Top 10 Tuesday: Things That Make Me Pick Up A Book!

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Artsy Reader where different topics are explored each week. This weeks topic is “things that make you pick up a book” and I’m loving going through all the other lists. I find this one particularly interesting because reading is a super personal thing and I’m always fascinated by what makes other people choose the books they do. I’m currently teetering on the edge of another reading slump but I am going to push through because this is getting ridiculous. I do want to note that these are in no particular order. Coming up with ten things is hard enough, trying to prioritize them ain’t gonna happen.

#1. Recommendations. I’m a sucker for books that are beloved by people who I either share common reading interests in or who I just generally like (especially reviewers). As I’ve mentioned numerous times, being a part of the Traveling Friends/Sisters groups on Goodreads has been a super positive thing in my life and has given me some of my now all-time favorite books! Not just he books that are suggested as group reads, but also the ones these ladies read on their own because they’ve got Grade-A taste!

#2. Neature. Again with my redundancy problem. I love the outdoors and I personally think everyone in the world would be a lot happier if they did two things. 1) Spend more time outside and 2) read more. Texas doesn’t provide a lot of great opportunities to do my favorite outdoor activities, which all involve being in the mountains but even if it’s just laying in the yard or my hammock with a good book I love when what I’m reading has a focus on nature.

Said favorite activity. Photo from Wolf Creek Ski Basin in March.

#3. The author. If you’ve proven yourself to write books that I already love and make it into the few authors that are on my auto-purchase list then I’m gonna buy all your books and give you all my money even before I know what the book is about. A few of my favorite authors these days are: David Sedaris, Taylor Jenkins-Reid, Neal Shusterman and Blake Crouch.

#4. Romantic sub-plot / love triangles. OK OK I KNOW THEY CAN BE SUPER TERRIBLE. I don’t really read much romance anymore and I definitely can’t really tell you the last book I read with a love triangle in it. However, they’re both things I actually am kind of a sucker for and end up liking when other people hate it. Despite knowing with 100% certainty if I were in a love triangle I’d make the wrong choice, it’s so fraught with angst and for some reason I enjoy reading that. DoN’t JuDgE mE

#7. Missing and/or hurt children. I can’t tell you what it is about this trope that draws me right in hook, line and sinker. I don’t even have children but this one immediately tugs at my heart strings and when I read a synopsis about a missing child, or a child who has been hurt and we don’t know why I absolutely have to pick up the book to figure out what happened.

#6. Strong resilient women overcoming adversity. Sorry, unsure if you heard me, let me say it one more time for everyone in the back. I love strong women being resilient and overcoming adversity to become the boss bitches we all know they already were. This is a trope I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of. It can be found in literally every type of read and I love watching a woman come into her own and learn how to be the bad ass we the reader already know she is.

#7. Beautiful covers. Ugh, I kind of hate to say it but it’s true so there’s no point lying. While I won’t pick up a book solely for the cover and I won’t shy away from a book with a cover I don’t like there is something so pleasing about picking up a great sounding book that has a stunning cover to boot. Not only that, but then I can buy it and it’ll look so pretty and double as usable decor in my house!

#8. A good mystery. Despite being the number one rated garbage detective this side of the Mississippi I love a good mystery. It’s fun for so many reasons. If I get any of the twists or “a-ha” moments right I get to pat myself on the back for my mad $kills and if I get it wrong I’m a happy camper because the book surprised me! I’m a sucker for a synopsis that throws out big questions that can only be answered by reading the book.

#9. Hype-train. I’d love to say I’m a maverick that forges my own path and is never one to follow the herd. However, that would be a lie. When I see a certain book popping up all over my GR account or all over the blog-sphere I’m kind of a sucker. Granted, if it just doesn’t appeal to me at all I’ll obviously not pick it up but when so many readers I respect are loving something, I can’t help but want to get my hands on it too.

#10. Witches. IDK what it is y’all but I have always loved a good story involving witches. It isn’t just magic in general that entices me but witches in particular. I love a good urban fantasy but I’m particularly fascinated by the witch trials and period pieces involving witches. There’s just something so atmospheric about it and it absolutely draws me right in.

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Well there you have it folks! I’m hoping to have at least one review up for you this week so keep an eye out. What are some things that make you immediately want to pick up a book? Drop me a note in the comments and let me know!

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