Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
Top Ten Trends You'd Like To See More of/Less of :
I'd Like to See Less of:
1. Love Triangles - Unless they're executed perfectly, the become your everyday, run-of-the-mill love story. I'm always inclined to favour books that break the mold of the love triangle scenario these days. That said, it can be done right...think: The Hunger Games.
2. Insta-Love - Let's be honest, kids. It's a rare occurrence, indeed, if two teenagers actually fall truly and madly in love within a matter of days. It doesn't really happen like that for most people, and it irks me when relationships are made petty by adding insta-love. For your information, if I was terrified some guy wanted me for dinner, no amount of sparkling would sway me, Bella Swan.
3. Weak Female Protagonists - Colour me crazy, but I love it when female MCs are strong, independent and self-assured. I'm more often going to feel a connection with such characters than to feel pity for the weak and simple female MCs that have it all going for them and just think they don't. Let's all just be like Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy.
4. Vampire Love Stories - I get it. The Twilight saga blew people's minds. So did a whole plethora of vampire books like The Vampire Diaries and the Sookie Stackhouse series. Honestly though? I want something to step outside the box, which is why I've leaned towards contemps, as of late.
5. Series - Don't get me wrong. I love me a good series to read. Trust me...you know how I feel about Senor Harry Potter. However, there's something to be said for those authors who can write a fantastic tale that leaves you satisfied in one book though.
I'd Like to See More of:
1. Male Protagonists - I find that much of the YA market is dominated by female MCs. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm a girl. I like girly books. However, when done right, books with male MCs can be extremely powerful and intense - think Witchlanders or in the sci-fi realm, I Am Number Four.
2. Issue Books - I think it's great when an author can tackle a tough issue and spin it into a relatable and poignant tales. As hard-hitting as these books might be, they're often the ones that stay with. Wintergirls and Dark Song are prime examples.
3. Mythology-Based - Honestly, I mean any sort of mythology, but I ask that it please be done well. If you're going to create a myth book, actually make the myths a big part of it, rather than an afterthought. I'm in withdrawal since Percy Jackson.
4. Edgy and Dark - Give me a book with fantastic narration and a dark tone that's different than other book, and I'm certain to like it more than your everyday read. I like it when the twists and turns leave me uncomfortable and on edge. Maybe I'm a masochist, but that's a huge part of why I loved The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - it had me so uneasy.
5. Slow-Burning Romance - You know, books like Leaving Paradise are ones that haunt me and ring true because first loves aren't perfect. They take work and understanding and patience. If you give me the time to become invested in something to root for, I'm almost guaranteed to love it.
I completely agree with the series and "insta-love". There are lots of books that could have easily been a stand alone (i.e. Fallen by Lauren Kate) had they been edited well. It's as if you can't read a YA standalone book anymore.
ReplyDeleteGreat Top 10 list!
Insta-love and love-triangles seem to be overly-abundant these days *sigh*. I'd like to see more male protags in YA too!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Melissa!
We have so many in common! Great list! Insta-love was a good choice, I'm really tired of the whole "I-saw-him-across-the-hall-and-knew-he-was-the-one" deal. I'd love to see more developed romances or maybe even people asking each other out on dates?
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten: http://bit.ly/qlepOJ
Insta love kills me. But what I really want to see more of is a girl who's all ready had a boyfriend. It's always about these "never-been-kissed" girls, and I'm sorry, but not all teenagers are either slutty or pure. There's an in-between, and I'd love to see it!
ReplyDeleteMale protagonists...I love them for the simple fact that hardly anyone writes them. I actually agree with all of these!
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to see less weak female protagonists. I want them to be smart and for them to save the guy. Also I would love to see more the average normal guy getting the girl.
ReplyDeleteGreat list :)
Good call on less insta love and less weak female characters. I'm totally with you on both fronts!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on ALL of the things you'd like to see less of!
ReplyDeleteI agree on the male protags! We need more of these!
I also would like to see more YA with cowboys myself...haha!
I'm seeing several of the same requests: Less vampires, less long series, more strong characters. I hope authors and publishers are listening!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten list for this week:
Top Ten Trends You'd Like to See More Of
I hope you will stop by and join in Readerbuzz's August Giveaway!
