First off… LOL!!! I love the book-terms we come up with here. bev bought us “Catnip“, meaning that certain THING about a story, or blurb that will have us crazy in one-clicking delight, eager to roll in, er, I mean devour our newfound guilty-pleasure. Probably roll in it, too. LOL! 😛
MichelleS’s reaction/confession (and the discussion it sparked) made me laugh so hard!
So here it is:
bev: I was wondering what is your catnip, the keywords that make you want to buy. I think I’m learning a bit of some of yours. Fairies for MichelleS. Tessa likes the heroes that are d!cks, Amy the heroines that are.
But really what checks the box for you?
MichelleS: Catnip for me is when I read a blurb and it says “he knew he couldn’t have her, but he took her anyway”… I’m like… What? Who? Why? I love the forbiddeny stuff. And it’s the FAE that are my catnip, not fairies!!! They’re powerful, and magical, and total bad @$$es. Just needed to clarify.
Maryse: Tee hee. Fairies. The FAE don’t like that!!!
You girls make me giggle!!!!
MichelleS: Fairy vs Fae …Remember when Ryder got all ticked off because Syn kept calling him a fuc$ing fairy?? LOL. Made me think of that…. And men in kilts. Here kitty kitty… Catnip for sure.
Tessa: I thought Fae was a given? I’m with Michelle with wanting that catnip.
Tessa: Technically, Fairy is where the Fae live. However, “F***ing Fairy” was awesome. I want the next book. *goes author stalking*
Ela: MICHELLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SYN STILL CALLS HIM HER FAIRY LMAO I’M A FAN OF THEIR FB PAGE! OH THE SEXY FAE LOVE!!!!!!!!
MichelleS: Ela – Ryder & Syn have a FB page? What is it? I did a search and a bunch came up.
Ela: I need more Fae rec’s, please, preferably NA or just plain old Adult
MichelleS: Fae books….. tell me you read the Tairen Soul Series? All the other ladies will roll their eyes, but seriously, best Fae book ever. He is the tortured, ancient King of the Fae. The world building is magnificent. I go a little nuts about this. My catnip.
Amy: Oh! And the word “forbiddeny” that was coined here! Catches my attention every time.
Maryse: Forbiddeny is my favorite!
Forbiddeny. Yep. My catnip for sure! And… you know. “Forbiddeny” is like the “safer” version of forbidden. It has forbidden undertones, dares to get close to the edge, still makes you uncomfortable, and tense and stressed over if it’s actually going to go THERE. It’s a possibility that it WILL go to full-blown forbidden. And a teasing forbiddeny blurb definitely gets my pulse racing, and my eyes bugging and my mind… wandering.
Okay, now… tell us what’s yours?
I don’t think I have blurb catnip. These days I only add books to my TBR that come highly recommended by trusted readers, or when Maryse compares the writing and/or feel to one of my favorite authors. I did buy A Thousand Letters the other day based solely on the cover, which is super rare for me too! I didn’t even read the blurb.
Woo hoo! First suckers!
Definitely forbidden. And broken, but I only like my Heroes broken. Or brooding, or sullen, or damaged or quiet/uncommunicative, or…is it getting hot in here? And if you put the word angst, ansty, angstier, angstiest…or that it will break my heart, I’m all over it like a crack whore!!
This was so easy to answer! I am a sucker for single or widowed Dad romances. I guess I like to see men in stories who are vulnerable and have a soft spot for their children. It is hard for me not to one click if I see that blurb!
OMG yes Kathy. Single dads. Swoon.
OMG I FORGOT ABOUT THE Tairen Soul Series!!!!!!!!!!
Which is proof you haven’t read it. That’s such an awesome story, few compare.
OH AND RYDER WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY….
Anything with angst, broken hearts or tearjerker!!! Those are my book catnip!!
Oops pregnancies/babies (especially when the hero is kinda sorta trying to tie the heroine to him by knocking her up) is one of my catnip preferences.
I know another Fae series! The Fae Guard books by Elle Christensen. Protecting Shaylee is the first.
