Tag: romance

Books, fantasy, great reads, indie author, Out of the Box Blogs, paranormal romance, Romance, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Questions on Multiple Series

debra

How many series can an author successfully write at one time before the series start to suffer?  When do you know it is time to let a series go?

These are questions I have been pondering for some time and I am interested in opinions that you guys may offer, especially anyone who may be an author. Please understand I am not an author so I approach this only from a reader’s viewpoint.

Can an author successfully give multiple series the attention each deserves without any of them suffering?  I have been reading an author for many years, but this author is now writing five series—the fifth series just started with book one a week ago.  I really enjoyed this book and will write my review very soon.  The series I started with is now nearing release of book number 30.  Personally, I feel this series needed to be ended some time ago, but we now have new characters whom will undoubtedly have books written for them and the overall story arc is still not finished.  It is the series that will never end!!  I also have to wonder, in the author’s defense—how much of this is the author and their muse and how much of it is the publisher continually trying to capitalize on an author’s popularity.

I read several authors who have multiple series, and it is normal for those authors in my experience to release one book a year in the series.  When we are talking about  3 or more series, how can that possibly happen?  Therefore, we are probably looking at over a year between books.   One of my favorite authors generally writes one series at a time and we get a book usually every 6 months and then they start another series.  Granted, these series usually contain 4 to 5 books.  However, the series is completed and then we get to start another one.  With the author who is on book 30, I could literally be in my mid 60s before it finishes and I am already 53!! Some of the recent books have disappointed me with much repetition—hence question 2—when do you know it is time to let go?  I have many years invested in this series and I want to see the end, but I’m tired and don’t receive the level of enjoyment that I used to.

Have any of you faced a similar dilemma and how did you decide?  Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

Books, fantasy, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance, Urban Fantasy

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

Karen

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I’m a little late on this review but honestly I had a hard time with this book so I waited a long time to post this. Here is my review A Court of Mist and Fury by SJM but first of course is the blurb:

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

The review:

I know I have an unpopular opinion but I feel it’s important to be honest in all my reviews so here it is, my official review of the book. Let me start out by saying that I was actually looking forward to this book, I had heard that it would be a retelling of the Hades/Persephone tale and I found that idea to be interesting. I liked Rhys in the first book, he was bad, totally amoral and seemed to have his own agenda so I was eager to see how she would work the story, and I originally liked Tamlin and Feyre so I was also curious to see how she was going to break their relationship apart. Needless to say I was unhappy with much of this book, but let’s break it down:

1. The length. Holy moly. This book clocks in at 640 pages officially but it felt like 700 and should have been at the very most 400 (though I would have been very happy with it stopping at 350). In fact when I hit 355 pages I remember putting a marker in my kindle and saying “where is this booking going?” in the notes. It needed editing, major editing, I mean like 200 pages worth. Many times the book would go on for pages about side stories or pointless topics that just needed to go.

2. The sex. Listen I read a lot of PNR so it’s not that the sex itself offended me, it’s that it wasn’t very good and it didn’t belong in this type of book. You can’t write a first book for YA and then write a second book that is so obviously NOT YA and expect all the YA fans out there not to read it. And it wasn’t well written! If your going to make the jump into the big girls club do it well dammit! Ugh so bad I actually skimmed the sex scenes, they were just…ridiculous.

3. Feyre. I disliked her sooo much in this book. I am realizing this is a trend with me and SJM, I don’t like her spoiled, selfish, over the top lead female characters. You know the ones that can make mistakes and do what ever they want and EVERYONE kisses their feet but if someone does something, even minor, they don’t like it’s full on temper tantrum time. And everyone in the book is totally fine with that. I hate that, making me really dislike the book.

4. Rhysand. Like I said earlier I loved the contrast of this character in the first book. He was a very good villain, but in this book he lost all the qualities that I loved about him. He went from being this strong, crazy, slightly evil man willing to stand up to Feyre and do whatever it took for his survival (and that of his people) to a marshmallow willing to do anything Feyre wants even if it means everyone else suffers. I hated to see him destroyed.

5. The plot. Which was? Getting the cauldron? That can’t be it, that’s the last 50 pages that would be crazy. Falling in love? Is that a plot? I’m so confused what is the point of this book….

So another SJM series is done for me, honestly for me I think I just don’t like her books. It was really my fault for starting another series after being so disappointed in the direction the ToG series is going and ultimately stopping that one as well.

Books, fantasy, funny, great reads, indie author, Out of the Box Blogs, paranormal romance, Romance, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Last day to play!!

Karen

Our $25 Amazon gift card giveaway has only 24 hours left on it so if you haven’t entered now is the time!!!

Here’s is the link, one more time http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/479697332/?

I can’t wait to see who wins!

Books, fantasy, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance

A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Karen

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I received an ARC of this book which will be released on August 2,2016. I was attracted to the cover, which looks amazing, and the story. Let me give you the blurb, then my opinion:

Catalia “Cat” Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he’s ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her. 

I’m disappointed in this book, but I feel it’s very important for me to explain why. This book was fantastic, it had a great world that was different enough that I was intrigued but familiar enough that I wasn’t confused. It had great characters, Cat was saucy and powerful but not awful, Griffen was attractive and strong, but not like so many main characters I read today, you know willing to do anything the girl wants even though he’s suppose to be all powerful and constantly telling her how beautiful and amazing her existence is (aka he wasn’t an ass kisser). The other characters were great too, they made me smile and hope to learn more about them. And then came the story, you had a circus, magic ropes, magical creatures, crazy Alpha queens, Giants, dragons, oh and Greek gods! And just to make it interesting a whole bunch of fighting with some sexual tension. It was amazing!! So why 3 stars? Why the disappointment? Cause that was the first 50% of the book. Literally (I have a counter on my kindle), the last 50%…nothing. I mean no story, no plot, no more character development (except for the eventual HEA which wasn’t even exciting because I was already bored) even the new characters felt shallow and boring. And the story, you know with the dragons, sword fights, Greek gods, etc…it just came to a screeching halt.

I’m sad because this book could have been one of those that dances the line and you don’t know if it’s fantasy or PNR you just know it’s good. Instead it just turned into another plotless romance.

I’m hoping to read something else from this author someday because I feel like she’s got a blockbuster in her I just didn’t feel this was it.