Holly: Do you ever finish reading a book and immediately write a review, or call a friend, to gush about it? You loved the book. You’re high on the book. You can’t wait to tell the world about the book.
Then, a few days/weeks later you re-read your review, or a friend mentions that they didn’t enjoy the book as much as you did. Or you re-read the book itself and, huh, it’s not quite as good as you remember it being. Ever look back on a grade and think, “really? I graded it that highly? What was I thinking??”
The other day, I was emailing with CindyS about a book and I mentioned that I wasn’t sure I enjoyed it as much as I thought I did when I reviewed it. I haven’t re-read it since my first time, but the more I think about it, the more problems I realize I had with the overall story arc, characters and general plot. So why did I give it such high praise?(Casee: Because you had a migraine while you read it?)
Casee has emailed me several times after buying a book based on one of my reviews with a, “WTF? You gave this a 5, seriously?” and then I think about it and she’s right, no way was the book worth the grade I gave it.(Casee: I’m seldom wrong about these things, which Holly should know by now).
The opposite is true as well. There will be times when I finished a book and think, “OMG! That was awful!” only to realize a few days later that, when I can’t get it out of my head, I enjoyed it more than I originally thought.
There have also been times when I’m high on the fact that I got a book, only to realize it wasn’t one I was particularly looking forward to anyway. Maybe there was a ton of buzz about it in blogland and I picked it up early the grocery store. Or maybe it’s the 12th book in a series and has been highly anticipated. But then I crack it open and realize..I don’t really want to read it.
Casee: When I think of reading highs, I come at it from a different angle than Holly. Reading Acheron put me on the highest of reading highs. Here is a book that I’ve been waiting six years for and I have it in my hands. There is no way I’m going to let anything interrupt me while I read this book from cover to cover. So I sit down and read. Then I’m done. In ten hours, I’ve read something that I’ve been waiting years for. I have doggedly read every single book (with the exception of a Dream-Hunter book with HUGE FONT) in the Dark-Hunter series. No matter how much Kenyon strayed from the world she created, I stayed a fan with my eye on the prize…Acheron. Now I’m done. Six years of waiting is just over. I’m coming down from a reading high and it’s kind of depressing. Not that I wanted to wait longer for Ash’s story. Just that it’s over now.
So where do I go from here? What book will catch my attention now? (Holly, I am so not reading the Twilight series.) I’m thinking I’m going to have to find something completely different which means I’ll be reading the Bailey School Kids or The Magic Treehouse books with my kids. After all, can anything compare with Acheron so soon after I’ve read it?
What about you? Do you ever get a reading high, then think to yourself later, “What was I thinking?” Ever get super excited about a book you bought/were given/received in the mail, only to realize you’re not that interested in it after all? What do you do after you’ve read a book that you’ve anticipated forever? Do you come down from your reading high right into a slump?
Okay, this is kind of off topic, but Casee, since you aren’t planning on reading the Twilight books, might a mention two series I think you would like if you haven’t already read them: The Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan and The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I just read both of these series this year and absolutely loved them.
They kind of remind me of what you are saying about coming off a high. After I read both of these series, I sort of found myself in a reading slump. It seemed like nothing I read was really good enough. At least not as good as those series, which I really, really enjoyed. At least I have more Mercy Thompson books to look forward too, but Ms. Vaughan has stated that she is done writing the Warprize books. *Sigh* Oh, so sad am I.
The reading high has struck me a time or four. The last book I recall a reading high with was Lover Enshrined. I gave it an A but then after I went back through it, I realized that I must have been speed-reading and missed most of the story because it was a C at best. LOL! But hey, it happens.
I think this stems from wanting a book so bad that when I finally get it, I don’t notice how lacking it is until I do a re read. That is why I wait a few days after I’ve read a book to review it now. Just to let it all sink in. I think I grade more fairly after I give my thoughts some time to culminate.
There have been many times when a book has a good online buzz, blogs are raving about it, reviews are solid and when I get a chance to read it, it’s really not that good. I’m left wondering if I missed something that everyone else didn’t.
And most times if I read a really, really good book, I do go into a reading slump afterward. I end up wanting to find another book that compares to the awesomeness of the book I just read. When that happens I go to a completely different genera to get passed it.
And now I will shut up.
Oh all the time! My problem is I have a hard time giving a book a grade below a 3- unless I really didn’t like it. I figure, if I finish it, it’s worth at least that. So people who only give 4 & 5 (or B’s & A’s) to exceptional books have a difficult time with my grading system. For me, very few books make me go ‘OhWOWOHWOWILOOOOOOVE THISTOTALLYAWESOMEBOOK!” If they do, I knock them off the grading scale to 5 (Or A) ++++++!
But yeah I’ve been known to get back and think, “yeah that one shoulda been a 4 rather than a 5” after the fact…
I am not often let down very badly about a particular book, but then there are very few books that I anticipate that much.
However, after reading a very VERY VERY good book, I often find myself re-reading an old favorite before turning to something else new–it’s a way of reminding myself that there can be other books just as good as that wonderful one I just read, if I give them a chance.
If and when that doesn’t work, I read something in a different subgenre–or a different genre altogether. Usually, that’ll get me back on track *knocking on wood* 😉
I’ve had both reading high and lows. The most recent time was with NR’s Circle Trilogy. I couldn’t get past the 1st chapter with ‘Morrigan’s Cross’. Normally, I can’t wait for her trilogies to end b/c I end up reading each book as it comes out. With this trilogy though, I bought all three books and it was almost half a year passed before I could go back to read the 1st book. It turned out better than my first impression.
