Books Unfiltered: Rants, Reviews, and Reflections
This is not just another collection of reviews. It's where I get real about books-no filters, no sugar-coating. From dissecting the latest Wattpad hits to ranting about clichés, tropes, and everythin...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
WATTPAD RED FLAGS
——•⁕•——
Red flags.
We all hate them, don't we?
Whether it's in relationships—romantic, platonic, or even professional—red flags are those little (or big) alarm bells we just can't ignore.
And guess what? They're everywhere in stories too. From characters to plotlines, tropes, and even the way some genres are handled, red flags sneak their way into Wattpad just as much as they do into life.
So today, we're diving into these literary landmines.
Cheating and Forgiveness
Let's start with one of the most common red flags: cheating. More specifically, the whole "forgive and forget" trope where the cheater faces little to no consequence.
Writers want to explore complex relationships or add drama—sure, I get it. But when it's romanticized, as if cheating is just a tiny hiccup in an otherwise perfect love story? That's a hard no from me.
Judging by Views
Now, let's talk about judging a book by its views. There's this assumption that a book with millions of views is automatically good. Trust me, I've read enough Wattpad stories to know that high view counts don't always equal quality.
In fact, I've come across books with millions of views that left me utterly disappointed, while hidden gems with less than 10K views were worth every second. Judging solely by views? That's a red flag for me.
Insta-Love vs. Love at First Sight
Let's clear something up—there's a big difference between insta-love and love at first sight. The latter can be believable—a moment of instant attraction or connection, whether emotional or physical, that sparks interest but leaves room for development.
Insta-love, on the other hand, skips the connection entirely, with leads falling head over heels without any meaningful interaction.
To me, love at first sight works when there's actual development afterward. If there isn't? Well, it's no different from insta-love, and that's when it starts to feel unrealistic and forced.
And let's be real—you can't truly be in love after just three days. Unless you're one of those social media couples who document every second of their two-week relationship before it ends with a dramatic breakup post. Or those teenagers who feel an attraction to their classmate and call it "saat janmo ka pyaar"—all due to fluctuating hormones.
For the rest of us? Falling in love takes time. Saying you're falling in love feels far more believable—and less cringeworthy.
