Funky Fad Friday--Bad Boys Gone Soft

I'll put this out there first of all: I don't really like bad boys, in real life or in books.

In real life, because I was born without a rebellious streak, I guess. In books, because I hate to see a bad boy gone soft.

Have you noticed this? Hot Guy is mysterious, moody, dark. Girl is drawn to him because he just feels so deliciously dangerous. There is tension. This is good. I'm totally on board up to this point.

But then.

Tension breaks. They get together. Bad Boy starts sharing his feelings like a freaking girl! And he's nice and sensitive and kind and patient. And it seriously bugs me. This is not the same guy Girl was initially attracted to. He has become her, with a deeper voice. Guh.

I say, if he's a Bad Boy, he has to have a reason to be bad. And he has to stay bad. Now, I'm not saying he should slap her around or forbid her from talking to her friends or anything. And of course, a guy would open up more to someone he loved than to the general public. But please, don't make the Bad Boy a pushover as soon as he falls in love.

I'll give you one example of Bad Boy done right: Jace Wayland in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. (No spoilers, guys, I just finished Book 4) Jace is arrogant, sarcastic, and can be downright ruthless with his cutting words. He is emotionally cut off and aloof. He falls for Clary and--wonder of wonders--is still the same guy. Yes, he opens up a bit to Clary, she can see how his sarcasm is a coping device. But he still does it. He still annoys her. She loves him anyway, and I totally buy it because that's who she fell in love with in the first place.

So, Bad Boys. Be nice to the girl you like, but please, continue to be a jerk for your unique reasons, and I will appreciate you all the more for it.

Funky Fad Friday--How Old Are These Guys?

 So, according to the comments on last week's fad, I am the only person weirded out by winking? Okay, cool.

Moving on. Let's discuss something in YA that pops up a lot: Hot Guys. More specifically, cut, ripped, built, broad-shouldered, five o'clock-shadowed, other-kinds-of-manly Hot Guys.

I don't have a problem with this one. I, like every other slightly creepy adult woman, really don't mind reading about a love interest with rippling muscles or whatever.

BUT.

You guys, let's be realistic for one second.

I had the privilege of growing up with my husband. I met him in high school at the age of sixteen, which is often the age of Hot Guys in YA books. And yeah, his shoulders were definitely broader than mine. He was shaving by that time, at least once a week. He had a fair amount of muscles. But, he was still kind of growing into his ears. He was lanky, like most teenage boys are. His voice was deep, but still cracked from time to time. He didn't hit the Hot Guy needs-to-shave-that-attractively-careless-scruff mold until, oh, about twenty, I'd guess.

I had a lot of guy friends who served LDS missions. They typically leave at nineteen and come back at twenty-one, and the thought I had as each one came home was, "Wow, he filled out." Boys became men somewhere in that two year window.

So, my point is, are these Hot Guys really only sixteen or seventeen? Because sometimes the way they're described makes them sound older.Not that I mind. It makes me feel less creepy.

Input! Has anyone else noticed this? What do you think about it?

Funky Fad* Friday--Winking

Every week I'm going to discuss something I've noticed popping up a lot in books I read. Some things I like, some I don't, some just puzzle me. I'm curious to know what other people think, so weigh in! Let your voice be heard!

Winking

I read a lot of YA, and I like it a lot, but this is always something that has made me wonder--do real teenagers actually wink to be flirtatious? Because in almost every YA book I read, there is at least one wink, and often many more. Usually, it's the most popular girl in school, or the hot mysterious guy, and whoever they're winking at is often left flustered and totally attracted to the winker.

Really?

Now, I had a dear, dear friend in high school who would wink flirtatiously and every time he did, it was like, "Huh? How old are you? Are you from the fifties?" (Sorry, people from the fifties. Did people wink back then? I don't even know.)

There was also another boy in high school whose gaze had the power to literally render me speechless. Once, under the full force of his eyes, my actual response was, "Ummmbluuuhhhhhhh." (He didn't look at me much after that.) He was hot, guys. But, my point is, even if he had winked at me, it would've been more like, "Eh?" Because I don't think teens wink like they're often portrayed to do.

What do you guys think? Is the winking legit or is the cheese factor too much for you?

Are there any fads in books these days that you want to talk about? Let me know!!

*Fads and trends are different. I know this.** Some of these will be trends. But trend doesn't start with an F and I'm trying to be cutesy. Work with me here.

**My design schooling demands I defend myself.