Top Ten Tuesday~ Words to Avoid
I’ll be joining Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday again this year.
This week’s topic is: Words or phrases that make you want to read a book, or that make you want to avoid it. I decided to go with things that make me want to avoid a book because I figured it would be harder. Most books make me want to dive in, so finding the things that turn me off a book takes a lot. I couldn’t come up with 10, but there are layers to some of the ones I did come up with, so I’m going to go with what I have.
“Clean”
When the word “clean” is used to describe a closed-door romance, that’s an automatic no from me. It usually signals that the book is going to be preachy and implies that sex is somehow “dirty”. I have no issue with fade-to-black or closed-door romances in general, but “clean” is a step beyond that.
“That” series
There are a few different ways that certain wizard series will make me not want to read a book.
- New books that list it as a comp
- Books that are thinly disguised fan fiction, and use it in their marketing
- Books written and published within the last several years that reference the series will result in a DNF. (Books written before the author revealed themselves as a horrible person are given a pass).
Problematic Plots
While I am generally open to anything, there are certain plotlines that are a no-go.
- Anything that hints at pedophilia (age gap is fine, attraction to a child is not)
- Incest (not step-siblings, not false-parentage, but actual incest)
- Anything that is intensely preachy
Problematic Authors
Separating the art from the artist only works if they are no longer profiting off the work, especially if they are using those profits to do harm.
- Authors who use their platforms to promote hatred, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.
- Authors who use their power (such as it is) to minimize others through bullying
- Authors who commit SA or other heinous crimes
I avoid clean as well.
Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/my-top-10-bookish-buzzwords/
I agree with all your points
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
I agree with your points.Have a good week and have a good day. Here is my TTT. https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2026/03/31/top-ten-tuesday-25-buzzwords-or-phrases-that-make-me-want-to-read-or-avoid-a-book/
I completely agree with all of these!
I agree with all of these! I definitely appreciate using “That” series to talk about it. And yes to the word “clean.” I’ve definitely read and enjoy closed door or fade-to-black romance books but as someone who has deconstructed Christianity and is now a self-proclaimed pagan, I nope out of those!
Clean is not something I typically enjoy eiter.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2026/03/31/top-ten-tuesday-reasons-to-read-or-avoid-a-book/
I don’t mind reading romances that don’t include sex, and I do struggle to find a way to describe them other than “clean”. I’m willing to take suggestions so I can better describe books people may enjoy that go beyond fade-to-black. Does that make any sense?
Here’s my TTT for the week: https://readbakecreate.com/the-qs-us-vs-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-q-u-or-v/