Welcome back to Trending Thursday, a periodic feature in which I look at some sort of bookish trend.
This first TT of 2015 was suggested by my friend Lauren from Love is Not a Triangle. Thanks Lauren!
She texted me and said: Hey, what's with all the "Love and Other" book titles lately?
Me: Hmmm. I didn't really notice...
But I checked and ... she's right. Similar titles, and most feature fun typography and a big heart on the cover.
The trend got off to a start in 2000 with Love and Other Four Letter Words.
2012 brought Love and Other Perishable Items
But the "love and other" trend really got going in 2014 with three soundalikes:
Love and Other Foreign Words
Love and Other Unknown Variables
Love and Other Theories
In 2015, we have a variation: My Heart and Other Black Holes.
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Did you notice this? Any trends you'd like me to investigate in 2015? And if you're interested in my last title soundalike post, check this TrendingThursday post out.
Yes, I did notice. I really dislike "generic" book titles and these fall into that category. It's like the how "Broken Hearts, Severed Heads" became "The Beginning of Everything". Or books that start out with "The Rules of...." Or "The Secret of...". Of course, a lame title won't keep me away from a good book, but it'll take a little more than just the title to grab my attention.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind it actually, I find some of these covers appealing. But then, everyone's taste is different :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Andreea
https://toallthebooksivelovedbefore.wordpress.com/
I think all of those titles and covers are great but once there are so many (like the couple staring at each NA covers) I lose track of what I want to read or have read and I give up. lol
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
I'm a fan of this trend. I like the juxtaposition of love against things that we normally wouldn't associate it with. I especially love LOVE and My Other Blackholes. You can think of it as something infinite and consuming, or you can think of it as something that is pointless.
ReplyDeleteYou also have the _ and _ and the _ of/and _ and/of_ titles :p
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I didn't catch on to the trend right away.... I just spent a few months being really confused... I could have sworn I had already added one of the books to my TBR on Goodreads, only to be confronted with any of the others on this list. This happened a few times before I figured out that everybody was releasing books with similar titles.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the pattern a few months ago but at the time I thought It was just me looking too closely into things. I kind of started to think that I was mistaken and just remembered book titles wrong, but you and Lauren (of course, Lauren!) are both completely right. The whole "love and other" recurring theme is everywhere these days. Remember when Vampires were in every book? Now I guess "love and other" is in every title!
ReplyDeleteAll these books look so cute! I loved My Heart and Other Black Holes, but I didn't realize there were a lot of tittles and covers like that!
ReplyDeleteHahaha I didn't notice this but it's so fun :D
ReplyDeleteI love and other words that you posted this! HAHA. Seriously though, I can't tell any of these titles apart and it's even harder when looking at the very similar covers. The only one I can decipher is the Blue one. I've basically avoided reading all of them, because it's too confusing. I wonder if these title trends - like content trends (for instance, there are a few books coming out from different pubs about heart transplant people) feed off of each other, or if they're just coincidences?
ReplyDeleteI didn't even notice! Although I have a confused a few of them sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBooks names are so confusing. There's this book coming out called After Never Happy. Am I the only one that thinks that sounds odd? And then there is Unraveling You and the sequel called Raveling You...which both mean the same thing. *shrugs*
I had noticed! And I see it developing a little more now that you have mentioned older ones as well. I wonder where these trends suddenly spring from...
ReplyDeleteHa! I don't think I've noticed that! I'll admit that these titles do catch my eye, so it must be working for the pubs to have similar titles. Also, eep! My Heart and Other Black Holes. I loved that book so much!
ReplyDeleteOoh yes I noticed this as well! I kept on getting so confused with Love and Other Theories and Love and Other Unknown Variables <.<
ReplyDeleteWOW. You're right O_O I didn't pay attention to it at first but now that I see it, holy smokes! Seriously, did everyone have an all-nighter or something and decided to build a "Love and Other" club and thinking we won't notice? Haha. While it doesn't really bug me that much, I do wish there were more variety... I mean, it's a TITLE. A title is supposed to be special. If you share it with a gazillion other books... I dunno, it would start feeling generic, and that would suck!
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
I've never noticed that trend. I will have to keep my eye out for more. That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI would have never noticed that, but you're right! It's pretty prevalent in YA contemps. Tell your friend that she's got a good eye (and memory)
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm a new follower and reader, just wanted to say that your blog is SUPER cute and lovely. :) Also, BAHAHA I had not noticed that trend until just now! So funny and also pretty strange... I think it kinda represents the increasing monotony of the genre... of course there are books that stand out, but in general I'm LONGING for something different in the Contemporary Romance area. Thanks for sharing, and nice to meet you. :) xx -Riya
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