Bianca's Reviews > Off Sides
Off Sides (Off, #1)
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Bianca's review
bookshelves: alternate-povs, contemporary-romance, female-author, new-adult, 2018
Aug 18, 2018
bookshelves: alternate-povs, contemporary-romance, female-author, new-adult, 2018
Cringe factor 100; unoriginality factor 1000
I have 723 books on my Kindle. In my year of reading mostly chick-lit novels, I bought lots in this category. Anyway, in my search for something unchallenging, I had to go towards the back of my kindle and open some random books, see if I find something easy and distracting. I wish Kindle offered a Pick a book at random kind of thing. Anyway ...
I began reading this. I felt like I'd read it before, but according to GR, I hadn't.
Hockey player, rich boy falls for the smart, virgin, (because it's almost always virgins in these preposterous new adult novels!!!) from the wrong side of the tracks. She's beautiful, works hard, both parents are dead (hand me the tissues), she studies, she even volunteers at a homeless shelter - I give you the virgin saint! She also plays the violin, because why not? This story has been done to death. The characters are as cliche as they come, the plot so unoriginal, even I could have written it as I have no imagination. Their interactions were sooo cheesy, so many gooey declarations, I gagged and rolled my eyes.
Could somebody enlighten me about a few issues? Romance novels are written almost exclusively by women; their audience is almost exclusively women. Then why is it that most of them, pointing a finger especially at the contemporary new adult romance genre, are following and reinforcing those patriarchal views of the nice girl, preferably virgin, who, of course, turns out to be a sex goddess, then there's the jock, who just changes his personality for a girl. It's like they have a personality disorder, even when allowing for the "love is blind", "love gives you wings" blah blah... In other words, if you want to see how entrenched the patriarchy is, read these novels written by women for women. Apparently, even our escapist fantasies have moulded into the male ones ... Rant over!
The ebook was promptly deleted. I'll have to GR check all these older titles on my Kindle and start removing them from my device.
For the record, I'm not bashing this particular author, it's more of a general disdain for the subgenre and those who perpetuate these stereotypes.
I have 723 books on my Kindle. In my year of reading mostly chick-lit novels, I bought lots in this category. Anyway, in my search for something unchallenging, I had to go towards the back of my kindle and open some random books, see if I find something easy and distracting. I wish Kindle offered a Pick a book at random kind of thing. Anyway ...
I began reading this. I felt like I'd read it before, but according to GR, I hadn't.
Hockey player, rich boy falls for the smart, virgin, (because it's almost always virgins in these preposterous new adult novels!!!) from the wrong side of the tracks. She's beautiful, works hard, both parents are dead (hand me the tissues), she studies, she even volunteers at a homeless shelter - I give you the virgin saint! She also plays the violin, because why not? This story has been done to death. The characters are as cliche as they come, the plot so unoriginal, even I could have written it as I have no imagination. Their interactions were sooo cheesy, so many gooey declarations, I gagged and rolled my eyes.
Could somebody enlighten me about a few issues? Romance novels are written almost exclusively by women; their audience is almost exclusively women. Then why is it that most of them, pointing a finger especially at the contemporary new adult romance genre, are following and reinforcing those patriarchal views of the nice girl, preferably virgin, who, of course, turns out to be a sex goddess, then there's the jock, who just changes his personality for a girl. It's like they have a personality disorder, even when allowing for the "love is blind", "love gives you wings" blah blah... In other words, if you want to see how entrenched the patriarchy is, read these novels written by women for women. Apparently, even our escapist fantasies have moulded into the male ones ... Rant over!
The ebook was promptly deleted. I'll have to GR check all these older titles on my Kindle and start removing them from my device.
For the record, I'm not bashing this particular author, it's more of a general disdain for the subgenre and those who perpetuate these stereotypes.
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Reading Progress
August 18, 2018
– Shelved
August 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
alternate-povs
August 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
contemporary-romance
August 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
female-author
August 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
new-adult
Started Reading
August 19, 2018
–
Finished Reading
August 23, 2018
– Shelved as:
2018
Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)
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PorshaJo
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Aug 19, 2018 03:17PM
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Hi. Thanks. I was wondering where you'd disappeared. Good to see you here again.
