All About Books discussion

Most of us probably skim over a dozen or more books a day here, there and everywhere. Then we stop in our tracks when we find one we take time to consider.

Is there a word (or two or three) that grabs you, a real clincher? Or certain words that turn you off?

Some of my YES words:

parallel universe
ancient scroll
plague
templars
time travel


NO words:

tearjerker
spunky (heroine)
sensitive

Good question DJ! I do share your love for time travel and other fantasy elements.

Here are my other words:

YES words:

evocative
vivid
tactile
wonder
awe
fanciful
deep characterizations
perceptive
literary
lush descriptions
dense
metaphoric
symbolic
magical
difficult to understand
stream of consciousness
poetic
hopeful
fable
mystic
gothic

CAUTION words (not quite NO but strong warnings):

gritty, grinding
hip, fashionable
testosterone
lacks depth
soulless
dry
not one likeable character
nihilistic
antihero
repetitive, episodic
boring

Greg wrote: "Good question DJ! I do share your love for time travel and other fantasy elements.

Here are my other words:

YES words:
lush descriptions
vivid
fanciful
deep characterizations
"

Sounds like we enjoy the same sorts of books, when a reviewer says the author spent too much time on the scenery, I usually give it a second look, if it's fantasy-based. I don't need a description of Pittsburgh.

NO:
Inspiring
Heart-warming

I sound like a curmudgeon. lol It's okay if is a book _is_ inspiring or heart-warming, but I don't want that up front.

Yes:

Virtual Reality

:-) wow. speaking of, mind opening.
I have never thought of that.

with me, the pre-selection happens by who is recommending a book. if a bookish friend with a similar taste in books gives a particular book a high rating ... then, I automatically want to check it out.

DJ Zippergirl wrote: "Most of us probably skim over a dozen or more books a day here, there and everywhere. Then we stop in our tracks when we find one we take time to consider..."

For mysteries, my words are:

YES words:
Golden Age
classic
historical fiction mystery

NO words:
dark
psychological thriller
troubled detective

However, this is just for reading the blurbs -- if a friend recommends me a mystery with those "no" words, I will probably read it & chances are good I will like it too. I was surprised to discover how hard it was to pin down what exactly did appeal to me in the books I would stop to look at longer than others.