Top Ten Tuesday: Trends I Would Like to See More/Less

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

It's rewind week for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish, their link posted above. That means we get to pick any past topic that we either missed or wanted to revisit. It was so hard for me to pick, but I finally decided on trends! So I may have extended my list to having a total of six trends I want to see more of (with a bonus) and six trends I would like to see less of.

More:

International travel

Not just travel and road trips, mind you, but overseas! Whether it be travel like in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight where you don't get too much of the actual foreign country (not my preference) or in Christy Miller: College Years where they explored Europe. I could even go for more living than travelling. Various parts of Europe, China, Russia, Africa, Mexico...give it to me!

Retellings/reboots

I honestly hope every time I see a new retelling that not only is it good, that they don't mess it up entirely, but also that this trend won't suddenly become too overdone and stale for me. If authors keep finding new ways to spin tales and get tales that haven't been done a bazillion times, I think this trend could last a long time. Peter Pan, Tarzan, Emma, Aladdin, Mulan...just to name a few stories that would have awesome retellings. That also includes retellings with different POVs. You know, like the stepsister's story in Cinderella or it could be Harriet's POV in Emma.

Competitions

It might be the reality TV lover inside of me (shameful, I know) or it could be that I think it's fun reading about it, but I love when books are like competitions. The Hunger Games, anyone? Also, while I am not a fan of the book, I think one of the reasons why I want to keep reading The Selection series is because there's a competition! It really captures me in. 

Criminal/sleuth

I don't care if the main character is a criminal or a spy or anything similar, I want sleuthing and/or criminal activity. That sounds slightly bad. I want fictional sleuthing and/or criminal activity. Please. Somebody give me more. Ally Carter will be ending the Gallagher Girls this year and I still have not found a book that comes close to spy activity like this series.

Camp

Since I have never been able to experience the feelings of camp, I love reading about it. Sure, it's probably very fictionalized, but who doesn't love a good camp story? They are also great summer reads, which I'll need very soon. 

Geeks

I love my bad boys. LOVE. If you give me a dreaded love triangle and there is a bad boy in it, I will most likely pick him. Warner from Unravel Me, the Darkling from Shadow and Bone...I can go on. But  it would be a nice change of pace to have the geek be the love interest. Superman may be macho, but Clark Kent is as lovable. 

Bonus: Arranged marriages

This might sound really strange, but I think arrange marriages would be very fun to read about. Or at least a partnership where they don't know each other at first. One of my mom's favorite Christian books is The Princess by Lori Wick. It's not exactly an arranged marriage, but pretty close. 

Less:

Insta-love

Ugh. Insta-love. I think everybody can agree with me that it can be described in one word: stupid. Oh, I see him and I am suddenly in love. OUR LOVE WILL LAST FOREVER. Yeah...no. You are attracted, you are not in love. 

Annoying heroines

May I slap you, please? Their annoying factor can range from them whining to making stupid choices to being unrealistically naive. There are so many examples, I could go on forever. I just want a strong heroine who doesn't make my eyes roll every other page. 

Trilogies

Okay, I love trilogies, I do. However, can't you change it up and make different kinds of series? What about just two books? Or even better, just one? Sometimes you don't have to drag out a series. I know fans want more, but as an author, you (sometimes) know best. 

Stereotypical mean girls

Usually, the stereotypical mean girls are the cheerleaders or the popular girls, more exactly. I honestly don't think that they are the only people in high school who can be mean. If you're going to have a mean girl as a villain, mix it up and pick someone else besides a cheerleader. Be creative and don't pick the "popular" girl. I want variety!

The "Hero"

Now, listen. I like a sensitive, strong guy just like the rest of you. There comes up a point though where he becomes too much. Can't a girl be strong by herself. Does he really need to come swoop in and save? Can't he just be a supporting character if she needs him. One of the problems I had with The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston (review will come soon!) is that Ethan felt too pushy. He was supposed to be mysterious and sensitive and always there. He was just annoying. Enough already.

Parentless or broken families

When I read a book with happy families or at least families who are together and the parents are in tact, I feel like I got a breath of fresh air. The Fault in Our Stars is a great example of this. There's conflict with her illness, but still, her parents are alive and Hazel is actually close to them. That is what I call a win.

~*~

What are some trends you would like to see more or less of?