my list of very specific favorite tropes

hi! i am running low on brain cells right now, so bear with me as i jump into this post without any introduction. i am just going to list down the tropes and ramble on.

i have decided to make a list of a few of my favorites except i make it more specific because everyone already knows the conventional ones – enemies to lovers, quest, chosen one, magic school, parallel world, etc. i am not going to include any recommendations because some of these tropes can be major spoilers when it comes to the story. and it would be a loss if you are not hit by surprise.

✁ where the hero is actually the villain and/or the villain is actually the hero;

the ultimate betrayal. i prefer it when suddenly there are like thirty pages left and suddenly everything is going downhill and one of the main characters smirks and goes “what a naive fool.” and then disaster and biting nails until you get your hands on the next book. the sheer amount of planning and foresight that must go into this trope.

✁ friends to strangers to enemies to lovers;

the kind of tension where you are plain old screaming at the book because you just need to get inside the book and to yet again scream because what the hell is happening. the pain, the betrayal, and yeah, the intense staring matches and challenges. i am up for it.

✁ found family of a mis-matched group pulling off the ultimate heist;

so, i recently finished reading the final empire by brandon sanderson and i just cannot stop thinking about it. believe me when i tell you that the characters were crazy yet the most relatable, lovable, dislike-able, real people i have ever come across. and did i mention crazy?

✁ where the entire story/war is based on a lie;

this is usually something that happens in the second or last second book of a series and i have a few in my mind but it’s best when you experience it yourself. it’s like you’re just spent days reading so many books only to find out that it was a lie and now you don’t even know whom to trust, forget about the author. it’s like studying physics in class eleven and being told by the teachers, “kindly forget all the theories yu’ve studied so far, they were lies.” i mean ~

✁ “who did this to you?”;

the sheer amount of possessiveness and concern in this line conveys so much about the chemistry between two people even when we are told that they don’t get along well is just lit.

✁ when two characters despise each other but they are only ones who can save the world together;

hilarious. in one word, i repeat: hilarious.

✁ “i got you”;

this line is as good as a plot twist but emotionally if that makes sense. when the main character believes themselves to be alone and they just go and act recklessly and then something terrible happens and then when they have almost given hope, a bunch of people appears out of nowhere and go, “you’re not alone” or “i got you.”

✁ when character A cracks a dark joke about their past and then character B goes dude that’s so messed up and character A actually realises who traumatic it was;

there’s something hauntingly real and disturbing about such things. we read so much about traumatised characters but it’s not always done well and there’s just so much mis-representation. but this — this is like a spear to the gut.

✁ “Stay, please”;

oh, no no. i am most definitely not crying. i am perfectly fine.

✁ when the all-powerful character bends the knee for their court, kingdom, or partner;

i have zero words to express my appreciation for whoever decided to do this trope first because the power dynamics in these stories are everythimg.

✁ where the girl teaches the guy to fight;

#girlboss people! what else do you want?

✁ when character A asks character B if they can stand and character B says, “yes” but then falls and character A catches them;

and there goes another favorite novel.

✁ when character A is held hostage and character B leaves a bloody carnage behind them in order to get to them and when they do they just give the character A gentle peck and apologizes for the wait;

flip the switch. the killing calm like many authors like to put it. the haze through which they slaughter. and then when you’re reading the action scene, you are just filled with soo much adrenaline that you have to shut the book, scream, jump up and down, run around the house, and then resume talking. i mean whoever said reading is for lazy people~

✁ character A shielding character B from domestic abuse;

this screams morbid and i eat that shit up.

✁ when a character with a reputation for being selfish almost dies while trying to protect others and then they pretend that they ar not injured at all and when everyone is celebrating they collapse.

now, that’s all fun and joy until we realise that the author has plans to kill off that chaarcter. are you still smiling?

✁ monsters or characters who feel like monsters, being touched or treated gently or with kindness for the first time;

this is where i tell you exactly how broken my heart is and exactly how long my therapy bill is BECAUSE OF THESE GODSDAMNED STORIES.

✁ disgustingly bittersweet endings with a subtle touch of hope and acceptance;

tragic as hell, i know right! but i crave morbid stuff and there’s nothing more satisfying than turning the last page of a book with tears in your eyes, hating what happened and yet knowing that evrything is going to be okay for the characters. for example: shadow and bone. wasn’t very impressed with the first book, but i’ve got to admit that this series has one of the best epilogues that i have ever read.

now, it’s your turn to go extremely extremely specific and tell me some of your favorite trope and be an angel and maybe drop some recs down below? see ya in the comment!

ps. i had to open a new insta account because a weirdo hacked my old one and i have zero access to it now T_T yeah, talk about rotten luck. if you receive any messages from my old account please ignore, and don’t judge because it is not me. sorry for the inconvinience it must have caused. my new account is @ashfictz in case you are interested. <33