Top Ten Tuesdays #411: NOT Auto-Reads

Things That Make Me Automatically NOT
Want to Read a Book (Opposite of Read-Bait!)

Top Ten Tuesdays were started by The Broke and the Bookish and are now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, where we make lists of our top ten books (or something else!) based on that week’s prompt. The topics are provided ahead of time and can be found here. Book links bring you to Goodreads or my review.

Yes, I’ve also written this post before but I’ll recycle some ideas and toss a few more in 😉

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Police or military

Yeah, sorry. I am not going to read any book where the main character is a cop or dates one. I won’t get into it all here but generally yes it’s for the reasons you’re probably thinking. The same kind of goes for the military but not for all of the same reasons, and I’m less strict on that. I will read a book that sounds good with an ex-military love interest but there’s a chance I lose interest. It’s usually because they have tough feelings to work through and sometimes even PTSD, which personally is not something I like to read about in books. As you’ll see later in this list, I like happier books overall haha. Sometimes there’s a subplot where the cop or ex-military dude lost his partner in the line of duty or during a deployment, and it just makes me sad.

Religion

I’m not religious and I don’t have interest in reading books centered around religion in most capacities. The underlying religious tones to some small town romances also cn grate on me but to a lesser extent. I’m okay with cult books if they’re by a trusted author and it’s usually because it’s more extreme. THE NAMES THEY GAVE US is one of *very few* religion-oriented books that worked for me and I completely credit the author for that, since she’s my favorite.

Motorcycles or cars

I don’t have any interest in books where the main dude is super into motorcycles, cars, or racing. I know there have been some motorcycle-ish YA books in the past as well as some Formula One racing romances lately, and none of them interest me. I just don’t care, and there’s often the ~bad boy~ attached to them. Not my thing. Give me the cinnamon roll men please.

Pregnancy

Nah. I don’t care about children in books (this is less true as I get older and if the author writes them very cute and sweet) and I especially don’t enjoy surprise pregnancy. I didn’t mind it in THE GOAL but it’s only because I was already very invested in the series and couples.

Hunting, guns, or ~manly man stuff~

Much like some of the other things you’ll see on this list, I don’t love a manly man love interest who hunts and fishes and wants women to hang out in the kitchen. Okay fine, I don’t really read books with that last part but overall the concept of men being ~MEN~ and having guns or similar hobbies is just so not my vibe. For this reason, Abby Jimenez’s debut is my least favorite of hers because Josh just fit that profile too much for my personal tastes. I believe there’s a person out there for everyone and totally get that me, IRL Lauren, would not date this man, and it doesn’t have to affect my enjoyment of a book… but it does!

Dark romance and certain romance tropes (major age gap, controlling men, hostage/Stockholm Syndrome, etc.)

This is definitely a catch-all mostly based on dark romance. I just have NO interest in this genre whatsoever. You’ll never catch me reading a Colleen Hoover book (tried and hated VERITY more than I can explain) or any of the other popular Tiktok books that people love. Totally fine for you to enjoy it, but not me. There are a variety of romance tropes I specifically avoid: a major age gap where the guy is being creepy, overly controlling and possessive dudes, guys who believe in traditional gender roles, hostage situations and Stockholm Syndrome… among others.

Started as fanfiction

Do not get me wrong – I used to love and read fanfiction all the time (even Hermione x Draco fic… woof). I think it fully has a place in society and for readers/fans. However, when I hear that an author’s book started as fanfiction about another couple, I’m not inclined to read it. I won’t be able to get that out of my head! There’s a very popular romance series (you know the one) based on ReyLo fic and I just cannot ever read it. I’m sorry.

Music-focused

I enjoy music as much as the next person but I definitely don’t listen to it as much as others do! I have specific bands and singers I like, I listen to them when driving with other people and sometimes in the background while working… but otherwise? I’m listening to audiobooks and podcasts 90% of my time. I don’t have a big pull to read books where the MC is trying to be a singer or is really good at the violin. I’ve read books by favorite authors (like NIGHT MUSIC) but again, that’s for the author and not the overall premise.

Heavy horror, zombies, or demons

I read some lighter horror books (again, by favorite authors like Stephanie Perkins or Kieran Scott, who I got to know through contemporary YA books first), but nothing too heavy. You won’t catch me adding books to my TBR that involve zombies or demons needing to be expelled from someone’s body.

Very heavy, sad topics

This is another catch-all probably but I do tend to avoid books that are overly sad, depressing, or heavy, especially within contemporary or literary fiction. I’ll read mysteries with murder, sure, but that’s a whole different thing. I don’t read books involving sexual assault or bullying, for example, because they make me too sad. I use books to escape how garbage our world is 9 times out of 10, so I just try to read books that will make me happy or give me some kind of positive emotion. I haven’t read a sad book in a very long time and I’ve enjoyed that journey for myself personally.

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