Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (70111)

"What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?"

Okay. So let's just pretend I haven't gushed over the Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfield so many times and go with that. When I read the first book earlier this year, the uniqueness of the plot - I mean, an alternate WWII? A prince on the run? How cool is that? - was initially what hooked me into the storyline. Of course, there's also the writing style, and the cool illustrations that go along with the chapters...

...Alright, let's just leave it at the uniqueness factor. That's pretty much the main thing that hooks me because I HATE REDUNDANCY and when authors don't have their own mind. Case in point: all the pale-skinned, broody heroes that have emerged in the literary world since Twilight burst onto the scene.

Which, by the way, segues us successfully into the second part of the question: what makes me stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf? Ever since I started book blogging, I've developed the annoying habit of persevering for a) the sake of reviewing the book for prosperity, and b) a vain hope that the hero will get his...ahem...behind into gear and do something interesting before the last fifty pages.

But, since we're on the subject, as I mentioned before, I hate when authors are unoriginal. Or add in a bit of tawdry smut in order to keep things going. This is my own moral standing, but I don't think you prove yourself as a good writer if you have to resort to profanity or graphic scenarios in order to keep the plot-line going. And, from the mouth of a teenager, I don't feel as though "you understand me" if you add in these so-called plot mechanisms.

Alright. So I think I gave you enough for your money's worth.

"Ack! Your favorite book character (ie. Hermione Granger as played by Emma Watson) has just stepped into the room! How do you react?"

Okay. So my favorite book character would be someone like Percy Jackson (as played by Logan Lerman, even though he didn't really do as great a job as expected IMO) or, yeah, Hermione or Ron would be awesome as well.

Probably, if any of my favorite characters - manifested in movie form or not - appeared in front of me, I'd probably jump up and be like, "Take me with you!" because believe me, there has to be something exciting going on.

(Though I'm not sure I'd like to get involved with bloodthirsty Greek gods or Dementors in real life. Whatever. It'd still be cool.)