My Top Five YA Topes We Love To Hate

As part of the launch tour for my new book, LINCOLN, the lovely Megan O’Russell has asked me to list My Top Five YA Topes We Love To Hate. (Honestly, they asked for ten but I got blabby, so it’s five.)

So with that prelude, behold my top five!

Hated Trope Number Five

This would be the dreaded boyfriend who sneaks in to watch the heroine while she sleeps. Eew!!! That’s not romantic, that’s just creepy. Exception: If someone’s about to attack you and the guy waits outside the door while heavily armed. Welcome, stalker!

Hated Trope Number Four

Here, I’m talking the heroine who has superpowers that she inherits without actually working at all to develop them. Take a class! Read a book! Something!

Hated Trope Number Three

Whenever the heroine waits in a corner DOING NOTHING while someone else fights the big bad. The least you can do is cheer (“nice hit, honey!”) or throw something. Like a shoe. Everyone has a shoe.

Hated Trope Number Two

If the hero who is a dick and never apologizes. Maybe it’s just me. We all make mistakes, but we learn from our mommies to say we’re sorry.

Hated Trope Number One

My number-one loathed trope of all time: the girl who trips and falls while running away from the big bad! Extra hatred if she can’t get back up for some reason!!! NO NO NO NO!!!

:::takes a deep breath and shakes it out:::

So there you have it; my most loathed YA tropes of all time!! Thanks SO MUCH for asking me to stop by—I had a blast making this list. I look forward to returning on a future tour!

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