I read so many series and sometimes I get extremely overwhelmed with the sheer number that I started. If you're like me and read the book the second it comes out, then you have to wait a whole year before you read the next one. A WHOLE YEAR! Do you know how many books I read between then? Over 100 for sure. So I have to reread all the prequel books before the next one comes out. In some series that's like five books. Like Mortal Instruments. I'm going to have to reread that series before the last one, City of Heavenly Fire, comes out. Five books! When I have 100s of books on my TBR list that have never been read. I don't have time for that! I'm freaking out!
That being said, I still love my series and I will definitely continue to read them. First reason being that most books nowadays seem to be series so really, authors have given me no choice. But secondly, I love series because I get attached to characters and I don't want to leave them behind so soon. When the story and the characters are amazing, I want to stay in the world as long as possible. But it does get exhausting and confusing. Thank god for Goodreads. Without it, I would be a hot mess. Goodreads keeps track of all my series and the subsequent books that have yet to come out. It's wonderful. I would die without it.
I also love standalones though and I kind of wish that there were more in the YA genre. I know there are a bunch of contemporary ones, but I'm talking fantasy, paranormal, dystopians, and scifi. I know that fantasies can be pretty elaborate and need more than one book, but maybe they could just write a longer book. I'd be fine with that. Jessica Khoury wrote a fantastic scifi standalone, Origin. If you haven't read it yet, you should. If she can do it, so can all the rest of the authors out there! But at the same time, I understand why authors write series. Because they are then able to sign multi-book deals with publishers and make more money. Makes sense. I guess I just wish there were at least a few more options.
Let's just say that there are equal number of standalones to series and you have to choose one. I would choose series. I love them even though they overwhelm and sometimes stress me out. A standalone every once in awhile is nice, but I get too attached to the worlds and characters in all my beloved books. I would miss them far too much if I only got one book to spend with them.
So what would you choose? Series or standalones? Do you get overwhelmed with all the series you start? Know any good standalones in the genres I talked about? Let me know in the comments below!
I have to agree with series. I loved Origin but the story sort of died as soon as I finished the book. I love series because I really get to know each character and it feels like I am in the story. I also like to watch how the characters evolve over the course of all the books in the series. It's really amazing how authors develop their characters. I would have to choose series!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I totally wanted more Pia and Eio after I finished Origin. Series are definitely better in my opinion, but I definitely get overwhelmed with how many I'm currently reading. But I do love watching a character develop over the course of the series like Elisa from Girl of Fire and Thorns. I am going to push that series down both yours and Megan's throats until you read it! :) Love you!
DeleteI agree, I would probably choose series, but I feel the same way, a bit overwhelmed. I wish I could wait to read a series until all of the books were out, but I just can't. Right now I have False Sight and Deception, both of them the second book of a series and I haven't started them yet because I need to re-read the first books. And there are so many books that I want to read that I haven't read that it's keeping me from going back and re-reading those. But yes, I love getting to know the characters better and becoming emotionally invested in them and seeing them evolve and change. I did discover a website called Recaptains, where they summarize all of the main plot points of books in a series and tell you what happened in the end, where it left off, etc. The whole point of the website is to keep you from having to re-read the other books. I used it for The Raven Boys before I read The Dream Thieves (the summary was actually written by the author, bonus) and it was a good refresher. I should read Origin, I keep hearing great things about it. There's a book coming out in January that's a sequel or maybe a companion novel to Origin, by the way. But yes, in the end, series (even though I complain about them). ~Pam
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way. I get super overwhelmed with all the rereads that I have to do. I reread Defiance a little while ago so I think I am going to read Deception w/o rereading. It's sitting on my table right now, but unfortunately I have some review books to read first... I will have to check out that website! Sounds like it would be very helpful. Origin is really good! Vitro is a companion novel, but it doesn't include any of the same characters so I still count Origin as a standalone. Series for the win! Don't worry, I complain about them all the time too. But I wouldn't give them up.
DeleteI love this discussion topic, Rebecca! If I had to pick, I'd definitely pick series for the same reason as you. I become very attached to the characters and the stories are always so amazing. Unlike you, since I'm a slow reader, I don't always reread the entire series before the next book comes out and I forget a lot of things. I remember when I was reading Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards, I was getting stressed out b/c I couldn't remember some things that happened in Black City, and I wasn't enjoying it as much at first. Fortunately, that ended and I was able to enjoy it more. However, I do plan on re-reading all the TMI books before the last one comes out in May b/c it's a longer series and a lot has happened that I'm afriad that I have forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI know there is a nice website out there were bloggers kindly go into full detail about some books for readers who may have forgotten what may have happened. http://recaptains.blogspot.com I definitely plan on using it!!
I do agree with you though, I feel as though there aren't many standalones that aren't contemporary. Origin is really good like you said. I was happy with it! Another standalone is The Scorpio Races. It's a pretty satisfying read as well. I'm not sure what genre I would classify it as. I'm also working on writing a standalone that's not contempoary either, but again, I'm not sure what I would classify it as. -Emily @ Emily Hearts Books
Thank you! I also didn't reread Black City before reading Phoenix and was a little confused, but it slowly came back to me. I love that series so much! I think it's super underrated. I'm definitely going to reread all the TMI books as well, but it's going to be very overwhelming to fit them all in along with review copies and whatnot.
DeletePam for YA Escapes Reality just recommended Recaptains in her comment so I will definitely be checking it out. Thanks for sharing!
I will have to check out The Scorpio Races. I am in need of some good standalones. I feel like every book I read is part of a series.
Yay for standalones that aren't contemporary! Good luck on your writing! I am working on a YA urban fantasy series myself. :) If you ever want to talk about writing send me an email!
I get overwhelmed when I get into series that are 7+ books long. I think that I won't be able to read them all or something! I feel like sometimes authors just want to get more money, instead of making GOOD sequels and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion post!
Yes! I totally agree with you! Like the whole thing with Stephanie Meyer and The Host. That was supposed to be a standalone, but the second it got turned into a movie, she was like I'm going to write a sequel. Years later. That was clearly just for the money. It frustrates me because I really liked The Host and I was fine with the way it ended.
DeleteThat's actually why I don't read a lot of Adult series because they tend to have 18 million books in them. Like, I really love this YA series called the Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon. CON is actually a prequel series to her adult series the Dark-Hunters. But the DH has like over 20 books in it!!! 20 books?? Too much. Way too much. I prefer trilogies or sagas. Anything more than 4 books gets overwhelming. Of course TMI by Cassie Clare is an exception because I adore those books. :)