What’s in a good book?

deviantArt pic by happybubbles

I wrote down the things that I look for in a riveting, spell-binding, one-sitter book--books that are so captivating that you forget everything you had to do that day just to get to that last page. I made my own personal list of the things I look for in a good book. I also want to know what YOU look for in a good book, so feel free to voice your thoughts.


1. Engaging characters:

I don’t want to read a book about your everyday average person in there everyday average life. I want characters that go through conflict and hardships and show us through their actions what type of person they are. I also want characters that I can be emotionally attached to. If the protagonist gets into a bad car-accident and ends up in a hospital with a broken leg I should be able to feel sorry for her.

2. Action

There’s nothing like a good fighting-scene. Especially of the non-human variety. The details in a fight scene really pull me into a story.

3. Interesting premise:

I want to be able to get excited by a book just by reading the blurb on the back. The premise should captivate me, and I should get a feel for what the book is going to be about.

4. Good writing:

A book could be really interesting, but when there are mistakes everywhere it becomes a distraction and takes away from the story.

5. Characters with a weakness:

Perfect characters with nothing wrong with them are just not believable to me. They should at least have one weakness that humanizes them.

6. Something unique:

What makes this book different/ unique from all the others from its genre? Originality is a very important factor when I read a book; otherwise I feel like I’m just reading the same book over again.

7. Broken stereotypes:

I like things to be mixed up a bit. I don’t want to expect what’s going to happen, I want to be surprised. I like it when one of the bad guys is actually good, and one of the good guys is actually bad. So what do YOU look for in a good book?

**Please vote on the poll on the side of this post.

What’s in a good book?