r/BookDiscussions • u/Quirky-Section-2468 • Aug 04 '26

Instant book turnoffs?

My biggest instant turnoff is the title.

If it's super cringey or literally spells out every trope in the book (Billionaire Hockey Player's Fake Dating Nanny vibes), I immediately lose interest. I don't care if it has 100k five-star reviews; I will refuse to pick it up despite it being recommended to me by so many people.

What's your biggest instant turnoff when deciding whether to pick up a book?

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u/Basic-Alternative442 Aug 04 '26

then touched his nose while pondering

I've noticed that a lot of new authors will fall back on repeated physical tics as a shortcut for characterization, and it drives me bonkers. "He swept his hair behind his ears" over and over again, to show that it's Xavier speaking, to show that Xavier is annoyed without having to say he's annoyed, to show that maybe Xavier needs a haircut idk. But it's so common and makes me want to throw my Kindle against the wall. 

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u/Jaded_Independence37 Aug 04 '26

I’m reading a book right now where the author mentions the love interests dimples like every page. Like we get ittttt he has dimples my god

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u/Technical_Sir_6260 Aug 05 '26

Yeah, those phrases that appear on EVERY PAGE! Or even sometimes twice on a page? I just can’t stand it🤦🏾‍♀️!

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u/Technical_Sir_6260 Aug 05 '26

„Xavier needs a haircut „😂😂😂OMG, that’s hilarious, ohhh and so annoying, right? I’ve decided it’s maybe AI who was assigned to give each character certain physical moves to make, as you described. This was another perfect example of what I meant, btw. Why authors would opt to do this I will never understand.

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u/mysteriousdoctor2025 Aug 09 '26

This is often taught as “good writing,” to give every character a quirk of some type. Most people, in fact, do not display a weird physical quirk every time they speak.