I actually really love Typography on covers). And instalove makes me feel so uncomfortable, so even though I hate love triangles, I think itβs better than instalove. For parents, Iβm ok with both haha (I swear Iβm not awful). The hardest was probably the Heroβs become bad or Villians become good one. I love when villains get some positive aspects about them, so I chose that, but it was hard! Because I also have some favorite MCs who become totally evil and awful and I love it.
I’M MEAN, THAT’S WHY.ππ And omg it’s hilarious that everyone is pretty agreed on the typography! I love how some are really evenly split though?! We are all sweating and struggling here, I am the worst.π
Yeah I’m definitely all for love triangles over instalove. Lesser of the two evils?!
The #10 one is the WORST. I LOVE BOTH.
Wow these really WERE stressful! Especially emotions versus banter and friends-to-lovers versus enemies-to-lovers. I mean, I need ALL of these things! You know, I think the keyboard smash names are easier because even if I don’t know what they say, I just make something up in my head and at least I know who they are? Sal and Sam… well they’re going to be the same dude forever and ever in my head, so. And I will take a love triangle any day of the week over insta-love, that is how much I hate insta-love. I also like a typography cover, because pretty. Faces are hit or miss- usually miss. Now, if we’re talking ball gowns… that’s a whole other situation hah.
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It is a post that is here to TORTURE US EXTREMELY.π And omg the all-the-names-starting-with-the-same-letter absolutely kill me. I’ll just be over here absolutely DEAD trying to keep up with that.πI will take all the horrible names in Tolkien’s books over it, and that’s saying something.π
Instalove is just so blehhhh. Also boring. Also if anyone swears to be each other’s soul mate again, I will flip a plate.π
Friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers, Ugh. They’re both my OTP.
But how about “Magic thrust upon them”? Huh? Actually, that’s my favorite.
(Also, why can’t we have more awesome, positive parental relationships in books? Why do they have to all be mean or dead????)
Since becoming a font addict this last year, I’m all about the typography. Just, give me gorgeous fonts that balance and interplay and ugh. I’ll marry it at dawn. Plus, YOU KNOW WHAT THE STINKIN’ TITLE IS.
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I KNOOOOW, SAME!! Some of these the options were both too good, or too bad.ππ And I know right?! I love squishy lovely parents in books. (Says me who wrote a mean parent for my debut but ooops.) But the book I’m reading right now has such cute and lovely parents and it’s so nice!!
TYPOGRAPHY IS LOVELY.
Oh Oh this was hard Cait. But also fun. But hard! Now I’m going to go cuddle with my owl plushie and think about my sinful answers.
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So so hard.πI was literally finding it harder the more I put together omg. Good job, Cait, on such a painful post.π
THIS POST THOUGH OH MAN. I am totally stealing it. Because you said I could.
YAY GO FOR IT. I want to see your analysis on the answers!π
Cait. #whatthehell All of these were hard. Most because I wanted to choose both, but a few because I wanted to choose neither. Like the super hot Vs complaining of plain one. Just no. Neither. Where is the middle ground?
I KNOW! It’s maybe the meanest post I’ve ever written.πIt’s like two evils or two goods and how do you choose?!
One of the hardest ones for me was that last one, with the villain-turns-good or hero-goes-bad bECAUSE I LOVE THEM BOTH (I even use villain-turns-(sorta)good in Stars because HEYY MORALS)! What’s better than the hero starting to make worse and worse choices until they gradually become a villain (THE YOUNG ELITES)? Nothing. THEY’RE TIED. (i ended up going with villains tho because i love me some redemption arcs)
I actually like aesthetic covers, but out of your options, I’d go with typography, because typography can be aesthetic too!
Saaaame I love BOTH those options to death omg. Like the hero “falling” is just so interesting to read, but also the villain rising up?!? Finding GOODNESS?!? *heart turns to mush*
I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!! DECISIONS. ARE. JUST. SO. HARD???? i am so stressed and crying over how i picked series over standalones as my favorite standalone books are glaring at me from the corner.
