Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly NOT Want to Read a Book

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish in which you make a list of ten to do with a certain topic.  This week’s topic is “Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly NOT Want To Read A Book (topic originally done back in 2013) — tell us all your book turn offs!”  I’m a bit late yet again…

Lenoreo’s Top Ten:

Some of these are impossible to tell unless someone spoils it in their reviews, but they still turn me off…  (And it doesn’t mean there won’t be exceptions, or I won’t be convinced to give it a try, these are just what make me NOT want to read it)

1. CHEATING!  Yeah, I know this is hard to know beforehand, though you can guess some in the blurbs.  But if I do see any mention in a review, I’m dibs out.  It’s just hard to empathize with characters that go there.  It apparently tests my empathy gene, and I come up short.
2. Love Triangles.  Now, don’t get me wrong, one of my favourite authors, and 2 of my favourite paranormal series by her contain major love triangles.  I will tolerate them if there’s something else bringing me in, but I’d rather avoid them.
3. Motorcycle Club books.  I just can’t get interested in heroes that are often killers or torturers or dicks to women.  I’m sure there are exceptions, but yeah…I’m not good with unredeemable characters.
4. Glaring mistakes in the blurb.  Yup, if an author can’t make sure that at least the blurb is typo free and with good grammar, then it doesn’t bode well for the book.
5. The book is MEGA popular.  See, I’m a hipster.  So if the book is mega popular and I didn’t get in from the beginning, then I’m likely to NEVER read it.  I think there’s so many other great underhyped books to read.  And I’m paranoid I won’t like it as much as everyone else.  Oh, and if there’s a movie made of it, then I’ll probably watch it, the final nail in the coffin.
6. The book is highly recommended by a good friend.  TOO MUCH PRESSURE!!!  If it’s just vaguely recommended, then sure.  Or if I’m already interested in the author, or I already have the book, then sure.  But if they’re super excited about the recommendation, I will avoid avoid avoid.  I know, it’s crazy.
7. No romance WHATSOEVER.  Yeah, I don’t mind if it’s just a tiny hint, but I need something.
8. Fancy flowery language.  This pretty much rules out classics, historicals, and high fantasy.  If I have to think too much about what the words are saying, then I’m out.  AND, it makes it so that I can’t relate to the characters if the dialogue is too hard to parse.  Personal quirk, I know.
9. Flat characters.  These next two are ones that are hard to know beforehand, but that can sometimes be mentioned in reviews.  Characters are my favourite part of a book, so I need them to be multi-faceted.
10. Miscommunication problems.  Yeah, it’s what killed my most recent read.  I HATE miscommunication problems…or at least ones that don’t get resolved in good time.

OK, so that was a wide range.  What about you guys?  What makes you instantly NOT want to read a book?