Hello, friends! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a book tag but I’ve been seeing the In or Out Book Tag making the rounds lately and I was also recently tagged by Laurie @Laurie is Reading, so thanks for the tag!

The rules are simple enough according to the original creator Rick MacDonnell over on his YouTube channel:

With the In or Out book tag I quickly go through classic tropes and book features and talk about whether I’m “In” (I like them) or I’m “Out” (I don’t like them). Feel free to tag yourself! Change up the prompts in your videos [or blogs] if you’d like, or just use mine. Up to you.

So on that note, let’s get to it!

1. Reading the Last Page First

GET OUTTA HERE! Sorry, not sorry. I remember when my former colleague told me she reads the last chapter before starting any book and I was speechless. I can’t imagine doing this ever because why would you want to spoil the story this way? 😫 No, thank you!

2. Enemies to Lovers

Always in! Ah, I love this trope so much, especially when it’s done well. I know much of the gripe around this trope is that it’s not really “enemies to lovers” more hate to love, etc. but I love it all!

3. Dream Sequences

I think I’m half-half on this. I’m not particularly fussed but it’s easy to get confused if the transitions aren’t done well and you don’t know whether you’re still in a dream sequence or not. 😂

4. Love Triangles

OUT! FOREVER OUT! I’m vehemently against love triangles. I just… Can’t get into it and even a hint of a love triangle can put me off very quickly! 😂

5. Cracked Spines

In for me because I can never avoid cracking the spine of a book I’m reading. Seriously, I’m genuinely curious how people manage to not crack the spine of books when they’re so tightly bound because attempting to not crack the spine means I can only open the book to like 30% and how do you read that way???! 😂

6. Back to My Small Town

In! I love stories set in small towns, especially when they’re romances! There’s just something so cosy about going back to small towns that stem from the close relationships within the community and the inclusion of quirky characters that makes it so much fun to read!

7. Monsters Are Regular People

Totally in if it’s meant in the fantasy sense. But I am fascinated by shows like Criminal Minds and by books about true crime, so I guess that means I’m also “in” for the “real” regular people sense?

8. No Paragraph Breaks

NOAR. WHY? NOAR. This not only reminds me of those overly long and dry texts that you have to read for school but it’s just… intimidating? I always find it super intimidating and it puts me off even reading a book. Paragraph breaks are always good!

9. Multi-Generational Sagas

In! Although sometimes the angst of multi-generational sagas gets to me, I always end up really enjoying them!

10. Re-Reading

In! Although I rarely do it. I want to re-read more and I even have a re-read project but I’m failing miserably at it. 😂

11. Artificial Intelligence

In! I don’t read a lot of books with AI but I have enjoyed most of the ones I’ve read with it.

12. Drop Caps

In! When I started my blog I used drop caps and eventually stopped because I was too lazy to format it. But it’s cute, I Like!

13. Happy Endings

Always in! Who doesn’t want a happy ending?! I’m all for the happy endings, please. Give me those warm fuzzy feelings and happiness that the characters deserve! 😍

14. Plot Points That Only Converge At the End

In… As long as it’s done well! Nothing is more disappointing than when you get to the end of a story only to be completely unsatisfied by how everything is resolved. 🥴

15. Detailed Magic Systems

In, mostly. I enjoyed detailed magic systems if they aren’t overly complex or if they are complex they are well explained. However, I can get easily confused sometimes so that kind of puts me off overly detailed magic systems. Mostly though, I like it!

16. Classic Fantasy Races

I’m in but I really don’t have any preference about the inclusion of classic fantasy races. I don’t mind them, I like it when they’re in books, it doesn’t personally bother me.

17. Unreliable Narrators

Eh, I don’t read a lot of mysteries and stuff but 99% of them have unreliable narrators, I find, and it kind of stresses me out? 😂 So I guess I’m half-half on this!

18. Evil Protagonists

I mean, I don’t know if I’m keen on EVIL evil protagonists you know? But ones that are morally grey or if we’re reading a villain origin story, sure, why not? I’m in!

19. The Chosen One

I’m actually not fussed about this trope so I guess I’m in? I know a lot of people feel it’s overdone but I think that as long as it’s well done and I enjoy the story, I don’t mind it.

20. When the Protagonist Dies

Naaaaah, I’m out. 😂 I just… I mean, I guess it’d be OK if I didn’t actually like the protagonist but… if I love them? PLEASE. I beg. Don’t do it! I break. I sob. 😭

21. Really Long Chapters

Out. I prefer my chapters short so it’s okay if there are more chapters but I feel like short chapters keep the pace moving quickly, you know? I always feel like the book is a slog when the chapters are really long—there are obviously exceptions but short chapters are still my pref!

22. French Flaps

In, I guess? I’m honestly not fussed either way with these french flaps (I just learned what these were called, lol)! 😂

23. Deckled Edges

In! I don’t have a lot of books with deckled edges but honestly, I don’t mind them. I think they look cool and different!

24. Signed Copies by the Author

All the way IN! I love signed copies by authors and I’ve been lucky to be able to afford the international rates for getting book boxes and special edition books. I’m especially chuffed whenever I can get my hands on signed books by my favourite authors—the way I desperately hit that BUY NOW button when The Green Bone Saga books went on sale!

25. Dog-Earing Pages

It’s out for me personally but I mean, if people wanna do it… I guess, go for it? 😂

26. Chapter Titles Instead of Numbers

Ooh, in! I love chapter titles instead of numbers, especially when the titles are quirky and funny because it always gets me excited for what’s to come in the chapter! 😍

I’m tagging:

• Ali @ Ali’s Books
• Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse
• Yolanda @ Past Midnight
• Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog
• Michaela @ Journey Into Books

That’s it for the tag, folks! What tropes are you “in” or “out” for?

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