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Another week and another list of five things. This time as I’ve had a bit of a rubbish week I thought a bit of a moan would help me get everything out of my system so I’m going for five book related pet peeves.

It’s actually quite difficult to limit myself to just the five but I’ll try.

1. The Weak Female Protagonist

The weak female protagonist is completely dependant on everyone around her. She can’t do anything for herself and spends most of the time cowering in fear or crying. Her main mission in life is to find a man who will look after her and solve all of her problems. The most important thing is what said man does, thinks or feels about her. I’m all for a romance and an alpha male but I like to see the female character as an even match with a strong personality and belief in her own abilities. It drives me nuts when she doesn’t even try to do things for herself. It’s ok to ask for help but not to expect someone else to solve all of your problems. Please just try.

2. The Never Ending Love Triangle

As a general rule I don’t have anything against love triangles in books. Even though they’ve been done a lot if they are well written they keep you hooked to the story as you try to work out which way the central character will go. Quite often it’s obvious how things will turn out and you will generally be rooting for that couple who seem to be the perfect match. What does drive me crazy though is when the person at the centre won’t make a decision and the triangle seems to drag on forever.

The Selection series was the perfect example of this. The main protagonist America wouldn’t make a decision between two guys so kept them both dangling. She would run hot and cold with both. Push them away, then get jealous if it looked like they were actually going to go. This continued for three books and frustrated the hell out of me. If I had been either of the guys I would have been long gone but they just seemed to hang in there waiting to see if she’d choose them.

3. Complaining about super powers

Come on, you have super powers, what are you moaning about? Embrace it, enjoy it, have some fun already.

Super powers equals awesome.

This one isn’t even limited to just super powers, which are pretty cool, but also those who complain about things a lot of people wish would happen to them. For example, “my boyfriend is really rich but I hate all the expensive presents he buys me”. Really? If you don’t want them I’ll take them. Going back to the love triangle, “there are two gorgeous, wonderful guys who say they love me and I’m stuck in the middle”, boo hoo there are a lot of people on their own and lonely. Stop hogging all the good ones.

It’s very possible I’m just jealous but get a grip what are you complaining about.

4. The Pointless Sequel/Prequel

The first book was great, it sold millions of copies and the critics loved it. Stop right there. Unless you can write a book that moves the story on, takes it in a unique new direction and builds on the original don’t write a sequel or prequel or even a spin off. You’re milking it and ripping off your loyal fans. What makes it worse is when it’s just a rehash of the previous book. No, just no. If your readers disappear it’s your own fault.

5. The Bad Ending that Ruins the Whole Book/Series

You’ve found that book or series that you absolutely love and you can’t wait to find out how it will all end. You’re so caught up in the story you forget to eat, you ignore everyone around you and stay up all night and then you get to the end and it’s awful. It’s so bad it ruins the whole thing for you. All that time and emotion you put in and that’s how it ends?

By a bad ending I don’t necessarily mean an unhappy one or in some cases a non ending where things are left open. They can be the right thing for the story. What I mean is the rushed ending or the cop out. It’s like the author didn’t know how to finish it so just resolved everything in the last chapter so they could all live happily ever after. I would much rather an unhappy ending that fits the story than the happy one that was probably down to pressure from fans and just doesn’t fit.

Anyway, that’s my list, what’s yours?