February 18, 2016

TALKTIME #15: Finishing all the books in the series


TALKTIME #15: Finishing All the Books in the Series

      You know, doing all these discussions posts make me realize that I have a lot of bookish issues that I seriously need to examine. Like my habits are starting to make me look a tad bit crazy.


      I told you all in an earlier discussion post, (which I will leave a link to that HERE) that I've got a strange habit when it comes to owning all the books in a series. I generally only buy the first physical book in the series. Well the habit doesn't end there. I have a confession to make:

Hi, my name is Sierra, and I tend to not read all of the books in a series.


      I know, the horror! You're probably like, 'why would you do such a thing?' Why do I start a series and not finish it. Well I have commitment and attention issues. It takes a lot for me to continue a series after reading a book. It's a serious problem. I could love the book with all of my heart, matter of fact it could be the best book I read that year, but it will be hard for me to read the next book in the series right after reading the first book.


      Let me provide an example. Last year I bought "I Hunt Killers" by Barry Lyga from Book Outlet and read it. I loved it. I loved everything about it. And I wanted to read the second book, but I still haven't read it. I have read a slew of books between that book and now, but I still haven't gotten around to reading the next book. Why you might ask? Series are just so draining. Being in the same world with the same characters can sometimes be really nice. For example, the Lux and Covenant series are my babies and I love those worlds to death. But damn they are so big. I could read a slew of standalones in the time it takes to read those series.


      When I was younger, if you had asked me whether I preferred series or standalones, I would have said series, I had a much better attention span and I really enjoyed being in the worlds of the books I read, such as Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. But now. getting through series is such a challenge and it really shouldn't be. There literally is no difference between reading a standalone novel and a book in a series; they are both books. But just knowing it's connected to another book and that I have to continue to the next book to get the final resolution can be a huge turn off for me.

      So you might as, 'why even start the series in the first place? Why not just read standalones?' Well because I am delusional. I always think I will start a series and finish it, but then I end up not finishing it. Now there are some series that I have start and have no intention of finishing because I didn't like the first book or I was content with how the first book ended. But there are quite a few books that I still want to read.


      So what about you guys? Do you always guys always finish the series you start? Comment down below. 

Join the conversation!

  1. ha, you know I'm nowhere near organised when it comes to reading series; I've read something like books 5, 7 and 24 of the Anita Blake series (although, even that might very well be the wrong numbers) and at no point am I bothered! (We're all mad here!) :)

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    1. I've never heard of that series. Does the order you read the books not matter?

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    2. Ummm... it probably *should* matter but... that's for people who like events to happen in order ;) it might have been books 6 and 9, come to think of it, or pretty much any other combination. And I might have read one or two more. Not sure. Anywho, it's an urban fantasy series about a Vampire Hunter and her supernatural goings-on (and relationships, of which there are many) by Laurell K Hamilton. I *know* I've read #24 because it was sent to me by the UK publishers a while back, and I reviewed it. :)

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  2. For me, I tend to not finish a series, then go back to it months later and finish it. I just get bored really easily that I need breaks in between series. I can't handle being stuck on the same storyline for weeks on end.

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    1. I do that sometimes as well. It really is difficult being stuck in the same storyline for a long time.

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  3. Generally it's really hard for me to finish a series because I will read the first book, and by the time the second one comes out, I've already forgotten what happened hahaha. It's almost impossible to finish series when I have to re-read the previous books each time a new one comes out. Also, I tend to find the first books of series really cheap, and then I don't want to spend the money to buy the next books in the series lol. The struggle is real...

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    1. Oh my gosh same. I'll get to the second book after like a year has gone by and I'll be like "what is this series about again?" I never reread previous books in a series. I just hope that I can trust my memory enough to be jogged when I start reading the next book. Yes that last statement.

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  4. I treat every book like a stand-alone. I refuse to believe that to enjoy one book I need to 'keep reading' the next one or 'read the entire series'. For me, a series is only as good as the last book I read. I give lots of series a go, but if the first book doesn't convince me to keep going, I'll treat it like a stand-alone.

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    1. Yeah I totally get what you mean. Sometimes I do that, but it doesn't always work.

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  5. Yep, I totally get what you mean! Right now, I'm struggling through the Throne of Glass series - I'm on Heir of Fire, and idk it's just not captivating me any more, and I keep going to other books, then forgetting what happened in Heir of Fire and having to reread it again xD I'm aware of my habit now...and I'm so reluctant to start new series' just because of that!

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  6. I much prefer stand alones because series take me forever to get through, unless they're complete and I can buy them all to marathon. Waiting for new books to come out means I can start a series and then not read the next book for over a year. I do try to finish series that I start, though! It's usually if I don't like it that I'll stop.

    Bookmarks and Blogging

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  7. Unless all the books are out before I start the series, I am very slow at finishing series... If I have to wait for a final book in the series, and I didn't hardcore love the last book, then I'm much less likely to ever finish the series. The sense of openness doesn't peeve me at all, I have too many books to be annoyed by not finishing one series :)

    Nice post!

    Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

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