We can’t all love everything and some books just aren’t for me. Sometimes I try really hard to love a book but if it’s taking me 4 days to read 100 pages, we need to have the talk. I debated quite a while on whether or not to do this feature, but I thought it would be fun. And Carla at The Crooked Shelf does her own version of this, so Book Breakup’s was born.
This first time around I’m going to talk about some series that I just had to call it quits with!
I loved the first book, Evermore. I liked the second book, Blue Moon. It was agonizing getting through Shadowland. Ever had started out as a sympathetic, likable character, but by the third installment she was just whiny and annoying. Completely unlikeable! I still really love the whole concept of the Immortals, but I can’t get past Ever’s stupid actions. When I reviewed Shadowland I said I would still give Dark Flame a chance, looking back though, I wouldn’t be spending my money on it!
Here are the people that loved the book!
I made it six books into this series before we called it quits. How? I still don’t know. Between whole books where nothing happens, and endless boyfriends, I just couldn’t take it anymore. The series did start off strong for me. I had just started to scratch the surface of the YA section and I was enthralled with the Cast’s version of vampyres and bording schools. But it all became a little ridiculous after a while. I mean come on! Can this girl really be that attractive? Every guy she meets falls madly in love with her. And is she just completely covered in a tattoo by now?
I credit this series for my love of paranormal and urban fantasy. I started reading them in middle school and reread the first 9 or so countless times. I used to look forward to each new books release for months and months! So what made us break up? If you have read the series I’m sure you know. The sex, that’s what made us break up. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was great! There was just waaaaay too much of it…..Seriously though, somewhere around book 10 the plot of these books got put to the wayside while the sex took center stage. I just couldn’t handle it anymore! I missed the kick ass zombie raising Anita! Unlike the first two breakups mentioned in this post I think I will eventually revisit this series. A looong long time from now. I have too much invested in these characters to give up on them completely.
Here are the people that still love the series
Interested in doing you own Book Breakups post?
If I were to do a break-up post like this with books, we'd have the first two in common!
I pretty much gave up on the Immortals after the second book, Blue Moon. I found Ever so incredibly whiny and immature that I vowed unless I saw *amazing* reviews for Shadowland, then I wouldn't read it. I've yet to see any review that told me Shadowland was a complete 180 from the other two.
House of Night is the most frustrating thing ever! I sometimes think that maybe the Casts are living vicariously through Zoey, which is why every single guy that's not gay somehow falls for her – and Eric must be based on an ex-boyfriend because I really don't understand how he was turned into the bad guy when he was the one that was being cheated on! Nick stopped after the third, when he literally threw the book against the wall and said he's had enough of Zoey and her "whore-ish" ways. I gave it to the sixth, hoping it would get better. Plus, I really don't like the play-by-play time line so much. Each book spans over a few days and they're still in the first years after the sixth book – how is that possible??
I actually haven't read the Anita Blake series, so I can't say if I'd break up with it or not. 😉
Great post!!
I have to agree. I always say that me and the Immortals series have a "love-hate" relationship lol. I liked the first book, did NOT like the second book, but wanted to see if the third got better so I picked it up and actually liked it a little better. But I'm not sure if I would buy the new one. To be honest, Ever frustrates me to no end. Sometimes I want to shake her and yell "WHY did you do that????" 🙂 I would have probably gotten this last one but I've read that it is terrible.
AH, the HON series. Who will it be of the 3 or 4 men? lol. I have to say that I fell in love with the first few books. Then once it started coming from Stevie Ray's (heck, I don't know how to spell her name!) POV I lost interest. She is not one of my favorite characters. I have Burned here at the house to read but I'm not sure when I will get to it. Just knowing that the POV switched over even more, makes me put off reading it.
It really bugs me to stop a series. But sometimes I have to make my self let go. It's harmful to my reading relationship to continue lol. 🙂
Great post! I am with you on the Immortals series except that it didn't even start strong for me. I read the first 3 to try to figure out what I was missing.
I am still going strong with the House of Night series though. I think the time in between books lets me forget the annoying bits.
Oh, Anita! You used to be so kick ass and now you are so angsty. It is like watching a train wreck. I've decided to keep reading but wait for the paperbacks.
I feel ya I was so angry with Burned and haven't picked up Dark Flame yet because Shadowland wasn't my favorite. I am however looking forward to the book about Riley her little sister. Great post!
I gave up on these series as well! Alyson Noel's after the second book, and about 4 books in for P.C. Cast.
My friend still reads the LKH Anita Blake books, so if she tells me they get better at some point, I might pick them back up. haha
I really like the idea of this meme 🙂
Sometimes we start a series and find that we just can't get through it (for whatever reason).
I started The Immortals by Alyson Noel and am having a little trouble with it also…but I'm going to persevere with it. By book 3, I was ready to throw Ever against a wall, but I heard she begins to redeem herself in Dark Flame.
HON is another I'm having trouble with too. I stopped at Hunted and just haven't been able to get myself to pick it back up.
I don't think I'm calling it quits on either one just yet – but that's yet to be seen, lol.
♥Isalys
I am so glad I am not alone. I also loved Evermore. I thought it was great! Then Blue Moon was so, so. I hated Shadowland. I decided to give Dark Flame a chance just because I wanted to see what happened. I am the person who needs closure. It is a toss up who I despise more, Ever or Haven. Let's just say Dark Flame is due at the library tomorrow and I am not even paying the 10 cent a day late fine, finished or not.
