Monday, August 1, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Good and Bad Trends

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish asks which trends we'd like to see more or less of. Mine is a combination of the two.

1. More- Dystopian
I've just been really enjoying this particular trend so I'm not ready for it to go just yet.

2. Less- Vampires
I'm over you, big time. Unless, of course, you are the gorgeousness that is Eric Northman on True Blood. Then by all means, stick around as long as you like.

3. More Historical Fiction.
I love history. I love books. Historical fiction is just a pairing of my two great loves. Bring it on!

4. Less- Supernatural.
Are there any regular old humans around anymore? Is everyone a werewolf, witch, sifter, etc, etc, etc. It's just over saturated.

5. Less Trilogies and Series
This one irks me to no end. EVERYTHING is a trilogy now. Can I just read one damn book and get the entire story once in a while? I get really sick of waiting years for resolution and having to put up with the inevitable 'filler' of a second book.

6. Less  Crappy Parents
This is a big one in YA. Clearly only the kids with the neglectful or absent parents can have interesting lives or adventures worthy of a novel. As a parent, I'm a little unhappy with the way we're usually portrayed in YA lit. Sure there are shitty parents out there but most of us actually care about our kids and where they go and with whom.

7. Less Everlasting Love in High School.
Seriously! How many people do you know met their one and only true love in high school and stayed together forever? Especially nowadays. Sure, I thought I was irreparably and unconditionally in love with every boy I dated in high school. Then I grew up. Again, it does happen but for the most part, your HS love is not the one you end up with. High school dating is like a tasting menu where you find out what you do and do not want in a lifelong partner. It's not eternal, quit telling impressionable girls that it is. You're just building them up for a let down of epic proportions.

8. Less Love Triangles-
This is another big YA thing. I'm just sick of the mousy shy girl getting the two hottest guys in the entire town all in a tizzy over her. Nothing against the mousy girl, they deserve love too. However, it's just so cliche. One of the boys will be gorgeous, mysterious and brooding while the other is gorgeous, sweet and has been her best friend forever without her every even noticing that he's gorgeous. Will she pick the nice guy who she's known her whole life, makes her laugh and loves her deeply? Nope, she's going to pick the angsty, brooding mysterious guy who brings nothing but trouble (and hottness) to her life. Yawn.

9. More- International Settings
One of the reasons I love to read is  to explore places I may never get to see. I live in the US so I'd like to read more about those exotic locales that are a little more expensive or impossible to visit.

Wild10. It's a Toss Up- Cheesetastic Romance Covers
I don't read cheesy bodice rippers, it's just not my thing but the covers on some of these are so bad I can't help but groan. Really, some are truly awful. However, without them I would miss out on a little gem known as Supernatural Snark's Cover Critique where she takes these covers and gives her side-splittingly hilarious opinion of them. Seriously, go check it out! She makes me laugh so hard I cry. As long as she keeps doing it, then bring on the crappy covers.







14 comments:

Anne@HeadFullofBooks said...

I am totally with you on "crappy" parents. What is with that anyway? I sometimes feel like the parents are as insignificant as the parents in the Peanuts cartoons.

Michelle said...

Awesome list! I would definitely like to see more historical fiction and international setting. I laughed when I saw the cheesetastic romance covers- so, so true! Why are there so many truly awful covers out there?

Daisy said...

Lol and the cheesetastic romance covers! I read that post on Supernatural Snark too :) (Seriously, where is that hand going?? Doesn't he know he's being watched?)

Crappy parents made my list as well, as did love triangles and everlasting love. Seriously, I also thought I'd marry the first boy I dated, until like you said: I grew up. This is what happens to normal people.
Oh, and YAY for historical fiction!

Great list!

Book Crook Liza said...

Crappy parents, yes! I don't care much for the portrayal of parents either.

Anonymous said...

Definitely agree on the crappy parents! I'm a step-parent to teenagers and I can't imagine just swanning off for weeks/months/etc at a time and leaving them IN MY HOUSE to fend for themselves, lol.

Willa said...

Fantastic list! I am so with you on being over everlasting love in high school, yuck!

Thanks for making me smile :-)

Ps. I am your newest follower, will stop by again soon.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I know we need conflict in stories, but could there possibly be a YA book with parents who are doing a good job with their kids?!

Here'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!

Kristen said...

Great list! I'm totally with you on #7, everlasting high school love. It's nice dating people in high school but it's very rare for it to last forever! And it really is setting these girls up with huge expectations that will probably never be reached.

Laura (All the Word's a Page) said...

I love historical books! great choice. I wish more authors based their books on true historical events rather than just "set in 1800". I totally agree about crappy parents too. It seems this day that everyone's either absent, ignorant, abusive, or re-marries every 5 seconds. Where's the loving ones?

kayerj said...

loved your list, you put a lot of thought into it. Your last one has caught my interest. I'll have to check out that book. Kaye—the road goes ever ever on

Julia said...

I agree with a good deal of this list! I would love to see a story with a solid set of parents!

Thanks for participating in TTT!
Julia from The Broke and the Bookish

Books4Learning said...

Amazing list! I agree with everything! :)

Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

Oohh! I agree with every thing on your more list. Love it.

KristinCanRead said...

More Dystopian is a good thing.

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