There comes a time in every book nerds life when they have to make difficult decisions. Decisions like what to read next or who our book boyfriend of the week is and when it’s time to let go of a book or series. It’s never an easy decision to give up on characters before the series is done. I mean, you still have stories to read and characters to get to know but sometimes, it just has to be done.
For me, what it all boils down to are two things. My enjoyment and time.
There’s too many books on my TBR list. Hundreds and hundreds of them and I know that I’m not going to read them all. There’s just no way. So that’s all the more reason to start calling it quits with the series that I’ve fallen out of love with.
Here are the series that I’m breaking up with this…for good.
1) The Dark Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. This was the first paranormal series that I ever read and that was way back in the day. So long ago that I can’t even remember what year it was. It was back in our years on the JGBB, that’s for sure. I remember when Holly and I used to be obsessed with all things Dark Hunter. We would spend hours upon hours talking about books, characters, share our theories with what was coming up and we loved everything about the world that Sherrilyn Kenyon created for these supernatural characters. Over time though, she started moving away from the rules she created for her own world and our enjoyment of the books started dimming, not to mention she kept writing book after book after book. There’s like 100 books in the series now (not really but you get the idea) and I just don’t see myself ever picking up another book to read. I still have quite a few DH books in my possession but those will sadly go unread. shrugs Oh, well.
2) The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I know that this series was turned into the hit TV Show that everyone and their Mom loves. I know that Jamie is all kinds of wonderful and is one hot ginger. I had every intention of reading this series because one of my old book friends absolutely adored it and would not stop pimping it to me so I bought the first three books in the series and almost had a heart attack when I saw how big those suckers were. Have you seen how big those suckers are? Their sheer size has intimidated the hell out of me and when I read the first book, I really enjoyed it but thought that it could have been chopped in half and still been a really good read. I even wanted to read the next book in the series but every time I passed it while browsing my books, I always skipped it. That was years ago and so much time has passed that meh, I’m over it. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m never going to finish this series…but I might rent the series and watch that.
3) The Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins. The first two books in this series rocked my socks. The third book? Not so much. The fourth book? Couldn’t even finish it. So yeah, I’m calling it quits on this one.
4) The Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I absolutely, positively loved the first book in this series. I loved Jack. I loved Mel. I loved the small town of Virgin River and had such high hopes for the rest of the books. I loved the second book and enjoyed the third but I can’t remember anything about the fourth book but the fifth book? I remember that book. I remember it well. I remember that I spent most of the first read frustrated with both the hero and the heroine but the second time I tried reading it? I didn’t like it at all. Everything got on my nerves so much more than the first time I read it. The heroine? Ugh. The hero? Meh. I didn’t even finish my re-read of the book. I just gave up, on that book and since it’s been years since my re-read, I guess I gave up on the series too because I never read another book. I don’t plan to either. So it’s official, I’m dumping you Virgin Rivers.
5) The Vicious Cycle series by Katie Ashley. As much as I love those sexy ass covers, I don’t think I’d survive another book in this series. The hero and heroine in the first book drove me absolutely bonkers in both their book and the second book. The hero and heroine in the second book had such potential but the entire story just fell flat for me so I think I’m officially out of this one.
What about you? Are there any series that you’re thinking about breaking up with for good?
I have to agree with you on Outlander. I read the first one and MASSIVELY triggered at the end. (Another reason why I usually read spoilers and wish that book had trigger warnings.) I struggled halfway through book 2 several times but just couldn’t get through it.
For all those who love the series, no, I’m not dissing you, and I’m NOT dissing the books. I’ll outright admit it’s a case of ME not the books, and it just wasn’t a good fit for me as a reader.
I understand that. It’s like that sometimes. Something that works for some, does not for others. It’s been a while so I don’t remember what happened in the end…what triggered for you?
The Whiskey Creek series by Brenda Novak. I had to give that one up. The last 2 I read filled me with rage. I gave up on Outlander about mid-way through the 4th book – I found that I just didn’t care anymore, and most readers I’ve talked to have thought the first 3 were the best of the series, which makes sense to me. (The TV series is soooo worth it, though). Those are the only ones I can think of right now that I’ve officially said “no more” to. There are a few others that I still think I’ll get back to someday. You know, someday. When all the time just opens up and I can read everything I’ve been trying to read for so many years.
I haven’t read the Whiskey Creek series so I don’t know what I’m missing there but wow, you read up to the 4th book in the Outlander series? I feel like I should buy you a beer for tackling that one. That’s a lot of pages I was too scared to tackle.
If only we can all be professional readers. How awesome would our lives be then?
Also? Welcome to Book Binge. 🙂
I love this post! I haven’t read any of these books but I know exactly how you feel! My mom and I were just having this conversation about the Stephanie Plum books! After about book 14 it just seems to be the same thing each book! But, every time one comes out, I still snag it because I just can’t seem to walk away!
Oh wow, I forgot all about that series. I broke up with that series back at I think Book 12, or maybe it was book 10? One of those. I’m a cupcake girl but Stephanie herself got on my hot damn nerves and I was starting to not want her for Morelli.
Welcome to Book Binge!
Okay, now I’m not unhappy that I couldn’t get into OUTLANDER even though I have it in e, hardcover, AND paperback. If I’m going to read a doorstop of a book, it had better be a biography (in which most of the pages are appendices that can be ignored).
I don’t really give up on any series, more like not moved to buy/borrow any more from that series/author. However, if an author wrote a character that I did not like, or a character that I did like who then became an ass in a later book, I won’t read anything more by that author. Does that count?
Doorstop of a book? Haha, that describes the Outlander books so well.
Yes! That definitely counts. That’s actually what breaking up with a series is, not buying or moving away from an author or series.
While I enjoy Outlander, I agree the books could be better if she had cut out so much of the dry history lessons. Also all of the rape was bothersome. Every book seemed to involve rape. I haven’t been able to get the gumption up to pick up the last book.
I’ve also broken up with The Undead Series by MaryJanice Davidson. Betsy’s snarkiness just got irksome. DNF the last one.
I hear you about Outlander. I’m just over that series, probably not ever going to go back to it.
Some of these I’ll keep reading! The Outlander ones and the KH Blue Heron. I finished totally the Virgin River series!!
There are ones I have left for example Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold and think I’ll finish Jill Shalvis’ Animal Magnetism series. After a while the books all get too much of the same.
I gave up on the Fools Gold series too, way back right after the last triplet’s book. I just couldn’t keep going on with all of the sunshine and pregnant lady gooeyness so I walked away from that one. Wasn’t my thing anymore…which sucked considering I really enjoyed the first three books in that series. Oh, well.
I gave up on the Fool’s Gold series quite some time back, too. I just couldn’t do it anymore.
I tried to keep going because I found one I really liked quite a ways in — the one with the firefighter heroine — but then I found myself DNFing a couple in a row and that was that.
I usually less deliberately break up then just sort of fade away. I never got into Kenyon or Ashley, but I’m with you on all three of the others. I made it 5 or 6 books into the Outlander series and then had had enough.
Willa!!!! Good to “see” you. That’s another way to break up with books, by just fading away. You read 5 or 6 books into Outlander? You deserve like a cookie or something because that’s a lot of damn pages. Go you!
Christine Feehan’s Dark series is one I had to break up with. And Hannah Howell’s Murray series. I stopped about 10 books in. They all started to sound the same after awhile.