One thing I've learned about myself through this blogging process is that I'm freaking LOYAL.
I mean, I'm Slytherin not Hufflepuff, so I'm talking LOYAL READING not loyal life (although, I like to think I'm a loyal friend too!!!). So when I say I'm a loyal reader what I mean is-- If I read a book by a new-to-me author, and I love the book, I'm going to go and try to read alllll the books the author previously wrote. Then I'm going to periodically stop by their Goodreads page and see what's going on with future books. I'm guessing that's a pretty normal response.
The things is-- I also do this with books I didn't even like that much. Like if I read a book and it was just so-so, but then I see that a new book by that author is coming out, my brain goes "oooooohhh, I know this author. I should read that." Now, don't get me wrong, if I HATED the book and had a strong negative reaction to it, I may not be so loyal. But mostly, if I read an author once, I get curious and want to follow what else they do. Even if I thought their book was MEH, I want to read more and see if they got better with future books (or maybe not BETTER, maybe just they got more ME).
I do this with series too. Even if I didn't like the first book in the series very much, when the sequel comes out I still find myself getting super excited for it. And then I have to stop and be like-- "Michelle, what are you doing?? You didn't even like that book!! Why do you want to read the NEXT book?" I have no answers for that. I just really want to read the next book for reasons that I can't explain.
Here are some examples:
This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
- I didn't like this book very much. I didn't like the writing and I found it too overly generalized for a book about such a tough subject. That definitely hasn't stopped me from snooping around, trying to see what she's writing next.
- This was okay. It dragged though. I kind of hate dragging in books. I shouldn't want to read any more Bethany Neal books. But yet.... I still want to read more Bethany Neal books!
- This book had one of those "the boyfriend will make everything better" moments in it that just KILLED the book for me. But I'm like, I still REALLY need to read Creed!
- I kind of loved to hate this book. And then I read Twisted and I kind of loved to hate that one too. And now I'm staring at Truly Madly Deeply like: I really should love to hate you also.
- This was interesting, but UGHHH the ending. Also UGHHH the characters. But I still had Thanks for the Trouble on my MUST-Read List for this year.
- Okay, I legit did not get this book. It was weird and gross and ???????? But I've pretty much book stalked Lauren Myracle ever since I read it. And I've now read at least 5 of her books & want to read them allllll.
- I had ISSUES with this book. I usually do when teen pregnancy is involved. It's just one of those topics that I don't like to read about because I find the execution of them totally cliche and anger-inducing. But the thing is, I THOUGHT about this book a lot. So I read the sequel. And I still didn't love it. So I read Read Between the Lines and LOVED!! So I read Still a Work in Progress and LOVED even more. So now I'm a Jo Knowles fan :)
- This was not deep enough for me. It was very 90's YA. But when I went to BEA in 2014, Get Even was super high on my "GET" list.
- I really didn't like this at all. Like the title says, it was a mess.... and not an awesome one. But I still equally look at Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin's upcoming book lists.
Series:
(I really don't read a lot of series at all now that I think of it)
The Body in the Woods (Point Last Seen #1) by April Henry
- I like April Henry, but this wasn't my fave from her. But I'm weirdly compelled to get the next book.
- Kitty, do me a favor and jump off a bridge. MOST rage-inducing M/C I've read in a LONG time. But I got SUPER excited when Captive came out (I had the same reading experience with this as well), and I hate to admit that I kind of WANT to read Queen.
Do you ever find yourself weirdly following authors that you didn't even like their books?? Is it just a familiarity thing that I do this? Like "Oh I know you, I read your book. I didn't really like it... but still, I know you!!" I have no idea where the loyalty comes from. Maybe I really am just hoping that their writing and characters are going to get more "ME". Maybe I'm just weird.
What is your reading loyalty like?
haha I love this! I'm pretty bad with keeping up with series, so I can't really say I do that with them per se. I can see how KNOWING an author makes you want to read something else by them though, even if you didn't really like the book you have read. I suppose it does come down to hoping you'll like the next book better, especially if they are about completely different things.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
Yeah I have no idea why I do it!! It's weird!
DeleteI get like this too. Although, I think reading mostly fantasy helps me keep up with a series because there are so few fantasy standalones especially by new authors. But yeah, I often find like this is especially true when it comes to an author everyone loves and I haven't read anything from. I'll read one of their recent books then I'll want to go back and read their whole back catalog. And of course debut authors. That's when it comes to wanting to continue with meh books for me. I always think maybe their next book will blow me away. And sometimes it totally does. Great post!
