It's official, book series have made me their bitch and it's past the point of no return! There is no undoing it and no going back. I must admit defeat and surrender to the fact that series now own me. They swoop in with their promise of awesome characters and storylines that I can love and follow for years to come. Their pretty covers lure me in and I go out and instabuy every book in the series so far. I start new series with excitement and wonder, with the hope that I just stumbled onto something incredible. And then, a lot of the time, by the time the next book is out I have forgotten all about the series.
I think the discussion about series we have started and not finished is one that has been done so many times. But, I'm beginning to realise I have a real problem and it's about time I did something about it. Hopefully confessing my series fiction problems might actually get me to finally do something about it. This year alone I have started 16 book series. That's kind of scary, especially if I had ended up committing myself to all of them. How would I ever find the time? Luckily, some were ones I could binge read together as the whole series were out and others were so awful that I abandoned them after book one.
But, what about the others? The ones I want to continue and now need to look out for the sequel. I have a horrid memory, I don't remember all the little details in books and every minor plot point. I pretty much have to go back and reread every book in the series so that I am caught up on everything. That's fine in a book series that has 2 to 3 books, but what about those with 5 or above. Then it's just crazy and I have to commit about two weeks to getting through them all. If I want to complete the series then I need to go back and do that and that's such a huge time commitment spent on books that I've already read. Am I the only one who has this problem or does anyone else need to reread books by the time the sequel is out?
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| All the series I need to finish! |
So how do I sort out my series problem, I really don't know at this point. In the last four years I have been keeping track of the books I read using Shelfari and Goodreads. In that time I have actually started 106 book series, but only completed a not-so-grand total of 25 series. That's pretty poor. But, in my defence, a lot of those series turned out to be rubbish and I wouldn't want to finish them. But quite a lot of them are ones I loved when I read them, and ones I always had the intention of finishing. So why haven't I? Especially when a lot of them have all the books published? Simple answer, I forget or just don't have the time or patience to go back and reread the other books.
So, some of the series I still need to finish:
The Gallagher Girls was a lot of fun and I believe I got four or five books in before I had to wait for a release. But by the time the last book released I had forgotten everything. Going back and reading all of the books in a binge just seemed like so much work, so I still haven't got to it.
Breathe is a duology and the sequel has been out for quite some time. It would only take me a few days to reread and finish the last book, so I am not even sure why I have put this off. The Wicked series is one I remember finding utterly strange and yet utterly compelling at the same time. Think I would like to finish that series at some point.
A Song of Ice and Fire is one I want to read as I adore the series so much. But, after one book, I got distracted and started something else. Now I am just put off by the book lengths and how much time it would take me to read them.
Starcrossed, I have one book to go but will need to reread. I seem to have a problem with wasting time rereading books at the moment so this is why I have yet to get to it. Same goes for the Sky Chasers and Killables series.
The Selection is a hard one because, although I enjoyed the first two books, I had a lot of problems with it. I didn't like the main character and didn't think highly of the main love interest. I know her and Maxon will end up together but I don't really care enough to get to the book yet and have to deal with that.
Recent series I have fallen in love with and committed to continuing:
These are the series that I have started within the last 7 months and they are the ones I am really excited to continue with. I have fallen in love with them all and know I will be eagerly awaiting the new releases for all these series. The waiting will kill me but the books are good enough that I will be more than happy to reread them all in preparation.The Lunar Chronicles was one that was hard for me, I really enjoyed Cinder but admit that the hype ruined that one for me a bit. I am now halfway through Scarlet and I'm completely obsessed! To All The Boys blew me away and that ending just left me begging to get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible. These Broken Stars!!!! I mean, who doesn't want to continue that one? Uninvited was intriguing but I have a lot of questions that need to be answered in book two, plus the romance was swoon worthy for me. ALIENATED!!! Oh, I would kill to get Invaded... I don't even think I am joking.
So, even though I say I want a solution to my problem, I still have a bunch of series that I plan to start. A lot of them are ones I already own and so I know that I need to make them a priority to get to. I am going to put some below and I'd love your opinions on which ones you would recommend I start with? Which series will make me love it so much that I won't mind waiting for the next instalment?
Series I plan to start:
Which one would you recommend?
I am hoping to make a dent in more book series soon. I am hoping to finish off more series that I have fallen in love with but have just forgotten about. I need to make sure I only start series that I am really and truly willing to commit too. I know I should probably stop starting new series but it's an addiction, I can't help myself. J. K. Rowling is clearly to blame, she gave me the most amazing, beautiful, magical world ever and filled it with unforgettable characters. How could I not spend the rest of my life trying to find that again?
Me when J.K. ended the Harry Potter series:
And I've been searching for a new one ever since!
