Friday 13 December 2013

Have I Lost My Shipping Abilities?





Have I Lost My Shipping Abilities?

I don't know what is going on with me lately. Before I started blogging or even had an opinion on whether books were good or not (back then, the only factor I weighed in was whether it was boring or not), I used to ship anyone and everyone. It didn't matter whether I liked the love interest or the main character or not, if I knew they were supposed to be together, I would ship it. By the way, I knew they were supposed to be a couple because
a) the main character thought the LI was smokin' hot
b) a weird 'spark' would pass between the two whenever they touched.

Those were the kind of books I read back then, mostly because they were the hugely popular ones and I simply hadn't heard of the unhyped, good books. Either way, I would ship the couple, and I would be happy when they kissed, no matter how soon that was, and I would be happy whenever they said "I love you" no matter how soon it was. I was, what I call, a 'flexible shipper'.

That, quite obviously, has changed.

I started to get pickier about my romances when I discovered the better books and started blogging. Where I didn't mind instant love before, I now despise it. I used to love it when the LI was sooo hot. Now I roll my eyes. I started liking slow-burn, smoldering romances. The kind that makes you go:



I want there to be that sexual tension and real feeling. I want to see a slowly developing romance and I want it to make me squeal. Now, it most certainly isn't impossible to write a book like that. I have read multiple books that made me SHIP LIKE HELL.

But recently? I don't know. I'm feeling like I'm starting to lose my 'shipping abilities'. Is it because I have read so many mediocre romances lately? Is it because I have read too much romances? After all, every book I've read lately (and basically ever) has a romance. I know one exception, and that is Dear Killer. And even that one has a possible ship should you want to ship someone! It's just that there are so many romances out there... I'm starting to feel like I can't be impressed anymore. I want a book with no kissing! I want a book that makes my brain burn because I'm trying to make the charcaters kiss with my nonexistent magical brain powers! I want to ship it like hell!

Unfortunately, I feel that I can't anymore. I don't know why, but I have read a lot of books recently and none of them have made me ship anything. And not all of them were bad books, mind you. There definitely were some great and 5-star books. I just don't feel it anymore. I have lost that connection not to the characters, but to the sparks that are supposedly flying off the page. It's like those sparks have become invisible to me, like I can't feel them anymore. And I want it to stop. Because if I can't enjoy the romance anymore, a huge part of the book will be ruined for me. Not that everything hinges on the romance, but just about every YA book features one. I want my shipping abilities back. I need them back. I want to cheer when they kiss again, I want to swoon, I want to ship everything.

Have you ever felt like you lost your 'shipping abilities'? If so, what did you do? Can anyone recommend me a YA with an AWESOME romance that will surely bring my shipping abilities back?

6 comments:

  1. I actually like to pick books with as less romance as possible, haha. I don't like stories with much focus on romance, but when it happens, I don't mind creating my ships. Most of the times I pick the underdog in love-triangles though :') I do like that slow-burn romance. The one between Celaena & Chaol :D

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    1. I usualy don't mind much romance, but I definitely prefer plot over romance. It's always sad when the plot is taken over by the romance :\
      Chaol and Celaena are awesome!

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  2. Wow I have not heard anyone use the term "ship" so thanks for sharing that with us! I think slow burning romance are great but some are so frustrating. But when the guy is so hot and the girl needs rescuing the eyes roll out of my head lol. I think These Broken Stars will be exactly what you're looking for :)

    Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

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    1. Really? I hear it all the time, haha. But I'm glad I could introduce you to it ;)

      Yeah, mine too. The whole damsel in distress thing... No thanks. And I hope TBS will help me get out of this weird romance-slump :D

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  3. I have to say, I don't think I've ever lost my shipping abilities before! I mean, I'm the type that goes LOVE INTEREST ALERT whenever a somewhat attractive person steps on the scene haha (oh, YA this is what you've done to me...) and if the chemistry is even slightly there I'm all "I SHIP IT"
    Funnily enough though, I actually don't like it that much when the focus of a book is romance unless it's a contemporary romance novel. It's good when there's a nice balance :)

    Erm, good romances:
    My Life Next Door
    Speechless
    As Jeann said, These Broken Stars is good but it's kind of cliched haha.

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    1. Haha, my 'love interest' radar is on all the time as well. I was always pretty easily convinced when it came to shipping, but lately I've been mostly meh.
      I completely agree with you on the balance between the plot and the romance!

      Thank you so much for the recs, I actually own Speechless so I'll be starting it next!

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