Top Ten Tuesday: What's Hot in Books?
Top Ten Tuesday is a blogging activity that involves listing and books, and it is hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week, they've asked us to list the top ten trends we would like to see more or less of.
Less:
4. Series. I don't want to read a series. I can barely read a number of books by the same author. I'm trying to be a less shallow reader, but also trying to read widely. Oh the dilemma.
3. E-books published as PDFs. I much prefer e-pub. Please more e-pub.
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1. Making movies of books right after the book comes out. This seems to be happening in YA when books are bought as a package deal with their film rights. This is great for authors, but I like to read the book before seeing the movie, and this trend makes me feel rushed.
**Note: I've never read the book in the picture. It might be awesome, but what's with the cover?
More:
4. Unconventional narrative points of view, like the monkey perspective in THE EVOLUTION OF BRUNO LITTLEMORE.
3. Dystopian books for adults, like the ones the MARGARET ATWOOD writes.
2. PENGUIN EDITIONS with beautiful covers.
1. Short books- novellas- like those published by MELVILLE HOUSE.
What trends in books do you love or hate?
Yours might be one of my favorite lists! Completely agree with interconnected short story collections and more short books/novellas. I think if people would give them a try, they'd find they really like them. And I also feel super rushed when these movies pop out right after the book. I know I'm a little behind with The Hunger Games and One Day, but at least I read The Help and World War Z in time.
ReplyDeleteLove Margaret Atwood! And I gave Melville House a shout-out, too. My list is here.
ReplyDeleteWow...I don't need my own list because I agree with absolutely everything on yours! I'm so tired of reading books only to discover there's more to come. And I love the interconnected stories...GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES is kind of like that.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered Margaret Atwood and I'm in love!
Yes, yes, yes. I love interconnected short stories (Olive Kitteridge, for example).
ReplyDeleteI like the way you broke this into two sections here. Sensible.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with all your thoughts, esp. about PDFs of books: really??
Anything by Atwood I'll read, although Bruno Littlemore creeped me out! However, I agree that I'd be happy to see more unique points of view in current fiction.
Interconnected stories: Also a favorite since I read Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino years ago.
Thanks for reminding me of that experience and for such a compelling list.
Very thought provoking list! Vampires are on my list as well. In fact, I think they're on all the lists. :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite: More books with an unconventional point of view. Yes.
Did you read and review the Bruno Littlemore book? I'm curious. I've wanted to read it, but I'm just afraid the ending's going to be a real downer. Lately I haven't been in the mood for that sort of thing.
@Yvette: I'm reading it now, but I haven't finished. I will definitely review it when I'm done. I can say that it isn't for everyone, but so far it is one of my favorites of the year.
ReplyDeleteLove your list! Especially dystopian novels for adults. I'm reading Atwood's Oryx and Crake right now and loving it.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand the rushed book-to-movie conversion. I just got The Help out of the library because all the commercials were making me feel anxious. (This is one I wish I had put on my list!)
Great list. I don't get the idea of releasing books and movies adapted from the books around the same time - it DOES seem so rushed, and I get this sort of sickened feeling about it because the marketing work is so obvious there. I see how it can be good for authors - more attention, more money - but aren't there benefits to waiting and letting the book settle before starting production on a movie? Maybe this isn't fair, but I think of those book/movie combos as not capable of lasting - there's this marketing blitz but they'll vanish soon after.
ReplyDeleteIs that Jennifer Crusie cover your example of a bad cover? I'm hoping so, because the first time I looked at it I thought, "what the hell are MAXI PADS doing on a book cover?"
-- Ellen
Great list! Thanks for stopping by to comment on mine. I hadn't even thought about cover/design for my more/less list. But I really don't like covers that are clearly marketing for only one audience. And I love those new Penguin hardcover editions--they're a good price, too!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Margaret Atwood before and in my Top Ten Tuesday I mentioned being unable to find any good dystopian novels.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely make sure to look her up and read some of her stuff, thank you for the inadvertent suggestion!
I'm not a huge fan of short story collections in general but I've heard A Visit From the Goon Squad is pretty good. Couldn't agree more with unconventional narrative points of view or just some sort of unique way of telling the story. Of course more Dystopian books, haven't read Atwood yet though but am looking forward to her books. And I laughed at the lousy cover design example, some covers are just plain strange and seem so unrelated to the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat list. I couldn't agree more about film adaptions of books, right after the book has been published.
ReplyDeleteYes! MORE Penguin clothbounds!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you about the series thing. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?? I get that stories sometimes don't fit into one nice little package, but I can think of a few that should have been one book. I find it irritating to read series that have no end.
and no more vampires. That trend is dead.