Lately, I’ve been noticing that I am HORRIBLE at finishing series, and I started thinking about why. And I realized something – it’s all about the fact that my reading habits have changed dramatically since I started blogging a couple of years ago. I never used to know about all of the latest releases. I heard about books kind of randomly – often when I saw them at the library or when a friend mentioned them. Quite often, I wouldn’t start reading a series until it was already complete, so I would just read the entire series all at once.
Now, I usually know when all the newest books are coming out, so I’m constantly starting new series. Keeping track of all the series I’ve started is sometimes really difficult. And I’m not always as motivated to read new books in a series immediately because I feel like I have to refresh my memory on the previous books. I think I’ll get around to them soon, but … Of course, this doesn’t always happen, but it does happen way more often than I’d like.
Then there’s just the fact that I’ve kept myself so much more busy with review books. Often, I just don’t have time to get to books that I just want to read because I’ve booked myself solid with books that I have to read. For this same reason, I almost never read entire series in a row anymore. I don’t feel like I can take the time off from review books to read three or more pleasure books in a row. Now, for the record, in recent months I’ve started taking on a lot less review books, so I’m hoping to have more time to finish up some of those awesome series that I’ve been way behind on.
Here are just a few of the awesome series that I’ve fallen behind on …
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers (I just recently finished the second book in this series and plan to move to book #3 VERY soon)
Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman (I have the last book out from the library and am reading it soon)
Blood of Eden by Julie Kagawa
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Plus many more (including more self-pubbed series than I could possibly name!)
Help! I need to get motivated to finish these series!! Let me know in the comments which series you think I should focus on first!!
So, tell me, are you a series failure or do you always finish what you start? I want to know!
Well, definitely check out Mortal Heart as soon as possible!!! 😀
I NEED TO READ THE LAST BOOK, UNDIVIDED, TOO AND I’M SO EXCITED!! EEEEKKKK!!!! Hope you love it! hehe!
Blood of Eden was also uber awesome! One of the books where vampires actually drink blood!! *woop, woop!*
Ah, the Darkest Minds! I recently finished ITA and it was so good!! Every book in this trilogy AND the novellas have made me cry at least once, even if it is on the inside!! *sniffs*
Well, hope you can get to these soon and those review books better be worth not finishing some of these series for! XD
~Fari 0:)@ My Little Corner for Books
I know – they’re all fantastic series, right? I can’t believe I haven’t finished them yet!
I’m like you – I used to binge read series when they were all released. Since blogging, I have found that I am reading more reviews books, OR, when I read it series, it’s hard to review without spoilers. Don’t get me wrong, I do review them but it’s hard.
Also, My patience isn’t what it use to be, so when a book comes out and it’s sequel is 1 year away, I tend to lose interest. Unless it was a book I ADORED. I also don’t have time for re reads, so if I feel like I NEED to re read in order to continue, I skip it. haha
Ironic though that I am binge reading an adult urban fantasy series right now. 🙂
Ah, yes – the Recaptains blog is definitely my friend. I don’t ever re-read. I definitely lose my interest in a series if I wait too long too.
I’m a disaster with series and keep promising myself that I won’t start any more new ones. But that’s so hard too. I’m going to try really hard to finish up a few series in 2015 just to prove to myself that I can still do it!
Yes – I have plenty more series I want to start and I still haven’t finished the old ones!!
I’m an absolute series failure. I think the main point here is that I have to buy all of my books, because the English section in Belgium is to weep over. But I also want to save my money, so I try to only buy books for Christmas and my birthday in July. So I’ll just buy the first book in the series (because I’ve spent money on unread series before – big mistake), and then when it’s time for another batch of books and I’m supposed to be buying the sequel, there are so many other books I want to read and I just.. forget. It can take me years to get to a sequel!
I could definitely see how this would make it even harder to finish series. Hope you find ways to get those sequels you’ve been hoping for!
Cinder! I’m reading Cress right now and am really pleased with the way this series has progressed. I have issues with it, but none that have stopped me from enjoying it.
I have Scarlet and Cress on my bookshelves, so I definitely plan to read them soon!!
I do pretty well at finishing a series, but it usually takes me a few years because I read the books as they come out. The longest series I’ve ever read was Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I started it in 7th grade, and I finally finished it when the last book came out a few years ago. It was awesome! I absolutely loved it, though I forgot a lot of the subplots because of the amount of time I had between each book.
