Chat Between Chapters: When to Break Up with Series or Author?

Posted April 26, 2015 by Julie S. in Chat Between Chapters, Featured Posts / 39 Comments

chatbetweenchapters2

 At what point do you break up with a series or an author?

Julie Review Avatar Julie:

Honestly, if I’m not enjoying where the series is going, I’m probably out. If it takes me several books into the series to realize it isn’t fun anymore, oh well. If I only have a couple of books left to finish the series, probably oh well too. Because there are so many books out there, why waste my time reading something not enjoyable? Same goes for an author – at whatever point I lose respect for them or their writing style, I’m out. Authors behaving badly? Out. Start writing in a genre I don’t read/like? Out. I used to want to finish out series if I started them, but I also used to have more free time.

LynnpicLynn:

Ugh. This is a tough one. There are some series that I’m still reading which I should have long ago given up on, and some I dropped like a hot potato right away. Yes, I’m still reading the Stephanie Plum books, even after more than 20 in the series. I don’t have the overwhelming urgency to read them as I used to, but I feel like EVENTUALLY, I’ll learn if Stephanie chooses Morelli or Ranger. But I stopped reading the Game of Thrones books after the first two. They are long, too many characters, and I just don’t care. (I like the tv show just fine, though.) I think breaking up with a series (or not) is dependent on the reader. Is the series still fresh? Are the characters moving forward, growing? Do I, as the reader, still care? If that’s the case, keep going. If not, stop. There are too many books out there to bother with books I don’t care about. Unless I’m hate reading the later Outlander books. Then I say keep reading. Maybe they will get better!



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Posted April 26, 2015 by Julie S. in Chat Between Chapters, Featured Posts / 39 Comments

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39 responses to “Chat Between Chapters: When to Break Up with Series or Author?

    • Julie

      Yea, no sense in paying for books that aren’t enjoyable to you. Thanks Tina 🙂

    • Julie

      Ooh good point where some series do dry up and seem like they just keep going and going but are not good anymore. House of Night anyone? I’m on an extended maybe permanent break on that one.

  1. I’m giving up on Colleen Hoover and Rainbow Rowell. I’ve read 3 books by each so far and they barely made the cut for me. I guess their style isn’t for me.

    • Julie

      Aww well we’re sad to hear that, but if it doesn’t work for you, gotta move on.

    • Julie

      Yea I know what you mean it is just a break, that ends up sometimes being permanent heh

  2. Great discussion! I’ve broken up with several series over the years for various reasons. I stopped reading Stephanie Plum books because it annoyed me how she never got any better at her job and couldn’t choose a boyfriend. She’s not 17 any more, so grow up already! I’ve also broken up with authors behaving badly and having the books change in a direction I didn’t like.

    • Lynn

      As someone who’s still reading the Stephanie Plum books, Terri, I can honestly say you aren’t missing anything. At all.

  3. This is a great question, ladies. And Julie, I’m with you. There are too many good books out there to waste time on a series I’m not enjoying. It doesn’t really matter how far into a series I am, if I’m bored, I’m done.
    Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Teaser Tuesdays ~ #65

  4. Such a good topic. I am thinking of breaking up with Sara Shepard. The PLL books went on way too long and her new series The Perfectionists just isn’t doing it for me at all. I feel like she put out book after book for money or something. I feel bad for saying that -I honestly do – but its so clear she has lost direction!

    • Lynn

      I feel the same way about Nora Roberts, Daphne. Wading through all the books that are published to find the good ones is just not worth it.

  5. Good question. Most of the time, I have no problem finishing a series. Of course, if the first one is horrible, then I won’t even bother. Seeker is an example of that one. There were so many issues and I feel no need to know what is going to happen. I did just read the Taken series even though I wasn’t in love with it. There were some issues, but there was also an engaging storyline that kept me reading. I just wanted to find out what happened.
    Cynthia recently posted…Musing Mondays – Why I Decided To Quit My Challenges

    • Lynn

      That’s exactly how I feel about the Maze Runner books, Cynthia. I just don’t care enough to read the others.

    • Julie

      Yea I’m with you, if a first book is bad, or just not interesting, I’m not likely to even try the sequel.

  6. This is so hard. I always want to finish all series that I start, and I used to be pretty good at it. But now, if I look over the last couple of years, there are more unfinished ones than finished on my list.

