The longer I read romance, the more authors I try. But also, the more authors I find to be not to my taste. Christine Feehan is a perfect example. When I first picked up Dark Prince, I remember blowing through it in about 4 hours. I loved the idea of soulmates, of this incredible alpha male who "could do no other" than ensure the heroine's happiness. The sexin' was hot and the heroines seemed so fiesty to me. And then I read another..."still wonderful." And then another..."huh, the stories seem more or less the same". And then another..."why is he so freaking bossy?!" And then another..."Wait, why is she putting up with him being so freaking bossy?!" And then...we broke up. I just, couldn't do it anymore. Now, I'm sure Ms. Feehan never even knew we were going steady. But for me, it was a tough thing. I'd found this author whose writing I enjoyed, but the more I read, the more I felt the books were exactly the same. You know? And I was kind of bummed, no one else was really writing vamps at the time.
Until JR Ward came along. I re-read Dark Lover three times in a row. I was beside myself with excitement. The book was dark, moody and she had this incredible writing cadence that just rocked my world. Again the love scenes were hot and the characters engaging. Plus, the romance was just so delightfully written. As the series went along, I became a bit more disenchanted. First it was with the Butch/V storyline, then it was with the idea that the books were morphing into a U/F series. Which was difficult for me to take mostly because I think that Ward has such a deft hand with romance. And the romance aspect of the books were being pushed to the background. And now she's transitioned to hardcover, which means our romance will have to end, at least until her next one comes out in paperback. I might be even more upset about the Ward break-up than the Feehan one. I think the world she has created is so wonderful. But I hate the way she's doing so much in her books. It's a frustration to me. And if I'm frustrated when I dole out $8 for a paperback, I'd be going bananas at the idea that I spent $16-20 on a hard cover. So, I'll borrow a copy of the book from someone and then buy it when it comes out in paperback.
And the break-ups don't happen just in paranormal. I broke up with Stephanie Laurens after reading about six or seven of the Bar Cynster novels. I got to the point where I really perceived the formula, which clearly works for a ton of readers, but when it got to the point where the books were about one of the Cynster's third cousins twice removed, I was done.Now it's your turn. Which authors have you stopped reading or buying? And why? Have you ever gone back to an author who you'd broken up with and found that you were newly "in love" with their writing style? If so, whom?
20 comments:
Well I completely understand your break up with Feehan and the Dark series. I haven't completed that break up because I'm still reading her Drake sisters (although I've had the last release since July and haven't picked it up yet). I guess when I think about it there are series that I've broken with...but not authors.
I have broken up with Feehan for the same reason you stated. I also had to break up with Charlaine Harris. Just couldn't do another Sookie book. Sherrilyn Kenyon and I are testing a separation period..if Bad Moon Rising does not fulfill, I may have to make it final.
On a side note, in my opinion, JR Ward bringing in more U/F into her series makes it better. I love the romance aspect, but I think they are much more intense and satisfying with the other aspects she writes about. I have a feeling Rehvenge will have quite a romantic side.
I haven't necessarily 'broken up' with any authors, but that's why I spread my faves out. Lisa Marie Rice comes to mind. I LOVE her style, but I can't read too many of her books at once, mainly b/c the heroines have too many similarities. However, Linda Howard writes sexy alpha males, but they're never the same (IMHO) so I can read her all I want and never get tired.
I broke up with Laurens a very long time ago. It was so hard to say goodbye to Laurell K. Hamilton.
I am still Ward's biotch, that is until Rehv comes.
I've had the same experience with the Dark series. I come from more of a UF reading experience, and the Darks were some of the first paranormals I read (actually, I listened to them on audiobook.) I think by book 4, I was done. Though for me, it was more about the narrative style than the formula or repetition.
I flirt with breaking up with LKH's Anita Blake series whenever I read the more recent ones, but I'm unable to walk away from that relationship. I'm too invested in the characters. Even when I want to throw the book against the wall, I pick it back up and finish it. And I get the next book, hoping it'll be different. Just call me co-dependent.
I can't say that there are really any authors I've broken up with, but we have drifted apart, going our separate ways, with the occasional run-in. For example Janelle Denison. I loved her Wilde books, never really got tired of them, but it's taken me forever to read her last book - it's still in the TBR pile. I think it's the comfortable stage where I know I can depend on her, but feel the need to spread my wings.
Currently I've re-newed by love affair with Suzanne Brockmann and I plan to re-read the Troubleshooters books. I'm more excited about that than I am about reading most of the new books out there.
You know, Mandi, obviously more readers feel the way you do, that the U/F positively impacts the series.
But it was drive home to me when I read and reviewed the Compendium and she wrote the short story between Z & Bella, that I really read Ward for the romance. I just think she's a master at drawing emotional connections between characters and I am one of those readers who bemoans the idea that the Brother's romances are now secondary to the U/F plot. Of course, that's just me, YMMV.
Tracy, I feel a little dirty about it, but I actually just requested her next Jaguar book to review. I really liked Wild Rain, so I'm hoping this one will be good. But I'm kind of going back on that whole "we're breaking up!' thing.
