I admit it: I have a hard time abandoning a book series. When I start one, I just feel the need to read the entire thing. I have done that several times. And each time I ask myself: why do I do this to myself?? Mainly, it's because I just feel a need to read more and see how the characters turn out. It's like they're real people and I won't rest until I know how their life turns out.
Lately, I have been getting better about abandoning a book series when I'm not happy. It seems like this urge came about after blogging. I think it's because there are just so many books out there, begging to be read, that I can't read more books JUST to see how the characters turn out. Also, it seems like every new book is the start of a series. I just can't add more books to my TBR if I didn't even like the first one.
So what makes me decide to abandon a book series?
1. A plot that is confusing or unrealistic or it just downright makes me mad.
2. Boring characters
3. A book that moved too slowly and didn't really excite me
4. Annoying plot devices like insta-love. That alone isn't necessarily a driving force in my decision to abandon a book series, but when there is insta-love AND zero chemistry between the couple, it's just too much for me to handle.
5. Lack of world-building to the point where I have no clue what is happening or even the time frame where the story takes place
Do you have a problem abandoning a book series? What makes you decide to stop reading one? Anything that needs to be added to the list?
I have no problem abandoning a book series. I think you hit on a lot of the reasons - especially 1 and 3 for me. If I am at the point that I don't care what happens or if I find out I can stop a series. There are too many books to read out there to get stuck in a bad series!
ReplyDeleteSo true Grace! My TBR grows every single day so the last thing I need is to read more books that I don't even care about. Life is just too short.
DeleteI get confused when there are half-books and prequels and so forth. What the heck is .5 in a series?
ReplyDeleteKwizgiver, ha I know! I think if a book is 1.5, then it should be read between books one and two, I guess? That's what I take from it, but I very rarely read those or prequels. I have to REALLY love the series to do that.
DeleteI end up abandoning series if I realize that I just don't care anymore by the time the next book is released! There's just so much else to read -- unless the first book was so good that I haven't stopped thinking about it, it's not really worth reinvesting after a year or more has gone by.
ReplyDeleteLisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies
Lisa, so true! There are sequels that I am eagerly anticipating ALL YEAR LONG! I had never thought about that part . . . if there is a sequel that I forget about or am not anxiously biting my fingernails to get my hands on it, then why would I read it?
DeleteI actually abandon book series ALL THE TIME...even ones I like. Bahhaha. Ahem. Okay NOT TRUE! I don't mean to stop reading series on books I like, I just generally end up because the more I like them, the more worried I am about the ending being screwed up.😂 If that makes sense. Ahem. So I just live in this little happy pineapple bubble of denial that it even ends. #sensible
ReplyDeleteBut I do also abandon series for permanent when they're fitting this list too. I hate it when the characters are like little pancakes. Like when a pancake has more personality than a character? I am outta there. And dumb romance. OR when there was ONLY one character that I liked and they get killed off....I really hate that, sheesh. Basically if I rate a book 2-stars or 1-star, I'm not continuing the series. hehe.
Cait, I completely understand what you mean! And there are book series where it just kind of goes downhill the further into it, you go (I'm looking at you, Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Throne of Glass). But if I am SUPER excited about it, I just have to read it.
DeleteI almost never purposely abandon book series, but I'm so horrible about finishing series in general that I do it quite a lot. There are lots of series that I'm planning on finishing eventually and then others that I've just let fall by the wayside and they'll probably stay there. But I try not to specifically think about it because if I do, I'll start wanting to finish the series even though I wasn't that much of a fan of the first book. Crazy, I know.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Nicole, I know what you mean about that too. I have quite a few sequels that have come out this year but I haven't read them yet? Why? Because I have SO MANY BOOKS to read! Sometimes I do go awhile before finishing the series, just because I have no time. Craziness.
DeleteI used to literally not be able to abandon a series. I'm better about it now but I still have a hard time if I've read more than a few in the series. If the first book doesn't work for me, then I won't continue but if I've read and enjoyed some of the books then it is really hard for me to just give up
ReplyDeleteEve, oh yeah it's like the more you go into it, the more invested you feel. I read the first two books in the Throne of Glass series and I felt REALLY bad about not continuing, but it just wasn't for me.
DeleteSEEKER HAHAHHA. Did you know I read through the entire thing? It was horrible. Also I'm not sure what makes me abandon a book. Usually one that I'm just not in the mood to read. Or is too dull or the writing is too dense and dry.
ReplyDeleteValerie, oh man I DID TOO!! I wish I had DNFd that one, but you can be sure I am staying FAR AWAY from the sequel.
DeleteBWHAHAHAH Seeker! DYING, that book is legitimately the WORST. I sent the second book to Karen and told her she has to tell me if it ever makes sense 😂 I definitely ragequit that series. I mean, I finished the book because I kept hoping to understand it, but NOPE, I have no time for any more shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteRed Rising... GAH, I have no idea what to do with it. I wanted to love it SO MUCH but then... I don't? I own the second book, which is problematic (I have a tendency to do that too- buy sequels before I've read the first one, which is extra dumb).