Now that I’ve gone through having to wait for a new book and needing to refresh my memory when I start reading the series again, I think I’m content to wait for all the books in a series to be published before I start reading.
Right now I’m finally working my way through LOTR. I’ll finish the series, but it may take me this entire year. Life is pretty busy right now. 🙂
Oh, yes – WoT is definitely my longest standing series because I started reading it in high school (when it first came out) and I’m still currently listening to the final book (an audiobook because it’s the only way I could get them – they’re SO long).
Cool! Don’t give up on it! The ending is so worth the excruciatingly long reading journey. 🙂
I’m the same way but it wasn’t because of blogging, I discovered goodreads and ebooks. Used I would find a book at the library and google the series to see if it was finished but now I’m constantly learning about new releases. Also since getting a smart phone with an kindle app I don’t have to rely on the library and that seems to make it worse. This yr I joined a challenge on gr to finish series that I started before this yr. So far it isn’t working and it’s not like I don’t have the books lol.
Challenges can help sometimes – but they definitely don’t fix all of the problems because you still have to force yourself to stick to them!
I’m one who finds it easier to read a whole series if it’s already been completed — then I’ll likely tear through it. If I have to wait between books, I tend to lose the momentum and get distracted by other new releases.
That’s how I used to always do it, but lately I find myself getting distracted mid-series because of other books I “have” to read. I’m trying to fix that problem now, though!
I love the Lunar Chronicles!
I’m normally pretty good at keeping up with series in the last year since I started blogging, I’ve fallen a little behind. I don’t always have time:( I’m cutting back on review books though, because I read way to many last year and it gets kind of stressful. I do have one series that I need to read the last book of, one that I need to read the last two books of, and one that I can’t bring myself to say goodbye to get because it’s an all time favorite.
Oooh! You bring up a good point here – another reason that I sometimes don’t finish a series is because I just can’t bring myself to let it go! Or I’m afraid the last book won’t live up to the previous ones.
I do tend to follow series that I love – and even pick some up at NetGalley for review so double happy with that! When I organise for review books I only make time to read one a week and then in between I fit a couple of my own TBR books. At the moment I am reading through the In Death series by J. D Robb. I don’t mind it will take me ages. I want to read the Lunar Chronicles at some stage but haven’t heard of the others you mention.
Like you since the advent of the internet my reading has been opened wide and now recommendations and new books are everywhere that I want to read. Up until last year I was teaching and its the same with students – they know what is coming out when and eagerly anticipate.
That’s awesome that your students are eagerly anticipating new releases! I love that!
I can sooo relate! As a matter of fact, I made finishing series my main goal for the year and backed off on accepting tons of review books. So far I’ve caught up on or finished 7 series this year! I feel like I’ve really accomplished something. LOL!
Seven already in 2015? Wow! I’m working on #3 now, and I thought I was doing really well!
3 is great! On 4 of my 7 I only had one book to catch up on.
I never used to know about the latest releases before I started blogging, either. I just kind of went with the flow. However, I still like waiting until the whole series is out before I read some books just because it’s a lot easier on me and it helps me remember to finish a series. You really need to finish The Lunar Chronicles. Just.Yes. Okay?
Yes. I have Scarlet and Cress sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me. I promise – I will read them soon!
I’m terrible with series and not just because I have so many books to review. I have a terrible attention span so if I have to wait for the next book to come out I usually forget about it by that time. This is why I really like stand-alone books. Less guilt. LOL
Yes, I’ll forget about books after a while too. It’s hard to keep track of them all!
I say catch up on Lunar Chronicles 🙂 I need to finish the last Blood of Eden book as well. I am also a failure for the same reasons. Tho personally I also find that I’m less inclined to continue series now because I read so much more now as a blogger then I did before I started blogging. I used to always want to finish a series but now since I read so much more (many more debuts) that many of them I don’t consider worth continuing and wasting my reading time on so I just don’t. Where as before I started blogging I didn’t read as many debuts and many were already ones that I had good recommendations for. I did make a goal for myself this year to read more personal fun read books and I’ve been doing really good at keeping this up so far. In January I read at least 6 personal books out of 21. I find that because I did that I’m reading faster and I’m enjoying reading more again. So definitely make time for your own books not just review books 🙂
Yeah, this list only includes series that I really want to finish – there are TONS more that have fallen by the wayside that I may or may not ever pick back up. And I have been much better about reading for pleasure so far in 2015. I’ve already read several books that are just for me!! 🙂
[…] Nicole says she’s a series failure. […]
I am usually not a series failure. There are a couple of series that I haven’t finished yet- he Lunar Chronicles, the Gone series, the 2B trilogy… OH and the Partials series! I guess I just haven’t had the time, because I DO have all the books. Oh, and kindly go finish the Unwind series. Immediately. 😉
I promise – I have it. I am reading Mortal Heart right now and then Undivided is next!
