Irritating phrases

[Hallandporridgeoats]

I can be reading a great book, and then the author will introduce one of these phrases that I find so irritating...and so many seem to use them.

"She was fiercely independent" or "he was so very tired" or "she loved him so very much". Aargh.

Do you have phrases that you feel this way about?

’so very’ whatever is so very Strout. Her stuff is full of tics that make me want to throw the book at the wall. That said, I do keep on buying and reading em. I don’t have any particular peeves but ‘fiercely independent’ is just boring.

'She let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding'

Describing people ‘padding’ anywhere. Usually barefoot.

I'm glad it's not just me who finds this so irritating.

I once read a book that commented on a woman‘s breasts vibrating ‚alluringly‘ while the plane took off.
Seriously, stop that high school nonsense middle aged male writer!!!
I‘ve not come across it a second time, but if I do it’ll be very bloody irritating.

Everyone letting out breaths they don't know they are holding! Every. Single. Book.

'Curled up with a book'.

See it loads on MN, it reminds me of the language in books I used to read as a teen.

Just read a book!

@StepCombatAttack oh yes, padding, I hate that one.

‘She felt the cold liquid slide down her throat’ when drinking wine.

His/her eyes darkened.
The corners of his/her mouth curled up (yes it's called smiling!)

Making curlicues with her hands

Sighing heavily

Drinking “plenty” of water. Never a lot or more. It has to be fucking PLENTY.

“Her breath hitched”.

Her breath caught in her throat.
He smelled like cinnamon.
I read something recently where one of the character's bowels turned watery and hit the toilet bowl with a loud splash.

"But that wasn't the point".

Just started a book and this phrase keeps getting repeated. Very annoying writing style and I don't think I can bear to read any more of it.

His eyebrow quirked.

What annoys me is repetition of a phrase. But not in a literary way- which would to deliberately emphasise the similarities or as a rhythmic thing. But, instead, seems rather to be poor editing.

"Breathed."

"Oh, Daddy," she breathed, her eyes shining, "it's beautiful!"

Well, I should bloody hope she breathed. She'd be dead otherwise.

Yes. No. I don't know.
X took Y by the elbow.
You're incorrigible.
A muscle twitched/tensed in his jaw. Never happens with a female character.

All seen in lots of different books by a range of authors. It's as if they copy each other.

@FortunataTagnips raising an eyebrow, can you raise just one? I can't.

"A beat" meaning a short pause. It's everywhere and it's irritating.

I’m 3 chapters into The Exorcist and the characters have padded places 1,813 times (possibly an exaggeration).

"Her eyes widened". Not so much the phrase but how common it is. It makes me imagine all these people walking around with their eyes expanding and shrinking like some creepy horror film.

Oh and not a phrase but so many protagonists just have one female friend who has absolutely nothing going on in their own life, so is always available and over invested.
I don't know anyone like this!

'everything happens for a reason'! yeah, like animals and kids being tortured, innocent people being executed and horrible things happening to good people and great things to evil bastards. It's such a stupid statement.