Great post Kati! Hmmmm. While I'm not thrilled at the direction JR Ward's books have gone (I prefer the earlier books, especially Lover Eternal), I can't not read about Rhev :) He's....*SIGH*
I think Stacy put it beautifully - I've 'drifted away' from Stephanie Laurens. I LOVED Devil's Bride. It was the first romance I read when I discovered the genre properly just over 3 years ago (has it really been 3 years?). But, all the heroines are the same gorgeous carbon copies of each other. Doesn't one of them have a flaw? So, I stopped. Saying that, if she wrote a medieval Cynster book I would be there with bells on! Especially if the heroine was more like Honoria :)
Kati, Kati, Kati...breaking up with romance authors the week of Valentines Day- BLASPHEMY! *g* In some countries you'd get the death penalty by stoning for such a thing!
But seriously, I haven't broken up with any authors...we just go through long separations (I don't like to burn bridges-lol). A few bad books by an author doesn't turn me off the author if he/she hooked me previously with a great book/s - because then I already know they've got it in them and they can do it again. I always give lots of chances to redeem ones self. I will break up with an author if they switch genres to something I don't care for. Then we're done.
I was actually just thinking about this the other day. I started Julianne MacLean's new book last week and it was just so uhg. I gave up around page 150. I'm thinking about breaking up with her... this new series she has going just doesn't make any sense to me.
Kathryn Smith is another author I'm probably going to break up with. Not that I've been disliking her books, which have all been good, but all of a sudden I just lost interest in reading them. The last 3 books she's released are STILL sitting on my TBR pile, and think they're going to stay there for a loooooong time. At this point I'm really considering throwing them away so I have room for new books. Same case with Adele Ashworth, Liz Carlyle, Jim Butcher, and Kerrelyn Sparks. It's not that I thought their books were bad, I've just lost interest.
LKH and I broke up a long time ago. It wasn't a pretty break-up, either. :P
Wow, MsMoonlight, you are a WAY better person than me!
I currently have about three authors in "time out" which is the step before breaking up. If Laura Lee Guhrke writes one more stinker (the last two have been bad for me), we're done. LOL!
Especially because I rarely borrow from the library, and am actually spending hard earned dollars, there's just no freaking way that I'm tolerating books that don't inspire me. Shallow? Maybe, but hey, it's my hard earned money.
But, then again, like I said, Feehan didn't even know we were going steady. :wink:
LOl I love how you say you have the authors in time-out. I think that's the way I should look at it too. :)
It's interesting to hear your perspective as a reader Kati. It's hard to keep from making one book sound like another. I have that fear every time I write a book. There's this little voice going, ok, so have you said it that way before? Is that inner conflict like Book X...what about the hero's motivations? It's a minefield looking for a body part. *grin*
Christine Feehan was kinda like a one night stand for me. I tried each of her series out and wasn't eager to go back to any of them.
I think I broke it off with Hannah Howell. I know when I first discovered her highlander books i had to have them. But then, I guess I got bored in the relationship :).
I broke up with LKH mid-book. I just couldn't read any more.
Currently, Lori Foster and I are taking a break. Well, just until she releases a new SBC book that does not randomly involve time travel.
I am seriously considering breaking up with Katie MacAlister. I read her lastest (which I did not realize would be the start of a new series) and felt like she just repackaged the Aisling Grey books, substituting vamps for the dragons. ::sigh:: It makes me very sad.
I'm sure I will come back to most of them (LKH, I shake my fist at you!), but it may take some time and personal space before we can regain that trust again.
I've drifted away from authors, but haven't really ever stopped reading any author that I've read multiple books.
I will not buy a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book (with books like Heaven, Tx and Natural Born Charmer) I enjoyed What I did for Love, but was prepared to never read her again after that book.
Julie Garwood hasn't had a wonderful book since Mercy and Killjoy (7 years I think)
I am only in book 3 for the Black Dagger Brotherhood, so I'm not sure how I am going to feel about the series.
I did break up w/ Johanna Lindsey, do not like her writing.
I quit reading Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters after Seize the Night (Valerius' book). I couldn't keep up with all the mythology, and I wasn't interested in all the new characters. I also got tired of the way she teased us with Acheron's story, so by the time it actually came along, I'd lost interest.
I'm still planning to read some of her Kinley MacGregor books though.
I'm also getting tired of Ward's BDB books, for many of the same reasons that I got tired of Kenyon's DH books. I'm interested in her new angel series and some of her Jessica Bird books, but I haven't decided whether I'll read Rehv's story and beyond.
I had the Lauren's break up I thought the original series was good if not easy to figure out.
I need to break up with Feehan b/c I keep buying her books but won't read them for the reasons you listed.
I did just break up with Laurell K Hamilton's Blake series just couldn't do it any more. I think Charlaine harris might be next though...
I know I'm arriving late to this discussion (what else is new?), but here I am. :)
I sort of broke up with Christine Feehan's Dark series as well, but not until late in the series. Well, I glommed the whole damn thing in 2006/07, yet I just couldn't stand Dark Possession. The dialogue and h/h conflict was sooooo repetitive, I felt like I could have written it myself. I have to admit though, I really want to read Dimitri and Skyler's story, so when their story is on the horizon, I'll probably pick up the paperbacks from where Dark Possession left off. Sucker!
I'm afraid I'm following suit with Ward's BDB series, too, Kati. Six months ago I was gung ho for Rehv's book. Now ... I want to read it, but I'm not ready to fork out the bucks for the hardcover.
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