I admit to being a huge Anita Blake fan. The sex does get a little out of hand, but I think that goes with the ridiculousness of the whole idea of the series. I love it. To me, if it makes me blush it's that much better. 😛
I haven't started on the House Of Night books, but I have them all in waiting.
Good post! I cut a lot of series loose this year…there are just too many to keep track of and if they aren't really grabbing my attention or worse – annoying me – I'm done.
I would add the Sookie Stackhouse series. She just drives me nuts and the books ceased being interesting to me awhile ago. I read this last one because someone gave it to me but i won't ever go buy it again.
I only read up to book 3 in the Anita Blake series. I had heard it was going to get crazy so I just stopped while I was enjoying it.
I've been so annoyed with the newer HON books! I didn't even buy Burned–just requested it at the library. Her 405348954395 men annoy me, but I do actually like Stark. Aphrodite is also one of my favorites.
I've had a lot of books I had to suffer through but usually I read reviews for them first to make sure they are good…
I'm in love with this post!! I completely understand that there are just somethings you have to give up on. Life is too short to read books you don't love. Go, go book lovers! 🙂
I’ve considered breaking up with the first two you listed. If I didn’t own the second book in The Immortals series and the two most recent books in the House of Night series I would. I feel like I bought them so I must read them. As for Anita Blake I can’t even motivate myself to start that series. I read the first three of her Merry Gentry series and it was just meh for me. There are a few series that I need to drop like a bad habit. I just keep hoping they’ll improve.
It's sad to break-up with a series but after a few disappointments I find I need to – for me it's been LKH's Meredith Gentry and Anita Blake series – just couldn't get into them anymore.
Book Breakups always suck. I'm reading this one book right now that is a first in a series and I just can't for the life of me get into it for some reason. Actually, every time I read it, I tend to fall asleep.
Anyhow, I read the first Immortals and really liked, though I haven't had the chance to read the next three books even though I own them, so I'm not sure where my opinion will lie once I read them. I've heard from plenty of people that they gave up in this series once they read Shadowland, which is kind of sad since Alyson's previous books were great.
I've never read the House of Night series though it seems like people either love or hate. I'm not too sure if I'll ever read it though.
I've never heard of The Anita Blake series and I don't think I'll read it, but it sucks that you don't like the latest additions. That happened to me with the last PLL book. I loved the first seven and the last one I really didn't like.
I was ready to give up on House of Night, but I kept going and Burned ended up being good. I've heard the things you've said about all these books quite a few times but don't know yet, myself.
I gave up on The Immortals after the first book! More band-wagon hopping.
I too gave up on the Immortals series, didn't love book 1.
My son and I were discussing the HoN books last night…the latest book has just been sitting on our shelf and neither of us are fighting over who gets to read it first. Once the god-creature-Kahlua or whatever his name is got introduced we started losing interest. However we do both like Stark as well…the other guys are…well…worthless.
As for Anita Blake. LOVED it in the beginning. Then when all it became about was how many men were in her bed in any given moment, it turned into a "romance" novel for me and lost everything it was great for.
(And although the latest Southern Vampire book left much to be desired, I haven't given up just yet!) – Jessica
I haven't read the first two series, and I really have no plans to.
But oh, Anita Blake. I'm still reading them – I just couldn't bring myself to break up with Anita and her men. The books are getting better, but there's still lots of sex. There's just a bit more plot to go with it now 😛 The new ones won't ever be as good as those first few, though.
Oh my! I broke up with the same books. I broke up with Anita on Dance Macabe and with Cast on Tempted. I love romance triangle, but anything more than that and it's ridonkulus. I'm thinking about breaking up with MaryJanice Davidson. This is a good post and I am glad to see I am not the only one.
I like this idea! And (funny enough) I "broke up" with both The Immortals series and House of Night as well, except I didn't give it as long as you did. I read Evermore, but didn't like it, so I haven't read any more of the sequels since then. With House of Night, I read the first 5 books, but I just never got into them. To be honest, I don't know why I stuck with them so long!
Haven't read the third series.
I love your post! I can honestly say that the only series I have broken up with so far (that I can think of off the top of my head) is Gillian Shields' Immortal series. I did not like the first book at all! I'm sure there are more that I have read that I never intend on picking up the next book, but they meant so little to me that I can't even remember them.
Why do I keep reading the HON and The Immortals? Hard to say. I really enjoy the story lines after you get past all the gibberish and non-stop immaturity. If you didn't like Ever in the 3rd book, you're definitely NOT going to like her any better in the 4th. Her immature and rash decisions make her character very difficult to relate to and sympathize with.
Love this feature. I do this some times, posting my DNF (did not finish) reads and then ultimately giving away my copies to hopefully someone who will enjoy them more than me. 🙂
I HATE the Immortals series. I wasn't going to read Blue Moon but I won a copy so I read it and hated it. I will NEVER buy a book by Alyson Noel EVER again. 😉
I'm on book 3 of the House of Night series, which I'm borrowing from a friend. I'll probably read them eventually but they're not at the top of my list. 🙂
I've read every book so far in the House of Night series and I can understand what you mean. There are just so many guys and the series has taken a turn I wouldn't have expected either. I do still enjoy reading it but I think the series has lost some of its spark.
I'd have a few on my list of Break Up Books so your not alone there 🙂
Love your Book-Breakups meme. I have not read (and probably will not read) either of the first two series. Why put myself through such a traumatic breaking up experience when I can avoid it like I can a man with chronic halitosis.
I did, however, fall in love and then out of love with Anita. I broke up with her for the same reasons you did. You would think having that much sex would cause chaffing.