So fellow readers and bloggers, please tell me that book series have slowly taken over your life and tbr shelf. Please tell me I am not the only one with so many book series left to finish. And, even if you lie, please tell me I am not crazy for continuing to start new ones.
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Holy shomolly woman, I love this post! Reminds me of my series posts in the past. Right, onto the books. Gallagher Girls, I binge read books #2 to #6 in two weeks (mainly because I had to wait for books #5 and # in the post) and I absolutely loved them. Starcrossed will be easy to get back into if you recap the first book, or I can recap the points that happened, but the rest is a piece of piss. Recent series, hell yes to Cinder, started Scarlet tonight and I really really really like iiiiiiiit, so happy I picked it up. Series to start, well, sit down hunny! Pivot Point, you'll love it since you loved The Distance Between Us, Addie is so like Caymen. Vampire Academy I need to re-borrow and THRONE OF GLASS we need to read this like, pronto, I'm so excited! I really want to read Shatter Me series, The Grisha Trilogy and All Our Yesterdays, but I need my library or moneys! Fantastic post though, be proud :D
ReplyDeleteThank you! I realised that I was scheduling discussion posts and then unscheduled them because I thought too much about it. So, as this was something I'be been wanting to do for so long, I wrote it all last night and then instantly posted it. No scheduling! :) It worked and I didn't panic about the content and whether it mattered as much. I will let you know when I am ready for Throne of Glass, very excited to start that one! :)
DeleteI used to be their bitch too, but little by little I broke free. Well, almost-free. I still follow a few but DNF'd a lot as well. Like I totally just DNF'd The Selection (even though I did enjoy the first two books) And yesss, read The 5th Wave and Angelfall!! They are both AMAZING!!
ReplyDeleteIt's very tempting to DNF The Selection because I realise I don't really care that much about ANY of the characters or what happens to them. Thanks for the recommendations :)
DeleteGreat post, Charnell! I've been thinking of doing a similar post for a while now, because I absolutely love series! However, I get what you're saying - they do take up a lot of time. Fortunately for me, I don't find it necessary to re-read previous books in a series unless it's been 5+ years since I read the last book (this is why I still haven't finished the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and also the Gemma Doyle trilogy.) In case you didn't already know, I find FictFact is great for keeping track of series - they even send you reminder emails!
ReplyDeleteI actually haven't started any of the series you want to finish, but they're all on my TBR...as for series you want to start, I loved The 5th Wave, Pivot Point (and Split Second), Shatter Me (though I have yet to continue the series), Vampire Academy (and Frosbite...yet to have read the others) and I'm halfway through Angelfall but had to put it down as I wasn't in the mood for it. I'm interested in those other series you mentioned also...
Ughhh. This post has got me thinking obsessively about series now and I think it may be finally time if I made my own post discussing series I've finished, plan to finish and plan to start and what not...anywho, enough with my blabbering and thank you for a great post once again! :)
I've never heard of FictFact but I just went on there and it sounds perfect!!! :) That would honestly help me so much. My memory is really bad and I feel disconnected from the characters if I try to jump in at book three or something. I like rereading because then I remember all the little details too.
DeleteI definitely think you should do one discussing series, it's always fun to see which ones people loved and which ones they are still waiting to finish! Thanks for checking it out :)
YES! I think even though I love series for the very reasons you mentioned, it can be hard waiting and sometimes that waiting comes with forgetting way too much and I hate to reread a book! This is why I love a good solid stand alone every now and then.
ReplyDeleteI don't even want to count how many series I am reading..way too many and some of them have been on the back burned for over a year because I discover new series. I think it is impossible to have time for them all.
Stand alones can be really great, especially when it comes to adult fiction. I have read so many amazing adult fiction stand alones that I have fallen in love with. But I really do love series and I love reading them, I just wish I didn't have to commit so much time to rereading books.
DeleteYA series are so popular and I don't see them going away, unfortunately for us! I hope you find time for the rest of the Sky Chasers series, I LOVE those books!
ReplyDeleteAnd I vote for The Fifth Wave, Not a Drop to Drink, The Winner's Curse ;)
Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist
I have read the first two, just need to get to the last book! I'm very excited to see how that one ends. Thanks for the recommendations too! :)
DeleteThese Broken Stars... *swoons* I am so so so addicted it's not even funny. Okay, maybe it is funny since there's only ONE book out. xD I hope book #2 lives up to the first!! I REALLY TRULY RECOMMEND HALF BAD. Except mostly everyone I know hates it! lol But I absolutely adore it...aaand Throne of Glass. (Obviously. I rant a bit too much about that one, lol) Angelfall was great too, though i haven't read book #2.
