I am a terribly predictable book dragon. Sure, I like to read a little bit of everything, but wave one of these tropes under my nose, and I’m hooked every single time.
We all have them. The Pentatonix of the literary world. The bacon of the bookshelf. You know, those things you find absolutely irresistible when deciding whether or not to read a book.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is about things that make us pick up a book.
✦ Talking Swords ✦
Warbreaker || Shadow Magic || Shadow of the Fox
You had to know this would top my list, right? I mean, come on. COME ON. My final wish is to come back as a talking sword. Or have my spirit attached to an evil sword so I can just keep taking over people. I mean, I’m not picky.
✿ 100% made of snark and sarcasm
✿ Could totally help the protagonist, but that sounds like work
✿ Humans are annoying, but also fun to stab, so … there’s that
✿ Should make things easier, but never do
✿ It’s never, “Oooh, a talking sword!” It’s always, “Oh … a talking sword.”
✿ Will they be quirky or just evil? Who knows?!
✿ “So it is a sword. It just happens to function like a key in very specific situations.” ~ ” Or it’s a key all the time, and when you stick it in people, it unlocks their death.” (Shout-out to fellow Red v. Blue fans)
✦ Romances best summed up as
“it’s complicated” ✦
Furyborn || The Cruel Prince|| A Crown of Wishes
Happily ever after is fine. Sweet little romances between soulmates
✿ I love you, but I will stab you if you get in my way …
✿ I don’t need you. I choose you.
✿ You know what? Sometimes love hurts.
✿ Okay, I know I said I hated you, but that doesn’t mean you get to die
✿ I call you names because I love you. Obviously. Idiot.
✿ Could end in love. Could end in homicide.
✦ Older protagonists✦
A Man Called Ove || My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry
Let’s be honest, older people are fun, because they’ve been around for a while, and they’ve spent the majority of their life not saying what they were thinking. BUT NO MORE! Since they only have a limited amount of time left, they’re going to let loose whatever pops into their head, and it’s delightful.
✿ They’ve had a lifetime to perfect their wit and sarcasm
✿ Decades of pent-up honesty just waiting to be released
✿ About 20 years past giving a damn what you think
✿ What consequences? I’ll be dead in, like, 30 seconds. Bah.
✿ Never too old for one more adventure
✿ Or a good, old-fashioned tongue-lashing
✿ Will put you in your place and enjoy it
✦ Djinn✦
Rebel of the Sands || The Golem and the Djinni || The Amulet of Samarkand
This is a huge buzzword for me because, spoiler alert, the book I spent a decade on and off finishing also involves Djinn. The great thing about them, though, is there are so many ways you can take the myth, and no two books about Djinn are the same. I just love seeing what authors come up with!
✿ Humans are annoying, but we can’t just kill them all.
✿ I mean, I guess we could, but … it’s frowned on?
✿ Super powerful, but also super easy for humans to trick somehow.
✿ So many different ways to portray them, with various powers!
✦ Villains who are the heroes of their own story ✦
Vicious || Steelheart || Keeper of the Bees
I will forever root for the villain. They’re dark. They’re complicated. Sure, they’ve killed several … dozen … people, but hey, they probably just need, like, a hug. Right?
✿ Murderers are people, too
✿ I’m sure they had a perfectly legitimate reason
✿ People are complicated
✿ And sometimes they accidentally end up getting murdered. Oops?
✿ Okay, I know he’s supposed to be evil, but … he’s kinda got a point …
✿ #TeamGrindelwald
✦ Dry/Dark Humor ✦
Mort || Warlock Holmes || Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
I read an awful lot of dark books, and the world is sometimes a dark place, but none of that is anything that a good comedy book can’t cure. Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams are obviously the kings of comedy, but there are plenty of others, and I’m always up for a good laugh.
✿ Laughter is the best medicine … except, you know, medicine …
✿ Sarcastic and witty characters are life
✿ Death is just a priceless treasure, okay?
✿ Not everything can be stabby, shooty, death, murder, chaos all the time
✿ If you laugh so hard you pee yourself, you’ve found a keeper
✦ Dystopia ✦
Scythe || Illuminae || Ink and Bone
Confession: I am just such a bigger sucker for all things dystopian. I don’t even care what. Give me all the world-stopping, genocide-causing, apocalypse-bringing goodness, and I will eat it up, whatever form it takes.
✿ Hey, the world has to end sometime. Might as well have fun with it.
✿ What do you mean this was a bad idea?!
✿ What could possibly go wrong here?
✿ Everything’s
✿ Also, on fire.
✿ You know what? Just trust no one.