    Partially, that’s because I am reading newer books, so I have to wait for the next book to come out, and well, I’ve never been very good at waiting, and so I forget about it.
    Nish recently posted…The Woman who Stole my Life

    • Lynn

      Very true, Nish. Once you’ve caught up with a series, it’s difficult to notice when a new one is released. I tend to do the same thing.

  7. This is so hard for me! Basically, what I WANT to do and what I actually do are two different things. Take The Mortal Instruments series- I did not want to finish them at all, I was so bored. But I forced myself, and I have no idea why!

    Now, the one thing I WILL do is refuse to read an author behaving badly. I do not have time for that nonsense, there are plenty of absolutely lovely authors whose work I want to read that I don’t plan on wasting my time and money on someone who doesn’t deserve it.

    OH! I did break up with Charlaine Harris, because after I invested 13 books, plus all the extra books, and anthologies and all that jazz, I was so disappointed with everything about the last four or five Sookie books that I won’t allow myself to go down that route again! Great topic, ladies!!
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight recently posted…This Week At Midnight (58)

    • Lynn

      I agree with you, Shannon, on the Mortal Instrument books. They really should have ended after 3. But I kept reading, too. I needed to know what was going to happen. And really, I didn’t care anymore by the time I got to the end. And now, I am really trying to stop myself from reading the Shawowhunter Academy books. I know that they won’t be good. But still, they just might be.

  8. It’s so hard to say, the best way to put it it’s when I don’t care and I can’t get pass 2 hrs on audiobook, and the same things happens in the next book (in a PNR) which is more than I usually give to a new book (45 mins).
    I loved The Chicago Land Vampires, but I never picked it up again after I heard the main character died.
    Lupdilup recently posted…2015 Spring & Summer Upcoming Audiobook Releases Giveaway

    • Lynn

      Good for you, Loupe. I’m not good at stopping once I’ve started reading a book. Even if I don’t like it. But yes, I agree. Once you’ve reached the end of your patience with a series, no point in picking up another.

    • Julie

      I read one more book after the one you mention in Chicagoland, just to see how/if they bring him back. And then I was done.

  9. I working to get better about breaking up with authors and series. Like you said, there are too many good ones out there to waste my time with bad ones. I did break up with a series after an author killed a character and then brought him back a book later. I can handle character’s death (though not always happy about it), but bringing them back seems like a copout. I have two authors/series that are very close to my break up list. The series have just been going on too long and aren’t interesting anymore. Plus the writing styles have changed and I don’t enjoy them as much any more. Great topic
    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…2015 Spring & Summer Upcoming Audiobook Releases Giveaway

    • Lynn

      Thanks, Melanie. And that is a cop-out. Killing a character to just bring them back would drive me crazy, too.

    • Julie

      Unless you’re in the Buffyverse or the Supernatural world, killing off main characters to bring them back later seems like a plot device, nothing more. I also agree with you that when a series goes on too long, the momentum is gone. 7 books is about right for a long series.

    • Lynn

      Yeah, Terri. I think all three of us agree with you on Outlander book 8. We recommend stopping after #4.

    • Lynn

      Very true, Missie. Now if only I could just find out what’s going to happen in a series without reading the books I’m not interested in.

      • Julie

        Check out Recaptains blog. They give you all the plot details so if you forgot and want to remember before the next book comes out, or just want the cliffs notes.

  10. For me it’s easy – I walk away once my attention strays. If the story can’t hold my interest 100% it doesn’t matter if I read 50, 200 or 750 pages, I stop. I know from experience that trying to get through a book I’m not thoroughly enjoying becomes a chore and takes forever. Why subject myself to that when there are so many wonderful books out there? Lol, there’s some nice pragmatism for ya 🙂
    Ramona recently posted…Children’s Reading Habits

  11. It is so hard to break up with a series. So much time and love invested in the characters, especially if you are many books in. It simply breaks my heart when the series takes a turn I don’t like, or worse– it becomes dull. I broke up with two series last year, and every once in a while I still think about picking them up again. But– there are so many great books out there, so there isn’t time for something I don’t like. *sigh* It still makes me sad, though.
    Kimber Leigh Wheaton recently posted…Meet the Characters of Nobody’s Goddess by Amy McNulty + Giveaway

    • Lynn

      Agreed, Kimber. It is difficult to break up with a series that you’ve invested a lot of time in. But also, there are just too many books out there to waste your time on something you are not going to enjoy.