ReplyDeleteWhich leads to my confession. *coughcough* I, um...don't finish series. Hardly ever!! I surprised myself by reading all 3 Shatter Me books. Usually I read the first book, maybe first two, and then off I'm gone...reading a new series. So seriously, I am in exactly the same boat as you, except probably worse! *whispers* I'm still working on finish Harry Potter...
I really hope book two lives up to book one! I'm a little sad it's a companion and not a direct sequel, but I am still really excited! :) I really hope I love Half Bad, I've seen some mixed reviews but I'm still looking forward to seeing what I make of it.
DeleteFINISH HARRY POTTER, WOMAN!!!! ;) I love to see series to the end, but it does get hard to keep track of them all.
I also reread them because I love revisiting the world, especially Harry Potter. I used to love going back and rereading the books whenever a new book was due to be released <3. I think you'd be surprised, I didn't think the number would be that high ;)
ReplyDeleteOf course you're not alone! Right now I have around 100 series that are open. That includes ones I'm caught up on, ones I'm not caught up on and ones I've started but won't be continuing. Which is insane. And puts me in the same boat as you where I forget everything of the previous book well waiting the year or more for the sequel. It does leave me with a lot of re-reading. But it is what is. As my reading habits have changed I've started to change the way I read series.
ReplyDelete1. Most of the time I will wait until the whole series is released before starting it. I like to netflix my series.
2. If it's a series I've already started and need to do a re-read of to continue on, I'll again wait on the whole series to be released and than start my re-reading and finishing off the series.
3. My owned TBR is way beyond manageable, so I've learned to just give up on books/series I've lost interest in or am just not enjoying. It's not worth it anymore.
4. Of course there's exceptions to the rule. Some series there's just no way I'm waiting on starting or continuing. So I've just got to hope my brain cooperates and remembers details.
I think I've done pretty well this year with finishing off series and not starting to many more. I'm trying to keep it controllable.
Although I was looking at some of my series the other week where I only have one book to go and just shaking my head at myself. So in June the goal is to complete those series. I have the last books already. So what am I waiting for? :P
Great post!
Happy reading!
Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life
I also like to wait till all the books are out, but sometimes I get too excited to start a series when it looks super amazing so I usually cave and start it. I easily give up on series I didn't like or see no point in continuing, I only continue the ones I am really enjoying.
DeleteI have quite a lot of series where I am only one book away from the end too, it's very embarrassing but I hope to get control of that soon! :)
I'm definitely a series bitch now too. I don't remember there being many series' as a kid/early teen. The first one I really remember reading was HP, but I feel like with the success of series recently everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and making a series out of something when there doesn't need to be one?? The Mortal Instruments and Divergent were/are the only two series I've read since HP where I've had to wait for the last installment. With Divergent it was ok because Allegiant was due out within a few weeks, but I've waited nearly a year for the last in TMI and I might need to reread ALL 5 of the first books to fully get it - not to mention the three prequels in the Clockwork series too...*sigh* I try not to start a new series unless all of the books are out - Delirium being one I've bought all three and have them waiting on stand-by. But then I think, "what if I start it and hate it? I've just bought loads on books I might not like!" I bought all 7 of the GOT books...eeep. It's a conundrum really. There's new series I want to read too, but again - they aren't all out yet (Cinder) and there's books you've listed there that I didn't even know WERE a series (the 5th wave). The publishers need to give us a break. Bring back the standalone!! This ALSO doesn't include books I read when I was younger that I didn't even know were a longer series til recently (the secret diary of adrian mole) and now my inner OCDness is not happy that I haven't read them all. I'm pretty sure when I'm 90 and on my death-bed I'm going to be surrounded by unfinished series...and cats.
ReplyDeleteHP is one of the first that I remember too. I feel like everything seems to be a series now too, even if it doesn't need to be one. Perfect example of that is After the End, I don't see how that story justifies a series.
DeleteI prefer to wait for all the books to be out too. I have all of Delirium waiting but haven't gotten to them yet either. I know that's something I should probably do soon. HAHA I did the exact same thing, I bought all of the GOT books too and have only read the first but did really enjoy it. I am just put off by the size of those ones.
I think we do need a few more standalones that aren't just romance or contemporaries. We need more fantasy and dystopian standalones. But then I would probably feel like I wished it was a series.
I feel the same way you do, I'm completely overwhelmed with all of the series I have to read. And yes, most of the time I have to reread all of the other books because I have a horrible memory. But it's not only the memory thing because if I don't reread, even if I remember the basic plot points, I don't FEEL the same way, I'm not as connected to the story and the characters and it has really made me not like the latest book as much. So I just suck it up and reread, although I read the books a lot more quickly. I just finished the Mortal Instruments reread for tomorrow's release of the last book. They were so good…again!!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the new series you have planned to read, I've actually read all of them (well, to be honest, I read about 1/3 of Not a Drop to Drink and stopped because I just wasn't feeling it). So out of all those, that one and Half-Bad would be the ones I would move to the end of the list. Other than that, I loved all of the rest of them. Loved loved. Maybe start with the ones that are finished? Delirium, Enclave, VA, Article 5, Pivot Point, and Shatter Me are all finished. The last one of Shadow and Bone comes out in a few weeks. Other than that, you could wait on the others until they're done. That may be one way to prioritize them.