Oh my gosh Cinder is my favorite retelling of Cinderella ever! As a matter of fact I am listening to FAIREST right at this moment! I LOVE this series. Grave Mercy and Unwind…SO GOOD. I love both of those series. I am on the last one of Grave Mercy…I believe I have one more in the Unwind Series :).
I’m reading Mortal Heart right now!! Woo hoo!!
[…] Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction talks about her failure to finish series. […]
This is a great topic! I definitely start way more new series than I can possibly finish. I sometimes just read one or two books and then go to something else. I also ignore a lot of the novellas and short stories that are part of series. The two series I’m completely up to date on (my favorites) are Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs. A few I started recently: Parasite by Mira Grant, Wool by Hugh Howey, and Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding. There’s a great website called FictFact that helps keep track of where you are in series and when new books are coming out.
I’ve heard of FictFact, and I joined, but I haven’t taken the time to update it yet. I should because it would help me keep track of all of the series I have to finish. Outlander is one series that I really want to start, but I’m scared to because I know I can’t keep up!! (I’m still going to do it though – I know everyone loves it!!)
Don’t worry about keeping up with Outlander, Nicole. It takes Gabaldon four to five years to write a single book in that series. It’s the one series I can keep up with!
My problem is I don’t know when to let go of series. I read all the Sookie Stackhouse books, but I probably should have stopped mid-way through as they started to downhill. With YA series, most of them are trilogies. It’s just 3 books, right? So I read them all and rail at how I hated one of the three.
I am a little bit of a series failer. I have two long-running series (8 and 12 books, respectively) that I have been reading since middle/high school as the books were released. The second series author passed away last year, so those adventures have come to a final end. I am still not finished with either series. I happen upon series by accident. I most definitely do not go looking for them, because I can’t handle not finishing them. I avoid picking up books in series, but always wind up finding out a book is a series after the fact.
Most of the books I read are part of a series, which does make it harder – I almost ALWAYS have more books to read from series!
I’ve only read The Lunar Chronicles and The Darkest Minds out of these, but they are both my favorite series, so I recommend that your read them soon!
I’m a failure at completing series too. Some series I get obsessed with and finish all the books at once, but others, even if I really like them end up getting pushed aside because of all the new books and the ones accumulating on my TBR. This has certainly started to happen more often since I became aware of the book blogging community (even before I started my own blog), because, like you said, I started seeing all the new releases and exciting books and just had to read them all. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time. I do have a track list of the series I have started and have yet to finish so I can remember to check them when possible.
Great discussion.
Yes, there are just so many amazing books to read! It’s impossible to read them all!
Hey, you should read The Lunar Chronicles, because it gets better, trust me!
For me, I think I’m the opposite of you HAHA. I actually am obsessed with series, so I must have the next book and the next and the next. I guess for me, I love endings, so Im always excited to know what happens next 🙂
I used to be this way, and I think I want to get back to that again. I used to LOVE devouring a whole series, one after the other!
I am usually pretty good at finishing a series when I start it. But for some reason, I haven’t finished the Margaret Atwood MaddAdam series. I haven’t even started the Lunar Chronicles series yet.
I shouldn’t start any new series until I finish these – but I know I will. 🙂
I definitely tended to finish series that I started but like you I have also experienced that is has gotten harder ever since I became more aware of new releases. I still have to finish the divergent trilogy, the percy jackson series, the matched trilogy, the Eragon series, A song of Ice and fire series (Game of Thrones)and so many more!
Yes, I know about SO many more books now – I can’t possibly read them all!!
