The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
The Book Blogger Hop post image was created by Coffee Addicted Writer.
This Week’s Question
Do you prefer to read standalone or series books? (Billy @Â Coffee Addicted Writer)
If someone had asked me this question a year or more ago I think I would’ve answered nearly 50/50 with a slight lean toward standalones. However, these days I’m on team standalone. Since joining the book review community I am now extremely aware of how many books there are while there is only one lifetime of me. And a lot of the books published within the fantasy genre tend toward the series end. With so many books available I’ve grown a little weary of feeling locked into a series.
As a result, when it comes to requesting ARCs, I am now more selective if I see that the intent is a series. It’s honestly so refreshing to find a standalone fantasy book. (As an aside, I wish Fairyloot and Illumicrate would add more standalones to their monthly subscriptions. I am so behind on these books because the overwhelming majority of them are parts of series.) This is why, lately, I’ve been looking for more novellas to read to give myself a break! While I don’t (yet) find reading or this hobby to be a chore, choosing to be more selective about which series I read helps me maintain the joy of reading.
I prefer standalones, mostly, unless it’s a series I’m reading and love. I also stop reading a series if I don’t like the first book.
Same…if I don’t really like the first book then chances are high I won’t continue with the series.
I do love a good series but I think that what I enjoy is a series where each book is a stand alone. That way, you get the best of both worlds.
That’s a good point! I love when there’s a series but each book in it can be read as a standalone. Elise Kova’s Married to Magic series is like that.
I guess I don’t know what I prefer. Some of my absolute favorite books are from series like the Scythedom series or the Da Vinci Code series. But other times, I prefer standalones like The Centre or The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I guess for me, it really depends on the book for me. It would be nice if the series were at least labeled. Like they are marked on the text or on the first couple of pages. When I thrift books, I often grab a book, thinking it’s going to be so good but then I find out it’s the third in a series. It’s so annoying.
I can definitely see how your mood would be a big factor in whether you pick up a standalone or series. And it would be nice if there were numbers on the spine to help readers figure out if it’s the first of a series or not!
“Since joining the book review community I am now extremely aware of how many books there are while there is only one lifetime of me” GOSH this sentence is literally the most relatable thing ive ever read 😠THE SAD SAD TRUTHS OF EXISTENCE
Ha, it’s so true, though!
I tend towards standalones, too. Like you said, life is busy and full and there is only so much time. Even with a series, I prefer something like the ‘Doctor Who’ novels I read set within that universe but not needing to be read in any order or even to read all of them to enjoy them.
Incidentally, should you ever decide to write a memoir, “Only One Lifetime of Me” would be a PERFECT title! As soon as I read that line I could see it on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. It’s such a gorgeous, fun phrase. So if I were you, I’d hold on to that beautiful line for something in the future, too!
Janette above also commented that it’s nice to find a series in which each book can be read as a standalone and I agree!
Aw, thanks! I guess that does have a rather poetic ring to it! 🙂