Great post! ~Pam
I definitely agree with that, I feel much less invested and connected to the story if I don't reread the other books before I get to that one. I think it reminds me of all the reasons I loved the world and the characters. I think I reread books a lot quicker then when I first read them as well, so that does help.
DeleteYAY! I'm happy that you pretty much loved all the ones I am planning to read. I think I probably will start with the ones that are finished because then I can get them out of the way.
I totally agree with you, every single book these days seems to be part of a series and it's really rare to see a standalone these days. There are so many books taht I want to read, and I keep on starting new series instead of finishing old ones. And it's annoying because I'm a bit of completionist so I can't just read a couple of books in a series and not continue it! But to make sure I actually read new books now I need to be disciplined and write a series off that I know I'm not going to enjoy down the track. I'm also hesitant in starting new series too. Lovely discussion!
ReplyDeleteI feel like we see a lot more standalones in YA romance or contemporaries but almost all fantasy, paranormal and dystopian are series. I keep starting more and not finishing half of them. I am a completionist too if I enjoyed the first one, if I didn't then it doesn't make sense to continue.
DeleteI am with you. I am a serial reader and yes it is all J.K. Rowling's fault :) It is good I am not alone ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely not alone! :)
DeleteAhhh! This post made me so excited, there are so many series up here that I love too! Cinder, LOVE IT! The Archive I actually reviewed on my blog and am currently reading the second one, The Unbound. Also a great series so far. I am also currently reading the Throne of Glass prequel novellas, which I thoroughly enjoy. I think I might review those in a blog post when I'm done. Hmm... (I have to keep scrolling up to remember all the books!) Oh! I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You has a new cover. I have to say that I also LOVED that series. It was the first spy books I've ever really gotten into and they exceeded my expectations. I also read them far apart and forgot a few things, but I finished the series anyways and the last one was AWESOME! I borrowed the last Selection book from my cousin, The One and will read it after The Unbound, I'm pretty excited for it. The 5th wave is currently sitting on my self, waiting for me to read it as is Shadow and Bone. So *take a breath* that is my excited spiel on books :) There are also some others up there I want to read, but I'll spare you an even longer comment ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha, I don't mind long comments. I am just happy to hear so many wonderful things about all of the book series. I am hoping to get to the ones that have all the books out first, I'm trying to complete a large amount of book series this year. I want to get 15 finished and I will be happy :)
DeleteI really enjoyed the Sky Chasers series! I felt like it didn't get nearly enough love for how thoughtful it was. I hope you are able to finish!
ReplyDeleteMe too! I have the last book waiting to be read so I will definitely be getting to it soon :)
Deletehehe I do this too! So many series D: I also read a lot of stand alone books so between them all I don't know where I am getting. Usually, to refresh my memory I go and read a review on someone's blog so I don't have to read through the whole book and get a good refresh! But some good books I just remember straight off. Right now I am waiting for the end of the Mortal Instruments series to arrive at my door...
ReplyDeletehttp://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/05/a-thousand-splendid-suns-book-review.html
I hope you love it, I know a lot of people are waiting for that one and I hear she kills off 6 main characters. I don't know if I could deal with that!!!
DeleteOh I understand your POV completely. That is why I prefer to wait until a series is complete and just read them all at once.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think I probably need to start doing that more often.
DeleteHands down, you need to read Angelfall and it's sequel World After (then you'll be caught up until the third book is released next year :) ).
ReplyDeleteI start a lot of series, but I rarely finish them, and I'm ok with that. I think there's a LOT of books that should have been singles, but for whatever reason, the author decided to make a series out of them. Twilight-great book, horrible series. Shatter Me-great book, should have been a single. Obsidian-fantastic book, a dud of a series.... When I start a series I never plan on finishing it, and I rarely do. Instead I read the first book as a single, and if it's really good, then I may pick up the second book. Very rarely will I pick up the third. Very, very rarely will I actually read the whole series. I evaluate each book in the series on its own merit, and if a book isn't wowing me, then I'll abandon the series, with no regrets :)
I definitely do want to start that soon, especially since I own them both.
DeleteI know, I hate when books are made into series when they don't really need to be. I abandon a lot of series after the first if it doesn't wow me, but will usually continue on even if I find the sequel not that great. I don't know, I always hope the next book will be just as good.