Weekly topic for discussion - Series or standalone...what's your preference?

[Jonetta]

I've finally had to admit to myself that I'm a series hound. I hate letting go of characters I've come to love, even though I now struggle to keep up. I especially love most of Nora's characters and find it even harder to close the book on them.

How about you? Is it more satisfying to know when you've reached the end of the book that's also the final happily ever after? Or, are you starved for more?

[Nicole R]

I get overwhelmed by never-ending series. The In Death Series is the only one that I really read and, while I enjoy it, I am only on book 17 or so.

The trilogies are much more enjoyable for me because I get more time with characters that I love but there is a definite end in sight at the same time. That definitely doesn't mean that I am not sad to leave them though! lol.

However, when it comes to Nora's books, I vastly prefer her stand-alone novels. I just feel like she has the flexibility to give us more depth to the characters and typically focuses on the suspense more than in the trilogies.

But I look forward to the release of - and enjoy - them all!

[Talya]

That's a tough one!
I like to see a character's HEA and ride off into the sunset, imprint it in my book memory and move on. Then again I love trilogies that move on to the next lead(s) and you see their continuation, with hints of the previous book's lead. Sooooooo, if I had to chose, I'd say trilogies/series :-D

[Jonetta]

Thanks, Nicole. You make great points about the standalones, which I believe are all romantic suspense. She's really good at keeping you fulfilled when you reach the end.

Trilogies are a happy medium for me:)

[Jonetta]

Talya, I wish I could let go like you do! It would ease my shelf SO much and relieve my series angst:)

[Talya]

Too funny Jonetta! Though I do get a little angst while reading a good book; one side of me wants to keep reading, the other side wants to slow down so the story doesn't have to come to an end.

[Maggie]

I love a series, but I do wish there weren't so many of them. I love really getting to know characters and seeing how they grow, develop and how relationships change. That being said it seems like of the books these days are series . Sometimes it nice to grab a quick read without wondering when the next book is coming out.

[Valen]

I like standalone novels :D

[Anita]

I love a series: In Death, Troubleshooters, Stephanie Plum. I also love the trilogies - you get some contact with prior characters you have fallen in love with. But, a lot of times I want a standalone. I just hate coming across a book that is in a series and I know I am not going to read any others

[Jonetta]

I don't have the discipline to just read one book in a series and let it go. Can you?

[Quynh]

I used to be standalone reader but I have to admit I'm a series addict now. I can't let characters go either especially when there's more to be discovered.

[Sandra]

I'm definitely addicted to the series...can never eat or read just one! But, then again, we're pretty much force fed series now...so few really good standalone books released anymore it seems. I love a great standalone but just don't seem to find many anymore. I will agree that the trilogies seem to be the perfect compromise for me. I like each book to give the characters a HEA while the next book gives us the story of someone else introduced in the previous book, while continuing with the previous couple's story in the background. The In Death series really is the exception to the rule. I have a few other series that I love that have 5 or more books in them but that's the exception not the rule.

[Anita]

I am a really cheap reader. I get books off the paperback swap rack at the library or the second hand book store. If I pick up a book from a series, I go looking for the others, if the Goodreads reviews of my friends really like the series.

[Connie]

Series or standalone...hmmm...that's a difficult one. Standalones are great. However, I think I prefer the series. I love when I can get all of the books of a series at the same time! When I get the first of a series (ie Dark Witch) and then have to wait several months for the next...I get so impatient!

[Jonetta]

I know that feeling, Connie. I'm trying to model some of my friends' behaviors. They wait until they've got all the books before starting a series. I try but I couldn't wait for Dark Witch:)

[[deleted user]]

Anita wrote: "I am a really cheap reader. I get books off the paperback swap rack at the library or the second hand book store. If I pick up a book from a series, I go looking for the others, if the Goodreads ..."