ReplyDeleteCassi @ My Thoughts Literally
I think it definitely takes time for some newer authors to really come into their own. Like some debuts can feel a little immature, but as the author continues to write, their words become more focused and meaningful. So that's definitely why I continue on w/ debut authors when I thought their first books were MEH.
DeleteI think I'm pretty loyal as well. But I also think that my obsessive need to own the whole series plays a role into the loyal-ness. There are quite a few series that I have because I liked the first book or met the author or read one of the author's other books, and now I have to finish the set.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting worse about finishing series. I'm definitely a "series finisher" because I don't read a ton of series to begin with, but I'm getting better at saying NO when I'm just not feeling the books.
DeleteOh man, I think I'm quite the opposite. If I feel very little for a book and I see that an author writes another, I'll usually avoid it. I don't think there are too many authors I've given second chances to. I really ought to do this because some authors have really surprised me (I didn't like Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, but love her Raven Cycle series). I also will not pick up a sequel if I didn't like the first book, but if I hear from other people that the series improves, I might take another look. Interesting discussion!
ReplyDeleteI think that's more normal than what I do. Also, as time goes on sometimes my dislike for a book dulls and I forget the flaws. I think that's what I do anyway.
DeleteYeah I definitely give authors another try if I didn't love their other book I have read. It also depends on why I didn't love it though. I do agree being familiar with an author makes it easier to pick them out and pick up their book. Interesting discussion!
ReplyDeleteThanks!! It's definitely the NAME RECOGNITION that gets me.
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ReplyDeleteIt's only recently (within the past two years) that I have started ever DNF'ing a book and/or not finishing a series. I used to have to ALWAYS finish a series and/or book. I do agree with you re: being loyal. If I love a book by an author, I will go and read more of their work and they might become auto pre-order for me like all the series I read.
I'm totally and completely loyal if I LOVED the book. But it's the ones I didn't like so much that make me wonder why I'm loyal to them as well. I'm really happy you've learned to DNF!! It makes reading so much better (IMO) when you can put down something that you're just not enjoying.
DeleteI guess I'm not a loyal reader xD hahaha I DO give authors more than one chance, sometimes. Like John Green. I read TFIOS and liked it but not LOVE. So, I read Paper Towns. Hated it. I even gave Looking for Alaska a chance. Hated it. So, now I'm done haha. But that's actually the only author I've done that with? So maybe I don't give a lot of second chances out haha
ReplyDeleteMolly @ Molly's Book Nook
Oh no, NOT John Green!!! Looking for Alaska is my jam. I haven't read Paper Towns yet, so I can't speak on that one.... but I've loved all the books of his that I have read. But everyone's different! I'm sure you probably gave him so many chances because he is so popular.
DeleteI really wanted to like his books, too! But yeah, I just couldn't get into it. I'm sure that's why I gave him chances as well. I realized that I kept going with Cassandra Clare because she was popular because when I look back, I didn't actually like the books all that much :/ haha
DeleteI can be a loyal reader, but I have a limit. Like if I read 2 or more by an author and none of them are FANTASTIC then I'm done. I can also go the opposite way. If I read a book that I can't finish or I hate then I am DONE with that author for life lol.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I forgot to say that this is such a great topic/post! Love it and very interesting when you stop and think about it.
DeleteThank you! I don't know why I constantly go back to authors I'm not clicking with. I guess it's just the hope that the new book will somehow be different?? Sometimes it really works out though because some newer authors do get SO much better after their first few books.
DeleteWhat an interesting question! I can't decide if I'm loyal or not. I mean, there are authors like Charlaine Harris and her Harper Connelly series I've absolutely devoured from end to end, and her I'll do the same for her Midnight series, but not the rest of her books. And other authors I still adore, but won't necessrily pick up their new series. I'm prety much all over the place -- it just depends where my head is at!
ReplyDeleteNow that you pointed it out, I realized that I'm a pretty loyal reader as well! I rarely check out their previous books though, because based on my reading experience, their latest books are usually the best ones in term of writing ability. But I did check out the others if the books I read are really really good! I dig through all Maggie Stievfater and V E Schwab's previous books because the latest ones are just so good! I also have this weird excitement everytime I see a book written by authors I recognize no matter how I felt about their previous books. Great post! :D
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