Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. She has a linkup on her page for everyone participating this week. This week’s topic is the Top Ten Things That Make Me Pick Up A Book.
1. Fantastic cover.
The cover really is the first thing I notice, if I’m just browsing books. If the description doesn’t support a gorgeous cover, then I’ll set it down again, but I’ve read many books because the cover caught my eye and then I read the description.
2. Cities as characters
One of my favorite tropes. It shows up in stories like Six of Crows, The Gutter Prayer, and City of Brass. Where the city itself has such atmosphere that it really is a character on its own.
3. Hints of polyamory
There just aren’t enough books – especially fiction books – on polyamory, so whenever I see a description that even hints at it, I have to check to see if it actually has polyamory in it. Sometimes that works out terribly, like Odd One Out, and sometimes it surprises me, like That Inevitable Victorian Thing.
4. Non-western-european mythology
YES. Asian mythology, African mythology, Native American mythology – give me all the OTHER inspirations for religions and plots! Western European is so overplayed. I’m tired of it. Give me the stuff we don’t see often enough.
5. Fairy-Tale Retellings
I have a total weak spot for Fairy Tale Retellings. Whether it’s stories that are barely reskinned tales, or stories that are only very loosely inspired by old fairy tales, I love them. And I have too many to link to!
6. Autistic author or character
I’m always trying to understand my husband’s brain, and books by autistic authors help SO MUCH.
7. GLBT content
As an ally, I try to promote books with good representation. And I know reading and reviewing them helps. Plus I just enjoy them! 90% of my friends are some flavor of LGBT, so I’m very familiar with a lot of the concepts already.
8. Personal Recommendation
If a person I know recommends a book to me specifically, I will almost always pick it up.
9. Dragons
I’ll always at least pick up and look at a book with dragons on the cover or title. I may not wind up reading it, but it will always spark my interest!
10. Disability/Chronic Illness rep
As someone with a chronic illness, and as someone with a lot of friends with disabilities and chronic illnesses, I always take a look at books with rep.
Goddess In The Stacks 
Yes to covers, I’m always on pins and needles when I see a great cover, hoping the book sounds good too😁
Great list! Yes, I love LGBT+ stories and one of my goals this year is to read even more Asian, African, Latinx and First Nations-inspired fantasy. 🙂 I love books where the settings feel like characters themselves, too! It’s one of the many reasons I love Rebecca.
Ooooh, a non-Western setting or non-Western mythology gets me every time, too. I’m glad it’s been a rising trend lately, because I’m just absolutely loving it. I mean, dragons should also always be a given. Who doesn’t love dragons?! Great list!
Here’s my TTT post.
It’s always cool to see hints of polyamory in a book.
My post: http://www.lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-things-that-make-me-pick-up-a-book/
I really am in it for a cover lol. Oh man, my friends and I are always lamenting the lack of polyamory in Fantasy especially since there are always so many damned love triangles! One of my favorites with poly (all the way at the end though) is Courtney Schafer’s Shattered Sigil trilogy. I need more though!
I love picking up books with mental illness and disability rep, especially when I first diagnosed. Non-western mythologies are another favourite of mine as well!
Yes to cities as characters – I love that too!
Check out my TTT and my current giveaway