Happy Saturday and waking up this morning something that came to my mind which I wanted to talk to you about.
Series worth keeping!
I believe you all know what I’m talking about, there are series that you love that much that once the next books comes out, you drop everything just to get your hands on this one. Then, there are the ones where you liked the first one, but somehow the excitement got lost while waiting for a year to get the next book. Actually I had this discussion with one of me Bloggy friends Heather fromĀ BuriedĀ in Books when I Ā featured “Wings of the Wicked” by Courtney Allison Molton on a Waiting on Wednesday, which is the second book in the Angelfire series.Ā Ā This was what she said in her comment
I loved the first in the series. I remember how much I loved it. But one of the things about having to wait so long for the sequel is that I lose interest in the sequel when there are so many other books out there I want to read. I’m kind of like that with this one. I remember loving it and thinking Ellie was such a great female character. But now, I’m just so-so. I just wish publishers wouldn’t wait so long to publish the sequels. I’m sure once I start reading reviews my excitement will grow, but until then, I’m just not excited.Ā Ā – Heather, Burried in Books
She couldn’t be any more right about her statement and after her comment I though hard about this one. Usually, we have to wait for a year to get an update – a full year! During this time, often the love you felt for a story just cools down and finally there are other books which seem so much more exciting than to go back.
Also, since we are all reading so much, sometimes a story gets blurry and it’s hard to get back into the story. It’s easier to get a series back to back – that’s when I’m excited most, when I’m able to read one book after the other.
I really wish more publishers/authors would release stories more closely to each other. Just like with the “Blood Rights”Ā series by Kristen Painter, the first 3 books were releases October, November, December! That was so freaking awesome! Another example are the IronĀ DruidĀ ChroniclesĀ by Kevin Hearne. For me, this is a way of really getting people hooked to a story! The next series that comes into my mind is the 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany – while she’s not releasing her books (or moreĀ preciselyĀ St.Martins) in a 1 month tonus, at least her books only have around 6 month in between.
For me, there are a few series for which I’d drop everting just to get my next “fix”. The Fallen series by Lauren Kate is such an example – I just love the story, for this story I wait and as soon as the Rapture comes out you can be sure I have it on my Kindle! Also, whenever Jaenine Frost is releasing a book, I have to have it -now! Oh and then there is Julie Kagawa, for her I’d drop everything instantly – I love that much and her stories and her writing are incredible! Angelfire by Courtney Allison Molton is one of the other examples that are a little more recent.
On the other side, there are series which I loved at first but then my lost cooled, down to a shrug when it
came to the release of the next one. A series that I never finished although I loved the first two books is the “WondrousĀ Strange” series, and I even have the third book, but somehow there are books I’m just more excited about reading… Nightshade by Andrea Cremer is also on my list, I liked the first , liked the second but… I just don’t care enough to read the last one. Series that just fell of my shelf were “Matched” Ā and “Delirium” – I remember when I ended the first books I couldn’t wait to get to know what is next – now *sigh* I know I probably won’t follow… Ā Another series which I loved but ended up dropping was *cringe* the Shiver series by Maggy Stiefvater – I love this author, I love her writing but, I never ended up reading “Forever” – and it hurts me evenĀ admittingĀ it!
So my friends, tell me! What do you think about Series releasing back to back and having to wait for a year to get the next “fix”? Which Ā series are “Keepers” for you and which are the ones that fell of yourĀ shelves?Ā
I’m looking forward to hear what you think!
Much Love,
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I so agree with you, I'd love to have series releasing back to back, that's be pure awesomeness !!
There are so many awesome books out there .. I know I'll have to make sacrifices from time to time and that's a shame š !! Great post Danny ..
My recent post Review : Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
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Thanks Elodie!!! And how funny that just today you review Angelfire – Going to hop over and see how you liked it!!
And yes we do have to sacrifice a few books along the road *sigh*
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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I can't stand when I have to wait a year to read the next book in a series. It's torture! For instance, Across the Universe, Delirium, Unearthly, Divergent…a year to read the next book! Thankfully, that year has arrived. But the bad part…I kinda forget what happened. However, I'm glad when author's refresh my memory at the beginning of the book. I didn't care for Angelfire, but that's just me. I know a lot of people liked it. I might have been burned out reading the same kind of books at the time. I was thinking of giving it another shot. I really like the Iron Fey series. I have to try Blood Rights!
