5 Things I Love to See in a Book

Well hello everyone! I hope you’re all doing well 🙂

I actually had a hard time wondering what to write for this week’s post. I was working this weekend so I didn’t get a lot of time to think about blog ideas (procrastinating me leaves everything til the night before, of course). But I was thinking about my favourite books and why I like them so much, and I realised that there are a few things that really attract me to a novel. I tend not too read too much about a book before I buy it, but I do like to check out the blurb to at least get a general idea. And there are definitely a few things that always stand out to me, and are almost guaranteed to get me taking the book home with me.

There are quite a few things that pique my bookish senses, but I have tried to narrow it down to just 5. It was a lot harder than I thought!

So here are 5 things I love to see in a book:

 

1. Castles

 

Yep, I’m definitely a fantasy girl, and a lot of fantasy has at least one castle. As well as the obvious gorgeous castle environment, with grandeur, architecture and lots of rooms to explore, I really like reading books about castle life/politics, especially when someone has to suddenly learn all the rules and etiquette of noble society. I’m currently reading Red Queen, and I’m thoroughly enjoying reading how Mare is trying to cope adjusting to castle life and how to act around nobles. It is so different to normal life, and I love it.

 

2. Poison

I am always interested in books that have a focus on poison. Not so much the ins-and-outs of it, but I really enjoy reading about people who use poisons to kill, or, like with Yelena in Poison Study, is exposed to poisons on a daily basis. I also like the idea of someone being poisonous themselves, which is why I’m super interested in a 2017 release called Poison’s Kiss. I think I enjoy the danger aspect that poisons can bring to a story, and as soon as I see it included in a book blurb I am already excited to read it.

 

3. Suffering

Okay, so I’m a bit of a sadist when reading books. I love it when main characters get hurt, especially if they can struggle on and endure it rather than simply whine or black out. I find it makes the situation a lot more tense, and it is really exciting to read. I think it is because it shows a character’s endurance and strength, and I like the threat that the character may not be able to hold on lurking in the background during really important moments in a story (if that even makes sense). Poor babies, I’m sorry I find it so fun! #sorrynotsorry

 

4. Crew of misfits

I know, I know, it’s a bit cliché to use a gif from the show ‘Misfits’ to talk about how much I like reading stories with misfits in them. But seriously, over the years I’ve been itching to read more and more books about these kinds of characters, especially when they work together in one group. I use this term quite loosely; it is mainly about outcasts in whatever group they tend to belong in, and are all brought together to some certain circumstance. Even better if they have witty banter. My all time favourite so far is Frey and his crew aboard the Ketty Jay ❤ I mean, a narcissistic (and fairly useless) captain, a drunkard, an idiot, a pilot scared of everything, a daemonist-on-the-run, a metal golem and a grumpy cat, you just know stuffs going to go down. I love it even more when their plans just don’t go how they expected… I basically just like seeing characters having a bad day, haha! Outcast crews are an instant attraction to me right now, which is why I’m excited to read books like Six of Crows and Fool’s Gold. 🙂

 

5. Plot Twists

Hands down plot twists make a story SO much more memorable. I mean, having something completely unexpected happens definitely keeps me engaged, and I often find myself loving a book of series that much more. Sometimes attempts at a plot twist can be a bit predictable, but I love it when an author writes so well that is pops out of no where. Plot twists can be so varied, but right now my favourite is the twist of betrayal. The Red Rising trilogy is chock-full of twists and turns, and I honestly wasn’t expecting betrayals at all. I’ll admit it is hard to choose a book just with the mention of a plot twist (as I find this term can be subjective), but if I find a good one while reading, the book definitely becomes one of my favourites.

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So there we go- these are just some of the things I look for when choosing a new book to read. Now of course this isn’t all of them, so I might have to revamp or extend this in the future.

What kinds of things do you look for when choosing a new book to read? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing about what people enjoy reading about!

Note: all gifs here are taken from giphy.com

Post’s Featured Image from here