There are certain authors, we all have them, that we buy their books as soon as they come out. No questions asked, we just assume that it's going to be wonderful because why wouldn't it be? I have a list of these authors: Jennifer Crusie, Janet Evanovich, JR Ward, Jennifer Lyon aka Jennifer Apodaca, (I'm noticing a "J" theme here) and a lot of others. I have recently purchased a book, not written by anyone listed on this page, that I am struggling to get through. Each paragraph is making it harder and harder to get through, but I am determined. I love this author, I'm sure it has to get better. Right? I mean I'm only on page 182 out of 232, there's still time isn't there?
*WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR INTERNET IS DOWN? YOU HAVE TIME TO FINISH A BOOK BEFORE YOU FINISH YOUR POST*
Okay, so while I was waiting for the highly qualified Qwest guy to finish upgrading my Internet (4 hours later) I had time to finish the above mentioned book. I liked the end but I didn't think it was ever going to come. So do you think this author ran this draft by any of her friends first? I mean it got published so that says something, but I'm not really sure what...
Have you ever run into a book like this? Did you finish it and if not do you wish you had?
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YES this has happened to me ! the first time it happened i was so confused - i kept picking the book back up hoping i just hadn't been in the right frame of mind the last (20?) times i'd tried to get through it. i ended up shelfing it. since then i've found quite a few duds but unlike the first one, i forced myself to finish them. not sure why, maybe 'cause i paid money for them, hoped they'd redeem themselves in the end, or i hoped i'd get SOMETHING out of it. sadly i have found that a book, like a new TV show must grab you in the first episode, (50 pages ?) if it doesn't ... odds are it's not gonna get any better. yes, i know there are some exceptions - there always are but i don't have enough time to watch every new show or read every book out there so i've got to cut some off. whenever i see or hear of a new 'interesting' book i check out the comments on amazon first. obviously those are opinion based so they must be taken with a grain of NaCl but you get a better feel than just reading the back cover or trusting that fav author to put out another good read.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I try to read reviews first as well, but the reviewer and I don't always agree. I tried to read Twilight like 10 times before I gave up and told my daughter it just wasn't gonna happen. LOVE the movie though.
ReplyDeleteHey, Erika - great post. I, too, always pick up favorite author books - no reviews or research needed. And I'm always disappointed when that author doesn't live up to my established expectations.
ReplyDeleteIs this a case of said author having proven themselves before, therefore she's published based on her name recognition only? After all, her readers will buy the book - sales will do well - does it matter that the story is less than stellar? Next question - is that author being pushed to produce in a short amount of time for strictly profitible reasons?
After having read a less than great book by a favorite author, my next book buying will be tempered with reviews and research so I don't get burned again.
Janet
Hi Janet, glad you dropped in. Unfortunately, I'm a sucker. I'll buy her books again, without reading reviews because I'm loyal. It's a curse. :)
ReplyDeleteErika...this must be an epidemic or something! And I'm really curious as to which author this is... *bwahaha*
ReplyDeleteErika, I found the post :-) I now know you and I weren't talking about the same book, because mine was a hair over 350pp and yours stopped at 232.
ReplyDeleteYour reaction to Twilight interests me. I thought the movie was just so-so and the book was much better. For me, Kristen Stewart lacked a lot of the charm that I read in Bella. I don't think she read the book before doing the movie, just the script, so that may have informed her interpretation.