I'm the same way that u r,Anita. And I feel the same way that u totally do. I love the cheaper books,bcause they're cheaper and because most of the cheaper stories sound better and u can get nto them alot mo better than u could with th expensive books. That's y I perfer used bookstores, and other used bookstores like the Goodwill or even at McKay's Used Books,CDs,Movies and More...it's a great way to pick out which books that u like veruses the books that u KNOW that u can TOTALLY get into (if u kno what I mean,lol). Even some yard sales sale used books that people like u and me r lookin' for...so yeah,used books r totally the way to go when it comes to shoppin'....I wholeheartedly agree with ya!

[[deleted user]]

Connie wrote: "Series or standalone...hmmm...that's a difficult one. Standalones are great. However, I think I prefer the series. I love when I can get all of the books of a series at the same time! When I ge..."

To me, I actually prefer both of them...I like the trilogies but then again I totally like the stand~alone novals,too. So I guess that I'm nbwteen both of them...I feel the same way that u do,too.I also love that I can get all of the books from the series at the same time,too,it gets u a good feelin deep nside,too. Plus, whenever u get all of the books from a certain series (whatever series that may be),it saves u time and energy from havin' to find all of those trilogy books,ya kno? I know that after I finish Dark Witch, I know that I'm gonna wanna read Shadow Spell:Book 2 and Blood Magick:Book 3 of that same trilogy, but I can wait...that way it'll give me time to start on another book that I haven't gotten finished with...and there r several books on here I'm not quiet finished with. So that should give me enough time to read at least 3 to 4 books and get them all finished bfore the rest of The Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy comes out to the public.

[Julie]

Series! The problem is- I have to wait for the whole series to be released because waiting between books makes me nutty- so once the final book is out, I buy them all, block off a day or two, brew a pot of coffee and devour them all!

[[deleted user]]

Julie~Hey, that sounds like such a great idea to do when it comes to trilogies! Maybe that's what I need to do! Thanks for that idea! I loved it! Yeah,I totally agree with ya about waitin nbtween books does make people abit on the nutty side...I'd have agree with ya about that...yes! I'm like u,I like to buy the whole set of whatever trilogy that I'm nto,too...it makes u feel good nside to kno that u got the whole set of ur favorite trilogy so that u won't have to wait bfore gettin the next trilogy book....

[Jonetta]

Julie wrote: "Series! The problem is- I have to wait for the whole series to be released because waiting between books makes me nutty- so once the final book is out, I buy them all, block off a day or two, brew..."

I wish I had your discipline:)

[Janeiowa]

I don't have that discipline, either....but I re-read the earlier one (s) before I begin the new one. That way I get to enjoy/re-enjoy two or three books!

[Sally]

I agree with you Jane. I wouldn't be able to stand to wait until all of the trilogy was out. And I do re-read the ones that came before. Just like I will re-read Iona's story before reading Shadow Spell. Which I think will be Branna's story.

[Kerri]

I'm with Jane and Sally. I love the series, though I do wish they came out closer to one another. To make up for that, and the fact that I just cannot wait until all three or four are released, I reread the prior story or stories right before the newest book is available.

Sally, why do you think the next one will be Branna's story? I was assuming it was Connor's, but now that I think of it, I don't know why I was thinking that, except that Branna seems to be the central force in the trio, and so might be the final punch to conquering the evil.

[Jonetta]

The next book is Shadow Spell and is Connor's story.

[Kelsey]

I always find myself reading series. I get horribly attached to the characters in the books and then once I'm done with it, for a second I'm depressed because I don't want to say goodbye to them. Then I got to quickly move on to the next one.

[Kerri]

I know exactly what you mean Kelsey. With a series, I get to see the main characters of the first books again, or still. Depending of the stories told, they may be a part of the resolution of the story, such as in the witch stories, or simply as part of the lives of the later main characters. I used to think it is similar to watching a soap opera, where the story evolves, taking the characters with it.

[Kelsey]

Yes, exactly Kerri! If there was a "like" button on your comment, I would hit it. lol