On the flipside, anything I'll read after this has to be better. Imagine being a teen and reading this garbage and watching ridiculous romantic comedies and getting aspirational relationship cues from them ... I was very influenced by books, but they were good books such as Gone With The Wind, Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo etc.
Thanks! New job, so travelling all the time. Just trying to catch my breath.....and finally get back to reading. I miss GR too! :-)
Thanks! New job, so travelling all the time. Just trying to catch my breath.....and finally get back to ..."
Hopefully, things will settle down so that you can get back into reading.
Hockey player, rich boy falls for the smart, virgin, (because it's almost always virgins in these preposterous new adult novels!!!) from the wrong side of the tracks. She's beautiful, works hard, both parents are dead (hand me the tissues), she studies, she even volunteers at a homeless shelter - I give you the virgin saint! She also plays the violin, because why not?"
This sounds like a Mad Lib in which every space features the least compelling noun I could think of. I appreciate you wanting a breezy read, Bianca, and wish you better luck next time. I think these tropes exist because publishers have marketing data that suggests they're what romance fans want. Goodreads comments like yours indicate to me constantly that the opposite is the case.
Hahaha, exactly. Don't let me start ranting about those god awful covers. I guess reading the ebook versions makes more sense, the thought of trees being killed to make paper to print these sort of books drives me in sane (I get them when they're free or under $2).
I'll stick to women's fiction, at least they're more realistic.
I understand escapism, I look for it, occasionally, but that doesn't mean I'm suddenly brain-dead.
If only I had some imagination and knew how to write, I would try my hand at romance novels. Come to think of it, I should just attempt the opposite: normal looking guy, with No tattoos or a 6-pack (my theory is - if you have so much muscle definition, you've got to be obsessed with what/how much you eat and spend a lot of time in the gym which doesn't leave much time for reading etc); My hero would like to read literary fiction, would have a keen interest in politics and social issues etc. A male saint! ;-) Normal looking girl/woman, who's a feisty feminist, kicks some jerks' behinds (in a metaphorical way) and meets the nice guy at a rally to save the forests or against some bad government policies etc etc etc I'd pay good money to read something like that, especially if it's got some humour. Currently, on offer in contemporary romance, it's mostly testosterone filled, grunty guys and demure, perfect looking virgins, with the personality of a wet dishrag. Not that the guys have much of a personality ...
In 2014 I decided to read lighter books for one year, see what's out-there. That's how I discovered GR when I googled romance novels. Also, I got a Kindle so it was easier to indulge in those books; I started buying lots of books based on reccos, lists etc (many were free or very cheap). It was educational to say the least. I had no idea of the many subgenres. I had no idea there was such a thing as self-publishing, I've learnt a lot. I read some enjoyable books and a lot of OMG, I can't believe people pay money and/or waste their time reading this BS. I also learnt, if someone has talent and cares for the craft, they will write a good book in whatever genre (Tiffany Reisz is an amazing writer who's famous mostly for her BDSM series).
But then there's a million and one self-published, mistake-ridden, unedited crapola out-there. Anyway, I've spring cleaned my Kindle, got rid of about 50 books. I just have to stay away from free books downloading frenzy on Amazon, especially when I'm bored... Which brings me to the question, how come the good books that I really want to read are never free or very cheap? :-)
Thanks, Cheri. Hahaha, a Mil who was super religious, pls tell me that was erotica, that will only reinforce my prejudices and preconceptions ;-) Kidding, sort of ... Nothing makes me ranty like romance books ... well, also politics, religion, etc (I keep those, mostly, for other platforms). After reading the Motivation Myth, I looked up books sales by genre etc, and Romance and its subgenres came up on top for sales figures and I'm pretty sure for outputs, too.
Angela M wrote: "Fabulous review, Bianca. Of course, I’m not going to read it but I’m glad I read your thoughts"
Thank you, both. Angela, I didn't think you would, you're too wise to waste your time with this type of drivel.
They just get my blood pressure up, unfortunately, not because they turn me on. :-) I'm still hoping to find a more unconventional romance novel.I'm sure it's out there, there are thousands written every year or is it every month?