Ooooo…Tarin Soul…loved those books!
My catnip is men/women who are “forced” into a relationship. They don’t want to be there and fight against it, but eventually fall in love. I like my heart taken apart and put back together again….the feels.
I also love paranormal soulmates. Wolves, vampires, mages it doesn’t really matter.
If it’s paranormal the heroine has to be kickass or a kickass in training. If the H is involved with that training it’s bonus! I like the “saving the world/someone” stuff too.
Blurb catnip. Hmmmm. I’ll have a second look if there’s some sort of arranged marriage or H and h reluctantly having to live or stay together then falling in love (duh). H is superhot and protective but also loves kids and small animals LOL. h is strong and has moral integrity but maybe lonely or isolated by life circumstances and falls hard for manly man. Aaaahhhhh. I’m lovin’ that book.
My catnip are the words, “slooooooooooow burn!” I want my characters to fight it! I want that angsty feeling in my tummy and chest. I don’t want the first kiss to be until at LEAST halfway (75% is best)! And then, I want them to just combust because they cannot fight it another second! Woohoo!
I probably have tons of catnip flavors. But my most basic and persistent ones are titles and covers.
Yeah, totally stole that phrase.
I followed that link and almost 2 years ago. Whoa.
I remember us having the discussion but forgot we had had it, lol.
What a fun post!!!
Y’all know my catnip phrases… 😉
Tell ya what, I’ll take a shot for every one y’all list for me!
Speaking of fairies, I just found a store not too far from me that has nothing but fairy stuff in it! Anything and everything fairy!! OMG I want to go and get lost in there. 😀
Ok, I’m dying over R’s post… first suckers?!? Really… really??? bwahahha!
And then I read Fabi’s post and I totally didn’t think it said Titles…. oh God… I’m dying over here….
wow, I need to go wash my eyeballs out with soap, I’ll come back to this post when I can behave haha!
LMAO Grey… what DID it say to you?
My hair’s in rollers and I’m about to head out for date night to 50 Shades without the hubs! (although I did convince him to take the kiddo to Star Wars so I would have a designated driver). <— sly
Martinis and french fries and Christian Grey oh my! 😀
Lol Grey. I have no idea what rhymes with titles or what your eyes saw.
R. That sounds like an awesome night!
I remember a certain favorite read a couple years back that we all meowed over!!! **caveman** and **Shay Savage ** For me so often it’s just a certain author.
YEAH LINDA!!!!!!!
SHAY SAVAGE. I’ll NEVER forget that awesome book!!!!!! :D!!!!!
Yay Ela! A birthday wish from Ryder!! Jealous.
My catnip is still the same, forbinny stuff. Older-younger, he’s rich she’s poor, he’s tough – she’s a librarian type, the MC club’s president daughter & hot biker… all that! And the Fae…. sigh.., the Fae! And I, too, am attracted to titles & covers.
My anti-catnip…. biollionaire playboys, and I’m not big on cops or ex miliatary. Not sure why.
Yeah I’m not usually keen on cops/ military types, or billionaire playboys either, although I have occasionally read the odd one here and there. Not my favs, though. In fact I agree with your whole comment Michelle s. LOL
My catnip is definitely title and cover…because sad to say I will judge the book by the cover! Thrown together, dime a dozen covers with overused titles that include the words…Billionaire, millionaire, bad boy come across as shallow books.
Oh, soulmates…definite catnip! And short blurbs that leave lots of questions…
Yeah I prefer a short blurb too. You don’t want to know the whole plot before you even open the book. Some blurbs are just TMI. Although if it’s a CH with another part yet to come, I think readers need to be warned before they decide whether or not to buy.
I agree on the CH as well. A little warning is nice.
I also look at page count. If it’s under 300, I won’t buy the book no matter how great it sounds. It’s just not enough story for me!
Lol. I definitely have my catnip and my ……not my thing, but you all cracked me up. Sometimes it sounds so niche.
Catnip fo me? Angst. Broken hearts, tragic situations, missed opportunities – think Tristan and Danika…