Follow Friday (1)
Feature and Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read. It’s a great way to find new blogs to follow and allow others to find your blog! Find out how to participate here!
Here’s this week’s question:
Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kick ass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?
The books I tend to really enjoy have, first and foremost, interesting plots. If there are twists and turns and lots of action and mystery, I’m probably going to love it! I know a lot of people are more interested in characters than in the plot, and yes, I need to have believable characters that are complex, and that I can relate to, but the plot is really what hooks me. But I also do love strong female characters, and the love interests that I enjoy are the shy, underrated, nerdy ones, rather than the Alpha Male.
What kind of characteristics do you find yourself drawn to in the books that you love? Let me know, and let me know if you’re participating in this blog hop and I’ll check out your blog!
Related Posts
Patricia
February 3, 2012 at 4:02 pmOh nerdy guys! Can you recommend a few books to me? I'm currently doing a few reading lists and one topic is "Nerdy (and preferably funny) Heroes" !
I need strong plots, but the protagonists have to be complex, too. Mostly because I like internally-driven plots, I suppose. *g*
Happy Friday!
Patricia
andreamantis
February 3, 2012 at 8:27 pmHmm, I can't even really think of any now! Maybe Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. He's not too nerdy but he's an inventor and makes all these cool gadgets.
Oooh, or any of John Green's male protagonists. They're not necessarily nerdy, but they're definitely not your typical Alpha Male.
I'll see if I can come up with any more… Now I'm off to check out your blog! Thanks for commenting!
fakesteph
February 3, 2012 at 4:03 pmI'm a character girl myself, but, man, do I love nerdy boys. :)
andreamantis
February 3, 2012 at 8:43 pmThey're great, right? Yeah, I mean, I need to have complex characters, but I can kind of let them slide if the plot is just fantastically awesome. But the writing has to be really fantastic, too. Not just a epic plot with no characterization at all and horrible writing. That does not work. Thanks for the comment!
Mackenzie @ Oh, For the Love of Books!
February 3, 2012 at 6:33 pmPlot is definitely high up on my list! I have read books where the characters are kinda meh, but I'll still enjoy it because the story itself is interesting. And I love strong female characters! It doesn't always have to be physical strength, I do really enjoy mental strength, but I must say that I do like when a character can kick butt, literally :D
Hm….I don't know that I have a preference when it comes to the men. I'll admit, I like a man's man. Tough and rugged ;) but I've also come across characters that are shy or just good guys and I really like em! Hm….I think it just depends on my mood :p But overall, I do like the tough guys :)
andreamantis
February 3, 2012 at 8:45 pmYeah, I'm with you there – I can let the characters slide a bit if the plot is amazing. But it's different with every book, I guess. Thanks for the comment!
Jessica (Peace Love Books)
February 3, 2012 at 7:56 pmYes! I HAVE to read an interesting book or else I'll just end up skimming the rest of the pages in 10 minutes because I want to move on. Hope you have a great Friday :)
Here's my FF!
andreamantis
February 3, 2012 at 8:46 pmWoohoo! I'm not alone! Thanks for visiting and commenting! I'm off to check out your site!
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
February 3, 2012 at 8:28 pmIf the characters are interesting enough, I need less plot. But yes, I get so irritated at books where nothing happens…
Thanks for stopping by my blog :)
andreamantis
February 3, 2012 at 8:53 pmYeah, I can see that. If the characters are rich and complex, the plot isn't as important. But the plot is always what hooks me…
And thanks for stopping by my blog! ;)
Eileen
February 3, 2012 at 9:49 pmHmm…I always love the badboys of a book, but I agree with everything else! Covers are always something that I need to be good in a book and of course the heroines. I'm a new follower, by the way.
http://eileenlisblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/follow-friday-13.html
andreamantis
February 4, 2012 at 2:49 amYeah, I like the bad boys, too! And yes, covers are important. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but it's hard not to!
Thanks for the follow and the comment! I'm off to check out your blog!
