I decided to go ahead and buckle down for some much-needed "new" reading! Of course, I always have a book going all of the time (acutally two books going>>> since I listen to my audio book in the car)… but recently, I have been trying some new authors, which doesn’t always make for the best reading for me. My problem seems to be that I have so many authors who I absolutely adore… so when I try a new author, he/she already has some pretty hefty competition amongst the TBR authors/books on my bookshelf.
And, as it is my opinion that I really shouldn’t give an opinion (unless of course, it is an extremely strong-felt opinion!) then I won’t divulge those authors who just haven’t been "making the cut" for me. [I know that I have written about this odd belief of mine… but I truly believe that if I write a negative opinion about an author’s book… that might somehow discourage others from trying that author. And, you know what they say about "tomato/tammatto"… or should that be "potato/pattatto"?!]
No, I don’t have an "inflated opinion about my opinions"… but I do know that when I hear that other cozy readers don’t like an author… and they can state their opinions… that does color my interest in that particular author. And, of course, I do enjoy (and seek out) sites that give book reviews…. unless the sites always offer inflated/positive reviews… to keep authors happy. But, those are "review sites," of which this is not.
Anyway, I have recently tried a few new authors who I have not cared for… which means I have all the more books to donate to my library (or some other type of "disposal" which will enable people who enjoy those authors/books to read them). Unfortunately, each author means at least three books, since I very rarely try a new author unless I have accumulated at least the first three books in the series. (Can you tell by this site that I have a wee obsessive/compulsive disorder?) My husband cannot understand why I have to have the first few books in a series before I actually know if I will like that particular author’s series…. but he also doesn’t line his books up on his bookshelf alphabetically AND chronologically… shifting the books each time a book is taken out of the sequence!
(If the above sounds abnormal to you… then, welcome to my world!)
Jeannie says
I completely agree with your way of organizing your books. And I’m also in the camp of trying to read the first few books in a series before I decide whether or not I like them. However, there have been a couple (particularly lately) where one book was enough!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Jeannie…
We might have read some of the same authors lately! Sometimes I don’t even make it through the entire first book!
Vickie says
I don’t organize my books except to keep genres or subgenres in different areas of My Git’r’Read: thrillers in an area on the shelf, cozies or purse book sized books in another area, etc. I don’t slam any authors except the lazy ones resting on their laurels of ‘look at me, big time author, I can write what I want and they will still buy’ folks. I won’t read them any longer and only offer up opinion when I see a debate going on somewhere on a blog or message board. I have the issue that I won’t keep reading a book if it’s not entertaining me. I rarely write up anything on those. I do know that I take into consideration a review or opinion on books that I have been interested in reading, especially if it’s a new to me author or series, so I can understand your hesitancy to write up a not so great review. I keep up to five books going at one time. Purse book, audiobook for my commute, two bedside books (one for each bedside I sleep thanks to DH’s schedule and snoring), and gym-bag book for my time on the recumbent bike. -V-
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Vickie,
I totally agree about some authors putting out schlock because they are able to do so. I try not to "out them" but I sure do have to wonder when I see people praising their latest (sometimes 20th or higher!!) writing efforts. There are several authors who I "stayed the course with" for longer than I can believe I did! There is one particular VERY "BEST-SELLER" author who I stayed with through her (oops! I didn’t mean to give the gender away!) seventh of twenty-some novels… I actually thought of leaving after her fifth! Ninety nine point nine percent of the time I am all for loyalty… but sometimes it isn’t that great to keep making excuses…