Friday, January 24, 2014

Snarkfest: Types of Relationships in YA


One of my bookish goals for this year was to start a new feature. I decided to combine two of my favorite things: books and snark, and just ramble on and on about anything that has to do with books. It's not a regular feature, and is going to be posted randomly, maybe 3-4 times a month.

This first topic I chose to do is the types of relationships in the young-adult genre. To keep this short, I'll stick to overused romantic relationships, especially since this aspect is usually what makes or breaks a book for me (commonly, it breaks the book).

1. The Opposites Attract
Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy, #1)
Example: Anna and Kaiden from Sweet Evil

Whenever I read a romance like this, I think of Avril Lavigne's slightly irrelevant Sk8ter Boi. This overused, hackneyed romance device is one of the worst, and usually portrays the good-girl-bad-boy scenario. First of all, this is in no way original. Secondly, it's irritatingly boring. I wouldn't consider something romantic if the only thing it makes me feel is annoyance and/or anger. More likely anger.

2. The Stallers/Drama-Llamas
Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly, #1)
Example: Eleanor and Daniel from Something Strange and Deadly

This is the couple that isn't really a couple but are clearly pining after each other. They have no reason to be apart, but the author just stretches the period in order to create suspense, which is quite pointless, if you ask me. There is unnecessary drama and a whole lot of pages wasted on something that shouldn't even be there. I personally get annoyed and just stop caring about their relationship entirely.

3. The Conductors 
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1)Die for Me (Revenants, #1)
Examples: Ethan and Lena from Beautiful Creatures, Amy and Vincent from Die for Me

Yes, I'm referring to electric conductivity. This couple responds to each other the second they touch/make eye contact. They feel "electricity" if they so much as graze the other's pinky. Sparks fly. Literally. I'd just like to point out how dangerous this is if you actually share electricity and how horribly unrealistic it is. I don't get it. Is feeling an electric shock a pleasurable feeling?

4. The Miracle-Workers
Darker Still (Magic Most Foul, #1)
Example: Natalie and Jonathan from Darker Still

This is the relationship that once the protagonist gets into it, ALL HER PROBLEMS MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR. *waves hands around* The guy is the wuv of her life and therefore "transforms" her world. I mean, I even read a novel where the MC, previously mute, regained her speech when she was in her guy's presence. *gags*

What are some cliched relationships that annoy you? Are there any other books with these relationships? (I'm sure there are many -__-)   

12 comments:

  1. I love this feature! I can get pretty snarky about some things too, so I'm looking forward to reading more of this :)
    I'm personally very tired of "forbidden love", especially "our families are trying to kill each other but I WILL CAST ASIDE EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT TO BE WITH YOU". It seems like a lot of assassins nowadays are falling hard for their targets...

    - Kritika @ Snowflakes & Spider Silk

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    1. Thanks so much! Haha, that can be known as the "Romeo and Juliet relationship", which I end up hating most of the time. It's SO lame.

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  2. I'm very tired of the good girl, bad boy type of YA relationship. However, sometimes I enjoy it, if it's done right. But I've read so many of these types of romances lately, that I want something new. They are ESPECIALLY cliched and common in the New Adult genre, which is why I'm straying from those books a bit.

    PS. Love the feature! :)

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    1. I know NA has the worst case scenarios, based on what I've heard about the different books, which is why I'm staying awaaay from that genre. I guess if the topic is handled by the right author and in a fresh way, I would probably enjoy it as well. Thanks! ^_^

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  3. Haha this is hilarious! I remember wondering if the electricity between Ethan and Lena was painful lol. The stalker story's are really annoying to me. I feel like any girl / def her friends would be telling her to stay away from the weirdo who is stalking her! Lol.
    Great feature Summer ^_^

    Dee @ Dee's Reads

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    1. Exactly! None of it is realistic. And especially since mostly teens are reading these books, it would teach them that it's romantic if a guy stalks them.

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  4. Ohmygosh, Thank you! Authors Everywhere...If the romance is going to be like any of the above, JUST LEAVE IT OUT! I often find that a book has a great plot, great characters, world-building, etc., but the romance totally screws it up.
    In Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike, one of the MC's love interests kept mysteriously popping up everywhere she was and the moment he asks her to follow him she does. Argh.
    Great post!

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    1. SAME! i usually end up hating a book JUST because of the romance.

      Eeew. I'm never touching that book. Ever.

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  5. OMG I'm not the only person who things of that song sk8er boy haha! You're so right about the types of relationships. It's like authors have some writing guidelines and have to choose which type of couple they'll be. I just want something from the norm at least once!

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    1. Lol! I don't know why publishers thinks teens enjoy this, because we don't. At least book bloggers don't.

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  6. Haha This is absolutely perfect! I don't really mind the opposites attract relationship types. They are overused, but sometimes I enjoy them. The conductors are my least favorite relationship along with the I've-Just-Met-You-But-I'd-Die-Without-You. Those are just the worst.

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    1. OMG I HATE THAT! Seriously I could write a post dedicated to just how much I hate those kinds of romances. They're super unrealistic and just... annoying.

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