Alli the Book Giraffe

Hello readers!

If you’ve never heard of Book Blogger Hop, it is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addict. Each week a discussion topic is given and many book bloggers post based on that topic. New topics start on Friday and end the following Thursday. I personally always post my answers on Sundays.

This Weeks Topic: Do you prefer to read standalone or series books?

TO answer this question, I decided to break out some multi-year stat charts. Over the course of the past decade or so, I have consistently read less and less books in series. However, I have finished more of the series that I’m starting!

The top left is 2023 moving to 2019 on the bottom right.

It has felt for the past five years or so that everything is in a series. I’ve been experiencing series fatigue. Even when you read a book and then a few years later the author turns it into a series when it never was. One of my favorite fantasy standalones was Sorcery of Thorns. I learned earlier this year when reading over 100 Mid Year Freak Out Tag posts that it’s a series now. I don’t have any interest in reading the new book. I was promised a fantasy standalone and I’m going to go on pretending that’s what it is.

Nowadays, I’m really into standalones because they don’t require as much commitment, you know? I’m all about those shorter, punchier stories. But seriously, have you ever noticed how there’s hardly any standalone fantasy books out there? It’s a bit of a bummer, if you ask me.

I have been reading less and less series over the course of time, but finishing more. I did a challenge a few years ago to finish series because it was never a priority. Seriously, before 2019, I had finished less than 10 series in my life, but had started over 70! I did a similar challenge in 2021 and that’s the reason for the increase there.

Also, those authors that randomly start the series back up or add a book on after 5 or so years of it being over kill me. In 2019, at least 4 or 5 of the series I finished were ones that I had finished before and the author added onto them!

When it comes to choosing which series to start, I’m pretty selective. I like to think about the whole journey ahead. One thing I don’t really enjoy is starting a series that only has one book released. I’m not big on re-reading, so I don’t want to wait forever for all the juicy details to fade from my memory.

If I’m commiting to a 10 book series, the author better have written some of the best characters I’ve ever read. If you read series, you are clearly there for the amazing character lineup.

I gotta say, I’m totally loving this new romance trend where each book focuses on a different set of characters. I mean, I would eat up every single Bromance Book Club installment the author throws our way. It’s just that good! I know the series is over, but I would read more.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m gonna continue to read series as long as I’m a reader, I just have some grievances is all. Both standalones and series havet heir advantages and disadvantages for sure.

Where to find me: https://linktr.ee/Allithebookgiraffe

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