Top Ten-ish Things That Will Make Me Instantly NOT Want A Book
Reviews: I am sure you are like me and browse Goodreads when you find a book you are interested in to see what others say about it. If I see a majority of my trusted book friends don’t like it, consider me the one to avoid it.
Story at the back of the book: If there is not much of a description on the back I won’t rush to purchase the book. I want to know what it is about, not see a vague blurb or random quotes from people I have never heard of.
The book cover: I openly admit that I will judge a book by its cover. This is the first thing I see and if I cringe at the cover, I’ll leave it sitting on the shelf and keep walking.
Author tours/book festivals: If I have the chance to see an author at a festival or on a tour and they are not nice people, I will not want any of their books. (this has happened IRL and I gave away all of that author’s books.)
The author on social media: There have been certain authors on social media that have been huge … jerks. They popped off about sensitive subjects and as a result, I won’t buy, borrow, or have anything to do with their books.
Book topics: If the book is “high fantasy”, I usually shy away from it. (Sarah J Maas, anyone? I still haven’t read anything from her.) I’m just too worried I won’t know what is going on.
Book labels: The one that grinds my gears the most is “‘The New (fill in a very famous book)’“. Stop doing that! I know publishers use that to attract readers but it gives the book a certain level of expectation. The comparison won’t make me want to read the book any faster, it makes me want to avoid it.
INSTA-LOVE: I. Hate. Instalove.
I know I couldn’t find ten things that made me not want a book but I listed my highlights. Do any of these apply to you? What makes you not want to read/pick up a book?
A Gingerly Review 
I totally judge books by their covers. If a book has poor reviews on Goodreads, I usually shy away from it. Book blurbs can go either way for me – sometimes there’s not enough info about the book, and I’m unsure if I want to read it or not. But sometimes, the blurb is so long, I’m just like, well, you gave away the whole story, no need to read this now. Too much information is a bad thing sometimes – it can also make the book seem way too complicated.
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I saw a book recently where the author blurbed their own book. Sorry but that will make me really not want to buy or read it.
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I don’t support jerks either! I also don’t buy authors who clearly have a book mill full of interns or something. If you put out more than a book a year, I don’t trust you.
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I have met a couple of jerks and promptly gave their books away. Bye Felicia!
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I’m totally with you re: high fantasy. I don’t hate the genre, but I do find it insanely confusing to have to keep track of all the made-up names, places, and things. I want to read Sarah J. Maas eventually but I don’t think I’ll be able to without a spreadsheet 😛
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Now this made me laugh! Maas is adorable in person but I just can’t bring myself to have to legend to help me figure out her books.
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A jerky author would make me not read a book, too!
My TTT.
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I wonder if authors realize just how much of an influence their actions have on if people will pick up their book(s) or not…
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Instalove is the worst! So many lists had it this week, I am kicking myself for not thinking of it when doing our list :p
My TTT.
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I agree with you on jerky authors. There’s an author that I really liked until she totally went off on me because I said her newest book wasn’t that great and definitely wasn’t my favorite. I’ll never read another book by her, no matter how much I liked her earlier ones. That’ll show her! Ha ha.
Happy TTT!
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