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YES Torture is the right word and it simply depends how much the series is worth the torture! And I also tempt to forget what happened. Like Across the Universe – I'm glad you mentioned that one – I totally mix it up with Glow which has been slightly similar and I guess I will move on and not read the next one..
Oh and I know that many people don't like Angelfire but that's the beauty about books, there are always some you love that others don't ..
Oh and you should definitely try out Blood Rights! 3 books are out and the next os coming in January! wooot! Thanks for stopping by!
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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Oh!! I'm like that too. It kinda sucks. I don't need them back to back monthly, but a bit earlier than a year or longer. o: Like 6 months is kinda awesome! Cassandra Clare, Jeanine Frost, Kitty Thomas and Laurell K. Hamilton are authors I pre-order/buy at once from and can't wait to get my hands on. I've loved all of their books. I'm sure Veronica Roth and Veronica Rossi will be there too! I've not forgotten my love for those yet at least, haha. š
I've had a few I've kinda "forgotten" the excitement for as well… Like Mara Dyer. I know I loved it, but now I'm just… Meh. o: Which is sad, because I really loved it! I have more but I just can't remember them. Is this bad? ._. I think so, lol.
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6 month is the perfect timing, I agree! Which is why I love Shannon Delany so much, she is really fast when writing and St. Martins appreciates this and releases her books faster! I do have to check out Kitty Thomas and I never read Hamilton and seeing that you love them so much I need to check them! I hope my love for Veronica Rossi won't die until next year..
Oh and I'm sad to hear that Mara Dyer doesn't belong to the Keppers – I loved her insanely!
And no – It's so not bad at all – This is what happens when waiting to long! š
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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I agree with you that it is hard to keep the anticipation fresh for an entire year. I can't tell you how many "first books" I've read. Way more than completed series. It's not that I don't enjoy the first books, it's just like you said, other great books come along and my attention gets diverted. Sometimes I think I should wait until the entire series is published to start reading. But that's no fun…I don't know what the solution is, except write faster or write stand alones!
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We should count once how many "First" we read in comparison to the "Seconds" – I bet the list is immense! I just love being able to read a complete series – it's just something else if you get the whole story! I can get lost in whole series for a while and I love the feeling digging so deep into a story!
My humble opinion is that Publishers should rethink their strategies because it's not always the author but the publishers strategie.
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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I agree! When I have to wait a year I lose my interest. I remember I was SO excited to read Crossed when I finished Matched but here I have it and STILL haven't read it! I do love when they release faster. Even 6 months is much better. But I like the rapid release of a month or two apart, then I cruise through them all and actually remember what has happened.
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Oh yes.. Crossed perfect example and I'm glad to see I'm not alone on this one. There is just something wonderful in reading a series so close to each other but the major part is I really know what happened, I know the details! And although authors tempt to remind you on major points – the details get blurry which is just sad. one can enjoy a story so much better when you are really into it!
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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You make SO many great points in this post! I know exactly what you mean about losing interest as time goes on and, because those storylines DO tend to get a bit fuzzy after awhile, like you mentioned, I almost always feel like I need to reread the first books in order to read the next one. Then I'm always asking myself if I should really commit to spending that much time on one series when I have so many other books and authors that I need to read!
Also, I finished the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, and while I love her writing style, I wasn't all that fond of Linger and Forever. They weren't bad or anything, but they felt sadly mediocre to me. In my humble little opinion, I'd say that Shiver was the best book in the series, and you aren't missing out on too much by not reading the rest!
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*sigh* exactly… When I start the next book a year later I always wish I would have had time to reread the ones before. But seriously, with that many books we are always reading there is just no time to go back – time you could spend to discover something else, new. So I basically never do this.
I'm glad you say Shiver was the best! I loooved this one but although Linger was good my love was almost gone when Forever was released. I'm absolutely sure I would have read them all if the release would have been sooner.
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Well, you know my feelings on the situation. Yes, there are certain series that I will continue to read-the Fallen series, Iron Fey (anything Kagawa writes) Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready, Starcrossed series by Josie Angelini, etc. There are plenty that have me invested enough that I'll continue, but that's because I've either got a lot of time invested in it (Fallen,) Julie Kagawa published inbetween novellas, Jeri Smith-Ready's character Zachary Moore was in the YA book boyfriend contest and was number two coming from way behind and she gave teasers and contests and all kinds of things. Plus she's easily accessible to her readers. And I did a tour with Josie Angelini and can twitter with her.