You should be able to zip through Cinder and Bloodlines – they are always fast, fun reads. At least you can get right to the end now that The Ruby Circle is out, and you will only have a few months before Winter’s release. 🙂
I hate being behind on a series, it gets my OCD going like crazy haha. Fortunately I don’t have that many that I need to catch up on.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing about these two series – they’re close to being done, so maybe it’s better that I’ve waited!
Usually I do finish a series eventually. Right now I’m reading the last Lucky Harbor book by Jill Shalvis. 12 books in that series!
I’m pretty sure I’ll finish them all eventually. It’s just a matter of how long that takes …
Aw, I understand and I could relate to you. I love the Bloodlines series, that’s one series I make time for. I’ve yet to finish the Divergent series, but I heard it goes into a downfall after the first book, so I’m holding back on that 🙁 The Lunar Chronicles are amazing though!
I still liked the entire Divergent series, but that was one of those series that I just read all three books in a row – I really think that made the experience a lot better for me!
I am horrible at continuing series!It’s rare that I go past the first book,even when it was really good.
Well,I know that I am no state to give you advice,but still you really should continue Bloodlines!That series is amazing,and Adrian and Sydney is my OTP!There love is so beautiful.
I totally agree with you about Adrian and Sydney! I’m definitely planning on finishing the series!
I am absolutely a series failure, but I’ve always been a series failure. In 26 years, I’ve completed TWO series. The first being Harry Potter, which was nothing short of exquisite, and I re-read it all the time. The last being Twilight, which…ugh.
In most cases, I finish the first book and never read beyond. Maybe I thought the first book was really good, but it ended in a way that left me feeling satisfied to the point where I didn’t want there to be another part of the story. Or maybe the first book was absolutely terrible, and there is nooooo way I’m spending any more money on this series. Or perhaps I meant to read on, but I became distracted by other books, and eventually lost interest.
There are some series that I intend to finish though. It turns out, I’m a pretty big fan of the Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima. I recently finished book two, and it left me wanting more. And I also loved Cinder, and I recently bought Scarlet. I usually need a year or two to pass before diving into the next book of a series though. I don’t want too much of a good thing!
Wow! Okay, well I’m not that bad. LOL! I still have Scarlet sitting on my bookshelf – we’ll have to make a pact together to read it!! 🙂
[…] @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction admits that She is a Series Failure. Me […]
I think you should start with the Immortal rules. I just love Julie Kagawas books. 🙂
Even if it´s only one book, or if it´s a hole series I always finish reading it. Perhaps it´s not always a good thing, but if I don´t read it, I wouldn´t know if it gets better… I´m a bit stubborn. 😉
I know, Julie Kagawa is awesome, right? I definitely need to read hers soon!
I love series so generally I keep up with my favorites but in some cases I am a failure! It’s just so hard to keep up with EVERYTHING, there are so many books, you know? I find I’m less likely to finish a series when it comes to the last book, especially if it’s a series I first really loved and then went a tad downhill. In general, I don’t like my series to be over so unless it’s a top favorite of mine I put it off forever!
Also, I recommend Lunar Chronicles! It only gets better and better, and there’s so much action and feels, and amazing characters. I’ll stop now. =)
Good luck with your series!
That’s exactly what happens with me. Both the Unwind Dystology and Blood of Eden are all-time favorite series, but I can’t seem to bring myself to read that last book! I even have the Unwind one out from the library right now, but I keep passing it over for other books, telling myself that I have to go over to Recaptains and refresh my memory (which I do, but how long does that take, really?). It’s just plain silly! I have managed to finish His Fair Assassin since writing this post, though, so I’m making progress!
[…] series so much that I actually just moved right on to the third book (which is a feat for me since I’ve had such a hard time finishing series lately!). So, be watching for that final review. And, if you haven’t read this series yet, you are […]
[…] excited to read more of him! (The only reason I haven’t finished the series yet is because of that thing where I get scared to read the final book in a series – pure […]
[…] reason I decided to admit that I still haven’t read the fourth book (because, you guys know how I am about finishing series – I’m worst when it comes to my absolute favorites because I just have weird phobias […]
Yep, I’m a series failure as well. *ha* I like the fact that you’re asking us to help you decide which ones to catch up on first. I’m going to vote for Bloodlines. That’s actually a series I finished! *fist pumps* I have to celebrate since there are so few I’m caught up with or have finished. 😉