Welcome to this week’s blog hop. Today the topic is:
What does it take to impress you when you are reading someone else’s book?
I think that I am a picky reader. I have my favorite genres, but I do venture to try others. A book must intrigue me in the first few pages. It’s like the “elevator pitch” of reading. I don’t want to be bored or confused right off the bat. I like when an author adds humor to their writing.
I have to care about the characters. Either by wanting them to survive or prevail, or for them to get what’s coming to them (good or bad). Two examples: I read The Martian quicker than I had read many books before. I wanted to know how the heck he was going to get out of this mess. On the other hand, I started a Robert Jordan trilogy (which turned out to be nine books), but as I was getting to the end of the 3rd book, I realized that they were not going to have time to do everything. I wasn’t that interested in the fate of the characters and I never continued.
I think thatit is easier to talk about why I stop reading a book. As I said before, I don’t like being confused. I’ll also stop if there is sexual or disturbing content. Not my thing.
I’ll often skim long descriptions of characters and places. It has to be relevant to the story—which probably explains why I usually write short stories. Some authors will make me want to read the descriptions. I suppose that is the mark of a great author.
With so many books out there to choose from, I should be able to find something, right?
Rules:
- Link your blog to this hop.
- Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
- Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
- Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
- Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Lines by Leon 
I try my best to suck readers in within the first couple of paragraphs. i usually have to do it twice because i write prologues and many readers often skip prologues and go to chapter 1 (which means they miss out on interesting over plot ideas but oh well). my fear is that i don’t give readers what they want
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I always read prologues. To me it means a setting up of the story. Some readers may think that prologues are just introductions. You may have to trick them by labeling it Chapter 1. 😉
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I’m with you if it doesn’t grab me in 3 chapters I’m out. Guess you didn’t read many of James Michener books. Books that are series better have good characters and plots that keep you interested to carry you to wanting to read the next one. For Fantasy, science fiction, horror fiction, Bradbury and King. Well I’ll stop here.
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I read “Space” a long time ago. I had to look up his books to remember what he wrote. I agree with you on Bradbury and King, although I was off King for quite a while.
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One book that I really loved
The Talisman
a novel by Peter Straub and Stephen King
I read it many years ago but I still remember it today, I highly recommend it.
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Yes, I like a good plot and to be intrigued after I’ve only read a few chapters. Like you, I don’t like reading graphic scenes of sex and violence – that would make me start skipping pages.
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Yeah, once I start flipping…I’m done.
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Me too.
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I’m with you on characters, if I hate the characters no plot can save the book. I have to care about them, otherwise there’s no story left 😅
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I have no problem with a well-done sex scene if it actually adds to the plot of a book. Those can be hard to find.
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I have one question: What is a blog hop?
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A topic is given and each participant will write on that topic and comment on each other’s blogs. I started from one of Stevie Turner’s posts:
https://steviet3.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/open-book-blog-hop-december-7th/h
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That sounds very interesting. And it is open to any blogger once invited?
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Yup. I’ll remind you on Monday.
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You can check Stevie’s site to see if she posts one or search blog hop. https://steviet3.wordpress.com/
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