So maybe it's accessibility, and follow up after the release of the book. But, when I'm reading that the writer is finishing up edits for book two as book one hasn't even been released, I know it's the publisher that's holding the book back. I think they are losing readers by doing this. And if it's just an okay series, I'm not getting the second book after a year of waiting. Maybe if it was earlier, but not after that long when I probably don't remember most of the book.
That's why I love indie and self published authors! They usually publish sequels as soon as they have them ready. No deadlines, no need to wait for the publisher's okay, no need to wait for a year. But, there will always be series I will always be loyal to and I'll wait. Just not very happily or patiently.
Heather
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Gosh it seems like I have to read the Shade series after all?? You love them so much? Well, then I have to get them a try finally, also after you said the boy in this series won the boyfriend contest. There, I'm sold š
I believe you are perfectly right, I don't necessarily think it's the author – often it's the publisher!
I just read some time ago that the author of "The Candidates" series (which is called differently no..lol) was mad that her publisher decided to push back her book so that nearly 1.5-2 years are between book 1 and 2! I'm not sure if they are really doing the right thing here. I mean, we are bloggers who tempt to read more than the average reader, but I assume that also "normal" readers might loose interest!
Oh and so happy you mention self pubs! It's just awesome how they keep writing and writing and release their books so fast – I believe they know you have to feed the fire while it's still hot! And I also believe that those Indie's are the most successful that actually do it this way!
Thanks again Heather, you were the inspiration of this post and I'm so happy to see this vivid discussion here:)
My recent post Discussed! by Danny – Series Worth Keeping!
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I disagree – the wait only makes the sequel SO much better when it's finally available. Call me old fashioned but a little delayed gratification never hurt anyone. Plus it takes time for authors to write, editors to edit, cover artists to design, marketers to market! I started Harry Potter in grade 6 and didn't finish the last book until a year after I had finished university. I miss the excitement and the anticipation of a new book the most. Speaking of Stiefvater – I so wish there was a sequel for The Scorpio Races.
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Oh you know what I'm glad that there is finally someone stepping up who disagrees. I guess you are right about the level of anticipation for series like Harry Potter. There was something magic to the anticipation for a release. Harry Potter was epic and it kept up with all of us for such a very long time – epic!
But I my point is that series that do not belong on the Harry Potter liga might suffer from a too long wait. I'm glad that you don't feel that way tough š
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YES! Me, too! I love it when series books are released in quick secession. It totally adds to my addiction. And Jeaniene Frost has become an auto buy for me.
I totally lost interest in Nightshade. And though I own all of the Shiver books, I've only read the first one. Loved it but I didn't feel like the story had to continue, so in my head the story ends with book one. LOL
Great post, Danny. Thanks for helping me feel a little less guilty about not finishing series book even if they are loved by others.
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Oh Missie and I'm glad I'm not alone here too! I also feel bad for not following up on series where I liked the first one. But again I think it's just the natural order when reading as much as we all do. And I still firmly believe that I would have read more series if they would be available much earlier, I believe I wouldn't have forgotten so much and would have been more invested.
The more kuddos to those authors that manage to get the level of our excitement up for more than a year, those authors clearly managed to create a story worth keeping – even better that those authors/stories are different for all of us:)
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Can you imagine how we might have exploded if we had read the FEVER series any earlier? I've talked to people who started the series when it first came out and they've said the wait in between book releases was torture, and with the way each book ends, I believe them. I'm so glad I read the first four books back to back and only had to wait 8 mos for the final book. And that wait was killer. LOL
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I honestly don't think we would have survived this… It was hard enough to wait for Shadowfever – but waiting for all of them`??? *faints*
Funny that we both had the same experience with the Fever series – I definitely plan to reread them again this year, I miss this epic awesomeness that is Barrons so much, there is just non one like him!
And.. that's just us Missie, turning this discussion in a Fever discussion! *giggles*
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We can never go long without talking about Barrons. I miss him too. Every time I look at my Barrons Books and Baubles book bad, I sigh longingly. LOL
PS. He better be in ICED.
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I miss him so much – at one point we would have to reread those books together Missie!!
And yes – HE Sooo better be in ICE!!!!!! Can't.Freaking.Wait!
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Great post and I have to agree I do the same thing! I have a few series where I adored the first book and then in the wait other things have just taken priority. I think for me it has a lot to do with how a book ends, I really prefer a finished story rather than a stop in the middle of action cliffhanger because then I'd be worried I'd forget what was going on and where the story started.
I recently read Supernaturally after loving Parnormalcy and I did enjoy it but it took me ages to get back into because I really could have done with a better re-cap on what had gone previously.
