Definition of a Book Trope:
↳ used for describing commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works.

WE ALL LOVE THEM. I’m here to discuss my favorites! (And yes, I know this post has been done dozens of times before, but it’s so fun, so why not do it as well 😂)

Book Trope #1
The Enemies to Lovers

One of the best tropes out there which has been used a crazy amount of times. I mean, when we’re reading a synopsis for a book YOU JUST KNOW what’s coming. I also like this because it usually has a slow burn romance that is amazing!

My favorites:
-Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
-The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Book Trope #2
THERE’S A BALL. (Or something alike)

richard-madden-4

I personally really love this one! There’s that feeling that you just know good shit is going to go down during the ball. Like it’s one of those parts in the book that can’t let you down!

My favorites:
-The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (this one was SO INTENSE)
-Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
-Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book Trope #3
The funny side character

Is this even a trope? (I should probably know since I put a definition in the beginning of this post). This one is for all my favorite side characters.

I love when authors have that one side character who we can always rely on to bring some comic relief into the story. I love laughing whilst reading a book, I find that it makes me love the characters even more than I already do, and it allows some leeway from the plot of the story.

My favorites:
-Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
-The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
-Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

Book Trope #4
Forbidden Love/Star-Crossed Lovers

I mean, it’s pretty much the same thing. This trope builds so much angst in the story that it literally makes me SO HAPPY? It just makes the stakes that much higher.

For example:
-The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutoski (ANOTHER INTENSE ONE)
-Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (kinda?)
-Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Book Trope #5
Discovering a secret ability

I feel like this one can be so obvious at times, but I love it anyways. I mean of course our main character is seemingly normal, but at the end or later on in the novel…GASP, they have a power/ability too? Who would’ve guessed? 😂

Although, I do have to say some authors have managed to surprise me in this department.

My favorites: (don’t worry, these are the obvious ones)
-Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (ONLY RQ BC I DIDN’T LIKE THE SECOND BOOK AT ALL)
-Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
-The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Book Trope #6
The Anti-hero

For this one, I’m talking about the character who isn’t all good, but isn’t completely bad either? The character that instantly comes to mind for me is Kaz Brekker (one of my all-time favorites) and I think this trope allows the characters to become that much more complex? It makes you want to learn more about their motives and the reasons as to why they choose the path that they’re on.

So those are my 6 favorite book tropes, ones that I will immediately add to my TBR if I see it hinted at even just a little bit!

Let me know if you agree with any of these, or if you have any to add to this list!

Thanks for reading!
-Ashley