Good list!! I would add cliffies to that first list. I hate those so much. :P
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your Less Of list! Okay, mostly agree, because I kind of like series more than stand-alones. :)
ReplyDeleteAmen on 1 & 4 of less of.
ReplyDeleteI am sorta getting sick of love triangles.
agre with all these - death to the love triangle and insta-love! Also, glad male protags made your list, definitely aren't enough of those around.
ReplyDeleteOur list is so similar! I definitely agree with you on one and how The Hunger Games did it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteGreat thought girl. You really got me thinking. Though i love Twilight now that i have re-read it i am not so keen on the instant love. Great lists.
ReplyDeleteUgh, yes, please no more insta-love, love triangles, and weak females. I don't need a kick butt girl all the time, but I at least want someone with a spine who I can respect. I would love more myth-heavy books and slow burn romances.
ReplyDeleteYES! To edgy and dark! NO to insta-love! I totally agree to your whole list!
ReplyDeleteFantastic lists! I think I pretty much agree with every one of them!
ReplyDeleteI like how you said Mara Dyer had you uneasy. I totally agree! And I love that feeling as well. Where you really don't know what the heck is going on!
Male protags! Mythology! Slow-burning romance! It's like you're in my head, Melissa! :p I completely agree with all of your choices. :)
ReplyDeleteYES! I completely agree with both your lists! I tire of the love triangle, though there are a couple exceptions where I think it's been well done and makes sense, but overall I'm ready for a few less of them:) And definitely more mythology, I love it!
ReplyDeleteInsta-Love needs to die!! More slow burning romance, please! I admit that I can't resist a love triangle, but they need to be good with no easy winner!
ReplyDeleteYep, yep, and yep. That's exactly what I'm looking for -- and hoping will end. And I really, really want a good mythology YA. I've been disappointed too many times in that department!
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
Mary @ Book Swarm
Love-triangles and insta-love just gets one big sigh from me. Mostly they just annoy me to pieces. it works for me when one player is not really a player so not really a triangle
ReplyDeleteGreat post Melissa! I am so tired of love triangles...
ReplyDeleteI love that your comments are so focused on writing and character: it shows what your priorities are. My list is mostly about genre; I wish I thought of half this stuff. Very intelligent list.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Love triangles are getting old and I HATE insta-love. Soo annoying!! I adore love that is slow burning and takes awhile to really ignite. That is the best!! =)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you...on everything. Let's face it, the book world needs more kick-butt girls. I've stopped reading books before just because of the insta-love, especially in a contemp world. Even paranormal and fantasy is pushing it. Plus I'm not a sparkly girl. Vampires don't just die from a stick of wood! I've read enough love triangles that I've developed a pretty accurate guestimate strategy of who she ends up with. Just get rid of the stupid guy, no one likes you. I'd love to get into the head of a guy and dissect his every thought. Girls are getting way too predictable. Thanks for the awesome post.
ReplyDeleteGo Mara Dyer!
I agree with all! But...I'm writing a vampire story :( However, it's out of the box and fresh! But it's not contemporary and I think the love triangle will be done right.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer! It's in my tbr pile.
Oh yes, I'm with you on those pesky love triangles! And series for the sake of being series - when the story could easily be done in one book - definitely bug me. Good call on needing more male protagonists in YA!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely tired of insta-love. I don't necessarily mind love triangles if they're done well - although most aren't. I would love to see more male protags. That's the best part about the Caster Chronicles series.
ReplyDeleteWow we share a lot of the same points.
ReplyDeleteHere's mine: http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/top-ten-tuesday-3/
Lovely list. What's really telling about this week's question is that so many of us are having the same issues with books. The more I click, the more people agree. It's fascinating, and a bit disturbing.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't know better I'd have think you picked my mind to write this. You said everything that I would have and more. Awesome Top Ten, I think your best yet.
ReplyDeleteI am over the love triangles too! And I wish there were more male POV's
ReplyDelete**Climbs on soapbox** DOWN WITH INSTA-LOVE!!!! **Steps off** Lol. That is probably the number one thing that bothers me in YA. A book with a great idea does nothing for me if the characters are all obsessed with each other right off the bat for now logical reason.
ReplyDelete