What makes you CRAZY in a book?

[Jill James]

I hate when a chapter ends with a cliffhanger that goes something like this....Little did Joe know, but he only had seconds to live.

[mscott998t]

I'm not fond of points of view that shift from first person to third and then back to first. I read a book like that this summer, and it really bothered me.

[RJMcDonnell]

I agree with Carolyn J. Rose about severe logic problems. I just started a book called Abuse of Power. In the first chapter a Land Rover is carjacked at a stop light. The robber takes off before the light turns green and clips a Prius, turning it 90 degrees. How fast could the Land Rover be going at that point? Ten mph? It then runs into the back of a bread truck, flipping it upside down and propelling the robber through the windshield. I rarely stop reading a book before giving it at least 50 pages, but I'm making an exception in this case. If the Land Rover was going so slow at the time of impact that the airbag didn't deploy, the only way it could possibly flip upside down would have to involve the Dukes of Hazard. I'm sorry, but that's a deal breaker.

[rklewis]

THANK YOU for bringing up when people trip! It drives me absolutely insane....like really, can't they at least do SOMETHING different? Maybe be turned around, trying to find their attacker, and run headlong into a tree? Or straight into the mouth of some giant, never before seen bird? Anything other than tripping.
Describing someones eyes as "never-ending pools of blue" or "that delve deep into my soul". Come up with new phrases people!
I'm also with the person that said describing someone as attractive. It's so overused and general. What may be attractive to one may not be to someone else...like Taylor Swift. I personally think she looks like an alien, but plenty of people think shes pretty.
Mine are mostly character related. Or logic oopses, like you guys have already brought up.

[musesinspire]

Things that make me crazy??

1. When an author loses their way in a series they're writing. They will introduce a plot detail in the first book, expand on it through it, and then just leave it behind, making you wonder why it was there anyway!

2. Helpless women. No, I don't need Xena Warrior Princess, but I'm sorry... these Bella-type (Twilight) chicks that are popping up everywhere are driving me INSANE!! OMG! At least let them have some witty comebacks!

3. Tragic heroes/heroines that have no real reason to be. I'm sorry, but having your father die of cancer at 16 or having a mother who paid more attention to the family beagle does not an emotional damage make.

4. Einstein's Theory of Relativity did NOT include how you can MAYBE use certain words; there, their, they're; your, you're; its, it's. Learn them, use them, love them!!

5. Authors who feel the need to throw in every bit of information that they have uncovered during their research for a book. Dude, I believe you! - if you can write it with some level of confidence, I'm sure you know the material. Truly.

6. Dialogue that would never happen in real life. I mean, I don't know about all of you, but I sit there and say, "Hey Stan! How are you doing?" "I'm good, Becky!" "Great, Stan! I'm happy to hear it." "Thanks, Becky!" Really? Seriously? Last time I checked, when I'm having a conversation with someone, I don't feel the need to stilt my discussion or say their names every sentence. If you're not a good enough writer that you have to state who is speaking when, then you need to not quit your day job!! (And note: I used "you're" correctly!)

7. OMG! - IT WAS THE GREATEST SEX EVAR!!! We swung from chandeliers, rolled off of the bed onto a hardwood floor without bruising backs, hips, knees and elbows, did it on the dining room table without it collapsing and in the shower without the hot water running out!! Like, WHOA DUDE!!

Ummm... ok. I'll get off my soap box now. HOWEVER, be assured, I have many, many more complaints! LOL

[JanStrnad]

Characters who behave as the plot demands rather than behaving as human beings just drive me up the wall. I couldn't get through The DaVinci Code for this reason.

I read a horror novel once that was actually pretty good, but one situation about killed it for me. Weird stuff is going on in a housing development. Visitors from out of state come to visit our main characters. One morning, they're gone. Disappeared, even though their car is still in the driveway. Our main characters think, "Hm, that's strange," and go on about their day-to-day lives. Come on! How much time would you spend looking for your vanished friends? Wouldn't you at least call in sick for a day or two and search the woods? Call the police and report missing persons? I finished the book to see how it turned out, but I haven't picked up that author again.