Blog Chain: Tropes, Tropes, Tropes

Blog chain time!! For this round, my buddy Michelle wants to know the following:

What elements in your favorite genre make it your favorite? For instance, if your favorite genre is romance, what elements do you like in a romance story? A tortured hero? A spunky heroine? Steamy love scenes? Sweet romance? If your fave genre is sci-fi, what elements do you love the most (the characters, the science, the possibilities?), etc?

So. Tropes. I like a few of them. Problem is, my favorite genre (to read) is YA contemporary realism. I'm still a huge fantasy fan, but it's the contemporary stories that have my heart. Here is le list of tropes I can get behind:

1. Cliques (because obviously).
2. Mean girls who are more than just mean girls (a la Courtney Summers' books).
3. An underdog protag who beats the odds.
4. The awkwardness of falling in love for the first time ever (personal faves are Stephanie Perkins + Sarah Dessen + John Green).
5. Vivid settings in the everyday world (Kirsten Hubbard wins at this).
6. The bad boy with a heart of gold. This one is easily found in other genres, but to me, the contemp bad boys feel more accessible due to an extra focus on their character development. And extra character development = a happy Amparo.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of tropes, but for now, these are my faves. :) Make sure to check out Cole's post, and stay tuned for Margie's!

What about you? Are there any tropes in your favorite genre that you're head over heels with??