Magan
February 3, 2012 at 9:59 pmMy favorite, favorite books have super well-rounded characters. I like seeing all kinds of different parts of their lives. I like to get to know their friends, family, see them at school, and wherever else they may be. I feel like that's when I sympathize the most – when I understand the character the best. It seems so simple, really, but a lot of books forget the family aspect all together. :-/
Magan @ Rather be Reading
andreamantis
February 4, 2012 at 2:55 amYeah, I agree with you on the whole family thing. Some of my favorite characters end up being the side characters, and I love it when the parents and/or siblings end up being awesome, complex characters, too!
Thanks for stopping by!
Bonnie Regan
February 4, 2012 at 4:27 amDefinitely agree. The plot is what holds everything together after all! :) Thanks for stopping by.
Bonnie @ Sweet-Tidbits
andreamantis
February 4, 2012 at 5:59 pmAnd thanks for stopping by here! ;)
Jessi
February 4, 2012 at 7:29 pmStory absolutely trumps all as far as I'm concerned! Totally agree with you on that. And really, if the story is rock solid the characters usually have to be too.
Brilliant answer and thanks for stopping by! Following back via GFC
Otherwhere.co
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 3:36 amAnd thanks for stopping by here and for the follow! ;)
The Sagacity Quest
February 4, 2012 at 10:42 pmGreat answer! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 3:36 amAnd thanks for stopping by here! ;)
Jessi (Geo)
February 5, 2012 at 6:05 amTotally agree! I returned the follow, thanks for stopping by :)
Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli Reads
geobobspinelli.blogspot.com
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 6:12 amThanks for stopping by here, too, and for the comment and follow! ;)
Megan (Between the Lines)
February 5, 2012 at 7:09 pmThat's a great answer! I love shy, nerdy characters too. The plot also has to pull me in too.
Thanks for stopping by, following back. =)
Megan @ Between the Lines
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 9:36 pmAnd thanks for stopping by here, and for the comment and the follow! ;)
Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog
February 5, 2012 at 7:17 pmI am definitely into characters more than plot (but the plot can't suck either!) and I lurve me a big strapping alpha male (yum)! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Jennifer @ The Bawdy Book Blog
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 9:36 pmAnd thanks for stopping by here! ;)
Andie Z
February 5, 2012 at 9:02 pmI love shy and nerdy love interests! They're adorable.
New follower! :)
Andie
My Friday Hops
andreamantis
February 5, 2012 at 9:37 pmThanks for stopping by and for the follow! ;)
Brandileigh2003 (Blkosiner's Book Blog)
February 6, 2012 at 2:19 amI’m following you now from Follow Friday, and to follow me back, check out My Follow Friday post
andreamantis
February 6, 2012 at 4:45 amThanks so much for stopping by and for the follow! I'm off to check out your blog!
Rachel
February 7, 2012 at 2:15 amQuite right, quite right! Plot is important! And, hey now! You talk about my blog… Yours is BEAUTIFUL! I'm so jealous. :P
Thanks for stopping by my blog, and sorry it took so long to get back to you! I'm following you back! :)
Rachel @ Paper Cuts
andreamantis
February 7, 2012 at 3:06 amAwww, thanks! And thanks for stopping by here and for the follow! ;)
Jackie's Little World
February 7, 2012 at 4:36 amI guess I haven't read enough books with attractively nerdy guys in them :) But now I want to!
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! I'm following you back!
Have a great week!
andreamantis
February 7, 2012 at 4:43 amAnd thanks for stopping by here and for the follow! ;)
Ashley R
February 7, 2012 at 11:02 amI'm so sorry it took so long to reply back, but thanks for visiting my blog and following – I am very happily returning the favor! I swore I was following you already, but it wasn't showing up in my GFC; but all fixed now :)
I love love love the 'shy, underrated nerdy boy' and would take any of those book boys over Alpha Males any day!
Ashley @ Ashley Loves Books
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase
February 7, 2012 at 2:10 pmNo worries! Thanks for stopping by here and for the follow!
ClaireLouise
February 7, 2012 at 11:53 pmHello! I am a new follower!! Found you via the blog hop! Can't wait to read your posts!
Claire
http://clairelouisereads.blogspot.com.au/
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase
February 8, 2012 at 3:30 amThanks for stopping by and for the follow! I'm off to check out your blog!