✦ World War II ✦
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas || The Room on Rue Amelie || The Book Thief
Listen, I know it’s going to be sad. There’s going to be death and tears and heartache and menacing threats—and that’s just me as I read the book. But I just can’t get enough of World War II books. Every facet of them.
✿ All my feels have been broken 129432 times over again.
✿ It’s okay, I didn’t need them anyway.
✿ I know everyone’s going to die, but I will root for them anyway, darn it!
✿ Maybe if I root hard enough, it’ll save them …
✿ The chocolate and warm blanket are on standby.
✦ Recommendations ✦
Just One Damned Thing After Another || Wintersong || Elantris
I’m cheating because this isn’t a trope. Although, I guess it kind of Even though we totally obviously do this. Some of the best books I’ve read have actually been recommendations because, surprise, bookish people know what they’re talking about when it comes to books. Who would’ve guessed?
✿ Have read 1403432 more books than I have, so obviously know their stuff
✿ Friends with me, so clearly, they have good taste.
✿
✿ Orrr intentionally lie to have me read one and watch me suffer?
✿ Never know what to expect going in!
I love time travel books and dystopian although I’m not keen on the whole marauding biker gang scenario. lol
You know what? I take back the idea that I love all dystopia, because yeah, I’m not really a fan of that scenario, either. xD I should qualify and say I like *most* dystopia haha.
😀
I loved reading about djinns! I haven’t in a while, but those books are so creative and different. Also I love the villain having a big part of the book
It’s such a weird shift, because I feel like 10 years ago, very few people knew anything about Djinn. And now, there are so many books that include them in the mainstream, and I just couldn’t be more thrilled! Definitely recommend the Rebel of the Sands series, if you haven’t read it already.
I’d read the other books but not Rebel of Sands! Heard a lot good about it, but didn’t know about the djinn, thanks
Talking swords, that is a good one! I quite like those too! I loved the sword in Penryn and the end of days <3
Waaaaaaait. Slow your roll. THERE’S A TALKING SWORD IN THAT?! I’ve had that series sitting on my Kindle for, like, six months now. xD Why hasn’t anyone told me?! Must bump that up my TBR now and get to it soon …
Haha it doesn’t quite happen yet in the first book but in the second it is alll there.
Older protagonists are awesome. We need more of them!
My post: http://www.lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-things-that-make-me-pick-up-a-book/
I love inanimate objects that talk and are snarky, too.
The snarkier, the better, in my opinion! I want it so salty that it can practically be used to lure animals. xD
I love this list. I like most of these tropes. I started reading a man called Ove. 😉
I hope you like it! I thought it was a great book, and I really liked Ove. xD There’s a movie based on the book on Amazon Prime that I watched after I read it, but it’s nowhere near as good as the book, because of course, you don’t get Ove’s thoughts and such, which were part of the pleasure of the book. But if you’re interested, I thought I’d mention it’s there!
Nice! I didn’t know about the movie. I’ll check it out.
It’s always so nice to see a RvB quote!
I am totally with you on dark humor and romances that are a moment away from a dagger to the neck. Just sign me up for all the snark and kick-ass-ness!
I can’t think of any sword anymore without hearing Caboose. xD I’m glad someone else gets it!
I’m actually super glad that complicated romance is becoming a thing. A lot of new releases are working with it, and I’m just so happy!
I love how detailed you made this! Lovely list. Totally agree with WWII books and villains! I love a good villain.
Thank you! So do I. I want a villain where I can 100% buy their story, even if I don’t necessarily support them. Although, let’s face it, I’m more often than not probably on their side because hey, life is complicated. xD
Haha totally agree! I need a backstory for a villain, I have to understand them enough to appreciate the wickedness.
I love this list but my TBR does not because I’ve added quite a few new books to it from here…
Ha, isn’t that always what happens?! I’d apologize, but I will never be sorry for convincing people to read good books! 😛 And today is WWW Wednesday, so now my TBR is crying, too, from all these great books other people are reading. xD
All of these. I am so here for all of these tropes. The talking swords trope is one I’d love to see more of for sure, or any talking inanimate object trope. I remember this book I read when I was younger where there was a king whose magical ability was being able to talk to rocks and I thought it was so hilarious (I think it was from the Xanth series by Piers Anthony which is honestly hella quirky). I also love the concept of djinn stories but sadly haven’t gotten around to actually reading any. Definitely going to check out a few of your suggestions though! Great list.
I’m always here for more talking swords. But you know, any sort of inanimate object talking works, but I don’t think I see it a lot outside of swords, really, now that I think of it. The ability to talk to rocks sounds pretty interesting, though. xD
I find myself wondering more often than I should what inanimate objects might be thinking xD