I WARNED YOU THIS WAS A MEAN POST RIGHT UP FRONT.ππAlways a good time to stress right?! :’)
That was awesome! Had a lot of fun thinking about these, and mostly agreed with your answers. My fave is love triangle vs instalove because I’m all about love triangles when done well (a rare bean) but also polyamory!! <3
Love triangles should be done waaay better than they are.π Like there is genuine potential for them to be cool?! And make them REAL triangles, that’d be great.π
omg this was so hard and I actually love a lot of these tropes?? Like hate-love and villain-turning-a-little-good–I am just waiting for Carden from The Cruel Prince to show his soft side
I love so many of them too.πLike the enemies-to-lovers vs the friends-to-lovers….THAT IS A CRUEL CHOICE WHO WROTE THIS POST. (wait…π)
WOW! What an interesting post to read! I love that we can be able to contribute! Great post as usual Cait!
I’m glad you liked it!! It was so fun making it a bit interactive!
…and now write a book with the choices that won. muwahahahahaah.
but in all seriousness (lol jk), this WAS SO HARD. WHY CAIT MUST WE CHOOSE.
Ahh yes this becomes a BUILD-YOUR-OWN-STORY post. ππ Hey I warned you it was the stressful edition right up front. π
A lot of our answers are actually different OH NO. What does this say about our friendship, Queen Cait!? T_T The supermodel looks vs plain Jane complaints (lol that rhymes) was SO hard for me. I’d be okay with having a gorgeous heroine if she wasn’t the ONLY/MOST gorgeous character in the book, because that’s just totally realistic, unfair, and choosing the easy way out. :/ And complaining when in fact everyone says a character is the most beautiful creature they’ve ever seen bla bla bla just makes me pop a few veins in my neck. -_-
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Nooo AIMEE. You have failed me! *sobs wildly in the corner* ππ Which is actually funny because I agree with your reviews like 90% of the time?!π
And ugh I know right, about the looks ones??? It’s so annoying. Or if every time the “Hot” love interest walks in they make sure to describe his abs or whatever and how supermodel hot handsom blah blah he is and I’m just like ENOUGHHHHHH.π
*Puts on a pirate hat* LOVED THIS, so torturous though. I’ll steal it and torture myself, because I’m reasonable. CAN I ALSO JUST SCREAM AT YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SECOND BOOK AND I LOVE THAT, AHHHHH!!!!!
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AS LONG AS I CAN SCREAM WITH YOU BECAUSE I’M SO HAPPYYYYYY.π
Ugh, some of those tropes really bugs me, like dead/mean parents and instalove/love triangle.
Oh well, thank goodness for banter and pretty covers in general. I’m currently writing on my first draft of an UF and rest assured, there’s a bit of banter between the MC and her love interest.
I totally agree! ππA lot of these are choosing the lesser of the two evils lol lol. (also YAS for banter! I’m so glad you like writing it too!!)
That was far too stressful. Too stressful.
I actually don’t ind tropes like love triangles if they’re written well, or big heads on covers as long as not creepy or even if every character in a book turns bad. Bad, bad characters. You can’t choose between a book that’ll leave you in ruins or character banter, both are just too delicious. Surely we can have both? You’ve managed them both brilliantly in A Thousand Perfect Notes, the banter between August and Beck as well as tearing my heart out.
I now demand a masterclass to teach all authors how to perfect this β₯β₯β₯
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I knoooow. I’m SORRY.π (Am I tho.) It’s like you come to read blogs and have a good time and here I serve up a good dish of crises and trauma.π
Awww but I’m so glad you think I managed both in ATPN! That’s my honest-to-goodness goal: to make people laugh AND cry. I’m so mean.π
This was such a fun post Cait, even though some of these were really hard haha. I kept changing my answer at the series or standalone one π On one hand series recquire more time commitment and money than standalones, but on the other hand series can be so wonderful because it means we get to see more of the characters, get wonderful character development, see relationships grow more, explore the world more… Well if it’s a good series anyway haha. Standalones can do that all too of course, but I’m just a sucker for watching characters grow over the course of several books. Plus sometimes I just want more!
Ahhh I’m so glad you liked it!! It was totally torturous though, right?!πI mean some of these are mean because we want booooth. I love standalones AND series. It’s honestly murder to have to choose.π
So my hardest pick was dead parents vs mean parents. I mean dead parents usually give protagonists more strength because they want to make their dead parents proud or sometimes they want to avenge the dead parents so that leads to MORE BLOOD which I really love. Buuut I actually chose mean parents. There’s something dark about parents being mean to their kids and I always love to see a character rebel and fight the people who are supposed to love them most. Having mean parents is sad but that usually makes the storyline richer.
I agree with almost all your choices except for the banter vs. emotional pain. I super love banter and that makes me love a book so much more. I sometimes crave pain but I usually regret it later. I’d rather choose witty and funny banter.