I was in a reading slump after I finished Count to Ten by Karen Rose and caught up to all the other books by her. Now I’m antsy for her next one due out in 02/09.
My first favorite book was ‘My True Love Gave to Me’ by Marcia Evanick. I read it when I started college and it was a loan from someone. I remembered it was really really good. When I got my hands on a copy later, it was good but not the double really good.
Zeek,
My rating system is very similar to yours. Maybe we should give A+ books a 6?
Jill,
Unfortunately I’m allergic to 1st person. There are a few rare exceptions. I still haven’t read KMM’s fever series. It sounds shallow b/c, well, it kind of is. LOL
AL,
I do the same thing. I usually reread my Linda Howard or Julie Garwoods.
Glad to know that I’m not the only one this happens to.
Casee, you gotta read the Warprize books–srsly. Dude, I don’t care for first person as a rule, yet it took me several chapters before I caught on to the fact that these are written in first person.
Look, I even reviewed the first one here
I get that way quite often. Happened with Acheron, actually. I read it, reviewed it, gave it a B. It was only after I woke up the next morning with it still on my mind that I realized it was much better. I even went and changed the grade. I know, I’m bad. 🙂
I don’t care for first person as a rule, yet it took me several chapters before I caught on to the fact that these are written in first person.
Azteclady, Funny you should mention that, I was sitting here trying to remember if the book was in first person or not. I didn’t think it was. I had to go back and check and see.
Casee, Well if you ever want to take a walk on the wild side and take a chance on a 1st person book I highly recommend Warprize. I DARE you not to like it. (hee, hee, hee)
I have the slowly growing on me thing happen more with movies than books. First time I saw the first Pirates of the Carribean, I thought ‘amusing, but the logical breaks bother me’ and now after umpteen times (I have two sons) I love it to bits.
I get on book highs a lot. Then as the week goes on, I re-evealuate and critic it more.
I have to say that yeah I get on a reading high. I was super excited for the latest J.R. Ward book, haunted the books stores until they put it out and was hugely disappointed in it.
However when I got an ARC copy of Nalini Singhs new book Hostage to Pleasure I hurried through and read it, but then I re-read it to make sure that I enjoed it again the second time and I did.
I like you Casee have been waiting years for Acheron’s story, and was not let down, but where can she go from here? I was excited to see that she is going to do Stryker, Savitar and Jaden’s stories. But I do gotta say that the next dark-hunter book I want to see is Nick’s story.
Casee if you are looking for a great series to read with your kids check out Rick Riordan’s series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I reviewed it on my blog, my 8 yr old twins love it.
Hey,
I love reading, every now and then get a really good series. I read them like crazy, skip most of the plot and love them. Then I wait a week and go back and read them again and find that they aren’t as good on the second round.
One of the few exceptions from this was Matthew reillys series’ (Mostly the Scarecrow books) and they were even better on the second read.
I reckomend them for ALL Action/Adventure fans, etc.
Heather I thought she did Nick’s story it was a free ebook?
I agree with the reading high. In fact I don’t read a whole series together and I rarely start a new series until a few have come out. For example the DH series I just began reading it nov. 07 and have read only 1 book per month b/c I get burned out and once that happens there is no hope that I will enjoy it no matter how good the next book is.
I am always scared that I will be let down with the series. I hate building up only to realize it wasn’t as good as I thought. Or worse WHAT now? Which is why I haven’t read Acheron yet.
Sarai,
No, she didn’t do Nick’s book. The short story was just like of a prelude to his full length, I believe. More something to give additional info about him.
I’m glad I’m not the only who has has reading highs and lows. 😛
More and more, I find I can’t fight the direction of my mood. The book I read usually reflect my mood of the moment and it is hard to steer it in a different direction – until I am ready. Hence, my reaction to a book is very bias and highly personal. If I read a funny romantic when I am feeling dark – it doesn’t stand a very good chance:)
An example: Death Angel. The fact that I still mention it is telling. I so anticipated that book that when I got it , read it, got my emotions in a wreak, I couldn’t get over it for days -weeks. It took me 2 books later (The Children of Henry VI and Glass Castle – you can’t get much darker stuff than from real life stories) before I hit the bottom of the barrel and was ready for something lighter. (Welcome to Temptation was my cure)
Now that I am reading Suzanne Brockman’s Unsung Hero, I acknowlege that Death Angel wasn’t as well written as my waxed peotries – I understood the criticisms (within reason, of course) others voiced.
hmmm, then again, could just be my mood:)
mph
I very seldom review a book right after reading it. I usually follow my Rule of Two: review it at least two days or two books after reading it (although lately it’s been more like two months). I DO tend to think more highly of a good book right after reading it, and often change my opinion as time goes by. But letting it simmer in the back of my mind seems to put it in perspective and also makes writing the review easier. As you probably know, sometimes it’s hard to figure out a way to winnow a review down. But by letting the book stew for a few days, the aspects that remain most memorable become the points I discuss in my review. That works for me whether it was a GREAT book, an OKAY book, or a MEH book.
Oh okay good to know. I have only read to book 6? Or 7 IDK Vane’s was the last one I read and I am scared to continue b/c everyone I have talked to says the series goes downhill and well hell I really don’t want it to.
I need to just bite the bullet and get on with it.