But yeah, I am terrible at this too. I mean, I suffered my way through all 6 of the Mortal Instruments books, and I was SO BORED. Why do that? I am currently doing the SAME THING with Queen of Shadows- though I don't dislike it as much as TMI, I am still kind of bored. Why are all these books enormously long, by the by?
I think I never actually *let* myself stop. Sometimes I just... haven't continued yet? Seeker is legit one of the only books I have actively said NOPE no more to. And The Witch Hunter, but I DNFed that (which I have only done with 3 books ever so... yeah).
Girl, we need a support group.
Shannon, YES we do!!! Valerie mentioned Seeker too. That book was SO BAD!! I can't believe I actually read that book all the way through.
DeleteAnd lately, if I am going to start a series that is complete already, I only buy the first one. Gah, if I had bought the second one, I would definitely feel like I had to read it! Are you going to? Or is that going to be a book that you just never, ever read?? And Throne of Glass is one that I just had to quit. I read the first two and while they weren't awful, I just didn't love them. I definitely didn't love them enough to commit to the whole series. I heard they get worse as the series goes on anyway. Good luck on that one. We so need a support group for this!! (Or maybe we just need a support group for people who have read and hated Seeker??)
Annoying love triangles are a big one for me. Also character deaths that I thought were added for shock value. Sometimes I just lose interest in the characters/story, it all depends.
ReplyDeleteNereyda│ Nick & Nereyda’s Infinite Booklist
Nereyda, the love triangle thing is a good one. I kind of hate that trope anyway, but I won't necessarily dismiss a book or series that has one. But if I am not rooting for any relationship because I hate all of them, that would be a good reason to give it up.
DeleteArghh I totally know what you mean! Once I start a series I used to feel like I needed to finish the whole series. I've also gotten better at abandoning series'. Poison Study is one I'm thinking about abandoning to be honest, the first and second book felt like they had the exact same formula and there was nothing new, so I have no interest to keep reading...
ReplyDeletePlot devices like insta-love is a device that would make me stop reading the series. I hate it when it's insta-love but then the main character only 'discovers' she likes the guy half way through, and you're just like 'Really?!', you haven't been able to stop thinking about him or searching him out this WHOLE TIME!! STAAAAHPPPP!
Jordon @ Simply Adrift
Jordon, I'm so glad I am not the only one who has felt that way! I actually read Poison Study twice. The second time I read it, it was because I didn't remember much and people were raving about the sequel. But when I read it again, I was reminded why I didn't continue the series to begin with. I just didn't care enough about any of the characters to know (or care) what happened to them. Oh yeah, insta-love is AWFUL! Why, oh why, do authors do it?? The rest of the boo has to be pretty damn good for me to accept insta-love without a lot of eye rolling.
DeleteYou're right, I didn't really care about any of the characters either. Which sucks! I've ALSO read Poison Study twice because the first time I hated it so much I could barely remember any of it! Arghh.
DeleteJordon @ Simply Adrift
I drop many many series after the first book. If I like the first one or two and then come to one I don't like, then I usually give it one more try.
ReplyDeleteIncrease Readership & Engagement with a Wrap up Post
Got My Book, I have read two books in a series before giving it up, but I still feel weird about it. I do feel like the more books I read in a series, the more invested I become. Ugh.
DeleteI always struggle when I'm deciding to abandon a series. What if the next book is better? I feel especially sad to give up a series if I've already read more than one part. I've also decided to drop some series lately - I just don't have time to read bad books and if I didn't like the first book, chances are I won't like the rest. So I'm giving my time and money to other writers - that's how I justify it most of the time.
ReplyDeleteAs for the reasons, I think you have most covered! :) I usually get bored or annoyed (either at characters who do stupid things or at plot devices, like you said).
Kaja, I hate deciding to abandon a series. I also have that little thought in the back of my head: what if the next one is better. But like you said, I have way too many books to read to waste time on bad ones.
DeleteOh, I abandon series with abandon!
ReplyDeleteCauses:
1. The first book was okay enough to finish, but not that great, so I'd rather read something that might be great.
2. I liked the first book, but the second isn't out (or readily available to me), and I kind of forget about the first book, so I move on.
3. I loved the first book, and I liked the second book, and the third book was okay but kind of repetitive and gah, there are five more books in this series but I am just not feeling it anymore.
4. I've started reading some really long mystery series (like, dozens of books) and after several books, it either starts to feel stagnant and predictable, or the author has to resort to ridiculous plot twists and ret-cons to keep new stuff coming, and either way, I stop reading them.
5. Who knows? I just didn't keep reading the series.
I really liked the Poison Study series, btw, and powered through them back-to-back. Which actually is how I prefer to read series in general. It's all one long story, so I want to read it all at once. But that's another topic for another day.
Wendy, All of those are great reasons! #3 is how I felt with Throne of Glass. I liked the first one and the second one was just okay. And there are just so many other ones in the series, I can't being myself to read more. I hate it, but it happens.
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