I am really choosy with book covers. I love typography though because its more minimal. The “face in the cover” kind of thing doesn’t really work for me. I’d love to imagine the characters’ faces myself. i can’t really help it. I AM A FREE ELF!
I really really love this post btw and I don’t know why I commented so late. I don’t know what’s happening to me either send help
There’s a lot of good plots that can come out of dead vs mean parents that’s for sure!! I mean I DO like reading nice parents occasionally…but apparently they’re rare creatures in books.πFair enough ahha. I get that sometimes the tropes kickstart the characters/teens into action.
Duuude, what we need is books that hurt us AND make us laugh. Those are the best.π
(Aww never apologise for when you comment! I appreciate it at any time!!)
THIS WAS SO PAINFUL NO. But at the same time it was so much fun and I am in AWE OF YOUR CREATIVITY WHAT. (Also how did you get those little poll things on the page because I think you are an actual wizard maybe???) I think I literally created a dent in my Kindle by smashing the enemies-to-lovers button. Ever since I’ve A) read Pride and Prejudice, and B) watched You’ve Got Mail, the enemies-to-lovers relationship has become my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING OF EVER.
I also happened to pick “constantly complaining about how plain they are”, because I realized that if I was writing the story, I would totally have a side character punching the annoying complainer in the face every time they started in on how plain they are. It would be hilarious and provide much needed comic relief! XD *is normal* But oh goodness these were difficult. I think the hardest one was love triangles VS. insta love. I despise both of them with all the fiery hatred of Mount Doom. I was hoping to find a Neither option. XD
This post was just so mean.πI’m still stressed about it ah hahaa. And the polls are just a widget! I am like the least tech-savvy blogger ever ha. If there’s anything cool lying around my blog, it is 100% a widget or a mistake.π
Also that is a good fix for that “complaining that they’re plain” trope. I hate it so bad lmao.
And no “neither” options here. π I am the meanest.
YES CAIT THIS WAS SOOO STRESSFUL,BUT I LOVED IT, NO WONDER WHY WE ARE WRITERS *sobs*
Anyhoo.
1) I pick series bc even there are a hundred books, sometimes I just need more. Give tons and tons of them. Just….more, please. BLESS LEIGH BARDUGO FOR PLANNING TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK WITH MY FAVOURITE THIEVES
2) I chose magic born cuz I was thinking in fairies and such… not the chosen one…. but now I want to choose magic earned cuz I wasn’t born with magic and it’s fair to earn it by your own merits
3) As much as I like friends-to-lovers….my favourite is enemies-to-lovers. ALWAYS. I’m obssesed.
4) I don’t know *sobs* This is tooooo hard. Every book destroys me a little, in one way or another, so…. hilarious banter?
5) Dude, I prefer instalove than triangles. I’m tired of triangles (although I haven’t read Maggie’s triangles soo…. there’s still hope for me??). And I can’t forget that there’s instalove in my all time favourite series The Lunar Chronicles
6) Keyboard smash fantasy names, thank you. Not that I love them. But that’s better than all of them named Marie, Marlie and Marion
7) I prefer none… but I prefer both too xD I mean, I don’t like it anymore when the protagonist’s parents are dead… tooooo cliche….. buuuuut, how could they go to their adventure if their parents are like ‘no, you’re not going, it’s too dangerous, let other chosen one go instead’ ??? Still, I like both, cuz when they’re dead, the MC’s by her/himself (unless they have a sibbling not much older than her/him), and when they’re mean, there’s a lot of conflict and tears and blood and YES I’M HERE FOR IT………….Stil………….. I ALSO want parents who take care of their children while they save the world. That’d be so cute.
8) WHY? NONE OF THOSE IS A GOOD OPTION, WHY???
9) Both. Just….both.
10) BOTH! JUST…. BOTH!!!
ISN’T IT SUCH A MEAN AND STRESSFUL POST?!? I’M THE WORST.ππ But totally loved reading your picks and answers here! And yes I’m tired of triangles too…but at least I generally find them better than instalove lmao. I can’t with the names though. Why are names so HARD?! Please, authors, have mercy on us and name things nicely.π
I never thought a blog could have stressed me out this much, good job Cait!! Our choices were mostly same, (except the time you chose to cheat and NOT give a straight answer.) and some of them I never even realised I liked better. *laughs*
This was the most stressful post ever omg I am so so sorry. πππ