I do absolutely love the Soul Screamers series and that's something I always pre-order.
I often think the best thing is discovering a new series that you love where there is already quite a few of the books published.
Great post and interesting discussion.
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Oh you have a very good point here! The ending of a book totally is important – if a book grabs your attention so much and then ends with a cliffhanger I personally fell more inclined to pick up the sequel!°
Oh yes the Soul Screamers! Totally forgot about this one!! Rachel Vincent is also a master and writes so damn fast, and I also looove this series!!
There is nothing better than being able to read books back to back *sigh*
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Sometimes I hate to wait a whole year for the next book in a series, not because I might loose interest, but because I really want to know what happens after. I'm impatient, stamp my foot, start to annoy people with my book obession. Then I think about the authors and publishers and the work they put into a book and am grateful. I have a lot of series that still fascinate me. The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. I can't wait for Insurgent and The Last Echo and on my TBR pile are two books I've been waiting for eagery: Wings of the Wicked and A Million Suns.
At the moment I've fallen in love with so many book series that the wait for the single pieces won't be too bad anymore, because almost every month there's a new book of my obsession coming out!
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*giggles* I'd love to see you stomping with your foot, but I know what you mean and I know this frustration!! And.. you can never be annoying among us here… we know how you feel!!
And actually you are right, there are so many series that we get a "sequel" every month – but just like you I know this frustration after finishing one…
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I like it when they release books in a series close together. I was thrilled that Kristen Painter's books were released so close together (I have but haven't yet read the third book) and Jennifer Estep has also released her books from the Mythos Academy series pretty close together.
Some that probably won't be keepers are Maggie Stiefvater's Mercy Falls series, of which I've only read the first one, and the Carrie Jones Need series (can't even remember if I've read the second one). And it's a good thing they were the last in the series because, brace yourselves, I absolutely HATED the last of the Twilight and Harry Potter books and wouldn't have continued with them if more had been released.
There are a ton of series that I love and will read no matter how long it takes for them to come out. My favorites are Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles, the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine (though I've only read five of them so far), Holly Black's Curse Worker's series and the Vampire Empire series by Clay and Susan Griffiths. Yet the one that really turns me into Gollum is Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series.
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Oh you do have to read the third book from Kristen, it's awesome although it (of course) ends with a cliffhanger… You mentioned some "Keeper" series that I do have to check out!!! Like the Drake Chronicles… I read some reviews but never started the series, maybe I should!
I know what you mean with series ending, and I also often have a the feeling that some stories are just pro-longed which also makes me want to drop them. Although, I personally think the HP ending was good! Why did you hate it?
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Yeah, I think I've put off reading it because I really don't like the addition of the love triangle, I'm a Mal girl! And if you haven't read Rob Thurman's Chimera or Leandros series before, RUN to the bookstore!
I started hating HP in previous books. SPOILER ALERT if you haven't read HP!!! She killed all of my favorite characters. Snape was my absolute favorite (that chapter about him was the best), then she knocked off Lupin and Tonks and even the darn owl! And when she bumped off Fred that really set me off. A twinless twin was just too much!
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*sigh* there are so many series that I've just let drop. It's so sad, because I really do want to read the books! I've had The Iron Knight and Liar's Moon from the library for a really, really long time and I still haven't read them yet. I think I'm going to have to return them unread š I don't know what's wrong with me. I WANT to read them, but the momentum and excitement isn't there. I really prefer waiting until all the books in a series has been published before I start reading. I liked how the River of Time series was released across one year.
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*gasps in shock* You haven't read Iron Knight! Oh no!!!!!!!
But I get what you are saying, I'm also often super excited just after finishing the book and I would do anything to get my hands on the next one. But, then after one year I can barely remember why I was so excited and .. there I drop it. It's so sad! I might have even enjoyed it and for sure would have read the other books too!
Gosh, I really have to get started on the River of Time series…
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Oh my! It's my turn to gasp! You still haven't experienced the River of Time series?! Oh my, you need to get started š
Ha, but I have no room to talk, because, yes, sadly I still have not gotten around to reading The Iron Knight. It's horrible, too, because I have an e-ARC AND a library copy. Someday…
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I also read and loved how the River of Time series came out in one year. It was an amazing time – travel story!
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[…] Even better, there will a short story released end ofĀ February! Gosh, I much I love it when publishers areĀ releasingĀ series so short after each other! We just had a vividĀ discussionĀ about this last Saturday, feel free to […]