Let's Discuss! What Makes a Book Your Favorite?

The "What is your favorite book?" is a considerably common question in a book blogger's life. Take me for example. If you inquire about my favorite book, I will answer with the utmost certanity that I do not have one, but many; The Hush, hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick is an outstanding one of them, then there is The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, but I would go into full fangirl mode if you mentioned The Selection series or the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series as well. I'm a fairly big fan of the Delirium trilogy and the Divergent series, too, and The Maze Runner series not to be missed out either, however, these latters are not listed in that certain "All Time Favorites" section. Why? Why are certain books favorite while others only very-much-loved. And where is the border that separates them?

To answer that question, I will first have to inspect what my favorite books have/ignite:

I. They are suspenseful.

Which is pretty much logical, because seriously. Who would care for a boring, predictable book? All of my favs are real page-turners, full of action. Not necessarily fights and abductions, peppered with some (severe) injuries, but not exactly how she/he was eating and talking about sweet little puppies either. (Disclaimer: The writer of this post has nothing against sweet little puppies. She lives in a block that's garden is swarmed by twenty cats.) On the whole, something that keeps my eyes glued.

II. They have characters that live, especially the MC.

How much I can relate to the MC has a big sway whether a book gets to be my favorite or not. That doesn't mean the other, secondary characters don't have to be realistic and three dimensional nevertheless.

III. They don't have too much description.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of descriptions. I could read Tylor Laini's gorgeous descriptive writing style all day. However, when it's overdone to the point where the author elaborates how the character took a breath, a step or ate an apple I battle with DNFing.

IV. They are written with an outstanding writing style.

I'm a total writing-style snob. Although I won't put down a book, because it was written in only an 'okay' style, it will most likely not become my favorite either.

V. They have swoon.

Do I even have to explain? Some romantics are needed in any book.

+1. They are humorous.

Though I dislike the specifically humor centered books, some snark shakes the book up a bit, in my point of view.

Let's Discuss!

You may have already guessed what the question would be; what makes a book your favorite?