Do you read a whole series before moving on to another series?

[Jean Valjean (OG 2010)]

Usually I try to, but I end up burning myself out on that series, so sometimes I have to take a break every few books and read something different.

[Ronyell]

Meghann wrote: "Usually I try to, but I end up burning myself out on that series, so sometimes I have to take a break every few books and read something different."

Me too!! If I haven't taken a break from each Harry Potter book, then I would have been tired of the whole series!

[Mariya]

i use to do that but not anymore since i found lots of more books i wanna read. of course if i find a series like i seriously love, consider it a favorite and probally will re-read again ill finish the series altogether, but that is very rare. im trying to get myself to catch up on all of my series now.

[Sheri]

I prefer to read the series straight through. When I am going to be starting a new series I make sure I have access to all the books (I.e. either by purchasing them or through the library) before I start. However, there have been times that I have read a few books in the series and then I needed to take a break from it for a while. Then I will move on to something else for a few weeks before picking up the series again.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer)]

I usually don't just because sometimes I need a break in between them. But I do prefer for there to be multiple books in the series out before I start it, that way if I do read them all at once I don't have to wait 6 months to a year for the next one to come out.

[Lisa M]

I read all the available books in a series before moving on to another one. I enjoy the series more that way, because once I'm immersed in the world (if it's a good series) I'm hooked. And that way I don't forget characters and plot points between books. I hate waiting for new books to come out once I've read all the books that are out.

[Bridget]

I read all the available books of a series I can get. I get so involved with the characters I hate to move on without knowing what will happen in the end.

It drives me crazy having to wait for the next book to be released sometimes, but gives me an excuse (as if I needed one) to read the series again for the new release.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer)]

I use to re-read the whole series while waiting for the next book but now I find I don't always have the time to do that and with so many other books in my TBR pile, I can't always justify doing it either.
I will re-read the last book if it has been awhile since reading it though but not all the books in the series.

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey)]

No, not really. I still haven't finished the Dreseden Files series, Guild Hunter series, Demonica series, Kitty Norville series, etc. I have way to many books to read, so I put books for fun last. I have review books to read first.

[Jennifer☠Pher☠]

So glad I found this post! I am experiencing this question right now. I am on the 2nd BDB book and know that I am going to read the 3rd right away since I already have it, but wasn't sure if I would continue with the others or try something else in between. Great to see what others do. I normally would devour the entire series so this is the 1st crossroads for me.

[Delia]

I usually to read every book from the series that is published. I have a friend who lends me series that she likes. I do try to avoid really long series, 4-5 books seem to be the best formula for me:-) I will read two books at once, but not often, its way to confusing for me.

[Kimi]

Never usually... I'm always reading a bunch of series at the same time. I did do that with morganville vampires because I got hooked and the books were small. Bdb I love but I only read the first few so far. Most major series I'm up to date on though.

[Katie]

More often than not. Especially if I love the series. Or maybe because it seems more and more series are more UF now with open endings on books. Although some series I read 2 or so books then will skip to something else before coming back o read a couple more.

I hate waiting a year for the next one to come out and find now that I usually wait to read the book until closer to release date. Plus with the over pricing by certain publishers of e-books I wait the year and sometimes the last one will go on sale then I have 2 to read.

[Sheri]

The DBD series is one I read through without stopping. I hated when I got to the end and had to wait for the next!

[Pansy]

I answered this question a few months ago and now I must change my answer. I had stated earlier that I usually finish a series all the way through, well now I am reading a book or two and moving to another series and coming back. I find that I like to mix it up a bit.

[michelle+8]

I will keep reading the same series as long as I have, or can get, the next book. Sometimes the next book isn't out yet, sometimes I just don't have any money to buy the next book or I can't find it. And then sometimes I get involved in another series in the meantime. The exception to this is the Doctor Who books -- there are literally hundreds of them, so I don't mind taking breaks to read other things.

[Mai]

Sometimes I do, if the series is really good. And there are times when a book in the series just can not allow you to move on. I have 2 authors that have me at a stand still, and they are both one of favorites; J.R Ward's Lover Enshrined - Phury's book 6 and Jeaniene Frost's This side of the Grave - book 5. And I know the books after are very good, but I am a person that can not jump over 1 in the series, therefore I am working to getting back on the horse so to speak, lol

[Clare K. R.]

If I love the first book in a trilogy and the others are out, I will probably read straight through the trilogy. I think I would do the same with a longer series if more than one book is out, but I haven't found any longer series that I loved that much--except the Harry Potter books, which I bought as they came out! If I only like, don't love, the first book in a series, I will be content to read the rest as I can get them from the library.

