I don't know if it's the heat or what I'm reading, but for some reason just about everything I've read this month has left me wanting, with the exception of Hope Tarr's Vanquished.
A look at my sidebar will tell you I've read 13 books so far this month...
- 1 Very Good
- 3 Good
- 8 Okay
- 1 Not worth my time
The very good is obviously Vanquished and I've already admitted that one's a keeper. The books listed under "good" are good books, but they could have been listed under the title of "good/but"--I had issues with each one. The issues with the "okay" books were even larger and that poor lone "not worth my time" was lots of boring sex and next to no story.
Issues, issues, issues, nit picking at everything I'm reading.
That's the crux of my problem. It seems like everything I'm reading has something I don't like, plot twists, character changes mid story, too frantic a writing style. I realized my dislike of romantic suspense stems from not having enough suspense in the stories. I've complained about paranormals not being scary enough, well, most suspense romances aren't all that suspenseful.
See, I'm cranky, it must be the heat!
At what point did I become so nit picky that I expect every book I pick up to meet my wants and expectations, that's so unrealistic. Once again I really need to read for entertainment and stop.
Why is it sometimes we can be completely entertained by a book that's okay and sometimes an okay book is one step from wallbanger?
18 comments:
My diagnosis is that you probably aren't reading in your comfort zone because if you were, then an okay book really would be okay and a great book would be FABULOUS. Outside of our comfort zones, even when our heads say a book IS okay, the heart doesn't always agree and we're left feeling unsatisfied. :D
Bev, that's my problem, none of these books are really outside of my "comfort" zone. I guess the RS ones are, but the rest are either historicals or contemporaries by authors I read and normally enjoy.
But I do think your right... when our heads say a book IS okay, the heart doesn't always agree and we're left feeling unsatisfied.
I hear you, Tara. I not completely sure I've ever figured out exactly what my true comfort zone is, either, so it's difficult to know when I'm in it or not.
Does this fall under the heading of "I know what I like and that ain't it" type of thing?
Bev--That's it.
Tara--I've been feeling exactly the same way. I wonder if it is the heat.
It is possible, too, that the books you are reading just don't measure up the quality of the books that you have read and enjoyed in the past.
I completely sympathize with you tara marie... I'm having the same problem. I think that your situation is probably due to your reading disposition... You so want to read something good that it doesn't happen. It's the same for me... don't have much time to read lately because of work, so I want to read some good books, but they're all end up being blah.
I have that problem sometimes after reading a real good keeper book. It's so good, the ones I read after kind of pale in comparison. I hate when that happens!
Have you read any of the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning. Very good but then again I'm a guy.Please read and comment.
Jane, I've been reading romance since the 70's. I keep reading that the romance peaked in the 90's so maybe the best are behind us. I certainly hope not.
Nath, High expectations is a huge part of the problem. We all go through periods of bleh.
Kristie, you're probably right about reading a keeper, things pale in comparison.
Anon, I have read 3 or 4 of the Highlander series, the titles escape me. One I really liked (the first twin book) and the others I found a little disappointing, but having said that I am incredibly picky when it comes to paranormals, and I disliked the secondary fairy theme that runs through those books.
Sounds like you're getting to the point that I hit about ten years ago. It seemed like I was reading a lot more bad books than good books, and I got so tired of spending my money on total crap I couldn't even finish reading. So I almost stopped reading romance except for the handful of authors that I trusted or one that came highly recommended. Even now, I rarely buy a book by an author I'm not familiar with unless someone like you has recommended it. I depend a lot on reader blogs now. So keep up the good work!
Hi Norma, I actually went through a worse period like this 5 years ago, I read almost nothing 2 years.
I think it's just a string of well written books, with characters and plots I don't care for.
I'm reading Jennifer Armintrout's The Turning right now and enjoying it, but it's not a romance.
hello Tara Marie... yep, high expections are the worst... What I usually do after a keeper is re-read the book till I find another keeper or at least, a good book/story/author ^^;
man, reading your comments and norma and I hope this never happens to me ^^;... I have a boring life, so if I stop reading, it would really be the end.
by the way, you have to tell me if "The turning" is good, Tara Marie... I bought if after reading someone's blog/recommendation, but it's still sitting on my shelf.
I've been having this problem, too. As a teacher, I have summers off. I should be lesson planning or finishing my novel, but often I read other people's novels instead.
I'm taking a writing workshop this week and one of my assignments is to abstain from reading or watching TV. Last night, after five days, I broke the ban.
After taking a vacation from reading, I found it much more enjoyable.
Maybe you're just on romance overload? It might help to quit reading for a day or two, or switch genres (however briefly).
Nath, The Turning was good, I'll blog about it later today or maybe over the weekend. I finished it this morning and have been spending the rest of the day cleaning my little guys room, he's such a slob--LOL.
Kate, it might be romance overload.
I have a SIL who is a teacher, she takes July off, goes on vacation in the beginning of August and uses the rest of the month for lesson plans.
I think it's the weather. It is so hot everywhere!!
I have been going through the same thing on and off lately. This year I have read 1/2 the amount of books that I had read last year at this time.
......that Lydia Joyce, well I just couldn't finish it. Boring!!
But I did read a good book this week by an author I had never read and ironically it was published in 1996 by Avon. It seems that they just don't write them like that anymore. The book was A Man's Touch by Rosalyn West. Good book.
Hi Nikki, I think it was the Joyce that sent me into the romance reading blues--LOL. The new one is not nearly as good as her other 2. And, I have to think Bev is probably right because, my head told me it was well written, but I never really took to the story.
I haven't really recovered from my reading crash about, geez, it could be 4 years ago now. I was reading about 3 books a week and then BAM - wall. Now I'm lucky to read a book a week.
It's almost like I had read all the good stuff and I had to wait a few years before I could build up more great books to read from. I have the authors I read immediately and then I have the TBR pile.
The good news is it seems I am reading more than I thought. I just didn't blog about the MJD or the Evanovich - at least, I don't think I did.
I hope the 'mehs' go away.
CindyS
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