I did reread the Harry Potter books each time a new one was coming out, but haven't done that with any other series--but again, I haven't kept up with any series longer than trilogies! I am usually reading more than one book at a time anyway. There are too many books in the world to limit myself by worrying about reading a series all together.

[Wendy]

I like to mix things up a bit. I very very rarely read one book after the other in a series...

I am a bit analpedantic about reading series in order (one of the many reasons I abhor anthologies with extra bits in from series is I hate reading short stories and YET am made to if I want to read all the stories in a series)...

I don't start reading a trilogy or duology until all the books are out. If a series has an overarching story (eg. C.L. Wilsons' Tairen Soul or VA by Richelle Mead), that has a 'completion' I will wait for all the books to be out before I start to read them... there are exceptions of course, Patricia Briggs and Jeaniene Frost for eg. but I prefer to have the LAST book in a series before I even start it. One of the many reasons why I prefer PNR to UF and my favourite sub-genre of all is romantic suspense.

(PS... I sometimes sneak peek the end of a book if I am feeling anxious about the outcome ;))

[Sheri]

Oooh...I could never peek at the end of a book! Sometimes during a particularly good scene when I am tempted to peek ahead I have to actually cover the rest of the page with my hand so I can't look down and see what's coming. I love the suspense!!

[Jmckee69]

I really love to wait to read all but sometimes its hard to wait.

[Wendy]

Jmckee69 wrote: "I really love to wait to read all but sometimes its hard to wait."

It is indeed! But it can be so worth it, when I see the angst that readers go through having to wait months for each addition to the series! Looking at the Fever series in particular. I am so rapt now that I get to read the series at my leisure.

[Anika]

I read all the available books in a series before moving on to another one. I enjoy the series more that way, because once I'm immersed in the world (if it's a good series) I'm hooked and will continue on to the next book.

[Barbara ★]

I cannot read a series straight through unless it is a trilogy. No matter how much I like a series, after reading two or three in a row, I'd be sick of them. To me it's like hearing the same song on the radio again and again and again to the point where I just cannot stand to listen to that song ever again.

I usually have two books going at once though different genres so I don't confuse the two. I continuously listen to an audiobook in my car and I physically read another.

[Sarah]

I always read one book at a time, I find that I get more involved that way. I would rather read a series straight through but if there are a lot of book (like Dark Hunter has 22+) then i read them until I need a break and go through another series that has, let's say, 5.
If I am completely addicted (like with Night Huntress), then I will read absolutely everything that has to do with that world before I move on to anything else.

[Amy]

It depends on the series. If all of the books are out and are enjoyable I will read them straight through. There are some series that I have to wait so long for the next book to come out that I find myself having to try really hard to remember what happened in the previous books.

[Anjana]

If I like the series I HAVE to finish it! So I guess I don't move on till I'm done with the series..

[Rachel the Book Harlot]

If I love a series, I usually read it straight through until I get to the most current one. I also read them in order. There are some exceptions, like the Psy-Changeling series because I was a bit lukewarm about it. I jumped from Book 1 to Book 10 (Hawke's book). I might go back and read some of the others since I thought Hawke's book was good.

I generally cannot read more than one book at time. There are some exceptions but it's rare. :)

[~Leslie~]

Such interesting answers to this! I am one who will sometimes find a book that's in the middle of the series, and then if I really like it, I will go back and start at the beginning. Other series, it doesn't seem to matter- such as Christine Feehan's books. The Lara Adrian series I started at the beginning and have read in order. It seems to matter more with them. This is also true of BDB series. If it's a trilogy I tend to read them one after another until I'm finished. Hard to do that with the longer series. My book budget becomes an issue. It used to be harder to find all the books in a series, but now that I have a Nook, it's alot easier. I tend to download the next couple in a series as a sample book, then purchase when I'm ready.

[Rachel the Book Harlot]

Leslie wrote: "It used to be harder to find all the books in a series, but now that I have a Nook, it's alot easier."

So true! Thank goodness for ebooks! Although, I remember in the beginning when some books in a series were available in ebook format and others weren't. It would drive me nuts! That's become quite rare now, thank goodness.

[Lisa M]

LibraryLass wrote: "(PS... I sometimes sneak peek the end of a book if I am feeling anxious about the outcome ;)) "

I've done that if a book has me really upset and I need to feel better about it. Now that I'm reading almost exclusively on my Kindle, though, it's much harder to do!

[Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads)]

Not usually but I should do it more often. I like to read 2 back to back but I usually take a break in between. I have too many series in progress but I am always starting new series. I need to read a series from start to finish at some point next year.

[Lauren]

I rarely read the whole series in one go because then I begin to lose interest. I prefer to read them with an interval of a couple of weeks so that the plot is still fresh in my mind but I don't get burned out.

[Cindy]

Unfortunatly i cant finish reading a series because sometimes the next book is still not out so i jump to another book same thing happens so when the book finally comes out i go back to continue the series.

[Clare K. R.]

Sheri wrote: "Sometimes during a particularly good scene when I am tempted to peek ahead I have to actually cover the rest of the page with my hand so I can't look down and see what's coming."

I do that too! I'm glad I'm not the only one :D I'm never really tempted to look on, but sometimes the end of a chapter is a one-sentence paragraph, or a line of dialogue, and I can tell it's really important, so I want to read the preparation for it. I use my hand or my bookmark to cover the page.

[Vanessa]

I will read all the books for the series if available and if not will move on to another series and come back to it.

Also, I only keep reading if I am still interested some series I just cannot get into such as the Sookie Stackhouse series- I dont know why but I just cannot make myself read the series.

[Vanessa]

Also, I am in love with ebooks! ALL of the books I have read are in ebook format. I remember when I was younger and had my room full of books everywhere I had a hard time finding space for them.

Now I have them all in my laptop and ipod. I really want the ipad just to read my ebooks.

[Missyb]

I usually read the whole series (that has been released) then move on to another series. If the book is not that good then I'll stop and sometimes come back to the series later.
I read book 1 in the Vampire Queen by Hill at the end of the summer but that's it, eventually I'll go back to the series. It just didn't grab me and make me want to see what happened next. Recentely I read book 1 & 2 of the Glory St. Clair series then went on to another series then started another series but then went back to book 3 of the Glory St. Clair series.

[Missyb]

Awesomevegan (AKA JenReads) wrote: "Not usually but I should do it more often. I like to read 2 back to back but I usually take a break in between. I have too many series in progress but I am always starting new series. I need to rea..."

I usually read an entire series before starting another, but more for keeping the characters & overall plot straight. I'd start getting confused especially if the same name appears in two different series.

[Jessica]

I usually read one series at a time. I also ALWAYS read in order, so if I don't like the first book or two, I can move on.

[Jennifer]

I usually read each book to the end. But at time I need a change and I start a different series between and it mixes it up , so not to get bored. I always know what books I will be reading in the future. At least 5 ahead. This site makes it easy to put it in order. Really love this site, just found it a few months ago and helps me keep orgnized as well as I have expanded my authers as well.

[Scarlet]

Not usually. The only series I've read back to back is The Hunger Games. Most of the time I have a couple different series I'm going through at the same time so I don't get bored with one of them.

[Anne]

That's me too, I'm usually reading more than one series at a time.

[Sharon]

I try to. I read as many books as I can - especially if I'm enjoying the series, I like the fact that it's almost like one long book and you can get really caught up in the series. I always try to start series that have a lot of books already out so I can read in peace. There is nothing worse than chomping at the bit for a year till the next release.

[Anne]

I suppose that's why it's good I wasn't interested in reading HP until 2 years after the books were all written. :P

[Sandy S]

I tend to read an entire series...before venturing into another. But, saying that...if a NEW SERIES...that is new to me, but already established....is available...I will read the entire series, but if a new release from another series, is available, I may stop the current series, and read the other book...but get back to the original series.

If any is interested......Bodice Rippers Femme Fatales and Fantasy is featuring Christine Feehan for the month of December, and December 15th....an interview with Christine and an article on cover model...Nathan Kamp

[Kiersten]

I tend to get fixated on a series, yes. If the whole series is out and it's holding my attention then I'll run through it till It ends or I get board.

[Brandy]

If the series is really good, then yes. There is one series that I am currently in the middle of that I had to take a break from. I loved the characters & the story line, but the romance was so frustrating to me in each book, that I couldn't take it anymore. I will go back to it eventually, but not until I can get myself in the mood for it.

[Carly]

If it's really, really good then I'll keep to it. But anyother time I'll go back and forth between a few, depending on what mood I'm in to read.

[Missyb]

I usually read the whole series (at least what has been released). It helps me keep the series straight and not confuse two series. After a long series I try to read some stand alone books or new releases of a series I've read the rest of, before starting another series. Many series I just keep reading because I have to read what happens next.